genessia | The Case of the Missing Cooki--er, Children

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The Case of the Missing Cooki--er, Children

WHO: Various Interested Parties (i.e. Anyone! Newbies, Oldbies, Applebees -- )
WHAT: The Mystery of the Missing Children!
WHEN: in...abouuuuuut... RIGHT NOW
WHERE: Fayren Woodlands and Fayren Farmlands mostly

Whoever you are, wherever you are, if you're in Genessia City or Fayren today, you may find yourself being accosted by an elderly woman in her late sixties. Her wrinkly sun baked skin is dotted with freckles, a long white braid over one shoulder with stray wisps of hair coming loose. Her posture was stooped and she walked with a slow hobble, muttering to herself and trying to get the attention of anyone who would stop.

"Sir.. Sir have you seen this girl?"

"Madame, have you seen this boy?"

"Oh poor me... poor me..."

"Wherever could they have gotten to..?"

- whenever she drew near enough to someone or if they slowed down to listen, she grabbed for their arm with a surprisingly strong grip, and spoke in a voice that was raspy.

"Such a sad fate...such poor children. Please, won't you hear me out?"

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The woman gave her name as Wuada Tuis and she solemnly informed anyone who listened to her, that several charges under her care had seemingly disappeared overnight. She and her cousin Ai Xudanon have been searching for the children (a total of six missing little ones in all) who may have been kidnapped somewhere between the farmlands and the forests in Fayren. Unfortunately they can't travel there as it is perilous for such elderly souls and won't such fine, strapping young creatures help them out kindly please. A reward of course, is offered.

[ OOC: OKAY. I'm going to be setting up multiple threads so HOLD YER HORSES <3; you can talk with the old lady, go straight on to investigate places, sit back and eat cheese or other. I encourage threadjacking because who doesn't like new CR? Also as a side note even if you didn't respond to the OOC post you can participate. The more the merrier :3 ~~I lied. You can't really sit back and eat cheese.~~ ]

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"There is little in this world worthy of being remembered boy." The snake's body crackled still with the lightning and flames running over its body. "Hahaa, holding your breath won't save you from my poison boy. It's painful, isn't it? Why don't you just surrender yourself now and I'll devour you quickly."

. . . wait, were his cheeks that puffed out before? ... frankly the serpent hadn't actually been paying that much attention. Hrm. But while it stayed put - at least part of it - the latter end of its body started pulling up to come nearer to the front, coiling under as it loomed high and glowered down at the clinging Natsu.

Every word that came from those scaly lips only pissed him off even more and as a consequence the air around Natsu grew hotter and hotter even without the flames. Inside his mouth a reaction had already begun and a few sparks of electricity were starting to burst out of his skin around his face.

That reaction in his mouth grew in savage force by the moment and Natsu still kept the elemental energies contained, pressurizing the lightning and fire more and more so he could fit in more and more. This creature had tormented and taken away so much and it didn't regret a damn thing. No remorse or regret. Then there was no need to hold back. It was a beast anyway.

When he felt that presence behind him, Natsu turned and latched onto its body before jumping straight at its face, hands curved into claws as it aimed to grab hold of the snake's jaws to pry them open.

A dragon is probably a snake's natural predator. One of them anyway. Rather than getting back when Natsu lunged at its face, the snake laughed, "Giving up already - Fine then! I'll make your death painless."

Not a bright move on the snake's part. Not as angry as Natsu was, but it couldn't possibly know that. Rather, as he lunged up at the snake he didn't even need to pry the jaws open - they willingly opened in an attempt to snatch him right out the air for a chomp.

Just because it opened its jaws for him didn't mean Natsu wouldn't grab onto them regardless. After all couldn't have it try and close its mouth once it realized what his intention was all along.

So his fingers clamped about the closest part of its jaws. He then held them open with his strength alone and managed to say two words without opening his mouth completely.

"Got you" After that he threw his head back, squeezed a bit more of his magic into the blats and threw his head forward opening his mouth at the same time and unleashed the devastating elemental tempest in his mouth straight down the snake's throat.

Why would it close it's mouth? It wants to EEEeeeeeeeeat. But Natsu's 'got you' tipped it off that it may have just screwed up majorly there. The fact that Natsu was refusing to let the snake close its jaw only served to convince it further.

The sheer power of the tempest pouring forth from the Dragon Slayer was impressive to say the least - it was fairly burning the snake from the inside out from the way it started thrashing, uttering a muffled screech of protest until the smoke began billowing out from with the snake's mouth, and it toppled to the ground, smashing into the ground, motionless.

The air tense, Justyne stared at the snake for a moment or two, not sure if it was going to start moving or not. Lucy's attention was more on the Dragon Slayer, her expression torn between concern and pride.

Natsu fell with its charred body, grilled from the inside by both fire and lightning. He stumbled out of coiled corpse, his steps heavy and dragging behind him a little. The rash on his arm was now very noticeably but that didn't stop Natsu from making his way to the three waiting on him.

"S-See? I told you I'd kick its ass."

Justyne, since her brother was confined to the clock to keep Herb calm, ran after Lucy and past her to bounce on her toes, looking way more animated than she had in the past few minutes of knowing the girl. "That was amazing! And really scary..! But mostly amazing! You really taught that monster a thing or two! Lucy! Lucy did you see?"

Lucy giggles at the girl's infectuous excitement, "I saw! He was great, wasn't he?" Multiple nods follow the question, and Justyne ran over to report the battle to her brother. Lucy, catching sight of the rash, and how he was moving, frowned, moving to his side, "Natsu, are you okay? Does it hurt?" He looked exhausted.

Natsu smiled tiredly when Justyne came up to him, gushing and jumping around him. When he ran back off to tell Nevern the story of the battle that just unfolded he let that smile slip a little as he winced, brushing his fingers over the rash on his arm.

The next thing he knew Lucy was next to him and he looked up to her with a shaky but still cheeky smile. "It hurts like hell. But those two have lived with it for god knows how many days. I can't really complain now can I? Don't worry. I'll make sure we all get back to the guild in one piece."

"Don't push yourself so hard." Of course, telling Natsu that was like telling water to stop being wet. She smiled either way, "We both will make sure of it." Though maybe it was because of the snake's defeat, it was surprisingly quiet on the way back.

Even in the animal kingdom, the weaker creatures knew to avoid the stronger ones. For a time, anyway. Still, she frowned slightly when he admitted that the rash hurt. "Yeah," she glanced ahead at Justyne, who was walking along side Horologium. Neveren opted to stay inside the spirit with Herb, of course. "We should have something back at the guild, that should help with it.. and I know we'll have something we can use to treat Herb."

Although it would be much easier if Wendy were here. She won't voice that though ;she missed the bitty Dragon Slayer.

"Sorry. The longer I heard that thing talk and mock their suffering the more I wanted to burn it to ash." He was being almost too truthful about his thought process. a combination of him being that comfortable with Lucy and perhaps his own fatigue.

He watched the two children walk a short distance ahead. He was surprised how there was no dangerous scent on their way and soon enough they could see the normal farmlands and even Fayren itself.

"Yeah. It's not that bad for me. But for them to be as lively as they are now. I just wish Wendy was here." Lucy didn't need to voice that thought. After all he shared it.

She shook her head, watching Justyne walking ahead of them alongside Horologium. "Don't apologize. You did exactly the right thing. That thing would have killed those kids if we hadn't found them first." She frowned deeply at that thought. "Do you think... the other children were caught by that thing too? And their Nanny...?"

She glanced at Natsu as he voiced the same thought she had, and she smiled wistfully. "I know. I do too." Heck, if they keep this pace up they'd be back in town in no time. Which was a good thing, she was worried Natsu might pass out if he pushed himself much longer.

"They're probably gone. That thing's mouth reeked of blood and death." Natsu's frown only grew when he admitted that and looked back to the two children.

"Which means that old hag who asked us to go there is a liar. I should've known. She had scents of a whole bunch of other people on her but she said no one had answered her call for help." Well in the end it was better that way. They were able to save those two at least. But now they'd lost their home for good and their loved ones.

Their pace was slow but now they were in normal territory and the looks they were earning from the peasants working the fields were curious rather than aggressive. They were after all an interesting bunch to say the least.

Now that they were in normal territory, Lucy relaxed a little more. They'd be coming up on the guild soon, and she shaded her eyes. "And to think she would have had us bring them to her." The thought that they could have been tricked like that burned her up. And she didn't even have a fire element.

"At least the kids will be kept safe now." If their other friends and nanny really were dead, she knew Natsu would want them to stay at the guild. And Lucy would second that thought. Not even Erza would turn them away. "There's the Guild." She murmured after a moment as it came into view.

"If I see her I'm definitely gonna kick her ass first and ask questions after." Natsu growled menacingly before it was ruined by another hiss when his arm stung again.

"They're staying with us. Even after we deal with that two faced hag." He wasn't debating it. Given his tone it sounded like he would have stood his ground even against Erza for this decision.

However Lucy said they could see the guild and he looked up with a tired but definitely bigger smile. His eyes then shifted over to Justyne and Horologium. The girl herself looked far more lively and excited now and judging how she kept pointing at the guild hall, he couldn't help but feel a little better about his decision.

"Must look like a castle to them. Compared to that small cottage."

"Easy.." Lucy eyed him worriedly at that hiss. So far the kids were too excited about the new place they were going, and how cool Natsu was, gushing about the fight excitedly, and keeping a close eye on their dog to notice Natsu's state.

Also it helped that he put up a front. A Front Lucy could see through in her time with him, but one nonetheless. "Natsu.." He really had gotten attached to the kids hadn't he? It was really cute. Not that she could blame him, they were good kids after all. And they'd been through alot alone, not knowing if their other friends were alive or dead. "I bet it does. I guess I can't be surprised by that though. It's good to see them so energetic compared to how they were before."

Once inside the Guild, the brother and sister were all full of questions and curiosity - but Lucy wanted to see to everyone's injuries first. Knowing Natsu, he'd want the children seen to first, and Lucy had every intention of tending to them and Herb before him in this case.

"It's fine. All I need is some fire. Wish it was that easy for them too." Natsu muttered as they went through the gate and into the guild grounds. The tired party entered the hall and as expected Natsu told Lucy to see to the kids while he went to get some firewhiskey to start the antidote process.

And that was exactly where he would be all throughout the treatment of the three. He kept his face towards the entrance to the guild as he raised the flaming glass to his lips from time to time. Already the pain was subsiding but his fatigue was still an issue. Even so he kept his guard up watching the entrance in case a certain hag showed her face.

That hag was wise to not make an appearance. Not today anyway. It was easier to treat Justyne and Neveren - just some ointment and bandage his injuries. Herb was a little trickier, since he'd lost some blood before. Justyne's quick thinking earlier managed to keep him it from being life threatening, but the animal had kept moving around whenever he perceived a threat near.

Lucy patted the dog on the head once he was treated and she felt it would be safe to let the animal alone. "Herb will be okay now- he just needs to rest. And so do the rest of you." She glanced over towards Natsu, the 'That goes for you too' clear on her face. She could start up a nice fire in one of the guest rooms and let the kids and dog sleep, but she wanted to see Natsu get some rest too.

The way the children looked at Natsu sometimes, she couldn't help but blush, watching the way they chattered at him. Like he was a big brother, or a fa... yah no, Lucy. Don't even finish that sentence. The blush on her cheeks darkened and she shook her head, forcing herself to look to the children.

"Upstairs with you two," Lucy grinned sheepishly at the siblings, shooing them along like a mother hen. "Natsu, you come to bed too."

... It's... probably for the best that she doesn't realize how that sounds out of context. Or in context.

With any luck she didn't even know her serpent accomplice had been eliminated. Either way Natsu was relieved things were peaceful and was even happier to hear the dog was going to make it. Natsu looked up when Lucy looked over to him, looking sheepish at her mute point.

She wasn't the only one getting those weird ideas. Since he could see Lucy working with Justyne and Neveren. Still he was too tired to really chase those thoughts away. Instead he summed it up to its base elements. Lucy was really cute with little kids.

"Eh?? Me too?" Natsu said pointing at himself curiously.

"Yes, you too." Lucy laughed, "You still need to rest on top of all that. Even if it's for a little while, so go to bed." Yep. She totally meant go to bed, not... the other thing. Don't think she won't come out and him there either, once the kids are all tucked in.

"Okay okay I'll go. Just let me finish the drink." Natsu said with a sheepish chuckle. However while he did say that she would find him slumped in his chair, eyes closed and breathing slow and peaceful, all consciousness completely gone as his body decided to take things into its own hands.

Tch. That is not what she meant when she said go to bed. When she came back from seeing to the kids, she stared at the sleeping form of her friend for a moment or two, before shaking her head quietly.

"Natsu.. you really.." Well she was hardly going to let him sleep there. It didn't look comfortable for one thing. So she moved carefully to tug him out of the chair and onto her back in order to put him to bed.

... she only realized she was putting him to bed in -her- room after he was cozy and sleeping peacefully. ... yeah that... that was weird. But ... seeing him sleep like that all peaceful and quiet was really endearing. She shook her head quickly, slipping out of the room to look in on the dog one more time.

She'll be amused and surprised when her room will increase by two more occupants, with both Neveren and Justyne sneaking into the room to climb into the bed on either side of Natsu, all curled up. Aah, much more cozy.

He tried to his credit. Though the moment the last flames were down his gullet, the lights went out completely. He didn't wake even as Lucy handled him onto her back and carried him up to her room. If anything the decision was the best since her scent quickly put him out cold completely.

He didn't notice the two presences that crawled into bed with him however his body did react as his arms closed around the two smaller bodies and pulled them up against his sides. It just felt natural.

She knew he slept best in her room, and her bed - after the fight he'd had she wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. She'd only stepped out of the room for a short bit to get food and water for the dog, so when she went back to her room and saw the children...

Saw Natsu with his arms around both of them, it was such an adorable, appealing sight she couldn't help but grin. Not wanting to disturb either of them, she quietly pulled the blankets up over the children and Natsu. Watching the Dragon Slayer for a moment longer, she reached up and smoothed her hand over his cheek, brushing her fingers through his hair, leaning --

Waait a sec. She'd had the most random urge to kiss his cheek while he was sleeping right there. Thank god no one saw that. She drew her hand back and stepped away. Let's do something nice and safe. Like read on her couch for a while. Y-yeah... that'll keep strange maternal flashes and random thoughts about Natsu out of her head.

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The Case of the Missing Cooki--er, Children

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