Chapter 10- Waterfall
Lucy and Jeremiah had travelled to the next town to meet the next client. After staying the night in an inn, the next day they waited to meet him in a valley among the trees and by a riverside. Lucy liked the weather there, the sun was warm and the breeze was cool. The sound of the river running and the slight rustle of falling leaves from the trees overhead. She looked around herself in awe at the beautiful scenery of the forest land.
"You like it here don't you?" smiled Jeremiah,
"Yeah, I think it's beautiful… I can't believe you thought it would be cold!"
The breeze picked up her lavender pink hair and her red eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
"Who's this?" asked a voice,
Emerging from the shadows came a nineteen year old with pitch black hair covering one eye. An adorable exceed was perched on this shoulder.
"Rogue-san, this is Yuki." introduced Jeremiah,
"I thought the information was just between us?" asked Rogue suspiciously,
"She's fine, she's working with me for a while." said Jeremiah firmly.
"Very well." replied Rogue. "To business."
"I'll give you two sometime to discuss business alone then." said Yuki,
Lucy turned and walked away in the direction of the river. She tiptoed across the rocky shore and dipped a toe in the water. It was icy cold. She shivered slightly but then smiled, this weather was really nice and her surroundings were really pretty. Her ears picked up another noise she hadn't noticed before, it was the sound of water tumbling, washing over and crashing into rocks. She recognised this sound, the sound of a running waterfall. Her eyes widened in excitement. She ran lightly on her feet, jumping and hopping craftily from stone to stone across the rocky river bank. She came closer and closer to what sounded like music to her ears until she reached the gorging rapids. Lucy stared into the pristine pool below the cascading water, how she longed for a swim. A memory of herself and Cana swimming on Tenroujima flashed into her memory. Before she knew it, sorrow filled her eyes and she longed for what she'd known for years as home. On another note, she urged to go for a swim and to bask in the divine waters at her feet. Lucy smiled at her intelligence on the brink of a good idea.
"Gate of the maiden, Virgo, I open thee."
Lucy waved the golden key in front of herself.
"Nice new look, Princess." answered Virgo appearing in front of Lucy punctually.
"Hello Virgo, could you please walk back east following the river and see if you can find a particular mage to deliver a message for me? He has red eyes and brown hair and is nineteen years old. He also maybe in company of Rogue, the mage from Sabertooth." said Lucy,
"Yes Princess."
"Please tell him where I am and notify me when he is looking for me, thank you Virgo."
Virgo left to fulfil her given task and Lucy turned back toward the water. 'Now that I can be sure the coast is clear, I might go for a swim.' thought Lucy. She began firstly stripping off her black hooded cloak that had become part of her usual attire, next she slipped off her navy blue v neck midriff, and then her black pleated mini skirt. She set aside her whip and her keys. She debated whether or not to keep her underwear on or skinny dip for a few minutes, but then she remembered the precautions she made to make sure she wasn't disturbed. On that note, she stripped the last few undergarments and started stepping into the cold water. It was nice though, on the warm day. She found a slightly raised rock and stood up on it preparing to dive. Plunging into the clear depths she felt the cool liquid slide against her skin. It was so nice, she adored this kind of opportunity. She swam leisurely soaking up the sun and water happily, until she was interrupted by certain…. disturbance.
"Hello Princess," said the sly yet flirtatious voice from behind her.
Lucy's turned around to see her wranger head spirit perched on the raised rock looking down on her. Normally she would have screamed right away but this time, she emitted a very evil aura much like Mirajane, in an attempt to intimidate him whilst crossing her arms over her bust.
"Loke!" she growled furiously,
"Yes Princess? You don't scare me," he snickered,
"You've seen me now, so I don't care that I have to go up there and personally kick your butt!" she threatened,
"Prove it." he smirked.
Lucy was determined to prove him who was master! She marched out of the water and stepped up onto the raised rock. Loke was too busy ogling at her to even do anything. Lucy snarled and grabbed him by the tie raising her right fist, aligning it up with his cheek. With one swift motion she struck him with a clenched fist across the face leaving a red mark. Still holding onto his tie she yelled at him.
"PERVERT!" she spat.
"You hit like a girl," he remarked,
"I AM A GIRL!" she screeched in his face.
"Of course, Princess." he smiled charmingly,
"Loke, you're asking for a Lucy Ki-" started Lucy,
"I am interrupting something, Princess. I will go," interrupted the expressionless maiden spirit out of nowhere.
"Virgo WAIT!" yelled Lucy removing her hand from Loke's tie and reached after her.
But it was too late, Virgo had already puffed off back to the celestial spirit world. Lucy was now starting to doubt her intelligence. Losing her balance from no longer holding onto Loke, she lost her balance and began to fall backwards. Thanks to natural reflexes, she grabbed on to the nearest thing to try and regain her balance again. But, unfortunately, the nearest thing to her was Loke. She grabbed whatever clothing covered his chest as the last resort in her reach. But Loke caved to, now both falling back into the crystal waters below the waterfall. There was a splash and then the master and spirit were both under the water losing all hearing sense and then just staring at each other. Lucy had angry eyes, and Loke had shocked ones. Perhaps that was because he was on top of a beautiful, naked woman he was in love with. It was an odd sight, and a rare one, Loke was actually blushing. 'That's actually pretty cute.' registered in Lucy's brain. At this thought, she noticed heat rising to her flushing cheeks too.
Out of water, her most recent best friend approached her unknown to her.
"Yuki! We're done talking…." he called out as he walked along the shore in the direction Virgo had shown him.
Jeremiah saw a flash of pink and something else under water and continued walking her way.
"Yuki!" he called again hoping she had super human hearing,
Lucy's head emerged from the water along with Loke's. Loke had lost his sunglasses somewhere in the depths and Lucy's contacts were luckily still in. After both took a deep breath in, still unaware of Jeremiah's presence,
"What's with the new look Princess?" asked Loke,
"Just go back already! It's a disguise." she answered crossly.
"Awww Princess-"
"Do you normally fool around with your spirits?" butted in Jeremiah,
Lucy and Loke shared a freaked out glance and then simultaneously turned their heads toward the sound of his voice. Jeremiah had a relaxed stance, arms folded on his chest. He was somehow wearing long denim jeans in this kind of summery weather and a long sleeve button up black shirt rolled up to his elbows. His cloak similar to Lucy's was discarded and draped over his shoulder. His shaggy light brown hair shone blonde in the sunlight and his piercing red eyes stared them down. Lucy's face turned a deeper shade of red than it already was thanks to Loke.
"NO!" she shrieked,
"Quiet down, you wouldn't want Rogue to come running…." he chortled teasingly,
"I'll be going. Til' next time, Princess."
Poof, Loke was gone.
Then all of a sudden it hit Lucy. She was still naked. In a desperate attempt to earn back her decency, she covered herself the best she could and screamed at him still flushing in embarrassment.
"DO YOU HAVE TO STARE!? LOOK AWAY PERVERT!"
"Sorry. I'm male after all Luce."
"That was sincere." she scowled in sarcasm.
Jeremiah gaze didn't shift nor falter, still staring her down.
"I said LOOK AWAY!" she skitzed, "I'LL SET AQUARIUS ON YOU!" was the best threat she had right now,
"Should I be scared?" he asked obviously not frightened by this at all.
Lucy was about to snap! This guy obviously hadn't got the message! She swam as fast as she could over to her keys she had casted aside on the bank. She drew the golden key of the water bearer, knowing they she pay for it, Lucy still summoned the scary spirit in a last resort for revenge.
"Gate of the water bearer, I open thee, AQUARIUS!"
An extremely tempered mermaid appeared in the water before her. She took one look at Lucy and scowled.
"Put some clothes on." she rudely suggested, "But I have to admit, you picked a nice place to summon me…. The usual?" she asked,
Before Lucy got a chance to respond to that, Aquarius's face contorted to one slightly mad and sadistic as she brought her urn above her head and began to attack, everything. The massive title wave washed away Lucy, her clothes, her whip, her other keys and Jeremiah, all in one attack. When Lucy finally opened her eyes when the water had settled back down, she realised where she was awkwardly positioned. On all fours on top of a certain red eyed illusionist.
"Well, I have to go. On a date with my boyfriend." Aquarius emphasised, "Looks like you might have finally snagged one yourself," she winked, "Perhaps you aren't as useless and hopeless as I thought you were," she commented with a dark grin before leaving.
"Coming onto me already?" asked Jeremiah arrogantly,
"No." said Lucy firmly slapping him across the face.
A red hand mark stained his good and unmasked cheek.
"Well are you going to put some clothes on then?" he asked raising a brow,
"Thanks to Aquarius they are all washed away!" she grumbled, "So are my keys and everything."
"Well you could start by getting off me, and then we can look for them," he added.
Lucy's face resumed being a tomato and then she awkward removed herself. When she stood up she felt a wet fabric being draped over her shoulders.
"I know it's wet, well that's your fault. But anyway, you can wear this for now." said Jeremiah,
Lucy felt him wrapping his cloak around her and doing up a single button at the base of her neck.
"There." he said tilting his head slightly and then smiling,
Lucy was a little more comfortable around him now that she was at least covered. Then the scout for the rest of her belongings began, she already had Aquarius's key which she was holding at the time. But now the frantic search and the fretting had really sunk in.
o0o
In Fairy Tail….
"No one in Magnolia has seen Lucy!" exclaimed Natsu bursting into the guild,
"And how many times have you broken into her house to see if she was there this morning flame-brain?" asked Gray,
"None of your business ice-popsicle!" retorted Natsu,
"Fight me!" demanded Gray,
"Was planning on it!" yelled Natsu,
"I don't think so." stomped Erza with a scary look.
"Me neither." squeaked Natsu quickly,
"Team Natsu! Team meeting now!" commanded Erza,
Natsu, Gray, Lisanna, Wendy, Charla and Happy all gathered around.
"We should discuss this out back." said Erza in a hushed voice leading the rest of the team out to the back of the guild.
Upon reaching their destination Erza spoke once more.
"I have a feeling Lucy has left." she said sadly,
Natsu's eyes widened and Gray took a deep breath.
"It wasn't because of me wasn't?" fretted Lisanna,
"I don't think so, Lisanna-san. I think it was because Lucy-san may have found out about what happened," explained Wendy,
"What do you mean?" asked Natsu,
"I think Lucy-san may have heard the things you've been saying somehow and disappeared because of it." Wendy elaborated,
"Why would you think that?" asked Charla,
"Because, to be honest, I don't really no anyone who wouldn't be even slightly hurt by what you said. I know you didn't mean it like that, but she may have taken it as you calling her weak, or incapable." said Wendy directing it subtly at mostly Erza, Natsu and Gray.
Gray remembered the tears in her eyes, the day she said she was leaving. 'Is this really the reason why?' he asked himself.
"I'm sorry Erza-san, Gray-san, Natsu-san, but I don't think I'd like it very much if you said those kind of things behind my back either. I might pack up and leave to." she said,
Wendy hated sounding as mean as she did. But the truth hurts doesn't it, and it's even worse when it's said behind your back.
"But we still don't know if she actually left, she could be just going to take some time out for a bit?" suggested Lisanna,
Gray couldn't help himself. He knew he promised to keep the secret, but if he didn't tell them she left, chances were Erza would send numerous search parties out for her and she'd wind back in Fairy Tail again. But then again it could also mean them going after her anyway. 'I'm so sorry Lucy.'
"She's gone." confirmed Gray,
"What!? How would you know?" demanded Natsu,
"She told me before she left," said Gray, "Don't go after her, she doesn't want you to."
"I don't care!" raged Natsu,
"Don't you think we've hurt her enough!? We at least owe her this. If we give her some space, she'll come back, I'm sure! This is her family, there's no way she'd just walk away." Gray told him.
Thanks for reading guys,
I've had so many reviews I really appreciate so, BIG thanks!
A bit of JereLu for any JereLu shippers! Also a bit of LoLu for good measure!
Another pairing is soon to be introduced…. don't know how far in the future though,
Please keep on reading and reviewing,
Thanks so much
Love from the green loving
~Hermit