~Getting Past the Lion With A Dragon~

Lucy Heartfilia had never felt so nervous. Her skin was crawling and peppered with goosebumps. Her hair was on end, much like a cornered cat's. Her ears and eyes were sharp, anything that moved or made a sound made her jump. Her knees trembled and her muscles were tense.
Lucy looked like a frightened animal.

No wonder Gray Fullbuster was looking at her strangely. Currently they were in the never ending hallways of the castle of Celestial. Trying to carry a hundred-something pound unconscious Dragon up more then a hundred steps. More then once they had to hide in either a closet or in another darkened hallway to escape attention. Both had not been discovered. But, it was only a matter of time before they were.

The ebony haired boy knew this. And by the way Lucy was jumping at every little sound or shadow, she would give them away. Honestly, Gray could care less about the creature he was holding in his arms. But he knew Lucy felt differently. For whatever reason that was. The young man sighed and shifted the creature in his arms to get a better grip on him.

The Dragon Boy's wings were making it very difficult to carry him. Gray kept losing his grip, not wanting to touch the wings that made the boy so different. That, and Lucy would hiss at him at how he would hurt the creature for touching his broken wing.
Broken wing.
That information kept swimming around in Gray's head.
That means he can't fly. Dark blue eyes flashed to the Dragon's calm face.
He can't get away then.
Not to mention his many other wounds that would slow him down.

Gray could go get the Guards right now. Lucy alone couldn't move him, she wasn't strong enough. Even if the creature woke up then he also couldn't escape. The Guards would come, take the thing away, and Lucy would be safe. Hell, they would all be safe.
Gray didn't know what the Dragon would do when it awoke. But, he could imagine. And that imagination was filled with blood and fire and screams.

There was a reason why nothing Magical no longer showed itself.

The Princess and him had just hit the third floor when they heard it.
The heavy pounding of steal toed combat boots. Dark blue met brown.
They both knew who belonged to those shoes.
The Princess' Personal Guard.
Loke.
He had come looking for Lucy.

The very girl sucked in a breath as the heavy footfalls came closer...Closer...Closer.
Gray cursed under his breath and he picked up the pace. Soon Lucy had lost her grip on the Dragon and Gray was the only one supporting his weight. The unconscious boy was being jostled as his carrier ran, Lucy close behind.

Lucy's brown combat boots clicked clacked on the polished floor, alerting her presence to all. Gray was silent as he hurried along, having lost his shoes long ago...and his shirt. The young man cursed again as he padded along through the hallway. He was so close to the next flight of stairs that would lead up to Lucy's room. So close...

Gray never made it.

For there was Loke, already waiting for him. Blocking the stairs with his body. Hand in one of the pockets of his black pants. Other hand up to his eyes, fingers playing with his glasses. A knowing smirk on his handsome face. How did he-
Only then did Gray see it.

His shoes and shirt on the floor next to Loke's polished black boots.

The cat bastard had sniffed him out.
"What are we going to do?" Lucy whispered, her back pressed against the wall, out of sight of her Guard's keen vision. Gray copied her and peeked out from the corner, he felt better with Loke in his sights.

"I don't know..." Gray trailed off as he looked at the girl beside him. A lacrima had just been lit in his mind. Giving him an idea. "Lucy, didn't you tell me that Plue ran off?" Lucy nodded, her eyes lighting up with understanding. "Yes." She whispered back. Gray looked back to where Loke waited to catch them. "Okay, here's what we are going to do~"
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"Loke!"
Loke's odd ears twitched from beneath his bright orange hair. He cocked his head to the side and turned his sharp eyes towards the most loveliest voice he had ever had the pleasure of hearing. "Ah, if it isn't my beautiful Master." He purred as he turned to fully face her. Only for his eyes to widen and for his body to stiffen in shock. Before anger swiftly took over.

Tears were streaming down his Princess' lovely face. Her normally bright eyes were dark and overflowing with sadness. Her shoulders were shaking and she whimpered out his name. "Loke..." He was in front of her in seconds. His rough hands on her shaking shoulders and his face filled with worry. "Lucy, love, what is it?" He murmured softly, not wanting to further upset her.

When Loke had first come to the palace of Celestial, he had come by an urgent summoning from Layla Heartfilia. He had arrived to late.
The war between the three Kingdoms had just ended and the Queen's life had went with it. However, even through Loke's sadness, he knew what the Queen had wanted of him.

Loke had known as soon as his eyes had fallen onto the little girl with golden hair and eyes filled with anguish.

Protect.

He had been doing just that for years.

Loke's anger was still festering inside him. When he found out who the bastard was for making his Lady cry. He was going to make them sorry. He wasn't her personal Guard for nothing. He had a set of skills that would make any person with a heartbeat-

"It's Plue..." Lucy sobbed out. "He's run away and he hasn't come back."
Unless the reason for her tears were caused by her dog that is. The tension in Loke's body slowly left him, as did his anger. A soft smile replaced the hard look he had previously had. He leaned back a little to take a good look at her. "I'll find Plue for you, Sweetheart," Loke promised her. "Now, let's get rid of those tears." He wiped them away with a grin.
"They don't belong on such a pretty face."

Lucy smiled back at him and nodded. "Thank you, Loke."
"Anything for you, Princess."
He winked at her as he skirted around her. Looking over his shoulder to say with a smirk, "Oh, and tell Gray that if he prances around you naked again..."
He didn't have to finish the unspoken threat, it was clear in his hazel eyes. With a flick of his glasses, Loke vanished around a corner, no doubt heading outside to go find Plue.

Lucy's tears stopped as did her sobs.
"Alright, Gray," She called in a whisper. "He's gone." Gray Fullbuster strode around the opposite corner, Dragon in his arms. "Good job, Lucy." He nodded approvingly and headed for the stairs, Lucy behind him.

A shred of guilt slithered up her spine.
She hated lying, especially when it came to lying to her friends who trusted her. However, her tears and worry had been real. It had been hours and she hadn't even seen a flash of white fur. Plue always comes back in the afternoon. Lucy glanced out one of the many stained glass windows. The sky was a fiery orange.

"Lucy!" She snapped her head up. "Grab his wing, it's gonna hit the door." Gray hissed to her. He had climbed all the stairs leading to her floor. Now he was stuck in the doorway, not wanting the boy's broken wing to brush against the wall. Lucy let out a breath as she hurried up the steps, two at a time. Once she got close to her friend, she gently guided Gray, and the boy's wing through the doorway.

A relieved sigh left her when she saw the familiar carvings that decorated her door. Gray pushed open the door with his foot and ambled in. Lucy lingered at the door, her eyes tracing over the carvings. Her Mother had carved strange symbols into her door.
"You must remember these, my Star."
Layla Heartfilia's melodious voice entered into Lucy's mind.
"These," Lucy remembered her Mother placing her much smaller hand on one of the carvings.
"These will light your way. They will come when you most need them."

As Lucy looked over the many designs ingrained in the wood, she traced over one with a finger. The pad of her index finger glided over the crest that resembled a mighty lion. Then flowed down the length to trace over the tail with a crescent moon at the tip. A swirl of lines were drawn at the top that resembled a Zodiac Symbol.

To Lucy, it looked like a key.

There were plenty more besides that one. Lucy had counted at least 20 scattered here and there. All resembled keys and all had a Zodiac Symbol. However, whenever she tried to show others, they all said the same.

"There's nothing there, Lady Lucy."

Oh, but Lucy knew there was. She could feel the Magic. The Magic that her Mother used on the carvings. She could feel it tickle against her fingers whenever she brushed them against the wood. She could sometimes feel the Magic dance and swirl around her, protecting, and looking out for her.
The last gift Layla gave her.
And only she would ever be able to see it.

"Lucy! Don't leave me in here with this thing!" Lucy's eyes, that had been glazed over, now returned to their brightness. She let out a snicker as she walked away from her door, and through it. She softly closed the large door and turned to asses the situation. Gray had set the boy down on one of her silk carpets. Now the black haired boy stood feet away, hands in his pockets, and leaning against the window that led to the balcony.

"Come now, Gray." Lucy muttered as she went over and gathered a pillow and blankets in her arms. "Do not tell me you are frightened of him." Gray made a choking sound and his eyes sparked with anger. "Don't offend me so much!" Lucy smothered a laugh as she carried her supplies over to the Dragon Boy. "Sorry, sorry." She waved it off.

Lucy set the blanket and pillow down onto the floor and sat down next to them. She grabbed the pink blanket first and fluffed it out before laying it on the boy. Then she grabbed the matching pillow and set it underneath his head. When she took her hand away from his head, blood streaked her palm. Lucy sighed as she got up and went to her bathroom to wash the blood away.

Her fingers twisted the metallic handle of the sink handle and cold water shot out. She watched the blood drip into the sink and flow down the drain. Once her hands were clean she reached over and grabbed a towel. Only to pause halfway drying her hands. She hummed her decision and grabbed the towel from its place and also a handful of soap. Which she dumped onto the white towel she held and went out from the bathroom. New supplies in hand.

Gray, spotting the soapy towel, raised a dark eyebrow. "What's that for?" Only for his question to be answered when Lucy knelt down beside the winged boy once more. Then, she proceeded to gently wash his face and hair with one end of the towel. She was careful as she worked. Making sure to avoid the scratches and marks that marred his cheeks and forehead.

Lucy didn't know it, but she had begun to hum her favorite song. Something she always did when she worked or tried to calm someone.
Layla had done the same.

As Lucy combed her fingers through the nameless' boys matted hair, she flicked her eyes to the other boy in the room. He was watching her silently, well, he wasn't watching her. His eyes were locked onto the non-human in the room. Lucy didn't like how her friends eyes turned a stormy blue.
Or how his features hardened.

"Gray?" His dark eyes swung to her. "Can you go see if Mirajane has prepared anything in the kitchen."
It wasn't a request.
Hunger was no where near her.
But he might be hungry when he awakes.

Lucy did not wish to be rude, but she did not want Gray in the room when the Dragon woke up. No telling what either boy would do. There was already enough tension as it was.

Gray looked at Lucy Heartfilia for a moment. His eyes flashing. He knew what she was trying to do. Trying to get rid of him. He understood the reason why. Even he himself could feel the rising tension. The ebony haired boy didn't want to be in the room either. He would rather be locked in a room with Juvia Lockser.

However, Gray could not move his feet. For they seemed to be imbedded in the floor. "I don't wanna leave you in here alone."
With him. Lucy finished for herself.
"I'll be fine, he won't wake up for a while." She couldn't be sure of that. But by the look of his wounds and how deep asleep he was...

"Go, Gray, please. You don't have to worry." Lucy looked away and continued her task for ridding the blood on the Dragon's face. Gray stayed for another moment or two. Weighing his options.
Even though Lucy was his friend, she was still the Princess.
And he couldn't say no to her.

With a groan he spun around on his heel and padded out the room. Gray stopped at the doorway and looked over his shoulder. Drawing Lucy's attention to him. "I'll be back soon, so don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." And with those lovely words he left her. Lucy stuck her tongue out at the closed door. "How dare he tell me not to do anything stupid when he does stupid things all the time." She muttered under her breath.

"Good. Never thought he would leave."

Lucy's breath caught in her throat and a choked gasp escaped her as she whipped around. Only to come face to fanged face of the awake Dragon Boy.

"Yo! I'm Natsu."

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The Dragon has finally awakened from his dreamless slumber.
Only to awaken in unfamiliar territory & with an even stranger girl.
What is a Dragon to do?
Say hello of course...

Let the Adventure Continue!

This Chapter is for Cresent_Nightmare