Buried Truth

Dedicated to my friend who is on the other side of the world.

Genres: Adventure, Action, Hurt/Comfort, Romance

Note: This story will have minor cursing in it and a fairly large amount of OCs. Constructive criticism is also great! I'd love know if there's anything I could do to make this story even better. Please enjoy!

Introduction

"Who are you...?"

I forced out while I backed away out of instinct.

There are so many eyes. I hadn't seen so many humans since... I don't remember. I don't remember anything.

"Na- HEY!"

I released a blast of magic in front of myself. I nearly gasped. It was so long since I felt this... This feeling, when there's this tingling inside me that expands and expands until it get released on the outside.

My magic. My fire. My only comfort.

Suddenly something awakened inside me. There was an eerie feeling to it. Threatening almost.

I couldn't understand what was happening when I suddenly said, "I'm back."

It was like someone was controlling my body.

Inside my head, I heard a monotone voice say takeover complete.

That is when darkness started to descend upon us.

"Please! Come with us! You haven't been joining us in the jobs for so long… Come with us pluheeeese?"

Happy circled her head, pouting in sadness.

Lucy sat at the table, hands folded in her lap, leaving the roll of crispy bread untouched on her plate.

"I dunno. I'm feeling kind tired today. Maybe next time."

They said to trust in our friends…

"Oh… That's ok. I'll ask again next time." Happy said, not pushing the matter any further, knowing it'll get him nowhere and flew towards the door, following Grey and Elfman, who was depressed that his two sisters decided to have some sisterly fun without him today.

And I did trust him.

Lucy stood up from her seat.

"You're not gonna eat your breakfast?" Gajeel grumbled boredly from a table near her.

"No."

Gajeel strolled over and swiped the bread into his mouth then walked away chewing obnoxiously.

Lucy sighed, walking out the front doors, heading to her home.

So how come he never came back?

Swirling magic danced inside Lucy's room, lightening up the space inside. She felt the inside of her tickle with the trickling power that gently flowed through her veins.

Lucy sat on the floor with her legs crossed and hands resting on her knees. Her eyes were closed with concentration.

Small magic particles snuck towards Lucy, and started to join as one with the rest of the magic surrounding her.

Suddenly, she released her hold on her concentration and the dancing magic around her disappeared.

That was what, like two hours?

"I'm improving." Lucy muttered, allowing herself to smile a bit.

It was like exercise, except it was magic exercise. Letting her mind go slack and concentrate only on what she had to do- which was gathering the magic around her and keeping as much magic as possible continuously flowing around herself, to be able to last longer while using magic, and to release greater quantities of magic at a time. It was honestly pretty hard, but her training was going well.

Capricorn had designed the practice for her a few months ago, not really knowing how it would turn out. He was pleased to know it was helping Lucy.

Lucy pushed off from the ground using a chair and stretched, groaning because of her sore legs. That was definitely the downside of this training.

She walked over to her drawers of clothing and slipped it open. Lucy felt like she go for a walk. Sitting for that long probably wasn't very good for her.

She stripped out of her white and blue striped shirt and skirt and undid her hair tie that she used to tie the hair on the side of her head. Roaming around her drawer, she picked out a casual and comfortable outfit.

Lucy sighed in bliss as the soft, light blue wool sweater was pulled over her head and rested against her skin. The soft texture was relaxing, making her feel more collected than she usually was these days. Lucy pulled on a pair of navy colored jeans to match the sweater.

Her blonde hair was left untied, resting lightly against her back. It had grown long since the two years that Natsu had disappeared…

Lucy flinched at the sudden thought of Natsu in her mind. Pressure started building in her eyes, threatening to break through. She rested her head and hands against the wall, her fingers digging into it.

She needed to feel grounded. To face reality. To not fly away into her depressing thoughts that plagued her mind. Lucy mentally pushed her thoughts to the back of her head and took a deep breath.

Pushing against the wall, she walked to front door, slipping on flip flops. Going outside would clear her head.

She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. For some reason, she felt anxiety inside of her.

Hopefully this isn't some kind of omen.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she walked over to the side of the river, a habit that was probably safer to break, but she just felt so happy walking on the low wall that bordered the river even though she could accidentally fall into the river.

Strolling along, watching the birds tweet, seeing the children playing on the sidewalks, all made her smile and forget her worries. A slight breeze blew, brushing the single strands of hair to the back of her shoulders.

After a while, Lucy arrived at the bridge that stretched from one side of the river to the other. If she went across the bridge, she could keep walking and go visit Happy's house… which Happy used to share with Natsu… but Natsu wasn't here anymore.

She started over the bridge, since she figured there was really nothing else she had planned for the rest of the day. Maybe she could just catch a small glimpse of the house then go right back home…

Crossing over the bridge, Lucy ascended into a paced jog, and head towards the path she now knew like the back of her hand. Running made her feel more alive.

As she went deeper into the woods that it was located in, the path had more vegetation that could be seen growing on it.

The whistling wind caressed her hair, which was bouncing up and down in harmony with Lucy's running steps. She used her arm to push back any small twigs or vines that appeared in front of her.

After a few minutes, Lucy encountered the sign with the words "Natsu & Happy" on it. A second later, their house came into view and Lucy slowed to a stop.

The house looked the same as always, still having that infamous tree poking through the walls of the house.

CRASH!

The sound reverberated through the woods, the origin seemingly coming from inside the house.

Wait. Wasn't Happy on a job with Grey and Elfman? Why is he here?

Lucy shuffled backwards on the dirt path slowly. Her pulse quickened with confusion and a tint of fear. Could it be a stranger ransacking through the house?

This was bad. Something unwanted could be inside that house that was precious to Happy. Lucy had to do something about this.

Before she could take another step, another sound came from the house.

"NOO! I broke my favorite plate! Awwww now what will I do?"

Lucy didn't think she could feel any more relieved. So it WAS Happy. But how come he was already home?

Lucy walked the rest of the way to the house and knocked on the door calling in, "Happy! It's me, Lucy. Can I come in?"

"U-UH… Could you wait out there for a second? I gotta tidy up some stuff…"

Oh goodness… What did he do this time?

Lucy barged in without permission and her jaws nearly dropped to the floor. The whole room was a complete mess! Plates were all over the floor, books, junk, and some more random junk were thrown haphazardly as well, and Lucy could even see a half eaten fish just left on a cabinet, gathering dust.

Happy was just standing in the middle of it all, holding up a cloth with several fish in it.

"I was hungry so I was searching for something to eat…"

Lucy burst into laughter and walked further inside, hopping over the mess.

"What a mess! You sure know how to make a racket. Let's clean this up now," Lucy said, picking up a few unbroken plates and stacking them on a table.

Happy plopped onto the worn-down couch, munching on a fish.

"Jusht don't make it too clean. It'sh harder to find stuff," Happy commented with his mouth half full.

A few minutes passed with only silence except for the clanging of things being set on tables and Happy's munching.

"How come you're here?" Lucy asked, finally stated what was plaguing her mind.

"Hwuh? Wrat do you mean?"

"Weren't you supposed to be on a job?"

Happy halted his eating for a few seconds to answer.

"Oh, I just decided I was kinda tired and didn't want to go," he quoted from what she had previously said to him.

Sighing, Lucy grabbed a broom and started to sweep the junk and broken plate pieces into a pile after picking up the rest of the junk that she wasn't going to throw out. Sweeping, she noticed that she forgot to pick up a picture frame that was flipped upside down.

Lucy picked it up and flipped it over. It was a picture of Natsu and Happy happily munching on fish together by a lake.

"How are you handling this… With Natsu gone and everything?" Lucy asked, her voice filled with grief and sorrow.

Happy went still, the fish now out of his mouth.

"Natsu isn't gone. He'll come back," Happy quietly replied.

"But-"

"I'm sure he's still alive! I can feel it! We don't know where he is, or what happened to him, but I trust him! I know he'll come back…" Happy said, sniffling and wiping his eyes.

Lucy's heart skipped a beat.

I was the one who stopped believing. It's not that they got used to him not being here. It's that they trust him, something I should have done this whole time.

"Thank you… thank you, Happy."

For making me understand. I was lost, but now I can see the path through the darkness once more, Lucy thought while lifting her right hand, smiling at the fairy insignia, the image searing into her heart.

"Go. Just walk up to them. That's all you need to do," the fully cloaked man said, harshly shoving the boy out from the behind the tree.

Another man behind a thick tree a few feet away from the was sitting on the ground, eyes closed, concentrating on something.

The boy walked up to the two strangers in the clearing.

Grey stuck out an arm in front of Elfman. He strained his ears, hearing the faint shuffling of feet on leaves and twigs as it got louder and louder.

Grey's heart stopped for a second. His brain seemed to stop working, as he could not comprehend what, why, or how this was happening.

"Who are you…?" the person said, now standing in front of Grey and Elfman.

The guy's long pink hair swayed in the wind, multiple scars doning his face, his body rigid with caution. He wore old, worn leather hunting clothes that seemed a size too big for him.

It was Natsu.

Natsu, who had turned extremely bony and thin, and had gotten multiple terrible injuries that could be seen in all the places that were not covered by clothing. His hair had also elongated, making him look like a wild animal.

"Na- HEY!"

A burst of fire stretched towards Grey and Elfman in the gap between them and Natsu.

It vanished just as quickly.

What the hell what the hell what the hell.

Elfman was looking just as pale and confused.

Suddenly the atmosphere shifted. Something hummed in the air, but it was not sound nor could it be seen. It could not have been detected with any senses. It was almost like a premonition. Grey felt the hum in his very core.

Is this magic I sense?

But it could not have been magic. This was something different, but what?

"I'm back."

Natsu was now standing in a relaxed position. Not like the tense way he was standing before. He offered a small grin towards them, which seemed sincere but also strange.

Elfman looked at Natsu, shocked, his eyes glittering with unshed tears.

Grey stared at Natsu, gone for two years, with cold calculation in his eyes. This couldn't have been Natsu. Gods be damned, Natsu would never act this strange. Grey was almost a hundred percent sure that Natsu would never act this calm after two years of not seeing them.

If it was something he had learned throughout his life, it was to always be alert to anything that could potentially be dangerous. Even if it was his most precious friend on earth.

Another thought flew by Grey's head. But if it really was Natsu, then it would change things.

Only when Natsu proved that he was truly himself, would Grey yield.

"Natsu… welcome back."

But for now, he'd play along.

Abandoning their mission to eradicate a few monsters that were seen in the forest, Elfman and Grey walked back along a winding path towards the train station, Natsu in between them, with his relaxed walking gait and signature grin on his face.

"I seriously missed you guys. Sorry I was gone for so long. I only planned to be gone for a month but it seems like I was gone for five months. Seriously, I'm so sorry," Natsu said, his hand scratching his head.

Elfman gave pause.

"Five months?! You were gone for two years! What were you doing anyway?"

Grey could tell that Elfman hadn't noticed the strange way that Natsu was acting. Elfman's eyes' shone, brightening like the way it did when Lisanna had come back when he had thought she was gone for good.

"Woah seriously? Dang, I didn't realize it was that long. Guess it makes sense since my hair got so long, hahahaha."

Natsu sounded carefree, like how he did two years back, but Grey still couldn't shake off that weird feeling. He had known Natsu for so long, and he just knew there was something off.

"You didn't answer the question flame-brain, where did you go and what were you doing?" Grey cut in.

Natsu seemed to hesitate a little before speaking, "A while back, I met a man while training somewhere by myself. He had this special aura about him. He said he would train me, turn me into a true warrior, if I go to him sometime in the future when he would call me to him. I wasn't allowed to tell anyone until after the training was completed, or else he would not meet me."

"Oh well, I can't wait until we get back to the guild! Everyone will be so excited to see you!" Elfman said enthusiastically.

Natsu grinned.

"I can't wait!"

Brianna knelt in front of the king.

Her head started the throbbing that she always had to suffer before the mind assault would would start.

The Vision. The magic that only the king was able to use.

The dark throne room grew even gloomier as the dark magic surrounding them intensified. The black aura around the king slithered towards her and surrounded her being.

"Open up to me," the magic hissed.

Brianna relaxed her mind, letting the magic take control of her memories.

The magic slithered through her memories, seeking what it would trying to find. Brianna tensed up, going against her instincts, not letting herself try to block out the magic that left an icky feeling as it crawled through her mind.

Finally it found what it had wanted- an image of her, shoving the boy towards his former guildmates, and Nick taking over Natsu and making him do and say everything according to plan.

The slithering magic disappeared instantly.

"Nice work. Now leave my sight. Make sure Nicholas is doing his job well. I will give you a message the next time that I decide to summon you."

"Yes, your majesty."

Brianna stood up slowly, shaky from her mind being invaded. The single purple gem stared back at her from the crown that the king wore.

"Well?"

"I apologize, your majesty."

She retreated towards the exit, swiftly and silently like a shadow, pulling her hood up along the way. Face concealed, she released a shaky sigh as she walked down the dark, echoing corridor.

"Swift." Brianna muttered under her breath.

The air around her started to come alive as it supported her weight and increased her speed three-fold.

Brianna ran on her toes, the wind pushing her forward, navigating the huge castle the same way she had done countless times before. The slight sound of her shoes on the black and blue checkered marble floor echoed throughout the halls.

The halls were currently all empty except for herself. It was late at night and no one was currently around.

Pushing back the strands of dark violet hair that had swept across her face, Brianna slowed down as she spotted the massive entrance doors to the castle. She placed her palms on both sides of the doors and the doors automatically opened for her.

As she stepped through, they immediately closed.

She looked at her tingling palms, at the magic black diamond mark that adorned both of her hands. She had gotten them when she made a sacred oath to devote her life to the king, willingly.

She'd do it again and again, because the king was the first person to have accepted her as a human, even when no one else did. The world hated her and she hated the world. Except for a single man.

Brianna clenched her fists and set them back down at her side. It was time to go check on Nick to see how he was faring currently.

The moon was full as she ran under the starry, letting the wind carry her towards her next destination.

"Nick."

He turned his head and met Brianna's cold, green eyes.

They were situated behind the boy's guild, which was currently quiet. The boy had fallen asleep inside the guild, his body down from exhaustion. A few of his comrades had stayed with him, camping out inside the guild instead of their respective houses. There had been some huge commotion early, with his reunion with his guild.

"How is it going?"

Without needing Brianna to elaborate, Nick instantly responded with, "Well. Everything going to plan. The only part that was a bit shaky was when he was reunited with the rest of his friends. Put up a fight against my control, but I was able to hold on just barely."

"Tch. Next time I expect no slip-ups. Do better."

Brianna glared at him.

Nick crossed his arms and glared back cooly.

"I said I was still able to hold on. Don't go twisting my words."

"Tch." Brianna repeated, breaking the stare.

They leaned against the trees in silence, listening to the night critters roaming around.

Out of nowhere, a tree branch snapped towards their right and light from a lantern shone forward.

With speedy reactions, they crouched down, hiding behind bushes.

As the person drew closer, Brianna started to prepare to use her magic to get them on top of a tree so they wouldn't be found. If they were found, that would mean seriously trouble. They couldn't let whoever was coming see their faces and remember them. If the person did, they would be able to possibly trace Brianna and Nick back to their king, which would spell disaster.

Secrecy before anything else. The king's orders.

Sensing what Brianna was about to do, Nick immediately set his hand on her shoulder to stop her before she uses her magic.

"If you do it, it would make too much sound and would alert them to our presence," he whispered in her ear.

The footsteps became louder. Brianna lowered her hands, preparing to take out the knife hidden in her boots.

Nick shook his head vigorously.

Shit. He's right. Brianna thought as she pulled her hand back. It would be extremely troublesome if she killed one of the boy's guildmates.

Heart beating fast, with fear coursing through her, Brianna waited as the person slowly walked forward, coming closer and closer with the light that could reveal themselves.

As Erza turned to where she thought she had dropped her bracelet a few hours ago, she was instead greeted by two teenagers with their heads pressed together, kissing.

"Wh-whu-uh-ah." Erza stuttered, her face burning as red as her hair.

"I-I'm sorry!"

She turned on her heels and ran the way she came from, but not without noticing the girl's pretty violet hair that spilled over her shoulders.

After the person's footsteps had finally faded away, Nick finally dropped his arms that were pressed against the tree, surrounding Brianna.

"Th-That was insane! Are you crazy?!"

Brianna flipped her hood back up and turned her head away to hide her growing blush. Her heart pounded from the unexpected moment.

"Hey, at least it worked. The girl only had a one second glance at us."

"Well, what if it didn't work?! And my hood fell off too! She could've saw my hair!"

Nick shifted uncomfortably.

"It was the only thing I could come up with on the spot. And it did work so no more complaining. And you can just dye your hair."

Brianna just sighed, knowing arguing would do nothing. She was just angry that he had the guts to try to kiss her. The king's personal spy and messenger, his eyes and ears.

Although it didn't hurt that he did not seem too repelled by kissing her…

Because no one would accept a corrupt murderer.

As he looked beyond the cages of his mind, Natsu saw everything and heard everything. But he could not do anything. All he felt was cold. He was shivering, but only on the inside. It felt so dark, even with the light of happiness in the outside world while he was trapped in his own body.

Natsu leaned against the invisible barrier that blocked him from controlling his own body. He felt large ripples that broke his control.

Releasing all his resistance against the barrier, he decided to just settle down to watch what was happening on the outside.

Who were all these people?

Natsu had no recollection of anything.

Maybe he'd try to think of his family.

And out came the exact same result. No response from his mind.

Wait. Who am I? Where did I come from? Why can't I remember anything?

Natsu. His name was Natsu. That's all he knew.

Out of nowhere an image of a knife came out of nowhere.

He screamed and screamed internally, hoping someone would hear, understand his pain.

Only silence answered back.

Lucy's tears streamed down her face as she hugged Natsu, holding on so tightly that Natsu staggered back a step.

"Natsu! Why did you leave?! It was so much lonelier without you…"

"Don't worry. I'm back now," Natsu said, giving her a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Lucy didn't notice, too wrapped up in her happiness.

There were others standing behind her, getting extremely teary eyed at seeing Natsu again after two years without his fire that lit up the darkness.

After Lucy pulled back, others immediately jumped on him, hugging Natsu to death.

Lucy couldn't explain the swelling happiness in her heart as she saw all her comrades coming together, all feeling the same joy.

Happy was right. Always trust in your friends and don't stop believing until the end.

She could not believe her eyes when she had stepped into the guild and saw him right there. Only a few feet away.

Erza barked at everyone to give him some space, the area started to turn silent until Natsu broke the sudden tension.

"All of you… I'm sorry I was away for so long, but I have learned a lot on my travels. I want to share with all you what I have learned. I will start from the beginning and leave nothing out. And… I am happy to be back with all of you. With all of Fairy Tail."

The responding cheers resonated throughout the sky.