Chapter 1
Stars With Different Meanings
July 1st Year X792 Fiore, Magnolia.
One year had passed since the Grand Magic Games. Things had not changed… much.
Lucy walked on the narrow stone wall that separated the river on her left from the cobblestone road on her right. She had returned from a mission and she wasn't in her best mood. A sad expression was etched onto her face and her eyes locked on her feet as she took one step at a time. She stopped right in front of that red building she called home. She took a seat on the stone wall and let out a disappointed sigh.
They did it again… thought Lucy as she eyed her shadow that had started to slowly disappear. The setting sun had hid itself behind the mountains.
Oh, what am I going to do? I still don't have enough jewels to pay June's rent. she thought before she started to nervously kick her feet.
The mayor had taken the entire reward of their mission for repairs - after the dragon slayer destroyed the group of criminals along with half of the city.
She put a finger to her lips. How can Erza pay her rent? We're in the same boat - unless… she takes on solo missions whenever they're slacking off.
Perhaps…I should also go on a solo mission, she thought as she raised her head to look at the sky.
The stars had just started to appear, one by one twinkling and filling the empty sky. She smiled softly - there were only two things on this world that could cheer her up in times like this, his cheerful smile and the stars. She felt as though she was the empty sky, and the shining stars were illuminating her very soul and washing the worries away.
When they had returned from the mission, she had just turned around and started walking home. I shouldn't have left them without saying a word…
"Here we go," said Lucy tiredly as she stood up and started walking towards the red building. She opened the door. There was the landlady, standing in front of the stairs, wearing Lucy's red dress and those huge glasses that hid the frown on her face. She had folded her arms and started tapping the ground with her right foot.
"You're late with the rent," she said while glaring at the celestial mage.
Lucy raised her hands defensively. "Yes, I'll pay soon!" she shrieked.
"If you don't pay in two weeks, you're not setting foot inside this building." She turned around and started walking away.
The celestial mage let out a long breath and walked inside. She was exhausted from the mission - tiredly she climbed the stairs and entered into her apartment. She changed into her pajamas and hopped on the bed, after closing the window she let her body fall on the soft mattress.
"Things must change…" she moaned while hugging the pillow. Tomorrow I'm taking a solo mission, thought Lucy before she fell asleep.
Magnolia, Fairy Tail.
It was getting late so not many members were in the main hall. Dressed in a white suit, Gajeel was singing his song called "Best friend" while most of the present guild members were throwing food at him. Only one mage enjoyed his singing, and that was Levy McGarden.
Vijeeter was dancing near Erza who had been sitting on the far end table. She was munching on her favorite strawberry cake. Whenever she was eating the cake, she would go off into her own little world. She couldn't notice the two mages fighting in the center of the hall.
The ice and fire mages stopped for a moment and face to face they began insulting each other.
"Shit fire!" yelled Gray.
"Damn stripper!" shouted Natsu.
"Flame-brain!"
"Fucking pervert!"
"Match stick!"
The dragon slayer raised his fist. "Fuck you, asshole!" he yelled before punching the ice mage in the face. Gray crashed in the wall behind him. While holding on his bruised chin, he pulled himself up. With a fist ready to strike, he charged at the dragon slayer. Natsu only glared back at him, both hands in front of him. "Come," he provoked Gray.
"Fuck off, Pyro," yelled Gray before he punched Natsu. He sent him flying through several tables. The dragon slayer crashed into Erza, who dropped her cake on the floor. With blank eyes she looked at the ruined strawberry cake.
"My…my…strawberry…cake…" she stuttered in disbelief. Meanwhile most of the members had started fighting.
"Everyone, I finished my new dance," said Vijeeter while moving his hands and feet rather comically, making random Egyptian poses.
"Go dance outside!" shouted Titania while she kicked him in the face.
The dragon slayer started crawling under the table and towards the guild doors, hiding himself from Erza. "You fiend, where did you go?!" yelled Titania as she was searching for Natsu. Just as he crawled out from under the table, he bumped his face into Gajeel's feet.
"Salamander… you've ruined my performance…" growled Gajeel while clenching his teeth.
Veins had popped on Natsu's forehead. "You asshole, you call that a performance?!" he yelled at Gajeel as he stood up. He glared at the iron dragon slayer, ready to fight again, but then he felt the murderous violet aura behind him. "Oh crap," he muttered. He had closed his eyes and with a forced smile he gulped - hoping that the person behind him isn't the one he thinks it is.
"Natsu!" shouted Titania. She punched him and sent him flying through the guild doors.
"Aaaaa, Erza killed Natsu!" panicked Happy as he flew after the dragon slayer.
Natsu landed outside the guild facing the sky. "Lucy…" he muttered when he noticed the stars.
The stars, huh? He thought.
Whenever he looked at them they reminded him of Lucy. He had messed up on their last mission. He had gone overboard and she had been sad. Natsu could feel the disappointed look on her face each time she glanced at him on their way back. The dragon slayer had spent the entire trip back with eyes on the ground. Two weeks ago, something had changed in him – and he didn't understand this change - but when Lucy left them today without saying a word, he felt empty. Like a sky which the stars had abandoned.
I'm going to apologize to her. I can't stand it when she's sad. He thought before he heard wings flapping.
"Natsu?!" Happy called him as he flew towards the dragon slayer. He raised himself from the ground and turned to face his partner.
"Are you ok? You look horrible," he said as he hovered above the dragon slayer. Natsu looked down at himself, his vest was cut on several places and the scarf had almost unfolded itself.
"That Erza, I'll kick her ass next time!" He yelled.
"You always say that," sighed Happy.
Natsu took the scarf off and neatly wrapped it around his neck. "Let's go Happy, to Lucy's place," he said while smiling at the blue cat.
"Aye, sir!" he replied cheerfully before he landed on his shoulder.
The dragon slayer started walking towards Lucy's apartment, carrying Happy on his shoulder. They had just exited the guild gates.
"Natsu, do you have any fish? I'm hungry," complained Happy.
"No, but Lucy probably does…" he was interrupted when he heard the guild doors open. They watched the figure that flew through the door and crashed in front of them. It was the ice mage.
Happy had both paws on his mouth suppressing the laugh. "Gray you can fly?" He teased the ice mage.
"Erza, huh? And where are your clothes, I could swear I saw you wear them as you flew through the doors," asked Natsu while he was looking down at Gray who had landed on his head.
He stood up from the ground and started rubbing his head. "That Erza…" he muttered.
"Ahahahaha, she got you good! The dragon slayer laughed with one hand pointing at the lumps on Gray's head and the other one holding onto his stomach.
"I don't see you doing any better," he replied with the usual stoic expression on his face.
Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Huh, what do you mean?" he asked before he noticed the lumps on his head.
"So where are you guys going?" asked Gray.
"To see Lucy," replied Natsu while holding on his head. He turned around and started walking towards Lucy's apartment.
"Are you sure you want to do that? She was pretty mad today…" said Gray.
"That's why we're going there… to apologize," he answered.
"And to eat some fish!" cheered Happy as he raised his paw.
The ice mage sighed and turned around. He started walking towards his house.
Magnolia, Strawberry Street.
When Natsu and Happy reached Lucy's apartment, they noticed that the lights were off.
"She's probably sleeping," said Happy with a sad expression on his face.
The dragon slayer jumped and opened the window of her apartment. He noticed her sleeping on the bed below him.
Happy flew towards her fridge and opened it. He was looking for a fish to eat. With a smile on his face and predatory eyes he eyed all the tasty fish in the fridge. "FISH," growled Happy while droll was coming out from his mouth.
Natsu jumped from the window over Lucy's bed and silently landed on his hands on the other side of the bed. He took a seat on the floor, right next to where the celestial mage was sleeping, with his legs crossed.
He watched Lucy who was sleeping on her side, with one hand on top of the pillow and the other below it. The thin blankets were revealing her slender figure.
Happy sat in front of the fridge, with a fish in his mouth he looked through his shoulder at the dragon slayer.
That change in Natsu started acting up as he eyed the celestial mage. Lucy… he thought before he reached out with his hand to touch her face – but was interrupted. "You lllike her," teased Happy while rolling his tongue.
The dragon slayer shook his head. "What are you saying Happy? She's Lucy, of course i like her," he said as he completely misunderstood the blue cat.
Happy let out a sigh after he finished eating the fish. You're so slow… he thought.
They noticed Lucy uncomfortably twisting in her bed. "Let's not wake her," said Natsu to Happy.
The dragon slayer stretched his hands. I'll apologize tomorrow, he yawned before he crawled in her bed and instantly fell asleep.
The blue cat barely managed to fly with his twice the size belly. He curled himself up in between Lucy and Natsu.