I do not own Fairy Tail. All rights are preserved to Hiro Mashima.
A hushed sort of atmosphere laid, thick and heavy, over the Fairy Tail guild. It was late into a summer afternoon, and only a trickle of jobs had been filing through in recent times. Nobody had any energy left to move - they were either in the pleasant phase of half-drunk, half-sober, passed out or just lounging around. It was oddly peaceful, for such a rowdy guild. The only movement that could be detected was the lazy flicking of a blue Exceed's tail, as he perched quite precariously on one of the rafters.
Even Natsu, the loud-mouthed energetic Dragonslayer couldn't muster up the energy to start a brawl. In fact, he was slumped over a table, happily snoozing away with a bit of dribble oozing from his mouth. Erza was silently eating away at her cake, her usual armour that she wore nowhere in sight. It seemed even Titania couldn't handle the sweltering heat and laziness of that day.
Things were going well in Fairy Tail. Sure, they may have lost their big, fancy guild hall, and they may only have a fraction of members of what they once had, but the Tenrou Team had returned after seven long years! Even though the number of jobs were not as high was they used to be, they were still content with the life they had. After all, their family was back - safe and sound.
It was a week after partying, and there was nothing left to do for the Tenrou Team. The others, having gotten used to no jobs for seven years, were not as bothered with how peaceful and slow life seemed, but the Team weren't happy; being used to many jobs to choose from, and many dangerous yet exciting missions to complete. Right now, the most exciting job they had received was to find a lost child - who turned out to be hiding under the bed.
Still, everyone was content. No one was dead, and no one was missing. Everyone was together, happy. What more could they ask for? But... something felt wrong. Like, they were missing something. Something... important. Just of lates, everything seemed more gloomy and downhearted. Everyone, of course, asked the Rain Woman if she was the one behind it. Julia, of course, denied it all, a furious blush settling across her cheeks. "Besides, it has been sunny all week! Julia has done nothing wrong!"
Very odd, indeed.
It was only then, as the door was quietly pushed open, did it click for everyone; Lucy! Lucy wasn't here to lighten up the mood! It was odd for her not to be present at the guild, but everyone figured she must've been resting at home. Natsu snapped out of his nap, and began to look around the guild. How could he forget about Lucy! Happy twitched into action, and gently floated down to rest utop of Natsu's head. "Natsu, where's Lushy?" He asked, big eyes peering down into Natsu's black ones.
Natsu only shrugged as an answer, before getting up and getting rid of the last remains of sleep. "Dunno, but you wanna go find her?" When his feline friend nodded and stretched his wings out, Natsu headed for the door, vaguely taking note of the stranger who had just stepped in. Maybe they wanted to join? Something was familiar about them, though... Natsu stiffened as he walked past the stranger.
Strawberry caramel... where had he smelt that before? Ignoring Happy's small "Natsu? What are you doing?" Natsu turned around to face the stranger, who was heading up the stairs to the second floor. He was half tempted to shout after them - after all, they weren't allowed onto the second floor - but stayed silent as they opened the door to the Master's office. They really were going to join, then. Natsu couldn't shake the feeling that he knew them, so he leaned against the guild wall, right beside the door. "Natsu! Aren't we going to find Lushy?" Happy whined, tugging at his scarf.
He turned back to him, smiling. "Yeah, you go ahead and see if she's in her apartment. I'll follow later, yeah?" Happy nodded, a tinge of confusion mixing with his scent, before he flew off. Natsu sighed, fixing his scarf back to it's original position. He felt guilty with sending Happy off, but... he was suspicious. Who was this mystery stranger who smelt so familiar? On top of that, the stranger was wearing a cloak that completely concealed their face... very suspicious. None of his friends seemed to have noticed them, which seemed even more odd to the Dragonslayer. After all, he was sure that Erza and that stripper had a keen eye... maybe he was looking into it too much?
Natsu sniffed the air again, angling his senses into the Master's office. It was hard, since Gramp's always set up wards around the blasted room, but he could make out the faint scent of distress and tears coming from him. Natsu gulped, half tempted to leap up there himself and kick the door down, but stopped himself. Unusual, Natsu thought, he never held back before. Maybe the heat was making him drowsy after all... He strained his senses once again, noting that instead of anger or horror, Gramp's almost seemed... sad? Sad? Why that? Natsu twitched, catching a slip of noise through the door.
"Leaving- child- if you must-" Natsu gaped, standing straight. Was someone leaving? Who? Natsu whipped his head around, searching for a face that was missing. No one - nothing seemed out of the odds. Everyone's scent was still here, except...
He smelt him before he saw him. Happy's normally fishy scent was laced with panic and sadness. "Natsu! Natsu!" Natsu turned, to see Happy heading towards him, full speed and with tears in his eyes. Natsu caught Happy as soon as he flew close enough, and peered down at his old friend. "What is it, Happy? Did you find Lucy?" He asked, forgetting about the stranger in Master's office. Happy shook his head vigorously, "no! Lushy wasn't in her house! She wasn't there, Natsu!" Happy wailed, gaining the attention from everyone in the guild.
"Hey, Pinkie, what's going on here?" Natsu heard Gray ask. He could barely care about the insult now. Lucy was missing? How? And when? How did Natsu miss this? He grit his teeth. He had spent the whole time celebrating with his guild mates, not bothering to check up on Lucy. Even when the party ended... he had just thought she was resting, and didn't want to disturb her! And now... who knows where she was? She sure as hell wasnt on a job, Mira would've known about that! "Happy, what did Lucy's apartment look like when you got there?" Natsu asked.
"Um, it was really tidy... but it was very dusty, and looked like no one had been living there..." Happy sniffled, cuddling into Natsu's arms, "what's happened to Lushy, Natsu?" Before Natsu could even reply, he was turned around roughly by an armoured hand. He was met, face to face, with a confused and slightly angry Erza. "Natsu, explain what is happening this instant. What happened to Lucy? Where is-"
They were all interrupted by the opening of the Master's office door, which - even by being so quiet - had the effect of silencing the raucous. Natsu's eyes widened as the stranger with the sweet scent stepped out, black cloak swishing at their heels. There was a strange smell of what seemed like sadness mixed with determination waving off of them, and the guild could only watch as they stalked down the stairs, passing them without so much as a glance.
Again, Natsu was struck with how familiar the scent was... was this person leaving the guild? Natsu didn't even know who they were...
Instinctively, Natsu reached out to grab the stranger's arm just as they passed him. They stopped in their tracks, turning around ever so slightly. "Who are you?" Natsu asked, trying to see under the stranger's hood. He heard them suck in a deep, ragged breath, as if they were shocked by something. They tried shaking Natsu's hand off, but just struggled uselessly. "Hey, just answer my question!" Natsu said again, a little bit annoyed by how vague the stranger was being.
They just continued to struggle, now pulling harshly against Natsu's grip. Their arm was soft and slim under the cloak... a girl, then. "Oi, just-!" Natsu lost his voice as he caught a glimpse of shockingly blonde hair. Suddenly, it all hit him. Lucy not being in the guild for two weeks. Happy not finding Lucy anywhere in the apartment. The conversation with Gramp's... wait, the conversation with Gramp's?
Did Lucy want to leave? Was that why she hadn't been seen for so long? Was that why her apartment was abandoned? But why? Why would she want to leave Fairy Tail. She had said - multiple times - that Fairy Tail was her home. Her family. So why? Was it because they had been ignoring her for almost two weeks straight? Guilt spurred through his chest. Why didn't he check up on her? Why didn't he visit? Drag her into the celebrations? Instead, he had just sat in the guild, getting drunk and having fun. Why hadn't he bothered?
In his shock, he hadn't noticed he had let go of her arm. He was dimly aware of the others shouting after her, a mix of confusion and shock running rampant. He ignored it all. He could only focus on the turning back of Lucy, and how she walked calmly through the doors of what she once called home.
There was nothing he could do.
Lucy gulped down her last drop of water from her bottle. She suddenly wished that she put more thought into her packing - what was she thinking, surviving off a few bottles and a basket of food? To make it even worse, she had to live in the woods for a whole fortnight! Lucy grumbled at herself. Ah well, she thought, as she leant against the tall oak tree. At least she was away from... them.
It started when they got back. The first day was fine, albeit a bit awkward. Lucy couldn't believe that they had been gone for seven years, so she tried hard to socialise with the guildmates that they had left behind. They all seemed a bit... startled, and if Lucy wasn't wrong, a little bit wary. They hardly answered her questions, or attempted to continue any conversation she's started. It was as if they just wanted her to leave.
To be honest, Lucy was hurt and surprised, but shook it off as nerves and excitement. She instead tried to talk to the other Tenrou Team. But they were too busy partying and drinking to hold a proper conversation with her. The night ended with Lucy going home early, still disappointingly sober and alone. At least, her landlady had let her in - albeit begrudgingly - and told her that she had been keeping Lucy's apartment until she returned. Lucy had cuddled into her bed, happy and content.
She had waited until late into the night for her friends to barge into her apartment, like they always had before. Surprisingly, none of them came. Not even Natsu. If Lucy was to tell the truth, she cried herself to sleep that night. Although she had convinced herself that she shouldn't be selfish, that she shouldn't keep her friends from partying with their guildmates, that she should've just stayed at the guild if she wanted to be near them... a small part of her couldn't help but feel sorrowful and bitter.
Of course, when she went back the next day, they were still partying hard - so hard, that she could barely open the door without knocking over a pile of unconscious bodies. For such a small place, with so little members, Lucy was confused why it was so crowded. Natsu was standing on top of the bar, shirt off and beer in hand.
Lisanna was pressed tightly against his chest, her face flushed with what Lucy hoped was alcohol (but a small part of her knew that it was probably because she was against Natsu's chest). Natsu was yelling something unintelligible, but the crowd roared with agreement anyways. Lucy had tried to edge closer to her best friend, but each time she was a step closer she had been pushed back by the crowd.
"Natsu! Hey, Natsu!" She had yelled, trying to get her voice heard over the screaming and music. Somehow, she caught his attention. But, to Lucy's dismay, instead of his face lighting up like it always had when he saw her, it somehow darkened with something that Lucy had hoped wasn't anger. "Natsu! Can you come down here for a sec? I wanna-"
Lucy was interrupted by Lisanna's unusually cold, high-pitched voice, "Natsu? Who is this blonde bitch?" Lucy was so shocked at what she had said, she let herself be pushed away by the crowd. Lucy's couldn't remember much about that night, but something seemed off about Natsu's eyes. They seemed... more cold, and black than usual. Not the normal burning coal that it usually was. She had run home crying after that incident, playing over Lisanna's words over and over again in her head. Why?
Every day for a week, Lucy tried to get Natsu's attention. Or anyone's attention, for that matter. But, each continuous day, people grew colder and colder to her, until finally, they just completely ignored her.
"Levy? Hey, Levy, can I talk to you for a second please?"
"Um, okay?"
"What do you think of this book idea? I might start writing a book about it-"
"Give up already Blondie, you don't have the talent to write an actual book."
Lucy stopped trying after Levy, her best friend, completely blew her off. She just... stopped going to the guild after that. But apparently, that wasn't enough for them. 'Til this day, Lucy had no idea why they decided to visit her apartment at that time.
It was about midnight, if Lucy could remember correctly, when they all came in through the window. She had just finished her bath, and was getting ready to go to bed. She remembered walking into her bedroom, and they were all in there, Natsu on the windowsill, Erza standing beside the door, Gray rocking on her desk chair and Lisanna sitting on her bed. She had felt so happy then, when all of them had visited her.
So happy, she had forgotten all about the remarks and cold shoulders that they had been giving her all week.
"Guys!" She had said, jumping onto the bed near Lisanna. "I'm so happy that you guys are visiting! I've been so-" She had been cut off when Lisanna suddenly started to giggle. Not knowing any better, Lucy started to laugh too, giving Lisanna a hug. "Oh, guys, it's so good to see-"
She was cut off again, but for a completely different reason. She felt the cold, sharp point of a sword pressing against her back. Erza? Lucy had been confused. "Let go of Lisanna this instant!" Slowly, she put her arms to her side, and turned around. Erza was standing by the edge of her bed, body tense and sword glinting dangerously. "E-Erza?" Lucy whispered, half-shocked and half-worried. What was going on?
Erza only glared at her, before putting her sword back into it's sheath. "Lucy Heartfilia," Erza started, "you must leave Fairy Tail immediately." A heavy silence followed after that statement, with Lucy not believing what she had just said. "W-what? What do you mean by that? Erza?" When Erza didn't answer her, she turned to the two boys, desperately hoping that this was a joke. "Guys? What's going on? If this is a joke, it's not funny!" When the two also did not respond, she turned to the white-haired girl next to her. "Lisanna? What's going on? Tell me you're all just joking!"
It was only then, did she get an answer. "Well, at this point, you're just more deadweight to the guild. You haven't been coming for two weeks, and you've missed out on some important talk for the guild. If you're not going to contribute to the group's effort, better head off then, shouldn't you?"
Lucy had been shocked. "C-contribution? Deadweight? What do you mean, Lisanna? This- this wasn't- you guys have been partying for a whole week now! How was I supposed to know-"
"It is compulsory for a member of Fairy Tail to drop by at least once a day, in case of a special event, or we need to have a guild meeting. If you do not come for a week... well, I'm afraid you've broken the rules, Lucy." Erza stated calmly, relaxing her posture. Lucy had been so confused at that point. "I-I didn't know that this was a rule! Can't I just be let off? Just this once?" She had tried so desperately to cling onto anything, anything, to let her stay at Fairy Tail. At home. She still remembered the horrible feeling of dread creeping up her spine, sending shivers wracking through her body.
They all denied her, even Natsu. It had all hit her in a rush, after that. Was that why she was being ignored by the whole guild? Was she not pulling her weight enough? Dark thoughts raced through her head, each one sending her into a deeper panic. She had begged and pleaded after that, promising things and bargaining. None of them would listen to her. Eventually, Erza became angry and drew out her sword again, saying that if she's wasn't gone in a week's time, they would forcibly remove her mark.
They left, after that. One by one, filing through her door, none of them so much as glancing back. Lisanna was the last one to exit, but by that point, Lucy couldn't remember anything more. It had all been a blur after that - maybe she collapsed onto the floor, the pain too great for her to handle? Or maybe her mind just blocked it all out, in attempts to quell the stinging rejection. She was sure though, Lisanna had spoken to her about something. Lucy dimly remembered seeing Lisanna's mouth move, before she too left.
The week had flown by after that. Lucy had slowly begun to realise that she was going to have to leave her home - once again. Fairy Tail had no place for the weak, especially the state that they were in at the moment. How stupid of her, to think that she could help in any way? She betted that they only put up with her because they felt sorry for her.
Lucy had left her apartment after that. She packed all of the essentials (which turned out to not be enough) and left a long letter on her desk; one to Fairy Tail, one to Natsu specifically, and one to her landlady. She had left most of her wardrobe behind, deeming it all too inappropriate for the journey she was packing for.
She had decided to go on a journey to become stronger, in hopes that one day, Fairy Tail will accept her back as a fully-fledged, capable Mage who could defend them properly. Even though she knew, that the journey would be a long, hard one, she was ready to accept anything... as long as she would be able to call Fairy Tail 'home' again.
Everything had been planned. She had done a number of jobs the past week, earning as much Jewels as she could. She had avoided going anywhere near Fairy Tail, and went on missions far away and discreet. Her magic skill slowly started to grow, although it was nowhere near the level she wanted it to be. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Lucy now wore a fingerless glove to hide her Fairy Tail mark from any strangers. She didn't want anyone asking why she wasn't doing the jobs on Fairy Tail's behalf - and she also didn't want to cause her family any trouble if anyone decided to go investigating. They would be mad, too, that Lucy hadn't left yet. On one of her missions, she received a ebony, floor-sweeping cloak as a tip. She wasn't sure of it first - she honestly didn't really like the colour black that much, and she wasn't sure if the cloak would weigh her down while she was fighting.
She tried it on, and absolutely loved it. Sure, the colour might be a little too dark for her tastes, but it hid her identity well and was surprisingly light. It was also hooded, and shimmered slightly in direct light. It was perfect for her. She also considered getting a mask, but eventually decided against it - after all, it would stop her from seeing as well as she did.
Fast forward a week, and it was finally time for her to leave. Even after a week of preparation (she had even been living in the nearby woods to prepare herself for the harsh environments she would inevitably end up in) she hadn't been able to fully accept the fact that she would be leaving. She couldn't help but let a few tears out every time she thought of the fact. She would always berate herself afterwards - after all, powerful Mages don't cry!
Lucy sighed, and stood up. She was dizzy from the afternoon heat, and her normally light cloak seemed much heavier than usual. Even her bag - which had the bare minimum stuffed into it - felt like she was carrying a ton of stones. She must work on her muscle strength, Lucy thought, as she strained to walk under the blearing heat. You never see powerful Mages struggling under the heat, she told herself.
Even from the distance she was at, she could see the hill that Fairy Tail sat upon. The windmill stood still, not even an ounce of movement in its frame. There was no cool breeze to blow it, after all. Why did she have to pick this day to leave? Lucy groaned, and hid her bag under her cloak. Although she looked extremely suspicious to anyone who walked by her, she steadily made her way through the bustling town square, and up to the path that led to the guild.
The path was long, and winding, and Lucy was heaving with exhaustion when she finally reached the top. She suddenly regretted drinking the last of her water back in the forest, as her throat desparately ached for something cool and refreshing. Maybe she would order a strawberry milkshake, one last time from Mira... no, Lucy thought, determination suddenly spurring her on. She mustn't let the guild members know! After all the trouble she went through to get a cloak, she wasn't going to ruin it by giving away her voice!
Determined, she creaked open the door, to find everyone passed out on the tables or at the bar. She smiled to herself, a sudden feeling of melancholy hitting her. This would be the last time she saw her guildmates. After all the discussing they had done, they must be tired out - especially the party before that! They must've had no time to rest! Guilt and shame rose up in her. How could she huddle away in her apartment, as her guildmates worked tirelessly hard to get back their fame and fortune?
She was rooted by the door, a bout of tears welling up. Why? Why was she so weak? She could've just helped them! At any time... but she just stayed at home, wallowing up because no one had visited her. No wonder none of them bothered to be nice to her after that! It was all her fault... Lucy couldn't even find fault in what Lisanna said to her.
"Natsu? Who is this blonde bitch?"
Lisanna had probably heard all about her, how much of a nuisance she had been to the guild, how much she failed them, time after time again... how much she ran her mouth, about being the prettiest girl... but compared to everyone else, Lucy was nothing. Lisanna was probably only kind to Lucy because she too, felt sorry for the poor, pitiful girl with a spoilt backstory and a weak will. Of course Lisanna wouldn't actually like her. Who would, when she was against girls like her, Erza and Mira? Who could compare to them?
Lucy sucked in a quiet breath. There was no time to self-wallow again. She was wasting time, just standing there. She needed to be calm, in order to do this. She needed to put on a mask; otherwise she might break down into tears in the Master's arms. She didn't want to seem weak anymore. The Master was probably sick of her, too. He was just too kind to get rid of her.
Nodding to herself, she took a step forward, eyes trained only on the door above her. She was going to do this. This was real. She was... oh Mavis, she was actually going to do this!
Distantly, she felt someone near her as they passed her, but she shook it off - she needed to focus, to relax. Gulping in another deep breath to calm herself, Lucy found herself making a smooth walk up the stairs, before she was right in front of the Master's office door. Oh Mavis, she was actually going to do this. She was actually going to leave.
She had no other choice, did she?
Soon, Lucy found herself sitting comfortably in the Master's office chairs. They were a nice, wine-red leather, and felt very plush to sit on. Lucy took this as an opportunity to look around - this may the be the last time she would ever see this room. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with mysterious books that Lucy was itching to grab. She wanted to drink in the knowledge, to learn how to become stronger, so that one day, she could return...
A rickety, wooden table was in front of her, stacked with paperwork and tall candles. Random pieces of parchment were scattered across the floor, and Lucy was sure she could see some ink splatters across the back wall. Quills were everywhere, most of them broken into many pieces and their remains lying in puddles on the very-dirty floor. Lucy winced - seemed the Master needed some help in tidying the place up. Behind the wooden table, was a big, black leather chair, which looked like it had seen better days.
Sitting on the chair, was Master Makarov himself, his puny form being nearly swallowed up by the blackness. It was quite comical, actually, and Lucy held back a girly giggle. This would be the last time she would be able to look at the Master like this.
Master Makarov looked up, and cast a confused glance on her. "Lucy, my child, why are you wearing such a cloak? It doesn't seem like you at all!" Lucy wasn't even surprised that Master Makarov could tell who she was straight away. Lucy coughed, and straightened up her posture, lowering her hood to show her face. Master Makarov only looked on, smiling, if a little confused. "U-Uhm, Master Makarov..." Lucy was ashamed to find herself stumbling over her words. She had rehearsed this speech over and over again in her mind, but it was coming out as a jumbled mess.
"Yes, my child?" Master Makarov asked gently, the pleasant smile still on his face; although it was lined with something that looked like concern. Normally, that would calm Lucy enough to be able to explain everything properly, but at the moment, it was only reminding her how much everyone's had to pretend around her, in order to keep her happy. She hid a sad smile, before looking Master Makarov directly in the eyes.
She had decided - she won't tell him that Team Natsu (plus Lisanna) had told her to quit. It would only make the Master pretend even more - he would have to pretend that he was shocked and angry a thought them, while secretly, he would be relieved and would thank them when she disappeared. Hell, he might even pretend to ask her to stay! Lucy didn't want Makarov to pretend anymore.
"Master, I would like to quit Fairy Tail."
What could only be described as a stunned silence followed that. Lucy waited patiently; Makarov was a pretty good actor, after all, before she heard Makrov's reply:
"But why, my child?" Exactly what she thought he would say, Lucy thought to herself sadly. Although, she had to applaud him - he really was a good actor, after all. "Because, Makarov, I don't want to be a burden on this guild any more. I want to go away, and become stronger. I want to be able to hold battles on my own, without having anyone to have to depend on." Unfortunately for Makarov, Lucy was good at faking when she needed to be. At least she was telling half the truth. Team Natsu and Lisanna would never be found out. No one would have to pretend again.
Makrov sighed in what seemed like defeat, before pulling out a sheet from underneath all the paperwork. "If you wish to be leaving, then I cannot stop you, my child. Please, if you must leave, take these gifts that I will give you." Well. That didn't go as planned, Lucy thought in stoned silence, as Makarov hopped off his seat and headed to one of the massive bookshelves. He scanned through the numerous books, before settling on two particularly thick ones, two with no titles on them, and one extremely thin one. "Here you go, child." He said, plonking the books right in front of her. Lucy peered at the cover of one - it read 'Celestial Beings of Space and Time'.
Immediately, her excitement peeked. All these books, all about her speciality? How could she refuse? How could she- no. She mustn't. She mustn't let others hinder themselves to help her. Looking back up into the strangely glassy eyes of her former Master, she smiled and timidly pushed the book back towards him. As heart-wrenching as it was, losing the pages of information, she must. "No thank you, Makarov. Please, I couldn't possibly-"
"As an order from your Master, you must take these gifts with you on your adventure!" Lucy was cut short by Makarov's command. Groaning, she realised that she was still part of Fairy Tail - and as long as she was in Fairy Tail, Makarov could still order her to do things. She smiled, the first true smile she had shed in a fortnight. "That's playing dirty, Master." Makarov chuckled, hopping back into his chair and scribbling something out on the parchment from earlier. "Well, I do what I must, child."
Lucy sat in silence as she waited for Makarov to finish writing whatever he was writing, taking the time to carefully out each book into her bag. Luckily, she had purchased a bag that could hold much bigger items than it looked like it could hold - and much more items than anyone would expect. The two thick books went first, then the two old ones. Finally, the thinnest of the lot.
Lucy peered at it curiously. It was a completely black book, with the word 'Memories' etched in gold in the middle of the cover. Lucy opened it, just to have a peek, and was surprised to find it empty. Maybe it was a diary of some sorts? Deciding to find out later, Lucy out the mysterious book into her bag, before tying it shut. She looked up to see Makarov looking at her, the parchment in hand and a fond smile etched on his face. The kind of expression you see a father give to their child.
Was Makarov really this good of an actor?
"Here you go, child. Please read this contract and sign it at the bottom." Makarov said, handing her the parchment. "What is it?" Lucy asked, as she took it and picked up an unused quill, quickly scanning its contents. It seemed to be a list of... rules, of some sorts? "Ah, that is the rules of which you will follow, when you leave Fairy Tail." Makarov explained, and Lucy read them out loud:
"1. Never use the name of Fairy Tail for any personal/business gain.
2. Never exploit any member of Fairy Tail, whether be for personal or business use by using your previous affiliation to Fairy Tail.
3. Hold your head up high, and never let your past of Fairy Tail define you."
Lucy raised an eyebrow at the last one, ignoring the building of tears once again. "Makarov, did you write that last one?" She asked, as she signed her name with a flourish. Makarov shook his head and took back the contract. "Actually, it was the First Master who wrote that last one." Lucy nodded, with the pang if realisation - she would never be able to see what the First Master looked like.
"Well, I'll be on my way then." Lucy managed, voice suddenly thick with emotion. She was sure that Makarov noticed - even if he did, he didn't say anything about it. He only nodded, and waved his hand at her to go. Lucy smiled to herself - probably so he could celebrate her leaving in peace.
She shakily stood up from her chair, and made her way to the exit. This was it, then. This was where her time with Fairy Tail came to a pause. She will come back though, Lucy confirmed in her head, as she breathed to calm her nerves. She will come back, whether it be in months or years. She'll come back, and prove that she can become the ideal Fairy Tail Mage.
Taking a deep breath, Lucy pushed open the door, never looking back.
The sight that greeted her was not one that she expected, to say the least.
Everyone was crowded around a certain Dragonslayer and his (crying?) Exceed, Erza with a hand firmly planted on his shoulder. Lucy winced for Natsu - he must've done something stupid again, to warrant such an expression on Erza's face. Everyone stopped arguing though, as she stepped out into the light. They all looked up to her; some faces in shock, most in confusion. She ignored them all - is she had taken one more glance around, she may have broken down - and made her way down the stairs. She stared heavily ahead, and a path soon cleared, allowing her to walk through the crowd with ease.
With each step, she took another deep breath. This was the last time she would see any of these members, for a long time. What would this place be like when she got back? Will everyone be happy? Probably. Will the guild be restored back to their old glory, now that the deadweight was finally gone? Again, probably. She didn't know, but she did know one thing - when she came back, Lucy Heartfilia would have a completely new image. She would finally be able to protect her family, like they did all those times for her.
She was supposed to feel happy, so why was she feeling so sad?
Before she could finally step out of the stifling heat of the guild hall, she felt a hand grab at her arm. She groaned eternally - she could recognise that hand anywhere. It was Natsu.
What was he doing? Was he holding her there, to gloat? To tell her to never come back? To tell her that Lisanna was better than her anyway?
"Who are you?"
That was definitely not something that's Lucy was expecting. She sucked in a deep, ragged breath. What did he mean, 'who are you'? Surely he would be able to recognise her scent...? Ah, Lucy thought dimly, struggling weakly against his iron grip. He must've forgotten completely about her. "Hey, just answer my question!" Lucy could hear the annoyance seep into his words, as she struggled even harder, harshly pulling against his hold. That would probably leave a bruise for a week or two, bu she just wanted to get away.
"Oi, just-!" Lucy panicked eternally as her hood slid off slightly, revealing her hair. He knows... Lucy used his temporary shock to tug out of his grasp, and continue walking. Maybe if she just behaved like she didn't know any of them... Natsu would forget again, right?
She ignored it all. She ignored the shouts from her former guildmates, she ignored the stinging pain coming from her arm. She ignored the pounding of her heart, and why it hurt so much, every step that she took away from her former home. She ignored the other ache in her heart, the one that ached for Natsu to save her. She could only focus on her breathing.
Lucy made a promise, then. She would return to Fairy Tail, for good.
And Celestial Mages always kept their promises.
He chuckled.
"Check."
Well, folks, here we have the very first chapter of 'The Journey on the Board'! I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave any criticism you see fit on it, as long as it's respectful to the people around you. (I wrote this in a day, so it's probably really shit lmao).