Chapter 1 - Summer
Summary: AU Ever since her mother died, Lucy has been told by everyone that magic was always a lie. That is, until she meets a guy with a talking cat. NaLu
Synopsis: While looking for signs of the magic she and her mother grew up believing in, Lucy meets a pink-haired rebel seemingly tied up in the world of magic that she has been desperately searching for all her life. What she finds is danger, hardship and an infinite wonder and excitement that makes her realise what it means to be alive.
…
Lucy scrolled through yet another blog, engrossed in a detailed, first-hand account of someone experiencing the supernatural. She rubbed her toes together impatiently, shifting the pillow to make herself more comfortable.
The woman had finally found the hidden room in the attic and she had decided to bravely confront the ghost haunting her house. She was just about to open the door…
"Eek!" She jolted back, surprised at yet another 'don't look behind you' ending of yet another creepy story.
"Well, that was another fake." Lucy said to herself, disappointed.
For years, she had been running a blog in hopes of finding real paranormal activity out there, but reality had a habit of crushing all things magical. It was hard because she had finally taken the plunge and escaped home under the guise of a 'communications degree' and now she couldn't find any leads to what she was looking for.
Lucy sighed, staring hopelessly at her nightstand where a photo of her mother rested with that same bright smile she had before she died, except the picture captured her when she was still healthy and a little less terminally ill.
She cradled the photo frame in her hands and spoke as though her mother was there, smiling at her complaisantly as she always did. "Mum you promised me that magic was real and I believed you. Were you just humouring me like a kid to distract me from the fact that you were sick?"
Lucy's voice cracked and she tried to hold back the quiver of her chin. Quivering chins were always the first phase before breakdown and she knew that if she could master the chin she would be okay.
She searched her memory and vague recollections and knew that bath time always included mermaids. They were real and she just had to find them. Her mother had proven to her time and time again that there was magic in the world and her father was just gas-lighting her.
What right did he have to say that they were lies? He was never around anyway.
Just because six different child psychiatrists and four different doctors told her she was wrong didn't mean they were right.
It was early in the day and she had already gotten herself in a funk. Before she decided to get two tubs of ice-cream and spend a week watching Disney movies, Lucy decided to get out of her pyjamas and leave the house.
Standing in front of the mirror she picked out her sexiest casual which happened to be a tank top and a miniskirt and touched up her make up. In this humidity, another shower was probably a good idea but it would take forever for her hair to dry and she was way too close to just moping around the house to risk a hair malfunction.
Looking over at her vanity she spied the expensive perfume that she bought while she was still financially reliant on her father and shrugged. "A girl's got to treat herself."
She sprayed her wrists and neck a little more liberally than she usually did but self-esteem was the best pick-me-up that she had in a new city with no friends.
Lucy looked into the mirror and gave her trademark photogenic smile but it didn't really reach her eyes. She suddenly couldn't bare looking at herself and stuffed her phone and notepad in her handbag before heading out the door.
….
Lucy predicted the weather perfectly. It was hot and sticky the moment she left her apartment complex.
"I should have been a weather girl." Lucy mumbled to herself sarcastically.
Looking to her side, she noticed some of her neighbours were watching her suspiciously as though she were crazy for talking to herself.
"Don't mind me!" Lucy said, raising her hands. "Just one of those ear piece phones – Isn't technology just so advanced lately?"
She laughed maybe more forcefully than she should of but it was the city and her neighbours were busy so they didn't feel the need to play sleuth with her and walked away with a quick wave and an uneasy smile.
It was hard to figure out where to go now that she was out of the apartment but when you're living on a tight budget you learn that it's torture to stay anywhere that tempts you to spend money.
The mall was a death sentence because she knew herself well enough that if she found a beautiful pair of heels she would definitely forego eating for a month just so she didn't have to let them go. A café would have her charged on enough caffeine that she wouldn't sleep for the rest of her life.
The best place, most wholesome place to go was probably the park.
Her spirits lit up at the thought of people watching and just relaxing under a tree or in the sun. The thought of just hanging around in a public space probably seemed a little dull to some people but she never got to experience relaxing around strangers and she genuinely liked to imagine their life story.
Her father had different ideas because to him they were the 'unwashed masses' and he would rather take a private jet and stay at exclusive private resorts than sit shoulder to shoulder with someone or just simply relax where other people happened to be relaxing too.
When Lucy could finally see the unnaturally green and lush landscape surrounded by cement and passing cars she could not help but smile to herself. When she stopped at the lights, she smashed her finger against the pedestrian walking button obsessively and almost broke out in dance when the little man turned green.
She made a beeline for her favourite spot which was by the giant fountain situated right in the middle. It had beautiful stone ladies holding large jugs of water with elegance and poise, which Lucy loved because it reminded her of her childhood.
Expecting to hear the soft calm of nature mixed with distant cars, instead Lucy heard a crowd of women screaming adoringly and wondered what the commotion was about. Being home schooled and for the most part locked away at home, she had her fair share of celebrity crushes from the singing teen heartthrob she made a collage of at puberty to the gorgeous actors on the screen, always fit and muscular and seemingly always playing the role of a bad boy with attitude.
She had a type and she wasn't afraid to admit it.
When Lucy peered over all the girls and women surrounding this guy, she quickly realised he was not her type. To be honest she didn't expect the man to be any women's type but from the crowd that gathered she knew everyone was entitled to their own opinions.
"I am the mighty salamander!" He yelled, the audience clapping and cheering for him. "Who here wants to speak to a loved one who has passed into the other world?"
The crowd cheered even louder now and immediately he had drawn her in and piqued her interest. He brought his hands low and fanned them, silencing the crowd and pressed his hands to his temple as though in a deep trance. The crowd instinctively bunched together closer as his eyebrows furrowed and he began to speak.
"I'm hearing a 'Lo' or a 'Lay' or a 'La' or maybe even a 'Lu'?" He opened his eyes inquisitively, a confident smirk stretched across his features as he surveyed the crowd.
"My mother's name was Layla and I'm Lucy!" Lucy yelled, much louder and excitedly than she should have.
Maybe it was a stupid reflex or maybe – just maybe – her mother's spirit had guided her here today and this was the most important moment in her life. There was no way that anyone would lie or trick people about such an emotionally charged issue like a deceased loved one just for tips in a park.
Still, Lucy looked over at his tip jar. Even if those were just dollars, he had probably made more than she ever could in a month.
He held out his hand and the crowd parted like it was the red sea. When Lucy walked forward he grabbed her hand and kept her close, his other hand dangerously low on her back. In any other circumstance, she would have backed as far away as possible but if this guy could give her a message from her mother than she would accept a little bit of intrusion in her personal space.
"Layla was very important to you and she passed away at a very turbulent time in your life." He murmured solemnly, speaking more to the crowd than to her.
Lucy frowned.
Describing her childhood as 'turbulent' was an understatement. Turbulence is a couple of minutes of shakiness on a plane. Her childhood was probably an earthquake where continents split and the only damage is from a destructive, never-ending cyclone. After careful consideration, a team of the world's best and brightest meteorologists named it 'Daddy Issues' without disagreement.
"Layla said that the most important thing in the world is love, and that you don't have to look very far to find it." He said, his smile and open arms all too practiced.
"Awww" The crowd cried with endearment in unison as they clapped and cheered.
While waving, she caught his sour breath as he whispered in her ear, "Meet me after the show and let's go somewhere, yeah?"
Lucy's fists were shaking and she had never been more embarrassed, ashamed and angry at herself in her entire life. She didn't think it was possible to truly lose hope in humanity but she was so close in those moments to either breaking down in tears in a public place or calling her father's office and admitting that he was right and just going back home to do whatever he told her was best in life.
Before she could weigh up what option seemed less soul crushing, an angry voice sounded from the crowd and she watched as a guy pushed past all the smitten women and pointed his finger right in the sick bastard's face.
"You're taking advantage of people. That's not how talking to spirits works." He accused angrily. "All you're doing is cold reading."
Lucy had heard that term before.
From what she understood, it was basically fishing for terms that are easily relatable to lots of people like money, or relationships or being sick - then baiting a response to lead into something maybe a little more specific. It only really worked well with an audience like this one where there were so many people to hook onto his trick and Lucy hated herself for falling for something so obvious.
The crowd was a little less sceptical and immediately turned on the poor guy that had called the con-artist out. Taking a glance at the cold reader, Lucy noticed that she had recognised him from somewhere.
He was probably a popular television personality, hence the devoted crowd.
"No, let's here the guy out!" Lucy raised her voice.
It was good feeling like a martyr but not so much to be yelled at by dozens of angry people who desperately wanted to get in the con artist's good books so they could hear something comforting from a dead loved one.
Before things turned into a full-blown riot, she felt a strong, warm grip wrap firmly around her wrist and before she knew it she was pulled along, laughing and running like crazy. Lucy watched as the crowd dissolved and became just figures in the distance and she swung her head forward to really see who rescued her.
He was everything she fantasised about when reading romance novels.
She would never lose him in a crowd with that head of pink hair and his arms looked so strong that he could probably lift her up on each arm without breaking a sweat. Most of all, he was not the kind of guy that she could invite home without immediate disapproval from her father and that was what turned her on most.
When they could finally slow down Lucy pressed her palms against her knees and caught her breath. Even though he was the only person that she had met in real life that fell under her list of 'people I would like to get naked with', she wasn't very good at dating and she had zero experience with men in general so it would be best for her to pass and go home before she embarrassed herself.
"Are you okay?" He asked, pressing his hand against her shoulder.
Looking up, Lucy said the first thing that came into her head. "Do you want to get lunch with me?"
"If you're paying." He joked, his smile so big that Lucy almost swooned.
"Yeah of course I will!" Lucy agreed as a reflex.
She frowned awkwardly for a moment and thought things through. She didn't want to come off as desperate or lonely or just a complete pushover but she was all those things right at that second and there was no point playing it off now.
"You're a really great girl." He praised her with genuine gratitude. "Your name is Lucy, right?"
Lucy grinned harder than she ever had in her life and it felt good to exercise the muscles in her face. It was hard to describe how elated she felt when hearing someone praise her with such absolute confidence. She almost wanted to record him saying that so she could replay it whenever she had a rough time.
"Yeah, and you are?" She asked.
"Natsu. Natsu Dragneel." Natsu said and then turned towards a small cat that she didn't quite notice before. "And this is Happy."
Lucy had to admit it was kind of weird to just have your cat hanging around you, especially in the city where drivers didn't care what they hit, be it puppies or old ladies, but it was kind of endearing and almost cute that he introduced his cat like it was a person.
"Hi Happy, I'm Lucy." She introduced, opening her palm for the cat to sniff.
The cat sauntered over to her and pressed his paw against her palm. "Nice to meet you, Lucy."
Lucy thought for a second that she was just imagining the talking, but she had never hallucinated before and there was no way that she was starting to now. Still, the only cat she had heard talking was on that old show about the teenaged witch and that was just television and she was sane enough to know that wasn't real.
"You're either the subtlest ventriloquist or the best cat trainer in the world because I think I just heard your cat talk and I'm not crazy." Lucy said, her heart hammering.
It was debatable whether or not she was crazy, and that had been extensively debated, but she knew deep down that she was completely sane and that she did definitely hear that cat talking.
"Yeah, of course he talks. It's not like he's stupid or anything." Natsu said defensively.
"Don't worry Natsu, she probably just hasn't talked to a cat before." Happy responded, sitting back and swishing his tail casually.
"Come on, she must be pretty sheltered if she hasn't talked to a cat."
Any normal person would have probably institutionalised themselves at this stage but instead, Lucy smiled apologetically. "I was home-schooled and I've never had any pets before."
"Happy isn't a pet, he's a friend!" Natsu bristled.
Lucy's heart gave out and she instantly adored him. It was so sweet that he defended his friend so passionately and she didn't really mean it that way.
"He's my friend now too, right Happy?" Lucy said in mock offense.
"Right!"
Now that things had calmed down a bit, in hindsight there were some things Lucy wanted to ask them about. For starters, Natsu had said that the con-artist had not truthfully talked to spirits which meant that he knew there was a correct way that he was aware of. The other clue was there was no way that a talking cat was not involved in something at least partly supernatural. Privately, she thanked all the hours of free time watching television for helping her suss that one out.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a synchronised growl of hunger from both their stomachs and she smiled sympathetically. "Lunch is on me, guys."
….
It was hard to describe the mixed feelings she felt while watching Natsu eat. On one hand, she was internally crying because he was sucking up her food money for the month like a vacuum cleaner and he didn't even bother being picky. Natsu just picked everything on the menu and ate everything in sight. On the other hand, he conformed to every sexual fantasy partner she had ever dreamed of and his personality was endearing enough to be boyfriend material.
Nevertheless, she was definitely not the kind of girl to just go with the first guy she got to know. Also, there was no way that a guy like that would go for her.
"I'm only just noticing it now but Lucy, you smell really good." Natsu said, as he took a moment to shovel more food into his mouth.
"Really?" Lucy blushed. "Thank you…"
All of the careful self-restraint she just built up immediately went out the window. Clearing her throat, she decided if she didn't start asking questions now, she would never get around to doing it.
"So, when you were talking about talking to spirits…" Lucy started, grabbing out her notepad and pen.
"Oh yeah..." Natsu said, chewing through a beef brisket like it was nothing. "Mirajane said that it's impossible to talk to ghosts and all that stuff. Half the time what people communicate with is just not human."
"When you mean not human, you mean?" Lucy scribbled, a shiver crawling up her spine.
"Demons, abnormalities, you know." When Natsu finished his meals, he reached over for the bread basket on the adjacent table. "Stuff you definitely don't want to be talking to."
Lucy's mouth hung open and she hoped to god that he wasn't just a crazy person.
"Natsu this is really important to me so if you're just playing around just tell me now and save me from the disappointment." Lucy said, her fingers shook as she tried to grip the table as hard as she could. "When I was younger, my mother had a mermaid. She told me all these really important things about magic and my father always told me it was a lie."
"Oh, geez…" Natsu said, scratching the back of his head while he thought of what to say. "I'm sorry, Lucy - can't say I've seen any mermaids."
Lucy crumped and slumped back, entirely dejected that she probably got the best lead she would ever get and it ended up being just another dead end.
"Listen, just because I haven't seen any doesn't mean they aren't real." Natsu said apologetically.
It meant the world to her that he said that.
"You know, everyone has told me that I must be crazy when I tell them that story." Lucy said gently. "You're the first person who hasn't."
"Lucy…" Happy sounded concerned.
Natsu was obviously frustrated and uncomfortable that he couldn't help and Happy looked sadder than a cat should, so Lucy thought it best that she should leave. It was bad enough that she almost got scammed by a degenerate profiting off the misery of others but she also had to go and make a cat depressed.
"Don't worry guys, I've got this." Lucy said, trying to lift the burden she unloaded on them. "If I can find more genuine people like you, I'll have this mystery sorted in no time."
Natsu and Happy both thumped their hands – and paws - on the table as a synchronised idea popped up in their heads.
"Lucy why don't you come with us and meet some people from the guild?" Happy said with newfound pep.
"Erza knows pretty much everything and she might be able to help you out." Natsu added.
Lucy felt a little jealous that he spoke so highly of another woman but she was kind of jumping the gun to go full possessive girlfriend when they had only just met.
"That would be really great…" Lucy said, tears prickling her eyes. "I've been alone, in this big city for ages and I've never had any friends in my life and it means so much to me that you're willing to help me out this much. I hope this isn't one of those scams where you lead me through a back ally and murder me or something."
The word vomit just toppled out and she wished that she was more used to talking to people.
"You're kind of weird, Lucy." Natsu said.
…..
They had to walk the entire distance and it lead through some pretty shady streets. It was way longer than her daily jog, because the sun was already starting to go down and her feet were killing her. At least she would be able to settle for those two tubs of ice-cream if things didn't work out without the guilt of extra calories.
Lucy genuinely wondered if Natsu was like a modern Ted Bundy minus the car or something similar but no, he said he genuinely was taking her to the guild headquarters and that he had severe motion sickness that stopped him from using any form of transport.
He admitted it begrudgingly so there was no way that it was an easily prepared excuse.
Lucy wondered if she should tease him and say that the world was constantly in motion, but that was cruel and if he got sick thinking about it then they might end up taking longer. That was bad because she had learned first-hand that walking through the city and through neighbourhoods like this at night was like asking to be stabbed and mugged.
Strangely enough, she felt safe with Natsu. She had this odd feeling that he could take on anyone and anything. Almost enough to ask him to carry her, but they weren't that close. Yet.
"So, what do you do anyway, Natsu." Lucy asked, trying to keep a steady flow of conversation.
"We do fire shows in the park or at restaurants and stuff on the side." Natsu said casually. "Mostly we do odd jobs."
"Fire shows at the park?" Lucy asked, incredulous. "That sounds really, really dangerous."
"Yeah, that's what the city council said." Natsu laughed, as though it were funny. "I got busted for going and doing it anyway right before we met."
Lucy pressed her temple as she felt a headache coming on. They weren't running because it was like some kind of romantic comedy and he liked her or something, they were doing it because some council member or cop had caught onto him doing something stupid.
"Come on, there was a fountain nearby if anyone caught on fire." Natsu said, sensing her annoyance.
"It's not like trees could just go and uproot themselves and roll into the fountain. Or what about the grass, Natsu?" Lucy scolded him as if they were an old married couple.
"I've seen trees walk before so it could happen."
"He's right, Lucy." Happy joined in. "We've definitely seen trees walking."
Lucy softened. "You guys must see lots of cool stuff. I wish I could see all that weirdness with you too."
Natsu and Happy both hummed and looked at each other, as though sharing a conversation that only the closest bond could translate without words. Growing up, Lucy wished she had a twin so she could have someone she could communicate with that deeply.
They reached the headquarters – if you could call it that – before the sun went down. It was basically a large cement slab with a massive rectangular brick building that looked kind of like a storage warehouse.
If this was where she was going to get murdered she was okay with that because her feet hurt too much to walk anywhere nicer.
Lucy took a moment to prepare herself.
Deep breaths.
When Natsu opened the doors, she felt like it was something out of a movie.
"Is this Narnia?" She murmured, mostly to herself.
It was as though she had drifted into a different universe where outside was a warehouse and inside was this amazing tavern with a rustic wooden interior and an upstairs level that was visible from the entrance.
There were wooden benches everywhere where people laughed and drank. She spied some brawling in the distance and she wondered if this was some kind of highlander scenario where she had crossed into a different time period where that's just what people did to pass the time.
As they walked towards the bar, Natsu greeted everyone as they passed as though he had known them all his life. It was weird that all of these people were so… normal.
She expected creepy or mysterious, but definitely not normal people of all ages. She even spied some kids here and there.
"Mirajane!" Natsu called out, grinning.
When they walked over to the bar, Lucy felt immediately self-conscious. She expected some kind of creepy, depressing Satanist – not this white-haired bombshell. She was supermodel gorgeous and she was so nice and welcoming it was like she didn't know any guy would bend over backwards for her.
"Hi, I'm Lucy." She said sheepishly.
"It's really sweet that Natsu has finally brought a girl here." Mirajane said.
The implication was apparent enough to make Lucy blush but Natsu was oblivious to any kind of hint.
Natsu wrapped his arm around Lucy's shoulder and she tried her hardest to focus on anything other than his yummy musky scent. Her eyes lingered on a magazine and her heart stopped when she realised that Mirajane was the cover-girl.
Mirajane Strauss was a European model that was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. Lucy always wondered how much photoshop had a hand in that and staring at her in person, she realised that she was much more beautiful than in any of her pictures.
"Lucy has some questions and I thought I would bring her here to talk to Erza." Natsu explained. "Where is she?"
Mirajane smiled apologetically, before refilling a drink for a tiny old man that sat close by on a stool. "Erza is out right now on a job and she's not expected back for another couple of days at least."
Lucy's heart dropped.
"Aw, man…" Natsu groaned.
"If there is anything I can do, feel free to ask." Mirajane offered, smiling.
"I'm looking for a mermaid. She disappeared when my mother died…" Lucy's voice shook as she spoke.
"Oh honey," Mirajane frowned. "Why don't you and Natsu go have a look at some jobs and I will see if someone can get in contact with Erza in the meantime. I'll get your paperwork sorted afterwards."
Lucy saw the big notice board and looked through each individual request. It had to do with all things mystical and more. There were some things that she didn't understand and had never even heard of and it seemed to span all over the globe. Requests flooded in from everywhere - from England to Japan and even in isolated areas of Russia.
When Lucy saw the rewards for every request her eyes almost bulged out of her head. It was dumb that she didn't get Natsu to foot the bill with the amount of cash he would be bringing in from these jobs.
"Natsu what did Mirajane mean by paperwork?" Lucy asked absentmindedly as she looked through all of the notices pinned to the board.
"N-Natsu?" When no answer came, she had to do a double-take and saw him already engaged in a brawl.
"What's up, Lucy?" Happy asked, preoccupied with a fresh fish.
"What paperwork do I need to do?"
"You just have to register your name with Fairy Tail and you can be a licenced guildmember." Happy licked the bones clean and moved on to another fish.
Lucy hadn't thought that she would be able to join and do jobs with everyone. She thought that it was exclusive to skilled people and that it was a lot more selective than that, but it made her so happy that they all just welcomed her into the fold without question.
"You guys!" She crushed Happy to her chest in a big hug and rubbed her cheek against his fur.
Not only could she spend more time with everyone and go on exciting adventures, but she could hustle and bring in enough money to pay off months of rent and then some.
"Lucy, you're crushing me with your boobs." Happy's voice was too muffled for anyone but her to hear him.
Mirajane appeared before Happy lost consciousness and Lucy reluctantly let go. In her arms, she had a stack of papers and a tray with beautiful stamps and colours. Her smile was so welcoming Lucy wondered if anyone had ever successfully said no to her.
"I couldn't get a hold of Erza and they said that it may take even longer than expected." Mirajane said sadly.
Lucy should have felt disappointed, but she was honestly so excited to see and experience the world as they did that she didn't mind. She could find her mermaid on the side or maybe she would find a clue during a job. Everything was working out for the best.
"I've marked where you need to sign your name so if you want to just go through the contract I'll answer any questions you have." Mira sensed her excitement and got straight to the point. "After that, you can customise your fairy mark."
Lucy skimmed through the contract as quickly as she could and signed without hesitation. In any other situation, it was probably a terrible idea, but she was so used to flicking through terms of service and just clicking agree that the severity of a contract didn't really phase her.
"That design is so cute." Lucy said, looking at the stamp. "I hope it doesn't wash off…"
"It's kind of like a painless tattoo." Mirajane explained, wiping down the back of her hand. "It won't come off unless you want us to take it off."
When Mirajane finally pressed the beautiful stamp against the back of her hand, Natsu came over and yelled out to everyone, "Everyone we've got a new member!"
All the people in the room stopped their squabbles and raised their glasses with a cheer.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy!" They roared in unison.
All her life, she never once even had a friend. In just a day, she had a room full of people that felt like family.
….
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