Chapter 9: Worries of the Stars
When Angelica and Lena came down to the guild this morning it was to see everyone being dragged into a full out cleaning spree by Mirajane. Even Laxus was glaring at the white haired barmaid as he swept the floor stopping occasionally to knock some sense into Natsu and Gray who kept starting stupid fights. Lena was even helping by standing near Mirajane and telling people when they missed a spot giggling whenever they rushed to do what she said because of the glares Mirajane would send them. Angelica's job however was to do Mirajane's usual work bringing drinks around to everyone, and cleaning up any cups or plates left unattended. Yet she had no idea why Mirajane was acting like a slave driver to everyone.
By noon everything was done and Mirajane's personality went back to the quiet mischievous barmaid Angelica had come to know her as. The really odd thing was that the moment Laxus was able to stop sweeping his mood did a complete one eighty and he seemed to become melancholy. His eyes were sad, depressed even, and didn't leave the door. Lena seemed to realize that Laxus was in a mood and had climbed into his lap to color, she didn't talk to him or jabber away like she usually did instead her daughter just offered comfort to the older man that she saw either as a brother or a father figure. Angelica had been too afraid to ask Lena what she truly thought of her teacher, but she knew that her daughter saw him as a family member, she was just afraid that Lena might want him to become her father in the future.
Figuring that maybe an old friend of the guild was coming to visit Angelica had been planning to just head out with Lena, and let everyone have their reunion. Yet seeing how Laxus was clinging to her daughter emotionally she couldn't find it in herself to separate the two at the moment. It felt like if she did that Laxus would end up breaking down instead of calmly sitting there as he waited for whomever it was that was coming to visit.
Luckily it was only about twenty minutes after noon that the doors opened emitting two white-haired female mages, along with a black haired male mage holding hands with the younger woman. The black haired mage and the woman he was holding hands with both seemed sad while the older woman just looked indifferent her eyes darting around the guild. Oddly enough when her eyes landed on Angelica her eyes widened drastically and for some reason she whispered too low for most to hear, 'Despair." Then the woman immediately headed over to the Master her eyes darting back towards Angelica every few seconds to the confusion of everyone in the guild.
The woman proceeded to talk to the Master in hushed tones not realizing that Angelica could hear every word she uttered. "Makarov what is the name of the woman with the scar sitting at the bar?"
"Angelica Monroe."
"Be very careful with her."
"You know her Sorano?"
"Perhaps I am mistaken. However if she is who I think she can become very dangerous. Whatever or whoever the most important thing is to her protect it no matter what Makarov otherwise it may very well be Fiore's undoing. The woman she reminds me of was another of Brain's experiments, as long as her mind remains sane she will be of no danger to anyone. Perhaps Fairy Tail can even help her since she hasn't yet fallen after all these years."
It took most of Angelica's will power to act like she hadn't heard a word of what Sorano said. Sorano turned and sent a meaningful look to each dragon slayer before she left the guild leaving silence behind her since most people didn't even hear what she said to Makarov. The silence didn't last very long though before everyone was busy greeting the other two who had come in with Sorano.
Angelica was busy thinking of what the woman had said, and focusing on the worried look Master Makarov kept sending her through the corner of his eyes. A look full of pity and concern something that didn't sit very well with her. Who was this Brain person that Sorano mentioned that caused such emotions to rise up within people when they heard someone was one of his experiments? Should she have gone and chased Sorano down to ask her what she knew about who she was even if it would reveal that she had heard every word the woman said to Master Makarov? Angelica had gotten up almost compelled to try and find out if Sorano truly did know her to find out what had happened to her. Yet something held her back a voice whispering in the back of her mind that it was dangerous, and that she had to stay put.
Before she could really wonder as to why finding her past would be such a bad thing her eyes were drawn over to where Lena and Laxus were. Obviously Lena was the most important person to her, and maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Master Makarov and the dragon slayers would now be more inclined to protect her, not that she didn't think they would have slacked in keeping her daughter safe in the first place. It was obvious that the entire guild saw Lena as a member of their family. Her daughter was looking at her confused almost like she too had heard everything Sorano had said, but the large grin she sent her mother's way moments later assured Angelica that everything with her daughter was fine.
Instead most of Angelica's attention was focused on Laxus his eyes seemed to be positively burning with a fierce need to protect as he looked back and forth between her and her daughter. Not because he wanted to protect her daughter from her, but because he wanted to protect them both from whatever Sorano was warning about. Realizing that she had caught his eyes Laxus beckoned for her to come over to them probably thinking she wouldn't have heard him over the loud din of the guild if he had tried to call her with words.
Knowing that Mirajane's eyes were on them she thought for a moment of not going over, but she was curious about the woman who had just left, and just maybe Laxus might be able to shine some light on things. Besides he hadn't even talked to their guests yet despite the fact that the two unknown mages were sitting at the same table as him obviously waiting to be able to talk. Although they were both discreetly looking at Laxus and Lena probably thinking what Mirajane and so many others thought and trying to find enough evidence to be able to ask if the child in his lap was his daughter.
"Mommy I draw Laus and mommy and me in big flow den," she said proudly the second Angelica was close enough for her to show off her picture. The stick figures were hard to decipher, but Angelica could tell which was which by the sizes of the stick figures. Laxus was tall towering over them protectively, and it seemed her daughter had tried to draw them having a picnic in a flower garden.
"It's beautiful sweetheart."
"Laus wike too?"
"Good job squirt," he said ruffling her hair affectionately not even noticing Mirajane squealing by the bar. Turning to her Angelica had to fight the blush that threatened to come up by the way Laxus treated her daughter, sometimes it was like Laxus was the mate she was missing. "Angelica I'd like to introduce you to some friends from another guild. Yukino and Rogue Cheney from Sabertooth, Yukino, Rogue this is Angelica Monroe and her daughter Lena. Lena's a lightning mage in training."
"It's nice to meet you," Angelica said politely offering her hand to Yukino who shook it right away, although she gave her a slight calculating look.
"You smell weird," Rogue was certainly blunt.
"For thinks so too," Angelica almost jumped into the air when she heard the third voice. Looking down and finding a small cat dressed like a frog clinging to Rogue's leg.
"Rogue that isn't very nice," his wife said slapping him gently on the chest.
"What it's true. What are you anyway?"
"Excuse me!" Angelica could feel her anger rising at his rudeness.
"I mean you don't smell like any human, demon, or exceed I've ever met. So I repeat what are you?"
"I am very much human. Honestly do I look like something else?"
"Looks can be very deceiving Monroe-san."
"Angelica is human Rogue, we certainly haven't seen any signs suggesting otherwise. Anyway you two arguing is keeping you from your report. Sting's message made it seem urgent that we talk."
Angelica almost wanted to kiss Laxus in relief to thank him for interrupting the blunt man. She was afraid that if they had been allowed to fight for too long that she might have somehow slipped and revealed that she didn't really even know one hundred percent that she was human. Heck without having any memories who knows she could have been something else, and lying to people.
Turning to Laxus planning to thank him the pained look in his eyes stopped her, her chest becoming tight with pain as she saw the almost heartbroken expression on his face. Like he was expecting the worst news in the world, or knew that they were going to confirm fears on something. Perhaps it had something to do with the woman Lucy who Laxus and Freed were very careful to never mention, the woman who Lena made most of the guild think of in the first few weeks after they had arrived.
"I am sorry Laxus-sama, but the spirits still do not know anything new about Lucy-sama. Her keys had all sworn to serve Lucy-sama's line until it died out, and are still in strange crystal cells. Even His Majesty the Celestial Spirit King does not know why Lucy-sama's keys have yet to move on. Although there was a strange feeling that went through the Spirit world, two days ago for them, which is a few months for us."
"Yukino, I know you didn't come here just to tell me that. What else is there?" Laxus was giving Yukino a very stern, but at the same time soft look, obviously not wanting to scare the other mage.
"The older stars, as well as the remaining Zodiac Spirits I have are very worried Laxus-sama. They, with the King's permission, told me this happened many many years ago when the Celestial Queen went missing, and the Spirits involved were never released, instead they disappeared into the sky forever being stuck in their constellations. It is also possible because this isn't the first time that something unknown happened, that Lucy-sama's Spirits had nothing to do with her own abduction, or it could be revealing something sinister being planned. Someone could somehow have found a way to drain the power from the keys, and with the Spirits stuck in the Celestial World their energy will never run out. For all we know they might be being used as a battery."
The way Yukino was shifting her eyes it was obvious she had more to say to Laxus, but was afraid of how it would be taken. Another stern look from Laxus had her continue, "I also found a silver key that used to belong to Layla-sama, Lucy-sama's mother, who spoke of secrets hidden within Lucy-sama's bloodline. Also she told me that Lucy-sama had been kidnapped at one point when she was young, but that the details were blurry like someone had messed with her memories. The people who took her might have a memory mage working with them, and might possibly have already taken her before. Lucy-sama was targeted before she ever became a Celestial Spirit Mage because of her familial ties, but the Spirit couldn't exactly remember why Lucy-sama was taken, nor could it remember how Lucy-sama was rescued. Only that Layla-sama went alone with only her keys, and returned to Heartfilia Manor with Lucy-sama."
"So basically if it's the same people were screwed because the only two who knew everything are either dead, or the one we are looking for. Fan-F-ing-tastic," Angelica knew if Lena hadn't been in Laxus's arms he wouldn't have censored his words. Yukino looked sadly at Laxus seeming to realize it wasn't her that Laxus was mad at.
Something about the whole story seemed off to Angelica, but she couldn't really place why that was. The sadness in Yukino's voice and the pain made her certain that the other mage wasn't lying, but the story itself seemed like there was a humongous hole in it that only she knew the answer to. A familiar, but distant feeling with the names spoken, like Yukino was using the wrong ones, but she kept her opinions to herself knowing that it would only make them question why she felt this way. Angelica wanted to do nothing more than help Laxus, but she was too afraid of her past rearing it's head and finding out the ugly truth of why she had taken away her own memories. As more time went on she began to think she either was Lucy, or that she at least knew what had happened to her.
In her pocket Angelica could feel the brief tingling of warmth from her lucky charms before it dimmed again. For a moment she almost pulled them out of her pocket her hand drifting down to her side intent on seeing if skin to metal contact would bring back the warmth, but just like with Sorano a feeling inside her stopped her from doing what she planned. Every time she planned to show someone other than Lena her lucky charms something always diverted her, and she was never able to completely fight off the feeling.
Rogue was watching her with weary eyes taking notice of every tiny detail she had lingering especially on her right hand like he was trying to see beneath the horrible scar. Something about his eyes made her weary like he could see right through her if she wasn't careful, but she didn't shy away from his gaze. As far as she knew she had done nothing wrong, and she wasn't going to act guilty just because she could or could not know something in her locked up memories.
"I'm sorry Laxus-sama," Yukino said bowing her head down.
"Its fine Yukino," his tone was gruff and full of a deep sadness piercing Angelica's heart, "it's been years, I should be used to the disappointment by now. It would be best unless if there is a major change that you stop actively searching. Maybe it's time to move on."
Before anyone else could say a word Laxus gently lifted Lena out of his lap plopping her daughter down in her own lap instead before he wandered off. The aura around him was full of sadness and determination, and Angelica could see that Rogue and Yukino had been shocked speechless. Obviously they hadn't believed that he would ever say it was time to move on. A part of her was depressed that he was giving up, not that she understood why, but it was really none of her concern.
"Mommy why Laus sad?" Lena's innocent question had her mother looking down at her with a melancholy smile.
"Sometimes sweetheart we lose people important to us, but don't know what happened, so we don't get closure. Laxus lost an important person to him, and he misses her very much."
"Oh. I no want Laus be sad. I see if Ev-nee help new picture make Laus happy 'gain."
Watching her daughter walk over to Evergreen Angelica was shocked to realize when she turned around that Yukino and Rogue Cheney were still at the table with her. She had thought they would have left after Laxus did since they had obviously come to speak with him. A part of her wanted to yell and scream at them for making Laxus so sad, but she held back knowing that she had no right to be so angry on Laxus's behalf.
Something about the couple put her on edge, but she didn't really understand why. They were both giving her calculated looks as if they were trying to determine her threat level; but whether on a emotional, mental, or physical level she wasn't exactly sure about. It was times like this that she wished she could access the magic within her, so that she could use the aura to make them back off of her, but then again that could have just assured them that she was a threat. Instead she just gave them a cold look hoping they would say whatever they wished to say quickly, so that she could be left alone.
"I don't know what or who you are Monroe-san, but I swear if you ever hurt this guild there will be nowhere on Earthland that you can hide. We will find you and end you," Rogue said with a glare before Yukino pulled him away. The little cat dressed like a frog following behind them, although they didn't leave the guild heading over to where Gajeel and Levy tended to hang out when the two weren't on missions. The four mages casting quick looks at her before they started talking in hushed tones, but she didn't bother listening in to their conversation, not wanting to know what they thought of her.
She wondered if Rogue or Yukino if not both of them had been able to hear Sorano's warning to the Master. Actually she was surprised that the Master hadn't called her to his office to see if she had known the other woman from somewhere to try and determine whether it was just a case of mistaken identity or not. For the first time since she had brought Lena to the guild Angelica found herself alone, and wondered if it would be like this from now on because of Sorano's warning to the Master. Would everyone turn their back on her just in case one day she turned on them if something happened to Lena? To keep themselves from feeling conflicted if they had to take her out?
It seemed that things kept getting more and more complicated the longer she and her daughter were in this guild. Yet despite the complications she wasn't going to leave. Angelica was certain that if anyone could protect her daughter it would be the members of this guild. Even if the feeling didn't extend to her she knew Lena was another member of the big happy family that every member of Fairy Tail was a part of. She would not begrudge her daughter for finally finding somewhere that she would always belong. No she would do everything in her power to protect her daughter and this guild, and prayed that she would never end up becoming their enemy.
AN: I think this is going to be another short Lalu, soon questions will be answered and drama will begin. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading :)
