Do they know what day today is? Probably not. Lucy sighed as she slumped against her chair, writing her novel. Happy was the only one who visits anymore. Lucy wouldn't blame him if he didn't know as well. It didn't matter. She's been like this for years. She shouldn't have gotten used to it. Lucy walked to the guild in silence, staring at her feet.

"Lushi!" Happy called. Lucy waved to Happy, grateful the cat acknowledged her. "Can we go fishing?" Lucy shook her head. "The pond's frozen over." Happy was depressed. Especially since the pond was frozen over in the middle of summer.

Lucy continued to walk her not-so-merry way. Maybe today. Maybe it would be like one of those surprise parties. Or maybe not. Maybe it would be just like the other days. Bad Lucy. Think positive.

As she stood in front of the guild doors, however, Lucy heard sounds. "You tell her." Someone said. "Wow! I bet flamebrain won't even make it half way since he's so dumb!" Someone else said. "Shut up, stripper!" An all too obvious voice said. Lucy was too tired to care as she simply opened the door and walked in.

No good mornings. No hellos. No hey Lucys. Just simply silence. Oh no. The guild wasn't silent. She was just ignored.

As Lucy passed by, whispers could be heard. Every day. Every single day. What once filled her with joy now filled her with sadness. If only things weren't that way. What had she done wrong?

She held back the moisture from her glittering brown orbs. So un Lucy like. So depressing. It's not right. There were still others who cared about her. She shouldn't ignore the fact that Happy noticed her. Lucy should just keep hope that they notice her today, notice the girl they cared for under their wing, the one who they all fought for, all together, all bonded as one. Surely that meant something? Surely they weren't going to just throw that all away?

Lucy looked at Lissana, talking to Mira about something. She wondered how it felt like, waking up in an alternative universe. A different world, a different reality. A place so different yet so same. Your friends are all there, so close, so tantalizingly close, yet just out of reach. They may not be there, and may never will again, but you start to bond with them. Then, they come back and it starts all over again. It haunts you.

Lucy picked on what was left of her food. She should probably take a job. Probably. As she walked toward the request board, she noticed someone walk toward her. Lucy smiled the biggest smile she could muster, her eyes shining. Perhaps this was the day they would stop ignoring her?

"Natsu!" Lucy said, hugging him before he can say anything. She let go after a few minutes. "Uh, Lucy." Natsu said as Lucy looked at him with wide eyes full of anticipation. "Can you leave the guild?" Lucy stared in shock.

"Why?" Lucy asked. "No one wants you here." Natsu said casually. Lucy jumped away from him. It can't be true, can it?

She looked around. Pointing. Pointing at her. Whisperings. Then she noticed something she didn't in quite a while. The people's smiles didn't reach their eyes. Was it because of her? Was she really the cause of this?

"Why?" Lucy asked. "What did I do wrong?" "You're weak." Natsu said. "Now can you go?" Lucy turned to stare him straight in the eye. "This isn't the Fairy Tail I knew." She walked away as she whispered one thing under her breathe. "I can't believe I ever loved you." After that, Lucy ran a break for the door.

It was all a joke, right? A silly prank? No. It's been going on for days. She shouldn't annoy them any longer. She had hoped too long. She should have thought. She should have realized she was worlds away.

There were days when Lucy would come back to the guild with scars. She needed to do missions to keep up rent, but these thoughts always crept into her mind. When will she be loved? Of course Happy was always there, helping her, but she always needed help. Lucy reached down to pull her sleeve up and look at her scars. A deep gash in the center of her elbow. She remembered getting it when she saw a redhead with long hair. She remembered thinking of how the girl looked so much like Erza. But it wasn't. Her desperation that her friends would notice her drove her to the scar.

Lucy looked down at her thigh. A streak decorated the center. The day Lucy went against another dark guild, hoping that maybe she'll run into them. Her efforts were in vain, however. A flash of ice. Lucy knew it was there. She bounded toward it, sprinted toward it with all her might, not even caring that she was in harms way. All it did was aid the enemy.

Lucy never have up hope. She trusted her family. She went on another job. maybe something came up so they couldn't talk to her? Lucy went on another job to fill the growing hole in her empty heart. She did see them, but it was the last time. Pink hair. She knew who it was. Then, a fireball hit her and burned her on the spot of her emblem. Lucy took off her gloves.

Not even Wendy healed her, but Lucy didn't think Wendy should waste her time.

She looked at the burned emblem. It was already charred, old, rundown. It was looking forward to death. Maybe that was the emblem's way of saying her time in Fairy Tail was over.

Lucy ran into Makarov. Just who she wanted to see. "Master, I'd like to quit the guild." Lucy said. The guild master sighed in exasperation. "If you brats are playing some sort of joke, don't think I'll buy it." Lucy firmly looked at him. "I think it's time for you to erase my guild mark." Makarov stared in shock. "Please don't tell me you're serious?" He must be so happy to have one less problem in the guild. She shook her head. "This is no joke." Makarov then noticed the scars across her body in horror as one thought echoed in his head: 'what had they done to her?' He tearfully looked at her guild mark. It was seared. "Come back any time, child. Please visit." Lucy doubted she'd come back. After swiping off the guild mark, Makarov immediately ran to the guild.

Lucy wrote down goodbye letters as she expected tears to come. They didn't. Maybe she shed so much tears, she had none left. Or maybe her tears weren't worth it.

She ran to the train station before flashbacks hit her. No matter where she ran, she couldn't escape. She cared. Lucy ran far, far away, into the depths of the forests she was so afraid of before.

A majestic dragon soared over the crystal blue sky. He looked below, wondering how he escaped his prison. There lay a blonde haired girl, curled into a tight ball as she clutched a flower. Upon closer inspection, the girl looked familiar. "Anna?"

It wasn't possible. Anna lived years ago. She was killed before his very eyes. Acknologia looked at the girl closer. No. it wasn't Anna. Probably another enemy. He flew down to crush her when he suddenly noticed the girl's facial expression.

Hurt. Betrayal. It was written in blood. That was the moment Acknologia knew who awakened him. She was just like him, betrayed by loved ones.

All humans were enemies. Acknologia couldn't bear to side with one. It would bring him pain. Why won't he kill the girl?

Warmth was filled in Acknologia's heart, warmth to care for the tiny girl like how he wished someone cared for him. Maybe this was what Igneel spoke of. Acknologia quickly shut his eyes. Don't mention Igneel.

The girl opened her familiar chocolate brown eyes. "I wish my dad was still alive." She didn't care that a dragon loomed over her. "Then I shall be your dad." Acknologia said. Lucy looked up above. This dragon knew what betrayal was. She could see it in his eyes. Lucy smiled. "Thank you." Maybe people in this world still cared for her.

"You look like a mess, human." Acknologia said. "The humans of this generation don't seriously look like that, do they? If so then this world has become a horrid place." Lucy laughed at that comment. "I really shouldn't have wore make up today."

"What is this 'make up' you speak of? Does it ruin the face? Is it the latest trend?" Lucy was shocked this dragon knew what trend was and not make up.

"What is your name, human?" The dragon asked. "Lucy. Lucy Heartfillia."

"What's yours?" Lucy asked.

"Acnologia."