Chapter 71

Night of the Balsam is the 71st chapter of Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail.

Team Natsu finishes their job ahead of schedule and stay in the nearby spa village. They run into Loke there, who avoids them upon seeing Lucy. When he saves Lucy from some thugs later on in the day(while the rest of the team has a pillow fight), they have a conversation, and Loke reveals that he didn't have much longer to live.

Summary
Team Natsu finishes another job, which was to eliminate some thieves that had settled down in the nearby castle ruins of the Balsam Village. Both Natsu and Gray comment that the people didn't put up much of a fight at all. After leaving, Team Natsu decides to stay one more day in Balsam, the local town. However, they happen to run into Loke, and they exchange casual greetings. However, as soon as Loke sees Lucy, he panics and hurriedly makes an excuse to leave and runs for the nearby hills. Lucy is angry at the situations and wonders what she ever did to him.

Team Natsu heads back to their hotel and take a bath and then head back to their rooms. Natsu initiates a pillow fight, though he calls it a "pillow-brawl". Erza is eager to fight 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. However, two guys interrupt them and invite Lucy for a drink, but she declines, stating that she has company. However, the two guys take her by force and immobilize her. Luckily for Lucy, she is saved by Loke, who chases the two thugs away.

Loke reveals to Lucy that the two were Mages that were criminally known for preying on women. Loke, though, tries to leave as quickly as he came. Lucy stops Loke and invites him to come along with her. They go to a bar, though Loke sits as far away from her as possible. Lucy asks Loke why he is distanced from Celestial Spirit Mages, but he doesn't answer. Lucy, thinking that the conversation is finished, gets up to leave, but Loke stops her by hugging her and gravely tells her that he doesn't have long to live.

Magic used

 * Celestial Spirit Magic (星霊魔法, Seirei Mahō) (Summoned the Golden Bull, Taurus, the Canis Minor, Plue)
 * Body Restriction Magic

Abilities used

 * Hand to Hand Combat

Weapons used

 * Twin Bladed Axe