Pairings: NaLu, Gajevy, Gruvia (amongst other, smaller ones). Rated T for future violence and mature content.
Y'know, I should probably attempt to finish (or at least update) my other stories before publishing a new one, but here I am. This idea wouldn't leave me alone. Inspired by constellunaa's artwork on Tumblr (please go check her out, her and her art are incredible). Please review!
Chapter 1
{it is by suffering that human beings become angels - Victor Hugo}
The sound of her heels were muffled by the carpet underfoot. She glanced out the large windows lining the long hallway, smiling briefly at the beautiful day outside. Cloudless, blue sky and the smallest of breezes rustling the leaves, which were just barely beginning to change color.
She stood before the large door for a few moments more, sucking in a deep breath and ignoring the pinch of the corset as she did so. She cleared her throat slightly, and then raised her hand to knock a couple of times. She waited for her father to call her in before pushing the door open; it swung in silently on its oiled hinges.
The room was large and extravagantly decorated. A beautiful, massive oak desk sat in the center and giant bookshelves, crowded with books on finances and business, lined the walls. Some of the tomes were bigger than her head, while others were flimsy paperbacks. No pictures adorned any of the shelves or the desk. Instead, seated at the desk was a large man in an expensive suit, who barely glanced up as his daughter entered the room.
"You leave tomorrow," he said, a statement. Her father rarely asked questions. He, instead, stated what he wanted as if they were already facts, and so they became. He was the kind of man who was particularly skilled in bending wills. Not surprising, considering his family and their magics.
Lucy shifted uneasily, the stuffy dress her maid insisted she wear poking into her ribs. Really, it was ridiculous her father insisted she dress in gowns when she "presented" herself to him. Were they in Victorian England? Or the twenty first century?
He finally looked up from his paperwork, staring her in the eye until she felt the need to check to see if she had something in her teeth.
"You'll stay there for all vacations. Your teachers will send me weekly reports of your progress," he continued. "The school has an excellent reputation and I expect you to return in four years' time an esteemed, accomplished young woman."
He paused, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin on them. Lucy didn't dare to nod or move or breathe too loudly. Instead, she waited. She had learned when his pauses meant he was waiting a response, and when he was merely gathering his thoughts.
"You'll make me proud."
If it were any other man, there may have been some kind of warmth to the statement. A hint of sentimentality as their only child left the house for a school that was miles and cities away. But he merely watched her with cold eyes for a moment before waving his hand, a blatant dismissal. That was it. There would be no good-bye or parting gift. It wasn't a question, it was a fact; she would excel and make him proud. A shiver shot down her spine at the thought of what would happen if her grades were unsatisfactory or she got into any kind of trouble. Both scenarios were highly unlikely, but still. It would be ugly.
She turned and exited without a word, letting the door fall shut behind her. Heaving a deep sigh, she kicked her shoes off and started back for her room to finish the last of her packing.
Lucy bid a tearful farewell to her maid early the next morning, who wiped at her tears not-so-subtly and reminded her a thousand and one times to write.
"I wish Master would permit us cellphones, they're so much faster for communication. But please write letters, Miss, and write many. Don't forget us over at that fancy school of yours. We'll miss you," Virgo sniffled.
Lucy smiled sadly. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon but she had a long train ride ahead of her.
"Of course, I could never forget you," she assured her maid. She took the steaming coffee and muffin from the housekeeper gratefully, was squeezed into many final farewell hugs, and started off down the long gravel driveway to where the car awaited to take her to the train station. Plue trotted faithfully at her heels, though he seemed more than a little tired and put off by the early hour. Though he looked like a normal, albeit albino, German Shepherd, Lucy knew her familiar was capable of much more than playing fetch.
Lucy continued waving until she got into the car. She glanced up at the large windows, wondering if her father was watching her go. She thought she caught just the barest glimpse of a silhouette in his office window. But as quickly as she spotted it, it was gone, and she was left to the long journey. She watched the large mansion and its lands disappear in the rear window, feeling no tug at her heart when the building disappeared. It hadn't felt like a home in a very long time after all.
Lucy bid farewell to the driver half an hour later and stepped onto the train platform, finally feeling the beginnings of excitement in her stomach. She fiddled with the crystal hung around her neck, reaching an absent hand down to stroke Plue's head as she waited for her train.
It was tradition in her mother's family that when a witch turned eight, they summoned a familiar and formed a contract. The type of familiar that responded to the summons was often indicative of the times. For example, her mother had summoned her own in a relatively peaceful period, and so she had received Nara, a familiar that could pass off as a common housecat. Nara had specialized in Seeing, capable of seeing through most objects and adept at spying and stealth.
But there had been tales of the witches in her family summoning familiars that specialized in healing during war. And when Lucy had summoned Plue, a familiar adept at battle and defense, there had been nervous murmurs. She was, to her relatives' knowledge, the first in the family to do so.
"There is no war, why a Hound?"
"It must be a sign…"
"I'm telling you, my cousin told me the King is slipping more into madness every day…"
Her father had approved, in his own distant way.
"At least it's good for something," was all he had said about the matter. Lucy had desperately wished for her mother that day; her grandmother had guided her through the ritual, though traditionally it was a ceremony overseen by mothers. The magic in her mother's family descended through the women, a rare matriarchal bloodline that wasn't seen often. They were an old family, with old magic.
But all Lucy knew was that when Plue rose in that circle, in his full, true form, she'd first felt fear, then rough, unbridled joy. He had looked at her for one long moment before he had leaned forward and touched his wet nose to her forehead.
Plue, he had rumbled, for her ears only (for the words exchanged between witch and familiar were sacred), and she had tried not to giggle at the rather silly name for a demon.
Her grandmother had overseen the ceremony, a job normally reserved for the mothers. But Lucy's mother had been gone by then.
"I wish your mother had been here to see it," she had murmured, stroking Lucy's hair with a trembling, wrinkled hand.
Now, she patted his head, feeling the content hum of his energy in her chest as he napped at her feet. She pulled out her phone, a new smartphone she had only been given after several, carefully worded requests to her father. The man was rather stubborn in his refusal of technology.
But she had reasoned that a phone would make forming the necessary connections at school much easier, and would also help her blend in to the outside world much easier.
Humming, she plugged in her headphones and started some of the music she had downloaded onto it. She wasn't allowed much contact with the outside world, and was probably pretty behind as far as music trends went, but she nodded her head along anyway, enjoying the rough words and beat. It was a far cry from the usual classical music she was required to listen to.
Their train arrived about fifteen minutes later and she was glad she had no trouble getting Plue on board. She wasn't keen on casting spells on Everydays; that is, people with no magic. Normal people, with what were probably blissfully normal lives. She watched her fellow passengers choose seats around her, some toting newspapers, others typing away at laptops and phones. They chattered among themselves, talking about weddings and new jobs and new houses. She leaned her head back and let her eyes fall shut just as the train began moving.
Her chest ached at the thought of a life with no magic.
They arrived in the late afternoon. Lucy stumbled off the train in what was probably the least graceful manner, yawning as she stretched. Plue also yawned beside her, casting her a resentful look for cooping him up on a train for so long.
"Hey, where we're going, you'll be able to roam free all day," she said with an eye roll. He merely sniffed and began padding towards the exit and she had no choice but to follow.
The town where the school had been built wasn't the largest city she'd ever been to. She made her way through it and to the edge easily enough. There, on a hill in the distance, was the school. A large, intimidating stone building. The local Everydays thought it was merely a school for "troubled" kids and were glad to keep their distance from it. Lucy trudged towards it, half regretting she hadn't just Portaled there like every other sane student.
Why had she wanted to experience so much of the outside world again?
She got to the front door flecked in mud from the previous night's rain and a howling, empty stomach. Plue looked absolutely miserable and she could feel his energy getting restless in her chest as he shot her more and more glares.
"We'll get some food into you soon," she murmured guiltily. Plue growled quietly in response.
She hovered for a few moments, unsure as to whether she should knock or just enter. The problem was solved for her when the doors swung open, revealing a comically short old man wearing an even funnier outfit. It was an eccentric clash of yellows and blues, and Lucy was reminded of the images Everyday's used to denote wizards. She suppressed a giggle.
"Ms. Heartfilia, I assume?" he asked politely, hands folded behind him.
She smiled tiredly and nodded, not too eager to exchange meaningless pleasantries at the moment.
"You're the last to arrive," the man chuckled cheerfully. "You must be tired and in need of a hot shower. Follow me, I'll take you to your dormitory."
She flushed at the fact she was the last student to arrive. Knew I should have Portaled, she chided herself.
"Oh!" the man suddenly cried, halting in his steps. Lucy startled, arms raising in a half-defensive pose.
She relaxed a few moments later as he continued, "If your familiar would like a meal, he can make his way to the kitchens."
She glanced at Plue, who huffed and took off, no doubt following the scent of food. He would follow her scent later to find her. The school made everything accessible for familiars, since her family wasn't the only one who summoned them. And if he couldn't find her, Lucy could always summon him. But he'd never failed to find her in all of their years together.
They began walking again, Lucy lugging her suitcase after her, adjusting the straps of her backpack uncomfortably. They were beginning to hurt after her long trek up the hill.
"By the way, I am Makarov, the headmaster," the man introduced himself.
Lucy nearly choked, embarrassed at both not guessing he was actually the headmaster and also meeting such a distinguished wizard looking like such a mess. Her hair had been thrown back into a messy pony tail and there was mud all over her legs. She hadn't been expecting to meet the headmaster so her outfit wasn't exactly suited for the occasion. Shorts and a simple t-shirt with a jacket she had tied around her waist. She didn't even want to think about the state her favorite boots were in; she'd have to use a cleaning spell later.
"Nice to meet you, headmaster," she stuttered out, completely off guard. Why had he come to greet her at the door herself?
"I try to greet all of the first years as they arrive," he continued, clearing up that question for her. "And a Heartfilia's arrival is usually considered a special occasion."
His eyes twinkled as he glanced up at her and she smiled, sensing he was lightly teasing.
"Thank you, Headmaster" she replied honestly. He had greeted her with little fanfare and she appreciated it. Most witches and wizards held deep respect for her family name and thus treated her with a certain degree of awe that was both tiresome and embarrassing.
"Oh, and call me Makarov," he told her with a wave of his hand. "Being too formal makes things awkward."
She giggled and he smiled at her, chuckling himself. They walked together quietly and Lucy took the chance to observe the building while also making note of their path. She didn't plan on getting lost like most first-years did.
While the outside, made of dark stone and wood, was intimidating, the inside was decorated much like other schools. At least, those Lucy had seen in her books; she had been homeschooled, her life a series of tutors and haughty professors who insisted she not eat until she had perfected a series of problems or finally memorized all the capitals in Fiore. She shook away the memories, turning her attention back to the building which had no memories associated with it just yet.
Her feet echoed on the stone steps as she climbed, despite the red carpet covering them. The wood was lighter than that outside and the main colors seemed to be red and gold. Lucy smiled at the framed paintings of past headmasters, imagining Makarov grumbling as he sat for his. Painted portraits cost a fortune and were an absolute pain to sit for. They often took hours. Lucy's own had taken six hours for the distinguished painter her father had chosen.
When Makarov finally told her they had reached the dormitories, she was surprised to find they weren't on the grounds somewhere or attached to the main building. The entire school seemed to be much larger on the inside than it appeared.
"You're on the second floor. I'm sure the girls will be able to direct you to your room. Orientation and classes start on Monday, as you know, and you'll receive your uniform tomorrow. I would recommend taking the day to get your books and explore as well."
"Thank you," she murmured again as she placed her hand on the door, suddenly hesitant to push it open.
Makarov sighed gently, glancing up at her with a kind smile.
"Things will be different here than you're used to," he hummed with the sort of knowing smile adults sometimes wore. But he didn't seem patronizing, just…nice.
Lucy started before she realized what he meant. Things will be better.
She smiled and nodded silently in understanding. He gave her one last wave before he vanished. Lucy jumped, not expecting the sudden use of magic. She hadn't even heard him say any sort of spell.
She shrugged and pushed the door open, climbing the two flights of stairs until she reached her door. Or wall, really. All the dorms were enchanted; where a door would normally be, there was a blank expanse of stone. It required magic blood to open. Inhaling deeply, she pressed her hand to it, muttering the password Makarov had told her. She watched as the stones parted silently, stepping through and watching again in wonder as they closed behind her.
Magic, she thought with a small smile. She turned to see that she had stepped into a good sized room, decorated with couches and numerous pillows, as well as a fireplace and a few tables. A girl was seated on one of the armchairs, legs thrown lazily over one arm while her head rest against the back. A large book was in her small hands and her eyes scanned the pages rapidly, only blinking when she adjusted her glasses. She glanced up as Lucy stepped through, flashing her a beaming smile.
"You must be the straggler!" she declared, closing the book and placing it on the table before she stood up, walking forward to greet Lucy. The blonde was surprised by how short the girl actually was; she was absolutely tiny, with short blue hair and wide eyes. Her smile was sweet and genuine and Lucy relaxed a bit under the warmth of it.
"I'm Levy McGarden," the blue haired girl continued. "Welcome to Fairy Tail!"
Lucy smiled in return, suddenly keenly aware of the mud on her legs and the uncomfortable way her shirt was sticking to her. Her backpack seemed to weigh tons.
"Hi," she answered. "The Headmaster said you could direct me to my room?"
"Of course," Levy said cheerily, turning on her heel and gesturing for the girl to follow her. There were only two corridors, Levy leading her down the right hand one.
"These are all the girls' rooms; you'll see that there's five rooms, ten of us total. The boys are in the other corridor but we haven't seen much of them. I'm guessing they all went out exploring as soon as they put their bags down."
Lucy half-listened as Levy babbled away, suddenly realizing she had never heard her family name before. McGarden wasn't in any of the historical books she had studied, nor in any of the family trees.
"You said your name was McGarden?" she asked, interrupting Levy. She smiled in apology, too tired to really care for formalities.
"Yes," Levy hummed. "My parents are Everyday's and our distant relations that have magic blood are a very small family; their line is disappearing. Hence why you probably aren't familiar with my family name."
Lucy nodded, both surprised and not. While magical children born to Everyday's weren't common, it made sense that Levy's family name wasn't well known. In their world, bloodline was everything. It was, however, refreshing. Lucy was glad there was someone who wouldn't ooh and ahh over her own family name.
"How did your parents take it, when you guys found out?" Lucy asked. She had never met someone born to Everyday's. She knew other magical people looked down on them, turned their noses up at their "impure blood". But in Lucy's book, anyone who could cast a spell was one of them, no matter their family.
"Very well, actually. They always knew about my cousins and I'd been having a lot of 'accidents', so when my aunt came to visit and told them, it wasn't a huge shock. My mom had already suspected it for a while, I'm sure."
"What's your name again? I didn't catch it," Levy said, tilting her head to the side. They had stopped in front of the third door down. Lucy fumbled with the key she'd been sent in the mail, turning it jerkily before opening the door.
"Sorry, I'm a little tired. Long day," she apologized. Levy merely giggled, waving away her apology. She shoved her way in, dropping her backpack on her bed with a relieved sigh. The room was simple enough; a bed, desk, closet, small nightstand, a dresser and a large glass door leading to a small balcony. Golden light streamed through the door and Lucy realized distantly just how late it was.
"I'm Lucy," she said finally, turning to face Levy. "Lucy Heartfilia."
Levy's eyes widened and Lucy cursed inwardly. She really didn't want to deal with it just then.
"Oh wow, now that's a big name," Levy replied. There was a beat of silence before another smile spread across the smaller girl's face.
"So tell me," she started, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Are you really descended from angels?"
Lucy was surprised by the laugh that burst from her. Levy laughed with her.
"Really, there's so many stories circulating about your family, it's hard to separate the myth from the truth," Levy chuckled honestly.
"Well, it's an old myth in my family too, but personally I think it's just that, a myth. I mean, do I look like I'd be descended from angels?" she asked, gesturing to the mess on her legs and body.
Levy giggled again, hiding her mouth behind her hand.
"You do look a little rough. Do you want to unpack a bit or do you want me to show you to the showers right now?"
"Showers, please," Lucy answered immediately. The thought of hot water washing the dirt and muck away, streaming down her shoulders and soothing the aches, it was enough to make the train ride worth it.
Ten minutes later she was practically singing for joy as she scrubbed her body and lathered her hair in shampoo. She wasn't exactly sure how she'd managed to get dirt in her hair, but so it was. As she washed, she hummed along to a song she'd listened to on her way there, in a much better mood after meeting Levy and talking to her a bit. The girl had proven to be rather cheerful but not exactly the prying type. Lucy appreciated it.
After rubbing some lotion on her skin and delighting at the fact she now smelled like a girl rather than a puddle of mud, she made her way back to the dorm, practically skipping the whole way there.
Levy looked up from her book once more, grinning.
"You look much better," she remarked.
"I feel much better," Lucy sighed. Her eyes shifted to the girl beside her, her hair a darker shade of blue than Levy's.
"Hello," she introduced herself. "I'm Lucy."
The girl smiled, a little shakily, and dipped her head.
"J-Juvia," she stuttered out, cheeks flushing. Lucy smiled encouragingly, moving to settle on the couch beside her.
"Lockser, right?" she asked. Juvia flashed her a surprised glance and Lucy shrugged.
"I remember a lot from my lessons. Your family makes the most beautiful art."
Juvia smiled then, a real smile, a little stronger, a little more confident.
"Thank you," she murmured, finally making eye contact, wide blue eyes meeting brown.
"No problem," Lucy waved away the gratitude, standing once more. "I'm going to unpack my stuff. When is dinner?"
"Headma – er, Makarov said it'd be around six-thirty," Levy informed her distractedly, eyes focused on her book once more. That gave Lucy about an hour to unpack.
"We'll c-come and get you," Juvia said.
Lucy flashed her a smile.
"Thanks."
Lucy didn't meet the boys until she was just about to leave for dinner. Levy was telling her about the story she was reading, a tale of knights and dragons that Lucy was tempted to ask to borrow. She had just been about to tell Levy of a novel she had finished over the summer, the wall opening in front of her, when what seemed like a wall of muscle stumbled right into her.
With a rather unladylike yelp, she lost her balance, and in the most ungraceful way, crumbled to the floor.
"Shit! Sorry!" the wall of mass stammered, hands suddenly on her shoulders and waist, lifting her back up like she weighed no more than a paper doll.
"Idiot," a different voice growled, deeper than the first. "If you weren't in such a damn hurry."
"Are you okay?" the first voice asked, voice panicked. Lucy looked up into a pair of green eyes, which were frantically scanning her for injuries. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No," Lucy muttered, stepping back. His hands were warm and heat radiated from his body, which she realized was pressed against her own. He was holding her against his chest, staring down at her concernedly. She shivered when his touch left her body. "I'm fine."
"Way to make friends, dumbass," yet another voice snorted disdainfully.
'Dumbass' snarled back at the boy, who had black hair and cold grey eyes, before turning back to her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again and Lucy smiled this time, now that she was away from him and his intoxicating warmth.
"I'm okay," she reassured him, gesturing to herself. "No blood, so I'll live."
"I'm Natsu," the boy told her with a sharp, charming grin. Lucy's eyes roamed over his pink, unruly hair and tanned skin, the way white fangs poked from beneath his upper lip, his toned arms. His red t-shirt did a poor job at hiding his physique. She swallowed, hard.
"Dragneel?" she said, guessing from her vague memories of a rumor she'd overheard years ago. The stuffy nobles gossiping had been disdainful of the leader of such a distinguished family name adopting an orphan from nowhere, with no apparent magical abilities. Lucy had thought it was sweet. And if he was here, at this school, she was also guessing his magical abilities had surfaced at some point.
His green eyes widened, lips turning downward in a frown. She briefly mourned the smile on his face.
"How'd you - ?"
"Lucky guess," she interrupted him, smiling at the other boys as she introduced herself.
"I'm Lucy."
"Gajeel," the other boy grunted. Lucy struggled to keep from craning her neck to look up at him. He wasn't just tall, he was muscled and massive compared to Levy, who stood right beside him. Next to him, she looked positively puny. Piercings marked his brow, nose, and ears, and Lucy struggled to suppress the instinctive fear that rose in her stomach as his red eyes met her own. Plue's energy growled in her chest, sensing her discomfort. She soothed him quietly, smiling up at Gajeel.
"Redfox, I think," she hummed, tapping a finger to her chin. It was hard to mistake those eyes. His father was just as, if not more, intimidating than his son.
Gajeel grinned, dipping his head.
"You know your families," he acknowledged. She laughed lightly, ignoring the churn of her stomach.
"I've got a brain for it."
"And tutors, I'm guessing," the other boy interrupted, face cool and stony. Lucy turned to him, dreading what was coming. Because now, looking fully into his chiseled face, she recognized him. And she had no doubt he recognized her from the balls they had both attended. She cursed her lack of preparedness; she should have guessed the son of another large magic family would be attending Fairy Tail.
"She's a Heartfilia," he clarified. Gajeel's jaw dropped, while Natsu just looked confused and Levy looked irritated.
"I don't get it," Natsu said, looking around.
"That wasn't your information to share, Gray," Levy chastised.
Gray shrugged, an elegant yet careless gesture at the same time.
"I'm not sure why you'd try to hide a name like that," he said, yawning. "If it were me, I'd be throwing it around and cashing in."
"Your name is nothing to sneer at," Lucy shot back. "Fullbuster carries its fair share of weight."
Gray shrugged again, waving her comment away.
"Nothing compared to Heartfilia."
"I'm a McGarden, in case anyone cared," Levy piped up, hand raised like she was in class, earning a glare from Gray, a soft giggle from Lucy, and a snort of laughter from Gajeel.
"I still don't get it," Natsu said, stretching an arm to scratch the back of his head. He squinted at Lucy, who shifted uncomfortably beneath the openness of his gaze. Lucy softened at the clear confusion on his face.
"The Heartfilia family is rich, idiot," Gajeel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "I'm not talking our family rich, I'm talking dirty, stinking rich. You'd know this if you ever paid attention in class."
"And? That's just money." Natsu said, still just as perplexed. Lucy poured fervent blessings upon him in her mind.
"And nothing," she cut off Gray's next comment shortly, sending him a glare. "Gray recognizes me from the numerous balls we were both forced to attend."
"They still throw balls?" Natsu gawked.
"Unfortunately," Lucy muttered, brushing past the group to leave the dorm and start down the stairs. Levy followed her, sticking by her side and throwing her a reassuring smile of solidarity. Lucy's steps faltered a bit as she realized she had no idea where the mess hall was, before Levy began to lead the way confidently.
"I've never heard the McGarden name," Gajeel commented in what he probably thought was a nonchalant way.
"It's nonexistent," Levy replied tersely. Lucy smirked, silently agreeing to not spill Levy's own blood secret. It wasn't her business to tell.
"Enough of this family nonsense," Natsu declared loudly. "What's for dinner?"
Gray groaned. "All you ever think about is food."
Lucy laughed and Levy giggled alongside her. The blonde had no doubt that was true.
Gajeel snorted. "If you concentrated on your magic as much as you did your food, you'd be the greatest wizard in Fiore."
"I am the grea-" He was silence by what sounded like a pretty heavy smack.
"Shut up," Gray sighed.
Natsu growled and Lucy glanced behind her just in time to catch him swiping at Gray, who dodged the blow and reared his hand back for a real punch.
"Try it, Ice Princess," Natsu roared and Gajeel groaned.
"Not again," he muttered.
"Are they always like this?" Lucy asked Levy quietly.
"From what little I've seen, yes," Levy answered tiredly.
Lucy sighed. It was going to be a long year. Yet somehow, as she glanced back again to see Natsu shoving Gray and Gray trying to trip him, she couldn't imagine it any other way.