Chapter One - Making a Choice
The guild was as festive as usually, I'd say even more so that normal. Ever since the Battle of Tartarus which put an end to well END, the guild has been overjoyed with the return of their beloved family members. It's not that I mind the guild atmosphere and celebration (even thou it's really a overkill), I just wish that Natsu would accompany me on a mission. For the past week, I've been going solo. I even tagged along on one of Erza's S Class mission (a mistake I will not make anytime soon). I went along with Gray, Wendy and Carla, with an enraged Juvia who was stalking us, to be more precise I believe it was Gray she was following. That mission didn't go so well either, especially when a wave the size of a tsunami washed away the clingy female client off Gray, along with whipping out the entire village.
Any solo mission I take, or wish to take, are far too easy for me and the pay is too small, any missions worth a lot of jewels I'm not daring to try, at least without some backup. It's not that I think I'm weak, or that I can't handle myself, I's just that I don't know my capacity or my limit; always being with Team Natsu has me relying on support from my team mates. I've never needed any reason to test myself, on a mission, battles to save worlds aside. I don't want to go on a solo mission that I don't feel confident in, so I guess I'll just need to take this time to train myself. Both psychically and mentally. Capricorn's already helping me with meditation and circulating my magic. Taurus and Loke both volunteered with improving my physical strength, but I don't how much 'help' they'll really be, what with the continues flirting and perverted comments. I considered asking Juvia to help me control with my newly accumulated water magic, but the scar from having broken Aquarius's key is too fresh in my heart. Scorpio had to use his own magic to pass through the gate to help me out on a solo mission, when I refused to summon him, I was guilt struck with having to face him after what happened with Aquarius' key. Boy did I get some colourful wording out of him, obviously courtesy of his girlfriend.
With a loud sign I drop myself onto a stool at the bar counter in the guildhall, "Ohayo Mira-san. Could you get me a strawberry smoothie please?"
As preparing the smoothie, Mirajane looked over at me, I could make out the concern behind her eyes "Ohayo gozaimasu Lucy. What's gotten you signing so early in the day? Having trouble with paying your rent again? Or did Natsu and Happy eat all your food?"
Smashing my forehead over the bar table I cried out with crocodile tears pouring out onto the guildhall floor "MIRA-SAN … HELP ME … I need to go on a job to help pay up my rent, and Natsu and Happy haven't left their house in forever."
My smoothie gets placed near my hand and I look up to a smiling Mirajane, "Lucy, I don't know what's wrong with Natsu either, to be honest I'm starting to get worried about him. And Happy. I was planning on getting Erza to talk to him sometime soon, but she's been keeping herself busy with non-stop missions. So how about this. Take this as a mission; go get Natsu and Happy. I'll pay you' 80,000 jewels, which should cover this months rent. Just get Natsu and Happy out of their house and take them on a mission, and make sure to drop by the guild first. I'll give you a bonus reward, free strawberry smoothies for a month, if you could talk to them and find out what had them bothered, and then of-course I expect a detailed explanation from you. Here just something to get to access into the house." Mira-san handed me a jar of fire-whisky, and with a final smile and wink walks away to serve Cana with another barrel of booze. Taking the last sip off my delicious smoothie, I grab hold of the fire-whisky and make my way out off the guild.
Walking along the path to Natsu & Happy's house, I though about dropping by my apartment to collect the fish which I stored in the fridge, for Happy. Making a beeline for Strawberry Street, I ponder over what could possibly have Natsu troubled; Natsu not on a mission destroying things is weird, even for his standards. As I close in on my apartment building, I make out the retrieving end of a blue tale flying through my apartment window. Anger as well as a sense of hope and relief had me dashing down the street and runnig up the stairs to my apartment. Banding the door open I expected to see Happy with a fish in his mouth and scratching up my wall and Natsu looking over the new chapter of my novel, or comfortably sleeping in my bed. But the place was empty. I walked in and started to look around, but nothing, only thing I came across was a letter on my coffee table. It had some horrible writing on it, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out who's they were from.
My eyes bulged out as I continued to read the content of the letter. Finally dropping the letter back on the coffee table, I make a mad dash for the street. Running as fast as my legs could take me, I cry out "WHAT THE HELL! What are they thinking, going on a trip just like that! If they did something like that … If they did somethin … I'D BE SO LONELY … STUPID …"
Back in the apartment the letter left behind read out:
Happy and I will go on a journey. And we'll be back in about a year or so. So take care of everyone alright!
See ya, Lucy!
Natsu & Happy.
