A/N: Wow, it's been three years since I started this story. I'll be doing a re-write an continuation of sorts. Welcome!
(1) Brawls and Beginnings
"Hey Mira, did Natsu come to the guild today?" Lucy asked, walking to the bar. The daily guild brawl was well under way, and she ducked as Reedus' painting easel sailed overhead.
"I'm sorry, you just missed him! Now that Gildarts is back and town, he took Natsu and Happy along with him to go fishing," Mirajane called from across the counter, polishing a beer mug. Fairy Tail had taken to having Freed place protection spells on their cutlery and dishware, as to avoid having to replace everything after the latest fight.
Lucy sat down on a barstool as the barmaid placed a vanilla milkshake in front of her. Lucy perked up again. "Erza?"
"Out with Crime Sorciere. Jellal ran off with her yesterday." Neither of them needed to speculate what was going on between the two of them, and 'going on a mission' definitely wasn't all that would be happening while they were out.
"Gray?"
"Juvia made off with him on a mission this morning. I do hope it goes well." Lucy nodded in solidarity to Mirajane's comment. 'Going well' meant that Gray would get off his butt and confess his undying love. Seeing as Juvia had already stated her feelings very clearly already, there was no reason to keep rebuffing her affections. The "strip and run" was getting old at this point.
"Levy…?"
"Nope, sorry, Gajeel went with her to the steel mining district on a "food tour." Seeing Lucy sink further and further into her chair under a cloud of doom, Mirajane chuckled.
"Behind on rent?" The resigned groan from the despondent lump of celestial mage flesh was enough of an answer. A chunk of broken table headed in the pair's direction, but Mirajane used Satan Soul to blast it back into the mob.
Though her head had previously been resting cheek-down on the polished-to-perfection counter, Lucy slowly sat up; vein straining on her forehead and fists tensing. "If Erza hadn't decided to go all Purgatory Armor, and Natsu hadn't used his FIRE DRAGON'S PUUUNNNCCCHH and FIRE DRAGON'S ROAAAAARRRR and Gray hadn't gone all ICE MAKE, BAZOOOKKAAAAA, then we might've had, like, 1/16 of the reward left! But noooooo, they just HAD to make sure that both the black mage AND the entire mansion got leveled to the ground! ARGH I can't believe they can't approach a mission with a smidge of delicacy." Anger dispelled, Lucy sunk back into the stool and sighed. As much as she loved her friends, overkill was more of a lifestyle than an accidental happening.
A small explosion rattled the bar, and Lucy's hair began standing on edge with static. Laxus had joined the fight, it seemed. Covered in a new layer of plaster, both Mirajane and Lucy coughed.
Scratch that, overkill literally ran in the blood of most Fairy Tail mages. BUT NOT LUCY, because Lucy ACTUALLY LIKED KEEPING HER OWN MONEY.
"Argh, It's due next week," Lucy lamented. This was always a perpetual issue of hers. Couldn't the end of the month wait a few years? She might even have to consider buying the place for the insane amount that was offered, if to avoid the monthly tag.
Lisanna, arms transformed into a bear with her animal soul abilities walked over to the bar with a massive barrel of beer under each arm. "Yo, Mira-nee! Good thing Freed sealed off the beer storage before everyone went and started fighting, or we wouldn't have any booze left for later." She set down her load on the back counter, returning her arms to normal. Mirajane thanked her, and Lucy made a half-hearted wave from the counter, head resuming its place cheek-down on the wood. Mock-tears in resignation to late fees had begun pooling onto the counter.
"Why the long face? Rent is up?" Lucy made a noise in confirmation.
"And all of my wonderful but horribly destructive teammates are out of town! I'd take a solo mission, but none of the pay well enough or are short enough to be done in a week."
Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she perked up. "I could go with you Lucy!" Lucy, suddenly revived, launched herself at Lisanna, a stream of thank you's coming from Lucy as they were both knocked to the floor.
"No problem! I wasn't doing much this week anyways. Got a job in mind?"
Removing herself from her saviour, Lucy produced a request from her bag. "Yeah! It's not bad- it just asks for two mages to find a rare gem in the Lost Forest. 900,000J for the trouble! Pretty good, right?"
"Sounds fun! Since you need that rent ASAP, I'll meet you at the train in an hour? I'm gonna go home and grab some things."
"Perfect. See you then!"
On their way out of the guild, Lucy was careful not to step on any of her unconscious guild mate's bodies.
A/N: Love it? Hate it? Review?
