Take a chance

Chapter one.

I do not own Fairy Tail.

Enjoy!

Lucy walked to the shop nervously. In a few seconds, she was about to meet the mysterious girl – the girl that had put her life upside down without even meeting her.

She didn't know why she was here. Levy McGarden, her best friend, thought she should, but that wasn't what eventually convinced her.

It happened two weeks ago.

She was jogging along the beach, as she did every Saturday. It was peaceful there, too early for the tourists to be there. It gave her a moment's thought, a break from the busy, chaotic world she was part of.

Even though she was only twenty-four years old, she was already a journalist and popular writer, on the best-selling list of Fiore for ten weeks yet. Her novel was an honest one, maybe not something people necessarily wanted to read, but it had such feelings and power behind it they loved it.

Her publisher had begged her for a continuation, but she had flatly refused. It wasn't meant to continue, it was meant like that: to stand alone. Like her.

On that fateful morning, she saw something shine on the beach. She approached it curiously and discovered it was something more than the ordinary thrash tourists left behind.

It was a bottle. Not any ordinary wine bottle, but a solid and tight one, corked tightly and – she couldn't believe her eyes – a rolled-up paper inside it.

Had she really found a message in a bottle?

She returned straight home, uncorked the bottle as good and bad as it went, and carefully pulled out the message. It was written in expensive paper from a rich colour, a symbol in the corner drawing her attention. She couldn't make out what it was, but it looked vaguely familiar somehow.

She proceeded to read the letter.

My dearest Jellal,

Whatever may have happened in the past, we've always stuck together. We've been together so long, I don't know what to begin without you. I'll always remember how we grew up, promising nothing would come between us. But it seems fate had another plan for you and me.

I dreamt about you tonight. I was in the tree hut we spent so much happy days together, and you were there, too, looking out on the sea. I came outside and was filled with happiness, like always, when I saw you. You were there, real and alive and I knew you were happy. I started to approach you slowly, in fear that you would disappear forever if I was too loud.

You turned around, smiling. You didn't look tired anymore, and you laughed when you saw me. I almost forgot how beautiful I thought that sound. But as I came nearer, you walked away, to the cliffs of Rosemary. Mist descended on us and now I ran, to catch up with you, not understanding why you were going away. I lost track of you eventually, in the dense fog. But I could hear your voice, speaking the one sentence I'll never, ever forget.

Then I woke up and noticed I was crying. For a moment, I hated the world and everyone in it. You taught me to love all the living things, Jellal. How could I hate them?

It is like that every night I wake up, cold and alone. Alone without you by my side. I miss you so much…

Will it always be like this? If so, then I don't know what I should do. I know you wanted me to live, but can one call this a life without you? Did you really expect me to go on living without the one thing that makes it all worth it by my side?

You were right, of course. I am giving the victim the guilt of the crime. You were my better half, the one that told me the truth and weren't afraid of me. I know you did not want to leave this world. You wanted me to live, so that is what I will do.

This will be my last letter to you.

Forever yours,

Erza.

It was a letter that told Lucy a lot. The person was hurt, confused, but still standing strong. Erza was her name. her lover, Jellal, probably passed away a while ago. The one thing that she noticed most, was that Erza hadn't used the words I love you' once. Why not?

The letter, and this person intrigued her. She wanted to know more about her, learn to know her. She did not believe it was a coincidence.

When Levy visited her, the petite girl read it, too and suggested publishing.

"I don't know," Lucy said. "It's so personal, I can't do this without the person's consent."

"Lucy, the world needs to see this. The proof that romantic, never-ending love exists!" Levy argued, and eventually, Lucy gave in.

She felt guilty about it. And to her surprise, about two hundred mails and letters were waiting for her. Her phone kept ringing day and night.

Levy stormed in at a break. She took one look at the sulking Lucy, who was playing with a pencil.

"This is not leaving you alone, is it?"

"No. I can't stop thinking about it."

Levy studied her for a bit. "Maybe you should go find her."

Lucy shot up. "What? Are you crazy? I don't know who this is, or what… I can't even…"

Levy stopped her with a wave of her hand.

"I can tell you won't be able to let it go." Levy said. She stopped her protests with one single look. She was right.

"So why not find her? This is the chance of a lifetime, take it." Levy encouraged her.

Lucy agreed at last, researching and successfully finding Erza Scarlet, owner of an antique armour shop, far away. There was even a newspaper article of her having found an exclusive, extremely rare armour.

She took a holiday and packed her bag, excited and nervous.

And here she was, standing in front of the same shop. In all the fuss, she hadn't given a thought to what she should say or do, or even how to act. But she had come here and it was too late to turn back. She walked through the door.

Immediately, she spotted Erza. She knew it was her.

She was beautiful. Her red hair, flowing over her back, her brown eyes, warm and sad at the same time. Her porcelain skin, her slender figure, everything about her was plainly perfect.

Erza noticed her and waved, approaching carefully. "Could I help you?" she asked friendly.

Lucy grew red. Erza kept smiling and seemed to find it endearing, even.

"I wondered if you could show me the armour you just acquired. The one in the newspaper?" she finally managed to say something coherent.

"Oh, right. You read about it?"

"Briefly. I was just interested."

Erza nodded. "Unfortunately, it's just been sold to a European customer. I'm afraid he's already taken it."

"Oh, I see."

Erza blinked. The blonde didn't really seem disappointed, but she still wanted to talk to her for a bit more. Just a while.

"But if you'd like, I could show you another one. It's very special, too, although not as old." She suggested.

"I'd love that. What is so special about it, actually?" Lucy asked, happy at having the opportunity to linger for a bit.

"It's made for a female around 1700. I've never seen one before or after." Erza said, getting excited. She measure Lucy up with a quick look. "If I'm right… Follow me, please."

Lucy obliged and followed her to the darker back room, with various kinds of armours and weapons. Erza led her to the very back of the room.

"I think it's your size!" Erza exclaimed. "Would you like trying it on?"

The proposal shocked Lucy a bit. "Is that even allowed? I mean, I really shouldn't…" she tried, but Erza was already fidgeting at the pieces.

"I tried before, but I was too tall for it. Come on, just once. I would really love to see you in it." Erza's pleading voice convinced her.

She felt so at ease with her. They talked and laughed throughout the entire happening, and after it, Lucy lingered at the counter, just to talk a bit more. Eventually, the shop had to close.

"Are you staying here longer?" Erza asked curiously.

"For about a week. Maybe we can meet up again? You could show me the nice spots."

Erza hesitated. Why, actually? Jellal was still present in the back of her mind. "You know, I still have a lot of work. But you can come by tomorrow, I'll treat you some lunch!"

"Alright, it's a date!" Lucy said cheerfully, ignoring Erza's flinching. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, until tomorrow." Erza reacted. She stepped in her car and drove home. There, she did something for the first time in ages: she hauled up some old books from the attic and began to skim through them. They were full of pictures, notes and letters, of her and Jellal. It was their love story.

Erza read the notes they passed during high school, their letters while at college, pictures of dates, of parties together, of graduation and everything in between. A single tear left her eye. She closed the last book.

All that was over now. Jellal was gone, and she deserved to live.

Could she really, with Lucy, a girl she met today? Maybe it was one-sided. Maybe Lucy saw her as just a friend. But even if she wanted more, would Erza feel the same?

She had promised to love Jellal forever. But he wasn't there anymore. She had to give herself and Lucy another chance.

The photo of her and Jellal in her bedroom was put in a drawer.