Keeping Promise

XXI

Lucy looked at herself in the mirror, looking at the new clothing she was given. It was a simple dress with heavier fabric to keep her warm but it wasn't too heavy that it weighed her down. The fabric was a royal blue color with long sleeve and a turtle neck. It went down to her knees. It's shaped her torso then hung at the hips. Over the dress was a matching royal blue poncho that buttoned at the front with four light brown buttons, at the hem was a fuzzy white fabric that was also in the inside and had lined the hood of the poncho as well. Her feet were warm inside light brown knee high boots that matched her button and the light brown leather gloves on her hands.
She looked down at her outfit, "It may be too hot to wear the poncho now," she stated, playing with the top button. She looked back in the mirror, turning around to see the back part. She look down at her hand as it held onto a navy blue ribbon to tie up her long hair.
She slowly took off her gloves before tieing her hair into a high pony tail, leaving strands out as always to for her face, then slipped the gloves back on.
She left the wardrobe and continued on to leave the large bedroom. She opened the door with a small creak, pausing as she saw Natsu in the hallway waiting. He held a distant look as he stair out the window. The rain had luckily stopped, but it was dark out and if there was to be a moon, it was hidden by thick clouds. Seemed like it was going to rain again.
"Natsu," she called his name lightly, her voice grabbing his attention. He looked at her up and down, looking at her new outfit.
"Blue always has looked best on you," he stated, standing up straight, "And it'll definitely be better to move around in than what you were wearing before. "
"I'm glad you approve," she smiled lightly, closing the door to the bedroom behind her as she walked forward into the hallway, "I see they added to your coat."
His big black coat fit onto him better and had  small flame stitch work design at the bottom of his sleeves by his hands, "Yeah," he looked down at them.
"It suits you," she smiled at him.
"Lavoska wanted to go talk to the other women here and get them prepped for tomorrow. She seemed quite excited. She said we can leave and that you have to wear that tomorrow when you come so she and everyone can see," Natsu stated.
"Will do," Lucy nodded, "We should leave, everyone else has waited long enough."
Natsu nodded beginning to walk. She walked next to him down the hall in silence. It was until the reached the front entrance of the large building they were in.
"We're gonna have to be very careful now that it's dark. We might run into those people that were following us again and now that there will be less people around, they might try and kidnap you," Natsu warned as the double doors were closed behind them.
"Would they really be up this late looking for me?" Lucy raised her brow.
"Theae days... People will do anything for a money. Even stay up days trying to look for one person," Natsu spoke in a grim voice, "I've had many run-ins with people like that, it's depressing how many there are."
"I see," Lucy nodded.
Natsu began walking, Lucy a step behind him, "You have gone on a lot of job requests. Must be fun, meeting all sorts of new people in a group of close companions."
"It's fun, sometimes. I'm glad I was able to find friends like them. Before I was in a team, I went rogue for a year or so. Gramps was not happy with me then," Natsu let out a short chuckle, his shoulders rising.
"Went rogue?" Lucy questioned.
"It was just me being difficult and irritated Gramps a lot. It's was a long time ago," Natsu shook his head, "Don't worry about it."
Lucy nodded, silence fell upon them. They walked through the dark streets of Kasagi, making their way to the square where they were to meet up with the rest of their group. Hopefully before another storm settled in.
Lucy walked one step behind Natsu, looking around, listening to the night. Shouting and laughing from late night pubs, maybe shouting from  middle aged couple about each others recent actions. The drunk speech from a group of older men trying to have a conversation.
Her eyes glanced at Natsu's back. He was hunched forward slightly as he walked. His shoulders were broad, his hand caressing the back of his neck.
She opened her mouth, wanted to say something but before she could Natsu turned around quickly. She came to a halt, looking up at him, jumping as she barely saw his arm shoot out as his other grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him.
Lucy lifted her head, looking behind her to a man. He looked to be in the middle class with his casual clothing. His cheeks were flushed and looked middle aged, maybe older.
Natsu had grabbed his collar tightly, his fist twisting the fabric of his loose long-sleeved shirt. A hardened glare set in Natsu's eyes as he looked at him, "Don't you dare touch Luce with your filthy hands," he growled making Lucy tense up by his harsh tone. She looked up at him with wide eyes.
"It's alright~" the man spoke, a hiccup following his words. The man was obviously drunk, "I would've shar-ed," the man hiccupped again. Natsu's fist grew tighter around his collar in anger.
"Natsu," Lucy put her hand on his chest, attempting to calm him.
"You're voice is so lovely, makes me wanna-OOF!" before the man could finish Natsu pushed him back making him lose his balance and fall onto his rear. The man looked up at Natsu, seeing his glare, "Alright, I won't touch your girl."
The man stood, stumbling and wobbled a way in his still drunken stated. He grumbled as he went away.
Natsu let go of Lucy's arms, letting out a small sigh.
"Are you alright?" Lucy asked, staring up at him, concerned.
"I'm fine. I saw him try to grab your ass and I got angry. I'm just glad I stopped him, I don't want men like him touching you like that. I don't think you'd want them too either," Natsu spoke.
"Thank you," she took a step back, blushing slightly from embarrassment now knowing a drunk man was going to try to make a pass at her. She was glad Natsu was with her, afraid if he hadn't, she doubted a grab on her ass would've been it. She lowered her head.
Natsu reached his hand forward, his fingers twirling the strands that were out of her ponytail. She lifted her head, looking up at him, "Do you know anything on how to defend yourself?" he asked, curious. He let his hand slowly drop from her hair.
"I know a little, but-" Lucy stopped herself, grabbing her arm, "I... I'm not confident in my fighting."
"You should learn some self defense, unfortunately I can't be by your side all the time," Natsu turned, beginning to walk again, Lucy walked next to him this time.
"I learned how to fight, I can do some moves. But I don't know how effective they'll be against an actual threat."
"What do you mean?"
Lucy averted her gaze down to her arm, biting her lip.
"Hey! There they are!" Natsu pulled her from her thoughts, pointing ahead to a large fountain in the middle of the market square where Erza, Gray, and Happy waited patiently for Natsu and Lucy.
"Took you long enough slant eyes," Gray called over to Natsu, provoking him.
"You got some nerve stripper," Natsu growled back at him.
Erza sighed, shaking her head. She glanced over at Lucy, "Quite the outfit change," she looked at the princess up and down, nodding slightly.
"The women that work with Marco love to create outfits for people, and this was given to me by them. They also want every to accompany me tomorrow so they can make some winter clothing for everyone," a Lucy smiled lightly.
"That's very nice of them," Erza replied with a small smile of her own.
Lucy glanced over at Gray and Natsu who were growling and butting heads with each other and glaring.
Erza sighed again, following her gaze towards the two, "They always do this," she stepped forward, grabbing both of their head and ramming them into each other, knocking the two out. Lucy winced, hearing the loud bang of their skulls colliding with one another's.
"They're idiots, what can I say," Erza shrugged, sitting down on the ledge of the fountain.
"That's Nashu and Gray for ya!" Happy stated with a smile of amusement.
Erza lifted her head towards Lucy, a hand on her sword, "Behind you," she stated, standing up.
Lucy turned her head slightly, seeing two men slowly coming closer. They both held daggers. Lucy glanced towards Natsu seeing him still unconscious, same as Gray.
"Hello there princess," one of the men scoffed. Based on his voice, the two were most likeky the ones that were following her and Natsu earlier.
Erza began to draw her sword but before she could something pressed against Lucy's neck stopping her. Erza's teeth clenched as a small growl escaped her throat.
"Your boss wants me alive, you sure putting a dagger to my throat is the best of choices?" Lucy spoke calmly, gazing back at the two men that stood behind her.
"Boss may want you alive, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind a dead body either," the man spoke, grinning in an early victory.
"Then you don't know your boss," Lucy spoke, looking forward towards Erza and Happy. She took in a deep breath before turning around quickly in the little space he gave between them. Her hand grabbed onto his arm twisting it. He cried out in pain, dropping his dagger. Erza jumped forward, her sword clashing with the other guys dagger as he raised it to go against Lucy.
"I didn't know you could fight," Erza spoke.
"A little, I guess," Lucy replied, letting go of the guys arm. He stepped back, holding his arm as he looked back at her in fury. He ran at her. Before he got to close she spun, her hand went over her fist as she brought her elbow back, her other hand pushing on her fist. Her elbow jabbed in the middle of his chest, feeling the hard bone. Her eye twitched, feeling a jolting pain in her bone around her elbow.
The guy grunted, taking steps back, a hand over his chest.
Erza brought up her leg, kicking the guy she fought in the gut making him fall to his knees, knocking the air out of him. She slammed the hilt of her sword to the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.
Lucy held her elbow with her hand, holding it tightly. Erza brought her sword up, hitting the other guy in the back of the neck with the hilt of her sword as well.
"Are you alright princess?" Erza asked, noticing Lucy's eyes twitching as she held her arm tightly.
"I'm fine, I just hit him a little too hard," Lucy assured. Erza nodded.
"So you can fight," a voice grabbed her attention.
"I didn't notice you had woken up," Happy spoke as Natsu stood up, same as Gray who had regained consciousness just after Natsu had.
Natsu walked over to Lucy, looking down at her arm, the area she held.
"If you hit him too hard, it shouldn't effect you this much," Natsu stated, "Did you hurt your arm prior?"
"Y-Yeah," she stuttered.
"When?" he asked.
"I might have bummed it against something," she answered, let out a small chuckle.
"You sure can be clumsy sometimes," Natsu sighed, pressing his hand against his forehead.
"We should be getting to the inn, looks like another storm in going to be coming soon," Gray suggested.
"Aye!" Happy agreed, jumping up.