Chapter-8
Under The Stars
Natsu quietly slipped out of the guild when Wendy was busy getting herself introduced to some other guild members.
He looked around curiously as he walked through Magnolia towards the hill they had landed on the first time he and Wendy arrived in Earthland.
Natsu couldn't help but notice how much sharper his senses were all of a sudden. He could hear the noise coming from the guild although he was almost out of the town now. A variety of scents hung in the air which was new and alien to him. His eyesight was much better now and he could see what seemed like miles ahead.
As Natsu walked up the hill, he saw that the sky had darkened already. The moon had already appeared, looking much brighter and bigger than the one he was used to. The stars started to come out slowly as well.
Natsu then saw a bright ball of light descending slowly from the heavens. It came down right next to where he was standing. The ball of light slowly seemed to unravel and there was Lucy, with her starlight lighting up the countryside.
"Hi, Natsu!" She greeted him cheerfully. "Shouldn't you be at the guild now?"
Natsu shrugged. "Yeah, well…I wanted some fresh air and I was tired of staying in the guild so I came out here."
"I see," Lucy nodded. "How do you like Earthland so far?"
"It's great!" Natsu grinned. "It's really awesome and I can hardly believe this is happening!"
Lucy chuckled. "I suppose that's what a person who's been living a normal life on Earth would think. Did you meet the exceeds yet?"
"Yeah," Natsu confirmed. "Happy is great and Carla is too, although she's rather stuck up."
Lucy laughed again at Natsu's bluntness. "I suppose that's the first impression you get when you meet Carla," she conceded. "Though Happy is highly annoying…..Anyway let's go down to the guild, shall we?"
"Right."
They began to walk back down. Presently, Lucy spoke. "I suppose Erza already told you about my curse?"
Natsu nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."
Lucy shrugged offhandedly. "Don't be. I've gotten used to it now. The only reason I hate it is…..because it was what killed my mother, I guess."
She heard Natsu draw in sharp breath next to her. "Your mother?"
"Yes," Lucy said softly. "Her name was Layla, Layla Heartfilia. She was a pure-blooded star-not a half-star, like me."
Natsu thought he heard a tinge of bitterness in Lucy's voice.
"She was a great star," Lucy went on. "She was respected greatly in the heavens and in the Celestial World-that is, until she fell in love with a human, my father. When Mother married him, the stars were outraged and protested. However, the Heartfilia clan had always ruled over the heavenly bodies. The stars had to bend to her commands.
"The curse was placed on the stars around that point of time. One night, my father was attacked by a powerful demon. Humans are often targeted by them. Mother held him off until it was almost dawn. Then, she used an extremely strong spell, one that has been passed down in the Heartfilia clan for generations. It left her drained of all power-just as the sun rose.
"We stars utilize a little power while arising into the skies. However, Mother had none left. And so, she disappeared, just like that."
Lucy stared at the sky thoughtfully as she spoke, one hand toying with the silky hem of her dress.
Natsu swallowed. "Th-that could happen to you, too?"
Lucy nodded with a sad smile. "Sorry about all the depressing talk."
"Don't worry 'bout it," Natsu turned to face her. "This only makes me more fired up to beat Zeref!"
Lucy gave him a brilliant smile. "I'm sure you-and the other dragon slayers will. I-we all have faith in you."
Natsu grinned. "Thanks, Lucy."
They continued on the path to the guild. Suddenly, Natsu spoke again. "Why were the stars angry when your mother married your father?"
"It's because they believed in pure blood and all that rubbish," Lucy murmured angrily.
Natsu hesitated and then asked his next question. "Does-does that mean they hate you? Since you have human blood and all?"
"Yes," Lucy replied promptly. "But they would never dare utter such a thing to me, because I can easily punish them, being royalty and all."
"So there are people who areprejudiced in this world as well, huh," Natsu muttered.
Lucy nodded rather absently. "Indeed. But I have Fairy Tail," she smiled brightly at him. "Fairy Tail is my family. It's all I need. I don't need the acceptance of some stuck-up stars, now do I?"
Natsu grinned back.
"No, you don't."
