57A/N: Sup peeps. wiErD here and I got the new chapter ready for you guys.
Have Fun and Happy Reading ^^
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these two franchises. All elements belonged to their respective owners. Support the official releases.
- First Day -
Morning soon took over the night as the sun slowly rose up from the horizon, showing its radiant light on the world once again. People began flocking down the streets of Magnolia to start their day and the activities of the town began to spring back to life.
Inside the house, Leticia slowly yawned as her eyes finally flickered open after finding enough rest. She immediately found herself on a small couch where she was supposed to sleep. A small blanket was seen partially covering her body, probably to shield against the cold. A large white curtain stands in front of the window to prevent any excess sunlight piercing through the room to harm her. Her elegant pale-colored blonde hair remained fixed despite all the sleep throughout the night.
Although she does not particularly sleep during nights, the events that transpired a few days back deprived her of any rest so her body eventually succumbed to exhaustion after staying awake for so long, including her time of looking after Natsu last night.
Speaking of him, she found a lack of pink hair within her vision. The pink haired mage was nowhere to be found.
Looking around, she gazed down at the floor, seeing a folded futon which was his temporary bed after having Happy fully occupy the hammock for himself.
Seeing how the futon was fixed properly, it seems like he was already awake and probably went out without her.
The vampire girl shifted her feet down on the floor, leaving the blanket near the couch before a high-pitched voice suddenly called out to her from the kitchen.
"Oh, you're awake, Leticia-chan." Her eyes darted over the appearance of the blue Exceed peering over to the wall leading the kitchen.
"Happy... Good morning." She managed a soft greeting in which he greeted with one of his own.
"Aye! It looks like you've slept well, judging from the look on your face." He beamed as he took notice on her still half-open eyes.
"It looks like it." She said in agreement. "Anyways, have you seen Natsu?"
"Ah, he went up early and headed straight to the guild. Says he has something to talk about with Master. He'd be back soon since he wanted to take you all the way back to the guild as well." Happy explained as he walked back to the kitchen with Leticia standing up to follow him.
She looked around as she observed the blue Exceed returning back to his chair and resuming his breakfast which was a half-eaten raw fish.
"Is it alright eating just a fish?" She asked, worried about the lack of food quality the Exceed was eating at the moment.
"Hmm? It's alright. I'm used to it. No one is really good at cooking and Natsu only likes half-burnt meat so we mostly eat at the guild or at Lucy's apartment if we're lucky." The blue feline continued chomping down his food without looking, not noticing the curious look on Leticia's face as her eyes gazed over to the fridge where most of their food is stored.
"Do you want me to cook something for you?" She offered.
"Really? I didn't know you can cook too." Happy turned around in curiosity.
"Well, I do certainly know a lot of about household chores so learning about cooking isn't that far off."
"Woooah..." Astonishment filled the Exceed's eyes as he awed at her words.
Leticia then looked over to the kitchen then looking back at him for a request.
"May I?"
"Sure! Please do."
Granting full permission to use the kitchen, the vampire woman began walking over to the kitchen and started cooking for their breakfast. Happy, on the other hand, continued to chomp down on his fish, not wanting to leave any leftovers.
Leticia prepared an apron as she began to use her knowledge in cooking with the current ingredients available.
Since all their food comes only to meat and raw fish, there's little to make something good other than roasting without the proper ingredients. However, her eyes continued to stare down into open space as if she was determined to cook something suitable for the three of them. There are still some other things present in their kitchen so she can improvise to create a suitable dish.
After a few moments, she finally made her decision.
She started frying the raw meat and began mixing some ingredients she collected from the drawers. The sweet aroma of raw meat being tenderized perfectly at the right amount of heat lingered in the air. Happy's nose picked up the delicious scent as he looked over to Leticia who was currently cooking.
"You're really amazing, Leticia."
"Thank you... Think of it as an appreciation from me for letting me stay here. This is the least I can do for you two."
"Don't worry about it."
A few minutes passed and she finished her own cooking. Presenting three bowls of perfectly cooked meat accompanied by a tasty soup that surrounds it, she brought it down to the table and placed one in front of the blue Exceed.
Happy felt like he'd forgotten the tasting wonders of his raw fishes and simply succumbed to the lure of meat right in front of him.
Leticia sat right beside him in a chair. Hoping to see if she did okay on her part, she asked.
"Are... Are you not satisfied?"
There was a hopeful look in her eyes which turned the Exceed to refute her answer instantly.
"No, no, no! This is absolutely great! I'm just a bit shocked. That's all."
"I see..." A smile overtook that worried expression, led by a soft voice afterward. "I'm glad. Will you try it?"
"Hnn... Then... Itadakimasu." Nodding back, Happy finally turned back on the bowl before him. A nervous gulp went down on his throat as he smelled its tasty flavor.
He jotted down his spoon, taking a small part of the cooked meat along with a few drips of the soup and placed right inside his mouth.
As soon as he closed his mouth, Happy widened his eyes out in complete astonishment.
"W-Wha?! What godlike flavor is this!?"
Speaking in such an elated yet formal manner, the Exceed momentarily lost all his previous expressions and somehow turned to some weird food critic for some reason. His face tells that of a person savoring the delicious taste inside his mouth. He'd never actually tasted something as delicious as this so his expression was understandable.
Without wasting any moment, the Exceed dug right down into his food, not wasting any single drop or piece of the cooked food given to him.
Seeing how Happy enjoyed the meal, Leticia could only put up a smile of relief as she watched the Exceed in satisfaction.
"I'm glad you like it."
"This is really delicious! No―it's beyond delicious! I've never tasted something like this back at the guild!"
There was only an overjoyed look on his face as he praised the girl continuously while eating in the process.
Though in the midst of their session, a knock on the door was heard at the entrance as Natsu eventually arrived back after what it seemed to be a quick errand coming from him. His face seemed rather lively as ever as if something good happened to him along the way.
"I'm back! Did I smell someone cooking?" He walked his way inside after casually opening the door. Leticia immediately stood up and walked back to see him in a cheerful attitude.
"Welcome back, Natsu!" She immediately expressed a sincere bow as if greeting a royalty.
The pinkette passed a wave as soon as he saw her in view, seeing how she's already woken up after all that sleep from last night. Honestly, it was rather surprising to see how she ended up letting him sleep on her lap throughout the night after waking up. He never actually thought that she would do that which resulted him to return her back to the sofa and have her rest by herself.
That tired look on her face made him a bit concerned but after seeing her sincere expression just now, it all vanished in an instant.
Maybe it was one of the traits of being a vampire. After all, not much can be known about a vampire except for their preference for food and their longevity. Not to mention, the amount of magic power they had in them, seeing how Leticia displayed such a unique magic that could rival to an S-Class mage like Erza.
...
"Where were you?"
"Ah that... I just had something to request from Gramps. I'll show it to you afterward."
Although not noticing it, the vampire girl simply let out a peevish pout as he walked past her, all the while noticing the food she just cooked for them.
The rest of the morning went by as the pinkette eventually joined in to eat. Since he went out early at dawn, he didn't take any breakfast for himself since he was kind of a hurry.
Like Happy, he was also amazed by Leticia's cooking which made him praise her all the same. Of course, her reactions towards him were much like different from the one she had with Happy for complimenting her as the blonde girl hid her blush throughout the session.
On the other hand, Leticia had no problems eating as well as she joins the two afterward.
Although being a vampire, she still had the capability to eat normally like humans do which could be compensated for the lack of blood needed for her to survive.
However, it isn't as effective as it is and she had to drink every once in awhile in order to sate the growing bloodthirst.
They finished eating and Leticia took care of the dishes as she cleaned them by herself without leaving a single dust on it. Her household-ladylike personality often shows around when it comes to cleaning around their house.
Eventually, they finished their morning sessions as Natsu stood by at the door alongside with Happy, waiting for Leticia as they prepare to set out for the guild.
The girl stood behind them, seemingly troubled at something as her eyes gazed right at the door in front of them.
"Let's go, Leticia."
"U-Umm... I can't..."
"Huh? Why? Is there something wrong?" Happy asked.
"The sun... is not good for me." Natsu eventually remembered her condition about being exposed to the sun as a vampire.
Looking back at his confused partner, he decided to speak.
"Why don't you wait outside for a bit, Happy? I'll just need to talk to her about something."
Hearing a rather strange question from the dragonslayer, Happy's face sunk in puzzlement.
Scratching his head nonchalantly, he nodded.
"I don't get it but I guess I can wait outside."
Closing the door behind him, he left the two inside as he waited for them to come out.
Meanwhile, Natsu gazed back at her as he proceeds to walk right next to her. He then pulled out a small white bracelet with golden trimmings both at the top and bottom. Leticia could feel a presence of magic being embedded through it as her eyes looked confusingly at the item right in front of her.
"Here... Wear this."
"Eh?"
"I asked Gramps earlier about something that could protect you from the sun. Fortunately, he had one of these in store and it's one of the rewards he got from one of the jobs but never used. It looks like it would be useful for you since you're a vampire." He placed the item right into her right wrist.
Leticia quietly stared at the golden bracelet in curiosity before gazing back at him.
Natsu finished putting the bracelet in and held her hand, examining the item one last time.
"There. That should do it." He smiled, seemingly satisfied with it. "Let's go."
"Umm..."
"Hmm?"
"T-Thank you again."
"Don't mention it. Come on, we'll be late for the guild, you know."
Slowly pulling her towards him, they made their way outside the house.
Leticia felt her hand being dragged but it didn't bother her at all. Her eyes fixed on their intertwined hands and the bracelet located behind it. Her cheeks lightly flushed red in contrast to her usual pale color.
The fluttering feeling resonated back inside her heart as she walked through the door leading to the outside world.
...
As the two made their way outside, their eyes took notice of the forest-like environment that surrounds the house altogether. A lot of green trees and bushes covered every corner as if they were standing in the middle of a forest. A small path is seen leading to the outskirts of town and the sunlight penetrated through the narrow shades of the thick canopies above them.
Happy was already there, floating with his wings unfolded as he waits for them.
"What took you two so long?" The beaming Exceed soon started with a slightly upset look as he saw the two in view.
"Just a little talk, you know. Nothing serious."
Happy tilted his head in confusion at the abrupt reply. However, his eyes narrowed, noticing at their hands held in between for some reason. He wanted to ask but kept the suspicion to himself as he changed the subject.
"Hmm... Is that so? Anyways, we have to get going. Lucy and the others might be waiting for us."
"Oh, yeah... I forgot. Then let's go."
"Aye!"
The two partners nodded with energy as they began their way towards the guild. Leticia stood behind the pinkette in silence though smiling as well after seeing their cheerful expressions. They trudged along the road leading to the entrance of the Magnolia. People were already swarming the area as the day slowly turns to the height of the noon.
Different kinds of people of different age wandered around in a sea of crowds and the lively conversations of the townsfolk filled the atmosphere around them.
It was a common sight in Magnolia.
Leticia still felt uneasy about walking around in the daylight. Despite with the bracelet's effect shielding her from the sun, she doesn't feel used to it.
The reason would probably lie on her experience as a denizen of the dark which is expected since she never walked casually outside in broad daylight, let alone in a crowded place.
As a result, she could only stick close to Natsu as they make way to the guild.
"What's wrong?" Natsu noticed her uneasy look.
"They're staring at me again..." She muttered uncomfortably.
"Well, it's probably because of your outfit. You look like a noble lady at first glance." Happy added as he glanced back, commenting on her current clothing.
"Is it that weird?" She asked confusingly.
"Aye..." He nodded before changing topic. "...More importantly, why are you holding too close to Natsu?"
Noticing her close contact to the pinkette, he could only ask since she's been clinging onto him like a kid clinging to their parent in an unfamiliar place. Considering that she's an adult woman, it looked more like a clingy lovey-dovey couple. Though, Natsu doesn't seem affected by it as he kept letting her hold onto his arm.
"I don't want to separate from him..." With a straightforward answer, Happy reacted in utter surprise.
"Woah... You surprised me there... You're pretty good... I see... so that's how it is, huh?" He looked away muttering something underneath his breath.
"What's wrong, Happy. You look a bit surprised." Natsu asked.
"A-Ah, it's nothing! Anyways, how about we go some shopping with the others for Leticia's clothes?"
"Hmm... Sounds boring." Natsu replied nonchalantly.
"Well, she's gonna need better clothes since she would be staying with us for a long while. From what I remember, she didn't come over to us with any clothes or anything. Maybe we should ask Lucy and Erza to help once we get to the guild." The blue Exceed reasoned.
"Oh, now that you mentioned it."
"Umm, there's no need to worry yourselves over my needs. I can work to satisfy whatever things I may need to myself." Leticia joined in as she heard their conversation. The two stared back at her in confusion.
"It's fine... We're only gonna buy clothes so you don't have to worry about the expenses." Happy reassured.
"But―"
"Don't worry, it's not like we won't have any problems with the money. You can rely on us, you know." Natsu spoke as the blonde-haired woman made a look of surprise but eventually traced her eyes back down to the ground. Her face seemed conflicted at first but after hearing their words, she could only hide her shyness as she couldn't help but take up on their offer.
"O-Okay... Thank you..."
Natsu chuckled as he saw her relieved with worry despite her flustered expression.
"Well now that settles it, we should hurry with the others since you'll be coming along with us on a job, right?" Happy added.
"Oh yeah..." Natsu realized but the blonde girl tilted her head in confusion at the previous statement.
"Umm, I haven't heard of this job thing... Is it some kind of errand?"
"Oh, that's right. You didn't know... You see, mages from guilds perform jobs requested by people. It may range in a variety of jobs but most of it comes to hiring mages to solve problems using their magic. Fairy Tail also do these kinds of jobs and people often request us in order to solve their problems with our help. Of course, this also comes with some rewards." Happy explained thoroughly.
"We can also fight monsters as well. It could be a group of bandits or a dark guild. What's important is that we get a lot of fights with the bad guys!" Natsu butted in.
"I see... Like an occupation of some sort." Leticia pondered.
"You can say that... We get a lot of interesting adventures along with our friends so it's an everyday fun no matter how you think of it." Natsu replied.
"Though I find it strange that you don't know much about it..." Happy thought out with a complicated expression.
"I don't really know much of this country's customs."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Ah, I forgot to mention you that Leticia is not from here. She came from another continent." Natsu reminded, realizing the Exceed's confusion towards the subject.
"Ooooh! Really?! Leticia's not from Fiore?" As if it was his first time noticing someone coming from another continent, Happy could not hide his shocked look. Leticia, on the other hand, nodded, confirming his question which caused him to be amazed in the process.
"Wooooaaaaahh... So that means there are no guilds in your continent like here?"
"I guess so..." She smiled softly as she found their little conversation to be quite enjoyable for some reason.
...
She couldn't explain it but somehow she was drawn to join and enjoy answering the Exceed's questions about her past no matter how silly they may be to the topic. It is as if she could feel the warm atmosphere between them as they go along with each other like close people. In truth, she never interacted this much to other people except only to the two.
Even though she was uncertain to reveal her secret just yet, there are people like Happy who couldn't care less of their past and simply wanted to befriend without a moment's notice.
"I see... That's amazing. Are you a mage?"
"Well, if I do count my powers, I guess I am in this country..."
"I didn't know you're a mage too... It's like you can be anything!" The Exceed beamed happily.
"Right? You know that she was able to stop Erza yesterday. It may not look like it but Leticia is a pretty strong person!" Natsu added.
"Really? That's cool! If we can have her on our team, we'll be invincible!"
"Yeah! She might be the second Erza, only calmer and likable."
"Iya, iya! She's the combined Mira and Erza, only better by a mile!"
Inside the guild...
"Achoo!~"
"What's wrong, you two?" Lucy began asking as she saw the two females having a sneeze for some reason.
"Ah, it's nothing... But it feels like someone is talking right behind my back. I don't know what they're talking but it's something bad against me."
"Yeah... Although I couldn't put it in words, it feels like I'm losing my edge here."
"You two might be overthinking it a bit," Lucy replied, seeing how the two were troubled for some reason.
"Iya... I feel like someone is probably going to replace me... I better step it up."
"THAT'S TOO SPECIFIC!" Lucy couldn't understand but for some reason, she found the two girls somehow fired up for some reason. She sweated as soon as she saw their figures flaring up with such intimidating aura that if she doesn't walk away from them, something's going to happen very soon.
...
Going back to the trio, they eventually sighted the guild near the distance as they slowly made their approach towards it.
It didn't take long as they reached the gates surrounding the obnoxious building right in front of it. The emblem of their guild can be seen from the top as Leticia gazed towards it in wonder. The sounds of laughter can be heard even from the outside.
The three eventually stepped inside as Natsu proceeded to open the huge doors. A loud creak resounded as the wooden doors bore open, revealing the interior inside.
Their eyes soon caught up glimpse to the rambunctious guildhall as members gathered around in their tables, toasting drinks and laughing their hearts out. The place was filled with noise and the stench of beers lingered around the spilled drinks.
Natsu and the two walked inside as they reveled at the intensity of the guild's activity.
It almost seemed like there was a celebration going on. However, this is just another day of Fairy Tail just without the brawls... yet.
They soon sighted the group located near the bar counter along with Mirajane who was usually working on her duties as usual. It didn't take long for the other group to notice them as well.
"Ah, Natsu and Leticia. Good morning!" Lucy called out.
"Yo, how's everyone doing?"
"Pretty good, I guess... We were just talking about some stuff." She replied, having to make way for them to join the group. At the same time, the approaching three soon noticed the unusual behavior around the two S-Class mages.
"What's wrong with Mira and Erza?" Natsu asked, seeing the emanating aura growing up inside them. The look on their faces was looking scary and he could see the atmosphere around them being dyed into purple and red as if their magic was leaking out from the eyes of others. It seemed like they're getting worked up for some reason.
"Well, I don't know... I think it's best to let them cool their heads off, don't you think?"
"R-Right..."
Natsu knew better of all people that it's best to stay away, especially when these two are giving off this kind of atmosphere. In the midst of their conversation, Leticia merely tilted her head in confusion as she observed the group.
"Anyways, where are Gray and Wendy at?"
"Ah about that... Gray had a client request just earlier and left with Juvia. Wendy and Carla got another on their own."
"Is that so? I guess they're pretty busy huh? I was planning to invite the whole group in buying some clothes for Leticia. You know I don't know much about shopping."
At the same time, Erza and Mira eventually snapped out of their thoughts as soon as they heard the dragonslayer talking.
"Eh? You want to go shop some clothes for Leticia?" Lucy asked, seemingly surprised.
"Well yeah... She's gonna need more than clothes since she'll be staying here." Natsu said as a matter of fact.
"W-Well, as long as she's fine with it. I'm assuming you covered her expenses."
"Happy and I got a ton of gems in the backyard, we can use that for her."
"Aye!"
"Don't go hiding your gems from others! At least, spare me some. My rent's showing up from my landlady this month!" Lucy pleaded although it was ignored by the dragonslayer as he had no idea what she's talking about.
Talk about desperation.
"I hope I'm not troubling you all too much..." Leticia spoke with a troubled look which only made the celestial mage flail her arms frantically in denial.
"I-It's nothing to worry about! You can rely on us since we're friends, right?"
There was only a silent look on her face as soon as she heard those words. She halted on her next words, staring at her face in wonder. After a few seconds, she lightly smiled, giving off a sincere look towards the blonde haired mage in appreciation.
"Friends... Thank you, Lucy-san."
"You're welcome."
At that moment, the two females who felt like they're being left out of the conversation took over the group as Erza joined in with the conversation. Their expressions remain vigorously cautious as soon as they felt their presence in the group slipping away although the other seemed to be not part of the group despite the situation.
"Soooooooooo... Shopping some clothes for Leticia, right? We can take the opportunity to go out today since most of us are free. I know some good places where to buy one."
"Really?" Natsu replied.
"Oh, that's right! That would be perfect for her to explore the whole town as well!" Mira added with a beaming smile on her face. Somehow, she was shining radiantly than usual as all heads turned to her.
"I have to take a job, you know." Lucy deadpanned.
"We can take the day off for today. After all, we can't have our guest wearing the same clothes every day, right?" Erza reasoned as she glanced towards the blonde mage with her usual stern look.
Lucy couldn't find the way to say something otherwise. That stony gaze gets her everytime and who knows how many must've suffered a beating after trying so much to deny her suggestion. Natsu and Gray have a long list of historical incidents that involved the same situation.
She can't say no to that so for the sake of not invoking her wrath, she immediately nodded in agreement.
"Hnn..." Erza nodded. "...Now then, we should be on our way and not waste any time." She declared as she proceeded her way through the guild doors.
With the group's plan decided, Natsu proceeded to walk across the group as he slipped past Erza and brought out some bag of jewels from his pockets to give it to her.
"Here's some jewels for her shopping clothes. I'll be hanging by at the guild with the others."
But before he could even take a step forward, he felt a tight hold on his shoulder as Erza held him back with her steel-clad hand.
"What are you saying? You're coming with us."
"Huh?! I don't know about girl clothes so why should I come?"
But Erza gave him another death stare which silenced him before he could continue any further.
"You're. . .coming. . .with us. . ."
"Yes, ma'am."
And in just like that, Erza walked her way outside with Natsu in tow as Lucy and Leticia followed them from behind along with Happy.
"Have a nice trip!" Mira bade farewell from behind as she watched the four disappear on sight. At the same time, Macao and Wakaba called out from one of the tables, seemingly shouting out for a refill.
"Mira-chan, a beer please."
"Hai~ I'll be there in a sec." With light cheery voice, Mirajane walked at the back of the counter.
The two men, however, noticed the unusual bright look on their head waitress' face as they looked at each other with their puzzled expression.
"Is something wrong with Mira today?"
"I dunno but it looks like she's more energetic than usual."
...
The three continued on their way towards the center of the town as they witnessed the town's activity in front of their eyes. Lots of people wandered around, exchanging goods with each other while some casually chattered along the streets as the day goes by.
Erza along with the two other girls walked ahead of the group with Natsu and Happy trailing from behind. The former stooped his shoulders up front, leaving his arms dangling from below while giving off a dull look on his face as he follows them. His partner, on the other hand, had no issues whatsoever as he had his usual beaming expression.
After a few seconds, Natsu sighed as he begins to mutter underneath his breath.
"Why do I have to go with them? It would've been easier if I don't get involved, right?"
Honestly, he wanted to let the two girls decide on her clothes since he had no knowledge of selecting clothes for Leticia nor he had any taste of their style. As a matter of fact, clothes aren't even important to him as food and brawls. He could be inside the guild by now, beefing with Gajeel or whatever.
Yet, he was stuck in this situation, not having any chance of escaping since Erza forced him to.
"You just don't understand a woman's feelings, Natsu." Happy sighed whilst shaking his head in disappointment.
"What's that supposed to mean? And why are you looking like you're pitying someone?"
The blue Exceed blew a second sigh as he averts his gaze from his partner.
"Nevermind that, just stick close to Leticia and be there to decide when she picks her clothes, alright?"
"Eeeeeeeeeh?" He drawled lazily but he slowly changed his expression as he nods at his words. "Fine... How about you? What are you gonna do?"
"Is it wrong to tag along with my partner? Also, I'd like to have some fish." He answered proudly to himself.
Of course, he came along for food. Natsu wondered just how easy it is for him to realize his Exceed's intentions whenever he joins a trip where he doesn't even necessarily needed. Not that he was complaining though. At least, he was glad to have a male partner along with him. It's a whole lot better than going alone with Erza and the others.
The group arrived at one of the sections of the town as they sighted several clothing stores in the near distance where people also come and go to buy their own set of clothes as well. Erza and Lucy's faces lit up in excitement as they arrived at the area. Leticia simply made a complicated look on her face but decided to go along with it as long as there's no problem hindering the group.
"Alright! We're here!" The scarlet knight stopped in her tracks as the group stood in front of a clothes store. With Natsu's not-so-good-looking face being the only difference in the group, everyone merely awed at the massive structure.
"...Yosh, let's head in and have you buy some new clothes. Of course, Natsu will cover the expenses so buy as many as you want."
"Oi, do I have to come in with you guys?" Natsu asked like it was an important matter.
"What's with the stupid question? Of course, you're coming. Why else would I have brought you here with us?"
"Like I said, I'm not good with girl clothes. I don't even know what preferences girls like to their style of clothing either..." He groaned.
"Well, you're not exactly gonna choose but rather, you'll be evaluating what clothes Leticia will be wearing so that she won't have to feel uneasy." Happy perked up which even confused the pinkette even more.
Why does his opinion have to matter here?
However, he shouldn't be raising any alarms here, especially when Erza is the one who dragged him out here in the first place. Complaining won't help either and he could already notice the troubled look on the vampire girl's face as she looks over to their conversation.
There must be a reason why he was being called out here for. He can think about it for later so he'll have to comply for now.
With a contented sigh, he finally resigned to their offer.
"Fine..."
With his reply, everyone smiled in relief for some reason. In addition, Leticia's expression brightened.
Erza turned her gaze back as she proceeded inside together with the group.
...
Tiny ringing bells resounded as soon as the group stepped inside the store. Their eyes caught over multiple columns of clothes―with each having separate sections. There are some others displayed in mannequins which contain a ton of jewels' worth due to its popularity and quality.
Erza and Lucy still marvelled at the newly displayed ones despite having to visit the place several times for better clothing. Their eyes were sparkling brightly as their heads kept twisting to whatever place they can gaze at.
"Wow... It's been awhile since I last visited this store. I wonder if I can try out some of their new model clothes like the ones in Sorceress Weekly." Lucy stated.
"Hnn... We'll get to that later. For now, let's have Leticia choose for her own clothing."
Said person perked up into attention as she noticed the two looking at her.
"W-What?"
"Well... First, we should know about your preferences. What sort of outfit you often wear by the way? I can't put any thought since you only wear that dress." Lucy asked.
Leticia soon shifted her head slightly below as she lifted an arm below her chin and began to ponder. Her eyes looked serious for a moment as if thinking too deeply about the subject. She immediately returned back to her expression, looking back at the celestial mage in question.
"Well, I was thinking about my time back at Natsu's house when I cooked breakfast for them." Before any of their conversation could go further, Lucy and Erza made a look of surprise as soon as they heard it.
"Oh, I didn't know you can cook." Lucy expressed her shock. Leticia nodded in response before continuing.
"I guess I wanted to try out for some household clothing. If not, I'll humbly accept just any of this country's casual clothing."
"Great! That sounds like a good idea!"
The group began on their way to the designated section with Natsu following from behind. Their conversations looked otherworldly for him.
His boredom culminated but his determination to stay through the whole event reigns higher in fear of the scarlet knight.
Happy, on the other hand, flies beside him like a loyal partner.
...
Soon afterwards, the group arrived as they were greeted with a bunch of mannequin displays, most of it are maid clothes. Since Leticia suggested a housework clothing, the prominent feature for the section is likely to be that kind of thing. Clothes that were mostly made with seemingly short skirts while some reaching down to their feet much like Mirajane used in her time as head waitress.
The three girls wandered around in amazement as they collected several pieces of clothing to try out. Natsu carries the load by the way which doesn't make him any better in his situation. There were no such decision of him being their pack mule.
―Sheesh.
Girls are really scary when coming to a place like this. He could only wonder if Gray somehow experienced the same.
He might probably laugh his ass off once word gets out that he was being treated like this.
The pinkette sighed away from his current thoughts and simply carried on with the clothes right in his hands as he followed the trio from close behind.
A few minutes later, the group decided to stop for awhile and finally have all the collected clothes fitted to the blonde girl as soon as possible. With finding the nearest changing section, the three eventually scurried towards it, each picking every outfit they collected throughout their shopping.
Of course, they didn't just stay for the maid clothing. They also explored the rest of the other section to get more variations. Ranging from normal clothes to occasional ones in case of an event.
Seriously... who picks these kinds of clothes?
I'm pretty sure Leticia doesn't have that much time in worrying what type of clothes she's wearing, judging from her reserved and silent nature.
The answer could probably lie on the other two girls. And because Leticia isn't the type of person to say something for herself, she must've accepted their proposals as well.
'All these clothes are for her only, right?'
Happy joined them later on while he remained a few meters away to wait for them to finish. He decided to kill time by dozing himself to sleep in a chair.
A few minutes passed and his peaceful time was cut short when Happy came flying back.
"Natsu, come here."
"What is it?" He instinctively stood up and followed his partner just before he could find answers to his question just now.
They arrived near the changing section but Happy led the pinkette into one of the curtains. As to what was he on about, Natsu could only fill up his expression with puzzlement.
"So what did you bring me here for?"
Instead of answering his questions, the blue Exceed smirked mischievously before turning his gaze towards the closed curtain.
"It's okay now, Leticia. You can come out."
With him saying the person behind the curtain, Natsu heard the sound of the curtain swung away, revealing the mentioned girl from behind.
For what it seemed to be a beautiful sight, Natsu widened his eyes as he saw Leticia with a new set of clothes. She wore black collared shirt adorned with a gray tie at the center. Outside was a red overcoat with sleeves reaching at the end of both her arms. Tied at the end of her pale blonde hair was the black ribbon that she worn from her last outfit. From below, she wore a white mini skirt with four black belt straps attached to it, each having white crosses from each end. In addition, she wore a pair of striped black and grey thigh-highs and a pair of black boots to compensate for the miniskirt.
Natsu looked in awe as he could not avert his gaze despite her looking at him with a slight sense of doubt.
It's not your typical female outfit as her appearance brings out some sort of masculinity because of the combination of both a collared shirt and a red coat. Additionally, her personality somehow fits perfectly well despite the contradiction of the clothing it had mixed within. Coupled with the short miniskirt she wore, it balances well enough to make it seem normal without the demand of luxurious outlook.
Maybe it's because of her silent nature that makes it possible. The colors of the outfit blends as well to her nature as a vampire; red and black respectively.
He didn't know if it was her preferences as a vampire that made her choose the colors but he also didn't want to think too much about it, seeing it as a waste of time.
"I-Is there something wrong with my outfit?" Leticia's voice eventually brought him back to reality as his eyes blinked back to their focus towards her.
"Ah, n-no... Not at all! It fits perfectly to you. Sorry for staring too much."
No words were said after that. For some reason, there's an awkward atmosphere between them as the silence went on. Neither the two had looked into each other's eyes until Happy finally broke off the unpleasant silence.
"Well, now that he finally said about the clothes, what do you think, Leticia?"
The girl motioned her attention as immediately as possible towards the blue Exceed. At the same time, Natsu eventually returned his gaze back to the two in silence.
"Hmm... I guess I'll accept these clothes if it's not asking too much."
Happy's face brightened in joy as he started pulling her hand towards the counter.
"Cool! Now let's get going!"
There was a bit of unsure look in the girl's eyes as she briefly glanced back to the pinkette who merely smiled in relief, seemingly to gesture his approval of the situation. He loosened his expression as he let the two go on about their business.
Well, that was a bit unexpected.
It only took his opinion to help the vampire girl decide on her clothes. He was expecting her to reconsider but it seems like it's not the case.
'I guess people do need the opinion of others when deciding things.' He thought.
At the same time, two curtains unfurled from the next row as Lucy and Erza came out after finishing their own business as well. Their eyes soon took notice of the pinkette standing beside them.
"Oh, Natsu..."
"I came by because I was asked." He explained just before they could ask for more questions.
"I see... Where's Leticia at?"
"At the counter with Happy. Looks like they're done choosing the clothes."
"Oh... I guess we better finish here as well. I found myself some interesting clothes for me to wear tomorrow. I'll pay for the expenses to you as well, Lucy." The knight turned her attention at the blonde mage who gratefully thanked her afterwards.
And in just like that, the usual group conversation continued onto the rest of the hour.
Without knowing it, the day continued to progress in the high noon.
...
After a few minutes, the group eventually went out of the store. Natsu carried the things they bought for the vampire girl while Lucy and Erza carried their own belongings with the latter storing her items in her Requip inventory.
Leticia had only bought a few clothes for an everyday living since she's not entirely interested in choosing that many so the load isn't that much heavy. From how it looks, Erza have expended more jewels than any of the group.
Eventually, they settled down for lunch as they visited one of the local shops in town―even visiting the cake shop where Erza usually visits much to the pinkette's horror since he pretty much dislikes sweets.
The group shared a lot of time together as Leticia slowly opens up with the two girls despite her introverted approach. Her fear of revealing her nature as a vampire doesn't seem to pose any concern for her as she becomes acquainted with the rest of the gang. Without knowing it, she openly speaks together with them like normal people much to Natsu's relief.
He wasn't sure if the plan would work out by involving her with his other friends since he wanted to let her shed away her uneasiness when talking to people. Together with the help of Happy, it further fulfilled the objective more than what he intended to as he could see her smile alongside with the two girls.
After eating, they strolled across many places around town, even greeting some people along the way as the townfolk welcomed Leticia with warm smiles. He could see her sometimes being shocked in the process but as they spend their time, she becomes accustomed to it.
They also visited some of the landmarks such as the Cardia Cathedral where the large bells rang continuously, integrating to the brim noise of the townspeople living around town.
Leticia marvelled at the large structure and even having to get dragged off by Erza and Lucy as they led her to the very top, gazing at the scenery of the town in front of them. Happy came along as they admired the view, especially at the large settlement surrounded by big lush forests all around.
Natsu, on the other hand, didn't bother to join seeing he doesn't want to ruin their moment together for now. Her being in the company of other girls seemed like a good chance in deepening their friendship.
It didn't take long as the day eventually turns to the late noon as the sun slowly descends over to the far horizon.
The town's activity slowly lessened and the people already started wrapping things up for today.
Erza and Lucy began parting ways to the group as Natsu and Leticia turned to the other direction, leading to the outskirts of town.
"Well, we'll be separating here from now on. Let's have fun on our job requests tomorrow, Leticia." Lucy spoke, earning a soft smile from the other blonde girl.
"Yes... Thank you for helping out and for everything."
"It's alright! Once we have the group tomorrow, let's go on a job!"
"Sure..."
"Well, we'll talk about that tomorrow. Make sure you guide her safely back home, Natsu." Her eyes shifted onto the dragonslayer with a heavy stare.
"R-Right... I got it... You don't have to glare at me like that."
Maybe their bonding time sure got a bit over the top, judging from the caring look on her face.
Leaving that aside, Erza smiled as she also turned her attention towards the pinkette in content.
"We'll be seeing each other tomorrow. Make sure to avoid that much fighting with Gray, alright? It's for Leticia's sake after all."
"Of course. As long as he doesn't start it, I'm good."
"I'd rather pretend I didn't hear that. Remember, no fighting... Or else..." This time, her face suddenly changed as soon as she made that ominous tone in her last statement.
Natsu merely nodded. No questions asked.
"Good. Then, we'll be heading out. Take care, you two." After a few moments, Erza and Lucy both walked down to the street leading to their homes while Natsu and Leticia waved goodbye from the distance as they also started on their way outside of town.
They followed down the opposite road as the pinkette carried the things they bought from today. With Happy carrying a small load in his hands, the two partners helped with the job of carrying Leticia's belongings.
As they trudged on their path, Natsu started the conversation.
"So how's today's experience? Not bad, right?"
Leticia looked at him, seemingly startled at his sudden question.
"I guess, it's not bad at all. Lucy and Erza are both kind so..." Her lips traced to a smile as she reminisced her recent memories with them.
"I see... I'm glad..."
"Umm... Natsu."
"Yeah?"
"Can we explore a bit more? Around town, I mean." Hearing a rather unexpected request from her, the pinkette merely blinked his eyes in response.
"S-Sure, I guess... What about you, Happy?" He looked over to the blue Exceed who simply shook his head sideways in response.
"Nah, I'm good. I'll just wait at the house. I don't want to interrupt. See ya!" He let out a grin before dashing away from the two with his wings spread around him.
Natsu couldn't make up the sudden excuse from his partner. It almost seemed like he was trying to get out of the way from something. His eyes turned over to the direction where Happy disappeared into while scratching the back of his head in the process.
Leticia took the opportunity as she suddenly took hold of his right hand and grabbed the items onto herself much to his surprise.
"Let's go, Natsu." Earning a smile from her, the pinkette's attention fell back on her as he saw her taking a few meters ahead of him from the other direction leading back to the town.
"H-Hey! Wait up, Leticia!"
Natsu didn't waste any time standing on the spot as he took off as well to follow the blonde woman. There's still time before nightfall as the sun still remained sinking over the horizon.
...
It only took a few minutes as the two found themselves over a high ground where they can see most of the town. Natsu and Leticia stood near the ledge as they gazed towards the fleeting sun over the horizon. The scenery was continuously bathed in scarlet color as the light shone over through the skies, casting shadows over tall structures, natural and man-made alike.
Eventually, they stopped exploring for awhile as they both watched the landscape in deep thought.
For awhile, there was silence between them until Leticia started speaking.
"I've never seen such a beautiful sunset."
"Really?" Natsu looked at her in interest.
"Well considering that I don't remember anything, I guess this is the first time. But, I might've seen this a couple of times although not remembering all of it." She casted a small frown on her face.
"Well, you're seeing it again. Isn't it enough for you. At least, it reminds you how beautiful the world is and the people that live in it." Natsu replied.
"I guess so... I was scared at first when I saw people but after what happened today, I thought... it would be fine to get along with them without fearing my own self."
"Right?" He grinned widely which made her smile in return. Her eyes soon turned back to the sunset.
A short pause went by as small breeze swept across the place.
"Thank you, Natsu."
"For what?"
"For saving me... Although, I didn't know what's going on, I'm glad that you saved me. I wouldn't have experience these things if you didn't come to me that time."
"You're welcome..."
At that moment, she shifted herself towards him as she turned her attention back to him, carrying a sincere smile that he never seen before. She then, reached out a hand towards him as she opened her lips.
"I guess this isn't the right time to say this but... please take care of me from now on." She bowed which made him startled in the process.
"I-It's fine... You don't have to do that... You're already staying with us from now on."
"Oh, but I wasn't able to express it properly since I introduced myself last night." After hearing her reason, Natsu eventually calmed down.
"A-Ah, I see... Well, it's not that important to me thou―"
His statement was cut short as Leticia suddenly moved closer to him and bit his neck.
Chu~
It wasn't as painful as before since Leticia only bit him for a brief moment. He didn't feel any of his blood or power being sucked up as she quickly drew herself back while leaving him extremely dumbfounded in the process.
"T-T-That was―" He stuttered as he couldn't any words to explain what happened.
Leticia, however, had a lovely smile on her face as her canines went visible in his eyes.
"There... all done." Her voice sounded a bit lighter, if not, a bit livelier than she usually expresses in her tone of voice.
"W-W-What did you do?!"
"Nothing... I just thought about surprising you." She replied with an innocent smile.
After a few moments, Natsu eventually understood.
"H-Hey! I-If you're gonna drink some blood, ask permission first okay?! It's rude to just bite someone's neck without warning! T-That's not you at all, Leticia! D-Don't crawl up like that to me next time, alright?!"
He immediately drew some distance away from her, pointing his finger in accusation while adopting a seemingly terrified look on his face as if he found her actions a bit scary due to her being a vampire in sort of a comedic way.
"I don't know what you're talking about..." She played innocently which only made him shudder as they spend their remaining time in the sunset till nightfall.
Eventually, they returned back to their home with Happy waiting for them by the entrance. Natsu didn't bother asking Leticia about the short bite on his neck since he pretty much doesn't know what it meant to him. In respect, he dismissed the issue peacefully as they continued tp spend their time together to the rest of the night.
It only took a few hours as Natsu and Happy slept for the night while Leticia merely rested on one of the make-shift futons that the former prepared for her. Since she was a vampire, the night doesn't make her any drowsy at all after sleeping the other night. Instead, she used her spare time, watching over the house as if safeguarding it although the chances of being robbed are pretty low.
She silently wandered through the window as she looked at the pale moonlight shining above the sky. She held the bracelet that was given to her by the pinkette as a soft smile traced on her lips.
'I'm really glad... that I met you, Natsu.'
A/N: And there you have it. Chapter's done. Next would be featuring a lot of things since we're heading to the part of job taking. Leticia might have the chance to display her powers as a vampire lord. Also, I thought about mixing more Mondaiji elements and after a long debate inside my head, I decided to change the ending quite a bit than I originally intended to. Of course, no spoilers HA HA!
Anyways, thank you all for reading and I'll see you guys in the next chapter.
- The wiErDos send their regards...
