In-Between

Chapter 8

"I'd like to see you try!"

"Oh boy here we go." Juvia sighed rolling eyes. 

 "Can you guys at least wait til ten in the morning before you start another fight?" Lucy said.

"He started it!" Natsu said.

"Did not." Gray said.

"You did to!"

"Did not."

"You did to!"

"Did not."

"You did to!"

"Guys can you take this somewhere else? I really have to get ready." Wendy said. 

"We'll leave." Juvia said. 

Right away the four ghouls left Wendy alone to continue getting ready. She had just finished when her mother walked in.

"Are you ready to go Wendy?" She asked her.

"Yeah Mom just let me get my backpack."

"Okay meet me at the car."

Wendy slipped on her shoes, grabbed her backpack, and went outside to get into Erza's car. 

"So are you excited about school?" Erza asked during the car ride.

"A little. To be honest I'm more nervous than excited. What if no one likes me?" Wendy said.

"I don't think you have to worry about that. You're a very smart and sweet girl. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends."

"I don't Mom. Other kids tend to think I'm weird."

"You're not weird you're just different. Everyone is different, problem is not everybody wants to admit it. Now don't focus on the negative side of things, focus on the positive. Smile, be polite and friendly. You'll have friends in no time."

"I hope so."

Erza's car pulled up in front of the school and she let Wendy out. She nervously looked up at the school building then after taking a few deep breaths, she made her way toward the entrance. Meanwhile back at the house her ghoulish house mates were doing their daily business.

"There we go." Juvia said as she finished up re sewing the stitches on her leg. "All done"

"I'll never understand why they chose to make your body one that required sewing and stitches." Lucy said.

"It does make things a little harder for me but I make it work."

"Where's Gray?"

"He was running low on dead man's coins so he went to the In-Between to find work."

"It occurs to me that in all the years I've known him, I never once learned what he does for money. Do you know?"

"No I don't. But then again I don't know what you do."

"Uh...That's a private matter."

"What is it? You can tell me. I'll tell you what I do."

"Again I'd rather not discuss it but just out of curiosity what do you do?"

"You know how some ghouls tend to lose their body parts?"

"Juvia I live with Natsu, I think I'm aware of that issue."

"Well some ghouls pay me to sew their fallen body parts back on to them." 

"Really? You can do that?"

"With the right materials. You'd be surprised by how many ghouls don't know how to sew."

"How come you don't ever stitch up Natsu when he falls apart?"

"I tried once but he has a thing about needles. They freak him out."

"Why?"

"Apparently he had a very traumatic experience with acupuncture."

"Oooo." Lucy seethed. "Speaking of Natsu where is he anyway? I haven't seen him since we left Wendy's room."

"Don't ask me, I haven't seen him either."

"Would Gray know?"

"I'm not sure. He didn't mention seeing him before he left."

"Weird. He's never been this discreet. On one hand it's nice to have some peace and quiet for once but on the other hand I'm worried he might be up to something."

"Maybe he went to work? He is a part time taxi driver for the undead."

"No. He has dead man's coins to last for another week so he wouldn't go to work today." Lucy thought for a minute and then a realization came to her. "Oh no."

"What?"

"Oh no he didn't."

"What?"

Instead of answering, Lucy went back to Wendy's room with Juvia following. Looking around she found bits of grave soil around the chair where Wendy's backpack once sat. Now this soil was unseen to the living because it was a special kind of grave soil that is used to make artificial bodies for ghouls. Bodies like Natsu's which gave Lucy a conclusion that worried her.

"Lucy what's wrong?" Juvia asked.

"I think Natsu might of sneaked into Wendy's backpack so she would take him with her to school."

"He couldn't possibly fit into a bag hat size."

"He could if he morphed his body to a smaller shape, the weasel!"

"Oh dear. Let's not panic. Keep in mind that Wendy is the only one who can see and hear him."

"That doesn't mean he still can't cause trouble. Remember what he did to that guy who came to the house selling encyclopedia?"

"Oh yes, poor fellow. Ran away screaming his head off. But relatively speaking Natsu doesn't mean any real harm."

"Really? Could've fooled me. He's probably burned down the entire school by now."

"Oh really Lucy. Natsu is a loose cannon but he'd never do something like that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"We've lived with him for a hundred years. I think I have a pretty good idea of what he's capable of."

"Still you never know for sure."

"Why must you always see the worst in him?"

"Let's see because he's lazy, rude, obnoxious, crass, and he slaps my butt every chance he gets."

"Alright you have a point but he has his good side too. He's funny and sweet and understanding and loyal. All in all he's a good friend."

"You consider him a friend?"

"Of course. I consider you all my friends."

"Juvia he tries to look up your dress."

"No friendship is perfect, you just need to see him in a better light."

"Like that'll ever happen." She started to make her way toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Juvia asked.

"I'm going to find him and bring him back before he does something that'll get Wendy into trouble."

"Be careful and try not to do anything that will draw attention." Juvia warned.

"I will."