Hey, this is getting another chapter! This one took me a while for all the usual reasons (School, college apps, general malaise, etc.) but also because I rewrote it about three times. It just never seemed to come out the way I wanted it to, but eventually I found a way to round it into shape, especially with the help of my awesome new beta nightowl880! Her input was vital in getting this thing published, so a huge thanks to her. And thanks also go out to and shardbearer for leaving a review, it really helps me with writing these. Chapter title and lyrics taken from Imagine Dragons song It's Time, but you probably knew that. Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Though at this point, I think I want to own it more than Hiro Mashima does.
"It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit better but then, I'll admit,
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am."
After parting with Loke in the apartment lobby, Lucy collected her car and found herself on the short drive from Strawberry Street to the 88th Precinct, still more nervous than she had any right to be. She let out a loud huff as her sedan wove slowly through the morning traffic, her thoughts refusing to settle down into any semblance of comfort.
Come on, Lucy, it's just a promotion. You've done what's basically this, just in a uniform, for a year and a half! It's a totally new precinct and you essentially have two jobs in one, in a department you didn't train for with a vet who probably has depression and almost certainly PTSD, but at least you're trained for that part… This line of thought isn't helping me in the slightest.
Eventually, the multi-story structure whose third floor held the 88th Precinct office loomed before her wind shield, and she presented her new (meticulously polished) detective badge to the attendant at the gate, who waved her through so she could park. And before she knew it, she was standing in front of the elevator on the ground floor, her foot nervously tapping a tattoo into the ground as she glanced at her watch. She wasn't late, per se; she was actually right on time. But she wasn't sure whether Captain Erza Scarlet was one of those superiors who called it "right on time" or "almost late". The elevator dinged open, and Lucy quickly stepped in, pressing the third floor button as fast as she could. However, before she could even look up, a voice sounded from outside the lift.
"Hold the door please!"
Lucy's hand shot out to pry the elevator doors back open, and a blue-haired woman in a brown overcoat rushed in, holding a full coffee drink carrier in one hand and a singular cup in the other. She glanced quickly at the buttons, but when she saw Lucy's destination she nodded in consent, before looking up at her companion in the lift.
"Thanks," she began, shooting Lucy a look of gratitude as the doors closed and the elevator began to ascend. She had wavy blue hair that fell past her shoulders and deep eyes of a slightly darker shade, which were made even more startling by their contrast with her pale white skin. She was quite beautiful. Lucy's inner profiler had already gone to work on the details. Minimal makeup. Means she's either very confident in her natural looks or reserved, doesn't like showing off. But despite her obvious beauty, Lucy didn't fail to notice the badge on her belt, or the telltale bulge of a sidearm underneath her coat. Detective. Worn badge means experience. "I'm going to take a wild guess that you're the new member of the team!" the woman said sunnily. "Lucy, right? Detective Lucy Heartfilia?"
"Y-yeah, I am," Lucy replied, blinking as her reverie was interrupted. The blue-haired woman was gazing at her intently, but the cheer in her tone was genuine. She was pleasantly surprised that one of her apparent coworkers already knew her name. "Nice to meet you, Detective…"
"Juvia Lockser, homicide," the bluenette offered. "Here, hold this." She held out the coffee cup in her hand to Lucy, who accepted, before retrieving another cup from the carrier and performing a switch with the one Lucy had just been handed. "Cream and two sugars, right?" At Lucy's dumbfounded nod, she smiled. "Little something to make you feel at home. I asked Levy how you take it."
"Wow, thanks!" Lucy said, opening the cup and confirming it was, indeed, exactly how she liked her coffee. She'd already had one cup today, but it would be rude to deny a gift like this (and she could always use more caffeine on a Monday), so she sipped at it with gusto. "Do you guys always get coffee for each other here?"
Juvia's blue eyes glowed with amusement. "Sort of. We have a group chat going, and everyone reports in when they leave their home. Last person to leave is in charge of the coffee. I drew the short stick today." Suddenly, the doors dinged open, and Juvia walked out, beckoning Lucy to follow her with a jerk of her head and an encouraging smile. Extroverted, cheerful, kind. Means lack of makeup likely because of preexisting confidence. Good temperament for homicide. You had to be able to look on the bright side when you were confronted with death and depravity every day, and possess no shortage of assurance either. I would know; it's what I applied for.
Lucy took a deep breath, and stepped in. She followed Juvia down a hallway until they reached the central office space, which were really just a collection of desks in the middle of the large room. Okay, Lucy, she thought to herself, learn and listen. Performing quick psychological judgments on people was on of Lucy's specialties, so she made every attempt to practice it. She ran over everything else she'd surmised about Juvia so far as they approached the bullpen.
As the desks came into view, she noticed two men sitting in them, one flipping through some folders and the other reading the newspaper, glancing up every now and then to survey the room. The one with the folders had short black hair and navy eyes, and was dressed in a standard black suit and tie, the jacket slung over the back of his chair. His desk was faced away from the entrance. The one with the newspaper had a far wilder look. He wore his raven hair long, and metal piercings ran the length of his aquiline nose. They went along with several earrings on each ear, and he completed the whole visage with a pair of brooding red eyes. He looks like he just walked offstage from a heavy metal concert and came into work. And yet he too was dressed in a plainclothes detective's suit and tie, though he still had his jacket on. His desk faced the rest of the room, and it was subtly angled so he had a completely unobstructed view of the whole precinct. And, Lucy noted, he already has his gun strapped on. Tall, dark, and handsome over there has his in the desk.
"Hey guys," Juvia said to the two as she and Lucy neared the desk. "I'd like you to meet Detective Lucy Heartfilia, our new teammate." The pair both looked up and Lucy instantly felt herself being evaluated. She'd felt like that really ever since she'd met Juvia, but this confirmed it. Nothing new, but it showed her that this group was both tight-knit and cautious. Outsiders were appraised before being accepted.
The short-haired one spoke up first. "Nice to meet you, Lucy," he said, standing up and extending his hand. "I'm Gray Fullbuster, homicide."
Lucy shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Gray," she replied. Comfortable in a precinct, no sense of danger in here, used to newbies. And used to paperwork. Career policeman, she concluded. As Juvia handed Gray his coffee, Lucy walked over to the other one, who folded his newspaper up and extended his hand from the seat.
"Gajeel. Redfox. Organized crime. Good meeting ya, rookie." His hand was so large, it enclosed Lucy's entirely.
"Gajeel, she has a name," Juvia said jokingly, waving his coffee in front of him. Gajeel grunted in amusement, before snatching the cup and taking a swig, apparently unaffected by the heat. He's a latecomer to detective work. Not as relaxed, more alert in a safe environment, heightened protective instinct. Military, maybe? With that hair, I can't be sure. Is it prejudicial if ex-con is the next thought? Her thoughts were interrupted when Gajeel spoke again.
"So, you're Levy's friend, eh Heartfilia? Hasn't stopped talking about you these past couple of days," he drawled.
"Oh, really? What's she said?" Lucy asked curiously.
"Only the nicest things, of course." Levy's voice came from behind Gajeel's desk. Lucy looked up to see her friend emerge from an office on the side of the bullpen, with "Levy McGarden, Criminal Psychologist" on the window in gold letters. She has her own office. Of course.
"That's not the most specific answer, Ms. McGarden," the blonde said, narrowing her eyes playfully.
"It's as specific as it needs to be, Detective Heartfilia," Levy shot back, smiling. A deep chuckle rumbled from Gajeel as he observed the back and forth between the two friends.
"You said she was a lot like you, Shrimp, but the resemblance is uncanny. You sure you just met in college?"
Lucy let out a snort when she heard Gajeel's nickname for the shorter woman. Looking over, she could see a hint of redness appearing around Levy's ears. "He calls you Shrimp?"
"It's not a habit I encourage," the Levy said, glaring at the pierced man. Gajeel just grunted in amusement and went back to his newspaper. Levy let out a huff, and then walked around the desk to beckon Lucy towards her. "Well, we've kept Erza waiting long enough. Time for you to meet the captain." Levy proceeded to walk towards the next door down from hers, this one with "Capt. Erza Scarlet" emblazoned on the window. The bluenette beckoned that Lucy should open it, so the new detective turned the knob and stepped in, the nervous pit in her stomach widening. Though Lucy wasn't exactly proud of it, her first observation about the woman at the desk in the center of the room wasn't deductive in the slightest.
They weren't lying about the eye.
There were few women who could have claimed to be on par with Erza's beauty. Flowing red locks, smooth and lustrous skin, warm brown iris that was the color of worn leather- the woman could have graced the color of glamour magazines, were it not for one memorable part of her appearance.
A weathered brown eye patch covered the captain's right eye. A small bit of scar tissue could be seen peeking out from under it, and the strap wound around the side of her head. Erza Scarlet's missing eye was a thing of mystery and legend among the recruits back at the police academy. Lucy had heard a thousand and one theories about how she lost it: she'd taken a glancing gunshot wound in a firefight, after which she killed the offending criminal with her now improved aim (not having to close that eye anymore). Another said she'd gone blind in a boxing match, and decided to simply have the thing removed instead of staring blankly ahead. One person had insisted that Erza had donated her eye to another officer who'd gone blind, reasoning that both of them having one was better than losing someone and keeping another with perfect vision. Personally, Lucy liked that one the best.
The redhead looked up from her desk, eye shining inquisitively. She set down a file that Lucy guessed was hers. "Detective Lucy Heartfilia, I presume?" The sentence was more statement than question.
"Yes ma'am," Lucy replied automatically. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Captain Scarlet."
"The feeling's mutual, detective. " Erza nodded her head towards the chairs in front of her desk, and Lucy and Levy took their seats almost immediately. She has an aura of command. She's used to being in charge and being obeyed.
"So, Lucy, I see your academy transcripts are exemplary. Top of your class in theoretical coursework, steady improvement in physical tests and marksmanship, perfect score on the exit exam." Erza tapped the folder on the desk as she spoke.
"I, ah, did my best, ma'am," Lucy said tentatively. She was never the most comfortable discussing her success. It felt too much like bragging.
"I'm sure the psychiatric degree from Cypress University helped." Erza raised an eyebrow. "We don't see many people with an Ivy League education applying to work for the police, current company notwithstanding," she remarked, indicating Levy quietly sitting next to them. The question, while not explicitly stated, was as clear as day.
"I always knew I wanted to help people," Lucy began. "My mother was a doctor, and I really wanted to be like her. I never really felt like becoming a surgeon was in my future, but I found I had a knack for, ah, empathizing with people. So I went into mental health care. I got into Cypress and met Levy, and then…" Lucy bit her lip. How do I say this? "Something personal inspired me to become a police officer. I had already taken some criminal psychiatry classes, so I knew a little of what to expect, and after I graduated I enrolled at the academy." She nodded at the folder with a modest smile. "And you know the rest from there."
The captain regarded her with interest as Lucy gave her quick explanation, and if she was intrigued by Lucy's purposely vague answer, she didn't show it. As stoic as I'd heard. When the detective finished, Erza hummed in acknowledgment. "I see. Well, allow me to tell you that we here at the 88th are very glad you came to that decision, Detective Heartfilia." She smiled again, and extended her hand across the desk. "Welcome aboard."
She and Lucy exchanged a firm handshake. The warm glow of approval Lucy saw in Erza's eye gave her a strange sense of pride, as though she'd passed some great test. Well, she had, really. At that point, Lucy recalled her earlier conversation with her neighbor.
"Oh, and I forgot to mention, Loke says hello."
At this, Erza's expression turned questioning again, with some surprise mixed in as well. "Oh, how do you know Loke?"
"We're neighbors, actually," Lucy explained with a wry smile. "We've become pretty good friends since I moved in, and ever since I told him I was applying to work here, I've been hearing nothing but glowing praise and stories from when you all were growing up in Fairy Tail." Seeing the hint of something in Erza's expression, she added, "And no, I haven't slept with him."
Levy let out a quick guffaw that she immediately silenced, looking equal parts amused and worried at the rather forward statement, but Erza just raised an eyebrow. Lucy did detect a hint of amusement, though.
"And why would you feel the need to add that, Detective?"
"Because when a young, pretty girl brings up Loke, the safest assumption is usually that she slept with him. Ma'am," Lucy added, unable to contain a grin.
Captain Scarlet let out a small giggle at Lucy's statement, which quickly blossomed into a throaty laugh that reverberated around the office. Lucy was a little taken aback at how easily the woman's serious exterior had melted, but when she looked at Levy, the blue haired girl was grinning from ear to ear at Erza's display. Eventually, Erza settled back into her chair, wiping at her good eye with a hand.
"That's…that's true enough, Luc-, Detective."
"Please ma'am, Lucy's fine, if you'd prefer." Already, Lucy could feel her nerves dissipating around her new superior, and she wondered why in the world everyone found her so terrifying. I like her a lot already. I wonder why everyone finds her so scary.
Erza smiled again. "Very well, Lucy. It's not exactly professional, but we're all on a first name basis with each other here, and I'm pretty sure you'll fit right in to that soon enough."
Lucy was about to respond when suddenly, the door to Erza's office banged open, and a man peered in through the opening. He had shockingly bright pink hair, which complemented a tanned face and striking onyx eyes. The surprise of his entrance was increased by the fact that he was talking a mile a minute.
"Hey Erza, I just got off the phone with Romeo, said we've got a fresh burn in Hargeon near the harbor so I'm gonna go check it o-"
"Natsu, you will stay right there until I dismiss you, and not a moment sooner!"
Erza's voice cut through the pink-haired man's rambling like a hot knife through butter, and Lucy could see him stiffen before quickly standing at attention with a fearful smile. Lucy looked back and saw Erza's eye boring through him intensely, and the detective shivered involuntarily. Oh. That's why everyone says she's terrifying.
Erza addressed Lucy again, with a slightly warmer tone than she'd used on the rosy-haired man, but still short and authoritative for his benefit. "Lucy, I'd like you to meet the man you'll be partnered with here at the 88th precinct. This is Detective Second Class Natsu Dragneel." She swiveled her gaze to Natsu. "Natsu, this is Detective Third Class Lucy Heartfilia, your new partner."
So this is him. Somehow, he's…not what I expected in the slightest. Despite the unusualness of his hair color, it evidently worked with the rest of him, because Lucy couldn't deny he seemed somewhat handsome. But beyond that, he seemed far more animated than she'd anticipated. From the way he nervously fiddled with his tie to the wide, sheepish grin on his face, to the way his cheeks dimpled when he smiled (which shows he did it a lot), he didn't look anything like what Lucy usually saw in depressed or traumatized people. If anything, he looked…well, now he just looked confused. He was staring at Lucy with a befuddled expression after Erza's introduction, and Lucy thought it best she made her own introduction as well.
"It's nice to meet you, Natsu. I'm excited to be your partner. I hope we can work well together." She stood up and extended her hand to Natsu, which he shook almost out of reflex, a look of bemusement still on his face.
"Nice to meet you too, uh, Luigi-"
"Lucy."
"Lucy. Sorry," he said, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck with a chagrined smile. "I just wasn't expecting to get a partner when I came in today." He looked back at Erza as he said this. "Speaking of which, why again do I have a partner?"
"Life's full of surprises, isn't it?" Levy said as she moved past Natsu through the door. "I think you'll enjoy having somebody to show the ropes, Natsu. Good luck, you two!" As she walked out the door, Lucy could see her friend give her a thumbs up over Natsu's shoulder.
"I deemed you ready to have a partner, and with the workload you've had on your plate recently, I figured you could use the assistance," Erza explained as she stowed Lucy's folder in her desk. "Now then, you may go. I expect you to help Lucy learn all the ins and outs of arson investigation." The dismissal was amiable, but clear.
"Uh, yeah, totally," the pink haired detective said awkwardly. He turned back to Lucy then, and gave her a shrug. "Well, I guess we're partners now."
Lucy smiled. "I guess we are." And you're also my patient, but you don't know that. Bet that's a first too.
Natsu turned and strode out the door, calling behind him, "Well, like I was sayin', we've got a building in Hargeon that the fire inspector says was clearly an intentional burn-"
As Lucy was about to follow him out the door, his head shot back though the doorframe, and she had to take a step back to keep them from colliding. "Hey, I was wonderin' something."
"What?" She'd known him for all of two minutes, and she was already struggling to keep up.
"You want to drive?"
How did you enjoy the chapter? Leave a review and let me know! YES, TELL US WHAT WONDROUS THINGS WE HAVE CREATED HERE- [MUTE]
All Might, I swear to god, I will mute you permanently if you speak in all caps agai-
BUT HOW ELSE CAN I EXPRESS- [MUTE]
Yeah, you know my whole "my muse is a person who changes" shtick that I started and now have to live with? It's All Might. Please help.