Chapter 71

A Night in Impatiens is the 71st chapter of Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail.
Upon finishing their job ahead of schedule, Team Natsu decides to spend the night in a spa village, where they run into Loke, who scurries away upon seeing Lucy. As the team engages in a "pillow war" later on that evening, Lucy heads out and encounters two thugs trying to kidnap her, but Loke arrives to save her. Over dinner, Loke confesses that he does not have much longer to live. 
==Summary==
As was their mission, Team Natsu eliminates a troupe of thieves who had settled in the nearby castle ruins of the Balsam Village, upon which Natsu and Gray both commented that the outlaws didn't put up much of a fight at all. Having accomplished their job sooner than expected, the team agreed to linger a little more in the local town of Balsam, where they chanced upon Loke, who was also on a job. They exchange pleasantries, until Loke sees Lucy, panics, and hurriedly excused himself, making a run for the nearby hills. Lucy is offended by his attitude, and wonders if she had ever done him wrong. 
Later on, Team Natsu heads back to their hotel where they relax in a bath. Once returning to their quarters, Natsu initiates a pillow fight, which he calls a "pillow-brawl" instead. Erza eagerly pitches in and confidently announces that she had already gotten all of the best pillows, to Lucy's exasperation. Natsu and Erza trade blows first, which invigorates Lucy to join in as well. However, she is easily taken out by a pillow and blown out of the hotel doors. Because of this, she leaves, summoning Plue to accompany her on a short walk. Lucy wonders if the rest of her team is even human, and comments that Happy is a cat and confirms with Plue that he is a dog. Plue, however, tentatively raises his hand and reveals that he is actually human. Lucy is shocked at Plue's sudden ability to talk, but when she hears a suspicious "Aye!", she tells Happy to get out from behind some nearby bamboo sticks, with Happy sadly telling her he had been hoping to fool her for a few weeks. Lucy retorts, just as two thugs interrupt them, and invites Lucy for a drink. She declines, but was shocked to find they had immobilized her. Before the thugs could have had their way with her, Loke appears and rescues Lucy, claiming that the thugs were actually the rogue Mages on the loose, criminally known for preying on women, whom he was after.
He hastily tries to leave afterwards but Lucy intercepts, saying that she owes him for saving her, for finding her keys, and offers to eat out with him. They go to a bar, but Loke sits as far away from Lucy as possible, thereby irking her, and prompting her to ask why he is so wary of Celestial Spirit Mages such as herself. Loke refuses to answer, and Lucy stands up, prepared to leave, saying she respects his decision, and that she will always be a friend to him. He abruptly grabs her hand, before embracing her and gravely confessing that he doesn't have much time left to live.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
==Battles & Events==
*None
==Magic, Spells, and Abilities used==
===Magic used===
*
**
***Summoned the Golden Bull, Taurus
***Summoned the Canis Minor, Plue
*Body Restriction Magic
===Spells used===
*None
===Abilities used===
*Hand-to-Hand Combat
===Weapons used===
*Labrys
===Items used===
*Celestial Spirit Gate Keys
**Gate of the Golden Bull Key
**Gate of the Canis Minor Key
==Navigation==