I
Fairy Tale Fallacies

The Girl;

I peered down from above, the high marble staircase giving me a bird's view at the scene that awaits me.

The aroma of a full blown buffet. The blending of several tete-a-tetes overpowering the soothing tones of a classical piano. Men dressed fancy in suit and tie along with the occasional monocle. And women -all ball gown-ed and jewel adorned- perched at the arm of the aforementioned fancy men, being paraded around like trophies, their lips seemingly glued shut in a processed smile. And let's not forget the fake echoing collective laughter giving an overall snooty air to the chandelier lit ballroom.

I can hardly believe that the child I once was, little Lucky Lucy, loved to watch such a scene from a slit in the door. I used to yearn for the day that balls like this would be held for me.

I used to look up to my mom, clad in the most beautiful of ball gowns with such a perfectly painted face to match, think her a princess and dad a prince, walking down the ivory staircase to meet up and dance with other princesses and princes. I thought it the most exciting and wonderful event to happen in the Heartfilia Manor. How I was unbelievably mistaken.

And to add insult to injury, I can distinctly remember how I'd plead year after year to join both my parents in the festivity since they always told me not to until my debut, I even went so far as to wish for it on Christmas and some birthdays. But now I'm eighteen, dressed just as beautiful as my late mother, face painted to perfection just like hers was, looking around the grand ball held in my honor and the dream come true it was supposed to be was instead proven to be complete and utter bullshit

I soon started berating my past child self, scolding her on wasting wishes on a night as rubbish as this, spending precious time fantasizing about ball gowns and princes instead of making the most of that time with the only person that really mattered, Mama.

I mentally slapped myself in pathetic shame as the fairy tale, the dream was so easily shattered into pieces by merely a glance from atop an ivory staircase. Years upon years wasted away yearning to be one of those trophy daughters with the manicured smile and lavish clothing which -through recent experience- I've learned were more uncomfortable than being wrapped from head to toe in sandpaper. God, I can't even breathe in this stupid corset contraption and my high heels are digging into my feet which I legitimately feel -though this may be a complete over-exaggeration- are bleeding buckets full, right on the borderline of turning my pearl white stilettos into blood red...literally.

But though the discomfort in being dressed up like a moving, talking doll, was irritating to say the least, my aggravation rest solely on the whole of the "glitterati" I begrudgingly must call guests. I swear if I have to smile and nod at business nonsense while being groped by sexually deprived 100-something year olds one more time, I'll have to resort to mass murdering every monocle, every ruby necklace -basically every goddamn snob in this joint.

I inwardly sighed in exasperation and moroseness that seemed to grow every second of every passing day, as I went through the motions of my self-imposed pity party, all the while, gulping down my third glass of bubbly. With my back against the wall in the dark corner of the room, I keep coming back to the one realization that has beaten the whole of my childhood out of existence, that all the princess fairy tale schmuck I've read, dreamt -heck even tried to play out with my ickle dollies- were nothing but smoke and mirrors, set out to delude unsuspecting and highly impressionable children (i.e. my poor little self).

My face wrinkles into an ugly cringe at the various memories flashing through my mind of little old me staying up till the break of dawn absorbed in yet another fairy tale, filled with cowardly Prince Charming's and the sickening damsels that were the glorified princesses. I cherished those fictional characters as if they were alive and true, mainly because I lacked actual companionship in reality. It's sad to think that the happy kid Lucy couldn't even hold down a friend no matter how hard she tried. Everyone seemed to proceed with caution whenever they talked to me, whether young or old, no one had the heart to tell me how they truly felt, what with my father's influence and all. Not even the fabled monster under the bed could scare away more children than Jude Heartfilia, brutal businessman and severe authoritarian -I mean father.

I've lived such a sheltered life all because of my family name, but even as a kid I was able to grasp around that fact and the loneliness that came with. Though looking back now, I realize I should've put up more of a fight when it came to friendship. Whenever I saw the servants' children playing around the gardens, I couldn't help the green eyed monster to arise within me, but when that happens, I always found an excuse, always told myself that the real fun were in the books and buried myself in more fallacies. I thought all was right in the world, I had an infinite number of friends in the library and a room full of dolls. But that childhood soon left me friendless and miserable, eating away at the sickening revelation settling queasily in my heart, weighing it down in both humiliation and ache. That the real fairy tale is and always was the commoner life.

Now I'm yearning for yet another fairy tale, how ironic given the fact that I've declared fairy tales as the devil word-incarnate. If only I thought of it sooner, I wouldn't have been roped into the dark side of the rainbow that was the actual princess life. Obligations, flattery and the good ol' arrange marriages were all in store for me now, how I wished I could gather the courage to just slip out and leave this whole twisted princess story in my wake but despite wanting a commoner's life, I've come to also realize that the hoity toity elitist life I've been roped into, is the only life I actually know how to live. And with that, I've successfully made my mind run around in circles only to end up back at square one, 3rd time this week-nay, this hour actually, and I think I'm gearing up for another round.

The whole place suddenly blurred upon my eyes as my tear ducts began to react to the heavily applied eye makeup Spetto insisted I wear. The blinding golden overhead light consumed my vision whole and a queasy, almost suffocating feeling arose from my stomach. I drew up a cold sweat underneath the heavy baggage that was my ensemble and only one thought seemed to encompass my very being. I had to get out of here.

I found the double doors that opened up to a secluded balcony and set my sights on it, moving towards it like a girl on a mission. A bottle of champagne caught my attention as I glided across the ballroom seemingly ignored by anyone and everyone, I snatched it up quickly before exiting the room with no one the wiser. Of course, not even in my own debut would anyone notice me, the effing debutante, missing in action. Not that I care about it all that much personally speaking, but it is quite a ridiculous situation. And here I thought, those scheming business tyrants were actually perceptive. I guess the only way I'd actually garner their attention would be if I wore a dress entirely out of money. But who'd really go through those lengths just for a glance?

As I sneaked through the opening of the balcony door, I was immediately greeted with the heavily pine scented breeze. Ahh...fresh air and autumn, a divine combination really. I placed the champagne on the ledge and -after wiping away the ridiculous mascara and lead fake eyelashes that practically blinded me- I peered out at the vast picturesque landscape. Granted, it was nightfall and I couldn't see much besides the lantern lit servant's village, but either way this was a billion times better than the view inside.

I leaned over the balcony ledge, looked down at the green freshly cut grass below. Yeah, I'd survive a two-story drop, and god knows I'd do it in a heart beat if it weren't for that one thing that always held me back from running away at such opportune moments as this. Today the reason I can't skip town is because I don't think I can run in these satan stilettos, much less skip. And I could probably name a myriad of silly excuses and reasons more but at the back of my mind I know that I just don't have the heart to leave my father all alone. Despite his brash behavior and aloofness, he's the only family I have left, and vice versa I'm sure -unless he's got himself a mistress hidden under my nose this whole time. But joking aside, if my mother taught me anything, it's to never abandon family so I don't.

I groan in frustration at the thought. Why must I take after Mama so much? Just like her, I can't leave anyone in pain well enough alone, to the point I've wrecked any future happiness I have left. I popped open the bottle of bubbly in low spirits, prepared to drink away my frustration, my sadness and effectively, my life -if you can even call this a life.

"Cheers! To my happily ever after!" My sardonic declaration was carried out into the silent wind, the sizzling from the champagne being the world's response. I then brought the bottle to the inky starlit sky, where I knew Mama was watching over me, before I commenced in devouring every drop of champagne.

And surely enough; hours later I find myself, barefoot, dancing to music on a stereo I've somehow acquired and drunk off my ass with a weird sensation I'm being watched. But in this moment and probably in every moment hereafter, I just couldn't care less.

Author's Note:

[insert disclaimer here]

My felicitations, dear internet! I thought I'd try my luck at a RoLu fic, since I've gone completely obsessed with Lucy crack pairs.
I've exhausted all the good RoLu fics here and needed more, so I thought why not make my own?
Thus, concludes the tale of the genesis of this story.
My plan for this one will be a bit more of slice of life (so no magic) and some Rogue ooc-ness is to be expected. You really can't do much with the strong and silent type, sorry!
Hope you've enjoyed this first chapter and hopefully you'd stick with me in the chapters to come! Ciao for now :)