Lucy Heartfillia was nothing if not adaptable, in her life she had gone through some seriously life altering shit. Each time coming out stronger than the last. Those who didn't know her very well may say it was all due to the support from her guild, and though she would be the first to admit that they were stronger together, anyone who knew her or had ever opposed her would tell you that she had a strength that was all her own. She had endured loss, neglect, torture, dark guilds, a dragon, a stasis spell, regret, all most being sacrificed to ancient machines twice, dying in her own arms, more dragons, demons, unbelievable sacrifice, abandonment and loss all over again. And she would still argue that she is the most sane person to ever wear the mark of the fairies. Maybe that's what made her such a weirdo according to her best friend, who was missing in action. So when the guild disbanded she took her time to grieve and morn, a week, and then picked herself up by her bootstraps and took a step forward in her life.
It wasn't the first time she had to walk a path alone and it wouldn't be the last, she knew that. Her first stop after having Virgo store her belongings in the Celestial Realm was her parent's grave, while there she summoned Cancer and Capricorn. She wanted her oldest reaming spirits with her when she explained to her mother what she considered her greatest failure. Once she sent Cancer home she told Capricorn how it wasn't going to happen again, and that she would train in whatever way he saw fit to make her strong enough to not need to make that decision. She also told him that she wasn't joining another guild, She was Fairy Tail, and always would be, her exact words, "I'll bear this mark till the day I die or someone cuts off my hand." She had not forgotten how her future self's dying wish was to see her mark. So instead she had gotten a job with Sorcerers weekly, starting off with some modeling at first, but seeing the opportunity to track her family and work on her writing she soon convinced Jason to let her be a field reporter under his tutelage.
So that's how we find our celestial mage in a bar in Clover, three months after her guild has disbanded covering the annual Guild Masters Meeting that would be happening tomorrow. "What can I get you dear?" the barkeep asks as she slides onto the bar stool. "Strawberry margarita please, and can I have a birthday cake shot too please."
"Just like the taste or is there an occasion?" the kind man asks with a chuckle. "Oh well it is my birthday so I guess that there is an occasion." She replies with a small smile. "Oh and what is a pretty young thing like you doing alone on her birthday?"
"I'm in town on assignment." She says as she flashes her press credentials "First solo job covering the Guild masters meeting. Thought I might run into one of them here, since I know some of their fondness for alcohol." He chuckles at that "Well you aren't wrong there but I think this year is a little more somber than most, without Fairy Tail and all. It's always more lively when they are around." Her right hand moves unconsciously to cover her left as it almost stings underneath the fingerless glove she has taken to wearing on assignments. "Heh, yeah I can imagine. So hear anything on any of the members, I know barkeeps hear all the juicy gossip. I'm sure our readers are dying to know where everyone went off to and what they are doing."
Handing her the shot first she slings it back as he prepares her margarita, "Well I heard that the little sky dragon slayer is with Laimia Scale now, one of the regulars has a bit of a lolli complex and was going on about her and their sky god slayer." He pointed to the corner when he said regular and she spared a side glance and saw a familiar face surrounded by a couple of hooded figures and her heart almost stopped. If she had been sipping on the drink that had just been placed in front of her she would have done a spit take. Not only was she stunned that she knew said regular, but the fact that he was being described as a lollicon, she couldn't decide if she found it highly amusing or terribly creepy.
Just as the thought crossed her mind one of the hooded figures placed some jewel on the counter and leaned down to her ear, "It is both terribly creepy and highly amusing." Then a little louder to the bar keep "For the lady's drinks, no one should have to buy their own drinks on their birthday. And my friend over there, the one that isn't the pedo, says anything else she wants is on his tab." And before Lucy could get over her stunned silence the hooded figure retreated back to their booth in the corner. "Holy shit that was Cobra what the fuck is he doing with Dornbolt of all people and if he is here who is his friend." She really should have been scared, probably, Cobra was part of a plan that tried to take over the world twice, once trying to sacrifice her to a clock castle fish thing, and by all counts he should still be in jail. "Oh right the council blew the fuck up, so clearly they escaped, but why be with Dornbolt, and why the fuck was he buying me Birthday drinks along with his equally hooded companion?' Knowing he could hear her thoughts she decided that before she went over there she needed some more liquid encouragement. So she threw back her drink and ordered another. As it was being made she expanded her magical aura as she had been practicing with Capricorn. It was a technique they were developing to help her determine the type of magic that people used to give her strategic advantage in knowing which spirts to call to counter. But in this situation she was hoping that by determining the type of magic she could figure out the mystery man who was footing her tab. Then she sensed it and gasped and under her breath she muttered one name "Midnight." It was then that the barkeep placed her next drink down and she thanked him as she stood. "Thanks for the drinks and the info, I am going to go and thank the gentleman who is so kindly funding my habit for the night." She winked at him and headed towards the booth in the corner.
Three men sat in a corner booth having a discussion over drinks. "So what exactly are we doing here again pedo?" one hooded man sneered to a man with dark hair and a facial scar. "Well Bleach breath, the Guild Masters conference is tomorrow, and since there is no more Fairy Tail, there is no one to tell Jellal any information that might be useful to your cause, and since there is no council at the moment the Guild Masters are going to need to figure a lot of things out, I am going on behalf of the council as its remaining member, you are going to hang around and to see if you can hear anything important that no one is saying, and Miss PJ Pants over there is here to make sure you don't go off and piss people off."
At that the reflector mage who was feigning sleep scoffed, "Why do I get the impossible task?" just as Dornbolt was about to respond the door opened and a pretty young blonde walked up to the bar. She had her back to them but all three of them knew instantly who it was. Anyone who had ever been in the presence of the blonde could notice her aura anywhere, it was something that drew you in like a moth to a flame or as Midnight Mused 'like a siren's call to the cliff.' She was an inescapable presence. He had been mildly infatuated with the girl since she completely shattered his plans to send the world into an everlasting nightmare, by the sheer power of her will alone.
"That's Lucy what in the world is she doing here." Dornbolt voiced what everyone was thinking. Cobra was listening in to find out just that. "Apparently she is working for Scourer's Weekly and is covering the conference, at least that's the official reason, but her soul is set on keeping tabs on the wandering fairies, and she is here to have a drink for her birthday seems it's not the first one she's spent alone."
"So she isn't just modeling anymore then?" Was Midnights response, and when Dornbolt's eyebrow raised in question Cobra snorted his reply, "He had seen her spreads on the news stand and has bought any issue with her in it for his spank bank." Midnight kicked him under the table "That is not why I bought them they have good makeup tips in those magazines and good information on what is going on in the magic world." Cobra just rolled his eyes, really, like he couldn't hear the guy's wet dreams every night.
Just then a thought occurred to the sneaky one eyed mage, Well if I have to be here might as well provide myself with some amusement. And like the intrusive shit he was he waited for her thoughts to provide him with a perfect opening to make his presence known to her. When he saw that her attention was being directed towards them he took it as his que to get up and walk towards the little lost fairy. He had to control his shit eating grin at the curses and promises of torture that came from his best friend's thoughts as he leaned to whisper into the girls ear, "It is both terribly creepy and highly amusing." Then a little louder to the bar keep "For the lady's drinks, no one should have to buy their own drinks on their birthday. And my friend over there, the one that isn't the pedo, says anything else she wants is on his tab."
As he sat back down he could not be more smug with himself as he listened into her thoughts and noticed the red eyes that were narrowed at him. He would never openly admit it but he was rather fond of the little blonde, or her soul and thought process at least. It was total chaos to sift through since she never really had one thought going on but more like a thousand, but it was oddly tranquil and incredibly witty at the same time. Even when she was facing her complete inhalation her brain was coming up with riddles and puns, and reciting and analyzing literature about the symbolism of clocks. The only explanation that he could come up with at the time was that she was either a total genius or completely bat shit insane, and considering the company she kept he was more incline to lean to the latter. However listening to her now he was beginning to think that it was an oddly captivating combination of the two, it was really too bad his best friend was already hook line and sinker for the bombshell, because a mind like hers he could get lost in just as much as he could picture himself getting lost in her body, ah but alas he was going to be a good wing man. Besides he had a purple haired girl he needed to find anyway.
"What did you say to her Cobra, I hope know that we are meant to be undercover, and announcing yourself to the press is hardly in that job description." Midnight gritted out. Cobra just rolled his eyes and retorted with, "Starbright was on the cusp of figuring it out anyway, the barkeep alerted her to pedo bear over there and it was only a matter of time before she would come over on her own. Not to mention I did you a favor, her drinks are on you it's the least you can do for your girl's birthday afterall." The indignant squawk of "Hey" from Dornbolt went ignored as Midnight responded. "She is not my girl, we are hardly even acquainted outside of me trying to sacrifice her, I highly doubt most sane people consider that courting." Before Cobra could retort the blond was on her way over, could he have said something, yes, but where would be the fun in that. "I actually only think you would consider kidnaping and mental torture to be foreplay." Dornbolt at this point noticed the blonde with in ear shot, but you know he was an asshole o so he chose to sit back and watch the show.
"Actually I think a lot of people would find torture mental or not to be a form of foreplay, I mean there are a lot of people into bdsm, Virgo asks for punishment all the time. I mean clearly there are safe words and all. But I'm sure you know what I'm saying right Midnight, who are we to judge what's normal?"
Midnight at that moment choked on his drink as his eyes widened to openly gawk at the beautiful blonde that just made her very close proximity known. Cobra looked highly amused as he whacked his friend on the back, perhaps a little too harshly. The blond raised an eyebrow at the response but shrugged and turned to Dornbolt, she was used to odd behavior by now. "Hello Mest I haven't seen you since the whole face debacle I trust you are here for the conference, though I must say your company surprises me." She was fishing they all knew it you didn't have to hear her thoughts to be able to figure that one out. Cobra looked at Dornbolt curiously at the name she called him when he noticed his flinch, he tried to get a read on either of their thoughts but surprisingly enough he was met with static from both. He knew pedo could do that but the little fairy surprised him.
"Miss Heartfillia you know it's Dornbolt" He said rather tensely "And it would due to keep my companions out of the paper you do understand right." She scoffed and rolled her eyes, It had taken her two seconds and a better look at their cloaks to realize what was going on here it seemed as though Jellal has gotten some more recruits, it made sense really the former criminals had been children of the tower after all. But if Mest was with them, and he was Mest to her because she knew he was fairy tale no matter what bullshit he was trying to sell to anyone, then maybe he knew were Jellal was and intern maybe he knew where Erza was. She was actively screening her thoughts from Cobra, this was guild business and she didn't need outsiders involved. "Why so formal Dori, did Lahar leave you that stick he had up his ass in his will?" It was a low blow but she wasn't feeling particularly cheery with his insinuation that she would jeopardize whatever her allies were up to forsake of a story. Sure she was a reporter now, but as a means to her ends, and her priority would always be her friends. Cobra and Midnight actually had the decency to look taken aback by her harsh response, that is until Dornbolt just chuckled in response.
"Fiesty as ever Lucy, sorry for cold shoulder response it's just sensitive material the general public shouldn't be aware of." She leaned in hands on the table giving a gracious view of her generous cleavage, which the other two occupants of the table took the invitation to look, and replied. "I don't need you to tell me anything about them that I don't already know. They are clearly with Mystogen now, I'm just wondering where he may be, it would be nice to catch up with a former guild mate, off the record if you catch my drift."
Cobra was out of the loop and that was a bizarre feeling for him and he didn't like it one bit, "Who the fuck is Mest, who the fuck is Mystogen, and why the fuck can't I hear your thoughts blondie?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and huffed. "Thank you for the drink Erik, oh wait we all have something we like to keep secret yeah? Don't you agree Macbeth?"
Midnight looked astounded, no one outside their little rag tag group knew their real names how did this girl get that information? Cobra wasn't amused anymore in the slightest, not only could he not hear her thoughts which unnerved him but somehow she had information that no one should have access to.
Lucy on the other hand was highly amused, it's not every day you are faced with your former captors and you can get the jump on them like this. She knew they had information she wanted but also knew they were not the dumb villains that gave away their plot to be foiled at the end, not that they were still villains but they were still sneaky tight lipped son of bitches that much she could deduce from previous encounters. So to get them to play she was going to have to make it interesting and to get Cobra interested you had to give him a puzzle to solve. She remembered how many word games he played while guarding her during the whole clock incident. She also had information he would be interested in, but she wasn't so sure she was ready to share, she had to gage his intentions first.
"Look here little girl I know you think you are real clever right now but, I think you might be a little insane. Most people that know what you know about us would steer clear but you seem to be foolishly unafraid." Cobra sneered
"Insanity is to repeat the same actions and expect different results, so I would argue that the real insane ones are you and your little group. I mean you are the only ones that thought it wise to go up against us twice now aren't you. Now if we are done with the nostalgia of it all maybe we should move this little party somewhere more private to discuss things, It is my birthday after all it should be spent among friends." And then looking directly at Cobra she said "And don't you want to continue this quid per quo that we have going on, come on snake boy aren't you dying to puzzle me out?"
Midnight smirked at the gall of the busty blonde in front of them, she knew just what bait to set, what she was trying to catch was beyond him but he did like to watch her work. It really was too bad that she was pit against them in their earlier encounters, he had a feeling that if Lucy Heartfillia wanted to take over the world there would be no one to stop her, hell she practically ruled over the skies as it was. 'I would be a willing pawn in her chess game any day' was a stray thought that bounced around his skull to which Cobra shot him an unamused glare.
Dornbolt cold sense a scene coming if they did not retreat to a more private setting as Lucy had stated, plus he just liked how she was able to get under Cobra's skin so he decided it was time to interject, "Lucy dear do you have a hotel reservation yet? If not you are more than welcome to accompany us back to my place. I have an apartment here as well as Era."
"That sounds lovely Dori, I just got into town myself thought I'd catch a guild master here for some inside scoop before tomorrow before I settled on a room." With that he called to the bar keep for the tab and he and Midnight settled up before the four headed out the door.
Cobra stomped of first much like a child which only caused Midnight to roll his eyes at the childishness of it. Dornbolt walked a little ahead of he and Lucy to lead the way. Midnight realized while walking next to the blonde that he had yet to say a word directly to her, even though she had addressed him twice. To rectify this he cleared his throat and stated, "Happy birthday by the way." She looked up at him and smiled with a small thank you as reply. Not wanting to walk in awkward silence the whole way he asked "So how old are you?"
Lucy just snorted at the question before responding. "Well that all depends on how you look at it, Biologically or chronologically?" He shot her a quizzical look at which she just sighed. "Chronologically speaking from the date of my birth I guess I am 25 years old, so I guess that would be legally as well, Biologically speaking though I was 17 when we were put in stasis for 7 years and it was last year we came back so I guess you could say that I was 18, however really I would still be three months shy of that since we went to the spirit world for a day and lost another three months our time. I wonder if we lost any time in Edolas, I really didn't question it too much if time moved the same there as it did here. Oh well I guess I don't really know how old I am. Oh but I guess you were not really looking for that complicated of an answer huh. Sorry bout that."
"I don't really know how old I am either, though not for as complicated of reasons as yours. I just don't know my birthday we tend to use the day that we left the tower as our birthdays and I'm not too terribly sure of how long we spent in that place but my guess is mid to late twenties for me." Midnight replied back unsure as how to respond to her.
"Yeah Erza is the same, and none of the dragon slayers know when they were born either. I don't put much stock into birthdays anyway, with as much as we have been through every day is a reason to celebrate yeah? I mean you never know you may merge with a clock tomorrow right?" She shot him a sly glance when he sputtered and faltered in his step, she heard Cobra snort ahead of them and giggled to herself while skipping to catch up to Dornbolt.
Midnight just stood there looking aghast as he tried but failed to wrap his head around what just happened 'Did…did she really just make a joke about us trying to use her as a sacrifice as if it was an everyday no biggie situation and then giggle about it?' Cobra is right this girl is insane. That is when a smile took over his face because he always did have a thing for the crazy ones.