A/N: Special thanks to ishould-stab-u for asking me if I would do a Halloween one-shot; if she hadn't asked I wouldn't have been inspired to do so.
"What Belongs to a Demon"
By Dark Shining Light
Pairing: Natsu and Lucy
Romance/Supernatural
Rated T (for foul language, minor violence and implied adult themes)
Summary: one-shot. Everyone knew she belonged to the great demon lord; that's why she had to prove that she deserved to by his side. Nalu
(I do NOT Own Fairy Tail)
...
...
They heard screaming from the end of the hall, making the small child hide behind Mavis's pink dress.
"It will be alright child…" She smiled.
The small blonde woman opened a door and the two entered. Peering from behind the dress, Lucy noticed that the room was extremely large and very warm. The circular bed was enormous and surrounding it were low flames. Now that she noticed, there were flames mostly everywhere. There was even a wall covered in fire.
She heard breathing and looked to the side. On the floor was a monster in training shorts, broken and beaten up so badly that little Lucy couldn't help but quiver and hide again. Someone had to do that; a bigger monster must have done that.
"Good evening my lord." The oldest blonde curtseyed. "My name is Mavis Vermillion and I wanted you to have your present a lot earlier than expected."
"A present?!" A childish voice yelled in delight. Lucy blinked; she hadn't seen a kid when she had looked over the pink dress. "Can I eat it?! Wait…" She heard sniffing. "What's that smell?"
A second later a face popped in front of her; causing the human to gasp. It was a boy; he was slightly taller than her and had horns on the sides of his head. His eyes were dragon shaped and underneath those were small scales. A large coat covered his body and over that was a white scarf wrapped around his neck. The most fascinating thing about him was his pink hair; wasn't he a demon? Demons don't have pink hair. It's not scary.
"What are you?" He inquired and sniffed her face. He broke into a large grin that revealed his fangs. "You smell good!" He looked up the woman. "Do I eat it?"
Lucy looked horrified. "Her," Mavis corrected. "And no you don't. She's a gift, so please take care of her."
The green eyed girl bended over so she was the same height as the human child. "You'll be fine." She reassured the frightened girl. "I'm 99% certain and my calculations are never wrong."
"But-!"
Then Mavis vanished; she and the injured monster. Not that the other child noticed seeing that his eyes were still on her.
"Where are your horns? And how come you're not colored like other monsters?" He asked. "And do you have a tail?" He lifted up her white dress, causing the girl to yelp and jump back. She looked incredibly embarrassed. "Nope. You don't have one." The demon said plainly.
"I'm…I'm human." Lucy stuttered. "And I'm human so I don't have one."
"Weirdo." Was all he said; then his eyes lit up with excitement. "I've never had a humming n or whatever you said before!" Had? What did he mean by that?
"How strong are you?!" The boy inquired. Before she could answer that, he grabbed her hands, laced them together and squeezed. Pain shot through her palms; the girl let out a cry before going on her knees.
Instantly he let go. However, his eagerness had died down only to be replaced by disappointment. "You're not that strong."
She clenched onto her hands; too distracted by the pain to response.
The demon snapped his fingers and grinned. "I know!" He kneeled in front of her and took one of her hands into his. Still smiling, he traced an 'N' on the back of her hand. She would have thought nothing of it if it wasn't for the fact that his touch was burning her. "Maybe you're sturdy against fire! That would be so cool!"
Lucy screamed. "Stop it! It hurts!" She tried to pull away but he was strong. The pink haired boy frowned; he released her hand and watched as she cradled it to her chest. "You're not a very fun toy are you?"
Despite her fears, the girl threw him a teary glare. "I'M NOT A TOY! I'M NOT! I'm person too! So just STOP!"
Tears trailed down her cheeks; soft sobs escaped her quivering lips as she continued to hold her burned hand.
She didn't notice that the demon child in front of her looked shocked from her outburst before transitioning into panic mood. He placed his warm hands on her shoulders, causing her to flinch and look up. "Hey don't cry!" He said in a rushed tone. "Punch me! It will make you feel better! Or I can show you the mansion's cool places and play some pranks on the servants! Just stop crying!"
To say that the blond was surprised was an understatement; there was no way a demon was apologizing to her and looking like he was about to cry if she didn't accept. His desperate expression made the tears stop and brought a smile on her face. "Okay…I forgive you."
His eyes widened; Lucy giggled. Then he flashed her one of his big canine smiles. "You really are weird."
She pouted. "Hey!"
He laughed and offered her his hand. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel and the next demon lord!"
She hesitated; she stared at his delighted expression and the hand that hurt her a while ago. Slowly, the girl placed the hand with an 'N' burn mark in his. "Lucy…Lucy Heartfilia."
Mavis and two other gentlemen, one young and the other old, watched the interaction between both species through a lacrima orb.
"I told you third; all that boy needed was a companion. You'll see him start changing for the better." The blonde smiled while Makarov cried tears of joy. "Thank you First! That brat is finally going to get better! No more angry complaints from the staff now!"
The woman chose not to say anything. Her eyes shifted to the silent teen. The other demon looked at the girl before snorting. "She's a human; he'll eventually break her or get bored."
Mavis smiled. "According to my calculations neither will happen."
Laxus smirked. "Just wait and see First, just wait and see."
...
...
A blonde woman in a cloak walked down the streets of the demon infested city. Despite being the weakest one, all citizens avoided her. They spread nasty whispers and glared.
However, she never looked back and only stopped when she reached the stand. Everyone watched. A monster three times her size stood behind it. He snarled. "What are you doing here?"
The female lightly gulped but her voice never quivered. "I'm here to pick up my dress."
The beast like demon narrowed his eyes before going to the back and brought back the white dress. He held it by his fingertips, acting as if it was contaminated. "500,000 J." He demanded.
Lucy pulled out a brown bag and handed it to the creature. However, he snatched her wrist, causing the jewels to fall as he dragged her body across the table. He pulled her up so that she came face to face with him. "Never come back here again bitch…" The monster growled lowly before shoving the dress into her chest. The girl cradled it with one hand before he tossed her outside his stand.
A millisecond later, the small shop burst into flames. Those who were watching gasped but never stepped in to help. The creature running the shop came out screaming. He collapsed and continued to yell in pain as the fire slowly devoured him and his shop.
Fear spread from the pits of their stomachs to the rest of their bodies. After a moment, another cloaked figure arrived. He stood in front of the human; his massive wings shield her from the sight of the burning creature. His fists were still lit and the furious look never left his face.
The shop owner stared at the lord before him. "Great Demon Lord Dragneel-" He croaked and Natsu released an enormous roar that silenced everyone instantly.
He snarled. "You hurt my mate and showed her so much disrespect." The pink haired demon turned to the crowd; his glare set on them. "Anyone who does this will be killed by my hand; NO EXCEPTIONS!"
To further his point, the flames on the monster increased and he gave his final scream before the body turned into ashes. No one dared to argue.
The demon lord felt a tug on his wing. He looked over to find his blonde with tears and a disappointed expression.
Natsu collected the girl and her dress into his arms. He sent the citizens one last glare before he spread his dragon like wings and flew. The mere flaps of his wings caused giant gust of winds, reminding them of his power.
Once they were out of site, the crowd separated and ignored the ashes of what was once a monster. They feared for their own lives you know.
Natsu flew in through his balcony; once his feet touched the floor his wings went back into his body. The girl struggled to get out of his arms and was only able to do so when he set her down.
"Damn it Natsu you said you would let me handle it!" Lucy yelled as she placed her dress on his bed.
He let out a frustrated snarl. "And I did! And look where that got you!"
"Nothing bad happened!"
"Nothing bad!" The demon snapped. "That bastard called you a bitch and threw you outside! How the fuck is that not bad?!"
She paused and pouted. "It's not a big deal!"
"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE NOT LEAVING THE MANSION UNTIL THE END OF THE CEREMONY AND THAT'S FINAL!"
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" She screamed before she found herself pressed against the wall, her wrists held up by a single hand.
"You forget that I'm still Demon Lord Luce. And what I say goes." He growled. The blonde clenched her teeth as her eyes watered around the corners. Natsu's expression softened. He released her before placing his hands on either side of her. He gently buried his face on the side of her neck. "Please Luce…"
"I…" She lightly swallowed. "I need to do this. I'm supposed to be your mate-"
"-are my mate." He interrupted and the woman smiled softly as a response. "Right. I'm your mate and as your mate I want to show them that I'm strong and good enough to stand by your side."
"You can do that after the ceremony."
She shook her head 'no.' "I'll look like a coward if I wait until then. I want to face them now at my weakest; to show them that I'm not afraid. So please oh great Demon Lord, let me do this…"
They stayed like that for a moment; Lucy focused on how deep his breathes were. Probably smelling her again she guessed.
"Fine…" He whined. Excitement bubbled in her stomach, making her want to jump and hug the demon. She would have done just that if he hadn't pulled away and walked to the other side of the room. The girl watched as he went to the wall that was covered in flames. He reached in and pulled out a book.
Natsu made his way back to his mate and held out the object in his hands. Slowly, she took it and read the title; 'E.N.D'. "This is my book. If anything happens, open any page and say 'I summon the Great Demon Lord Dragneel.' I'll come out and light any bastard on fire."
Her face broke into a giant grin as took the book and embraced him. "Thank you!"
The pink haired male smiled slightly. "Just be safe Luce and summon me if you need anything."
She nodded against his chest. "I'll make you proud. I promise."
...
...
13 year old Lucy fidgeted with her dress and lifted up the strapless top a bit higher. Her growing breasts were already very noticeable. She blushed a little when she remembered Mavis's words: apparently they weren't going to stop developing anytime soon and would have to deal with the back pain. Plus the demon lord had no problem with it either; he claimed they were already comfortable and couldn't wait for them to be softer so he could sleep on them.
Speaking of Igneel's son, she spotted the boy on the other side of room, talking eagerly to a tall red haired demon and his brown haired daughter. He tried to introduce her to him but her shyness overcame her. Plus he obviously had great respect for the other male and she didn't want to embarrass him. So she decided to hide in the back of the room and watch the party.
After a few minutes the early teen grew bored. None of the other monsters tried to start a conversation with her and her friend was now busy fighting with a pale icy skinned boy and a girl in armor with swords flying around her.
The human exited the ballroom and walked down the empty hallway, wanting to return to Natsu's bedroom.
However, running into two sinister demons was not her intention. They smirked evilly before their eyes rested on her growing chest. She froze in fear.
"Hey….isn't that the demon lord's toy?" One inquired. He sniffed the air. "She definitely smells like it."
"A human?" The other snorted, looking amused at the suggestion. "Our great leader would have no need for such a pathetic creature."
"Perhaps you're right." He shrugged. "Those rumors must have been just that."
"I wonder who brought it."
The first one who commented gave her a strange stare. Lucy gulped and took a step back. This only excited him.
Frightened, the girl ran back and was slammed against the wall. "Ah!"
"Again?" The other taunted before his friend smirked down at the girl. Lucy saw her timid reflection in his terrible red eyes. "What can I say? I have a fetish for human flesh."
Before he could bit her neck, the hallway was swept with fire, burning the two demons but leaving the girl unharmed.
She turned her head to the source of the attack. Standing in the middle of the hallway, furious beyond belief, was the young Great Demon Lord Dragneel. His wings had extracted; the scales on his face spread to the rest of his body and his pupils narrowed to appear more dragon like.
"DON'T TOUCH HER!" He yelled as the flames intensified; their screams grew louder. "SHE BELONGS TO ME! SHE'S MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!"
Eventually the corpses collapsed and diminished into ashes. The fire died down; the only noise was Natsu's deep breathing. The blonde looked at him, her figure trembling as she continued to watch him. He blinked and his pupils returned to normal; his wings and scales disappeared as well.
"No…" He murmured, frightened by her reaction. "No! No! No! No! No! Luce…I won't hurt you. They had it coming. They were going to do bad things to you. Luce."
"Ahem."
Both friends turned to the front and spotted a tall annoyed blonde demon. Laxus snotted. "Damn it Natsu, you did a number on these walls. The old man isn't going to be happy about this."
The pink haired boy glared. "They were-"
"I know what they were going to do." He interrupted. "My advice, keep the girl hidden in your room until the end of the fest. I don't want any more problems from you brat."
Laxus walked past them, mumbling a "I knew the girl would be trouble" as he did.
The younger demon released a small growl before gently taking her burned hand into his and walked her back to his bedroom. During the trip, he mumbled apologies and explained his reasons over and over again. Eventually, she got over it and forgave him.
...
...
This time when Lucy walked down the streets, no one glanced at her. She could see their eyes harden whenever she walked past them but not a soul bothered to speak with her.
Growing up in a world where you were the only one of your kind was harsh. The demons saw her as pathetic and weak; they envied how their feared ruler took so much mercy on her. Demons believed respect came from strength and power, which is why no one rebelled against the Great Demon Lord Dragneel. A small fraction of his power could wipe away half the city. They knew that.
Many of the servants in the mansion tolerated her presence. No one ever tried to harm her within the boundaries of her friend's home. It wasn't until that night in the hallway that she realized worst things could have happened to her.
She was afraid back then; over time her fear turned to anger. She would no longer be afraid. They could say all they wanted, hit her as many times as they please but she would NOT quiver in fear again; especially now that she was the demon's lord mate.
Lucy would show them she deserved to stand by their ruler.
Her thoughts made time go faster and she found herself standing in front of the shop. Unconsciously her grip around her bag tightened.
She entered the store and spotted the owner sitting behind a table. The girl walked towards the small demon. His wrinkles covered his eyes and the tips of his brown fur were gray. Yet he turned his head in her direction even when she hadn't spoken.
"How can I help you?" He inquired with a thick accent.
"I'm here to pick up a package under the name Lucy Heartfilia."
The tiny creature lifted up his hand and waved it around. A small box appeared out of thin air and landed on the table.
"That will be 100,000 J my dear."
As she placed the money in his hands, his large nose took into two deep breaths. "You don't smell like a demon…" He commented. "Are you close to our lord's mate?"
Lucy hesitated; she didn't know which answer would cause her problems.
"I'm glad our demon lord is mating with a loved one. I may be blind but these ears can still hear and I heard that our ruler threatened to kill anyone who harmed his mate. He's my favorite demon lord so far; the strongest ruler we've ever had yet the only one who acts similar to a human. It's very interesting."
The blonde let a small smile. "He's definitely a great man."
"I agree. And humans are also fantasying creatures. They think so differently it's amusing."
"You know about humans?" She asked, a hidden curiosity hidden in her voice.
"When I was younger, a hundred years or so, I was summoned to Earthland many times. What they asked for was interesting and sometimes I would stay behind to watch the aftermath of my actions. A human would always act differently."
She gulped before rubbing her arm in a nervous manner. "Would…would you mind if I came back to hear a few of your stories?"
The little demon gave her a small smile. "Come back whenever you'd like Miss Lucy Heartfilia."
...
...
Lucy ate her food as quietly as she could. She didn't want to bring more attention to herself than she already has. It was July 7th; the day the demon lord would choose his mate for the ceremony in October. Currently she, the candidates and their fathers were seated at the dining table; Laxus and Makarov were also there. Her idiot of a friend decided that she should sit next to him, which didn't suit well with the other females.
For the most part everyone was silent, minus the loud chewing noises Natsu was making.
"So…my lord…" One of the demons spoke. "Have you selected your mate?"
"Yup!" He casually said with a stuffed mouth. The blonde girl unknowingly clenched her fork a little tighter. This was it, she thought. The moment she'll discover who her friend wanted to spend the rest of his life with before losing him to said girl. The thought made her want to vomit and wither away in sadness.
"And…" The same man pressed on.
The demon lord gulped down his food. "Obviously Lucy. Who else?"
Everyone's jaws dropped, including Lucy's. He was choosing HER? Though everyone else looked disgusted, the blonde human couldn't stop the small amount of happiness that spread through her.
"WHAT?!" Laxus bellowed. He shot out of his seat and ignored Makarov's warning stare. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"
She saw many people nod their heads to that.
Natsu glared at the other dragon like demon. "I am."
"Can't you ever think straight?! She's a fucking human!"
"She's Lucy! And I choose her to be my mate!"
"CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE!"
"I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE!" Natsu screamed as he stood up from his seat as well. The temperature in the room flared and the guests hid in fear.
Both demons continued to glare at one another before Natsu growled out his last words. "I want Lucy. No one else. She's going be my mate and you'll fucking deal with it."
The pink haired male grabbed the brown eyed girl's wrist and yanked her out of her seat. She stumbled at first; he was dragging her too hard but eventually she caught up as they entered his room.
They cuddled on his bed; he had his head rested against her breasts and his arms firmly planted around her waist. Her 'N' burned hand combed his surprising soft hair; her fingertips would occasionally stroke his horns, causing the male to groan in delight; if her heart wasn't beating so quickly this would have been a very peaceful moment.
It's not that she was embarrassed by their current position; they had been doing this for years and she got over her shyness when she realized none of the demons would care if they walked in and saw it.
She sighed and whispered "You left your guests back there."
The demon shrugged before snuggling closer. "Gramps can handle them."
The room was quiet again. Her heart was still furiously beating.
"Luce…" He growled lightly, warning her to tell him her true troubles.
Her hand stopped on his horn. "Are…are you really choosing me as your mate?"
"Not you too…" He groaned before lifting his head from his comfortable 'pillows.' He narrowed his eyes at her; he was serious. "Yes I am."
Heat rose to her face but knew she couldn't end the subject like that.
"Why?" She breathed.
"Argh…why does everyone keep asking that?!"
"Because you're a demon-"
"So?!"
"And I'm a human-"
"Again, so?!"
She lightly gulped. "You're strong and powerful. My body is weaker than yours. I won't last as long as you will."
With incredible speed, he slipped his hand behind her head and he locked his lips onto hers. Her eyes widened but he only seemed to take advantage of her frozen state by deepening their kiss. The blonde's eyes rolled to the back of her head, closing her eyes as she unconsciously released one tear.
He really did want her; she could feel his passion- no questions asked.
After a few moments, Lucy needed to breathe so she tried to pull away. However, the pink haired male continued followed her mouth, refusing to release her. It wasn't until she smacked his chest that he stopped.
He sent her an annoyed look. "What?"
She panted and sent him her own vexed expression. "I need…to breathe idiot."
The demon blinked before grinning sheepishly. "Oh…right." He snuggled back against her; this time pressing his face against her neck. "So…are you finally getting it or do I need to do more to prove I'm choosing you as my mate?"
Lucy gave a small chuckle. "I think I get your point."
Minutes passed and the two enjoyed the silence.
"I could change you into a demon you know…"
The female froze. She tried to look at him but he wouldn't let her.
"How?" She asked instead.
"During the mating ceremony. I can make it happen." He murmured. "But it's up to you; I won't force you to do one or the other."
Mixed feelings twirled within her. It was just a big decision; it wouldn't just change her life but his as well.
"How-How long do I have to decide?"
"Until October 31. The day of our ceremony."
...
...
She wore the white dress she picked up in the morning. The stunning gown flowed down to the floor, covering the shoes she picked from the old demon. Her hair had been beautifully styled and the overall her appearance screamed pure and innocent.
Not what a usual demon bride wore.
Mavis told her that human girls dressed in white dresses for their wedding. Though she was marrying a demon, she wanted her to keep that tradition. Luckily, the Demon Lord didn't care as long as she was still going be his mate.
A knock broke her out of her thoughts.
Then another blonde with large eyes appeared in the room. Why knock if she'll come in anyways? "It's time!" She beamed.
Lucy released a deep breath. "Has it really been four months?"
"Time does pass by quickly. But you'll do fine child" Mavis reassured.
"Are you sure they're okay with it?" The teen asked.
The smaller girl rolled her eyes. "They find it strange but don't oppose."
"What about the Third and Laxus?"
Mavis merely giggled. "As if Laxus had the right to oppose. He's still embarrassed by his last failed attempt at changing the demon lord's mind."
Though feelings of unease resurfaced, she couldn't help but to chuckle when she remembered the ending of that event.
...
...
Standing in front of her was the mighty lightening demon; Laxus Dreyer. She gulped. He was glaring; was he really that angry that she was chosen as the mate for the demon lord? Of course he was.
"Follow me." He commanded before turning away. The blonde girl hesitated; she wasn't sure what he wanted with her. He always hated her because of her species.
The male looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "Don't make me tell you again."
Lucy flinched and ran to him. "Stand behind me." He commanded when she was by his side. "You don't walk next to a demon as if you are equal." She heard him mutter something about how Natsu spoiled her.
They entered a small room. Lightening shot at a lacrima orb and the girl could only yelp when it happened. Laxus smirked mockingly. She glared when his back was turned; stupid demon.
"Look at this."
She approached the lacrima ball and looked in. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped from the shock.
"Are those-?"
"Yes." He answered with a mocking grin.
"…In his-"
"Yes."
Through the lacrima ball, she saw a giant harem of girls. Demons of all shapes and sizes and colors sat on the demon lord's bed. It didn't matter if some of them were as tiny as your hand or almost the size of door; every female from what Lucy could tell had an hour glass figure. Some wore little clothing; others wore nothing at all. Each one of them posed sexily as watched the door.
"He may be an idiot but even he can appreciate a woman's body." Laxus claimed as he sat down and enjoyed the view himself. "Once he enters his room, he's going to forget all about you and choose one of these bitches."
The woman clenched his fists and hide her eyes behind her bangs. Laxus must really hate her if he wanted her to watch something like this. But there was no way Natsu would go ahead and sleep with one of these girls right? Even if they were pretty.
Her heart said no but her mind was open to possibilities.
"He's here." He stated.
They watched as Natsu looked at the bed filled with demon women.
"Welcome home Great Demon Lord Dragneel." The females said all together.
The pink haired king blinked. Then his eyes narrowed as he pointed at them in an accused manner. "WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!"
Everyone minus the king was shocked. Lucy noticed Laxus's eyebrow twitch.
"Only Lucy's allowed in here and if you're not her, GET OUT!" He roared before the wall of fire attacked them. They all screamed and panicked before shoving each other aside as they escaped.
After watching that display of action, Lucy burst into laughter. It wasn't the smartest idea since there was a tall glaring demon next to her but she couldn't help it.
Laxus growled and slammed his fist against the wall. "GET OUT!"
The blonde female did just that while covering her mouth as she ran.
When she saw Natsu again that same day, she kissed him. The demon lord had been taken back but he eagerly responded to her advances. Both were extremely happy that day.
...
...
Lucy stood outside the door. She let out a breath of nervousness. She didn't know what to expect. She had never attended a human wedding nor a demon mating ceremony. When she asked Mavis, she merely smiled and said that all demon mating ceremonies are different; it all depends on the class of demons and their status. She gave her no more information.
When she asked her demon himself, he gave her a large smile that revealed his fangs. He told her not to worry about it and to only bring his book.
Now she stood outside the door that would take her to her beloved, pouting and nervous as hell because no one gave her any information about the event.
While clenching onto the book in her hands, she took a deep breath and pushed the door.
Her brown orbs widened as she stared. They were outside in what appeared to be a grave site. Tombs covered the land, standing tall on gray grass. Silhouettes and shadows stood in an outer circle; their eyes glued onto the ring of fire that covered the glowing magic circle with ancient writing on it.
The blonde girl walked down to the circle; she knew Natsu had to be there. Looking more confident she passed through the ring of fire.
Once inside, orange and black lights illuminated from the ground. A few feet away from her stood the demon lord, Mavis, Makarov and Laxus. Mavis was practically glowing from the joy she was expressing. The blonde male merely snorted at her appearance before looking away; while doing this he also ignored Mavis's smug look.
However, Natsu smiled, looking a bit nervous as he approached her. She grinned back shyly.
He took her burned hand into his and traced his thumb over the 'N'
"I marked you as mine a long time ago." He whispered. "But now, I'm marking you as my mate, not my toy. I love you Lucy."
Her face beamed with so much happiness. This time the tiny tears that came out were from joy. "I love you too Natsu."
He flashed her a charming smile; one that made him look more human than he ever had before.
"Ahem."
Both turned back and saw Makarov trying to cover up a smile. "Let's continue the ceremony shall we?"
He led her to stand in front of the small man. "I, Makarov Dreyer, the third guardian of the Dragneel dynasty, stand here today to fulfill my last obligation to our current demon lord. I shall bond him to his selected mate so that he may never be alone for many centuries to come."
The white haired man gave the girl a soft grin before continuing. "The woman in front of me is no demon but has offered to exchange her human form so that she may stand as an equal in our eyes. For many years she has followed our customs, stood up against stronger opponents and has managed to capture the attention of our king. She is no ordinary human. She has had the power to stand beside the Great Demon Lord Dragneel this entire time and tonight she shall unleash it!"
Surprisingly, cheers were heard from outside the circle. The girl looked around, trying to spot them but it was no use.
"My Great Demon Lord, if you will." Makarov said.
Natsu gave Lucy a weak smile. "Don't get scared okay?"
She blinked, confused but nodded anyways. The pink haired demon sighed before looking straight at her. His pupils narrowed, surprising Lucy for a second. The cloak that had been covering him flew back and turned into wings. A lizard like tail appeared from behind. His scales spread through most of his body. His fangs and horns were larger. Talons grew from his hands. Even his body grew in length; making him twice her size.
He looked like, what had she compared his eyes to when she first met him? That's right; a dragon. And surprisingly, she wasn't afraid.
When she saw his troubled eyes, the girl sent him a smile to reassure him that she was okay. He looked relieved. "I'm going to use more power than I normally do. That's why I had to transform." He muttered and she recalled all the times he changed; funny, she always thought he only did to be terrifying.
"Okay…" She mumbled back.
"If I may please have the book child." Makarov inquired. The blonde gave him the book and he held it over his head.
Natsu went on one knee, slowly took the hand with the 'N' mark on it before gently biting her index finger. The girl flinched. He gave her a look that said he was sorry and she gave him a reassuring smile.
The demon lord stood behind her, towering her smaller figure with his new form; he wrapped a muscular arm around her waist before taking her hand again. His hand guided hers, leading her to trace the 'N' on the book. When the blood from her finger covered the letter, it glowed.
She felt a warm sensation enter her stomach. Looking down, she saw his hand engulfed in flames. It spread and covered both their bodies. Lucy started to panic before realizing there was no pain. Fire burned the white wedding dress until it reached her knees; when it vanished it left black ribbon around it. Little sparks trailed up the dress, disappearing and leaving black marks.
The girl traced her tongue over her teeth, feeling small fangs. She could tell they weren't as large or noticeable as her mate's. The same went with the horns she felt on the sides of her head. Her free hand touched them, and she instantly thought of little shells.
"She has bound her life to his book; now they can never be apart. As long as he continues to exist, so shall she. The mating ceremony is complete!" The white haired demon announced.
Returning to his original form, Natsu gave out a tired laugh and snuggled against her neck. "Now you're officially mine." He growled.
She chuckled breathlessly. How could he say that? For years, he had been arguing that she belonged to him. And she herself had gone through many trials to prove that she did.
"I thought I always was."
He hummed in agreement. He turned her around and crashed his lips against hers.
What belongs to a demon, will always stay with the demon. Everyone knew that.
Please Read
In my one-shot "The Love Rivals," I posted a rant about how disappointed I was in authors who demand reviews yet don't review for others; until this day I still think it's hypocritical. Then I went into a little bit about how reviews are important and how I thank anyone who leaves back feedback.
Because of that rant, I got a lot of messages from people who agreed with me and others who told me their personal reasons why they don't like to review. BOTH types of messages were gladly appreciated and I'm serious when I say that. When you guys replied to my author's note, (whether you agreed or disagreed) you were giving me your opinion and we were communicating; that's what I want to see more on this site! Don't be afraid to tell me what you think.
The reason I'm posting this is to address the reasons why people don't feel like reviewing. Keep this in mind: I AM NOT BASHING ON THESE PEOPLE. Like I mentioned, these authors/guests told me their reasons why they hesitate on reviewing. They brought up GOOD POINTS and other issues on fanfiction that I know other readers are having.
So please, if you are a person who already reviews or feels confident in the feedback you leave, then you may skip this. However, if you are a reader who doesn't want to leave feedback for one of the following reasons or hesitate to comment on someone's story, then please continue reading.
Reason #1 someone might not leave a review: I don't want to disappoint the author.
This is understandable. A lot times you aren't going to read masterpieces; you'll find mistakes and probably don't want to point them out in fear that the author might take it as an insult (which sadly does happen). But here's the thing: as long as it's constructive criticism it's okay. Of course, don't go being a smart ass and point out every little mistake they did wrong (a lot of authors can't handle that). But if you focus on one or two of the major issues then an author shouldn't be insulted.
For example, I notice a lot of people tend to put all their dialogue and action words in giant paragraphs and I've left comments saying it's harder to read that way. Only one person told me that they liked it that way but everyone else seemed to take my comment just fine.
Pointing out something like that isn't hurtful; it's helpful.
Reason #2: The story is finished so it shouldn't matter.
That's not necessarily true. Even if THAT story is finished, your feedback can help the author when he/she wants to write something else in the future. Even writing one sentence that goes something like this: "I thought Natsu was really funny" can help the author SO much. I'm saying this out of experience. My first Nalu story was a one-shot and it's because people commented on what they liked/thought I continued writing in the Fairy Tail category.
Reason #3: I don't know what to say.
I like to believe this happens to A LOT of people. Have you ever read something, liked it but don't know how to put it in words? Especially when what you were left you speechless? Believe it or not, happens to me all the time.
Here's my advice. Don't just not comment because you couldn't think of anything to say. Give it some time. Take a break and come back later. Even if it takes you a month, please still tell the author what you liked/didn't like. I'm 99% certain they'll appreciate it. Remember, feedback has NO expiration date. So feel free to comment when you like :)
(P.S. If you're an author, maybe you can write a sentence explaining what kind of feedback you like. Some write 'no flames'; others ask their readers to be honest; some ask for constructive criticism. Writing something like this can help your reader know what would be appropriate to tell you)
Reason #4: Everyone else is writing great feedback but I don't think mine's any good:
This goes back to reason #3. Sometimes people don't know what to write so they go on the reviews section to get an idea. However, after seeing so many people write good things, you get intimidated that yours won't be any good and leave.
My advice is if you know you are a person who is discouraged when reading other people's reviews, don't read the review section. Just be honest to the writer about what you liked/didn't like and send that off as a feedback. Try not be worried about what everyone else is writing. Just let the author know what YOU thought.
Reason #5: The author probably doesn't care if I leave my feedback
Just because an author doesn't spend you a PM or comment on what you said doesn't mean they didn't read it and appreciate it. If it's a multi-chapter story, want to know how they show they still care? They'll update. Sometimes authors do stop writing because of personal manners; unfortunately it happens. But don't give up! You'll never know unless you try.
Reason #6: I don't want to be bashed or put on blast
Again, unfortunately this does happen. There are some authors who think your slightest critique is an attack on their work. I've been bashed for giving people advice a few times. It happens.
But here's the thing: if you're not an author you would probably wouldn't know but on this site we agree to rules and guidelines every time we write a new story. One of our guidelines is this:
"Respect the reviewers. Not all reviews will strictly praise the work. If someone rightfully criticizes a portion of the writing, take it as a compliment that the reviewer has opted to spend his/her valuable time to help improve your writing."
If an author is bashing you because you said something like "I think the character is slightly OOC because of this reason…" that's the author's problem. First of all they're ignoring the Community Etiquette they've agreed to. Secondly, they're never going to improve on their writing because they've just lost someone who was trying to help them and it was all because of pride.
Here's my advice. If you have a gut feeling that this person won't handle criticism (sometimes they write 'if you don't like don't read') then don't say anything. However, if you feel like it's something that should be heard, then leave feedback as a guest so they don't bash on you directly.
However, don't assume that you'll always be bashed. A lot of authors on this site are cool with constructive criticism so it's rare that you'll find someone who doesn't want help.
Reason #7: The language the author has written the story in isn't my first language
One of the wonderful things about this site is that you have the option to write your story in multiple languages. It doesn't just have to be English.
Sometimes I've gotten reviews from people who end it with 'sorry my English isn't as good' and honestly it doesn't bother me at all. The fact that you're trying to communicate with me even when you're limited in words makes me so happy! I have no right to judge you; I can only praise you for your attempt :)
Advice for this one is difficult. I know there are authors who aren't satisfied with small word reviews (there's nothing wrong with that either: they just like to be critiqued so they can improve their writing.) I can only speak for myself on this one; if you're reading one of my stories and can't find what words to say or don't know how to write it in English that well, you can always send me a smiley face and I'll accept that as I did good. I just want us to communicate because communication between readers and authors is important :)
Reason #8: I favored/followed a story: shouldn't that count as me saying I like it?
I know this person had good intentions when saying this and was probably tired of seeing so many authors with 'please review' on their stories. However, I can't help but to feel slightly insulted.
NEVER think I don't appreciate someone who has favored/followed me or one of my stories. Seeing so many people like my story does bring me joy. It makes me feel like I've done something right.
But here's the thing: I FEEL like I've done something right is different from KNOWING I did something right; and how I know is through feedback.
Before I say anything else, please consider these words: Readers have time to read stories; authors make time to write one.
As far as I'm concerned, we don't get paid. This isn't YouTube where the more subscribers you have the higher the chance you'll be rewarded with a contract and cash. We do this because we have an idea and want to hear what others think (if we didn't want anyone's opinions we would be typing our stories and leaving them on our computers for our eyes only). When we have an idea, we make time to write it. Authors are people; we have school, work, kids to take care of, boyfriends/girlfriends/wives/husbands to make time for, homework, friends to hang with, afterschool activities to go to, etc.
When a person ONLY favors/follows a story that only takes SECONDS; compare that to the HOURS, or even DAYS a writer spends on their story. So yes, favoring indirectly compliments an author but we would appreciate if you took a little more time like we have to tell us what you liked; even if it's just a sentence.
If you read through this, thank you for taking the time and hopefully this helped in some way. Hopefully no one thinks I'm bashing on readers, cause (surprise-surprise) I'm one as well (seriously I'm close to having 900 favorite stories- a total reader right here). If you have any questions or want to point out some things don't hesitate to write. Again, thank you for your time.
A/N: Okay! Time for more reading XD
First things first; I have to give credit for the cover. Cover is a page from the Fairy Tail manga (The Great Demon Lord Dragneel) that was colored by Shadsonic2. I got the image off Google but thankfully this person wrote their name on the bottom so I could give them credit.
This has been the longest one-shot I have done and it's probably the one I have the most mixed feelings for. I'm sorry if this isn't exactly "Halloween" themed. I wanted to do something different from the 'guild throws a Halloween party' and when I thought of Fairy Tail and Halloween together, I imagined Natsu as the Great Demon Lord Dragneel. I had like ten different ideas but none of them were complete enough to write a story. When I finally started working on one, it turned out to be too long (about 25-30 scenes) I realized there would be no way I could finish it (which is disappointing cause that one had more of a Halloween feel to it; plus there were more of the Fairy Tail members as monsters). So I had to think of something new and shorter and I came out with this.
It was hard writing a demon Natsu. I wanted him to have his personality but at same time be different. There would be no point in writing a demon world if Natsu was completely the same as in the Fairy Tail world. Because he is a demon in this story, his train of thought would have to be somewhat different. Personally I think he would be more possessive, naïve on human thinking and not as opposing to killing as FT Natsu is. Don't hesitate to tell me if I didn't manage to do catch the side of Natsu I wanted to obtain. This goes for Lucy as well. Her perspective on life would have to be different as well because she isn't in FT; she's been living in a demon world for 7 years and I believe your environment does change how you are. Because I believe in nature and nurture, I wanted the characters to have their same personalities but with a few twists.
Yeah I had to put E.N.D. as Natsu's demon book. Everyone knows that E.N.D. stands for Evil Natsu Dragneel XD (okay don't say that! I don't want anyone getting mad at me and telling me I lied if this isn't said in the manga)
A few last things. If you're a fan of "Your Virtual Reality" you'll be pleased to know that's what I plan on uploading next. Also I want to start a new kid Natsu story (which would be Nalu of course) for January 2015 but can't decide what prompt to use. Can you guys please vote on my poll (located on my profile) and tell me which one seems more interesting? I would really appreciate it.
Enough talking; if you celebrate Halloween, Happy Halloween and if you don't Happy Friday ^^ Either way stay safe and have fun :)
Until next,
Your friend,
Dark Shining Light