Lucy pov:
My head was pounding and my body trembling but neither could compete with the racing of my heart. I felt my cheeks grow warm as Natsu gave me a crooked grin. But I saw something flicker in his eyes. It looked like guilt. Suddenly, my head pounded with memories. Natsu and Lisanna holding hands. Natsu and Lisanna hugging. Natsu and Lisanna kissing.
I felt like shouting. I felt like screaming. I felt lost. My eyes glazed over with unshed tears. My heart was cracked. As if that wasn't enough, one taunting memory entered my head. It was...
Flashback:
"Lucy! Lucy! Come over here!" Natsu called out to me.
Gray and Erza were behind Natsu with solemn looks on their faces. I nervously headed over there, putting a fake smile on my face to hide my feelings.
"So Lucy", Erza began, "we were wondering if you..."
"Would leave our team." Gray finished for her.
"W..why?" My voice cracking.
"So we can grow stronger! Because the guild decided that Fairy Tail A would be made up of me..." Natsu started.
"And me." Erza and Gray said simultaneously.
"And manly me!" Elfman said from afar.
"And me!" Lisanna squealed hugging Natsu by the waist.
"The whole guild agreed except for some agreed that it would be best if Lisanna joined the team." Erza stated in a no nonsense tone.
I felt the smugness radiate from Lisanna as she smirked at me with Natsu holding her by the waist. My heart felt like it was hit by a hammer. So I was a replacement and I was delicately known I was a weakling.
"T...That's great news...I'll be a soloist now. Grow stronger..."
I turned away from them and picked a random mission. As I walked out of the guild, it was silent. When I headed out, I heard cheers erupt from inside. A tear slide down from my eye. So much for my family. To my surprise though, I saw Gajeel and Juvia in front of me.
"Lucy... I voted against it. I know you're strong. Take care and stay safe on your mission. Please." Juvia said with sadness radiating from her.
"I will. Thank you." I hugged Juvia close.
"Bunny girl...," Gajeel coughed slightly, "take care of yourself."
"I'll come back alive. I swear."
I fist-bumped him and we laughed. I raised my hand in the traditional goodbye sign and left, leaving no trail behind.
...
"Get away from me!" I shouted.
Natsu backed away with a hurt look.
"Don't look at me like that", I said, "When you abandoned me!"
He looked down ashamed and I saw Gray and Erza with similar expressions. My throat clogged up as tears fell from my eyes. I looked up at Natsu again with a bitter smile.
"So Mr. Bigshot, did you win the Grand Magic Games with Lisanna?"
He looked uncomfortable so I took that as a no.
"Surprise, surprise. I think I've made my point so I'm going to leave."
"Go where?" Erza demanded, finally speaking out.
"Away from here. Away from Fairy Tail. To find a new family."
"Lucy...stop being a cry-baby and grow up, would you?" Gray insisted.
"A cry-baby?" I stood up and grabbed my hidden knife and quick as a flash pressed it against Gray's neck.
"A CRYBABY! COULD A CRY-BABY DO THIS? ANSWER ME GRAY!" I shouted at him.
"Lucy...calm down." Erza tried to placate me but it got me even angrier.
"CALM DOWN! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!"
Natsu grabbed my wrist in a tight hold. My head snapped up to his and my eyes narrowed into slits.
"GET OFF ME!"
"You don't understand how much pain we endured looking for you Lucy!" Natsu's eyes blazed. "You don't..."
I cut him off. "NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! You kicked me out. My supposed family cheered when I left on missions. Everytime I came back from a mission with a new injury, the guild ignored me. When I got a new mission the guild cheered again. And it happened again and again. No-one cared except Juvia and Gajeel. Then I got captured. I got tortured. But I waited for help. I waited for years. I cried my eyes out. And then in the end I tortured and then I killed... with my own hands. SO DON'T TELL ME YOU UNDERSTAND, WHEN YOU DID THIS!"
The three of them froze. I broke out of Natsu's hold and walked out of the room, slamming it behind me. My mind was made up as I looked at my Fairy Tail mark. I walked to the Master's office.
I knocked and entered. Master Makarov was sitting there with an upset look on his face.
"Master, I'm leav-"
"I know. I know why. Like Juvia and Gajeel, I too strongly objected to the team."
"Thank you Master. Thank you for everything but I have to leave."
"I understand but promise me something. Promise me you'll come back to visit Gajeel, Juvia and me."
"I promise." My words were sincere which I could tell satisfied him.
I held my hand out and Master put his hand over mine and I felt a tingling sensation. When his hand left mine, the Fairy Tail mark was gone. I hugged him as tears spilled out from my eyes again. He patted my back soothingly and I pulled back sniffling. I smiled. My real smile.
And then I left without looking back. Away from Fairy Tail. Away from them. And as I walked, my burdens were left behind as I walked with my head held high and a smile gracing my face.
