Hello, everyone!  Sorry it took so long for me to update!  First, I lost inspiration for a day or two, then I didn't have any time the next few days!  So, gomenasai! ♥ I'm glad to be back, though. c:  I hope you all like this, I really do~  I dedicate this chapter to truth000. Haha, I know I've done quite a few dedications for this wonderful person, but can you blame me? She's a great person, and a great writer. c:  This chapter is exceptionally long, so I hope all of you are hapy about that! ^^  I hope you all know where I am going with these "memories" of Natsu and Lucy... c:  Anyways, enjoy, give feedback, and all that other stuff, please! ^.^  Until next time~! ♥

яу-¢нαи, The NaLu Writer ♡

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"How's he doing?"  Erza asked, stepping forward to stand next to Lores.

Erza had bandages wrapped around her body, though she didn't have many injuries.  Loren had healed the few she had had, and was continuing onto Gray's injuries behind them.  Lores was looking into the mirror, seeing Natsu ferociously battle the shadow monsters.  He was sending them flying, and they disappeared as they moved through the air.  Explosions blasted from the ground and into the air like bullets in a pistol, taking about numbers at a time.  Loren watched as Natsu never wavered, who still continued his assault on the creatures of the Black Stars.

"He's progressing."  Lores replied, watching him with an impassive face.  "He really doesn't give up, does he?"

Erza smiled with amusement, and shook her head slightly from side to side.  "No, he doesn't."

"Especially when it comes to Lucy,"  Gray replied from behind them, making Lores and Erza turn to look at him.

"I'm sure he'll bring her back."  Wendy replied softly.

"Look what I found..."  Happy mewed, and they all turned to see him walking towards them.

He was holding Lucy's keys.

Everyone's face turned somber.

"Do you think...I'm aloud to hang onto these until Lu-shee comes back?"  Happy asked, his face sad.

"Ah.  And I'm sure she'd be grateful for it."  Erza replied, putting on a small smile.

Carla stepped forward with a confident expression.  "She will be grateful.  Once Natsu and Lucy come back, it'll be a good time to give it to her."

"Aye..."  Happy murmured.

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"Natsu..."  Lucy murmured, turning to look at him from her desk.

"What is it, Luce?"

"Why do you come here so much?  I mean...my apartment isn't that interesting..."

Natsu shrugged, his feet crossed as he sat on Lucy's bed.

Lucy sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed.  "What, do you not have anything else to do?"

Happy was sitting next to Natsu, looking at them back and fourth.

Natsu rubbed his head, like he never really thought about it.  "Uh, I guess it's because I just want to see you."

"Geez...you see me everyday, Natsu."  Lucy replied, sighing.  She turned to her story and started to write again.

"What, does that mean you don't like to see me everyday?"  Natsu asked, pouting his lip.

"Of course I do, idiot."  Lucy replied, not taking her eyes of her paper.  "Just not the way you come in..."

That part Lucy murmured half to herself, but with Natsu's keen sense of hearing he heard what she said.

Natsu grinned.

"Just forget I asked."  Lucy replied.  "It was a stupid question."

There was a small silence, and Lucy felt it start to weigh heavily on her consciousness.  Lucy could hear people walking around on the streets, the time ticking away to almost being the evening.  The sun going down made the sky a beautiful bright orange a fire-red.

"Well, I guess it's also because I don't want anything to happen to you.."

Lucy turned to look at Natsu abruptly, her eyes wide with surprise at his sudden outburst.  

"Eh?"  She breathed, surprised.

Natsu's face turned serious, though he was looking the other way.  "Even though we got out of so many fights n' stuff, I always feel like I need to take care of you."

Lucy's face turned vile, and she turned back to her writing.  "Well, I'm sorry if I'm such a burden!"

"Oi, Lucy!  That isn't what I meant!"  Natsu exclaimed, looking frazzled.

"Then what did you mean?"  Lucy asked, turning towards him suspiciously.

Natsu rubbed the back of his head, looking away.  "I feel like I need to protect you, because even though you're strong, I don't want anything to happen to you.  I care about you; after all, we're best friends!"

Lucy froze, shocked.  "Really?"

Natsu nodded, grinning this time.  "Yeah!"

Lucy's face softened, and a small blush appeared on her cheeks in the result of warmth.  

She smiled, her eyes shining.  "Yeah."

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Natsu's shoulders were heaving as he struggled to get air into his lungs and his heart rate to normal speed.  There was a faint rumble that rebounded through his ears, which was from the result of the fight.  His fists still clenched tightly, the residing shadow monster disappeared into the air with a screech.  Natsu had small cuts and bruises, along with a few sore muscles from earlier.  But it was nothing he didn't have before; his injuries were still the same from when he was on Earthland.  The only thing different was the fact that he had a bandage wrapped around his injured shoulder, from when Loren had given it to him.  

Letting his fire snuff out, Natsu turned, still breathing heavily, to look around.

All the shadow monsters were gone.  Natsu had destroyed them all, and he was the only one left in the deep vastness of the realm.  The stars were dull, spread out, and didn't offer any solace.

Despite the situation, Natsu grinned, straightening his posture when he realized he'd finished off all the shadow monsters.

For now.

"Alright..."  Natsu muttered, his determined face back on.  "Which way to go first...?"

"Very good, Salamander.  Very good indeed."

Natsu stiffened, and then abruptly turned to look behind him.

A man appeared out of thin air, his head appearing first as if like a mirage, then slowly the rest of his body appeared.  He had short blonde hair that was so dull it looked white, and pale skin.  He was skinny, but had long limbs and a strong build.  His eyes were a burning red, and his sneer was chilling.  He was wearing a long black cloak, with full red clothing underneath.  The cloak had a strange design around the lining, in the form of swirls and jagged patterns.  It was as if he mostly blended into the darkness, making it hard for Natsu to locate some parts of his body despite his enhanced eyesight.

"Vallen."  Natsu growled, his eyes narrowed to brown slits of anger.

Natsu said his name with such vile, such hatred; it seemed inevitable to keep Natsu from fighting.  When he said Vallen's name, it seemed to grind out his throat, but also hissed in the form of disgust.

"Natsu Dragneel."  Vallen replied, his voice deep and melodious.  "It seems you've done something incredibly idiotic, I see."  His voice was in perfect expertiese, giving no emotion away and sounding sophisticated to the depths.

He was dangerous.

Natsu didn't answer; he just continued to glare with anger at Vallen.

Vallen tilted his head in curiosity.  "Tell me why have you come, again?"

The tension rose in the air.

"I'm here to take back what belongs to me.  To my friends."  Natsu growled, his fists tightening.

"Belongs to you?"  Vallen asked with sly amusement.  "How could you possibly think that?  Ms. Heartfilia is my prize."

Natsu flinched.

"Yes, Salamander, I know you are here to claim back Lucy Heartfilia.  But her body was claimed to death; no, to me.  I won't let you take away what's mine."

"You're absolutely sick...!"  Natsu spat, his anger rising.

"Oh?"

"Lucy doesn't belong to you, not now, not ever!  She's a person, and deserves to be treated like one instead of a prize; an object!"

The air seemed to churn around Natsu, as he began to progress to attack mode.

"Lucy means too much to me to just to leave in this awful place.  Why would I do that?  She belongs in Earthland, with her friends; with Fairy Tail!"

Vallen watched him with a blank expression.

Natsu's eyes flashed.  "And if someone stands in the way of letting that happen, I'll wipe them out."

There was a threatening silence, Vallen and Natsu staring each other down.  Natsu's face was threatening, while Vallen had an impassive expression on his.

Then, Vallen smirked.  "I see.  You are ready to fight me, isn't that right?  Well, I will tell you, I won't give up my object with out a fight."

"Then let's go!"  Natsu exclaimed, lighting his fists on fire with a loud swoosh.

"Not so fast, Salamander.  First I have to see if you are worthy of fighting me."

"What?"  Natsu asked, his voice rough but also surprised.

Vallen's eyes were groutesque.  "If you can defeat all my obstacles, you will have the priviledge of fighting me."

"Why you..."  Natsu muttered.

"If you can defeat all obstacles, I'm sure we will have a very interesting battle."

Natsu growled.  "Why don't you just fight me now?!  Or are you a coward?!"

Vallen smirked, not taking Natsu's insults seriously.  "I have good reason."

Slowly, Vallen started to disapate.

"Oh no you don't!"  Natsu exclaimed, pushing off the ground with anger in his eyes.

He was about to swing his fist into Vallen's face, but it went right through him, as if Vallen was nothing but smoke.  It seemed to mess up his body outline, like Natsu had smeared Vallen's body across the air, but it disappeared anyways.  

Natsu dropped to the ground.  "Damn it..."

All that was left now was the left side of his face, which was dark and threatening for the first time Natsu saw Vallen.

"I hope you're ready, Salamander."  Vallen replied, and with a whistle from the air, he was gone.

Natsu growled, looking around wildly yet with the purpose of caution.  He was waiting for a surprise attack, like more shadow monsters or something new.

Suddenly, he caught a familiar scent, and he turned around abruptly to gasp in surprise.

"Lores!  Loren!"  Natsu exclaimed in confusion.

They were still, their faces shadowed.  Their eyes glowed red, and Natsu then instantly knew these must be the evil versions Loren had talked about.

Natsu's face was determined.  "Guess this is the first battle."

Loren and Lores assumed attack position, their faces eerily impassive.  They moved simultaneously, stretching their hands out as ice and water appeared around their hands.

Natsu growled, determined to get Lucy back.  He lit his hands on fire in response, and prepared for his first battle out of many.

Yelling a roar, Natsu charged forward, his face ferocious.

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Stay tuned for the next chapter, Chapter 6: Dark Opposites!