Finished - September 12, 2019

Word Count - 2194

Music - Two Steps From Hell - The Last Stand

Summary:
Natsu, Lucy and Happy are on their way back to the guild when a tornado hits the small town of Shula. Lucy has gone out to find Natsu, but he has already returned back to the hotel! Natsu must find Lucy before the storm gets too rough!

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Scribbling away at her paper, the small girl failed to notice the slight dimming of her room. Its natural sunlight slowly waining, as the clouds moved in. Lucy squinted her eyes, realizing she could barely see the ink upon its rough surface. Turning her attention to the window, she took note of the gray skies and sighed.

Dropping her pen she stretched and waltzed closer to the glassy frame. The Hotel receptionist was kind enough to give her a room with a decent view. Shula, a smaller city with a flat landscape and golden grasslands. Natsu, Happy and herself had finished a mission just outside the town and were now on their way back to the Guild.

Searching the streets below for pink, she did not see Natsu. He and Happy had left about an hour ago to get them something to eat, knowing Natsu; he probably ate it all and forgot all about her hunger.

Lucy shook her head in dismay, realizing that is exactly what happened. She was about to leave when lighting flashed through the sky, the briliant light disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She stared into the barren clouds in awe, when a great noise boomed from above. Boisterous thunder echoed throughout the city of Shula. Following the huge noise of rain crashed down upon every street and roof in sight.

The girl was amazed by the sudden change of weather, there was not a cloud in sight even ten minutes ago!

As the storm grew, her anticipation for her partners return multiplied. Water pelted her windows, winds caused the walls to groan and the thunder drew closer every minute.

Where was he? Did he get stuck in the storm? Is he alright? Questions flooded Lucy's mind, needing to be answered.

Finally, tired of sitting around waiting for him to magically arrive, she decided to take action. She was going out and looking for him!

Lucy, grabbed her coat, hat and boots. Double checked that she had her Room key and locked the door behind her. Running down the hallway, into the Reception she passed the front desk. The same man that had checked them in called out to her, his face looked distressed.

"Ma'am! Where are you going?" The receptionist tried to grab her attention. Yet, she was in too much of a hurry to find Natsu and Happy to stop and listen.

"I must go and find my friends, I'll be back." She shouted back to him, rushing out the door and into the wicked storm.

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Natsu was in big trouble! Not only was he super late, but the stupid rain soiled Lucy's food. She was going to be pissed when she found out!

Preparing for the worst of Lucy's wrath he and Happy continued their hasty journey back to the Hotel. As the boys traveled, the winds picked up and Happy could no longer fight the current. The cat forced to walk, but even that proved too hard for his small body mass and ended up taking refuge in Natsu's vest from the heavy showers.

Even Natsu seemed to struggle against the harsh gusts, an arm covering his eyes that he might be able to see. Though nothing he did proved helpful. he mostly relied on memory, tracing his steps to where the Hotel would be. Using his instinct to find his way back to safety.

Sure enough, he was correct. As if on a spring the door burst open, both boys tumbled inside. Natsu pressed himself against the other side of the wooden frame and with much difficulty, forced the door shut.

Natsu slumped to the carpet, suddenly exhausted. Hair and clothes dripping from the torrential showers just behind him. Happy, curled up in his lap, shivering. A wet cat is not a happy cat.

"Lets get you dried up, buddy." Natsu chuckled to himself.

As he was about to stand, a man rushed up to him with a towel, he gratefully took it and wrapped it around the small blue feline.

"Thanks." Natsu acknowledged the man for his kindness. The man nodded and turned to leave.

Natsu found it odd that a towel was automatically handed to him as he entered. Was it some odd Shula custom for bad weather? Examining the room, he noticed dozens of people scattered around the lobby, huddled in towels or blankets. None of which he recognized to be staff or customers. Too many to be a coincidence. Something was off.

Clutching Happy close he approached the front desk curiously.

"Do you need anything Sir?" The man asked.

"Im just wondering why there are so many people here."

"Oh, you are checked into a room here. I see. I apologize, I thought you were a pedestrian." The man bowed slightly.

"A pedestrian?"

"Seeking shelter from the tornado, the entire city is on lock down. In a few minutes everything will be locked up tight, no one will be able to get in or out. You made it just in the knick of time."

"Oh, that's why there are so many people in here." Natsu's shoulders slumped.

"Correct. Now, what is your room number?"

"407."

The mans eyes widened, worry struck his once calm features. "Are you one of the FairyTail mages?"

"U-uh, yes..." Natsu was suddenly very confused.

"Your friend, she went out to look for you."

"Lucy?!"

"She has not returned." The urgency of the mans voice triggered Natsu's impulse, he snapped his head out to the large windows. Clouds swirled winds tore apart all in its path and electricity buzzed as it shot to the ground.

Lucy was out there in it.

"Take Happy." Natsu placed the quivering feline into the mans arms and turned back to the doors.

"You can't go out there, you won't be able to come back in. Everything is on lock down!" The man attempted to stop Natsu from leaving. He did not realize, that no one could stop him. There was no person, nor force of nature that could hold him from saving him friends, especially Lucy.

"Lucy is in that storm, I can't stand here when I know she is suffering." Without another word Natsu dashed out the door and entered the raging winds.

Natsu found himself floundering in the middle of the road, wondering helplessly. Muddy rain and deafeningly loud winds canceled out his senses of smell and hearing, leading him in no particular direction. He held unto a lamp pole for dear life as a huge gust nearly swept him away. Maybe this was a bad idea....NO! He had to find Lucy! She could be in much worse condition than him. Stop bring so selfish.

As Natsu clutched the post, something small flew out from behind a large dumpster, he reached out his hand and grabbed it. It was a blue ribbon, Lucy's hair ribbon!

Inching away from the safety of his grounded lamp, he crouched and slowly crawled towards where the ribbon had come. In between two brick buildings a tight alley, holding only trash and large metal dumpsters curled the image of a woman.

Lucy had shoved herself in a small corner against the wall and trash can, her head down protecting herself from the damaging rain.

The second Natsu spotted her, he sprinted towards her and called out her name. "Lucy!"

Gaining her attention her head straightened and face brightened immensely.

Placing himself close to her he noticed how cold she was. "Lucy, your freezing!" Natsu unwrapped his scarf from his neck and placed it upon her and took hold of her icy hands.

"W-where-re wer-re y-you-ou?" Her teeth chattered vigorously.

"I know, Im sorry I was late. I made you go out and look for me." Natsu mentally slapped himself for letting this happen, it was his fault for slacking off. He should have come back to the hotel at the proper time, then Lucy would not have come after him.

As they were sitting in the "protected" alleyway, nature decided to bump it up a notch. Lucy could hear a slight crackle and a soft hum, then a rigorous light and violent blast erupted directly above them. Striking the large metal container they leaned upon, both mages screamed and leapt from their seats.

Regaining their composure, they huddled together close to the wall, now far away from anything metal. Seeking comfort in only each other and the sturdy brick wall behind them.

Large tree branches started to fall threw the gap of the houses, smashing down to the ground, meters from Natsu and Lucy's legs. Dirt and debris of all sorts crashed down on the pair for what seemed hours, the storm was a never ending nightmare. They were slowly being covered by pieces of plaster, bricks, shattered glass and random household items. Yet they could do nothing but wait for it to be over.

Lucy cried into Natu's shoulder all through the night, longing for it to end. Natsu clung unto Lucy as if she were his life-line, silently weeping alongside her. For he too was in utter misery.

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She didn't think it was possible, but somehow Lucy had fallen asleep. However, she did not feel as thought she slept at all, possibly an hour at most. But it was enough time for the storm to pass. For she woke to a quiet scene, the rain had stopped, winds had died and skies had cleared.

Lucy turned her sore neck up to see Natsu, had had also fallen asleep. (She figured they had both passed out from exhaustion more than actually slept) She was seated tightly in his lap and his arms wrapped around her stomach firmly. Natsu's head rested on her right shoulder, his hair covered in dust and grime from the fierce night.

They were both covered up to their shoulders in rubble, sieged by tree branches, sharp pieces of barn and other broken trinkets.

She tugged her arm out painfully, scratching it on something sharp, earning a thin cut along her forearm. Using this free arm, she started to remove the barrier of rubble around them. Yet, their legs seemed pinned underneath something large and very heavy. Lucy couldn't lift it on her own, at least not from the position she was sitting.

Using her buried elbow, she nudged the exhausted boy behind her. "Natsu, wake up. The storm is over."

Shifting, Natsu's stiff muscles ached from hours of adrenaline. Releasing the girl, his arms cracked as they moved for the first time all night.

He took a deep breath, only to immediately cough out the lingering dirt from his throat. Yet in that breath he could smell blood.

"Lucy. Are you alright?" He choked.

"I cut my arm, but I'm fine." Lucy changed the subject. "Our legs are stuck, I cant lift this by myself." Lucy gestured to a wide section of what looked like an old cabinet. Somehow in all the ruckus neither of them noticed the weighty apparatus land upon them, too many other events battling for their attention.

Natsu placed his hands on the wood, one on either side of her hands. Her thin shoulders fit just right within his ribs. Both mages pushed with their tired muscles to free themselves, blood started to drip down unto Natsu's leg from Lucy's arm. The liquid pressure from her increase of movement, pain was written all over her face, yet she did not make a sound. This only encouraged Natsu to push harder, attempting to take the weight off her arm. To set them free so she could get her wound fixed.

With one final shove the massive container shifted far enough away that all four legs were set free. Panting, Natsu and Lucy sat, not wanting to move yet.

"Ready?" Lucy asked hesitantly, knowing moving their lower limbs would be extremely sore and most likely painful.

"Yeah."

Lucy slowly started roll her ankles around, every joint popping back into place. Next, she slothfully bent her knees, followed by fireworks of bone readjustments. By the time she was ready to stand Lucy noticed Natsu had not yet bent his left leg. She reached out slowly to touch it, as if to see what was wrong.

"Dont." Lucy stopped. "I think its broken." Natsu's voice shook slightly.

Retracting her hovering fingers, she placed her other hand on his upright knee. Giving him comfort in a healthy place, yet also seeking reassurance from him at the same time.

One busted arm and a broken leg, that was not half bad for one day. Especially for Fairy Tail.

They both survived the night. Outlived the storm. Through thick and thin, clear and cloudy skies, day and night, better or worse.They could take on the world, as long as they are together.