Author's note; Second chapter already? Man, time does fly fast. Either way, if you have read the first, and improved, chapter, I congratulate you with another chapter, improved as well.
Also disclaimer, needless to say, I do not own Fairy tail in any way. This fanfiction is a product purely for entertainment. Now bear with me through the second chapter, as I am forced to read it.
Ignorance
"Lucy!"
Natsu punched the wall again, it cracked under the pressure.
"Damn it!"
Natsu landed another punch on the same wall, he had been had been doing so for the past hour, while Erza was trying to steer the ship to land.
"Natsu, calm down."
Erza looked over her shoulder, he was a wreck. Save for the multiple wounds and bloodstains, he had and was crying.
"Calm down? We lost her, Erza. We fucking lost her!" another angry swear followed by an angry punch.
"Oi, for all we know, Lucy could be a terrific swimmer," Gray mumbled humourlessly, a lame attempt at humour.
"Are you being funny?" Natsu growled, if it wasn't for Erza staring them both down, he would have delivered the next punch directly at Gray's already beaten up face. Erza sighed and looked down at her feet.
"We should have more faith in Lucy," she said softly. Titania seldom used that voice, the soft voice that lacked the usual determination and fury. It almost scared them, whenever she spoke softly, it reminded them of Erza's humanity. She might have been an s-class mage, but she was still human. Even though she tried to stay strong for everyone, she was still a young woman at the peak of her youth, even Titania cracked sometimes.
As they reached land, Natsu was anxious to get back to the guild, he did not want to face them with their loss. It wasn't bad enough that they had gotten side-tracked on the mission, but to lose a member was unforgivable in Natsu's book.
It wasn't just about losing a member, it was about losing a friend, a partner, and a family member. He had to admit, when he first met Lucy he had been annoyed to the core of his bones, she was just so, so everything. Her cheerful and trusting nature reminded him all too much of himself, yet her caring and motherly nature leaned towards Igneel, his adoptive-father.
He figured that was why he had been so drawn to her to begin with, why he had decided to track her down, and good thing he did else she would have been a goner, it also explained why Natsu has so easily let her into his family. They had experienced hell together, but they had also gone through paradise with each other. Many arguments and quarrels later she had become his best-friend, after Happy that is. He had vowed to protect her with everything he could offer, and he failed. He had lost another family-member, first Igneel, and now Lucy. He had failed again, and life really wasn't fair.
Erza opened the large wooden doors and stalked inside, the guild was as lively as ever; fights were being broken up, Mirajane was serving drinks, and Cana was drinking.
For a second, Erza envied their ignorance at what had happened. For just a small second Erza wished she was the one enjoying a nice slice of cake, forever ignorant of everything that had happened within the last few hours. Oh how she envied Levy who was chatting with Gajeel, how she envied Lisanna who was laughing at a joke Cana had told, how she envied them all and their ignorance.
The guilt she had swallowed down was making it's way up, and she was ready to puke it out. To just lay out the truth as Mirajane caught the eye of the crimson-haired woman. She waved them over with a gentle smile and began to prepare three glasses of water. Natsu and Gray trailed after her, they looked down, avoiding any glances, and any hollers that were directed at them.
They sat down on bar-stools, and drowned the water that had been sat in front of them. Mirajane chuckled slightly at the image, before she began looking around slightly confused.
"I don't see Lucy anywhere," she murmured, high enough for them to hear, low enough for nobody else to hear.
"Lucy." Erza looked up, and she let the single tear slide down her cheek, "isn't going to be joining us any time soon," she forced out. Her fist was clenched, and she spoke through closed teeth. Mirajane looked at their pained expressions; first Gray, Natsu, and then Erza, and she dropped the glass she was holding.
A thousand shards had flown everywhere, it was enough to get everyone's attention, and raise questions. Levy was the first who acted, the small girl looked up with a bright smile,
"Where is Lucy?"
The question was enough to start a ruckus. Erza did not respond, Gray turned around with a frown on his face.
"Lucy is," he began, before he cleared his throat. The silence was suffocating, and Gray wished he could disappear, disappear far, far away from the guild.
"Dead." If a hairpin had been dropped to the floor, surely the entire guild could hear it. The slightest sound was heard, Levy let out a small laugh,
"S-stop joking around, where is she?" an attempt to ease the tension, an attempt to make sure she hadn't heard properly, a small attempt at trying to make the truth into a harmless joke. When Gray didn't respond, Levy opened her mouth, and closed it again.
"What the hell do you mean she is dead?!" Cana yelled from where she was sitting, drunk or not, her voice held a lot of anger and animosity. Erza stood up, "S-she fought in her last moment, her death was not in vain!" she tried with what she hoped was a strong voice, but what came out was meek voice that could belong to a small mouse.
"Cut the crap, how could you let her die?!"
"Y-you are her teammates, you let her down!"
"Lucy didn't deserve this!"
Erza didn't say a thing, did not deny anything either. She let the words sink down. They were right, they were her teammates, how could they have let her down like that? Oh ignorance, how wonderful it was at times.
