Chapter Two: Near Drownings and Plue

(In which Mirajane learns to control her temper and everyone learns Lucy is a lot scrappier than first thought)


"Gray put on some clothes!" Lucy screamed, throwing a pair of boxers in the general direction of where she thought Gray was, while slapping a hand over her eyes. "There are kids around!"

"Like who?" Cana grinned, clearly enjoying Lucy's-in her opinion-overreaction. It was only 3 in the afternoon and she already had a pitcher of beer in front of her. Lucy couldn't understand Cana, why would she drink that? It tasted like horse piss in her opinion.

"Like us!" Lucy screeched, opening her fingers slightly so she could glare at Cana's smug face.

"Who threw that!" Natsu yelled, holding out the pair of boxers and instantly recognizing them as Gray. Lucy groaned, instead of hitting Gray it had hit Natsu instead. "Gray you bastard!"

"Huh? What do you want now flame brain? Lost the last of your IQ?" Gray scowled, zeroing in on boxers in Natsu's hand. An expression of disgust settled on face, "That's gross Natsu, you so obsessed with me you stole my boxers?"

"What are you talking about, you threw them at me you pervert!" Natsu scowled, getting in Gray's face. It wasn't long before the two started trading blows.

"Should I go and tell them it's my fault?" Lucy looked a little anxious, the 12 year old girl chewing on her bottom lip. "I don't want them getting hurt because of something I did."

"Nah," Cana snorted, patting the younger girl on the arm. "It ain't your fault Natsu's a temperamental idiot and Gray's a stripping loser. Besides, she should be here any moment to break-" there was a yell and large scream of feminine anger "-ah there's Erza. Which means that Mirajane can't be-" there was another female voice yelling and then the sound of another, much larger, fight starting "-yep. Just like clockwork."

Cana took a slow sip of her drink, acting like she couldn't see Lucy's look of disapproval. But it was enough that she didn't order another one when she finished. Instead she just nursed the pitcher throughout the entire day and couldn't even finish it. Stupid big brown eyes.

Lucy giggled, "I better go shopping. I need to buy some food for the kitchen before they run out and the entire guild tries to eat each other."

"If that were to happen, I think we would eat one of the grownups first," Erza said, plopping down on the seat next to Lucy. "They are older and have more meat than us kids. Who would you eat first Lucy?"

Lucy giggled again at the completely serious look on Erza's face. This guild was so weird but in the four months she had been here, they made her feel more welcome than her father had in the last four years. She tapped her chin, putting some serious thought into it. She knew Erza would appreciate it and Erza was something of a role model to the younger girl. She was so strong and cool and pretty. "Master Makarov, with his giant magic he could easily last us for months! Than we wouldn't have to eat anyone for a long time."

"Damn, I wished I thought of that," Erza muttered, banging a closed fist on the wooden table. Her eyes sparkled at Lucy, "This is why you're the smart one Lucy. What about you Cana?"

Lucy was still laughing when she exited the guild a minute later, her guild was so weird.

But, Lucy thought, smiling at her right hand fondly. That's not such a bad thing.


Mirajane was angry but that shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone. Mirajane was an angry person, the only people who saw a different side of her was her family. Everyone else only knew her as Demon Mira. Most knew better than try to be buddy-buddy with her, but the only one who didn't seem to get the memo was that damned new girl, Lucy.

The closest thing she had ever come to polite with the newest member was a curt hello but her distant and harsh personality didn't seem to deter the younger blonde. And it annoyed her, the little girl was so annoying. How did nobody see that? With the way she flounced around the guild in her little pink dresses, and bright sunny smiles. She reminded her eerily of Lisanna, and that only pissed her off even more.

When she had bought it up to Lisanna, saying that the girl was likely imitating her personality so people liked her, her little sister had just laughed. Than she called her paranoid, kissed her on the cheek, and went off to bother (flirt) with Natsu. Mirajane secretly thought Lucy was trying to replace her sister, nobody could be that sweet besides 6 year old kids when they wanted something.

Mirajane was walking back to her house, spitting out a bit of blood from her fight with Erza (which she totally won). Turning the corner, Mirajane was surprised to find Lucy walking along the river with a little pep in her step (ugh, she thought in her mind. So fucking annoying.)

She was humming a little tune under her breath and in her hands were the same keys she always had with her. What the hell were those things? No one knew just exactly what they were but they knew it had to do with Lucy's magic. Not that anyone had ever actually seen her use her magic. In a mage guild, especially one as rowdy and reckless as Fairy Tail, it wasn't unusual for people to to use their magic as casually as most people drank or ate. So it was strange Lucy didn't.

"Mirajane?" Her attention was snapped back to reality by the sound of Lucy's voice. The white haired teen saw Lucy's face light up when she was it was, in fact, Mirajane and the girl stated jogging over. "Mirajane! Hi! What are you doing? Are you walking home?"

Mirajane didn't say anything, didn't even look at her. She just kept her eyes forward and kept walking like Lucy wasn't even there. Hopefully she would take the fucking hint. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to as the girl just kept talking and, talking, and talking, and talking. Mirajane's already quick temper became even more riled up when the girl just wouldn't shut up! There was a headache brewing behind her eyes and that only added to her agitation.

"Oh my god, do you ever stop fucking talking?!" Mirajane finally snapped, and the girl fell blissfully silent. Mirajane turned, white hair flying in her face and cold blue eyes bright with anger. "You just talk and talk and talk and you don't even see that no one gives a shit! Take the fucking hint Lucy and just shut up."

Her chest was heaving by the time she was finished with her mini tirade, watching Lucy's face carefully. Some dark, secret part of her hopes that Lucy cries. Mavis, she's just so angry.

"Are you okay Mirajane?" Instead of a crumpled face seconds away from crying, there's actual concern and confusion on the girl's face. That just makes Mirajane even angier. Why wasn't she crying? Why wasn't she running away? Why wasn't she getting angry? Why was she asking if Mirjane was okay? "You've been acting strangely these last few days, is everything alright?"

For a moment Mirajane saw red. It was too much, the look of concern on Lucy's face, the death's the Strauss' parents, Lucy's big innocent brown eyes, Mira's innocence ripped away too soon, Mira and her siblings being chased out of their village and called demons, Mira having to grow up far too soon to take care of her two younger siblings.

It was just all too much.

Mira snatched Lucy's keys from her hands, reveling cruelly in the shocked and hurt expression on Lucy's face, and threw it into the river with all her might.

"Fuck you," Mirajane spat, shoving Lucy back and turning on her heel back towards the guild. She needed a drink or a long, hard fight. Maybe even both. Behind her, Mirajane heard the splash of someone diving into the river and she smirked meanly, maybe the little chit would get sick.


Unfortunately for Mirajane by the time she got back to the guild, guilt started working it's way into her heart so she couldn'teven do half decent job of riling up Erza or sneaking some alcohol from the back.

Stop it, Mirajane told herself firmly. It's her fault for being so damn annoying, besides I only threw her keys in the river. Not the damn ocean.

Her conscience frowned at her. Mira frowned on the outside and neatly kicked her guilt and conscience in the ass, mentally telling them to get lost.

"Hey Luce you okay there?" Natsu asked, taking a step back from the argument he was having with Lisanna and Reedus. A familiar blue furball following him. The 12 year old girl stormed into the guild, teeth clenched and fists balled at her side. Natsu frowned, Lucy was dripping from head to toe from, he took a quick sniff of the air, river water if his nose was accurate. She also seemed to be shaking and he was about to chalk it up to her wet clothes when he saw the look on her face. She looked furious. Natsu felt dread and fear rise up in him, he felt sorry for whoever put that expression on her face. Unless it was Gray.

"Hey Luce," Mira smirked, turning in her chair to look at the younger girl. "Have a good-"

Before Mira could finish the taunt Lucy launched herself at the teenage girl. The entire guild was too shocked to do much more than stare for a few minutes. Lucy almost never took part in guild fights unless someone hit her first and to see her start a fight? Especially with Mirajane? They could tell she was serious about the fight because, when she got into Fairy Tail rumbles, her moves were pushing and shoving and hair pulling in an attempt to the get the person away from her, not hurt them. Lucy wasn't an inherently violent person but look at her now and you would have never guessed it.

The young mage was kicking, and clawing, and scratching, and punching, and biting at Mira and Mira? She seemed to have trouble just defending herself from the blonde, let alone attacking her. Lucy's punch caught Mira in her jaw and white lights decorated Mira's vision. Her head snapped back and blue eyes flashed.

She kicked Lucy and she felt it connect but Lucy just took the punishment, taking the opportunity to grab and leg and yank. Mira lost her balance and suddenly she was on the ground. Lucy was on her in an instant, a wild light in her eyes. Than Lucy was off her and Mira felt someone's arm around her waist, dragging her kicking and screaming from the struggling form of Lucy.

"Let me go! Let me at her!" Lucy screeched, fighting against Macao's arm wrapped around her waist. She kicked and clawed at her captor, Macao winced but just tightened his hold on her. Lucy's eyes were black with rage as she spat venomously at Mira, "You ever touch my fucking keys again and I'll tear off your leg and beat you to death with it! You hear me bitch?!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A booming voice yelled throughout the guild and everything stopped, both Lucy and Mira stopped struggling in Macao's and Wakaba's arms respectively. With a quick glance at their charges to make sure they wouldn't start anything, the two men let go of the younger girls. Master eyed each of them heavily, not even sure where to begin. "Who started it?"

"I was just sitting there when all of a suddenly Lucy just-" Mira started but was cut off by Makarov.

"I didn't ask what happened, I asked who started it. Lisanna?" The master asked the youngest Strauss. Lisanna's moral compass would make her tell the truth, that and she was already used to her big sister starting fights so there was no point in lying about it.

"Lucy attacked first," Lisanna said, seeming just as confused as everybody else. Lucy was so nice. It seemed so out of character for Lucy to just attack like that. What could have happened?

"Lucy, do you have anything to say to Mira?" Makarov hid his surprise well, but at least Lucy would realize that error of her ways quickly and apologize.

Lucy crossed her arms, glaring at Mirajane with spite in her brown eyes. It looked wrong on such a usually cheerful and innocent face. She spat out, "Fuck you."

Or maybe not, Makarov thought with a sigh.


"So you mind telling me what was that about?" Cana asked the blonde, taking a seat next to her. Thank god the guild was literally big enough for them each to have their own corners. Cana knew the Strauss' were trying to get the information out of their eldest sister. Cana also knew they would get it out of her eventually but not anytime soon, and certainly not fast enough for Cana's taste. Lucy, on the other hand, as tight lipped as she usually was about...well...everything, was also bone tired if the way her eyes kept fluttering shut and open was any indication. The guild had learned pretty quickly early on that when Lucy was tired, she tended to babble about anything and everything. She also had no filter, which lead to some fun bonding times and a mortified Lucy. If that was what she was like when she was tired, Cana wondered what she would be like drunk.

"Not my fault," Lucy yawned widely, exhaustion making her slur her words a little. "She started it when she threw my keys in the river. And like a fucking idiot, I dived in after them."

"What?!" Cana's eyes widened and she leaned in closer to look the younger mage up and down. Concern filled her brown eyes, getting a little angry with Mira herself. "The river's half a foot taller than you are! Lucy you don't know how to swim!"

"Well I sure fucking learned today didn't I?" Lucy snapped at Cana. She shook her head, yawning again. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired, I think I'll go home and take a nap or something. Tell Master I said sorry for disturbing the guild okay?"

Lucy slid off the stool at the bar and started for the front door, swaying on the way there. A sharp frown carved itself onto Cana's face, serious brown eyes watching the way Lucy stroked her keys reverently. She really did love those keys. Unknown to Cana, Erza had been listening in the whole time. And she did not look happy.


"What do you want you teachers pet?" Mirajane said irritably, she really wasn't in the mood to deal with the Guild Hall Monitor today. After trying for half an hour to get Mirajane to open up, her siblings had finally given up and was now out getting food for the three of them. Mirajane would tell them later, just when she was in a better mood.

Without a word Erza punched Mira in the face, hard enough that the teenager was knocked out of her chair. Mira growled from her position on the floor, stopping abruptly when she felt the tip of a very cold, very sharp sword at her throat. Mira scowled, "What the hell is this about?"

"Lucy doesn't know how to swim," Mira's blood ran cold. "She could have drowned and it would have been your fault."

Without another word-because really, what else could there be said?-Erza sheathed her sword and walked away.


Mirajane was humming as she walked through the port of Hargeon, rubbing her thumb over the front of the silver key. It had been two weeks since the fight and her guilt still hadn't abated. If anything it had only gotten worse. Especially when Makarov had pulled her aside a couple days after and stated just how disappointed he was in her. That, more than anything, finally nailed into her head just how much she had royally fucked up.

She could have killed Lucy.

Fuck, just because she didn't like Lucy didn't mean she wanted her to die. Lucy was annoying, yes, but it wasn't her fault Mira's life was so bad and she shouldn't have taken it out on her.

Lucy could have drowned. Erza's voice echoed in her ears. Over the past two weeks Mira had finally gotten her wish, Lucy took the hint and no longer talked to her. At all. No greeting wave, no bright good morning!, no casual hello whenever they crossed paths. Nothing at all. It bothered Mira and it bothered Mira that it bothered her. Lisanna and Elfman had told her to just apologize, that it was Lucy and she would forgive her easily.

And that was sort of the whole damn problem! Mira knew that if she apologized Lucy would forgive her but she wouldn't forgive her. Oh sure, Lucy would smile and nod and say that all was forgiven but she also knew that the blonde would likely never talk to her again. That any conversation they did have after would be cool and casual and professional and-goddammit! Since when did she care so much about what the little blonde runt did or said?

Which was how Mirajane found herself taking her first solo job since she joined Fairy Tail, and stopping at the town of Hargeon after the job but before she got home. She went into each and every shop at the port town, magical or not, and asked if they sold her quarry. Mira was about to give up and call it a day when she stumbled on the small shop by accident. It was a little out of the way and surrounded by much flashier, bigger shops so it was understandable that Mirajane didn't see it the first time around. After some bargaining (and maybe some threats that involved destruction of private property) Mira finally managed to get the old shop owner's price down from 20,000 to 10,000 jewels. Talk about a sale! She had also finally learned what the hell Lucy's magic was. Lucy was a Celestial Spirit mage, Lisanna and Elfman would be thrilled when Mira told them.

Mira's feet slowed to a stop in front of the guild doors, she hadn't thought this through. What was she going to do? Walk right up to Lucy, apologize and shove the key in her face? Yeah, that would be a terrific way to get back on the blonde's good side. Mira groaned inwardly, maybe she could catch mage when she walked home? For reasons unknown to the guild, Lucy almost never let anyone walk her home and the rare times she did, it was never all the way to her house. Happy thought it was because she was homeless. Erza had hit him on the head for that comment.

Mirajane nodded to nobody, yes that was what she was going to do. She was just going to catch Lucy when no one was there, than she could save face and apologize to Lucy the way she wanted without the entire damn guild interjecting their stupid and unwanted opinions. Mira nodded again.

"Mirajane?" Erza came up from behind her, she walked until she was in front of the girl. She had that look of disapproval on her face again, the one that was more often than not on her face ever since the fight with Lucy. "What are you doing out? Go inside."

Unlike Natsu and Gray, Mirajane and Erza could get along as long as one didn't try to rile the other up. Mira wasn't in the mood, and Erza could tell. With a not-so-gentle push Mira was inside and Erza was quickly walking past her to where most of the guild kids were. Mira was frozen to the spot, watching her sister talk so easily with Lucy. Both girls laughed at something Gray and Natsu were doing. Elfman was a little off from them but she could see how Erza was doing her best to engage him in conversation despite how shy he was. Before Mira even knew what she was doing, the girl found herself standing in front of the blonde mage, "Lucy."

"Mirajane," the blonde girl looked up at Mira with guarded eyes, inclining her head slightly. "Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry," Mira blurted out and found herself blushing of all things. Than she shoved the key in Lucy's face. "Here."

"What's this?" Lucy asked, taking the key carefully from Mira. Brown eyes went wide when she saw it. Her jaw dropped as she looked up at Mira again, "What? How? You-?!"

"I'm sorry," the teenager swallowed her pride. "I shouldn't have done that to you. I was angry and annoyed and I took it out on you. You didn't do anything wrong and I shouldn't have I-I am so sorry Lucy. I know a key won't make up for I did to you but I'm hoping that it will at least help?"

"Do you ever stop talking?" Lucy asked with a serious expression on her face and Mira's face went even redder. The pre-teen's facade cracked and she giggled, brown eyes sparkling with delight. "Nah I'm just kidding. All is forgiven. Oh my God! I can't believe you got this for me! I need to make a contract right away."

The tiny blonde jumped to her feet, her pastel blue and white dress swirling with her movement. They all watched her with bated breath, they had never seen Lucy use her magic before. The blonde held up the key in front of her, taking a deep breath and trying to remember the few lessons her mama had given her. "Gate of the Canis Minor! I open thee! Nikora!"

There was a flash of blinding light and on the ground in front of Lucy was a something that looked like a snowman plushie gone wrong with a carrot for a nose.

"It's okay Lucy," Natsu said in sympathy.

"You'll get it next time," Happy nodded along with his best friend.

"I did it right!" Lucy scowled, reaching out and bonking them both on the head sharply. She looked back at the thing and squealed, opening her arms wide. "Oh my god! You're so cute! Right...right. Professionalism. So how are you for Mondays? Tuesdays? Wednesdays? Thursdays? Fridays? Saturday? Sundays?"

They all watched in disbelief as the girl just wrote down what the little spirit nodded and shook his head too.

"Is that it?" Natsu scoffed, clearly unimpressed. He had been hoping for something a little more cooler.

"Hey, these contracts are very important," Lucy said sharply, throwing a frown at Natsu. When she spoke though, she spoke to everyone. "The contract between a summoner and her spirit is one of the most important aspects for Celestial Mages. That's why I'll never break a promise." Lucy turned and grinned at the spirit, "Now what to call you? How about...Plue!"

"Plue?" Erza frowned, "Surely, Marvin is better."

"Or maybe Fluffy!" Elfman suggested.

"Or Snow White!"

"I like Warbler."

"What about Happy!"

"Or Natsu!"

"You idiot why would she name it something that stupid?!"

"Did anyone ask you-oh my God Lucy why is it touching me?!"

"He just wants to be your friend Natsu! Stop scaring him!"

Mira watched the ridiculous scene unfold in front of her eyes and something occurred to her. She didn't know why she had never thought of it before. This group of people, this group of kids really, had all lost something. Not just her and her siblings. They hadn't come in and was adopted by Fairy Tail because they had a warm bed and loving parents waiting for them. They came here because they didn't have a home, because, for one reason or another, Fairy Tail was the closest thing they had to a home or a family now.

Fierce protectiveness suddenly washed over Mirajane. These people were her family now. And woe on anyone who tried to mess with her family.

Mirajane smirked, "That was nice moves you showed. Betcha I can make you a real fighter in just two weeks. Whatcha say?"

"You are not teaching Lucy how to fight Mirajane," Erza said sternly, slapping her hands on the table as she stood up.

"Why?" Mirajane smirked, the silver haired teen's posture nothing but challenging. "You scared I'm gonna teach her how to kick your ass just as good as I do?"

"First of all, you've never 'kicked my ass' as you so crudely put it," Erza sneered, armor clinking as she moved to get up in Mirajane's face. "And two, I'm more worried you would teach her the wrong stuff, you undisciplined floozy."

And that was how Lucy found herself being taught how to fight by the two scariest girls in Fairy Tail.

At least until Lisanna.


A/N: I did not realize how long this chapter was until I uploaded it I mean damn...4k+ words guys. Also someone asked if there were gonna be ships, and the answer is yes but it will never be focal point, one of those blink and you'll miss it if it does ever come up. These stories will mostly focus on the relationships between Lucy and the others in the Fairy Tail universe and how it's different/the same because of this one major change. If you guys have any scenarios/scenes (from manga or the past) you want to see feel free to shoot me a message!