Heyo guys :) Read, review and enjoy!


Chapter 1: Who do you like like like

Lucy sighed deeply, laying her head on the table in the darkest corner of the guildhall as she watched her guild mates celebrate after winning the Grand Magic Games and saving the future from dragons.

Everyone had fought with all they had and they should be proud, Lucy thought, everyone except for me, that is.

Looking at the guild, she felt something build up within her, feelings she hadn't felt for a long time and ones she'd never imagined she would feel within Fairy Tail.

Lonely. Powerless. Useless.

Clenching her fist, Lucy made up her mind and she strode to the Master's office, unaware to everyone including herself of the results of her decision.


"Master, it's Lucy, can I come in?" Lucy asked, knocking on the door quietly, startling Master Makarov who had been filling out the paperwork for damages caused by Fairy Tail members.

"Come in child", Makarov stated and the door swung open to a nervous Lucy. "What's wro—"

"I want to go on a journey to train. And I'd like you to grant my request, Master. Please." Lucy lowered her head.

"Wh…Why now of all times?

"Lately…I've felt out of place…everyone is so strong and…I'm just me…"

"Lucy dear, raise your head", Makarov gently asked but with a firm tone, "You may not be physically strong but emotionally, you surpass even the greatest of us."

"But I can be better. And I want to be better." Lucy said determinedly, her unwavering resolve shining in her hazel eyes as she locked gazes with the Master.

Makarov sighed breaking their eye contact, "Team Natsu…especially Natsu and Happy won't be happy about this. I'm sure you of all people will understand how much chaos this will cause."

Lucy blinked, a sad gleam in her eyes as she replied, "I'm sure the others won't notice my absence for a while."

Makarov almost face palmed in her ignorance, I didn't think she was this dense…

Awkwardly shifting on her feet, Lucy was startled out of her misery when Makarov stated, "I will grant your request."

Lucy jumped, a small smile on her lips, "Reall-"

"On three conditions."

"Anything, I'll do anything."

"Very well then. Firstly, you must keep contact. At least once every six months."

"Right." Lucy replied, her eyes softening as she realised this was really happening.

"Secondly, you must write letters explaining your absence to the following: Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gray and one to the rest of the guild…I don't want to get attacked by an angry guild." He muttered the latter.

"… ." Her eyes started to glimmer with unshed tears.

"And lastly Lucy, make sure to come home safe. You are a mage of Fairy Tail and your family will always be ready to welcome you home."

"…" Lucy choked out a sob as the tears came rushing out.

"Ah. Before I forget, I have to hide your guild mark. It's only temporary and will come back when you're far enough from the guild." Makarov continued, holding out his hand for Lucy.

Lucy moved her hand which had her pink Fairy Tail mark proudly emblazoned on it and she suddenly had a sudden flashback of all the memories that she had had with Fairy Tail as her hand approached Makarov's waiting one.

Meeting Natsu and Happy. Getting my Fairy Tail mark from Mira. Meeting Gray, Erza and Levy. Lullaby. Deliora. Father hiring Raven Tail to get me. The Tower of Heaven. Laxus's rebellion. Edolas. Meeting Edo Lucy and Edo Natsu. Pairing up with Cana for the S-class trials. Fighting against Grimoire Heart. Acnologia. Zeref. The seven year sleep. Visiting father's grave. The infinity clock. Meeting Michelle, my little sister. The Grand Magic Games. My future self dying. Protecting the future with Fairy Tail.

Then with a swipe of Makarov's hand over her mark, it vanished and Lucy had to take a deep breath. She was a freelance mage now and could go to train. I can get stronger, Lucy repeated in her head to strengthen her resolve.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Master. You've been like a grandfather to me." Lucy bowed, her blonde hair falling in front of her eyes, "And I promise to return."

"I and the rest of Fairy Tail will always be with you. I look forward to the day you return, when you find what you are seeking." Makarov said softly, hiding his blubbering emotions behind a gentle mask.

"Keep them happy, Master."

And with that, Lucy smiled, a soft smile that reached her eyes, waving her now unmarked hand, before exiting and gently closing the door to his office.

Once he was sure she could no longer hear him, he spoke aloud, "Well, you heard her. She's made her decision and I will require the both of you to support her choice."

Stepping out of the shadows, a silent Mira and Laxus both solemnly nodded.

"Team Natsu's going to take this…badly." Mira said, voicing out the thoughts of the other two.

"Natsu especially." Laxus groaned, rubbing his face, "And he doesn't even know why, I'm sure."

"Lucy didn't think they'd be that worried." Makarov replied and in an ironic tone said, "And I'm sure she doesn't even know how wrong she is."

"Dense." Laxus summed up.

"Dangerous." Mira piped up, thinking of the guild's reaction towards Lucy's leaving.

"Doomed." Makarov gloomily stated, thinking of all the damages he would soon be paying for in the future.

"Well, all we can do for now is wait." A voice giggled out, startling the three.

"First Master!"

"I believe that the girl, Lucy, made the correct decision in leaving", Mavis calmly said, soothing the unconscious anxieties that they all had had. "She possesses a wealth of magical potential, that if tapped into, would allow her to easily become S-class."

"I see", Makarov began before turning to Mira and Laxus, "When the news of Lucy's absence first breaks out, we will undoubtedly have a very angry fire dragon slayer on our hands, even if the dense fool doesn't even know the main reason why. Therefore, I need you two to restrain him from going after Lucy. By any means possible."

"Understood." The two responded, before they all returned back to the celebrations, no longer as joyous as before.


After scrubbing her face of any remaining tears and making sure she looked like she hadn't had an emotional breakdown a few minutes ago, Lucy headed back to the others, who were now extremely drunk.

Lucy wished she could stay and have a bit longer with her precious friends, but she knew that she had too much to do if she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Besides I still have the letters for them that I already wrote ages before Master created that condition, Lucy thought, so just a few quick goodbyes.

With that, she headed over to a drunk Gray, who sat on a table where Juvia was not, Lucy noted surprised before seeing the water mage at the bar, ordering drinks.

"Hey…Gray."

"L…Lucy. Wh..What's up?" He hiccupped.

"Just a few things. Make sure to take care of Juvia, okay. She likes you. Like 'like like'. Make sure to keep the guild lively as always. And keep an eye on Natsu for me, you are his closest guy friend-"

"Am not! What about Happy?!" Gray pouted.

"Happy's a cat."

"…why?"

Lucy gave him a strong hug before waving her hand as she moved elsewhere. "No reason. Bye Gray!"

And in his drunk stupor, Gray failed to notice the lack of a guild mark on her hand. A failure shared by all the guild that would be remembered for some time.


"Gajeel!" Lucy nervously said, sitting next to him on a table that had a great view of all the celebrations.

"Bunny girl!" Gajeel cheerfully replied, in an uncharacteristically higher voice that spoke volumes to Lucy of what type of a drunk this guy was.

"…You seem…unlike yourself."

"Yeah! We had this drinking competition that Cana won."

"Of course she did."

"Anyway what's up?!"

Lucy regained her composure and in a serious voice said, "Listen to me Gajeel. I know you like Levy." She waved her hand in front of his face, cutting off his embarrassed denial. "That's why I know I can trust you to keep her safe. Oh and keep the guild happy. Do that for me."

"Bunny gir-"

Before he could finish, Lucy had already bounded off, leaving a confused Gajeel.


Mira absently wiped the bar glasses, still in slight disbelief of what had just transpired in the office. She was startled out of her thoughts by the person consuming them.

"Hey Mira!"

"Lucy! Is there something you need?"

"Just a few requests."

Mira tilted her head, pretending to act as confused as she could, while in reality, she wanted to hug the guts out of Lucy.

"If it's within my power, of course."

"Some time in the future, possibly a month or so, Erza will be super mad at me and probably come try chasing after me. I'd like you to stop her. In return, I'll share with you a very juicy piece of gossip."

"Deal." Mira held out her hand to seal their deal which Lucy took. "So, what's the gossip?!"

"Gajeel likes Levy. And I'm fairly certain it's not a one sided love."

Mira squealed and Lucy squeezed her hand to return her to reality.

"Take care of the guild Mira as usual. And yourself, of course." Lucy softly said.

Mira grabbed Lucy and squeezed her in a tight hug, making up an excuse, "Maybe it's cause I'm on my lady days, but I just really needed a hug."

"I can understand that." Both girls' eyes glimmered with tears that neither could see.

"Take care on the way back. I'll always be there to say welcome home to you."

"Mmm."

They parted and then Lucy was off to her final person, a bright smile on her face as she waved goodbye to Mira.

"A month or so", Mira sighed, "more like a day or so."


Throughout all of this, Natsu had partied, eating and drinking the shares of at least ten people. However, he felt something missing and though his dragon side knew it, the human side remained largely clueless. He looked around, the familiar scents around him, soothing his worry, yet something was out of place.

"Natsu! Hey Natsu!" A familiar voice called out to him.

He made his way to the voice and sat down besides his familiar childhood friend and practically a sister to him, Lisanna.

"So Natsu. I hear you like someone." She teasingly jabbed him in the side.

Natsu looked at her curiously, "I do."

"You know you do?!" Lisanna was shocked.

"I like everyone in the guild."

Lisanna karate chopped him in the head. "Natsu! How can you be so dense?!"

Natsu still seemed dazed from her hit. "…you…asked…me…who…I…liked…didn't…you?"

"I meant like like you know?"

"Yeah! I like like Happy, Erza, Wendy, you, Gramps, Mira…"

Lisanna, having a sudden realisation encouraged him, "Right! Right! Then is there anyone you like like like?!"

"Like…like…like?" Natsu blushed furiously and Lisanna with a bright sparkle in her eyes knew she'd said just the right words.

"Do you like like like Cana?"

Natsu snorted. Lisanna mentally unchecked her from the list.

"Levy?"

"Nah. She smells too much like that metal head." Lisanna safely stored that in her head for future blackmail.

"Kinana?"

"Nah. Dragonslayer bro code." Lisanna put that in her head in the 'don't even want to know' compartment.

"…Me?" Though she felt like spewing as soon as she put her own name out, it had to be done for the sake of the ship she had been secretly supporting since her return from Edolas.

"No way. You're like a sister to me. Besides you smell like that weird doll guy-Bi—"

She slapped a hand over his mouth, her eyes conveying to him 'finish that sentence and die.' Natsu wisely shut up.

"Then…do you like like like someone starting with an 'L' and ending with an 'ucy'?" She teasingly whispered in his ear.

Natsu's head burst into flames and Gray was quick to insult him from afar, shouting, "Flamehead! You're finally a real flamehead!"

Lisanna laughed aloud, clapping Natsu on the back. "I knew it!"

Too happy with her realisation and her excitement at giving this news to her older sister, she failed to notice Natsu scurry away, literally burning with embarrassment.

However, as a result, Natsu failed to notice Lucy who had been wanting to say goodbye to Natsu, leave the guild hall with a wistful smile on her face.

"Goodbye Natsu. Goodbye Fairy Tail…"

With that, Lucy quietly shut the doors, turning her gaze upwards to the night sky where the stars shone brightly almost as if they were blessing her on her journey.

"I promise to return, with the stars as my witness." Lucy whispered, her words carried on the night breeze.

Within the guild, Natsu looked at the doors, that sense of something missing still present.

That's the end of the first chapter. Review, follow, favourite ^o^