Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters

The Promise

"Ugh another failed mission, I'll never be able to get my rent money on time." I said aloud glumly as I walked along the edge of the river leading to my apartment with my trusty spirit, Plue. "Puuun" Plue said with an understanding tone.

"Be careful Lucy" A nearby fisherman yelled.

"I will don't worry." I replied back and jumped off the edge as I approached my apartment building. "Bye Plue." I said warmly and sent the spirit back home. "Pu-puuun" Plue said before disappearing.

As soon as I got into her apartment I went to fill the bathtub "I'm filthy" I thought aloud as I watched the bath fill with the hot water. I quickly undressed and threw my clothes in the corner which was something I rarely did. As I settled in the bath I groaned as the water did its magic on my aching and tired bones.

I sighed sadly and sank deeper into the bath as I remembered the mission I had just came back from


Flashback

Fairy Tail was partying hard for the last week. Of course that's what usually happens at the guild but if possible everyone was even more rowdy, cheerful, and drunk. Lisanna had just come back from Edolas and everyone welcomed her with open arms. The only people who would ever acknowledge me were Levy, Gajeel, Pantherlily, Happy, Charles, Wendy, and Juvia.

After about a month of not working I started to run out of money and needed to complete a big job to pay this month's rent. As I arrived at Fairy Tail everyone was still partying, I maneuvered my way to the job request board, dodging the tables, stools, beer barrels, and sometimes magic thrown around the guild.

I finally reached the job board safely and looked at the available jobs.

Please save my restaurant for 5,000 jewels. 'Nah not enough money and Natsu would just eat all the food' I thought and moves on to the next job.

Kill Julie Pincer for me please for 500,000 jewels. 'Too gruesome' I thought and shivered.

Defeat these dark mages that are terrorizing the city!

For 300,000 jewels.

Location: Sabaody City.

I smiled 'This one is perfect, enough money and easy enough for Team Natsu to handle.

I ripped the request off the board and ran to where Lisanna, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Happy were. "Guys" I yelled as I approached them but they seemed not to hear me. "GUYS" I yelled louder as I finally reached them but again I got no response. "HELLO YOU GUYS" I screamed and they finally turned towards me.

"What do you want?" Natsu said harshly. I was slightly taken aback by the harshness of his voice but quickly regained my composure "Well it's been about a month since we've been on a job…and I found a perfect one for Team Natsu so will you guys please come?" I asked expectantly.

"I don't know" Erza said

"Yeah I want to stay here with Lisanna and here her stories" Gay said agreeing with Erza

"Well ok then…Lisanna can come with us then she can become a part of Team Natsu!" I exclaimed quickly, trying to win the teams favor again.

"Yah that's a great idea it will be just like the good old days!" Natsu said happily. "Want to join our team Lisanna?" He asked her.

"Of Course I was going to ask anyway" Lisanna happily responded.

"Ok it's settled we will leave in a hour to…." Erza said before stopping herself "Lucy where are we going?"

I sweat dropped but smiled on the inside 'Same old Erza.' I thought warmly. "The job is at Sabaody City home of the biggest amusement park in Fiore!"

"AWESOME" Natsu and Happy yelled. "MEET IN ONE HOUR AT THE TRAIN STATION." Erza ordered and we all split up tom pack our thing.

1 hour later

Everyone assembled at the train station all caring luggage but no one had as much as Erza. We got onto the train and I tried to sit next to Natsu but Lisanna rushed past me and sat next to him instead. I was about to yell at her but held it back. I sat opposite of them and Erza slid into the seat next to me. As soon as the train started Natsu succumbed to his motion sickness and grew incapacitated. Lisanna laughed and put Natsu's head on her lap she laughed and stroked his hair "There, there Natsu just calm down."

I grew sad at the sight 'I used to do that, I guess that was always Lisanna's job… They do have a very deep connection' I thought sadly. "Hey Erza, can you wake me up when we get there?" I tried to ask Erza but I was once again ignored by the people who were supposed to be my nakama. I turned to the window and silently cried myself to sleep.

4 hours later

I awoke to the sounds of people getting off the train I looked around me to find that my 'Teammates' had left me and were leaving the train station. "DAMN IT!" I exclaimed and shook off my weariness, and then quickly got off the train.

The train station was packed and it took me a while to catch up to them. Once I did I yelled "What the hell you guys, I thought we were a team!" They looked at me questionably "What are you talking about Lucy?" Natsu asked innocently who had recovered of his sickness. "You left me on the TRAIN!" I yelled hurt to the core.

"Oh yeah sorry we didn't mean to" Gray apologized but I could tell it wasn't sincere.

"Whatever,let's go to the mayors office." I said and led Team Natsu to the mayors building.

The City was wonderful and very lively it seemed that everyone was happy. Bubbles floated on the air from kids and huge trees covered the city. I smiled despite the previous actions of my nakama.

We soon reached the building which was made of beautiful granite and stood very tall. We entered the grand sized doors and walked over to the secretary "Hello we are here for the request." She smiled and got up leading us the Mayor's office "Right this way."She said. The office was very well organized with a homey feel; the mayor was currently doing a handstand by a fireplace.

The mayor was a short man with wild multicolored hair and brilliant green eyes; he quickly got up from his handstand and jumped onto his mahogany desk."THAT IS MAHOGANY" His Secretary yelled before slamming the door loudly.

"Hohohoho, looks like I'm in trouble. The mayor said before noticing us. "Hello I assume you are here for my request?" He asked and we nodded. "Good, I am Mayor of Sabaody City, Tingle." He introduced himself.

"I'm Erza Scarlet"

"Lisanna Strauss"

"Gray Fullbuster"

"Happy"

"Lucy Hea…." I was cut off before I could finish.

"NATSU DRAGNEEL" Natsu said proudly and very, very loudly

"Hohohoho what wonderful names" The mayor exclaimed and started to dance

"Anyway the dark mages that you must intercept are terrorizing the amusement park as we speak and all the forces that we send there have been defeated." Tingle explained.

"Everyone seems to be very happy and festive though" Erza said

"That's just the atmosphere of this town and for now I have shut down the amusement park so very few citizens know. I don't want my beautiful town and all its bright lights to die, please save my town!"

"Don't worry, Fairy Tail will protect you and all citizens of Sabaody!" I exclaimed.

"Let's move out!" Erza ordered and we all ran out of the building towards the gigantic amusement park.

After about 5 minutes of running we reached the center of the town where the park was. WE expected to find the park in ruins but it was totally fine the only thing unusual was that no one was in it.

"THERE'S NOTHING HERE" Natsu exclaimed "AND JUST WHEN I WAS GETTING ALL FIRED UP!" He ran towards the park and then suddenly he disappeared.

"N-Natsu!" Lisanna and Happy yelled and they both ran to where Natsu disappeared only to vanish too.

"Bakas" Gray yelled and ran to the exact same spot again and like the other disappeared.

"They're going to need my help!" Erza said and went through the mysterious portal too.

"This is madness!" I said and walked to where they had disappeared. I stuck my hand out and it disappeared! A ripple ran through the air. "I thought this mission was going to be simple!" I complained aloud and jumped into the ripple.

As soon as I got to the other side of the portal I found myself very far away from the ground "AHHHHH" I yelled "SOMEONE HELP ME!" I looked around and no one was near. 'So this is where I die' I thought while crying rivers.

Suddenly a light bulb went off in my head 'THAT'S IT" I yelled triumphantly and reached into my pouch attached to my belt for my key chain and grabbed it. I flipped through them and found the one I was looking for.

"Open gate of the Ram, Aries!" I yelled while thrusting the key in the shy, pink-haired spirit appeared. "S-sorry" She said as she fell with me to the quickly approaching ground. "Aries save me! Use your wool to cushion my fall!" I yelled and she quickly went into action and shot pink wool from her hand which we both landed safely.

"S-s-sorry if they aren't fluffy enough" Aries said apologetically.

"Thank you Aries that was a close one, you did a great job I'm glad I have you as one of my friends" I said sincerely from the bottom of my heart.

"Thank you Lucy, call me whenever you want" She said with a little bit more boldness while blushing.

"Ok I will, say hi to everyone from me, Bye Aries" I waved goodbye

"Goodbye Lucy-sama." Aries said shyly before dissolving in a golden light.

'I need to call my spirits more' I thought happily. I looked around to see an exact replica of Sabaody's amusement park

"Now where did they go" I said aloud but before I picked a direction to search a loud booming sound came from a Ferris wheel. "Well that was easy" I said and ran towards that direction

I eventually arrived to find that my team mates were all battling with dark mages. I stared in awe as my team mates worked in amazing unison basically in perfect sync. There were at least 150 wizards and all of them were fighting except one who was standing furthest away from Natsu and the others. I guessed he was the leader.

"I can fight too!" I yelled and called on Sagittarius "Open gate of the archer, Sagittarius!"

"Moshi moshi what do you want me to pierce Lucy-san" He said while saluting.

"I want you to shoot as many mages as possible while I fight the leader." I ordered.

Sagittarius looked skeptical "Are you sure Lucy he looks pretty strong."

"Are you saying that I'm not strong?" I asked my spirit.

"O-of course not Lucy." He replied.

"Then don't worry I said reassuringly and smiled at him.

"Moshi moshi." he said once again as I ran into the battle field.

I quickly got to the other side of the battle field and got to see the leader of the dark guild better. He was a very muscular man about Laxus's size not that I had noticed. He also had a shaved head and eyes that seemed like endless black pits of despair.

He noticed me and asked "Are you really my enemy. You don't look very strong ,why can't Titania or Salamander fight me?"

I frowned at this "I am a member of the most powerful guild Fairy Tail and from now on I'm pulling my weight!" I yelled and got out my Fleuve d'étoiles. I rushed at the man lashing my whip at him. Before it hit him though he had disappeared! 'Where is he' I thought and then out of thin air he materialized behind me "Poison breath" He said and exhaled heavily while a purple clouds came pouring out of his mouth.

I jumped out of the way before it hit me and it was a good thing I did because right as the fog touched the ground the life around it died and started to dissolve.

"So you use poison magic, you manipulate the impurities in the air and use them for your advantage, right?" I asked and he nodded while smirking "At least you're smart but intelligence alone can't beat me!" He yelled "Poison room" He chanted and suddenly I was surrounded by the dangerous gases with no escape.

"Damn" I said as the man approached me

"Sludge wave!" The man yelled and a huge wave of poison came to me, killing everything surrounding it.

I fell to the ground not knowing what to do but before I was enveloped though my knight in shining armor appeared, Loke. "Regulus Supreme Cannon!" he yelled and blasted the sludge away with a beam of light that shined throughout the entire battle field.

"Hey princess. Looks like you are in quite the predicament." Loke said coolly, offering his hand to get me up.

I took his hand and got up "Haha thanks Loke, you are always there for me." I said sincerely.

The leader approached Loke and I slowly. He then said tauntingly "You are Lucy Heartfilia, the new girl in Fairy Tail who thinks she all that because she has one of the twelve golden keys"

I grew mad at his statement "Someone has been studying" I said sarcastically "But if you were really smart you would know I have 9 keys" I exclaimed and the man's eyes opened wide.

"SAGITTARIUS NOW!" I yelled and before the man could react an arrow went through his body. I cheered and hugged Loke "I did it!" I repeated over and over happily.

"Hahaaha this is not over yet little girl." The man said with a hole in his chest " You don't understand my powers do you NOT ONLY DO I CONTROL POISON BUT I CONTROL EVERYTHING IN THIS BATTLE FIELD THIS IS MY TRUE MAGIC" He yelled aloud triumphantly and suddenly a volcano appeared in the middle of the battlefield.

"DO YOU SEE MY TERRITORY MAGIC ALLOWS ME TO CHANGE ANYTHING, THIS IS MY PLAYGROUND!" He looked like he was about to attack with something extremely viscous but a voice stopped him. "Are you sure you can stop all of us?" Erza said with the rest of the team beside her.

The man's expression quickly turned from successful to defeated "This will not be over Lucy, you are on my list and the rest of Fairy Tail" His words full of venom.

"I WILL GET STRONGER AND DEFEAT ALL OF YOUR WORTHLESS TEAM, NEVER FORGET THE NAME AERON MARISE" He yelled. "Room break" He said and suddenly it seemed like the whole world cracked.

The whole fake world came crashing down and we were back in the amusement park. I said goodbye to Loke and Sagittarius and with the rest of team Natsu looked all around the park for the Aeron but could not find him.

The mayor refused to give us the full reward and we only got half. I felt horrible and had to sit alone on the train ride back to Magnolia.

When we were walking towards the guild. I horrible thing

"This is all Lucy's fault, if she were stronger she could have beat that guy." Natsu said accusingly at me.

"True, I'm sorry Lucy but you are a little weak" Erza agreed and I saw that the rest of the team agreed.

"I-I'm really sorry guys" I said sadly while choking back tears "I officially resign from Team Natsu, sorry for being such a bother I'm going home!" A sob ripped out of my throat and I started to run home but I eventually started to walk and called Plue to my side.


End of flashback

'And now I'm here' I thought with tears rolling down my face. I washed myself in silence and finally got out of the bath and put on a simple white t-shirt and pink basketball shorts.

I collapsed in my bed and started to cry from my loss of nakama. But then a flash of light appeared and I looked up to find Loke there "Don't be sad Princess; you will always have us spirits. " He said reassuringly.

He knelt down to my face and wiped my tears away wish his hand. I hugged him and started to cry even more but eventually I fell asleep in his arms. My last thought was 'I'm going to get stronger for my nakama.'


The next day

I woke up under my blankets tucked in tight, Loke was gone too. I smiled as I thought of him and my other spirits. Suddenly I remembered the promise I had made to myself.

I got up and took a quick shower then dressed in a golden skirt held up with a white belt with my whip and Keys attached to it, a black shirt with a golden Fairy Tail emblem that shined, and white boots. I also had put my hair up in a pony tail. I made a quick breakfast consisting of bacon. cereal ,and orange juice 'Time to go to Fairy Tail' I thought and put my dishes in the sink.

Before I left my house I looked in my full body mirror and thought 'I'm ready for anything. Then I called on Plue and ran to Fairy tail with him in my arms.

As soon as I entered the guild I was greeted with harsh gazes from Team Natsu but I acted like I didn't notice and ran up to the masters office.

I knocked and asked if I could come in and the master responded that I could. The masters office was cluttered with complaint notices from a certain somebody. I took a seat across from the master with Plue in my hands and greeted the master "Good morning, master how are you? I asked cheerfully.

"Good except for all the paperwork" He said jokingly

I gave a laugh but I could tell the master saw through my charade and knew something was up. "What is wrong child?" He asked.

"I-I want to get stronger!" I yelled

"Why?" HE asked "You are plenty strong already you are part of the strongest teams in fairy tail

"Not anymore. I left Team Natsu." I said sadly and the master raised his eyebrow.

"Last night I made a promise to myself… to get stronger for friends and if I couldn't protect my friends then I would give up on them and leave fairy tail and give away all my keys!"

The master stoop up quickly "Lucy isn't that a little harsh!?" He asked "P-Puuun" Plue seemed to agree with master

I smiled "it might be but if I don't have the power to protect my friend I don't deserve to have them at all, so please tell me HOW CAN I GET STRONGER!" I yelled tears coming to my eyes.

The master looked skeptical at first but then he said" Fine I see I can't persuade you to not to follow this path." Master got up and walked over to a side of the room with file cabinets . He chanted a special incantation and a file opened and he went through all of the papers until he found the right one. He came back to his chair and gave me a paper.

'What is this?' I thought and upon further inspection I found out it was a map.

"Where does this lead to?" I asked questionably.

"The Ethereal Library" Master said and then looked at me and winked "Home of all holy magic!"