Chapter Four
Lucy woke up to find herself lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room. She panicked as she grasped the blanket tight around her body. Fortunately, she was still wearing her clothes meaning that nothing happened last night, which she could not remember. The room looked presentable and cozy. Her eyes darted around the room, examining it more; the bed was comfy and bouncy, the bathroom was neat and clean and the dining room was dust free. The only questions in her mind were, "Where was she?" and "How did she get here?"
Add another one — "Who brought her here?"
The answers to her questions soon came when she looked out the window and went outside. She was inside a hotel building where she saw the staff workers doing their assigned jobs. Lucy approached the lady behind the counter. "Hi, my name is Lucy from room #54. I was just wondering if you know who brought me here and if my room has already been paid?" she shyly asked.
The girl gave her a questionable look with an eyebrow arched up. "Uh, let me check." She then started flipping a book in her hand then scanned through it. "Ah! Here. Lucy Heartfilia is it?" Lucy nodded. "Yes, your room has been paid."
"May I know who paid for my room? And why it's under my name?" Lucy asked but to her disappointment, the lady only shook her head.
"I'm sorry but I don't really remember since a lot of people checked in yesterday," she replied.
Lucy frowned and was about to turn to go when she looked at the lady again. "Okay, so one more question. Where is this?"
The lady blinked. "Where is what? You are at ChinChin Hotel. One of the famous hotel here in Orion Town."
*ORION TOWN?! I don't remember getting here.* Lucy pondered. *All I remember was missing my stop then waiting for the opposite bus to come? Then I blanked out...?*
The room was silent for a second as Lucy tried to remember the rest of the events that happened from last night. Unfortunately, she couldn't. And beside from that, she had to quickly remember about her mission and the time she had already consumed just from sleeping and spacing out. She took a quick shower for at least 10 minutes (including, changing her clothes); then after wearing her belt of keys and whip, she ran out of the door to her next destination – the requestor's place.
40 normal beasts. 9 S-Class monsters. And a head master demon. These were the enemies in Lucy's long list. She crushed the paper tight in her hand before approaching the woods diligently then getting devoured by the enormous trees.
All that could be heard were her footsteps echoing throughout the forest. She swallowed a lump from her throat, feeling queasy about the absurdly quiet surroundings. With a hand clutching her golden key – she was ready to fight.
A voice roared and immediately, the battle between 1 vs 50 began.
*37... 38... 39... 40...* Lucy counted in her head with pant. She exhaled, "O-Okay...Now the S-Class monsters." The 10 gigantic monsters glared at her. Her hand swiftly pulled her whip out with Scorpio by her side. She had a sly grin on. "Just like what Natsu would say.. I'm fired up."
*41... 42... 43... 44... 45... 4-* "Lucy!" Scorpio screamed for his master after she had been smashed against the ground. Lucy groaned in pain.
"REGULUS!" Two monsters vanished from the impact (including the one pressing Lucy down). "Are you alright my princess?!" Lucy looked up with a weak smile as she saw her saviour Loke.
Scorpio went back to prevent Lucy from draining more power than she already had lost. Luckily, Loke came out using his own powers. Loke carried Lucy (bridal-style) – unconsciously driving a certain someone insane with jealousy – and settled her in a safer area, away from the monsters. He stood up glaring at the other three left S-Class monsters. He cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to say a line, inspired by Virgo's...
It's punishment time."
Lucy watched in awe as Loke took all three down. She smiled brightly in relief. *I'm impressed in how strong he's gotten.* Loke grinned back as he walked back towards Lucy.
He was only a metre away from her when a heavy forced suddenly lashed at him, gashing his arms that would have potentially dislocated a few bones if he wasn't a spirit. Lucy stared in utter shock. "L-LOk...LOKE!"
He slowly faded away. "I'm sorry my princess. Please take care of yourself."
The demon master who hurt her celestial spirit, growled. Lucy looked at it in anger. She pulled her whip out and attempted to attack but her legs caved in under her. They were in too much pain from the impact earlier and she could barely move them. She winced.
The demon walked towards her then swung his arm to hit her. Lucy shrieked as she felt a stinging burn against her cheek. Tears started forming in her eyes because of the pain she felt. She tried to blink them away, but failed as she felt them flow down her swollen cheek. Another growl came echoing in the wind.
Lucy threw her whip in the air, while sitting down as she tried to reach for the demon. The demon glared at her then positioned its hand high to hit her for the second time. It roared. And she waited for the big impact.
Nothing came.
"HOW DARE YOU LAY YOUR HAND ON MY GIRL!" It happened quickly. Lucy watched in surprise as Zeref appeared in front of her view to see him crush the demon with his dark magic into mere ashes.
After accomplishing the task, Zeref walked over to observe her carefully. "You should get out of here and get your wounds treated."
She still didn't say nor do anything. She was still shock to see Zeref—Lord of the dark mages—saving her life from a demon...like himself. Not to mention, looking extremely hot and attractive when he did that for her and cautiously hearing his words lucidly; especially the "my girl" part. She gulped before diverting her eyes somewhere else. "Why are you here?"
Zeref jerked in embarrassment. "I-II uhh...was wandering around! Yes! I was wandering around in here...in...the woods..? Then I saw you being attacked."
Lucy secretly smiled after seeing him get so flustered and shy for some odd reason. Then suddenly an image of a red-haired boy popped into her head and immediately her expression darkened. "Get away from me. You're a monster."
The lad felt his heart break and he could no longer say anything. He bowed his head down as Lucy tried to get up. She groaned, getting Zeref's attention. "Careful!"
Lucy shot him a glare. "I said get away from me. I don't need your help!"
Zeref stiffened then stepped back. He turned around and walked away with a hurtful expression on. Although from afar, he was still there because he couldn't help but obey his desperate heart. The thought of only watching over her beneath the shadows. It hurt but at the same time, it made him feel relieved to see his girl do what she does.
Zeref watched her fail to get up for the fifth time. She soon grew exasperated but she decided to sit there stubbornly. "I know you're still there," she muttered. "I can sense your demonic powers." Zeref snickered at her chosen words. *Demonic powers?* his head replayed.
"It seems like you're having trouble...can I help?" Zeref answered with a teasing manner.
Lucy shook her head. "I'm fine! And I told you to leave."
"No, you told me to get away from you and I am away at least 5 metres far anyway. Not leave," he stated.
Lucy rolled her eyes then scoffed, "I still don't want you near me." She attempted to stand up again but with a twisted ankle like she had – she knew she couldn't do it, but she wanted to try. She didn't want to admit defeat to him and she certainly did not want his help. Zeref blankly stared at Lucy as she kneeled with one knee to support herself before using the rest of her strength to stand up. Lucy grinned as she felt her feet stand rooted to the ground, then out of nowhere, she felt her energy get drained and quickly she fell over.
Luckily, Zeref caught her in time of her collapse. Lucy hissed because she knew she couldn't do anything about it but to let him help her. "Say the magic words," he joked, while bringing her onto his shoulders for a piggy back.
"I'm going to 'Lucy Kick' you later," she scowled into his ears, making him laugh. Lucy stared at his opened mouth and wide lips as he laughed. It really was a rare sight to see someone as bad as him, whole-heartedly showing his laugh to her. "Quit laughing and bring me to the hospital jerk!"
"Yes m'am!"
Zeref slept on the couch at the corner of the room as he waited for the nurse to finish cleaning Lucy's wounds up. Once the nurse left the two, Lucy called over to Zeref. "Stop 'fake' sleeping and get over here."
His eyes instantly fluttered open as he stretched his arms then looked over at the blonde-haired mage. Her left cheek had a patch and both her legs and right arm were wrapped in a long white bandaged. She looked terribly hurt and he hated the sight of it. "Sit here. I want to talk to you." Her index finger was pointing at the seat beide her bed and Zeref sat on it.
He stared at her, waiting for her to speak. "Tell me the truth. Why were you there? In the forest? I know you weren't just wandering around? What were you doing there?" she calmly asked.
Lucy stared at him with those brown, round orbs of hers and Zeref felt himself get lost in them. She tilted her head to the side then clapped her hands in front of his face. "Answer me!"
Zeref swiftly took her hand in his, surprising Lucy. "I told you. I was just wandering around. And it was just a coincidence that I found you there." He made sure to not stutter to prevent her from suspecting anything.
"Really?" she questioned with a hint of sarcasm. "You were just wandering around? After I caught you in Magnolia yesterday? Now I find you at Orion Town? A 4 hour drive? And you happened to be in the same forest as I was? Coincidentally?" Zeref let go of her hand as he found himself sinking into his puddle of lies. "I missed my stop last night," she began. "I got tired of waiting and I was sure I fell asleep. Then the next morning, I found myself in a hotel room. Someone paid for it and it was under my name. I was -"
"Why are you telling me this?" he interrupted, while standing up from his chair.
Lucy held his hand then dragged him back down to sit. "And I was wondering if it was you." Her question caught him off guard once again. "It was you wasn't it? You followed me all the way here? But why?"
Zeref answered her with a smile. "Because I wanted to make sure you were safe. And it's a way for me to show you how apologetic I am. I'm sorry about what happened at Tenroujima Island. I really didn't mean for anyone to get hurt." Lucy's eyes softened at his words. Then suddenly, seeing a flashback of Natsu getting attacked by him, right in her very eyes, angered her at the same time. She couldn't forgive him that easily. However, Lucy Heartfilia wasn't the type of person to hold grudges, she may have this hatred lingering inside of her for Zeref, but another feeling told her to give him a second chance and make up for his mistakes.
"I'll forgive you. But in one condition...and that's-" she exclaimed but Zeref cut her off once again.
"I'll do anything you want. Anything! Except, for helping Natsu." Lucy's eyes widen and she felt disgusted.
"Why not? Why won't you help Natsu?! His life is at sake and he could die any minute now! You're so heartless when you were the one who caused him to be in that situation!" she demanded.
Zeref clenched his fist before confessing the truth (lie), "I just can't do it, Lucy. I-II don't know h-healing magic. Even if I wanted to. I won't be able to do it!"
Lucy looked at him in shock. Her hand began to shake in fear and she couldn't comprehend anything that was happening. If Zeref couldn't help Natsu then it was all up to him and to the Gods whether he would live or not. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. What Lucy didn't know was that those words of his meant something else.
Lucy was resting in her hotel room without talking. She had been silent ever since Zeref confessed that he couldn't do anything to help save Natsu. Meanwhile, Zeref was on his way to the requestor's place to get the reward that Lucy ordered him to take. He have been non-stop fighting with the voice in his head. *PFFT! Don't know healing magic?! Can't save Natsu? Said the man who have been living for 400 years. What a joke.*
*Shut up! You're annoying.* Zeref fought back.
The voice in his head snickered at him. *You just wanted an excuse to not help your love-rival. Wow Zeref. You really are selfish! Lying to Lucy like that. I'm proud of you, my man!*
Zeref bowed his head down in guilt. *But I really didn't want to lie to her.. I just.. I don't know! I was jealous! I just want for her to love me instead of Natsu. That's all.*
*And that's why you're going to let that poor boy die?! So you can have Lucy all to yourself?! When have you become this evil? Well of course, you're not evil yet. You will be once you-*
*No! Don't even think about it! And another no. I'm not going to let Natsu die! Lucy will hate me forever! I'll help him...once the right time comes.*
*Yeah, once you've made Lucy fall head over heels for you!* the voice sarcastically commented.
Zeref couldn't help but smile at the thought of him and Lucy together. That would be a sweet dream life come true. *But what if she doesn't? And she still loves that flame brain? What would you do then Lord Zeref.*
He stopped walking and immediately bowed his head down. "I honestly don't know.." He looked puzzled making the voice in his head chuckle.
*Don't worry Lord Zeref...If that does happen, I'll be by your side to guide you.* Zeref stiffened as he felt someone smirk in his head. It sent him chills down his spine and even he felt himself get scared of the voice.
*You know what, I'm not even going to think about about that. What's more important is to think of a way to make her fall for me..* he pondered. *Should I visit the library?*
*THE LIBRARY?! Why the library?*
*I don't know. Maybe they have a book that teaches you how to make a girl fall for you or something?* Zeref questioned
*That's ridiculous.*
Zeref was currently at the library after visiting the requestor for the reward. He had asked a random stranger where a library may be located and now he was here. He looked from corner to corner, edge to edge at the 'tips section' and was impatiently searching for a book that could help him solve his problems.
*You're not going to find anything in here!* the voice snickered. *These are tips about how to cook, how to fix a broken light bulb, what to do with a virus in your computer, how to –what? How to wear a diaper? These books are so lame!*
"AHA!" Zeref held the book up in his hands. "Found it!"
A book written by: SoulJane MatchMaker
= Steps to make a girl fall in love with you. =
*You have got to be f*cking kidding me.*
-tbc-
graylubitches: Exams are done! But I have summer school TT TT and this is the longest chapter I've written "in here" so far XD Hope you guys liked this chapter and ZERLU/ZERCY official moments coming up next. do; ignore my mistakes because i don't check over my work properly. R&R too! bad or good are both equally fine. stay tuned for the next chapter.