Chapter 22- Gambling and Lucky Lucy

As the team made their way through town, they found a path that led to Fableridge. It would take awhile, but they would surely make it by the end of the day. After that, it was their last day. . .

"I'm hungry!" Natsu complained. Lucy rolled her eyes, ignoring his growling stomach.

"You're not getting any food outta me! Besides, you're probably not even hungry, you just have a stomachache from over eating."

"Just a piece of bread?"

"No, Natsu." Lucy was stuck alone with Natsu. The two were to scout a head for awhile, and then wait for the others to catch up. It would take longer, but it was essential in order to avoid any more mishaps with any other wizards, wether they be bandits, or Malus and Venus' comrades.

"Lucy, can we rest?"

"No, just a few more minuets, come on Natsu." Natsu peered around, checking around the dense forests for threats. He sniffed the air, and when he smelled no danger, stared into the back of Lucy's head.

"Lucy, do you like me?" Natsu asked. Lucy nearly froze. What? Why would he ask that? Lucy stiffened.

"O-of c-course, we're partners, remember."

"You don't regret making friends with me?" Lucy's face softened as she turned and smiled at Natsu.

"Never." Natsu smiled broadly like a little kid, locking his fingers behind his head.

"Cause, I was wondering. . ." Natsu drifted off. Lucy took a deep breath. She couldn't put it off any longer. She couldn't without offending Natsu, nor did she want to. Can't get any more romantic than a thick jungle with potential threats, enemines, and dangers lurking about. It's way better than she had ever hoped.

"Natsu, I have been putting it off for awhile- no, I have be putting you off. I have a feeling that you wanna say something, but this time I'm not gonna stop you." Natsu gave her a small smile.

He scratched his arm as he looked for the words. "Now that I have the chance, I don't know what to say. I guess it's simple. Lucy, I-"

"Natsu! Lucy!" Someone yelled. Natsu winced, and dead panned. Yet again, his plans were foiled.

"Not even a minuet to ourselves. Ever!" He mumbled. Lucy patted his shoulder.

"It's okay Natsu, after tomorrow, we'll have all the time in the world." Natsu blushed slightly.

"I-I guess so. . ."

"Natsu, Lucy! Anything to report?" Erza yelled as she ran towards them, Grey, Wendy, and the others following in toll. Lucy shook her head.

"We're all clear. I think we're alone, we should go ahead. We still have a long way to go, better make it fast." Erza nodded.

"Who has the map?" She asked. Wendy stepped forward, map between her hands.

"I do," she studied it. "If I'm right, we should be around here," she pointed to the map. "In awhile, we'll cross a river, after that, it'll be about four hours till we reach Fableridge." Lucy sighed.

"So long. . ." She wished that by some chance a farmer with a wagon or a passerby with a car would give them a lift to Fableridge. "We better hurry. It'll be sunset by the time we reach the town." The others nodded, and they continued the trail through the thick forest. The geography was so strange. One minuet it was the Sahara Desert, the next it was a frolicking meadow. Now they passed through a dense forest covered in vines, and slithering with who knows what.

Lucy followed closely behind the others, making sure to make haste, but also take awareness of her surroundings. Who knows, maybe she could interpret some of these details into her book.

Several times Lucy had tripped, even Erza stumbled along the mossy terrain. It wasn't until the three dragon slayers snapped their heads in a single direction that things began to change.

"Do you hear that?" Wendy asked.

"Sounds like. . ." Gajeel began.

"A running river." Natsu finished. Lucy frowned, she heard nothing, and yet the Dragon trio heard it all. She wondered if they heard her thoughts. Natsu's eyes lazily slid toward her, and she straightened. Lord she hoped not.

"Then we continue this way." Erza said, and they walked on. Lucy noted the gradual change of the area. The trees began to thin and spread out, rocks became more apparent as the moss shrunk away, giving way to stone paths and dry patches. Lucy tried to maneuver the rocky grounds, but they seemed to slid under her weight.

She was finally able to hear the water rushing, and she welcomed it eagerly. She was hot and sweaty. It was the middle of July, and she needed to cool off. But she couldn't see the river just yet.

The team wound it's way to a narrow catwalk on a cliff. Lucy inched closer to the rocky wall, but she felt like she was hanging off the edge. She was in the middle, right between Wendy and Grey. Wendy was having trouble moving across the walk, so Lucy turned toward her to encourage her. Just as she did, her left foot slipped off the edge, and she fell off the walk. She screamed as her body dove through the air. She needed to react quickly. So she grabbed her keys.

"Open! Gate of the lamb! Aries!" The sound of a doorbell echoed around Lucy as Aries appeared next to her, also free falling.

"I'm sorry!" Aries cried.

"Aries, quickly, a landing!" Aries scrunched her eyes and held her hands out, creating a fluffy cloud to soften their land right before Lucy went splat. Lucy bounced a few times, her body jerking. But she was safe.

"Whew, that was close. Thank you, Aries, you're a life savor."

"I'm sorry." Aries cried as her gate began to close.

"Lucy!" Grey screamed.

"I'm alright!" She yelled back. "But, I found something!" She eyed the swift river beside her. She had her ways of discovering things.

It took the others a few minuets to get down the cliff. They flew down using Wendy's magic, and soon rejoined Lucy.

"Are you okay?" Natsu asked. Lucy nodded.

"Yeah, Aries saved me in the nick of time." She said, patting the pink fluffy wool. Just as she did, it disappeared, returning back to the Celestial World, or whatever it goes after awhile. She fell on her butt. "Ouch! A warning could have helped." She said, rubbing her back. She stood up. "But I did find something neat."

"The river." Erza exclaimed, walking up to it. "We could rest here for about five minuets."

Lucy sighed, glad for the break, and smiled. Erza re-equipped her armor, and changed into a bathing suit. She sat on the river side, and put her legs in, sighing blissfully.

Lucy pulled her boots and socks off, also enjoying the water. The others did, too, except a sulking and worried Gajeel. Natsu even went as far as to dive into the river, and swim around.

"Aye-ah, Natsu!" Happy cheered.

"Why don't you join him?" Lucy asked.

"I don't have my floaties." He said simply. Lucy dead panned.

"Stupid Cat." She mumbled. Before long, Erza announced their departure, and everyone got out of the water. Lucy glanced up at the sky and frowned. The once sunny sky was beginning to darken with gray clouds.

Grey froze a section of the river as a bridge, letting everyone cross over dryly. Except Natsu, who slipped and fell into the river. When he arrived at shore, Erza tossed him a blanket and they began to walk again.

It began to drizzle before long, and the group pulled their hoods over their heads, trying not to look at Grey's gloating face.

When it began to pour down buckets, they ran faster than ever. They came across an open plane, and pulled their soaking wet hoods further down on their faces. Grey wasn't gloating anymore. Thunder and lightning shook the sky, and Lucy felt something churn inside of her, something nostalgic and familiar. Just a few weeks ago, she could control thunder and lightning. Probably could've gone one on one with Laxus and come out with only one broken arm.

"This weather is crazy!" Happy yelled over the hard patter of rain. Lucy glanced up at the sky, her face getting even more soaked.

"Doesn't look like it's gonna stop any time today." Lucy said. "We need to hurry."

"As if we aren't already." Gajeel remarked dryly. Lucy glared at him.

"I have an idea," Lucy said. "It's kinda messy, and I can't guarantee it'll work, but I'll try." They stopped running as Lucy pulled out her keys.

"Open, gate of the maiden! Virgo!" Again, the sound of a doorbell. Virgo materialized next to Lucy.

"Punishment time?" She asked blankly.

"No, I need your help, and a favor."

Virgo returned from the Celestial World with dry clothes in hand, and an umbrealla. She kept herself dry as the others hid behind trees to get dressed. Lucy and Natsu, yet again, matched. When everyone emerged, with new dry clothes, Lucy set her plan into motion.

"Virgo, I was wondering if you could dig underneath the ground, something big enough for all of us to at least crawl through." Virgo surveyed everyone.

"I'll try my best." She handed Lucy the umbrealla, and she dug underground, slanted so that the others could crawl through without falling or sliding.

"This way," Lucy said to the others, "we can avoid climbing, or obstacles, while keeping dry. We just keep this umbrella over the entrance, and we should be mud free." Lucy held the umbrella over the hole, and the water slid against the umbrella, keeping the soil dry.

"Good thinking, Lucy." Erza said. Lucy smiled.

"Careful, Erza, to many compliments and her ego will explode." Happy said. Lucy glared at him.

"I'm surprised you know what ego means, stupid cat!" Happy snickered, and Lucy yanked his tail, pulling him off Natsu's shoulder. She hung him in the air as he wobbled.

"Lucyyyy!" He cried. "Now you're being cruel." Lucy sighed and dropped him. He used his exceed magic to form white wings. He sailed safely away from the mud, and back onto Natsu's shoulder.

"Princess!" Virgo yelled, popping up from the hole. "It's finished!" Lucy was shocked.

"That was fast. Thank you, Virgo, you're a life saver! Where did you stop?"

"Beyond here there is a bridge that crosses a trench, just short of there.

"Punishment time?" She asked as she began to dissolve back into the Celestial World.

"No, Virgo." Lucy said tiredly. "Alright, one by one, and careful. Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go." Natsu said. "I can see, so I can lead us well." Lucy nodded and Natsu got on the ground, Happy still on his shoulder, and slid into the hole on his stomach.

"Next?" Gajeel went, and before long, only Lucy was left. She slid down, leaving the umbrella to shield the hole from the water. Already, water had leaked into the hole, dampening it. Lucy slid down the hole, trying to slow down, but it was futile. She knocked into someone.

"Sorry, Wendy." Lucy said as the girls picked themselves up. The hole wasn't very tall, nor wide, but it was enough for all of them to fit. Natsu continued in the front, sometimes calling back to 'watch for a rock' or 'a patch of earthworms'. Lucy was just trying to concentrate on not getting claustrophobic and trying to prevent hyperventilating.

She was grateful to be dry, at least, and it was peacefully quiet. It was too dark to see anything except Natsu's fire, which was to far ahead to make out any details. Lucy's cloak stuck to her skin and dragged across the ground. She made a note to throw it away as soon as she made it to surface.

They continued for another two hours before Wendy asked to stop. "My knees hurt, and my hands are all cut up." On the outside, Lucy accepted it, acted responsibly, noting they could rest for a short while. But on the inside, she loved Wendy for speaking up. She had felt that way hours ago. She needed a break just as much as the next girl. But at the same time, she really wanted to leave. She wondered how Virgo could have finished in so little time, but Virgo was notoriously fast, and she was serious when it came to digging.

Lucy leaned against the curved wall, and sighed. Her stomach rumbled, and her throat was as dry as a desert. You'd think all that rain would quench her thought of thirst, but no.

She took our her canteen and took a swig. She wiped the corners of her mouth with her cloak. It did have it uses. . .

She tore a hunk of bread and ate it, and noticed the others doing the same. She yawned. It felt like days since she got a good night of sleep. She blushed thinking about how she felt when she had slept with Natsu. Warm, comfort. . . love.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Lucy-san?" Wendy asked. Lucy startled, and blushed.

"N-n-nothing. Just stuff I wanna do in the future." Did she just say that? Did she really feel that way? She gulped.

"Lucy-san, your heart is beating so hard I can hear it." Wendy said cheerfully.

"You shouldn't listen to people's heart rates, it's not polite," Lucy chided. "Unless you're. . . A doctor." Wendy looked at her.

"I wouldn't say doctor, but I could be one." Lucy just sat back, turning away from the young girl.

"I guess you could." Lucy looked down at her hands. She couldn't see them, but she could feel the cuts. She grabbed the end of her cloak- ringing out the water- and tore a piece of it off. She wrapped the fabric around the palms of her hand, tying them both tight. She long for her gloves, the ones she wore to hide her Fairy Tail mark as she pretended to be Kurai. But she didn't. Not only was most of her clothes destroyed from the fight with Malus, but she threw away everything that she had been the past year.

"Anyway, we should get moving." Lucy said, and soon the train continued to move through the hole.

Lucy felt awkward being so close to Wendy's bottom. But then again, it'd be even worse for someone in the middle. The entire thing was awkward, but the rain outside was worsening. Lucy could fell some drops of water, despite being 5 feet underground.

"Hey," Natsu said suddenly. "Looks like it's the end." Lucy wished she could see what he was talking about, but all she could see was Wendy and Erza. "It slopes upwards, so I'll give the signal for the next person to come up. Me and Happy will go first."

Natsu extinguished his flames and crawled forward. He pulled himself up through the opening, and could feel the dirt underneath him dampen until it became mud. It was like trying to crawl up slide, except this slide was extra gooey and slippery. It took Natsu awhile, but when he finally made it to the top, he signaled for Gajeel to come up.

"It gets muddy!" Natsu called down. While Gajeel took his time surveying the slope, Natsu took a look around.

"Natsu, look!" Happy said from Natsu's shoulder. Natsu turned around.

"Whoa! That's so cool! I've only seen this in movies!" He said, marveling at a rickety rope bridge. It swayed at the slightest gesture of wind, and with the current storm, was a lot. Rain beat down on the bridge, making it look even more run down.

Natsu peered over the edge of the trench, and eyed the bottom below. He could see something shiny, something that looked like a giant shopping cart.

"Salamander, give me a hand." Gajeel called, emerging from the slope's hole.

"You look like shit," Natsu joked, offering his hand to Gajeel. They were both covered in mud, and Natsu doubted he looked any better than Gajeel, who look like he was run over by a semi-truck, and then fell off a building.

"Ice Dork!" Natsu yelled down the hole.

"I'm comin', Herpy Breath!" Natsu blushed, and made a sour face. Ever since Venus had kissed him, Grey had been calling him Herpy Breath. Now Natsu was sorta worried. Maybe he should get checked out...

Lucy was the last to come out, emerging covered in mud, and worst of all, an earthworm was wiggling in her hair.

Natsu plucked it out for her, but Lucy looked miserable. "I just changed, but now I'm dirty, wet, and tired." Happy snickered at her comment. Lucy 'tched', and grabbed a fistful of mud. She threw it into the cat's face. "Stupid cat!"

"I don't know about you guys, but I don't think crossing this bridge is a good idea." Grey said, drawing their attention to the rickety bridge.

Erza peered over the edge. "Maybe we can go through that mine shaft. This town relies on exports as it's economey, so this bridge certainly can't be used to transfer coal."

"But how would we get down?" Natsu asked. Lucy's eyes shined, and she chuckled maliciously.

"Finally, I can be of some use." She said triumphantly. "I'll just call Aries, and have her make a landing for us."

"Lucy, look again, I don't think anything could soften our fall without us breaking something." Grey said.

"Oi, Bunny Girl, we could use this." Gajeel said, pointing to a staircase carved out the side of the trench. It led all the way towards the bottom.

"Perfect," Erza said, starting to descend down the stairs. The others followed her in pursuit.

"I don't think I'm ever gonna look at stairs the same way," Wendy said.

Lucy was about to follow her, until someone grabbed her shoulder. She glanced behind her. "Natsu? Is something wrong?"

"Lucy, I was wondering, how are you holding up?" Lucy frowned. An odd question. She was tired, irritable, sick of fruits and bread, dirty, and most of all scared.

"Fine, I guess." She said. "Nothing but a little dirt."

"I don't doubt you being okay, what I meant was your burns." Guilt flashed in his eyes briefly, too fast for Lucy to notice.

"Oh," Was all Lucy could say. She had forgotten about them. Most of her burns had healed, thanks to Wendy and Gemini, but some were still there. She had removed the bandages around her hands, and legs. But her arms and body were stills tightly secured.

Unconsiously, she grabbed her arm, where a scab was beginning to form, something she knew would leave a scare. Natsu looked away, and Lucy let go immediatly.

"It's fine Natsu, I'm fine. You should be, too. It wasn't your fault. I don't blame you."

"But I blame myself, I shouldn't have acted so rash, I hurt you, I've could've hurt Happy-"

"But you didn't. That was Venus' fault. And mine. I choose not to fight." She grabbed his hand, squeezing it to reassure him. She gave him a big smile. "It is actually touching to see how much you care." Natsu didn't look satisfied, but he nodded. "Now let's go, you can make it up to me by buying me Ice Cream after we save Levy."

"Ha, you're funny Lucy." Natsu joked.

"How am I funny?" Lucy asked annoyed, making Natsu laugh.

"You're obviously buying."

"Yeah, yeah, talk all you want. We'll see whose laughing when we get home."

Natsu smiled. Home. Sounded like a dream.

"Oi! You guys coming or what?" Grey yelled.

"Yeah!" Lucy yelled back, running down the stairs to catch up with the others.

"Hey, don't leave me!" Natsu protested.

"Why can't we just stay in the sun for once, this is ridiculous." Lucy said miserably, but then thunder crashed behind her. She sighed again. "First that stupid Chamber, then the storm, then the tunnles." Lucy shivered. "And Earthworms. . . Now here we are walking through a pitch black coal shaft!"

"We should be at Fableridge soon." Erza said.

"Yeah, but tomorrow's the last day, and something tells me we're gonna wind up in another dark chamber filled with spiders and cobwebs."

"You should think more positive, Lucy," Grey said. "In two days we'll be taking the train back to Magnolia."

"True, but then again, to leave, we're gonna have to cross that bridge, aren't we."

"Maybe," Erza said. "But it's nothing we can't handle."

"You guys are so optomistic," Lucy said.

"Lucy-san, you're usually the optimistic one." Wendy said. Lucy sighed.

"Optimism isn't really part of my personality anymore. Can you guys believe I haven't read a book in almost two years?" Lucy asked.

"They didn't allow reading when you trained?" Erza asked.

"Not the type of reading I liked, just dusty scrolls about life, and stuff. I think I'm done with adventure for another three months."

"How are you gonna live without jobs?" Happy asked.

"I don't know, do something. Maybe I'll get lucky, and my book will get finished and get hit big!" Happy laughed.

"Nice to know you still have your humor, Lucy."

"What's that suppose to mean?!" Lucy asked.

"Hey, I think we're here." Natsu said. He had been unusually quiet, almost brooding. He was usually the loudest guy, but he seemed a bit off the past couple of days. Well, everyone did.

"I can hear the rain," Wendy said. Natsu sniffed.

"I smell food," he said drooling.

"Is that all you ever think about?" Grey asked.

"No, I also think about fighting." Grey sighed.

"Of course, why would we expect anything different?" He asked.

"Huh? It's closed off." Natsu said. The others looked forward. Natsu fire illuminated the surrounding walls, making creepy shadows dance against the walls. Lucy shivered, creeping closer to Erza.

Nasty squinted at the boards in front of him. They looked hastily done, and Natsu could see the DO NOT ENTER sign on the outside.

"Stand back, I'm gonna knock it down." Natsu said.

"W-w-wait, you're not gonna use your fire, are you?" Her response was Natsu taking a deep breath and then yelling,

"Fire Dragon Roar!" Lucy ducked as the fire surround the shaft, and knocking down the planks. The fire whipped at her, catching her sleeve on fire.

"Ah!" Lucy yelled, quickly patting it out. It didn't burn her, luckily, but the coal shaft was still hot. The other rushed out, shoving Natsu to the side.

Once they were safely outside, and the rain put the other fires out, the team turned towards Natsu, pissed.

"Baka! Were you trying to roast us alive?" Lucy asked, putting her hands on her hips. Natsu smiled shyly, scratching the back of his head.

"Gomen, gomen, minna." He apologized.

"Don't use your fire in tight spaces like that. You could have seriously burned us."

"Sorry," Natsu said, slightly more serious. Lucy sighed, knowing three sorrys was all she was gonna get.

"Whoa!" Wendy yelled. The others turned toward her. "Look at that mountain! It's huge!" The other turned toward her. Lucy's eyes bulged. That'd take hours to climb. Her eyes drifted below.

"It's Fableridge!" She exclaimed. "If we wanna get to the top of that mountain before tomorrow, we're gonna have to move fast, right now."

"Do you think we can catch a ride?" Wendy asked. Lucy shrugged.

"I don't know about you guys, but I spent all my money getting my ticket and the food." Lucy said. The others pulled out their pockets.

"I have 15 jewels." Grey said.

"I have 25." Erza said. Everyone threw in what was left of their pockets. Even the cats forked over at least 10 Jewels.

"This leaves us with roughly 125 jewels." Erza said.

"So little..." Wendy mumbled. Lucy sighed.

"We should save that for a ride up the moutain, I personally don't mind walking the rest of the way."

"Yeah, but unless someone secretly has 1,000 jewels in their sock, we're sleeping outside." Grey said.

"Well, it's not like we haven't camped before..." Lucy said hopefully, but it was futile. "Maybe someone will let us sleep in their house?"

"Do you want to get kidnapped?" Natsu asked absurdly. Lucy pursed her lips.

"Well, atlesst the stars are ou-," she said looking up, only to get hit in the eye by a rain drop. "We're doomed."

"What if, with the last of our money, we gamble a little?" Grey asked. They peered at him curiously, as if the idea was cute, and to not be taken seriously.

"We're better off buying an umbrella and sleeping outside." Lucy said.

"No, I'm serious. Look," he pointed down the hill into town. Through the rain, nothing could be seen, that is, nothing except a bright neon sign of dice. "We choose the luckiest of all of us, and play." They glanced among themselves. "The more we spend, the more we earn, and it's a circle until we have enough. We'll by a tent, some food, clothes, and then leave."

Lucy glanced at the cloak Grey had given them, covered in dirty, torn, and drenched. But it was still keeping her a little less wet.

"Alright. We'll gamble half, then, if we do good, we'll continue. If not, well, we still have enough for some fresh bread."

"Whose the luckiest?" Natsu asked. They all looked around.

"Natsu?" Erza asked.

"Nope," everyone said in tandem.

"Hey!" They ignored Natsu.

"Gajeel?" There was a pause.

"Nope." He frowned, and grumbled something unpleasant.

"Lucy?" Everyone turned to look at her.

"What? Me? Lucky?" She asked, bewildered.

"You did escape death, twice."

"Hardly, I was just temporarily useful!"

"Your parents named you Lucy because of 'Lucky', right?"

"W-w-well yeah, but-"

"Lucky that the Celestial King chose you?"

"Lucky you found that nice apartment so cheap-"

"Lucky Natsu broke Bora's spell-"

"Alright!" Lucy shouted. "I'll do it. Just don't don't blame me when we lose half of our money." She said. "Let's go, it's getting late."

-------------------------------------------------------
It's been over a month?
Man, where does the time go?
Oh right, to watching TV and doing homework.
But I'm trying guys. I can promise a minimum of another two chapters before ending this book. I hope you guys are excited for the finale.

Listen to Pour Some Sugar on Me.

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