genessia | (no subject)

(no subject)

WHO: Anyone who wanted to confront the old lady from plot + anyone else who might be curious by a shady old woman with a kid that isn't hers
WHEN: In the morning today
WHAT: Confrontation times!
Summary: Hey, Hey guys, remember that old lady who asked some ~~gullible~~ kind heroes for help? SHe's baaaaack~~! <3

Today in Genessia, some people may come across a familiar (or not familiar) old crone. To those familiar with her, it's the same suspicious old woman that requested they 'rescue some kidnapped children. Whether or not they were able to - well. That's no matter now, right?

In any case, she'd got a stick in one hand as she hobbles along back through the gate, holding something in her other hand as she goes. She doesn't stop for anything, but stealthily slips through the gate to Fayren and, if one were to follow her, will eventually pass through the forest into a heavily wooded and foggy section until the ground gives way to a hardened path of bones bleached white by the sun, leading up to a cottage. Mind where you step, it's rather hard to see here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And this time she can't keep from letting out a half scream when Natsu jumped out the window with her. At the same time, the door to her room opened, and her guard, so to speak, walked in. "Okay buddy do you- HEY, what the HELL?" And then fire. Fire and explosions and no one will be using that room again any time soon. The startled yell of anger and pain might be a little satisfying, but it's also put everyone in the cottage on alert. First one to arrive on the scene would be the lookout who jogs around the corner with absolutely no urgency to his steps.

"Eeh? Hey. Hey where do you think you're goin', huh? Man, and you wrecked that room too. Listen, buddy, just put the girl down and walk away or..." He sighs. What a botherrrr.

Natsu stands his ground with the woman still draped over his shoulder. He's not impressed by the lookout's threat and he somehow manages to channel some of his former persona as Demon Lord Dragneel.

"Or what? I destroyed your friends out on the field with the flick of my wrist. You think you can do better?"

"Wha? Thos guys? Never met'em. I totally was only born yesterday. I liked it better when it was quiet." The lookout sighs, scratching his head. "Man, you can't be quieter? I was havin' a nap n' everything." Grumble, as if it's Natsu's personal fault for all of this.

"Boy..! Boy, what are you doing out there. You're supposed to fight him, boy, not talk to him. He's stealing away our precious resource." This... this is the hag's voice, though it's definitely less 'granny'like than before.

"Now look what you did," the lookout scowls. "Now I gotta work."

"Born yesterday huh. Well sucks to be you. If you had any dirt brain at all you'd run." Natsu growled before the witch's (was it her? It sounded different. No matter. It was giving orders) voice sounded from inside of the cabin.

"Oh don't worry. I'll make it quick and you can go back to sleep for good." Natsu sneered and opened his mouth revealing the inferno he'd been building up as he blasted a cone of concentrated fire in the direction of the look out and the house the blast fanning out more and more as it traveled away from his mouth.

"Well that's not very nice. Words hurt, man." the lookout drawled, "I got brains.. somewhere... ...I think. Hey, Haaag? Do I have brains!?"

"SHUT UP AND FIGHT HIM!"

Wow that REALLY didn't sound like the old woman. The lookout pouted. "Now she's pe-" ACK FIRE!! He recoils as the destructive flames engulf his body and fan across the front of the house. Clothing burns away, flames ripping across the wood of the house and shattering glass, but when the cone finally died down, th...the look out is still standing.

Badly burned granted, but his body was composed of harder stuff than the others. Stone and earth both, now that the 'skin' layer was burned away, leaving cracks in his body, steam hissing into the air. "Buddy you need to be more careful. You could hurt someone."

Somehow he's getting the distinct suspicion that staying any longer is gonna only make things worse. Something that is confirmed as the lookout takes his breath attack head on and surfaces mostly unscathed.

"That's what I was freaking trying. I don't want you guys following me." Natsu growled and immediately lightning erupted around his body as well alongside the fire. He didn't expect it to work though. The enemy was stone. This display of force though was not meant to foretell an attack. Natsu slowly circled around keeping his face towards the house and its survivors until his back was facing the path out of the area. One heel turn and he would be gone.

Mostly unscathed.. if you discount his feelings!

The lookout brushed his hand against his body with a grimace, but when Natsu answered him, he seemed to brighten a little. "Oh yeah? Oh sure buddy, go on. I'm not gonna follow. Can't be bothered." He waved a hand. Besides, he didn't wanna messs with someone who used fire and lightening. The elements might not have much effect on him but he didn't want to take any chances of getting into a fight. "I can't make any promises for anyone else though. Especially since you're takin' her with you."

He paused, glancing up at the window where the smoke is still billowing out, "Pretty good guess that that guy up there is still alive, so you might wanna run while you can. Before he wakes up."

This guy...was weird. But not in a bad way strangely enough. "Fine then. But I won't hesitate to take out whoever comes after me." Natsu warned and took a step back before bolting out of the clearing with his lightning infused body boosting his speed to inhuman velocity.

He didn't stop running until he reached Fayren's outer limits and even then he still kept going, eying the farm hands warily even though they did not react to him. Eventually he would burst past the gates to the Guild only then turning off his magic completely.

Weird is a good way to describe him. And true to his word, he made no attempt to go after Natsu, much to the irriation of the witch inside. That speed he fled to get his current survivor to a safe place successfully took him well far away from the witches house (though was pretty dizzying for someone unused to that method of transport of course). Once Natsu stopped again, the woman on his shoulder protested again behind the gag. Freedom pls!

Odd? What was she complaining about it. Lucy got used to it just fun after a while. Oh well. He walked up to one of the benches in the courtyard and set his recused lady down before moving his hands around to untie her gag before moving on to the rest of her binds.

"Sorry about the rough ride. But I wanted to get us as far away from that place as possible. We should be safe here though." he explained.

The woman shook her head, smiling sadly, "No, it is okay. I am grateful for your assistance Sir. My name is Regina." She rubbed her wrists hesitantly, glancing around, "You are.. certain we are safe in this place? That woman... she is quite persistent."

"They'd have to be stupid to come after us here. There's a few others like me here. We'll keep you safe." Natsu said and finally pulled the last restraint away from her wrists.

"So how did you end up on that hag's menu anyways?"

"I see. I am fortunate that you came when you did. I fear that I would not have lasted another day in that place." Now that both wrists were free, she flexed her hands with relief, though she lowered her head. "...it shames me greatly to say, but...she is my mother. Though I suspected her of such evils, never did I think she was capable of committing the horrors she has done against others, let alone her own kin. "

"YOUR MOTHER?!" He couldn't keep his voice down when faced with that kind of bomb. Of all the possible stories this was one that he never expected.

The woman flinched slightly at that outburst, nodding slowly. "... I wish that it were not so, but such is the case, I fear. But please, do not think me to be like her. I have no intention to practice her trade, nor would I ever. I cannot forgive her for taking away my little ones, and my friends... but I cannot hate her either."

Natsu eyed Regina with a troubled frown. Her words were genuine and he couldn't find a reason to doubt her. However he knew it would come down to a fight in the end. He needed to know some things.

"We're gonna have to kick her ass you know." Natsu said bluntly.

She grimaced. "I am truly sorry. Had I been stronger, perhaps I could have swayed my mother from this path before it led to such. Although I am in agreement that she must have some form of penance, I wish that it would not come to violence."

Nah don't blame yourself. I doubt she turned up like this because of you. Some people just turn bad on their own. That's why you gotta knock some sense into em." Sorry but violence was his way of conversion. Just look at rust face and Gajeel and the two idiots from Sabertooth.

Trufax. "No, I imagine not. But I fear that others may not agree with such an enlightened opinion. The apple does not fall far from the tree, as they say. Such is my greatest fear." She is silent for a moment, and then, almost worriedly, she ventures up a new topic.

"Tell me if you would - do you know of a cottage beyond the farmlands of Fayren? It is my home - when the children began to go missing I could no longer wait for those I called upon to come back, and left my two dearest with trusted friends and went to seek them out. It is unforgiveable of me to do so, but I worry for them. Did you come across this place, and if so - do you know how they fare now?"

Natsu knew what she was implying. How people would judge her for what her mother had done. But then there was a simple solution already.

"Why don't you come and stay with us then? No one here's gonna hold it against you for what that lady did. Besides we've got plenty of room to go around." Natsu proposed with a cheeky grin before she mentioned something about a cottage. Moment when Natsu's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait you mean Neveren and Justyne?" He asked before looking over to the guild building where Lucy must have been entertaining the children to keep them in the dark about what Natsu was doing.

"That is kind of you to say ..but..surely I could not impose upon you more than I already have...!" Aaand then it's her turn to look surprised, and maybe even a little hopeful. "How.. how do you know their names?"

Maybe.. Maybe all the kids came back while she was gone? "Do you mean..they are here? Are they well? And what of the rest - did they find their way back in my absence also?"

"No way. It'll be no problem at all. We could use an extra hand around the bar too so it'd be great." Natsu explained enthusiastically. Even before learning of the connection between Regina and the two kids.

"Wait you're their nanny they were talking about!" he cried out as the realization finally sunk in.

"Yeah yeah both of them and Herb are here. The others....I'm afraid they didn't make it. That snake lady got to them before I roasted her."

With such an answer, she couldn't help but smile, "If it ..truly is no trouble, I would be honored to accept. Thank you." She breathes out a sigh of relief hearing that Justyne and Neveren were fine, but it's short lived, considering the others were taken. "... I see. It must have been hard for them. Poor things..."

She's silent for a moment, thinking, and nods slowly. "We will ever be in your debt for what you have done." Although she's aware they're not quite safe yet- not until the situation with her mother is resolved. BUT! "...would it be possible..may I see them?"

"You're welcome!" Natsu said and quickly stood up straight.

"Of course. Follow me!" Natsu said and ran up to the main door to the pub and threw both halves wide open. "Look who I found! Neveren! Justyne!" he yelled before stepping to the side to allow Regina to make her more subtle entrance.

Always so rambunctious, that Natsu! But he'll see Lucy teaching Neveren some trick or other, with Justyne watching very intently until he barges into the room. Even Herb, feeling much more energetic of late, was trotting around the room for some exercise.

Both children and dog, looking up at the sight are more than a little stunned. Justyne is the first to move, rushing towards Regina, with Neveren hot on her heels. There soon is a three person collision consisting of the two kids and their nanny, the two children in tears and clinging to the nanny who isn't much better off then them.

Lucy, curious, sidled over to Natsu to tug him away a little. "Natsu, is that.." Well she can guess, but it's good for confirmation.