CHAPTER ONE

THE DAWN OF LUCY'S JOURNEY


Never had Lucy, in all of her life, ever felt so numb.

"A… curse?"

Luck seemed to be always against them. It didn't matter that it always turned out good in the end, because this time she can feel this adventure was going to be different. Not only that, but she was all alone. It was like someone was mocking her. She hated being alone. She was alone in her old mansion with her dad. She was alone while on the run from said dad. She had always been alone, ever since her mom died. That was until she met Natsu and joined Fairy Tail. And now, she had a horrible feeling of dread that this… family she was apart of, was going to be ripped away from her as well.

She had to do something.

"Yeah. A dark, legendary curse named 'Oblivion'. No one has known to survive it. Nobody knows much about it, even the higher ups. The effects are slow or fast depending on the person and their magic."

She fidgeted. Just how were they going to get out of this one? It seemed surreal. Nobody has known to survive it? She felt queasy. Natsu, Erza, and Gray are on their… deathbed? Bile threatened to rise up her throat and drown her taste buds. Why? Why did these things always happen to them?

Her mouth was dry and the back of her throat stung, as if someone had shoved sand into her mouth and forced her to swallow it. "Did you get information from the man who did this to them about the curse?"

"We put him under a truth spell; however, the only thing he was willing to talk about was you."

She shouldn't have been surprised. The dark wizard seemed to know more about her mother than she did. And that bothered her. Why hadn't her mother told her of this? Why hadn't she explained the real reason for her sickness? Everything would have been easier that way.

"M-Me? What did he say?"

Did she want to know? Not really. Did she need to know? Unfortunately.

"All he said was that he didn't need to curse you. He said that it had already been done. I... don't know what that means, but I don't have a feeling it's good… I'm sorry, kid."

She was silent for a long while after that, wondering what he meant. She was cursed? She didn't feel any different from normal. It couldn't have been recent, either, because at first he didn't know who she was until Natsu had yelled her name.

She'd changed the subject. Call her a coward, running from her problems, but she just wasn't ready to deal with it yet. "Thanks for saving us, Gildarts." She'd ended the conversation at that.

He seemed to understand her reluctance on the topic, and tipped his head. Before he left, he sat a book on the edge of the bed. "This is all the information there is on the curse. Do what you will with it." His cloak billowed behind him in the same way she remembered before she had blacked out.

It wasn't for a little while that she had moved to get up from her bed in the infirmary. Each step felt like a thousand tons, and the light shining through the window pierced her eyes. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel envious of the sun. Bright and happy. Everything Lucy wasn't right now.

She found them in another private infirmary room. Everyone was told to stay away because they didn't know if the curse was contagious or not. Lucy knew better. She walked in without a care and sat next to them. Nothing was noticeably different about them, not unless you knew what to look for. Their skin was a few shades paler than normal, or at least, normal for them. They hadn't woken up yet, but she knew they would. Her mother managed to live normally when she was cursed. She assumed it wouldn't be any different for anyone else.

Looking down at them, she realized something.

It could take years for the curse to get the best of them. But it could also take years to find a cure.

'Rumor is that three ingredients can make an antidote for the curse, but there's a catch. All three ingredients are located in the outside world. The tear of a mermaid, and the scale of a millennial dragon. The last ingredient is more complicated, it is a legend. A flower weaved with gold which never wilts, located in the legendary unreachable island, Raftel.' Lucy read. Unreachable Island? A golden flower that could never die? Mermaids? Millennial dragons? She deadpanned. Just what was the outside world? A utopia?

It wasn't like they had strange creatures themselves, it's just that mermaids and dragons were rare. Unfortunately so. Dragons hadn't been spotted ever since the year X777. And mermaids? The only one she had ever laid eyes on was Aquarius, and it wasn't like she could – or would - ever be able to make the spirit cry. If she even tried, she'd be drowned in a heartbeat.

Where did Gildarts get this book anyway? She flipped to the back, eyes widening at the red ink. 'CLASSIFIED! PROPERTY OF THE MAGIC COUNCIL.' Did he… steal this? … Of course he did. She shouldn't be surprised.

She flipped back to the contents page, her eyes landing on: 'Journey to the outside world; how to get there, pg 49.'

By the time she was finished, a smile threatened to break out on her lips. This was her chance to save her friends. For once, she would save them.

Then, as if someone had read her mind, an image flashed through her head – a memory of when Master Makarov visited her in her hospital bed a few days ago.

"Lucy," She remembered him saying. His voice was low and filled with dread. At the time, she had wondered why. "Before I share this information with you, I ask of you to promise me you won't do anything reckless."

She'd agreed, mainly because for one, she hadn't been told of the deadly curse on her friends yet, and also because it was always Natsu doing reckless things, not her. Promises were an important part of Lucy because promises are sacred to keeping a contract between a celestial spirit and their mage. And just this once, she allowed herself to break her promise for her friends. Just this once.

"I'm sorry, master." She clenched her fists. "It looks like I have to break my promise."

Just this once.


"Lu-chan!" Levy called, a large grin on her lips as she ran towards the blondes' usual spot – usual meaning, ever since the accident – in the library. "Lucy – guess what! Natsu, Gray, and Erza – they're..." Lucy's spot was vacant, apart from a large, old dusty book sitting on the table. "… awake."

She moved towards her friend's spot in curiosity. She couldn't help it. Lucy had clung to that book after it had shown up randomly one day and hadn't even shared the knowledge of its contents with her.

"A ripped out page?" She said in confusion. She caught the next page number – fifty. Flipping to the contents, she fished for page forty-nine. "Journey to the outside world; how to get there..?"

It clicked.

Levy grabbed the cover of the book, turning it to face her. "Oblivion?" She said, eyes growing wide. "Natsu, Gray and Erza – oh, no!" She bolted for the door.

Panic thrummed in her veins. She ran towards the doors to the back of the guild, and threw them open. Lucy was standing there with something that glinted in her hands, but in that moment it didn't matter to Levy as she stretched her arms out and dashed towards the blonde.

Just as Lucy was enclosed in the blinding light, her eyes caught the sight of Levy a meter away with her arms thrust out towards her, a scream on her tongue. "Lu-chan!WAIT - NO!"

The blue-haired girl hit the ground, her hands stretched outwards, nothing but the smell of vanilla left in her friend's wake. Her lips trembled, and she slowly pulled her hand back to cover it over her heart, as if she were in pain.

A crinkled piece of paper fell through the air like a feather, facing up with bold, mocking letters: 'Journey to the outside world.'

She was too late.

"B-But Lu-chan…" Tears streaked down her face. "T-The outside world is very similar to the celestial world… the atmosphere is too strong for mages… If you cross the barrier, you d-die instantly…"

"No matter how powerful you are.."


"As much as it pains me to say, she's already passed the border, who knows if she's alive or not?" A male voice said gravely. It was a man who worked for the council, Lahar. He sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose further and looking the dragonslayer in the eyes.

"She's not dead, Lucy's tough!"

"It is not a matter of how tough she is, Natsu Dragneel. Even the strongest wizards alive cannot pass through to the outside world."

"No, he's right, Lucy isn't dead, and I know it!" A small girl with blue hair yelled. Wendy was clenching her fists, looking up at Lahar with firm belief. "She's strong! If anyone can pass through to the outside world, it's her! We need to go after her!"

"That's right! There's no way I'm just going to sit here while Lucy is out risking her life for us!" Natsu yelled. His fists were clenched. There was fire in his slitted eyes. "She's nakama! Fairy Tail does not give up on their nakama! What do you say, Happy? Let's go find Lucy!" He turned to the cat with blue fur hovering next to him with angel-like wings.

"Aye!"

"But you can't. Your condition-" Lisanna started to say, looking pained. She didn't finish her sentence, but they all got the idea. Natsu was a shade paler than usual. Other than that he looked fine. It was a slow-working curse, but it was still a curse. They were worried, and he knew it.

"Oh please, I'll be fine." He turned to stare at her, before a grin slowly made its way to his lips. The look on his face was so filled with confidence and assurance that they couldn't help but feel just a little hope. "I'm all fired up now!"


Up in Master Makarov's office, Levy sat in a chair facing the old man who sat behind his desk in a chair much too large for his short, midget body.

"Levy, I do not want you to blame yourself. Lucy made this choice on her own, you couldn't have stopped her." Makarov said gently.

Levy stared across from him with teary eyes, and fists clenched. "But it's my fault! I wasn't fast enough to catch her! And now, she could be... she could…" Her voice wobbled. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with the back of her arm.

"Let me tell you a story." A small smile twitched on the ends of his cracked lips. "About an old Fairy Tail mage named Layla…"


Slight OOC!Makarov. But ehh it fits my plot so….

And again, I know that Layla wasn't in Fairy Tail but it fits my plot so hah. I can't wait till we get to the One Piece world. I'm shocked, I posted this like a week or so ago and I've already got a little bit of favs and follows on this story, yay. I guess it's not that crappy after all. Also, comment who you would like Lucy to end up with. So far we got one vote on Luffy, and one on Zoro. It can be anyone you want, so don't be shy, add another person to the voting if you want. Just saying, how Lucy meets the Straw Hat pirates depends on who you guys pick. I would also like some constructive criticism if someone could give some. Thanks guys.