Hello! This will be my second attempt at Fairy Tail fanfiction. AU, of course, because I can't keep up with all of Mashima's plot twists.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or its characters.
"I'm sorry, Miss Heartfilia, but your novel is denied."
21-year-old Lucy Heartfilia stiffened in shock, her hands gripping the edge of her chair. "D-denied?"
The editor in front of her showed no sign of hearing the break in her voice. "The story's good, but it needs some work. We only accept drafts from beginners who have an exceptional plot to deliver to their intended audience. This one is just so-and-so. I apologize for the inconvenience you had in coming today."
Lucy wanted to scream.
Never once had the man even looked at her throughout the entire meeting. He had skimmed her manuscript in a mere thirty minutes, a manuscript that was well over two hundred pages, before turning to his computer, his fingers clacking away for another ten. He then had the gall to push her manuscript away from his with the back of his pen with his eyes still on the screen, delivering the final blow as he did. No commentary, no critical remark, nothing. It was all over with a flat out rejection.
She hastily gathered up her precious draft, trying to ignore the tightening in her chest. "T-thank you for your time."
The editor nodded absentmindedly. "Please see to your way out."
Lucy couldn't say another word. She walked out of the stuffy office as fast as she could, failing to suppress the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
Upon exiting the publishing company, Lucy stood under the beating sun of a Magnolia summer, her throat suddenly dry and her body exhausted. Her mind had yet to register the past half hour of her life, had yet to fully comprehend the emotions rumbling inside her.
Her feet walked on their accord, coming to a stop at the nearest grocery store. Lucy immediately crossed the threshold, taking refuge in the air-conditioned building. In but a few seconds, her eyes roved slowly over a plethora of ice cream flavors, from pint-size all the way to gallon buckets.
Fullbuster's Starry Delight.
The popular flavor by the just as famous ice cream producer called out to her. No, it howled at her. It was saying something and Lucy wanted to hear it.
Lucy pulled the gallon bucket out of the freezer and instantly knew the message it was trying to convey.
I'm so fucking done.
The ice cream wasn't cold. It was be a bit of an exaggeration to say that it had warmed completely, but the ice cream was definitely not cold. It had been betrayed by the very cushion it had placed its faith in.
The freezer. The cold, heartless, devastatingly brutal freezer.
"How nice," Lucy murmured. "You're the only one in the faulty freezer. It must be fate."
And it truly was fate.
"So-and-so, he says, huh? Needs more work? Not exceptional enough?"
Everyone enjoyed a good bit of Starry Delight. Chocolate ice cream, as dark as the night sky, with swirls of fudge, meteor-like clusters of cookie dough, and small pieces of crunchy caramel bits that lit up against the chocolate like stars.
It was nice, different, and comforting after a long day at work.
Today, it would just be different. It would be neither nice nor comforting after said long day of work.
After all, we were still in the middle of that day.
Now, Lucy wasn't one to waste food. She always made sure to pick up every last bite, even if it killed her stomach in the end. However, due to current circumstances, Lucy excused herself. Just this once.
With a determination she had never known before, Lucy stomped straight into the building, ignoring the cries of the secretary who tried to stop her, and made her way back to the editor's office. Instead of walking in, she stopped at the large glass window that looked into the office.
Lucy banged an angry fist against the glass several times, causing the occupying editor to yelp and jump in his chair. He gaped at Lucy through the window as if he'd never seen her before, which actually might have been true in this case.
And without further ado, Lucy backed herself up some spaces and flung handful after handful of Starry Delight ice cream at the window, aiming straight at the head of the editor.
The smell of chocolate and caramel filled the air. Flecks of fly away ice cream were thrown at the people from the sidelines, who simply stared with their mouths dropped open. Lucy's hands were brown and sticky from the melting ice cream, but she did not let up. If anything, her outrage grew ever more so.
The editor's eyes were fixed on Lucy in horrified fear. He would remember her lashing for a long time to come.
"SO-AND-SO, YOU SAY, HUH? NO MONKEY-SUIT-WEARING ASSHOLE IS GOING TO TELL ME THAT MY STORY IS ONLY SO-AND-SO, YOU GOT THAT?!" Lucy yelled through the glass, her face red with indignation and vexation. "I WORKED TOO LONG AND TOO HARD FOR SOME IDIOT TO JUST TELL ME THAT ALL MY EFFORTS WERE FOR NAUGHT! WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THIS DECISION. MARK MY FUCKING WORDS!"
She flung the almost-empty gallon bucket of Starry Delight and wiped her hands with a document she had found on a clerk's desk.
With a victorious nod of her head, Lucy strolled out of the building, not even bothering to glance at the faces of the other editors and administrators.
No one in the publishing company would ever forget the beautiful blonde who sauntered out of the building smelling like an ice cream parlor.
It was not until she reached her apartment that Lucy realized the possible consequences of her actions.
She sighed as she reached for her keys. "I really hope they don't sue me."
Honestly, how hard was it to clean up some ice cream? But it had been her first time meeting with an editor. She hoped the company didn't spread rumors of an insane dairy-product-throwing girl among the other publishers.
Her rage had dwindled into depression and Lucy felt the weight of it in her chest, clenching up her lungs in a way that made it difficult to breathe.
With another choked sigh, she unlocked the front door only to find herself assaulted by a flash of dark blue.
"Lucy-san! How was it? How was the meeting? They loved your novel, didn't they?"
Lucy chuckled sheepishly for the sake of her younger sister. "Sorry, Wendy, but no. They didn't want my novel."
Excitement was quickly drained from the girl's face and replaced with a look of disbelief. Wendy Marvell's eyes widened when the full force of Lucy's words hit her. "They didn't… want it?" It was as if she were speaking words that could never be.
Lucy pressed her lips together to keep from letting out a sob.
Wendy instantly wrapped her arms around Lucy's waist and buried her face into the fabric of Lucy's shirt. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, nee-san."
Lucy chuckled hoarsely. "Whatever for, Wendy?" she asked, brushing her fingers through Wendy's long blue hair. "You did nothing wrong."
The girl shook her head. "I'm sorry, nee-san. I'm sorry."
"Me too, Wendy. Me too."
They held each other like that for a few minutes. Lucy's tears finally ran down her cheeks, thankfully silent. Wendy's own eyes were damp, judging from the cold spot Lucy felt on her blouse. It wasn't before long that Wendy lifted her head suddenly. "I have an idea."
Lucy blinked. "An idea?"
Wendy nodded her head up and down vehemently. "Yes, an idea."
"Elaborate."
"Merlot."
(._.) - Thank you for reading. First impressions? Reviews?