Chapter 5: Tormenting Tour

Lucy walked around Magnolia Park in deep thought. The park's name fits it, because all around the park, there were Magnolia trees. They only had a few flowers and were losing their leaves because it was October. The park was rectangular with a perimeter of concrete and the rest being fresh grass. At the edges of each side, there was a path leading out of the park. Lucy looked to her right and saw young children trying to climb the trees and doing little cartwheels.

I wish I had a childhood like that. Lucy thought. She sighed and looked at the ground, not noticing where she was going. She suddenly felt someone bump into her and she was about to hit the ground because their weight overpowered hers. She felt the person spin around so that they would take the fall for her and they both fell to the ground. She hit a toned chest, so she assumed it was a guy.

Her eyes slowly opened to find a pair of gorgeous onyx eyes staring into her doe brown ones. He was very muscular, toned and had...PINK hair? She didn't know why, but it looked very sexy on him. She stared into his eyes again, they looked very beautiful, but they also looked so sad.

They both stared at each other wide-eyed. She felt her cheeks starting to heat up and quickly jumped off of him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to knock you down." Lucy said with a concerned expression as she held out a hand to help him up. He took her hand and she pulled him up, and for a second, they both felt something very warm inside of them. Natsu hadn't felt like this since when he started dating Lisanna.

"Don't worry. Are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you?" Natsu asked. Lucy shook her head and smiled at him.

"NATSU, WHERE IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU?!" Natsu heard Gajeel and Gray yell simultaneously. They both came running around the corner, with Juvia and Erza not far behind.

"Lucy/Lucy-san?" Gray and Juvia asked. They looked at her in confusion as to why she was standing with their friend. Natsu looked between them.

"You three know each other?" Natsu asked. Gray and Juvia nodded while walking over to Lucy. Gray went behind her and put his hands on both her shoulders and Juvia gave her a side hug.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Lucy Heartfilia. We are staying with her while we go to college. Lucy, this is Erza, Gajeel, and Natsu." Gray said pointing to each of his friends. Lucy waved at them.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you." She said looking at each person, but her eyes training on Natsu for a few more seconds than the rest. Nobody caught this but Natsu, who smiled back to her and gave her a little nod of his head.

"A pleasure to meet you also. I'm Erza Scarlet." The scarlet haired beauty named Erza said. She held out her hand for Lucy to take, and Lucy accepted it with no hesitation. The gruff looking man with multiple piercings went up to her and gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"Gajeel Redfox." He said. Lucy had to admit that he was a little intimidating, but he seemed nice enough.

"Oh shit, we're going to be late." Gray said, running a hand through his hair.

"We better get going, I'm sure they won't tolerate tardiness." Erza said. The rest of the four nodded, said bye to Lucy and left, except for Natsu.

"I guess I'll see you around, then?" Natsu asked. Lucy stared at him in confusion, but then realized that since Gray and Juvia were staying at her house, they were welcome to bring friends if they wanted to.

"Sure." Lucy said. She suddenly felt the urge to ruffle his pink hair, but decided against it. What the hell are you thinking Lucy? Lucy internally scolded herself. "I should get back home. I have a ton of homework to do." Lucy said.

"Okay, later." Natsu said as he waved, with a slight look of disappointment on his features. Lucy didn't know why, but she felt kind of guilty.

"Bye. Tell Gray and Juvia that dinner is at 6:30. You are welcome to join us if you would like to." Lucy said, looking at the ground in embarrassment. Natsu slightly nodded his head.

"I'll think about it." He said while he smiled, genuinely, before he took off down the road to catch up with his friends. Lucy didn't know why, but she suddenly felt so cold after he left.

What the two of them didn't know was that Gray saw the whole thing. He also saw Natsu smile for the first time in three weeks.

~At the Fairy Tail orientation~

Many college freshmen were crowding the auditorium. All of them looked really excited. People thought college was a place where you could relax and not worry about anything.

College was a hell of a lot to worry about.

The auditorium was grand in everyone's eyes. Even with all of the people there, there was still room. The floor was made of alternating white and black marble tiles. The roof was made of glass with a chandelier that looked like it was made of silver and bronze hung from the ceiling, with small candles in the holders. The walls were carvings of beautiful hieroglyphics in sandstone and in front of the walls were Celtic-style columns. At the end of the large auditorium was a huge stage, which would probably be perfect for any play the school would produce. In all, it looked like a grand palace.

The five teens/young adults took seats at the front of the stage. When they did, they saw a little old man walk up to the podium. A really little old man. Is it even possible to be that short? Gray asked himself. He was sure that many other people were thinking the same thing.

"Hello, young brats!" He starts with a wide smile. "It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to Fairy Tail. Here, we treat each other like family.... No, we arefamily. We stick up for each other when times get tough, and we comfort each other when our nakama is sad. I am Makarov, your headmaster." For ten more minutes, the old man talked, and then he let the superiors step in and take groups of students on tours.

Natsu listened to Makarov's speech intently, but once the tour started, he looked like he was barely paying attention. He, Gray, Juvia, Gajeel, and Erza were being shown around with a couple other students.

The campus was beautiful. It gave a medieval look with towering castles for buildings and flags with the Fairy Tail symbol on it. The gardens were lush and green with many trees to sit under. There was a swimming pool that Juvia was drawn to immediately, and Gray had to drag her away from jumping in and taking laps.

The tour was going great, but Natsu was just looking around with a bored expression. He abruptly stops when he sees a flash of silver hair.

It was his old, cheating girlfriend, Lisanna Strauss.

Her hair had grown out a bit longer and even Natsu had to admit that she looked very pretty. Most guys drooled over her, and when Natsu still had his hot-blooded temper, he used to punch every guy that looked at her the wrong way.

Gray, who wasn't listening to the rant that Erza was giving him for stripping off his shirt in the middle of the tour, gave a side glance to Natsu. He looked completely focused, like cat trying to catch a mouse. Gray's dusky eyes traveled to where Natsu was looking and looked directly at the side head of the person who broke his best friend's heart, ripped it to pieces, and stomped on it.

Gray saw that Natsu wanted to run over to her, and ask her about the situation. He looked like he wanted a hug and all that other romantic crap that couples do. At the same time, Natsu looked like he wanted to avoid her, as if he was afraid of what she would say.

Gray hushed the rant from Erza and pointed towards Lisanna, who Erza gave a deadly glare to. Lisanna, finally looking in their direction, tried to run over to Natsu, looking like she was about to hug him, but Gray and Gajeel got in the way and held her back. "Let me through!" Lisanna screamed.

"Leave Ashy alone, witch!" Gajeel yelled. Gray swore to God he thought he felt a small earthquake. Behind them, Erza was holding out an arm in an effort to protect Natsu.

"Let me go! I'm his girlfriend; I have a right to see him."This brat ain't givin' up. Gajeel thought. "Whatever, I don't need permission from you." Lisanna started to blink innocently at Natsu. "Natsu, honey, come here." Lisanna said, spreading her arms out, expecting him to come over to her in an instant. She found it surprising that he hesitated. He was thinking if he should go over to her or not, and she was getting irritated. She snapped her fingers and pointed to herself. "Natsu, now!" Lisanna growled.

Natsu, not wanting to face any wrath and not wanting to give up the chance to be with her again, slowly stepped over, but was stopped by Juvia, while Erza yelled, "He isn't your boyfriend anymore. Don't give him any crap. Just leave him alone!" Erza yelled. Lisanna suddenly shrank back, even when she and Natsu were dating, Lisanna never wanted to be friends with Erza truthfully because she always scared her.

Erza grabbed Natsu's arm and started to drag him away, with Gray and Gajeel trailing behind them. Juvia gave one last glare before following her boyfriend. The tour guide watched the whole scene with wide eyes, but shook it off, knowing it was none of his business. The group started off on the tour again, leaving a shocked/angry Lisanna just standing there.

Just you wait Natsu, I will get what I want. I always do.She thought before she stalked off to join her group, who didn't bother to ask what happened.