Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Wheels of Fire	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 22712 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is the property of Hiro Mashima. I make no money, I just do this for my own pleasure.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Chapter 16
Identical Insecurities

It took two days to paint the lacrima-fuel prototype car and put on the final touches. While Edo-Natsu hammered out the last few problems with the interior, Lucy went to the magic store to buy some liquid lacrima.
"What! It's how much?" she cried out to the shop owner.
He shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, honored customer, but you're asking to buy forty liters of liquid lacrima. I've never seen anyone need so much. I charge a gratuity fee on anything over ten liters."
She showed him the pink mark on the back of her hand. "I'm a member of Fairy Tail. Don't I get a discount?"
"Miss, that is with your guild member discount. The gratuity fee is specifically because of wizards like you. Regular citizens would never need more than a liter."
Lucy stroked her chin and considered it. Edo-Natsu said that for a proper test drive, the car should have no less than forty liters of fuel. Still, the 25% fee on the other thirty liters was ridiculous.
"Okay, give me ten liters," she sighed in defeat.
She paid, looking dejected the whole time. As soon as she was outside, her face changed to stubborn determination. She returned home and dropped the fuel off in her backyard. Edo-Natsu, shirtless with a tan beginning to form on his skin, leaned up out of the engine compartment and eyed the barrel.
"Um … sorry, but that's a ten-liter barrel. I need four of those."
"Yep," she said with a smile, "and you're going to buy another ten." She pulled her Spirit Keys out. "Open the Gate of the Lion! Leo! Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"
The two poofed in front of her.
"Lucy, my love!" Loke cried out joyfully.
"I await punishment," Virgo said with a stiff bow.
Lucy handed each of them the money for the fuel. "Both of you will buy ten liters of liquid lacrima. Not at the same time! Loke, you can use your guild discount. Fireball…"
Loke glared possessively. "Why is that imposture still around?"
Lucy ignored him and told the pink-haired boy, "…I want you to try your hardest to pretend to be Natsu Dragneel: loud, rambunctious, demanding, that way the shop owner will give you the discount without asking to see your guild stamp. Virgo…"
Somehow, Virgo already had a tattoo gun out, gritting her teeth in preparation for the pain of giving herself a tattoo of the Fairy Tail symbol.
"Stop it!" Lucy cried out, yanking the tattoo gun out of her hand. "That wouldn't work, anyway. The stamp is magical. I calculated, and even without a guild discount, it's still cheaper than that lousy gratuity charge crap."
"Forgive me, Princess," Virgo said, "but if it's a guild member you need, Gemini would be better."
Lucy thought about it. "Oh, you're right! I'm used to Gemini only mimicking me, but they can copy someone like Gray, too. Okay, sorry Virgo. I'm not thinking well."
Virgo held up the tattoo gun. "I can give myself a bad tattoo as punishment."
Lucy sighed in frustration. "Please don't. I don't want people thinking you're a yakuza." She closed that gate and opened Gemini's. After explaining the situation to the Twins, they took on the shape of Erza.
"We can’t do her magic perfectly, but she's scary. That shop owner would never question her," Gemini reasoned.
Lucy absolutely agreed with them. "Okay, Fireball, you're up first. Put on a long-sleeved shirt so they don't see the missing guild mark. Remember, act like Salamander. Yell, demand, pretend like you're about to break something."
"I … I'll try my best, Princess," he whimpered before racing off into the house to get a shirt.
While Edo-Natsu was gone, Loke walked up to Lucy with a scowl on his face. "Why is that guy still here?"
She looked up, surprised by the Lion's bitter tone. "The people in Edolas haven't found Natsu, so Edo-Natsu can't go home yet."
"Then someone else should have to babysit him," Loke grumbled. "I want Lucy to myself again."
"You never had me to yourself," she said with a warning glare.
"How do I know if this guy might see your panties in the laundry basket, or walk in on you while you're in the shower, or he might even get so bold as to kiss you while you're asleep. Although, that doesn't seem like him at all, still, he's a man and … and … Lucy?" he asked in worry as he saw her face turning red.
Lucy knew Loke flirted with her at every opportunity, and she brushed him off each time he tried. Still, having to tell this to someone who had feelings for her was difficult. "Well, you see, Loke … Fireball and I … we … we're sort of … dating now."
Edo-Natsu was about to step outside when he overheard them talking. He held back, listening cautiously, worried how this Celestial Spirit would react to the news about him and Lucy.
Loke's mouth dropped, and there was hurt in his shaded eyes. "You and him? But … but you've known him for only a few weeks! How can you just meet a guy and fall for him that fast, when I've been trying for ages?"
"I don't know," she admitted sheepishly. "I just did."
"But Lucy, I love you!" Loke declared loudly. "I fight for you. I come for you even when you don't call for me…"
"That's usually really annoying," she muttered.
"What more do I have to do to prove my love?" he shouted.
"Loke," Lucy sighed, rubbing out her head. "You also keep flirting around. I'm sorry, but I just don't like the playboy type."
"I'd be loyal to you. I'd give up flirting. I'd stop going out to bars where women hang out. I'd marry you and give you my oath of lifelong fidelity."
Edo-Natsu jolted at that. A marriage proposal? He felt a shiver through his body, and a need to punch someone with orange hair.
"Loke, don't say dramatic things."
"Who says I'm being dramatic? I'm being honest!"
"You're a good friend. I don't want to mess up our partnership."
"So do you think leaving me to my one-sided love will improve our trust?"
"Why are you acting like this when you go on dates all the time? I finally get a boyfriend, and you're acting all possessive on me."
"Because you're my master. Of course I'm possessive."
"Exactly! You're a Celestial Spirit."
"That's never held me back before."
"Why me, Loke? You used to love and lose girls every week. Why do you enjoy harassing me?"
"I'm not harassing. I'm loyal to the person I love."
"Why don't you…?"
Edo-Natsu drifted away from the back and forth shouts. If he walked out there now, they would know he had been eavesdropping. He decided to go out the front door instead. While there was still anger in his mind, he hurried to the magic store, hoping that the emotion would spur on his ability to act like a Dragon Slayer.
He slammed open the door to the shop and stomped in. "Old man! How many liters of liquid lacrima will you sell me?"
The shop owner looked up in surprise. "Another coming for that stuff? That blondie sent you, didn't she? Well, like I told her…"
"That blondie is my goddamn girlfriend, so show some respect to your customers, bastard!" he shouted, clenching his fists to hide the fact that shouting like this, drawing attention to himself, and publicly declaring his love for Lucy, was utterly terrifying and making his fingers shake.
The poor shop owner took the shivering fists as signs of rage, and he hurried to get the ten-liter barrel without questioning more.
When Edo-Natsu finally returned to the house on Strawberry Street, Loke was sitting on one side of the garden, Lucy on the other, neither looking at one another. Edo-Natsu set the fuel barrel down, and at the sound of it, Loke shot a caustic glare that made the Edolas boy cringe in fear.
"Fine, he's back," Loke muttered peevishly. "I guess I'll go do what my master commands."
"Loke," Lucy sighed, "stop acting so childishly."
As Loke walked past Edo-Natsu, he paused and leaned in close to the boy's face. Fireball tried to back away, but the gleam in Loke's catlike eyes glued his feet to the ground. In a harsh whisper, Loke warned, "If you make her cry, I will leave you barely alive enough so we can just use your flesh and bones to exchange you for Natsu. Understood?"
"I would never hurt Princess," he squeaked.
"You better not!" Then Loke left the backyard.
Edo-Natsu watched him go, shivering as he remembered seeing Loke fight against the royal army in Edolas. A glowing punch like that would surely knock out a few teeth. Then he looked over to Lucy, worried by the sad expression on her face. He crept up softly, sat beside her, and took her hands.
"Princess?" he whispered.
Her eyes could not meet his, but he saw a pinkness around the lids. "Sorry. That's the first time Loke and I have ever had a fight since he became my Spirit. He's a playboy and a bit annoying, but he's still a really good friend. I hate fighting with friends."
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. As she relaxed in his arms, he gently rubbed up and down her back. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I stole you away from him. Of course he'd be upset."
"Natsu," she sighed, curling into him.
He felt a jolt of happiness at hearing her use his real name. "It's okay, Lucy," he said tenderly, caressing her hair. "I'm really glad you like me enough to let me be your boyfriend. Even if there are some people who won't like it, I'll be here for you." He tipped up her chin and smiled down into that sad face. "I want to always be with you." Then he leaned over and gave her a kiss.
Lucy hummed in bliss. His kisses were so gentle and sweet … outside of the car. She still remembered how he had kissed her while sitting inside the vehicle. Just the memory tinted her cheeks pink
Edo-Natsu pulled back up and felt relieved that her eyes were shining again. "As soon as we get the fuel, let's go for a ride," he declared.
Lucy blushed more. If they went riding, would that wild side come out again? When he kissed her gently like this, it made her feel light as a feather. When his lips had crashed onto hers in the car, it made her blood boil and her insides twist up. She liked both sensations, and she loved that this was the only man who could treat her in two totally different ways.
Gemini, disguised as Erza, watched from the side. The Twins had kept quiet all through the argument with Loke, as well as now with the touching scene between the new couple. Finally, Gemini walked up and touched Edo-Natsu's shoulder. He jumped at the armored hand and looked around just in time to see Gemini transform into a copy of himself.
Gemini recited with a glint of amusement, "Natsu Dragion: born in Edolas, son of Igneel Dragion. Began driving at the age of eight, abandoned by his father at the age of ten, joined the Fairy Tail dark guild a few months later, became their driver at the age of fifteen. Natsu's opinion of Lucy: strong but gentle, kind to friends, a little scary because she can use powerful magic, beautiful like a goddess, damn good kisser."
"Hey!" Fireball shouted, turning bright red. "Wh-what are you doing? How do you know all that?"
Lucy giggled. Damn good kisser, huh? She explained, "The Gemini twins assume all aspects of the person being imitated, including memory and magical abilities. They could probably drive a car right now."
"Conflicted, though," Gemini went on. "A tempestuous mind filled with many doubts. Wants to stay, but wants to leave. Misses home, but thinks of Earthland as a new home. Misses friends, but doesn't want to lose Lucy. Misses his own Lucy, and troubled when my master reminds him of her. Fears my master only likes him because she's in love with Natsu Dragneel."
"No!" Lucy yelled, and she looked over to Fireball in shock. "Do you really think that?"
Edo-Natsu glared at Gemini. "It's not nice to peek into people's heads." Then he stormed off into the house in embarrassment and slammed the door behind him.
"Gemini!" Lucy shouted angrily.
"There's more to this Natsu."
"I don't want to know. I want to hear it from himself."
Gemini gave a wickedly mischievous smile. "He wants to lose his virginity to you."
Lucy's face went almost purple with blushing. "What … you … you shouldn't tell others information like that!"
Gemini reached forward, touched Lucy's arm, and transformed into a copy of her. The smile became even more cunning, and the large brown eyes gleamed darkly. "Why, when you want the same naughty thing?"
Lucy looked aside from the copy of herself. "I do not," she muttered.
"Lucy's opinion of Natsu Dragion: cute but sometimes annoying, clean for a boy, talented cook, surprisingly sexy without a shirt, awesome kisser, a man who'd make the perfect husband."
"I never thought that," she yelled, although she blushed.
"Worried that he's only in love because he secretly likes Edolas' Lucy Ashley."
Lucy could not deny that she had that worry from time to time, but she still looked away petulantly.
"Feels guilty that he wants to stay, which means leaving behind his friends. Scared because he sometimes reminds Lucy of Natsu Dragneel. Worried that when Salamander returns, those feelings might shift to him."
Lucy began to explain, "Because I don't want to…"
"…to think that I love one Natsu because I might like the other." Gemini chuckled softly and tapped Lucy's lowered chin. "You and that boy are very much alike. You have the same opinions and identical insecurities. We're the Twins, we know about being just like someone else. One Natsu looks like the other Natsu, but their personalities are opposites. Yet Fireball has two personalities, and one is very much like Salamander. You fell in love with his own personality—the timid mouse—so you feel guilty for also liking the other personality—the wild race car driver. You feel it's like loving two people, and you're scared if a third personality enters the equation—Salamander's personality—that you'd fall for that too. This boy has the same self-doubts. He thought Lucy Ashley was pretty, yet had no confidence to tell her so. He also thinks you're pretty, and you gave him the confidence to admit it. He's worried whether those feelings are for you alone, or partly for the woman left back home which he can only express to you. You both worry about the same problem, and you both fear that the other feels precisely the same way you do."
"So," Lucy whispered, "he's worried about his feelings, I'm worried about my own feelings, and we're both worried that the other is worried about the same thing we're worried about. That's really circular and confusing."
"Yep," Gemini admitted. "So maybe you both need to get over your insecurities before you test drive this car, because both of you want sex in the backseat."
"Hey!" Lucy yelled.
Right then, Loke arrived just in time to hear that last bit. He dropped the barrel down hard and shouted, "Lucy, I absolutely forbid you from losing your virginity in the backseat of a car. It should be in a king-size bed covered in satin sheets and rose petals, a hotel near the beach, wine and chocolates, both of us wrapped in yukata…"
"What's this both of us fantasy, pervy Lion!" Lucy yelled. "And don't talk about losing virginity so loudly. The neighbors probably heard you." She covered her face. "Sheesh, so embarrassing!"
Gemini stood up. "Well, we’re off to find Erza so we can shift back into her and buy the rest of the lacrima fuel. You two really should talk."
Loke nodded firmly. "Yes, we need to talk about our honeymoon night."
"Who said anything about honeymoons?" Lucy snapped.
"Ah, but first a chapel. I know the perfect place."
"Loke, I'm dating someone, so quit your fantasies and … and … go on a date or something!"
"A date? With you? I accept!" He grinned. "You know, although I'm a jealous boyfriend…"
"Boyfriend!"
"…I'm always open to threesomes," he said lasciviously. "Although usually it's two girls, I could make an exception."
"Oh, for the love of…" Lucy picked up her Spirit Keys again. "Force close the Lion's Gate!"
"Awww, no goodbye kiss?" Loke suddenly vanished back to the Spirit World.
Lucy folded her arms and sulked. "I hate playboys."
That evening, just before the light was out of the sky, Lucy and Edo-Natsu deemed the car ready. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and sat in the driver's seat.
"Should I sit too?" asked Lucy.
"No. Actually, stand back a bit," he said, looking nervous. "Either this is going to turn over and start, it'll doing nothing at all, or…" He broke off and cringed.
"Or?" she urged anxiously. "This isn't going to blow up, will it?"
"Umm…" He bit his lip almost hard enough to draw blood. "To be honest, I'm not sure if the lacrima in Earthland has the same properties as the lacrima in Edolas. I've been going off the assumption that they're identical, since King Faust was using Earthland lacrima to fuel Royal City, but if not … just … just stand back, Princess. Actually, maybe you should be in the house, just in case this thing blows."
"Fireball, no!" she shouted. "If there's that much of a danger—"
"It's worth it!" he shouted back, then cowered down. "Ah, sorry." He trembled a little and had to remind himself that this was not a woman who would pummel him just for raising his voice. "This car … if it works, it'll give me a reason to live."
She looked a bit sad. "Am I not a reason to live?"
"Of course you are, but … but…"
She looked aside. She knew this car project was important to him, but this was the first time she realized just how important transportation was to Edo-Natsu. "Cars, vehicles, transportation: it's the meaning of your life."
He frowned, sad to see her taking this so hard. "I'm a driver. It's who I am."
She backed up. "I'll watch from the porch," she decided. "I hope it works so you can discover more things to live for."
"Thanks, Princess," he whispered. Then Edo-Natsu looked down at the key in his hand. "Hey, I just thought of something," he called over, stopping her retreat. "Your life as a wizard revolves around those keys that open gates to a new world." He held up the car key. "This is my key, Princess. It also opens new paths. It gives meaning to my life, a definition to who I am. Isn't it cool? We both use keys." He flashed her a smile.
She could hardly help but think that it was Natsu's signature grin, a little foolish, but something that always made her sigh and give in to the Dragon Slayer's unique logic. Lucy walked over to the car again, pulled the key up, and kissed it.
"For luck," she said. Then she leaned over and kissed Edo-Natsu as well. "And also to you, Fireball. I hope it works."
"Get ready to celebrate, Princess," he chuckled, and a faint gleam of that alter-ego was already in his eyes.
Lucy backed away, praying it would work, shivering with anxiousness. She watched through the shadowy gloaming, a time when the whole world turned into shades of red and pink, when dark shades of night crept out and a scarlet haziness covered the land as day ended. All this crimson and cerise light seemed to blend together with the red car and pink-haired driver, until it all blurred together.
Edo-Natsu caressed the car key right over the lip mark Lucy left behind. He slid the key into the ignition, took one last breath, and let it out with a sighing prayer of 'Please work!' Then, gritting his teeth and expecting the worst, he turned the key.
There was grinding, a grumble, sputtering, and suddenly a roar as the car came to life. He stared in awe at the dashboard as lights flickered on and the fuel gauge peaked. He felt the rumble under him and listened to the roar of the engine. A laugh of disbelief shivered out, and he was so overwhelmed that he did not even realize Lucy was there until she had her arms wrapped around him.
"You did it, Fireball! You did it!"
"A … a car," he stuttered, and a tear dripped down his face. "I have a car."
He looked up into Lucy's face. She was shocked to see, not the maniac driver, but a sobbing boy overcome by elation.
"Lucy, I … I have a car!"
She sighed as she realized that this really did give meaning to his life. She tried to imagine it: if she lost her Spirit Keys and had no ability to do what she did best, no way to fight with her friends, feeling utterly useless, how ecstatic would she be to get even Plue's key back? That sort of happiness must be what Edo-Natsu was feeling now.
Really, although he looked like Natsu Dragneel, emotionally this boy from Edolas was much more like herself.
She leaned through the opened window, tipped her head to fit through, and gave him a kiss. He looked stunned, and she caressed his cheek.
"I'm really happy for you," she said earnestly.
"P-princess?" he whispered, as if momentarily confused if she was Edo-Lucy or Earth-Lucy.
"Let's celebrate tonight, and we'll go on a drive tomorrow."
"Y-yeah," he stuttered. Then he looked at the key in the ignition. "Can I drive it just around the block? I need to make sure the brakes work and the gauges are okay before I let you ride with me. I want to make sure it's safe."
"Good idea. I'll get dinner started. Go have fun." She pulled herself out of the car and straightened her clothes.
"Princess," he said, leaning through the window after her. "I…" He hesitated, which confused Lucy. She thought that once he had his car, he would be that wild fiend once more. Instead, he still looked a little timid. "Thanks for staying by my side through all this and supporting me. I can't even begin to tell you how happy that makes me. My Lucy would have just laughed at me, so … so I'm really glad … um…" He gulped hard, then firmed up and looked solidly at her. "I'm glad you're the Lucy I fell in love with."
Tears of happiness threatened to overwhelm her. He really did love her for who she was, not just how she looked. Lucy leaned over and gave him another kiss. "Crazy Fireball!" she chuckled. "I'm glad you crashed into my life."
He looked relieved. Then she backed away. Edo-Natsu slowly turned the wheel, creeping the car forward and out of the backyard, gingerly squeezing through an alley that led out to the street. Lucy followed behind the car and watched as Edo-Natsu took it out onto the road. He lowered his goggles, and the wild grin returned to his face.
"Don't wait up for me, babe," he called out. The wheels suddenly spun and smoked. The car jolted forward with a screech, and Lucy could hear his howl of "Gooooo Fire!" as Fireball Natsu raced down Strawberry Street.
"Just around the block, my ass!" she mumbled, yet she could hardly help but laugh and feel happy for him. "Have fun, you crazy wheel-brain."
End of Chapter 16
- 15
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Wheels of Fire