"Lucy had always been insecure, and that cat - that stupid cat - kept on repeating the things she already knew."

"The key to being perfect is by putting a face on."

"Putting a face on? But I already have one. Why would I need another?"

Lucy grinned at the ice and fire duo, before the entire facade practically melted off of her and she kicked them out of the guild hall with the enraged shout of, "Lucy kick!"

"That's what you get for trashing my apartment, you morons," she muttered.

"My, my," Mirajane giggled slightly, a tray balanced against her on her flat palm as she placed a strawberry smoothie on in front of Lucy. "You're the only person who can keep them in check besides Erza!"

Lucy beamed in pride at the white haired girl, "Thanks, Mira."

Curled up on the counter, a blue furred cat called Happy snickered, "Wow, Lucy, you're so modest."

The pride swelling in the celestial mage's chest deflated, but Lucy only scoffed, "Stupid cat."

"When other people try to drag you down, hit 'em where it hurts."

"But isn't that mean?"

"Of course it is, darling. However, self-preservation is everything, my dear."

"And, you're a complete princess who can't even do a fucking thing for herself without having to have Salamander swoop in to come and save her," Gajeel ranted, attempting to point out every flaw in Lucy's request to fight each other to get even. "Can't you see, Bunny Girl? You don't stand a chance against me."

That was where Lucy drew the line. She slammed her book closed, snapping, "At least I never beat up on defenseless, innocent girls and pinned them up onto trees. Or laughed as I caused destruction, hurting everyone around me and not giving a single damn about it!" The other guild members' eyes were wide at this.

Gajeel grunted, narrowing his eyes at her before stalking out of the guild hall, sulking.

"That was unnecessarily harsh, Lu-chan," Levy whispered.

"Yeah, he just started to make up for all of the bad things he's done!" Happy chimed in. "How would you feel if someone said those kinds of things to you?"

Lucy felt her eyes welling up because he'd said it to her plenty of times, but pushed the thought of crying to the deepest trenches of her mind.

Self-preservation is everything, self-preservation is everything, self-preservation is everything -

"I'm going home," the blonde announced, tucking her book into her bag and walking out, chin held high.

"Always know that the world is against you. You're a spy for your own sake. Gather information, and use it in due time. No one is trustworthy."

"Can I trust you, Mama?"

"Of course, Lucy, I'm the only one you can trust."

"Lucy, you must stop being a hindrance to the team. Get stronger, I know you have the potential. I'll help you, I remember going through the same type of struggle when - "

"Oh, boo-fucking-hoo," Lucy spat. "I get it, you were enslaved as a kid. Your lost the boy you loved to the dark side. You had to get stronger to beat him one day and save him. I get it - you're Erza Scarlet and you're dead set on being better than everyone else."

Erza's eyes darkened.

"Lucy!" Gray exclaimed, shocked. The wound was still fresh on Erza ever since Simon had died a couple weeks ago.

"You crossed a line there, Lucy," Happy said. "Even I know better than that. Hey! Erza didn't lecture me! Does this mean I'm stronger than Lucy?"

Lucy froze, "I'm sorry. I'm being a brat, aren't I? I'll work harder, Erza, and I swear I won't ever say such terrible things again."

Erza straightened, "I accept your apology, Lucy." She walked ahead, Gray hesitantly trailing after.

"You okay, Luce?" Natsu asked the blonde celestial mage who hadn't budged an inch.

Lucy chuckled darkly, "Of course, I'm fine, Natsu, why wouldn't I be?"

Natsu didn't look convinced, but moved ahead nonetheless. Happy muttered, "She's scaryyyy."

"Lucy, I need you to follow all of these three rules I have laid out for you. In all honesty, they are mere variations of one another, however you must know and follow them all precisely."

"Why are you teaching me this?"

"Because I want you to succeed. Will you?"

"I will. For you, Mama."

Darkness and hatred towered over her menacingly. Her path was not a pleasant one. She turned it around in every way she could, she followed the advice. She failed, time and time again. Her words cut, they stabbed, they wounded. She couldn't, she wouldn't harm anyone or thing - not anymore. Not anymore.

"I can't take it."

"Don't be weak, my darling."

"I'm not weak. I'm strong. Stronger than you."

"You'll fail. Just like you fail everything. You'll give in, darling. You need me."

"My mother was kind. You are not her."

"And she's ugly and dumb and fat and a complete meanie!" Happy said cheerily. "Natsu says so, too, because I say it, is what Mira says, but it's still true. That's why - "

Lisanna, who had been listening to the entire rant about Lucy along with various other guild members, had been the one to cut him off. "Are you sure you should be saying these things about Lucy? She obviously cares about you and values your opinion as much as she does the rest of the guild, especially Natsu's. She's a good person, really, and you know that. You could be hurting h - "

"Thanks, Lisanna," Lucy muttered, cutting off the animal takeover mage. She had been listening the entire time. Lisanna then noticed the book Lucy had been concentrating so intently on wasn't an interesting new story, but rather ways to diet.

"Lucy," Lisanna reached out to grab the blonde's hand. "Wh - "

"Happy," Lucy stared at the exceed, determination filling her eyes. "I know I'm fat and ugly and weak and useless and dumb, as you so kindly put it. But I refuse to be called mean any longer." The book fell from her hands, and she dropped to her knees, much to the shock of everyone in the guild.

"I t-tried so hard to be perfect," she whispered. "I l-listened to everything s-she said, and t-then I couldn't anymore because I w-was being so cruel and vindictive and t-the looks on Gajeel and Erza's f-faces… I-I just c-couldn't take it anymore."

"Luce?" Natsu's whisper surprised everyone, they had never seen the dragon slayer so gentle. "C'mere."

She fell against him, closing her arms around his torso and sobbing uncontrollably. Glares were shot at the exceed who had hurt her in such a way. Happy looked hollow, before he curled up on top of her head, muttering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," like chant, hoping that it would all go away.

And then she pulled away, her eyes empty and broken and dry and red, full of malice and hatred and everything she tried to repress.

"The key to being perfect is putting a face on," she recited brokenly, bitterly, relishing in the attention she was receiving and shocked looks thrown her way. "When other people try to drag you down, hit 'em where it hurts. Self-preservation is everything. Always know that the world is against you. You're a spy for your own sake. Gather information, and use it in due time. No one is trustworthy."

Her lips curled into a smirk, "Especially me."

The silence spoke for itself.

"Lucy," Natsu murmured.

I love you, I love you, I love you -

"Please come back," Lisanna whispered.

I love you, I love you, I love you -

"You were right, Mama, I needed you."

"Too little, too late, sweetheart."

And she lost her soul to the darkness.

Her limp hair, pale and dead, fanned out on the tile of the bathroom floor. -

Breathe in.

- "And that cat - that stupid cat - kept on repeating the things I already knew." -

Breathe out.

- "I'm done." -

Breathe in.

- "You're too late to save me now, Natsu." -

Breathe out.

- and she's gone.

("Wow, Mom, that was a depressing story," a young teen with silver hair and onyx eyes said. "I'll see you guys later, I'm going on on a girl's night with Gracie."

The door closed.

"I miss her, Natsu."

"I know."

A pause.

"I loved her, Lis."

"Me, too.")

Fin.

Wow, I am legit shit at writing angst. I literally barely understand this. Yes, Natsu and Lisanna got married. Yes, Lisanna was in love with Lucy, almost as much as Natsu was. Yes, they only got married because Lucy died and they were the only people who knew how the other felt. Gracie is Gajeel and Levy's daughter. No, the voice is not actually Layla, but a voice created by Lucy to fill the void Layla left, only things took a bit of a wrong turn.

Happy annoys me sometimes, so sorry, and I get annoyed whenever people say that he is their favorite character because he mocks and patronizes Lucy too much for my liking.

This was barely proofread, like it was lightly reread but not seriously checking for every single mistake like the freaking Grammar Police.

Enjoy the rest of your day.