I lose my way,
And it's not to long before you point it out—
I cannot cry,
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I' forced to fake,
A smile, a laugh
Everyday of my life,
My heart can't possible break—
Why it wasn't even whole to start with.
Because of You;Kelly Clarkson
She was in love. It was a simple, unrequited, sad love. Funny; the girl most men want cannot have the one man she wants, irony, is it not? Lucy Heartphilia looked up at the mirror, she looked dead, her skin was pale, her hair lost some shine and her lips formed a straight line. That was before she let out hoarse laughter.
Shaking her head, the girl walked out of her bathroom, her blonde hair tied in a lazy ponytail, a sweatshirt on and big sweatpants. Sighing in sadness, the girl fell onto her couch and looked ahead at the wall. She didn't really want to go back to the guild, Lisanna and the love of her life, Natsu would be there. It's not like anyone paid much attention to her anymore.
"I should be used to getting neglected," Lucy said, sighing, "My own team went on a mission without me. Pretty useless…"
The girl never cried, no, that was something she leanred not to do. Crying showed weakness, and the girl already looked weak, didn't she? Having the tears flow out would mean she looked more physically weak—Lucy Heartphilia was not having that. Growing up in a way she did, the girl was taught to always have your head held high, never let the public eye see the real you, no, that information could destroy you.
With that in mind, the girl got her self together and decided to go to the guild. Perhaps she could take a stronger mission—if the Master saw her, how could he say no?
"Where's Lucy Heartphilia, third?" Mavis Vermillion asked, looking out at her guild. The blonde in question had been mission for a few days, and it seemed as if her team didn't know, the first master of Fairy Tail asked some of the other members, like Laxus Dreyar, he too, noticed the absence and figured she was on a mission. When the master floated to Mirajane Strauss, she shrugged and confirmed that the girl had not shown up for a few days, and that perhaps she was sick. Needless to say, Mavis Vermillion was not very proud of the members of the guild.
"I've been wondering that myself. Ever since…I can't believe Team Natsu would forget her." Makarov Dreyar shook his head in disappointment, "I saw the look in her brown eyes, she looked…broken."
Mavis nodded, "I saw the same thing…" the spirit confessed, sighting sadly and sitting at her perch, looking down at the guild members. Fairy Tail meant never leaving a nakama behind, not forgetting them.
The doors opened and in came the blonde she's been asking about, the girl head her held up high and smiled. That smile sickened the two guild masters, it was obviously fake.
"Hello Mirajane-san," Lucy said—a little to formal, the white haired beauty looked at Lucy funny, but didn't ask the blonde about the formalities.
"Hey Lucy, were you sick? Mavis has been worried sick about you," Mirajane said, smiling at the girl.
The celestial mage shrugged, "More or less…" she answered, "Is Master around?" the girl cut right the chase.
"I am right here, child," Makarov said, he was sitting next to Mavis, "Would you like to talk in my office?"
Lucy nodded at him and hopped off her seat, after brushing off her skirt, the girl walked up to the third floor, following the two masters into Makarov's office.
Once in the confinement of the office, Lucy sits down and the two masters look at her from across the desk, "I want a job. One that is ten months minimum, I know you have jobs like that—I overheard Gildarts talking about an entire collection of requests that take longer than ten months. When I asked, he said all you have to do is request it."
Makarov silently cursed the loud mouthed when drunk Gildarts Clive, but then looked at his precious stellar mage, "Are you sure you can handle it?"
It seems that was the wrong question to ask, as the girl's eyes became even more broken than when her won team forgot her, "Do you think I'm weak as well, Master?" her voice cracked.
"…I don't want you to get killed. It's not a question of strength, Lucy," his blue gray eyes held a soft gleam as he looked at her.
"I know I can if I put my mind to it. My mother always said that was a good and bad quality about me," the blonde confessed.
"Do you think this is a good or bad time for that quality?" Mavis asked, looking over the girl.
"Good. I want to test myself, not die. I want to re-discover myself, my mother was a celestial mage as well, and once told me of a time before she met my father. She went on a challenging mission and came back a whole new person."
"What was your mother's name?" Mavis asked her suspicions of Lucy since the first day they met seeming to be the truth the more the girl spoke.
"Layla, her name was Layla Heartphilia…what does this have to do with anything?" the stellar mage looked at the first master of Fairy Tail, in her eyes was a tint of suspicion.
"Curiosity~!" answered the spirit happily, a sparkle in her yes, the she turned to Makarov, he too was looking at her with slightly suspicion. "I think you should give her that year long one, Macky,"
Makarov's jaw fell, "Y-you do?"
"Of course, she wants it, right? Let her prove herself to herself, an adventure to rediscover herself! You shouldn't say no," the blonde spirit smiled at Lucy, "I have faith you can fill this one out."
Lucy's lips graced a smile, not that fake one she was wearing before, but a real one. Mavis Vermillion's words of encouragement and hope seemed to light a fire in the girl, as she looked to man who she always thought of as a grandfather.
Looking at the girl's newly lit eyes, Makarov couldn't say no. How could he? It would be a heartless action to refuse her now. Makarov went in his desk and took out the mission he knew Mavis was talking about, though he was curious to why she would recommend that one.
Handing it to Lucy, the blonde quickly read it over and nodded, "I'll slay the Wyvern." She nodded sternly, "I can do it." It was the mantra running though her head. Looking at the masters she nodded and smiled, "In my rediscovery, I knew you were going to ask, Master because when I mentioned it you had that questioning gaze, I plan to find out about the One Magic…if my theory was correct. Wish me luck!" with that, the girl stood up and walked out of the room faster then Elfman could say 'What a Man!'
"What did you talk to the Master about, Lucy?" a curious Mirajane asked, Lucy shrugged—so now she cared about her life?
"Nothing really important, don't worry about it, Mirajane," Lucy told the older mage who nodded, though her curious blue eyes didn't leave the girl as she sipped a milkshake.
"Okay, Lucy…if something is bothering you, you can tell me…you know that right?" Mira said, though her voice held a little caution, as to avoid upsetting the girl. Mirajane knew something was up, and decided to treat Lucy like a glass doll.
"Mira…you and Erza…I always thought of the two of you like sisters, did you know that?" the stellar mage titled her head and smiled brightly at the elder mage. "I never really had a mother figure when my mom died, she died when I so young and no one was there to explain anything to me, then I met the two of you…like the older sisters I've always wanted."
Mirajane returned Lucy's smiled, "Thank you, Lucy, I'm very flattered," confessed the take-over mage.
Lucy nodded and rummaged in her pocket, handing the older mage a letter, "As such, I feel the need to give you this. Promise me, as an older sister and fellow member of Fairy Tail, not to read this until twelve tomorrow." the stellar mage's brown eyes were filled with a seriousness Mirajane had never seen in the girl's face. Knowing how serious this was, Mirajane nodded and Lucy sighed in relief, taking the letter and putting it in her pocket.
"What is it?" the girl asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Lucy finished her milkshake and placed the glass on the counter and the money she owned Mirajane, "You'll find out, thanks for the delicious milkshakes!" with that, Lucy turned to leave the guild, leaving the take-over mage in full suspicion of the blonde and the letter.
"What could you be?" she asked the white envelope, but shook her head, placing it back in her pocket, "I'll find out tomorrow."
"I'll be gone for a year, Landlady," Lucy told the woman, "Want me to pack everything?"
"You said it was for a mission. I will hold your rent, and expect to be paid," the landlady answered, nodding down at the now elated blonde. "Just don't die."
Lucy smiled and nodded, "Don't worry, have faith in me, ne?" the blonde called, as she walked up the stairs to her room.
"Is that you, Love-rival?" a blue haired water mage asked, looking at the blond. Juvia Loxar was coming back from a mission with her old partner, Gajeel and his trusty exceed, Pantherlily.
"Oh hey Juvia, Gajeel—Lily too! How was your mission?" the blonde asked, smiling at her guild mates. Her train was due in a few minutes, so she had time to waste before leaving. Her train was the eleven thirty one.
"Simple enough, Juvia missed Gray-sama though," the love-sick water mage said, her eyes forming hearts as she gushed over her Gray-sama.
"Are you off on a mission by yourself, Lucy?" Pantherlily asked, seeing as Juvia went off in fantasy world and the iron dragon was not a loquacious one.
"Yep! I'm ready and everything!" said the pumped up Lucy, behind her was a single suitcase and in her other hand was the mission slip. "Though this one is a little longer than the others," confessed the blonde.
"Hm, good luck, Lucy. Don't be too long, Levy will miss you," the black exceed said, approving of her enthusiasm.
"I'm sure Levy won't miss me to bad if a certain iron mage stepped up, hm?" the ever mischievous blonde stated, winking at a now flustered Gajeel.
"What are you trying to say, Bunny-girl?" the enraged, yet embarrassed Gajeel Redfox yelled.
"I think you know exactly what I'm saying, Gajeel. Right Lily?" the blond looked to the exceed for help, which he did lend, with full enthusiasm.
"I think so too, Lucy. I'm sure Levy won't miss you if he keeps her company," a train whistle interrupted the conversation and Lucy smiled apologetically at them.
"That's my train; I'll see you when I get back! Nice talking to you, Lily, Juvia…good luck, Gajeel~!" the blonde called, waving as she boarded the train.
"Bye Love-rival!"
"Bye Lucy!"
"…tch, meddling Bunny-girl."
Lucy smiled out the window at the three retreating figures, if it was anyone she got to see last, she was happy it was them.
"We're home!" a pink haired dragon slayer walked through the guild doors. His onyx eyes quickly scanned the guild, but no sign of Lucy.
"How was the mission?" Mirajane asked, smiling, though her eyes quickly darted to the nearby clock—it was only five minutes to twelve.
"Lisanna almost got us killed." Erza deadpanned, glancing at the youngest take-over mage.
Mirajane's smile faded as she looked at Team Natsu, Gray and Erza looked annoyed, Natsu looked anxious and Lisanna looked depressed. Happy was already off talking to Charle.
"What happened?" Mirajane asked, and then Erza went into a description of how Lisanna foolishly left her post of protecting the client to help Natsu—who was fine.
"We almost got the client killed and got no reward." Erza said, and Gray sighed, nodding. Natsu didn't say a word, he looked as if he was looking for something.
"We all learn fro mistakes, speaking of mistakes, an hour after you all left Lucy came looking for you guys." Mirajane said.
That seemed to hit something in all the members of Team Natsu—with the exception of Lisanna.
"…where is Luce, anyway?" Natsu asked, looking at Mirajane, "I can't find her."
"She's on a request," Gajeel said, from his seat next to Gray, "Just saw her thirty minutes ago at the station…meddling Bunny-girl."
"No, she can't be. I didn't approve a request," Mirajane said, her voice held tension and her eyes went wide. Moving quickly, her hands rummaged the pocket of her dress, revealing an envelope. Her hands were shaking.
"What's wrong, Mira?" Erza asked, looking at the barmaid with a worried expression.
"Lucy seemed off yesterday. She was talking about how she though of you and I has the sisters she never had. She gave me this letter and made me swear not to read it until twelve today…what time is it?"
"It's twelve oh two," answered Levy, now joining the conversation. Mirajane ripped the enveloped and her eyes scanned the letter. Her eyes went wide and tears fell from her brilliant blue orbs and her knees shook.
She soon fell to the ground, sobbing, and the letter in her hands. This action caused the entire guild to become quiet. It seemed as if no-one wanted to read the letter, but everyone wanted to know the contents.
Erza took care of the job, and jumped over the counter, and knelt down next to Erza, reading the letter. Her lips quivering, she stood up and read the letter the guild.
Mavis sighed, as she knew exactly what it had said, it was her fault, after all. It was also the reason why she herself made Fairy Tail and died young.
Dear Fairy Tail,
I got a letter from my mother the other day. Weird, right? Well, it was a trusted family friend gave it to me, Porlyuscia apparently knew my mother, strange, ne?
In the letter, was why my mother died young. Apparently, an ancestor of ours ran into the Dark Mage, Zeref. Our ancestor was powerful, and so was he, some events happened and he laid a curse.
Every female in my family shall die at the age of twenty seven.
Technically, I am twenty four now, and Porlyuscia said that those seven years may count, she was going to give me the letter after the S-Class Exam. Well, obviously that didn't happen the way she planned.
I had to think, really really hard about this—in her last year, mother got really weak, physically but her magical flow was the same.
So I took a mission, a mission of rediscovering.
There's a catch to the curse.
I have to find the One Magic. My first ancestor did, and with that, changed Zeref apparently.
The curse wasn't lifted and they died. My mother talked about the One Magic a lot, though she knew what it was, she could not really 'feel' it in a sense that would heal her and me, lifting the curse.
If I don't come back a year today, then either if I died on the mission I took, I would die in two years.
It's either One Magic or death.
Sorry for not saying it face to face… there are many thins I left unsaid, though I wish to reduce that list, hopefully, if I'm lucky, maybe one of you will talk to me at my last visit to the guild for awhile. Maybe, maybe not, seems like the conversations from you all has been reduced, ne?
Don't fret. It was easier to say goodbye for me this way, anyway. I've been much more of a writer then a talker!
-Lucy Heartphilia
Am I supposed to be happy?
When all I ever wanted—
It comes with a price.
Cat and Mouse;The Red Jump Suit Apparatus
A/N: A little different then my one-shot Homecoming, but don't worry. 'Homecoming' events will happen.
How's that for a first chapter? Idk when I'll upload the next one, though this entire story is like a giant YES! For me. Idk why, but I love writing this. The lyrics also have meaning, so please don't ignore, hm?
A review for your thoughts?
-CupCake
