Disclaimer. I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
This chapter has been edited.
-Oby Abel-
Chapter one: Kill me
If she had known that her life would change like that she probably would have never been taking the mission. How could one solo mission be that life changing? It was a total disaster.
…
"But Luc-"
"Natsu!" The Dragon Slayer shut up after she hissed his name and gave him a look that could rival Erza's angry death glare. Natsu hated scary Lucy, scary Lucy made him cower and shiver like she was a second Erza. One was enough already. Lucy was annoyed at his constant whining and huffed angrily.
"Shut up and let me go, peacefully."
"Sorry for worrying about my partner." He muttered with a pout. She heard him clearly and sighed for the umpteenth time today. He was guilt tripping her. How not Natsu like. But she wasn't going to back up from the mission. She wanted to do it and she wanted to do it alone without worrying about property damage. So she ignored him and continued her way to the bar at the guild. He could try and try but she was not going to agree on having him coming along. Nope.
"He's still bothering you about the mission? And good morning Lucy." Mirajane asked as she greeted the blonde. She had already set the regular strawberry milkshake in front of the blonde.
"Morning Mira and thanks. He just doesn't understand why I want to do a mission alone and I just want to strangle him. Since I told him yesterday he hasn't stopped bothering and telling me not to. Doesn't he trust me enough to handle one mission? Does he think I'm weak that weak? Ugh!" The blonde groaned and took a sip of her drink before calming down just slightly.
Mirajane smiled at the blonde and the approaching dragon slayer. "Hi Natsu, good morning. You should smile some more you know. It doesn't suit you looking so gloomy." the male greeted her with a frown and sat next to the blonde staring at her.
Ignoring the white haired barmaid's stare he cleared his throat and waited for the blonde to turn around before he spoke. "I can hear ya, ya know. It's not because I think you are weak Luce, you know that. But I do worry because you are very important to me and I don't like you doing missions alone when I can't be there to assist or protect you. We are partners." He tried to reason with her claims.
The corner of the blonde's lip twitched upwards, almost smiling. She hid her blush and before she could retort or do anything else Mirajane began squaling and cooing. "Natsu was that a confession?! Oh Mavis! That's sooooo cute! You've finally grown up! Lucy accept, accept! I can almost see them! Pink and blonde haired babies everywhere! Oh Mavis, ahhhh!" the two partners blushed deeply by her cooing.
"I- it's not like that!" Natsu defended very embarrassed because Mirajane's little moment gained many of the other guild members attention and they looked at the three oddly and amused. Some even congratulating the Dragon Slayer. He flailed his arms dismissing the entire thing and Lucy helped. She found it really embarrassing and she hated when Mirajane embarrassed her. She really was a Demon.
"Y-yeah! Mira just got ahead of herself and misunderstood. Isn't that right, Mira?" She shot the barmaid a glare. A really deadly one at that but who was she kidding. It didn't faze the white haired demon. Not even the slightest bit.
Tilting her head and tapping her chin thoughtfully she glaced from Lucy and Natsu and to the rest of the onlookers with a smirk. "I don't think so. It sounded really cute and romantic. It was really romantic and cute!" She smiled with mirth embarrassing the two partners even further that Lucy gulped down her milkshake in one gulp and ran out the guild.
Damn Mira and her mouth! She is worse than Zeref's demons! Lucy thought inwardly and ended up home. She would rather be home than at the guild with scrutinizing eyes and teasing.
When she arrived she decided to take a shower to calm herself down and afterwards pack her bag. The train she had decided to take left around five and it was only eleven, so she took her time bathing and packing. After finishing packing for her mission she threw together some leftover dinner and fruit not knowing when she would arrive her destination. She ate some early dinner before heading out.
As she wandered the streets her mind wandered to the embarrassing moment at the guild. Mira really liked teasing her and Natsu. And what was that about babies?! They weren't even dating and she already imagined how their children looked.
Dismissing her embarrassing thougts she began thinking about her first official solo mission. It seemed relatively easy. She had to help a group of townspeople with somethjng in a small town called Oakfield. They didn't specify what exactly but it paid well and that was what had caught her eyes with rent being due next week. 350,500 j to be exact. Who could refuse that?
She began walking down the street that led to the train station without bothering saying goodbye to Natsu or Happy. Gray and Erza had their own missions so luckily she didn't have to deal with their disagreement of her taking a mission on her own. She knew they were all looking out for her and it made her happy to know she was important to them, it really did but it also frustrated her. She wasn't a damsel in distress she could take care of herself and she had proven it to them several times but clearly they were adamant on protecting her. Especially Natsu. Natsu was the worst. Just thinking about it made her groan loudly.
A hand landed on her shoulder out of the blue startling her back to reality and as in pure reflex she elbowed the person behind her.
"Ouch! What the hell Luce! If you freak out that much then I'm coming with you!" Natsu groaned annoyed and gave her a look of irritation as he held onto his stomach. In all actuality he wasn't that hurt but tried to make her guilty and take him along. Noticing it was her best friend she gasped horrified but then after hearing him speak she scoffed. "Not gonna work. I am going alone. And that's final."
"But Luce!" he whined as she turned away, continuing walking towards Magnolia Train Station. He easily caught up to her while she ignored him and his presence completely. She hadn't told him any details of the whereabouts of the mission, knowing that he would follow her. Natsu was almost as stubborn as she was. Yet he lacked the intelligence to fool him.
"Ah look it's Gildart!" She exclaimed as pointing at the direction of a crowd, lying to get him away so she she could purchase her ticket. Gullible as he was Natsu yelled happily as he dashed towards the crowd. "Gildarts! Fight me!"
Lucky for her her trained was departing a few minutes after her purchase. Smiling triumphantly she leaned against her seat in the train looking out the window. The train jerked forward and she spotted Natsu looking around frantically that she felt slightly guilty. He spotted her and dashed forward only to turn green and drop to his knees. He forced himself to look once more as she muttered a I-am-sorry. Okay now she felt like the worst friend ever but it was his fault. If he just agreed to it peacefully she wouldn't have to be that mean. He should trust her more. Growing a tad bit annoyed at herself and her constant mood swings she crossed her arms grumpily and sighed.
She hoped the mission was at least worth it now that she had to be so cruel to Natsu. If it wasn't a bust then she would apologize by buying him all his favorite food.
The train ride was long and tiring. She wished she had left earlier because it was already night and finding a hotel or an inn at night was almost impossible especially when she had no idea where she was. But luckily she did find one right next to the train station and there was rooms available. It was s small cozy traditional looking inn. She checked in immediately and snacked on the rest of her food she had packed earlier. After eating she didn't have much energy to do much so she went to sleep. It took her a while falling asleep because every time she closed her eyes she saw Natsu's frantic and panicky face making her heart clench and mind fill with guilt. She hated being mean to him. I'll make it up to him. She promised and finally feel asleep.
The next morning she woke up early. She had asked Horologium to wake her up around 8 am so she could have a breakfast before meeting her client at 10.
She felt the loniless take over when she ate breakfast. It was just like when she had first left home and had no one to talk to or confide in but now that had changed and she had her Fairy Tail family. She had had many solo mission before, but this was her first one since she became a guild mage. Plus her other jobs had been small ones like helping the townspeople with everyday things.
Sighing deeply she finished breakfast and berated herself for being so weird. She was actually agreeing with Happy and Natsu that she indeed was weird. She was so adamant on doing the mission alone but now she was itching for company.
After a long internal berating she focused on the bright side. It was her first solo mission as Fairy, and she was proud of that fact. She would do her best and shrugged her negative feelings away.
The walk to the mayor's office wasn't far from the small Café she had had breakfast in. Only five minutes away. But it wasn't a large town as Magnolia so it wasn't that hard to find the government building.
She knocked on the office door after gaining entrance from a maid. The door swung open revealing an elderly man who recognized her immediately.
"Welcome, welcome." the elderly man greeted as the blonde was just about to introduced herself. He gestured her to take a seat in front of him. A few other elderly men entered just few seconds after her by another door. "I'm mayor Lan Parr. This is my old friends Joseph Darin, Paul Tula, Jun Karim and Deniz Ay. Friends meet Lucy of Fairy Tail. She is here to help us with our quest." She greeted each men with a handshake and polite bow. She was very respectful of her elders but she seriously her hated old geezers who were perverted like one particularly old man she knew; Makarov Dreyar.
"What is it that you require that I help with? You haven't written the specifics of the mission on the sheet so I was very curious and you are paying a very good price too." She was very curious and slightly excited for the mission. The mayor smiled sadly which alarmed the blonde. The other men looked down to as she looked at their faces. They turned depressed.
"A search." Her eyebrow furrowed.
"A search for what?"
"Who actually." the mayor corrected her. So she had to help them to search for someone but it confused her. She was from a Magic guild and searching for a person wasn't exactly a mission that belonged to magic guilds. It was more like the Rune Knights job. She gave the man a questioning look waiting for him to elaborate. She was very confused. Looking for people wasn't exactly her forte perhaps more Natsu or some of the dragon slayers with their heightened senses and all. It made her groan inwardly. Was the universe guilt tripping her too? Had she done the wrong thing of not bringing Natsu along?
"A few days ago our good friend was kidnapped." The mayor said gaining the attention from the blonde.
"Kidnapped?" she repeated and he nodded sadly.
"She was kidnapped and brought inside the Dark Forest of Oakfield. We don't know who kidnapped her but we need Magical assistance." He looked at the surprised blonde with pleading eyes. Lucy was kinda baffled. Dark Forest and kidnapping and magical assistance for what, she tried to grasp the whole situation and what it entailed. Was it a rescue mission? And what's the Dark Forest. It sounded eery.
"Have you notified the authorities? The Rune Knights?" She questioned.
They all shook their heads. "We can't get them involved. You see, our friend is very special and if she is found out by the authorities it will be really bad so that's why we ask for your help, Lucy of Fairy Tail. We heard that Fairy Tail will and can help us without problem and also hiding the truth." She stared at the mayor wide-eyed.
"Is... is she a fugitive?" They all shook their heads dismissing her thought.
"No, no. A Dragon." They chorused with smiles.
Lucy's eyes almost popped out from their sockets. "A-a d-dragon?!" She was shocked beyond belief and terrified. They just announced that they had to find a freaking dragon. They all laughed by her horrified expression.
"But a nice dragon. Astra River, a beautiful woman and friend. She is our towns treasure so please Lucy-san, please help us!" The all bowed their head leaving Lucy feeling a bit uncomfortable. She was going to hunt dragon? No. But then she was a Fairy Tail mage and Fairy Tail never backs down from a job or fight, or anything they set their minds to.
Plus she felt bad for how the men looked so she couldn't tell them no. She would trust their words that the Dragon wasn't bad. They did speak of it as if it was someone they cared about dearly.
"Of course I'll help but please tell me. How come you aren't afraid or the townspeople for that matter? A dragon is a massive creature and just looking at such creature would frighten many people. And how is she alive? Every dragon disappeared July 7th year 777 only to found inside their foster children years later and cease to exist. I'm really confused and some answers would be nice." She really wanted to know how this Dragon survived. Acnologia was the only Dragon left she knew of.
They smiled at her and thanked her many times before telling about the Dragon. "Astra is indeed a dragon but she lives in our town in her human form and is one of the kindest souls, much like a small child. Only we know about her true nature and we swore to protect her secret and life. It's because of her Oakfield exists today. And about your other questions about how she is alive and all that we can't answer because we don't know. Astra has been here for two or three centuries as for as we know."
That was information enough for the blonde. She agreed wholeheartedly and they set out for their search.
The Dark Forest of Oakfield was indeed dark as it name and it was a place you didn't wish to step inside with the ominous feeling it gave off but the wandered inside nonetheless with the blonde in the lead. She had to think positively and ignore the eerily feeling the Forest gave her.
The old men depended on her lead because they were plain and simple afraid. They were a bunch of old men in the 70-80 and very fragile that Lucy considered sending them back to the town because she was afraid one or two would have a heart attack or something like that but she stopped when she saw the determination in their eyes. It was admirable to see how dedicated they were to save their friend even though they were scared.
"Does anyone live in the forest? Why would the kidnapper bring her to the forest?" She asked while they walked past some trees flashing their flashlights left and right.
"I don't know but many bandit uses the forest as a hide out because of the ominous vibe it gives and because of the rumors." Lucy's attention wad peed as she raised one eyebrow and looked at him.
"Rumors?"
"About a monster living inside the core of the Foresr and that people who enter don't return. But it's just some silly rumor." The mayor said dismissing the whole rumor but it did worry Lucy a tiny bit. She haaaated dark places and especially monsters but she quickly shrugged away her uneasiness and kept looking until suddenly a thought arose in her mind.
"If she is a dragon why didn't she transform back and I don't know, escaped?" They all stopped and looked at her with realization.
"Don't tell me you first realized this now? She is a freaking dragon! We all worried for nothing!" She exclaimed and puffed out some air, exasperated. They had walked quite a while inside the dark forest and nothing had come up with their search and now they had all realized that Astra was a dragon so she could take care of herself.
"Yeah you are right. It must be the old age." One of them said chuckling at their situation though Lucy didn't find it to be a laughing matter. Soon the elderly began laughing of their stupid assumptions and it didn't take one second for Lucy to join as she found it cute that they were laughing over their silly mistake and had walked all the way to a forest they were afraid of just to find their precious friend. The laughing quickly died down when an earth shattering roar was heard making them all freeze. A light appeared, coming from the direction of the roar.
"T-that sounded like Astra. ASTRA!" the mayor said as he began going towards the light. The others joined name calling the dragon as another roar filled the air making the blonde shiver and goosebumps appeared on her pale skin. The last roar made her worry and she began running towards the light leaving the elderly behind. The roar sounded painful.
As she neared the blinding light she had to shut her eyes as she slowed down. It stung. And the weirdest thing about everything was that she felt hot. Like she was standing near a fireplace a bit too close. The light was fire she concluded as she pulled her hands up to shield them from too much exposure so she could peek as she stepped closer to forward. It was fire, a beautiful white fire with stars twinkling inside the white. It looked so familiar and it warmed her heart and whole body. Shaking off the nostalgic feeling she moved closer to some yelling and shouting.
"Just release the seal already!"
"Never! I will not then you kill me as a dragon! Finish it, stab my heart now!"
"And have the Dragon curse, never!"
"You will anyways, you violated the balance of magic. As I die you die."
"You can't kill me, you don't kill human, you can't, remember!"
Lucy saw to figures, a tall man with a weirdly shaped dagger and a woman with white hair who was kneeling down clutching her left side. She noticed the woman was just as the mayor had described Astra River to be. She unattached Fleuve d'étoiles from her hip gently and swung it towards the unsuspecting pair. She yanked the man's hand that held dagger making him drop it down and him stumble.
"Who are you!" he sneered furiously glaring at Lucy. He looked murderous and made her flinch but she had a strong resolve. She had to save the dragon who know held the dagger, scurrying away wincing.
"Lucy of Fairy Tail, and I'm here to arrest you for attempted murder and kidnapping." She glared back at the man. He began laughing aloud like a madman before smirking at the blonde.
"You and what army?"
"Open the Gate of the Lion and Goat! Loke, Capricorn!" She yelled as she saw the look in the man's eyes shift to something and she felt him built up his magic. Loke and Capricorn quickly materialized next to her and understood perfectly what the situation meant. The both leaped towards him as Lucy leapt sideways to Astra's aid.
"Y-you are a Celestial Spirit mage." Lucy nodded and looked at her wounds before she ripped her shirt, exposing her torso and pushed the cloth to the wound trying to stop the bleeding.
"We need you out of here. You may be a dragon but you are in your human form and bleeding this much can't be healthy." She glanced at the woman who just kept staring at her. Her dark blue eyes with hues of purple, it was like watching a the night sky, felt warm despite her being wounded and it made Lucy think of her spirits. Just looking at the woman made Lucy feel safe and secure.
"Kill me." Lucy blinked a couple times looking at the woman confused. Her eyebrow raised and she alarmed. Had she heard right.
"Wh-what? What did you just say?" the dark eyes looked at her with determination as she repeated her words. "
Kill me. I need you to kill me." Lucy was dumbfounded and couldn't say anything back. She looked at the woman searching her eyes for a why and waver but none. Nothing but determination.
"As a Celestial Spirit mage I need you to kill me. If you don't it will only cause an unbalance in Earth Land and the Spirit World. So please kill me." Lucy's eyes widened.
"Spirit World? Why?" Astra smiled gently, raising her arms up to stroke the blonde's cheek.
"Because I'm Draco the Dragon. A Celestial being. And if I die in the hands of Celestial Spirit mage my soul can be set free and I can be reborn. So I give you my blessing to kill me and thus making you the one and only Celestial Dragon Slayer."
Lucy taking the information in as best as she could looked at the dragon that just sincerely asked her to kill her and become a dragon slayer. Her whole body shaking as she scurried away.
"No. No. No! Open the Gate of the ma-"
"Stop! Don't call the Maiden! I need to die before he kills me! It's the only way young one. I need to die." Astra stop up wincing and pulled the blonde up to hug her. "If I die like this now he will be cursed by the Dragon Curse and transform to a dragon to only die. I can't let that happened. It will only throw the magical balance off and people will suffer, spirits will suffer. So please kill me. I beg of you to kill me."
"I-I can't k-k-kill you." Just thinking about taking another person life was the worst thing Lucy could think about. She wouldn't and couldn't live the burden.
"What's you name, young one?" Astra needed to die. She had come to terms with her self long ago and now was the time to ascend to her home land. Be reborn. She couldn't live with the guilt that because of one selfish man her worlds would be thrown into chaos. She loved Earth Land as much as she loved the Spirit World.
"L-Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia." Astra pulled the blonde away abruptly to look at her with shock.
"As in Layla Heartfilia's offspring?" She inquired and received a slight nod from the confused blonde. She smiled happily. "That's more perfect! Then you are the right person I can leave behind all the power of the Celestial world."
Lucy was confused further. "Power of the Celestial World? And did you know Mama?"
The white haired woman nodded with a beautiful smile. "She was my good friend. I met her when she was a small child, orphaned. She had no names that I pitied so I named Layla Astraea. Roughly translated Night Star as she shone brightly in the night the day I found her. And now I see you, you are the spitting image of her." The Dragon smiled with a true genuine smile shocking the blonde further.
"Y-you named Mama? Did you teach her Celestial Magic too?" She frowned when the dragon shook her head.
"I didn't get the chance because of some circumstances but I introduced it to her and she was a natural. It runs in your blood. And I'm sorry about her passing. It saddened me much learning a child I cared for so deeply passed away before I got to bless her." Astra smiled sadly patting Lucy's head, she had loved Layla dearly and now asking her daughter to end her life didn't seem fair.
"Lucy!" Loke shouted getting both women's attention. He was bleeding from the head and all dirty from the mud and leaves. Capricorn looked similar to him while the enemy had only one scrape and that was it. "Call for more help." he said through clenched teeth. He hated looking weak in front of his fellow spirits but it was for the safety for their master so he had to shove his pride away. He then noticed the woman beside him and gasped in realization. "Draco?"
"Astra in this world, but yes old friend it's me." She smiled once again as she corrected the lion.
Lucy called Gemini and made them transform into her and summon Scorpio and Taurus, as she ignored the dragon and her friend converse. "I am refusing to let you die so please leave. Your friends are behind the flames and very worried. Killing you would devastate them. Please." She had to plead seeing the dragon spirit not moving one bit. Astra who still had the dagger in her hand moved forwards still wincing from the stomach wound. If she has been human she would have died long again from internal and external bleeding, the blade had cut through her one kidney and intestine. She was dying but too slowly.
Loke eyed the dragon and his master weirdly not understand the tension. Lucy looked at Loke pleading as she was handed the dagger. "Do something! She wants me to commit murder!" Loke's eyes widened as he looked at the dagger and the Dragon who looked at him with sad eyes and a look that just made his heart clench. "It is not murder nor suicide." Astra had her hands around the blonde's one hand forcing her to hold the dagger. The man that was engaged in battle with Capricorn and Taurus had heard everything and moved the battle further towards the trio. He was not letting the dragon die before she turned into her true form and he was definitely not letting one measly blonde ruining his plans of immortality.
He formed one of his dark energy balls and threw it towards the blonde. "Look out!" Astra pushed Lucy away to take the hit right in the gut, falling a few feet back from the impact. Everyone paled, even the enemy who hoped he hadn't killed her too soon. Lucy was the first one to run up to her, her eyes widened in horror as she saw the woman's intestine was hanging out from the now bigger wound. It made Lucy sick she almost threw up feeling it all the way to her throat but she swallowed it down and pulled the woman to her lap with her hands pressing the intestine back in and pressing her hand over the wound feeling the blood rush. "K-kill me. O-only a Celestial Mage c-can k-kill me with-without the curse. I beg you." Astra croaked as her body violently shook from blood loss. Any minute now and her body could go in shock.
Lucy cried. Hard. Loke had pushed the evil mage away and grabbed the dagger that had fallen from his master's hand because of the sudden push. He quickly ran up to them and paled seeing the woman known as the strongest Celestial being ever existing looking like that, bloodied and pale. He had heard everything and thrust the dagger into his crying Master's hand. "Do it. Do it and set her free. For all of us."
Lucy sobbing more when she shakily grabbed the dagger. This was the worst thing thinkable. She hated death and everything that followed. Too many people had died, herself included or her future self, and now she had to take away another person's life. She couldn't. It was wrong. "D-do it. H-hurry up. I-I am h-happy. S-so p-please d-daughter o-of m-m-my N-Night S-S-Star." Astra looked at her with her eyes full of plead but also happiness as she thought of Layla. Her heart beat was rapidly decreasing as her breath was turning shallower and Lucy knew if she didn't do it now she couldn't do it ever.
"I'M SORRY!"
She plunged the dagger right in the heart piercing through any beings most vital organ. The impact made Astra jerk upwards for one time as she took her last breath with a bloodied smile, leaving a heaving blonde. Lucy cried and cried and suddenly screamed of pain.
Loke pulled the dead body away, cradling her into his arms as he knew what was happening to his master. They had to keep their distance. The other spirits that were there stopped and looked as Lucy screamed, understanding what was happening. How could they not with the emotional bond they had with her was going haywire. Lucy's whole body glowed white and engulfed in the same white fire that surrounded the little battle ground. Everyone of her spirits arrived through their own gates looking at their master that jerked left and right, up and down. Even the enemy looked with wide eyes not understanding anything and when he noticed all her spirits he scrammed knowing that if he did something he would probably be caught and brought to justice which wasn't in his plans.
Lucy screamed until it turned to a roar. The one and only Celestial Dragon Slayer had been born.
Astra's body shimmered in the same gold that whenever a spirit left Earth Land but this time it lingered as the twinkling gold ascended to the heavenly plains. Returning her soul back home.
