Young Writers Society

"Can you? Can you really fly?", Lucy was amazed.

"Are you making fun of me? How did I even came up here anyway?"

"I'm kidding"

Lucy laughed.

Natsu sighed. Even though it was a lame joke, he had to pinched her face. He thought of doing it, but he couldn't since he made her angry for the first time. Doesn't want to do it twice.

After a moment of silence, he began to walked towards Lucy. He held her hand — leading her to the window. Looking down, she was having a second thought. Lucy was afraid of heights. Her room was on the third floor of the castle. It was high up, like the view, outside of the castle, could be seen from her window. She let go of Natsu's, walking two-steps backwards. She was afraid that she might fall to the ground. But Natsu encouraged her not to be afraid. "Don't worry, I will definitely hold you. You just have to trust me on this", he said.

"But what if I fall...are you going to catch me?", Lucy trembled.

"Of course. I will be there to catch you. Trust me!"

Natsu showed Lucy the gesture to hold his hand. Lucy didn't move. It wasn't just because she doesn't trust Natsu — she was just afraid. But all the sudden, Natsu grabbed her hand the second time. "If you trust me, then you shouldn't be afraid, right?" Looking at Natsu's smile, Lucy began to lose her nervousness. His bedazzling smile that polished from the moonlight, brought Lucy's fear to ease. Her heart was calmed. Giving a nod to go, it wasn't that long both of them started running to the window. Natsu's dragon wings were ready to took off; he flew out from the window, landing his feet on a wooden will of the window;  using his back to gave Lucy a ride. He had to be sure that Lucy was safe and okay. Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck; holding it down so he won't get choked.

"Are you ready?", he wondered.

"Yeah", she nodded.

Natsu began to flapped his wings. Lucy was surprised. As soon as they took off, she couldn't feel anything under her feet. Her heart was pounding; while looking down on the ground, moving her head on that direction only, she quickly closed her eyes and put her face on Natsu's back. But Natsu comforted her to calm down. Heads up, his face was closed to hers — Lucy blushed. Then, suddenly, leaned her head at Natsu's back.

As she looked at her side, she saw the colorful roses at her family's garden — the whole area of the rose garden can be seen outside from Lucy's room. Each block of vase, in each column, has different colors of roses. It was wide that Lucy could ever imagined. The petals shone when the light scintillated from the moon. So pretty, Lucy couldn't take her eyes off from them. She called out Natsu, turning his head to the direction that Lucy pointed at, he was amazed too.

"Its like its shining", Natsu said.

"I know right"

They giggled at each other. From then on, Natsu thought of wanting to go higher. Lucy wasn't sure if he could do it, since his wings were still small. Like the size of his whole arm. Also, it would be dangerous since they were just kids. A sound of a grunt, Natsu was trying to control his wings. Lucy was worried that he was forcing himself to do it. Understandably, Natsu was not strong enough yet to go for something extreme. She couldn't tell that to herself because she might hurt his feelings. She asked to stopped. Natsu stopped grunting, huffing for air. They stopped moving. Then, suddenly, he looked at Lucy with a serious look.

"You..are you really that heavy, Lucy?", he asked.

"Huh?"

Lucy was confused. When Natsu asked her the second time, Lucy couldn't say anything. She wasn't sure what to answer from his question, that suddenly just came out of the blue.

"Hmm? Lucy?"

"Wha-I-I don't think so"

"Oh, I see"

Lucy assumed that he didn't care. But what was the purpose of asking, that was what she wanted to know. Is Natsu being stupid? , she thought. She looked at him, doing some thinking, at his back. She doesn't know what Natsu was thinking about; it was like he had some deep thoughts on his mind. "Ah!" Suddenly, he had come to his senses. It took a while; but the way he reacted was as if he was in shock. He looked at his right direction, sensing like there was something coming. He directly told Lucy not to let go. But Lucy was disoriented. She doesn't know what was going on. Then, a strong wind came to their direction all the sudden. There were out of balance. Natsu was trying to control his wings, and Lucy was about to fall. She let go when the wind hit at them. She hadn't anticipated that it was coming. That must had been what Natsu warned her about. But she didn't know. Natsu was going to grab her hand, while he was controlling his wings. When he had it, he rushed down to safe Lucy. He thought of catching her before she landes down on the ground. When he touched his feet on the dirt, he looked up, checking if he was in the right spot. Unexpectedly, Lucy landed safely. Lucy closed her eyes thinking she was going to die. As she opened them, she was relieved that she survived the fall; but felt a bit of pain on her head. Getting up wondering how she landed, Lucy felt something soft under her bum. Other than landing on the ground, which her head was about to get hit, there was something that supported her body. When she lifted up her skirt, a boy was lying down on the ground above her, grumbling, it was Natsu.

"Hey, that really hurts", he said.

" I-I'm sorry"

"Geez, you really are very heavy"

Lucy was embarrassed. She wondered if Natsu was angry — he wasn't. Other than being angry, he was grateful that she is alive. But Lucy insisted on thanking Natsu. "You really keep your promise", Lucy smiled. " You save me. And so I thank you." Natsu suddenly just stared at her, thinking, and remembering of what she really meant for 'promise'. He remembered the promise that he made to Lucy back then.

If she falls, he is willing to capture her.

And he did.

Keeping that promise, is what makes Lucy happy.

He did his job to keep his promises.

Natsu couldn't say anything. He looked away, telling Lucy to get off of him. The two of them were squatting on the ground; they were dirt around their faces, including Lucy's punk dress. They looked around, wondering where they were. Still in the garden of the Heartfilia's. Noticing on the soil, they were in a huge vase with many different kinds of flowers surrounding them. Different types of different inflorescence. Natsu touched his nose, left to right, as if the scent of the flowers itches him. Lucy giggled, wondered if Natsu was allergic to flowers. "No, I'm not allergic to flowers. The smell just ruins my sense of smelling", he explained. The princess was amazed by the fact that Natsu has a good sense. Most dragons have good sensation around their surroundings. But mostly they rely on their smelling, hearing, and sight when they are in danger. That was what Natsu believe. Lucy has been learning a lot, since she was home schooled, but she never heard anything about dragons and their abilities from her teacher. She wanted to learn something about the dragons from Natsu, but not tonight, maybe soon.

"Well, I think I should get going", Natsu stood up.

"Where you are going?"

"Home. My father is looking for me"

Lucy looked down, feeling depressed, showing a fake smile to him. "I see", she said. On her mind, she thought they could spent together for a longer time. Two weeks, that they hadn't seen each other. Then after, he suddenly showed up after so long. But she didn't know the reason why it took so long for Natsu to meet up with her.

"Hey Natsu, what have you been doing since last two weeks?", directly the princess asked.

"Huh? Oh...uhm..."

Natsu was hesitated. He looked up, moving his right foot, making a line mark on the soil. Seemed that Natsu couldn't tell her anything. But Lucy gave Natsu a look, staring at him with poor looking eyes, to pushed through of wanting an explanation. Natsu doesn't had much of a choice.

"Well, it's just that...I was grounded by my father", he explained.

"What? You were grounded? For what reason?"

"For meeting up a human. I was banned to meet with a human. He found out."

Natsu felt guilty. He explained that he disobey his father's order. The reason why he was forbidden to meet with a human was because of his look. He never look like a normal human. He is a half dragon. In the said town of Magnolia, they said that dragons are dangerous creatures. They burn and destroy everything. Possibility, that they were hunters trying to hunt a dragon. As for the dragons, it would be dangerous for them. Especially, for a young one. A son of a dragon knew that his father was trying to protect him. His father never wanted him to be seen by humans, or else he would be captured and get killed. Lucy may see Natsu like a human, but with his horns, wings, and a tail that she hasn't before the first time they met, she would think he is not normal. So in the end, he never meant to defy his father's words. All he ever wanted was to see what humans looked like for him. Thinking that, maybe, in a world where humans live, there are humans who are kindhearted to the dragons — even just one. After hearing his story, the princess felt pity for the dragon.

Suddenly, the princess stood up, hugged the young dragon and comforted him. Lucy understood his pain. The loneliness that he had was disconsolate for him. And his words, made Lucy sad. "It's okay Natsu, you're not alone", she said. Lucy's tone may be depressing, but she intended not to cry. Hugging Natsu was enough for her to show that she is there for him. Natsu couldn't say anything for awhile. Then after, he said, "I should get going". Lucy wouldn't let go. When Natsu felt Lucy was shaking, he looked at her, surprisingly she was holding her tears. He didn't know why she was crying. In his mind, he questioned himself, "Is she crying for me?".

"Hey, Lucy, are you okay?"

"Y-you...you..."

Lucy couldn't speak properly. Like she was been choked. But after a few breathing, she was able to said a straight phrase. "You will never be alone, Natsu. I will always be your friend. So, you are not lonely." She finally let out her tears. Natsu used his hand to wipe her face. "Geez, you don't have to cry for me like that. And don't say that 'I'm lonely' or what-so-ever. I have my dad and..." He stopped and looked at Lucy's crying face. "I have my human friend. Lucy." The crying princess asked about what he said, whether it was sure or not. Natsu let his usual huge smile, and said it from his heart that Lucy is his friend. The princess wiped her snot on her nose, and the young dragon continued wiping her tears out of her eyes.

"You look ugly when you cry", he teased.

"I do not", she pouted.

They began laughing like nothing happened. Then Lucy had an idea. To make Natsu happy, she thought of playing with him once he is free. Free from being grounded. Natsu was thinking for a moment, even though he knew she was stubborn about it, he said 'yes'.

The young princess and the young dragon made a pinky promise, to swore their promise.

Then someone suddenly cried out. Natsu and Lucy got down and hide on the flowers. They peeked on a small opening, and saw someone standing far from the their hiding place. It was a man wearing a blue uniform, carrying a long pointed spear on his left hand, and has a Heartfilia symbol on his uniform. Lucy was surprised, figured, who that man was. "It's the guard", she said in a low voice. She was worried. Her heart was beating, as soon as the guard was getting close to their hiding place. Once they get caught by the guard, he will see Natsu and call out her parents. She began to imagine of what they are going to do if Natsu was captured. While Natsu called out Lucy, to calm down. He suddenly knew what Lucy was thinking. Since there weren't much time, he thought of a plan. Natsu wanted Lucy to entertained the guard as a distraction. As soon as both her and the guard left the area, Natsu can directly run away. Lucy agreed and understood his plan. When her foot stepped out, the guard didn't know who it was since it was dark, he pointed out his weapon. When he realized that it was the princess he let it down. Surprised that he questioned the princess of what she was doing in a place at night. Lucy played her own part as a girl who liked to watch the full moon. The guard was confused of what she was talking about; then, he told the princess to go back inside the castle. It was cold and dark, he didn't want to get into trouble. He followed her going back inside, suddenly he turned around after he heard something. Lucy lied to him that it was just a cat hiding in the bush. The guard trusted her words.

In the end, Natsu was able to broke out of the Heartfilia's castle. He flew around, going back to his home. The little dragon went in a cave, in a mountain outside the town of Magnolia, carefully, slowly, walking inside. Then he felt a wind blowing towards him. He knew that it wasn't just a normal wind; it was like someone or something was giving him a blow. Natsu knew that it was his father, the Fire Dragon, Igneel. He was a gigantic dragon, has four legs, red thick skin, with scales around his body, head, feet and his tail; huge paws with sharp claws; his huge bony dragon wings resembles a bat's, with pointed tip; and number of black spikes at his back, down to his tail. He had a sharp triangular teeth, horns on his head, and a pointed nose.

"H-hi F-father", Natsu was anxious when he greeted. His father, Igneel, glared at him with his yellow eyes that liked glared in the dark. Natsu was thinking his father was angry at him. But Igneel began to questioned him.

"Where were you Natsu? I thought I told you not to get out from this cave", he said.

"I-I was just meeting a friend. So...uhm..."

"Friend? You mean...you have a human friend?"

"Y-yes"

Natsu was still getting nervous. He doesn't know whether he was angry or not. But he assumed that he was since he broke his father's words. Instead, he was wrong all along.

"Are you okay? Did you have fun?", Igneel said.

" Huh? Uhm...yeah, I guess so"

It was a shocked for Natsu that his father asked him those questions. Natsu thought Igneel would give him a punishment, but then he kept asking of what it was like being with a human. Natsu couldn't describe it well. So in the end, he said it was 'fun'. "I see. You have the best time of your life. At least you are okay." Natsu was confused as he felt the air was getting dense and serious. Igneel was quiet for a moment, then he began to spoke his words.

"Natsu, we have to move out"

"What? What do you mean father?"

Igneel had a hard time explaining but he made it clear for Natsu to understand. He told him that the townspeople began to wander around in the mountains, searching, for the dragon's whereabout. He figured that sooner or later they will find the cave. He and his son needed to move out. Natsu couldn't asked his father for a reason. He thought of not wanting to go, but it would be dangerous for him as well. And he has nowhere else to go but to stay with his father for safety. Since then, remembered the promise that he made with Lucy. If he leave tonight, he won't be able to see Lucy. And that he would break his promise.

"Father, I can't go yet", he committed.

"What did you say?"

"There is something I have to do. I made a promise. And I don't want to break that promise, again"

When Igneel saw Natsu's expression, giving a the look, he knew that his son was thinking about the 'human' that he met. Natsu was serious about it. So he gave him a chance.

"I will give you two days then, by the third day before the sun rises, we will leave. Understood?", he said.

" Okay then"

Natsu thought it wasn't enough. He wanted more to spent time with Lucy. His only friend.