Unexpected Love

Chapter 4

Time skip: 1 week later

Fuyuko and Igneel had recovered, and everything went back to normal. Well, almost. Loki was commanded to accompany the children on all jobs, but they didn't mind. Well, Grace did, but no one else did. Loki was always fun.

Now, they were on their way to defeat a monster that had been terrorizing the people of a small village just outside of Magnolia. They were walking and talking about the job and what the monster would be like.

"Fuyuko, what if it's really big?" Emmie asked, who was walking to Fuyuko's left, Igneel on the other side. Fuyuko reached down and ruffled her hair. "I'll protect you, don't worry," Fuyuko reassured her.

The group had decided that the twins would stay with one of the older ones each time they fought. They approached the forest where it was supposedly living. Grace took out a map.

"Alright," she said in a bossy tone. "Me and the twins will go to the right, and Igneel, Loki, and Fuyuko will go left." Everyone nodded and headed out. As they were walking, a roar so loud it shook the ground, came from deep within the forest.

Fuyuko yelped and grabbed onto Igneel. He looked down at her with an amused face. "You scared?" he teased. "Shut up," she whispered. She let go, and they kept moving. They reached a clearing, and their eyes widened at what they saw.

The monster was there, as big as the guild hall. In the center, Elliot was unconscious, beaten badly. He saw Grace and Emmie across the way. Emmie was trying to get out of Grace's grasp, who was crying and holding her back.

Igneel was mad. REALLY mad. How DARE that monster hurt Elliot, who was like a little brother to him. He raced out at the monster, yelling "FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!!!" His fist slammed his fist into the creatures cheek.

It whipped around, and it's eyes narrowed. When Fuyuko saw it's eyes, she gasped. She knew what this was. She had seen it in her dreams. It was controlled by a dark guild. "Igneel, NO!" she screamed.

She ran into the clearing and grabbed Igneel. "What are you doing!" he yelled in fury. "This thing is a fire monster. You need to get Elliot and run." "But-" Igneel started. "NOW!" she yelled, cutting him off.

"Fine. Distract it, and I'll get him," Igneel gave in. With that, Fuyuko approached the monster. "Ice make lance!" she yelled out. The beast turned to look at her, it's menacing gaze locking with her own.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Igneel swoop in and grab Elliot. She pulled her mind away from it, instead focusing on the task at hand. The fight raged on, Fuyuko and the beast trading blows. (Sorry, not good with the fighting scenes)

With one last spell, Fuyuko ended the fight. The creature fell to the forest floor, dead. Though she was happy, Fuyuko had used all her magic energy, and her eyes were closing. The last thing she saw was Igneel running towards her before they closed completely.
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She woke in a bed, something wrapped around her. She turned her head to see a tuft of pink hair. When she realized who it was, she blushed. It was Igneel.

Looking around, she saw she was home. Her parents were probably worried. Wait, if she was home, how long had she been out? She wondered until a voice interrupted her thoughts. "Fuyuko?" Igneel asked, his voice tired.

Fuyuko turned to face him, and he smiled. "You're awake," he said, relief in his voice. She nodded, and threw her arm around him. She shivered. "You're really warm," she said. Igneel blushed, (SO MUCH BLUSHING), and smiled. "I am a fire dragon slayer."

They got up and walked downstairs. Her mother and father were in the kitchen, making dinner. Fuyuko ran in and pulled her father into a hug. He looked down, startled.

Gray gasped. Juvia looked over, and she smiled. "You're awake," she said, tears of joy in the corner of her eyes. Fuyuko buried her face into her father's shirt, crying. Gray was startled, but soon put his arms around her. Juvia came over and joined, dragging Igneel behind her.

When they broke up, Fuyuko asked the question she had been dying to know ever since she got up. "How's Elliot?"

Her father turned to look at her. "He hasn't woken up yet," he said. Tears began streaming down Fuyuko's face. "I was to late," she whispered. She fell to her knees, knowing what would happen. She had been hoping, praying, that if she got there soon enough, she could save him from the dream.

She felt strong arms wrap around her. She knew it was Igneel. She clutched onto his shirt, still crying. He picked her up bridal style and brought her back upstairs. He laid her down in bed, and got in next to her.

She was still crying. Elliot would die, and it was her fault. If only she would've known this was when it would happen, then maybe there could have been a chance. But now, his fate was certain.

Fuyuko realized Igneel was talking to her. "Why are you crying?" he asked. "I-I know what will happen," she sobbed. "How?" he asked. "I dreamed it. That's how I knew about the fire magic the monster possessed."

Suddenly, Fuyuko had an idea. She jumped out of bed and launched herself out the window. She ran to Elliot's house, clutching something tightly in her hand. It was a vial with a potion she had once earned on a job

"Use it wisely, child. It will change the fate of a door to open," the old lady had told her. When she first heard it, she was confused. She now knew what it meant. The door was Death's Door, and this potion could save a dying person of any age.

She crashed through the door, startling Mrs. Fernandez, who was in the kitchen cooking. "Fuyuko?!" she exclaimed. Fuyuko ignored her and ran upstairs and into Elliot's room. There he lay, his breath shallow.

Jellal was sitting at the bedside. He looked up sharply when she came in. Fuyuko said nothing, just popped off the lid to the vial. She poured it all into Elliot's mouth, ignoring Jellal's protests and questions.

Igneel burst through the door at that moment. He was panting slightly, and looked surprised. Fuyuko didn't look at him. She was staring at Elliot, whose breathing had gone back to normal. His eyes suddenly blinked open, and landed on Fuyuko.

"Fuyuko?" he asked, his voice hoarse. She gently ruffled his hair, tears of relief in the corners of her eyes. Igneel ran downstairs and got Emmie and Erza. They came up, expecting the worst.

Emmie saw Elliot's open eyes, and ran over and gave him a huge hug. He shakily put his arms around his sister. Jellal looked to Fuyuko. "How did you do it?" he asked.

"I got a potion on a job, and I figured out that it could stop someone from dying," Fuyuko explained quietly. Someone hugged her from behind. She looked up to see Erza, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Come eat dinner with us. I'll tell your parents to come as well." Without waiting for a response, Erza went to the communication lacrima and contacted her parents. She heard them talking, and heard her mother say, "Be there in a few," before the call ended.

Fuyuko and her family ate dinner there. Even Elliot was at the table, after his father helped him down the stairs. Fuyuko acted happy, but inside, she was dreading something. What, you may ask? Well, she knew this wasn't the last they'd see of the dark guild named Tatrtorus.