"So, today was 'Respect for the aged day', was it...?"
Makarov pulled his fist back, face darkening. The air around him practically trembled at his fury as he seethed silently. Suddenly, his whole body enlarged into that of a giant and he slammed Jacob Lessio through the wall of the guild, sending him flying out with an unmanly scream.
"IN THAT CASE, THEN YOU OUGHTTA SHOW THE FIRST MORE RESPECT THAT ANYONE, PUNK!" He roared. His 'children' sweatedropped behind him as Natsu waved his arms, alarmed, "Gramps, stop wrecking the guild!"
The master froze, slowly turning towards the dragonslayer. He scooped him up in one huge hand, much to Natsu's screams of protest. He bellowed, "NOW IF THAT ISN'T A CASE OF THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK!" Before he hurled the boy out of the hole in the wall.
Natsu yelled all the way, surprise slowly transforming into exhilaration. The lakewater that he shot past blew up into huge clouds of steam that followed him like a dust trail as he made his way towards his opponent. He was excited, he decided, as he cracked his knuckles. "Fire Dragon King Mode!"
His flames wreathed his body, writhing like a restrained vortex. They hungrily shot towards the enemy, burning off his clothes and scorching his skin a bloody red.
"AAH! Ho- Ho- HOOTTT!" The man screeched in horror and agony as he was cooked by the pure, radiant heat of Natsu's power. His eyes darkened as he tried to fight back, but Natsu grinned in elation, cocking his fist.
"FIRE DRAGON KING'S DEMOLITION FIST!"
The vortex was unleashed, and it focused with his hand, ramming into the man's cheek. Jacob Lessio shot back and the flames wrapped around him, slamming him face-first into the ground. He didn't make a sound as his legs lost mobility and dropped to the earth.
Breathing hard, Natsu beamed at his guild, who were watching him. They started cheering and celebrating as soon as it was over, and he made his way back to the half-ruined hall as fast as he could. Lucy ran from the crowd to intercept him, giving him a hug and dragging him back to their nakama. She turned to him again as they approached. Her smile was wide and bright, her eyes closed.
"That was amazing, Natsu! Good j-!"
Without a sound, she disappeared.
Smoke was what remained of her form.
"LUCY!"
Lucy snapped awake with a scream, scrambling upright in the soft sheets. Warmth that had been enshrouding her from one side quickly dissipated as her pink covers flew off, and she leaped from the bed, reaching for her keys.
Wait. She froze.
Sheets? Bed?
What had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was that she was celebrating with the rest of the guild after Natsu beat that creepy Stealth magic guy.
Her head shot from one side to another, eyes scanning the room. Pink-covered bed, elegant writing desk, closet...She was in her old apartment, she realised with a cold shiver, the one she'd owned in Magnolia before moving to Crocus. The most disturbing thing?
Everything was identical to when she had last saw it in it's full glory, right down to the pink-haired idiot (and his cat) on the bed.
Said idiot was sitting up, yawning tiredly and stretching. His droopy, half-closed eyes attempted to survey her. "Mmrph. Luce, ya didn't have to go ripping the blankets off..."
Another voice joined his. "Yeah, Lu-shee! It's cold now!" Happy sniffed dramatically, fat tears dripping down his face.
She stared at them with wide eyes. Suddenly, she jerked Natsu up by the scarf and shook him. His head lolled backwards lazily as he groaned in protest. "Natsu, why are we here? How did we even get here? I know I sold this place!" She sounded frantic.
"What do you mean, Luce? You've been in the guild for ages...never sold anything, you hoarder..." Happy nodded snobbishly in the background. Lucy let the dragonslayer drop onto the mattress as her eyebrow twitched. Like he had the right to call her a hoarder, that stupid dragon! And his damn cat! She raged on mentally, trying not to break something.
Another part of her, the rational part of her, was a little frightened. Natsu acted like they weren't just fighting Jacob Lessio, as if he'd forgotten everything. It made her worry, made her wonder if any other of their nakama were amnesiacs.
But the most worrying thing was that he was perfectly content like he was before he left and the guild disbanded, without that little bit of darkness in his eyes and devastating power in his aura. It was like Tartaros never happened, and Zeref never happened...He didn't even have the scar on his face!
Oh no.
Ice-cold queasiness trickled through her veins, and Lucy scrambled off the bed to find the calendar she had kept in her desk a year ago. A sickening feeling lurched in her stomach as her fingers touched the glossy cardboard. She realised that she was scared to open it to see if it was true. Lucy took a deep, shuddering breath.
May, X791.
That was after everyone came back from Tenroujima, just before Michelle appeared. One year and a bit before she was due to fight Jacob Lessio with Natsu.
Oh my god. Lucy sank to the floor, clutching the calendar so hard that the cardboard creased under her pale fingers. Her brown eyes dilated and she trembled slightly. In excitement or terror, she couldn't decide.
I might have time traveled. Just maybe.
An idea popped into her head. Jumping up, she opened her window, savouring the fresh air for a minute before looking out. Magnolia was the same as it had been, bustling and lively, without the small but telltale signs of damage that Tartaros had wrecked.
Lucy gulped, pulse quickening with excitement. This was the real deal. A chance to change the past and help the future. Or, a nasty little voice whispered in her head, this might be some sort of illusion magic. Lucy snorted. If it was, it was, but she sure as hell wasn't about to let her nakama suffer through everything again.
But, the little voice said, what if things aren't meant to be changed? What if Natsu and Gray have to lose their fathers to grow? What if Erza has to -
Lucy used all her strength to crush the voice into tiny pieces. A small smile spread over her darkened face. Maybe it was time to pull a Natsu. To do things on the spot and damn the consequences because she was gonna make sure that her friends grew up in their own time, dammit.
Standing up, she brushed herself up and decided to take a walk to the guild. She was wearing her past attire, which was fine with her.
It's nice to be...younger, I guess?
Grabbing her whip and keys, she walked out and locked the door. Never mind Natsu and Happy, they'd get out through the window anyway.
Lucy balanced on the sidewalk above the canal, looking around with a smile. The boatman wished her safety loudly and she waved back to him. Ah, to be back in the good old days again.
The town was beautiful, she mused. Lucy guessed that she'd never appreciated it enough until she moved out of it. The streets bustled with life as vendors advertised their wares and children played around. The air was fresh and clear, tinged with salt from the sea. She waved to the inhabitants happily as she made her way out of town to the Fairy Tail building. Lucy sighed a little sadly. She couldn't wait to get the old one back after the Grand Magic Games. Then she winced. There was the issue of planning out how to do things...
But this was no time to be thinking about it! Lucy would go with the flow. She beamed a brilliant grin as she opened the doors to the guild, strolling in to sit at the bar.
"Good morning, Lucy!" Mira greeted her from behind the bar, a gentle smile on her face. Lucy giggled cheerfully in return, fingers splaying out on a small wave. "Morning, Mira!"
The take-over mage leaned onto the counter, a delicate silver eyebrow raised as she chuckled slightly. "Lucy, you seem very...pleased today. Did Natsu perha-"
"No!" Lucy sweatdropped as she tried to hold back the blood that was attempting to explode into her face. That escalated quickly. She'd forgotten how Mira used to mercilessly tease her about Natsu. The she-devil looked so innocent in front of her. "Nothing like that! I just...I'm happy."
Mirajane pouted a little, looking away. "Whatever you say, Lucy!" A gleam again crept into her eyes, making the celestial mage squirm slightly. "Wait! Let me guess..." The white-haired girl stroked her chin slowly and deliberately.
"Maybe Lu-chan paid her rent early!" The two girls turned to see Levy approaching them, looking amused. Lucy straightened in her seat as if she was going to hug her, but relaxed into her chair again. "Levy-cha-..."
Her friends words hit her, and she slammed her head onto the bar, groaning. She hadn't paid her rent. Lucy knew because on her calendar, the next day was circled in red marker with the message 'PAY RENT'. She was...in a deep, stinking pile of excrement. Bull excrement.
"H-hey, Lu-chan? Are you alright? Did I say something wro- oh." Levy stopped babbling as she realised what she'd said. "I'm sorry, Lu-chan!"
Lucy groaned again, somewhat comically, as she slowly jerked her head around to face her friend. Her eyes were shadowed and her face was pale as a ghost as her spirit left her body through her mouth. It hovered over her head, sobbing dramatically for a few seconds while apologising to Levy. The blue-haired girl's eye twitched as she tried to hold in her giggles.
"Lu..." Levy coughed discreetly. "Lu-chan, why don't you go on a job with your team? I'm sure you'll be set after that." The script mage left the unsaid 'as long as they don't destroy anything' to dissolve into the air. Mirajane then decided to throw in her own two cents, smiling innocently all the while.
"Or you could just go with Natsu. Even if something happens, you should still have enough money left to pay your rent."
It was set. Lucy shot up from her seat, grabbed Levy in a quick, almost Erza-esque one-armed hug, and set out of the guild with a, "Okay, I'll see you guys later! Thanks!"
After she left, Mira clasped her hands together, frowning slightly. "Hey Levy, don't you think that Lucy is a little different today?" The other girl bit her lip and shot her a look, sighing. "I guess so. Maybe a little."
"I hope she's alright." Mira muttered. Levy nodded.
"Yeah."