Tsukiko looks at Natsu surprised when she hears what he says and she looks away sadly before meeting his gaze with a soft smile.

"Sounds.....fun...."

She says softly sounding a little strained but she looks around.

"So where is that?"

Natsu looks around with a iritated expression.

"Not far from here.
Let's go."

He takes a deep breath before he walks to some tree's which lead to a forest and Hotaru follows him.

Tsukiko nods but looks at him worriedly again when she hears his irritated expression but she follows Natsu and Hotaru.

"So the girl wasn't someone he knew.... guess I was wrong...."

She thought confused before looking around warily.

Natsu sighes and holds out his hand.

"Tsukiko."

He says with a soft smile and Hotaru raises his eyebrow.

"Oh.......how sweet."

Tsukiko looks at Natsu surprised when she hears him call her name but she blushes with a soft smile when she see's his hand and she takes it.

"Th-Thanks..."

She stammers softly before looking at Hotaru confused.

Natsu chuckles and Hotaru sighes.

"Must be great..having someone to make kids with."

Hotaru says in a bored expression and Natsu's eyes widen and he turns around to Hotaru.

"...what the hell are you talking about?"
"Hmmmmmmmmm...nothing."

Natsu raises his eyebrow but sighes before he turns back to the forest.

Tsukiko's eyes widen in shock at what Hotaru says and a deep but bright red blush goes across her face.

"Th-That's! err.... well... you.... ummm..."

She looks at the ground embarrassed when she realized she didn't have anything to say back and she closes her eyes tightly speechless.

Natsu pulls her closer when he wraps his arm around her waist and Hotaru raises his eyebrow.

"Oh..so you do want to make kids with Na-"
"Hotaru!...that's enough...stop!"
"O-Okay...still sure you want to do that."

Hotaru sighes and looks around while they enter the forest.

Tsukiko's eyes widen in surprise when Natsu pulls her closer and she looks up at Natsu worriedly with the blush still on her cheeks but she looks down again embarrassed when Hotaru starts talking again.

"Err... how can he keep talking about that subject as if it's nothing....?"

She asks confused while keeping her gaze on the ground.

Natsu sighes and shrugs but kisses her cheek softly.

"Heh...he's just like that."

Hotaru looks around with a sigh.

"Did I crumble
Did I lay down and die
Oh no, not I! I will survive!
Oh and as long as I know how to love I know I stay alive.
I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give.
And I'll survive!
I will survive! Hey, hey!"

He starts swinging around while singing and Natsu laughs.


(Though its still like 6 hours
Happy New Year! )

Tsukiko blushes slightly when he kisses her cheek but she giggles softly when she hears Hotaru and she claps.

"That's nice Hotaru..."

She says with a grin before leaning her head on Natsu's shoulder.
(yea.....I'm pretty late but Happy New Year )

Natsu closes his eyes and a soft smile goes across his face while Hotaru looks around at the tree's while it slowly starts to get dark.

"I know.
I can sing."

Hotaru says with a small smile but looks around again.


( )

Tsukiko looks up at the sky where she notices it was getting dark and a worried expression crosses her face before smiling to cover it.

"S-So.... how far is the place.... Mibuland right? I wonder why they would call it that.... sounds like a name for some fair or something..."

She says looking down slightly confused.

Natsu looks down with a serious expression and Hotaru sighes.

"It's pretty far...we have to go through a forest with monsters first..a lot of them.
after that we have to reach "hell", that's how the name of the gate we have to pass through.
It's completly red..first it was a beautiful gate but so many people tried to enter the gate...and they all died.
Because of the guardians that are protecting the gate."

Hotaru nods with a bored expression.

"Yep."

A worried expression goes across her face when he explains everything and she lowers her gaze to the ground.

"O-Oh.... I see..."

She murmurs softly so they wouldn't hear her voice crack and she bites her lip.

Natsu looks at her with a small smile and kisses her cheek softly.

"Don't worry I'll protect you."

He says with a loving smile and Hotaru raises his eyebrow.

"So how's it going with those...illusions?
I forgot what you had."

Tsukiko looks at him surprised but she blushes with a soft smile.

"Kay..."

She says softly before looking back at Hotaru confused.

"You forgot already? what kind of friend are you?"

Natsu chuckles and Hotaru shrugs.

"Dunno...I am Natsu's friend.
Even if he betrayed the leader of the Mibu..who saw him as his own son."

Hotaru says in a bored tone and Natsu closes his eyes.