Hi everybody! So, today I was reading 'The Thirteenth Tale' by Diane Setterfield, and in this novel she mentions 12 fairy tales with sad, different endings. Long story short, I started thinking about fairy tales, and then Fairy Tail, and fairy tales in Fairy Tail.

This will hopefully become a multi-chaptered story where the characters of Fairy Tail play out common or well-known fairy tales, as interpreted (or imagined) by me. Most of the fairy tales will come from the Brothers Grimm, but there will be others from other authors.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters, that honour belongs to Hiro Mashima.

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Introduction

Lucy flicked the brightly-plumed feather duster along the shelves in Fairy Tail's library. A cloud of dust engulfed the busty blonde, and as she dissolved into a fit of coughing, she heard Natsu and Gray arguing, yet again.

"This is my shelf, you stupid popsicle! Go and get your own!" "I've already finished my shelf, and you're too busy playing around to finish this on your own, you dumb flamehead!"

Lucy giggled and rolled her eyes as she heard Erza's stern voice reprimanding them. She turned her attention back to the books on the shelf and stroked the spines lovingly. Here on this shelf were the books Lucy had longed for as a child: the diaries, biographies and journals of famous Celestial Wizards. The books, once brilliantly colourful and bursting with magic, had faded into dull blues and greens. The spines had begun to fall apart from overuse, and the pages were grubby from the constant stream of pawing hands caressing the fragile paper. Lucy shook her head and marvelled at the naiveté of some wizards. Books are treasures, more precious than any gleaming gold or shining silver on earth. They provide bountiful wells of knowledge and wisdom, bestowing fruitful gifts upon all who dare to seek that knowledge out.

Lucy finished dusting the shelves and climbed unsteadily down the rickety ladder, praying and hoping that she wouldn't… Before Lucy could finish her thought, the step of the ladder snapped underneath her, and she toppled backwards into the air. She screamed, whistling through the air. Choruses of "Lucy!" rang through the air, and she shut her eyes tightly, hoping someone would be able to catch her in time. A startling flash of golden light entombed Lucy, and she felt herself land heavily into two strong, well-defined, suit-clad arms. Lucy opened her eyes and gazed into the adoring face of her Lion.

"Loke… thank you…"

Loke placed Lucy down onto her unsteady feet, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I couldn't leave my true love to die, could I?" With a saucy wink, Loke disappeared in a flash of light.

Glancing around, Lucy noticed the rest of her friends sprawled out on the ground around her, arms outstretched as if to grab her. She blushed and grinned. "Aww, thank you, everyone. You're all so sweet, trying to catch me like that!" Lucy helped Wendy and Erza up, and hugged Gray and Natsu as they stood, grumbling.

Mira had asked the whole guild for help in cleaning the library, which had become filthy after a brawl had broken out upstairs, causing the ceiling to collapse in. The ceiling had been speedily repaired, but the books and everything else in the library were covered in thick layers of dust and rubble. Many members of the guild had taken turns doing a bit of cleaning. Today, surrounding Lucy, stood her best friends: Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Levy, Cana, Gajeel, Happy, Carla and Mira. They had worked almost a full day, and the library was almost spotless. Only one shelf stood between them and the completion of their task.

Natsu and Gray glared at the shelf, then at each other, then at the shelf again. They both sprinted for the shelf, swiping feather dusters off the floor. Natsu and Gray began a furious battle to see who would clean the shelf first; as they worked, clouds of dust engulfed the room and its inhabitants. Through the dust, everyone could hear the boys arguing over who the fastest, bestest cleaner was. Erza and Lucy looked each other in the eye and dissolved into a fit of laughter. Pretty soon, everyone in the room was laughing at Natsu and Gray (with the exception of Gajeel, although a tiny smile graced his face).

"Don't knock the books off the shelf, flamebrain!" Gray's furious voice rose above the laughter and cut through the library. Everyone stared at Natsu as a pitch-black book toppled off the highest shelf and thudded onto the floor. Jagged bolts of purple lightning spat out from the book's spine and struck everyone in the room, paralysing them, sending tiny quivers of electricity shooting through their bodies.

Light began to fade from the room. Slowly, the edges of Lucy's vision pulled tighter and tighter, obscuring the library and her friends from her view. A blast of pain along Lucy's spine caused her to arch her back, and a silent scream burst from her dainty lips. As the light disappeared completely, Lucy heard the delicate tinkles of a music box. Over and over and over and…

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So, that's the introduction to the main story. Sort of a prologue, if you will. Please let me know what you think of my idea for this story; I'd love to know if it sounds like a good idea or not

And also, I highly recommend Diane Setterfield's novel. It's pure awesomeness.

Thanks

Bubbles xx