Just Misunderstood

Chapter 1

Lucy

This is a fairly slow burn romance, and it takes place after the Tower of Heaven Ark. Also I have switched some of the arks in the story line. Please enjoy

Lucy took a deep breath as she lifted her hand. She took a small moment to stare at the dark mahogany of the tall door and she had to close her eyes. She willed herself to move, to walk away and just forget about the offer she had gotten, but she knew she couldn't. With her eyes still clenched shut she knocked on the door, once, twice and a third time. It seemed like centuries or seconds before she heard his muffled words. Lucy shook any sadness from her features and opened the heavy door, "Hello Master. May I have a second to speak to you?" She asked softly.

"Certainly, you're always welcomed," he answered as he gestured to the chair in front of his desk. Lucy closed her eyes and opened them again, not letting anything other than happiness show on her face. She quickly made her way across the room and sat down, instantly putting on a smile. She felt happy, but she couldn't help feeling scared and worried. She played with the lining of her skirt and didn't meet his gray eyes.

"I have some… news," she paused for a moment, "i have received an invitation to start training."

"Well that's fantastic! From who?" He asked as a proud smile crossed his face.

Lucy cringed slightly and looked away, "The Spirit King, he wants me to stay and train with him for three day."

His eyes widened as he realized what it meant. Him, being a Wizard Saint his knowledge was extensive, even with the other worlds. "For how long?"

"Three days," she whispered.

"Nine months?" He quietly spoke, as if speaking it too loud would make the news even worse, "What are you planning to tell the guild?" He asked pulling out a thick folder from his desk.

"The truth," Lucy said. She had considered lying and saying she was going on a solo mission because she felt her friends would be hurt that she didn't ask on of them to train her. But she realized that they would probably come looking for her soon enough. "You guys are my family. You deserve the the truth."

"But why must you leave? There are plenty of people here that could train you," he asked slowly, desperation clear on his face.

"The spirit world has a heavy atmosphere. I will benefit more from training there, my magic is everywhere there, I believe I will learn new ways to learn it. Especially with all my spirits , with the King himself inviting me I didn't really see how I could refuse."

"Those are good reasons, I suppose. But you must realize that your team, the whole guild for that matter, will not let you go without putting up a fight," he stood up and walked to the door. "So, would you like to tell them or should I?"

"I will but feel free to help me out," she answered. She took a deep breath and walked out to the second floor railing. Leaning against the railing she looked down at her family. She wondered how much she would miss. How much they would grow. How much their magic will grow. She wondered if going to train would even be worth missing nine months of their lives.

-Of course it's worth it-

She would be useful to her friends. She could protect everyone. She had been able to nothing when her father hired Phantom Lord. She had helped in the Tower of Heaven but Juvia had been there with her. She was getting tired of being the 'Damsel in Distress'. It was now her responsibility to help her friends, to make sure she could protect them in the same ways they had protected her.

"Listen up!" Master roared, the guild took a second to settle but then they were all standing there. Waiting. Listening. She was actually quite surprised, her guild could hardly focus. But now she could see every eye color, that shone in that room. Green, blue, brown, yellow, red. All her friends waiting for her to say that she was leaving them for almost a year.

Her mouth opened but no sound came out, a strangled sob left her throat and she turned around to cover her face. Master's eyes shone with grief and silent love.

"Lucy is leaving us," his voice was strong, like he was trying to hide reality, like he was afraid if it got a weaker he would break slowly. He held his hand up as many shouts resonation around the guild. Yells of protest and annoyance.

They quieted down again, "She has accepted an invitation from her King himself. It is a true honor and we should all be very proud that our little Lucy has come this far."

"Master what is going on?" Natsu shouted from the bar, "Please just explain?!"

Lucy shook her head slowly and covered her face, with sadness or plain embarrassment she wasn't sure. His face became a mask of bitter pain. "She is leaving to train with her spirits, in their world."

Natsu raised his eyebrows and shrugged, "Alright? That's awesome but why are you so upset Luce?" He called up happily.

"She will be there three days, but as many of you know time flows differently in the celestial world. Three days for them is nearly nine months here." Master physically flinched at the uproar that sounded from his children.

Erza stood so violently that her stool flew to the ground, "No! I will not allow this!"

"Nine months!? That's almost a whole year! Come on Luce, just train here!" Natsu shouted. Several other yells of complaint drowned the silence that was just suffocating them all.

"Shut it!" Master yelled. "Lucy has made a choice, she will be leaving. But the question is when," he said looking at Lucy pointedly.

"Loke had left this morning to inform the King of my answer, I should be leaving," she looked down, not wanted to see her families sadness, "Now," she whispered.

The guild grew silent, they all stood in a common sadness and bitterness. They need to say goodbye, they needed days and weeks to plan a goodbye, throw a party, accept the fact that she would be leaving. As they stood there looking up at her with shock a brilliant magic circle appeared under Lucy. And a booming voice seemingly shook the entire world.

"Lucy Heartfilia, human girl. You have accepted my request for you to join us here. I shall have you come immediately. For bringing a human here is prohibited, so we must hurry."

Lucy gasped and looked down as the magic circle expanded and grew brighter. Words left her mouth in rushed goodbye, but all they heard was a cut off farewell from their beloved princess.

A bright light blinded them all for a matter of seconds as Lucy was pulled into the Spirit World. The guild stared at the place their friend vanished. Tears formed and sounds of grief were made. Master covered his face and smiled fondly, "Brats. Do not be sad. She'll be back and when she is I'm sure she'll be stronger than most of you."

~JM~

Lucy opened her clenched eyes and gasped in amazement. She stood on a wide brick path, a starry sky existing around her. Planets and nebulae dotted the atmosphere. Every color she could think of and more was present in the beautiful canvas. Her earlier grief and guilt forgotten. "Princess~" Loke sang behind her. "As leader of the Twelve Zodiac, it will be my pleasure to escort you to the King's Palace."

Lucy could just nod as he took her hand. They approached a gate, it stood high with solid gold assortment. Inside the gate was a swirling pool of blue and gold. Loke gestured to the portal and Lucy entered with no hesitation. Lucy felt a slight tingle and her hair stood on end, but after a mere few seconds they were standing in a courtyard. Beautiful flowers grew on the outskirts of the path and they had what looked like diamonds growing in the middles. Lucy leaned in to look at one. "That's how new stars are born," he explained, "They grow in the flowers and then are release into the air."

"They're beautiful," she breathed.

"This way," he said and led her through the yard. Lucy, too busy admiring the flowers, just noticed the palace that stood tall in front of her. Pure gold and silver plated the exterior of the castle. Swirls of blue and purple lined the walls. The Twelve Zodiac symbols were carved onto the front.

The duo walked forward, in comfortable silence and pushed the gates open. It was then she noticed the golden guards that lined the path they had just entered. Their own armour looking heavy and uncomfortable. She entered an archway path and they came to another set of doors. These standing way above herself, they stopped and Loke placed his hand on the golden doors. He closed his eyes and she watched as her stood completely still, his breath even stopped.

It was suddenly when his eye flashed opened and he smiled at her, "He's ready for you," Loke whispered. He stepped forward and opened the double doors, they creaked open and allowed passage for the mage and spirit. Lucy now suspected that they were in the throne room. The ceiling raised higher than even Happy could fly. Blues, and golds mixed in with purple and silver created the walls and pillars.

Her breath stopped as she looked across the room, her eyes focusing on the giant throne.

Complete gold, and upon the seat was Mustache Man himself. The two silently crossed the room, no one said a word. It was once they reached the foot of his throne he finally spoke.

"Human Girl. Three days, I will allow you to be present in our world. This world is unlike your own. The atmosphere is heavier and you can be easily crushed, but not if you exist in the Celestial Cloth. And as you see, you were dressed when you were transported here."

Lucy looked down at her clothes and was completely surprised when she saw the beautiful attire she wore. It was simple style in itself, long and elegant. It was adorned with a black sash around her waist, that perfectly complemented the lavender dress. Diamonds covered every inch of the fabric and shimmered with every movement. She had been too busy admiring the world she hadn't even notice the one little piece of the world she was wearing. "Wow," she said as she twirled. The edges of the dress flying up and it seemed to extend as the fabric spun. The stars embedded within the cloth, shined and twinked.

"Yes, the apparel in our world is much more… elegant than your own," The spirit King smiled. "But of course you will be given other clothes for training."

Lucy nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Loke chuckle beside her. "She seemed overly excited, doesn't she?"

"It seems so. Human Girl, on the topic of training. Are you familiar with Dragon Slaying magic?"

Lucy cocked her head, "Well, yes. I know two Dragon Slayers."

"Splendid. Much less explaining from me."

Lucy shared a look at Loke and he smirked. He then took several steps back and nodded for her to do the same.

"As you know us spirits have several different forms. And, let's just say, my true form is a… constellation. I to am a spirit and I exist inside my own set of stars," he smiled and almost chuckled at her confusion. "I assume you've heard about Draco?"

Lucy's eyes went wide and before she could ask exactly what he meant, he dropped his staff. She squeaked and fell back as it dropped roughly to the ground where she was standing. Smoking billowed out of the top and enveloped the entirety of the King. She heard loud clanking and the floor vibrated as his armour fell to the ground. Before long an ear shattering roar erupted from the smoke. Lucy yelped and covered her ears, the roar shaking the very foundation of the castle. She had heard roars like that before. She heard it almost every time she stood beside her best friend in a fight. She heard it when Phantom Lord attacked.

When the roar finally dissipated, she cracked her eyes open, through the clearing smoke she saw an enormous mass. Greater than the Spirit King that had just occupied that space. She flinched as bright lights hit her eyes, but she continued to focus on the sight before her. In front of her stood a giant beast. Four legs, a long broad body. A swinging tail. Two, beautifully gold eyes, meeting her own. Before her stood a dragon. His scales a bright gold, but inside each one looked like galaxies existed. As his strong body rippled the scales shimmered into greens and purples. Stars shone in his warm eyes and nublia danced through his body.

It was by far the most beautiful creature Lucy had ever laid eyes on. She said nothing as she let Loke pull her to her feet. A smile spread across her face as the silence continued, her mind finally registering what all this meant. "You're? You're a dragon?" She asked, her smile growing with astonishment.

"Yes! Of course. Now! Enough of this, you are only here for three days. We must begin now!"

~JM~

Natsu's eyes were focused on the spot his best friend was standing in minutes ago. The guild stayed silent. Some contemplating what this meant. Others… not yet registering that their beloved Celestial Mage was going to be gone. His breath halted in his chest and his whole body trembled. What did this mean for their team? Their friendship?

-how could she do this?-

"I could never just leave for a year," he whispered. "Especially without saying a proper goodbye."

"She'll be back. Lucy's strong. She'll be okay," Erza said, not really knowing if she was saying it to reassure her guildmates or herself.

I do not own Fairy Tail