The Roku Curse

•|• 8 •|•

"We're here!" Shouted Erza, hopping from the train to the station platform. "Oh thank Mavis!" Natsu screamed, running from the train doors and crashing face-first into the station wall, but he seemed to not care, getting right back up in just enough time to watch the rest of the members officially step foot in Furui.

It was a mission itself to get here to the town these weird events started in, it being nearly a half a day trip, and the goal to the so-called 'mission' was impossible, but if there was even the slightest chance I would be able to wake up in my bed and see Ms. Spetto with my morning crumpets urging my to say good morning to my father, then I bear with it.

It all started in the morning, Mirajane offered to let me stay in her shared apartment in Fairy Hills, where I got to meet her younger sister (whom was kind and yet I felt awkward around). I was woken early in the morning and told Natsu and me along with a few other Fairy Tail members were off to find some clues on our 'condition'.

"Hurry up now! We lost a lot of o daylight from that train ride!" Screamed Erza as she commanded Gray to haul around her cart of luggage.

With Levy leading the way, we all followed down the long and empty train station blindly. Quickly, I made my way to the rear of the group with Natsu and Happy, only because I felt out o place next to Gajeel.

Not like I wanted to hang out with them or anything.

The group was smaller than before the last time we left the station, almost everyone was here from before, but Jet and Droy decided to hold back from coming, and Wendy decided to tag along as well.

I took the time to look around the old train station, and even if it was musty and smelled like wet oak, there was something calming about it. Now that I think about it, this place was the first train station I've ever been in.

Father never let me go anywhere, much less use public transportation. Last time I was in too much of a panic and rush to enjoy it, so I took the time to now.

"Hey Luce," Natsu called, pulling me from my thoughts. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"Just how cool this place looks," I say, not exactly true, but I didn't feel the need to explain myself.

"You need to get out more." I know he didn't mean it in a hostile way, but I angered me quite a bit.

"I wish," I muttered bitterly.

It was silent between the two of us, only the sound of Happy's awkward wing flap could be heard.

"I guess I'll just have to take you out than."

My heart nearly stopped. "What?"

"I-I mean I'll take you around Magnolia, show you around," Natsu mumbled, rubbing his neck. At this point, my face was red from my imagination. "Of course, I knew that," I said, trying to play it off.

"Oooh~" Happy cooed flying around both our heads. "Shut up!" I screamed, jumping high in a failed attempt to grab him by the tail.

Natsu laughed. "You're weird."

I rolled my eyes. "So your really going to take me around Magnolia?"

"Why not? We're friends aren't we?"

I nearly choked on my spit. Friends? I mean sure, I've had the manor staff, but I never had a real friend my age. All the children my age used me as a means to be closer to the family business, and yet Natsu was here, very genuinely asking me if I wanted to be his friend.

I grinned, nodding my head so fast I was a blur to the eye. "Yes!"

We stared at each other, laughing at my eagerness. This moment felt so different from my past experiences and yet just out of my reach was there a sense of familiarity.

"Great, I wanna take you to the lake by my and Happy's cabin. My friend Lisanna and I go fishing there all the time. We also have a huge forest we can go explore together." My eyes widened at his words. Quite honestly, I didn't think Natsu had much, but it was odd to here he owned an entire forest.

"Wow Natsu, your parents must own a really big property."

Natsu silenced at my words, looking down. "Not exactly."

His whole demeanor changed within seconds, he tried to move away from me without e noticing, slowly creating distance between me and him. I felt so horrible, I had just become friends with him and yet I had already messed up horribly. Although it did make me think about how Natsu and I were mere alike then I thought. he was just as alone as me.

~

I sighed as I stepped off the train back into Magnolia. The whole trip was a bust. We ended up just as lost as when we came here and ended up having to stay the night in a hotel in Furui. It was on now, and I was beginning to lose hope in ever seeing Aquarius again. I had tried to summon her through the many times I found myself alone, with Natsu being mad at me and all.

She never came, not even a sign.

"Don't worry, Lu-Chan, I'm going to go back to Furui on my own time to find anything, in the meantime you can stay with Mira or me if you'd like, maybe even Erza. We just want you to be as comfortable as possible." Levy muttered, tenderly petting my blonde hair.

"What about Natsu? Where is he going to stay?" I asked.

Levy looked down at me, smirking at my words. "Oh, why do you want to know?" She said, making my face red as she hinted to something I was not implying.

Never in a million years.

"I'm just curious!" I shout.

"Okay, okay," Levy laughed, putting her hands up," Natsu's just going to continue to live in his cabin, he always lived by himself at a young age, so he doesn't need anyone to look over him."

I looked down, thinking. How long had he been alone? If his parents aren't around then who took care of him when he was sick? Who cuddled him during thunderstorms and who cooked him coco when it was snowing? We may have had our similarities when it came to our parents, but I had my time with them, and as far as I knew Natsu was alone.

I looked around the group, almost everyone had set off to the guild with the exaction of Levy and Gajeel who was waiting to walk with her. Natsu hadn't even waited for me.

And yet, I couldn't blame him, I myself had freaked out about him assuming I had a perfect life, so he had every right to be upset at me. I wanted to make it up to him.

I didn't want him to think about what he had missed out on, as I had done. In some small way, I wanted to make him feel better. To know he wasn't alone.

"Can you point me in the direction of the closet store please?"

Heyo everyone!

Thank you all for your patience. This is sorta a filler chapter sorta not, basically, it's leading up to a plot point. I'm posting this on a Monday only because I'm feeling very guilty about not updating but my schedule will still continue with updates on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Anyways, thanks for reading, love you all and I'll see you soon.

Bai!

Monday, April 27th, 2020

1290 Words

~Ari~