At any rate, this is another little piece of wonder that's been chillin' in my OneNote. Review appreciated. I know this is basically Lisanna bashing, but I have nothing against her. Her going evil is just a pretty fun story line to explore. I'm planning on involving some dark curses though, so stay tuned for Liana's switch back to the good side!
~YOMICO~
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to change, to find someone else. He was never supposed to do that to me. We were supposed to be a happy couple, starting as friends, then moving on to boyfriend and girlfriend, then engaged couple, and then husband and wife. I'm supposed to be the one he loves, no one else. That's how it's supposed to be. How it should be, but it isn't. Not since she came into his life.
~PROLOGUE~
The blonde cheerfully walked up to the bar and dropped onto her usual stool with a slight swivel. It had been a good day for her, starting with invading teammates and ending with a well-paying job. Two white-haired women set down their rags to greet the newcomer.
"Hey, Mira, Lisanna!" The blonde called, her smile reaching her eyes with ease.
"Welcome back, Lucy. How was the job?" Mirajane leaned on the counter while Lisanna resumed wiping mugs and tankards. Her pretty blue eyes were clouded with anger and hate, and if someone looked closely they would see a miniscule flash of black reflected in their depths. Why didn't Natsu take me on a job? Why was it always the blonde?
"It was actually pretty good. Wendy didn't destroyed anything!" Lucy replied, missing Lisanna's loathing stare. Mira giggle happily as she listened to Lucy's recount of the job.
"Would you like a milkshake, Lucy?" Mira asked. Lucy nodded eagerly and Lisanna jumped at the opportunity.
"I'll get is, sis. You catch up with Lucy." She said and quickly ran into the back room to set her plan in motion, ignoring the calls of thanks that chased her. While the two continued their chat, Lisanna slipped her hand into a shadowy nook in the wall and pulled out an old memory potion, dumping the contents of the vial into Lucy's drink. She had no idea what the outdated drink would do, but to her it didn't matter. If it killed the blonde, all the better. As she returned to the bar with the tainted drink she picked up last snippets of the conversation.
"… should be coming back soon, Master said the job turned out to be a farce." Mira had resumed wiping tankards while keeping her attention focused on the blonde.
"Yeah. I still can't believe someone would request him specifically only for it to be a fake. He had to spend four days on a train for nothing." Lucy gratefully accepted the drink and sighed in content after the first sip. "Thank you so much, Lisanna."
"It's nothing." Lisanna offered a smile and took up the rag again. She had needed Natsu out of the way for this, and a four-day train ride was more than enough. She needed to fix the situation before it got any worse, and the blonde was the only problem.
XXXXX
Lucy stumbled home with a throbbing head and dizzy vision. She'd had a nice long chat with Mira, the conversation ending with Mira teasing her about the upcoming mating season. Barely passing the threshold of her apartment, her sight blacked out completely and her knees buckled. The blonde fell to the floor, her fingers locked around the door handle in a death grip. Scenes flashed across the darkness that made up her sight, completely random and jumbled. Her parents, elbows linked as they took an evening stroll. Her mother reading her a bedtime story and kissing her goodnight. Her mother in bed, pale and frail as she whispered her final words. The funeral. Her father yelling. Running away, a train, rolling hills. A seaside town, screaming fangirls. Then… nothing. Her grip on the handle slackened as her body crumpled to the floor in a soundless heap. A half hour of utter silence passed before a cloaked figure crept up the stairs to find the blonde out cold on the floor. The figure crouched by Lucy's head and drew a gash across her cheek with a single sharpened claw.
"I'm sorry, Lucy, but you weren't supposed to come into his life. He belongs to me, not you or anyone else. You aren't part of my picture." The figure whispered. With a hidden strength, the figure swung Lucy's sleeping body over her shoulder and carried her out, dropping a small pouch onto the floor and closing the door with a quiet snap. The night hid the kidnapping in progress and ensured an undisturbed passage through town. On the outskirts of Magnolia, the figure came up to a man with a common horse cart and threw the blonde in the back before turning to the man.
"Take her anywhere, so long as it is far from here. Leave her in the woods for all I care." The figure ordered and pulled out a sack of Jewels. The man took his payment soundlessly and snapped the reins, the cart lurching into motion. The figure watched the cart until it passed out of sight and a slight smile curved her lips.
~CHAPTER 1 – PROBLEMS ~
~LUCY~
It took me a while to make my way through the dim hallways. When I first started to walk around, the walls were covered in intricate paintings of moments I treasured – times I spent with mama, my little sister Michelle, and even papa before he'd started to yell at me. Then the paintings changed to show the some of the worst parts of my life. Mama's deathbed was too painful to look at, her funeral too. Then I saw myself grow up, from a child to a young lady. My escape was painted in vivid detail, how I boarded train after train until I ended up in Hargeon. That's when the frames became empty. I knew something was missing, and it was something big. There were entire rooms of empty frames. I kept walking until the hallway faded away, signaling the end of the frames. As I watched, the hallway slowly expanded and a new frame popped into existence, containing a painting of a room with empty frames.
Are these my memories?
The thought struck me without warning, chewing its way into my head until I knew it was a certain truth. A part of my memory was missing. Not knowing what else to do, I began wandering again until I found a room with a single empty frame. It took up most of the far wall, an intricate masterpiece of cherry wood. The moment I entered the room a feeling of longing settled in my chest, pushing my feet towards the frame. It was warmer by the frame, as if it created its own heat. I frowned and my fingers brushed the wood. A sharp slice of pain followed by a flash of salmon pink ran through my head and I fell through the floor.
My eyes snapped open to reveal misty woods, the tree trunks wide enough to fit three of me in one. A veil of white shrouded the entire landscape, making me feel vulnerable. I immediately reached for my keys, planning on having Taurus the pervert up close just in case I was attacked, and received the shock of my life when I found ten gold keys rather than three. When did I manage to get Leo, Virgo, Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn? Did I have a contract with them yet? Why couldn't I remember?
"Lucy? Are you alright?" I spun around to see a lean man with bright orange hair and cat ears in a formal suit. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at me with worried eyes. I stood frozen, feeling a slight pull on my power than suggested the man was a spirit, but not knowing who he was. It felt like I should know him.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know you." I said quietly. He frowned slightly and took a step closer. I didn't feel the need to move back, some hidden part of me recognizing him as a friend.
"I'm Leo the Lion, but you call me Loke. You…" He kept talking but I couldn't hear him. His mouth formed the words but all I could read was 'pillow fight' and 'saved'.
"I can't hear you. You were talking but there was no sound." I interrupted him, not wanting to lead him astray. His frown deepened and he brushed a hand through his hair.
"Strange. What's the last thing you remember?" He blew air at a few stray spikes of orange and they tossed around on his forehead. It reminded me of someone… important.
"Hargeon. Salamander was there and then—" A splitting headache slapped my brains around and I struggled to keep the world in focus. The ground tilted and rushed up to meet me.
"Lucy!" Loke caught me right before I smacked into the dirt, setting me gently on the ground. "Hargeon, huh?"
"Yeah. Why can't I remember what happened past that moment?" I leaned heavily on my hand while the other pinched the bridge of my nose.
"I wasn't in a contract with you during that time, but I can ask Aquarius to see if she knows what happened." He straightened and offered me his hand. I took it and with pulled myself up, taking a few moments to steady myself. A pink mark on the back of my hand grabbed my attention, but looking at it sent my head into a world of pain, so I kept my eyes away from it. We began to walk, no direction in mind but knowing that anything would be better than the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, pain assaulted all of my senses and I let loose a scream while backing up. Two steps back and the pain subsided enough for me to hear Loke's confused cries.
"Lucy! What's wrong?" He shouted, running back over to me.
"I don't know. It just hurt everywhere, like I walked into a wall of pain." I reach my hand out and the moment my nerves began to explode I jerked it back. "Can you go see what's further along?"
Loke nodded and ran ahead, only to return a few minutes later with a grim look on his face. He paused, not to catch a breath but more likely to form his thoughts.
"It's what you don't remember. All of it, essentially. That's probably why you can't pass, similarly to how you get a headache when you try to remember." He muttered softly. "It's like there's a barrier that prevents you from returning to a certain part of your life."
"Most likely." I agreed. "So, what do we do now?"
"Summon Capricorn." Loke ordered and I pulled out his key.
"Why? Open Gate of the Goat: Capricorn!" I pointed the key at the mist and the goat spirit entered through his gate.
"Miss Lucy, you would like to train?" He bleated slightly when pronouncing my name, making it sound like Lu-ucy. I nodded and he gave a short bow.
"She doesn't remember …" Loke explained, and once again I couldn't hear the last words. "There is a barrier between her and the town."
"I am aware of that. As her strength grows and the barrier weakens, she will be able to pass." Capricorn dismissed Loke's worries.
"How long will it take?" I asked, suddenly feeling nervous. A feeling of dread and overwhelming worry settled in my gut. Something bad was going to happen, and soon. I had a feeling it was my fault.
"That, Miss Lucy, is completely up to you."
~MIRAJANE~
"We're back!" Natsu shouted, slamming the guild doors open and sending a passing Gray flying into the staircase. Happy darted in above Natsu's head and flew towards Charla, stars in his eyes.
"The fuck, flamebrain?!" Gray yelled back, rubbing his back as Juvia pulled him up from the stairs. Natsu's face contorted into a snarl.
"You wanna go, ice prick?" He retorted hotly, throwing his pack aside.
"Hell yeah, pyro!" Gray stalked up to Natsu and their foreheads collided. I hummed lightly as I finished cleaning another mug, watching their fight out of the corner of my eye. Erza calmly strode up to the bar and took her usual seat, folding her armored hands on the counter.
"Cake for you, Erza?" I called cheerfully before she could even open her mouth. She nodded eagerly and I set down my rag, spinning around to look at my sister. "Lisanna, can you bring two slices of strawberry cake for the back?" Lisanna gave me a thumbs up and skipped into the back room.
"She's happy today." Erza remarked. I nodded and tilted my head to the side to avoid a flying chair.
"Heya, Mira!" Natsu plopped down on a stool, the chair spinning around before coming to rest. "Where's Lucy?"
I frowned slightly. "Huh. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her today." I tapped my chin, carefully remembering all of my customers. "Maybe she's still at home?"
"She should be here soon." Erza muttered as another runaway barrel slammed into her back. Lisanna returned with the cake and quickly set it before the scarlet-haired woman, darting back to her mug-cleaning before Erza lost her cool.
"Hey, idiot! Don't leave the fight you started!" Gray taunted Natsu and the pink-haired dragon slayer immediately jumped back into the battle with a low growl.
"Ya think you can beat me?!" He challenged. Gajeel joined with a smirk and I tuned them out, resuming wiping the mugs. Erza finished off her first slice as a table slammed into her back and her fingers clenched the fork she was holding.
"Ara, ara…" I shook my head slightly. Right on cue, Erza leaped up with a cry of rage and waded into the already-massive fight, her fists flashing as she vented her anger. The guild doors slammed open again, this time to reveal a very sober Cana. Worry settled in my gut – very few things could get Cana sober, and none of them were good. Everyone looked at the card mage in worry.
"What's wrong, Cana?" Erza strode out of the mess, her sword in one hand and a whimpering Jet in the other.
"It's Lucy." Cana panted. She paused to catch her breath, leaving the guild in unbearable tension.
"What's wrong with Lucy?" Natsu growled, his eyes dangerous. Behind me, Lisanna sucked in a pained breath.
"She's gone. It's in my cards, and I found this in her apartment." The brunette held up a small pouch covered in runes. A stink bag, newest item on the market for disguising your scent. The whole guild seemed to hold its breath as Team Natsu dashed past Cana, each rushing towards the blonde's apartment. Levy gently guided the card mage to the bar. I offered her a fresh cup of beer and she sipped it gratefully, relaxing slightly as the she swallowed the drink.
"Tell us what happened, step by step." Levy demanded, jumping onto a neighboring stool. Gajeel stood next to her, hand crossed and a frown on his face. Nearby, Jet and Droy wailed in misery as the looming iron dragon slayer was blocking their teammate from them.
"I was bored, so I decided to read my cards to see if I could have some fun. Maybe assist Mira in matchmaking." Cana took a long swing of her drink. I smiled sweetly at her comment and the rest of the guild shuddered visibly. "Instead, the cards quite literally read that Lucy was missing."
"How did you know it was Lucy?" Lisanna piped up. Cana shot her a pained glance.
"Not many people in this guild are the dragon's princess, eh?" The brunette said with a grimace. The meaning behind the words wasn't missed, and it did nothing to lighten the mood. If anything, it just made it worse. "I went straight to her apartment and found a stink bag instead of Lucy." Cana finished with another long sip. The guild broke up into smaller groups, each discussing Lucy's disappearance. I performed a final swipe on the mug in my hands and filled it up with more beer, walking over to the drunk.
"Thanks, Mira." Cana sighed, switching out the mugs. I nodded and rinsed out her old one, methodically wiping the surface dry. "We need to find Lucy, and fast."
"Huh?" I lifted my eyes to meet her troubled ones. Her intended meaning came crashing into me like a freight train.
"You were teasing her about it just yesterday. Don't tell me you've forgotten already." Cana frowned.
"Oh, my." I put a hand to my mouth, my eyes widening in worry. Cana nodded glumly. Levy quickly noticed our darkening mood and broke off her conversation with Gajeel.
"What's wrong?" She asked slowly. Gajeel rolled his eyes and answered for us.
"Ain't it obvious, shrimp? Bunny girl is Salamander's. Without her, he'll go crazy when the season hits." He drawled. Levy's eyes widened in horror and she shot a panicked glance towards the guild doors.
"Oh, my." She whispered. Cana nodded glumly and drained her beer. If we didn't find Lucy, Natsu might not be able to keep himself sane. Last season was bad enough, but at least Lucy was there. She took it quite well, considering how her best friend and partner almost lost it and nearly tore the guild to pieces. She'd been the one to calm him down, letting him be overprotective and extremely possessive without complaint. According to Gajeel, each season got worse until the dragon slayer claimed his mate. Natsu had wanted to give Lucy time, but without her here the rest of us might not have enough.