"I'm afraid I don't know anything about any magic stores, I'm sorry dear" an old lady said giving the blond woman in front of her an apologetic look
The blond teenager merely smiled politely, "Thank you anyways" she thanked waving slightly as the old lady walked away
Once the kind old lady was out of sight her shoulders slumped in disappointment, "Another miss..." she mumbled noting that the old lady was the tenth person she asked
Should she give up?
'No, I've come this far...I can't give up without even seeing if they had a key or not' she thought to herself as a new surge of determination overcame her
She gave a proud glance to the keys attached to her belt, three gold keys and three silver keys.
She was sure it had to count as an accomplishment amongst other Celestial Spirit Mage, but then again there weren't many mages who had the same magic as her.
Two of her gold keys, the Water Bearer and the Giant Crab, were gifts of her late mother
Her other gold gate key, the Golden Bull, she had bought off of a passing merchant who didn't know how valuable the golden gate keys were, the blond considered it her lucky break.
Two of her silver keys, the Southern Cross and the Clock, she had received as gifts from a retired mage. Another lucky break.
Her other silver key, the Lyre, she hadn't really done much to gain. The spirit that belonged to the gate had sought her out, thus a friendship and contract was formed
Basically, the blond had obtained four keys in one year. Pretty impressive if she does say so herself.
'Which is exactly why I can't give up on a chance like this!' She yelled in her head as she looked around again
Her feet walking forward as she tried to find a Magic Store, completely oblivious to a few giggling girls who speed walked towards the town square
The blond was still thinking about her current main goal which was to become a full-fledged mage by joining a guild.
Her top choice would be Fairy Tail, but she was scared, would they accept her? Or would they reject her?
She wasn't sure she could handle her favorite guild not wanting her as a member
'Ugh, stop being so negative Lucy! You're a pretty good mage, you're smart AND your sex appeal is to die for!'
At that thought she paused in front of a store, her eyes roaming on her own reflection and a surge of self confident coursing through her as she smiled in agreement
'Yeah, I'm pretty...' just like her mother
If it was one thing Lucy was proud of, it would be her features.
Fifty percent because of her vanity and fifty percent because she had her mother's looks. She was proud to look like her mother
It was then that she noticed that the window she stood in front of belonged to the exact same store she had been looking for.
She sheepishly smiled to herself not even fazed at her good fortune, she's always had slightly better luck than most. Lucky Lucy...
Her smile dropped a bit, memories of her lonely days in an empty room entering her mind. 'No, don't be negative, you're free now Lucy.. '
Not dwelling on her thoughts she entered the shop with a wide smile wondering if there were any Gate Keys.
The shop did seem to have a wide choice for different mages, ranging from melee weapons such as Magic Swords to everyday items enhanced with magic such as glasses.
"Good afternoon miss!"
Lucy brought her attention to the clerk, an energetic looking aged old man who had a wide smile
"Hello sir" Lucy politely greeted
"Is there anything specific you're searching for?" the clerk asked
Lucy nodded, "I'm looking for Gate Keys, preferably strong ones"
"Gates, huh? That's something uncommon, I'm afraid I only have one, and if I recall correctly my next shipment contains a few Gate Keys, but that shipment will take some time" the clerk informed
Lucy perked up at the mention that the shop did have a Gate Key, "May I see it?"
The old man nodded with a polite smile as he went into the back to go get the requested item
Lucy waited patiently, her ears listening to the slightly noisy footsteps of the old man
"I'm afraid it isn't a strong one" the old man apologetically informed presenting Lucy with the case
Lucy turned to look at the key, a delighted noise escaping her "White Doggy!" she squealed
"I've been looking for it!" she excitedly said before looking up at the clerk, "How much is it?"
"Twenty thousand jewels" the clerk informed without missing a beat
Lucy blinked, "I wonder how much is it?" she asked tilting her head to the side
"I said twenty thousand jewels" the clerk repeated
Lucy inwardly pouted, she couldn't believe that Nikora was that expensive!
'It's time to use my feminine charms'
Putting on a sly smile she angled herself a bit forward, her left hand grasping her right elbow and in turn letting her left arm pop her breasts up a bit
"I wonder how much it really is, dandy mister" she seductively winked
The old man now had a faint blush "Nineteen thousand jewels"
Lucy pouted in a cute manner, "Eh? I don't have enough jewels..." she sadly said pressing herself slightly against the man
"I'm afraid I can't drop it any lower"
°•°
•°•
Lucy kicked a stray pebble in annoyance, was her looks only worth a thousand jewels?
She was groomed for sixteen years to look her best, to be beautiful, and she was only worth thousand jewels?
She took a glance at a glass window next to her, her eyes once again surveying her own form
'Am I really not beautiful enough?'
Her eyes went to her blond hair
It wasn't anything special compared to Mirajane's exotic white hair or the Mage in Fairy Tail rumored to have scarlet red hair.
Blond wasn't anything special compared to white or scarlet red
'I guess I'm not as pretty as I thought I was...' she gave a sad sigh as she continued walking without any destination, a grey cloud hovering above her
She'd probably be boarding a train and letting the train decide in which town she'd be sight seeing and Gate Key hunting
"A famous Mage-sama is in town!"
Lucy's eyes snapped to a pair of squealing girls
"It's Salamander-sama!"
Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, "Salamander?"
'As in the famous Mage who controls fire that can't be bought in stores?'
'That Salamander is in town?'
Curiosity getting the best of her Lucy started walking in the very same direction that the two girls were heading to
Her inner romantic wondering if the rumored man was good looking or not
She weaved her way through the crowd of squealing girls making sure to avoid getting any stray elbows or such she finally made it to the front
Her eyes landed on Salamander, somehow he wasn't what she was expecting
Blue hair, black eyes and a cocky aura around him. It reminded her of the noble men she would meet back when she lived in the Heartfilia Estate, Lucy has always disliked men with cocky attitudes.
Salamander was no exception, her face scrunched up in distaste as she was about to leave, but then for some reason her heart started beating faster
"Huh?" she questioned in confusion
"Ha, ha, I'm had. I can't walk like this"
Lucy looked at Salamander, his voice sounded like velvet to her which made her more confused
'W-wait...' whatever her mind was about to warn her was drowned out by her noisy heart
"M-maybe I'm-"
"Igneel!"
Lucy snapped out of her trance as she turned to look at the new arrival, a boy who she assumed to be her age and a blue cat
'Pink hair?' Lucy's mind couldn't help but wonder as she paid close attention to the scene
"Who are you?" the boy bluntly asked
"Me? You may know me as Salamander"
Lucy's face scrunched up in distaste, the man was arrogant and cocky to a fault. She was sure she could see his ego polluting the air
"Gone already?!"
Lucy snickered in amusement as she cast a curious look to the pink haired boy's back
As if on cue a group of fans began to beat up the poor boy making Lucy frown before the turned to eye Salamander's reaction
"That's enough girls, he didn't really mean it either" Salamander smoothly said
Lucy however couldn't help but see no sincerity in his words, it all seemed fake to her, kinda like when clients with less fortune than her father would try to suck up to her or her father in order to gain some economical advantage of sorts
"You're so kind!" one of the fans squealed
Lucy observed quietly as Salamander started to sign his signature on a paper, her brown eyes landing on the Charm Rings that the man wore
Things fell into place as Lucy realized what had happened, her distaste growing for the man who had to rely on banned Magic Items
But Lucy wondered how she wasn't affected by the Charm Ring anymore
She knew that one would have to be fully aware of it to break the spell, but she was only half aware
'The only other way to break the spell is by...'
"I don't want it"
'One's soulmate'
Lucy blushed slightly at the thought as she looked at the pink haired boy
Could it be?
'No way Lucy, you can't just fall in love with someone you don't even know'
She didn't pay any attention to the scene around her as she stared at the boy curiously, even if she denied him being her true love she wouldn't deny that he had helped her break out of the spell
"What is he?" the boy grumbled
Lucy took a chance and spoke up "Disgusting" she stated as she walked over to the boy and cat
The two looked at her as she smiled at them "Thanks for the help" she thanked making the two even more confused
"Who are you?" the blue cat bluntly asked
Lucy was only mildly surprised, because some of her Spirits were animal hybrids and they could talk perfectly fine
"I'm Lucy, can we talk somewhere else? My treat"
The two's eyes practically lit up
°•°
•°•
Lucy didn't know if she should feel amazed or disgusted as the cat and boy duo scarved down food after food like hungry savages
But she supposed it only confirmed her theory that the pink haired boy wasn't her soulmate, after all she'd never like someone so unmannered, let alone fall for him
"Yhuur a naiz bhurson" the pink haired boy spoke as he ate
Frankly, Lucy didn't understand what he said at all
"Yhup, yhup" though the cat seemed to be agreeing
"So, what's your names?" Lucy curiously asked as she avoided a stray bone
"I'm Happy, and this is Natsu!" the cat introduced before he continued eating
"Happy and Natsu, huh?" Lucy repeated with a small smile "Anyways thanks again for helping me"
The two casted a curious look at her, but she didn't really want to explain and lose the small respect they may or may not have for her by admitting that she fell for a spell
"Why are you two in this town anyways?" Lucy curiously asked
"We're looking for someone" Natsu answered
Lucy noted that it must be someone important seeing as Natsu stopped eating just to answer that question
"Aye, we're looking for Igneel" Happy agreed
"I heard that Salamander was coming to town, so we came, but it was the wrong person" Natsu explained
"The Salamander didn't look like a Salamander" Happy said
"And I totally believed it was Igneel!" Natsu whined
"How could a human look like a salamander?" Lucy decided to ask
Natsu looked at her as if remembering she was there
"Hrmm? Igneel isn't a human. He's a real dragon"
.
.
.
.
"Eh?!" Lucy couldn't help but yell in surprise before her logical side kicked in "There is no such way a dragon could be in town!"
Realization dawned Happy and Natsu
"You just realized that?!" Lucy asked in disbelief
"Aye..." they both sheepishly admitted
Lucy simply shook her head at them, another reason why Natsu couldn't be boyfriend material was added to her mental list, 'He's too dense'
"And why are you in town Lushy?" Happy asked
Lucy blinked
"Oh? Me? I'm kind of a travelling Mage, but I'd like to join a certain Guild one day. But I'm scared, I mean what if they reject me?" she softly asked letting her insecurity show before she shook her head
"Sorry for shoving my problems onto you" she quickly apologized
"Aye, no problem. But you should try to join that guild Lushy" Happy said
Lucy gave the cat a slight smile "Maybe"
"Which Guild do you want to join?" Natsu asked, a serious look on his features
"Fairy Tail, it's the best" Lucy didn't even notice the fond smile she had nor did she notice the glance Natsu and Happy shared
"I wanted to join for years now, ever since that day..." she trailed off
"That day?" both Natsu and Happy leaned in curiously
"A Fairy Tail Mage saved my life when I was little" Lucy easily said without revealing too much "She inspired my desire to join Fairy Tail"
"What did she look like?" Happy and Natsu asked
Lucy's eyebrows furrowed, "I can't remember, it's kinda hazy but she was wearing bunny ears..."
"Bunny ears? Doesn't ring a bell" Natsu said
Lucy merely smiled at the two, "Anyways, I have to go now, but you two can stay and take your time with the food" she placed the thousand jewel she managed to save on the table
She was almost at the door when she heard the two yell
"Thank you for the meal!"
"Thank you!"
She felt herself blushing out of embarrassment as she glanced back to see the two on their knees thanking her
"I-it's okay! Really, just consider it us being even now" Lucy assured
"I don't feel like I've helped you at all" Natsu informed
"Aye...I don't feel right" Happy agreed
"Oh, yeah!" suddenly Natsu was handing her the Salamander's signature "I'll give you this"
"T-thanks I guess?" Lucy mumbled taking the darn thing, she contemplated throwing it away or burning it
"Bye Happy, Natsu" she mumbled waving slightly at the two
"And Luce?"
Lucy glanced back to see the wide smile of Natsu "Fairy Tail won't reject you"
His smile was so contagious that Lucy couldn't help but smile too "You think so?"
"Aye" Natsu nodded
And with that Lucy left, her feet taking her to no particular destination
It was as she was walking that she finally realized something
'His hair is salmon, not pink...'
.o0o.o0o.
Chapter End
.o0o.o0o.
A/N : Yes, another story I shouldn't be writing while my other stories are still ongoing. But I couldn't help it. No offense to major Fairy Tail fans but (spoilers) the recent Fairy Tail chapters have been letting me down. Especially all the hate comments Lucy's getting. I mean, why? Why do people hate on Lucy? She's the most relateable and realistic character in the series. It's like hating on yourself
Anyways, I wrote this fiction like a year ago, for two purposes :
A. Because I was embarrassed by all the Nalu fictions on this site, seriously, some are good, but the others are just too...OOC for Lucy and Natsu. Most of the time it feels forced, or it always involve something about a dragon mating. So I decided to add romance as a side genre to this story, so it will have romance, but Natsu is a dense and Lucy's in huge denial. So I challenged myself to see if I can make a fiction wherein the NaLu ship feels more natural and doesn't take up 80% of the story's plot.
B. I wanted to do something different with Lucy, her character will be the same, but this Lucy has more drive than the original one, aside from that they're the same. Of course this Lucy will get stronger too, but not overly fast. This is another challenge for myself to see if I could make Lucy realistically stronger without giving her a new magic or make her a dragon slayer. If I play my cards right she may become as strong as Natsu or Erza in the future WITHOUT it seeming to have happened too fast
Oh, and some things you may want to know :
A. Yes, other ships will appear in the story. And don't start bashing if your favorite ship doesn't sail in this story. Guaranteed ship : Gale and Jerza
B. I'll be having Lucy actually use her brilliant mind in this story
C. Natsu will never ever realize that he likes Lucy (if that even happens), so don't be expecting Natsu to purposely make a move or flirt. Maybe at one point he may get jealous, but that's still up to debate
And most importantly : LUCY HATERS SUCK!