Fire, Blood and Stars

Chapter 20

VERY IMPORTANT: GO BACK TO THE LAST CHAPTER AND READ THE FLASHBACK SCENE AGAIN. I HAVE CHANGED A LOT.

Searching an island for suspicious things was much harder than it looked. You had to search every nook and cranny, and often you ended up wandering somewhere you'd already been.

However, none of this was a problem if you had a flying cat.

There was nothing suspicious. Not a single thing.

Natsu closed his eyes and tried to look through his mind's eye, which, despite its description, was quite unphilosophical and mundane. He immediately found suspicious things in droves.

It would seem that he owed Lullaby an apology. For the villagers were indeed demons in human form. There was also a much larger source of demonic power, along with a high concentration of ether-nano and spirit. Possibly a powerful ghost that had been brought back to life.

"Huh."

Yeah, that about summed it up.

Lucy had recently taken to sleeping in the guild itself. There were rooms there, apart from Fairy Hills, where she could stay. Just adjacent to the library, for example, was a study room, which also had a bed where she could sleep.

While reading, she shared the room with Levy. At night, Levy went back home with Jet and Droy, and she slept there.

That day, her mind was occupied with what Mira had told her. Could something similar happen to her? It seemed like those people were trying to use Lisanna to hurt Natsu. And they also had powers over blood. That was quite worrying.

Oh, well. There wasn't much possibility of running into them again.

Her eyes grew tired, and she shut off the lamp and went to sleep.

Standing in front of the demon, Natsu didn't know what to think. On one hand, the demon looked scary. On the other hand, it had nothing on a dragon.

"Yo", he said, rapping his knuckles against the ice around Lullaby's Uncle Deli. "Anyone home?"

"What is it?"

Natsu whirled around, not having heard anyone get close to him. At first, he saw nothing. Then he looked down. A mop of pale blonde hair looked up at him.

"Who the-"

The person looked up at him cheerfully and chirruped, "I'm Mavis Dragneel! Pleased to meet you! Please state your name and business, and do try not to disturb little Deli. He's been locked in ice for a decade, poor child."

There was so much Natsu didn't have any clue about in that sentence. He finally settled on the most obvious question.

"Dragneel?"

"Yes, Dragneel. My last name, y'know?"

Natsu frowned. He brought Lullaby out from his bag.

"Do you know him?"

"Granny!"

Mavis blinked. Then she blinked again. "I do know him. Hi, Lullaby! Last I heard, you'd been sealed in some tree? Right? And don't call me granny, I'm not that old." Turning to Natsu, she said, "Thanks for saving him. He's such a rambunctious child, y'know? Always getting into some sort of mischief or another."

Natsu didn't know what to say. He asked, "Are you some sort of long-lost sister of mine?"

"Not unless your last name is Vermillion! Wait- What's your name?"

"It's Natsu Dragneel."

Mavis's eyes immediately lit up. "Really? Excellent! Stay here. I'll be back in a bit, 'kay?"