The Girl with the Celestial Tattoos
Chapter 10, The Runaway
A/N: I've found myself suddenly in the habit of writing at least double of my standard word count seen in this story. So cheers! You'll have longer chapters now ;)
Oh! And I'm looking for an artist. I've never asked for this before so not quite sure how its done but if anyone is interested in a challenge contact me through Private Messaging. Also, I will be asking for a specific description in drawling Lucy. I would do it myself but if anyone has seen Naruto my artistic creations look like Naruto's failed bunshin XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
Year X778, Normal Pov
There were a lot of questions circling Lucy's mind as she traveled across Fiore on foot. She wondered what her future nakanama were doing now; How Natsu was doing, if Cana was drinking already, if Lisanna had switched worlds yet, if Erza was at the guild already, and wondered if she would find her bookworm friend at the guild if she went there now.
Too many questions with answers she would only know if she went to Fairy Tail, and that was something she couldn't allow herself to do just yet. She knew Fairy Tail accepted anybody needing a home and didn't care whether one was weak or strong but Lucy cared... she knew too much to go there now and see her friends still growing up to become the dear brothers and sisters she had come to know in X784.
Lucy needed time, and yet, she found time dragging her through the mud.
She needed a job, a way to earn her keep, and at the tender age of eleven that was something hard to find on her own. Lucy followed her heart though (or her magic really, depending on how she looked at it) and embraced the gifts she has discovered so far in her travels. Pyxis accurate sense of direction lead her towards the unknown but it had become her gut-feeling in where she needed to go in order to reach what she desired.
It was difficult to explain and even more adventurous with the random books of knowledge opening in her mind with every city she passed to the type of grass she traveled on. Lucy hadn't realized how much Crux knew until he literally gifted his knowledge to her. Now, she was the strange child who knew over a dozen types of clouds and two dozen types of terrain (preferably the grass species).
She always knew what time it was down to the last minute which was about as helpful as it were annoying. She learned about her latest gift when walking past the church bell that went off at noon causing her ears to ring in sensitivity. It would seem that Plue, or rather the Nikora had gifted her its unique canine senses to her.
Every time she sniffed the air she nearly slapped herself at the idea of looking like Natsu and Gajeel.
Fortunately now that she no longer had time restrictions she has been able to train with her magic much more often. Lucy had made a deal with Capricorn who would teach her in harnessing the power of her magic concentrated and everything so long as she gave him permission to teach her in the ways of the martial arts.
Lucy saw it in benefiting her in both ways, which it had, but when Capricorn became her sensei he took it to a whole new level. Now, her legs were aching at the end of the day while her arms were limp noodles, her neck hurt, and her abs were crying sweat like waterfalls. Beneficial but painful nonetheless.
So much had changed since the timeline of her first life when she ran away at seventeen to find adventure; something beyond the isolated acres of the Heartfilia property.
She remembered wondering through Hargeon with not but a clue as to what the world was about. She had hardly heard any stories of magic, even as a child of a Celestial Magic. Her mother never really spoke about the life outside of Jude, and she supposed that was to be expected because of the life she wanted her to have.
Sometimes Lucy couldn't help but wonder if her mother was trying to protect her daughter, or herself. Layla's life growing up was a constant struggle that only relaxed after she married while for Lucy her childhood was mostly flawless until she ran away to the real world and faced that constant struggle her mother tried so hard to keep a secret from her. The difference between her mother and Lucy was that Lucy embraced that struggle with open arms whereas her mother closed herself off from it.
Layla feared more than fear itself, it would seem.
And now, here Lucy was returning into the real world of constant struggle Layla wished so dearly to keep Lucy from. This time, however, she's geared up with seventeen years of experience, one of which gave her a decade's worth of life experience, and also some advanced magic in her pocket.
In a sense, Lucy was as geared up and prepared for the world as any other eleven year old could be. Lucy's mind was just matured, unlike the other children of her age. Sometimes she even forgot she had reverted back into a child, and Lucy was reminded of that fact every time she looked at her reflection.
As much as Lucy would have like to go to Fairy Tail her heart craved to see the world again. Lucy had only known Fairy Tail after her guild faced great loss, and whether or not her second chance at life is meant for more than saving the world from Zeref, she was unsure. Although knowing Time for the short amount of time she met Time, Lucy would say that whatever is meant to happen essentially will.
If it wasn't, She wouldn't be here would she?
It was just a theory.. but either way she believed that Lucy was needed to harness her magic more before she stepped back into Fairy Tail and officially be apart of her family again. Lucy needed to be strong for them, and if staying away is part of that, then that's the way it was going to be.
Lucy didn't care if she stepping back into the world where she'd be homeless and broke, because if there was one thing her guild had shown Lucy, it was that she could do anything she put her mind to, just as long as she was ready to go through some hurdles along the way. Fairy Tail also taught her that there is always another way in anything.
As she thought of Aquarius, Lucy closed my eyes tightly and pictured her broken golden gate key. This time around Lucy would find another way in taking Tartarus down, because she was not sacrificing one of her friends ever again. Especially not for her life to be lost in vain.
If she could find another way to change the future then Lucy would find another way to fight Tartarus.
She had to find another way: Lucy just had to.
Fortunately it didn't take Lucy long to find a place to work.
She thought of where to go as she stood there, feeling the wind weave through her hair, and was suddenly hit with an old nickname she had been called once or twice by the staff. Perhaps this time she was nicknamed after her many gifts given to her by her celestial spirits. After all one would call her as such by the amount of magic and abilities she now possessed in this life time.
It was why they dubbed her, "Lucky Lucy", as well as being a cute combination from the merchant guild Love & Lucky which is where her parents had met and "fell in love" although now Lucy knew it was one sided. Her name was also hailed from the "Lucky" part of the guild when the 'k' had been conveniently missing as they were leaving to their new life and decided their first born child and daughter would be named Lucy.
Her middle name was an odd one though, Lucy believed. It didn't particularly have any sentimental significance as it originated from the town that would shape into the grand and successful business renamed Heartfilia Konzern.
She was Lucy Verona Heartfilia, daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia. It sounded too aristocratic for the mage.
Maybe she would change it someday, and that would be preferable if her father sent out missing fliers of her for guilds to find her. Lucy found the idea awfully ironic (not to mention crazy). He only wanted her to come back the first time around because she was of age to marry but now she was eleven - what was there that she could possibly due but gain publicity for her father for her disappearance?
..Then again, that sounded just like Jude.
If things came to that, Lucy would make sure she would disappear. She was hardly a Heartfilia anyway: not since she was given this second life. Not since she was asleep for seven long years in Tenrou Island.
As she stepped into the village of Lyoae a small shaggy black wolf-dog ran up to her from a horse stable and upon returning she was given a job to take care of the horses and in return has a place to sleep and will be given the left over food after the farmer have eaten. It may not have been much but it was enough. And, she had a companion right by her side now:
"Come here, Rokon." The pup barked joyfully as he raced to Lucy's side before nuzzling her hand. "It took you long enough to finish," he said, jumping excitedly. Oh, and there was the other part of Plue's gift to her; she could speak to canines too.
"Hush you," Lucy replied smiling.
"I want to go play! The horses smell because of the rain!" Rokon complained, snorting as he shook his head. Lucy laughed at the pup's antics, brushing his black fur with her fingertips.
"Okay, okay. You found me extra food last night so it's only fair I treat you." Lucy told the wolf-pup, grinning as Rokon sprinted forwards before giving a leap into the air. "Not so fast Rokon!"
"No way, hurry up Luce!"
Startled by the old nickname the mage froze mid-step before adrenaline and excitement rushed through her bloodstream and she followed after the dog, running side by side Rokon as they ran through the grasslands. They leapt over logs and boulders as they crossed the grasslands and ran closer and closer towards the beach before finally reaching the wet sand.
Rokon immediately began digging through the sand in hopes of finding a bone of some ancestral demon or dragon. The pup had told Lucy that was what his father told his before they were taken away and Lucy wouldn't have been surprised if there were truth in the myths. Especial after what she had both seen and heard.
Her own ancestor and mother had done things that made Lucy's head spin, and a larger side of the mage despised Jude for giving his wife (her mother) such a burden to carry. Lucy supposed she should've just been grateful she didn't have to hold the same burden that killed her mother and simply continue her mother's legacy in taking care and bringing the zodiac together again but life meant more to Lucy than that.
She wanted the zodiac to be in good hands and accepted as who they are - not simply because it's the right thing to do. She didn't want to continue a legacy that came from the same woman who landed her with a specific and preferred life without thinking of what kind of man Jude was. If Layla really followed her heart than maybe she wouldn't have up and abandoned her daughter with a neglecting (and on his way to abusive) father.
The breath of Poseidon washed over Lucy leaving a previous warm and slightly dirty dry clothes drenched in sea water with sea salt perfume coming off her skin. Rokon erupted into laughter only to be snorted by the brush of waves leaving him smelling like a wet dog and trying to shake his shaggy hair free of water.
"Serves you right, pup!" Lucy giggled like she hadn't in so long.
"We'll see about that!" Rokon barked before leaping at Lucy and throwing her off the rocks and into the ocean. Lucy grinned and dove deeper into the water as she tucked herself under some rocks, breathing out of a shallow crack for air while Rokon began to freak out.
"Lucy? Luce!"
Lucy slowly tucked her body against the boulder and went after the wolf-dog as his back was turned with his frantic barking completely unaware of the monstrous wave growing behind him by Lucy's control until the first water droplet fell on his nose causing him to sneeze and look up, only to get hit full-force with a miniature tsunami.
Lucy tackled the pup into the sand and hugged him tighter as he tried to free himself from his embrace until finally giving up allowing Lucy to get off him and immediately stumbled to his feet and huffed at Lucy who managed to surpass only half of her grin.
"You're unbelievable," Rokon grumbled without any fight.
"And you smell terrible."
"Guess I'll fit right in with the horses," Rokon smoothly replied.
"Mmhmm, right you are."
"Let's go back," Rokon decided before sprinting off leaving Lucy caught in the sand trying to catch up.
As soon as they made it back Lucy went straight to work, taking care of the horses; getting the hay to feed them, cleaning up their stables, etc. Only after did she finish did Lucy return to the barrel where Rokon rested sleepily. They remained there until supper time where the people who owned the land began their meal with Lucy and Rokon waiting patiently for the leftovers outside.
Eventually, their patience was rewarded
"Hey kid, here's the left overs. And, ugh.. nice job with the horses. We have a buyer for Little Black already, said he 'hadn't seen a finer steed in over a decade'."
Lucy nodded and accepted the tray of food, nearly sighing in happiness at the sight of buttered bread sitting next to a freshly picked apple.
"Thanks," the mage replied, watching as the farmer returned to his home. "Here you go, Rokon." Lucy said as she tossed half of the meat at the pup who caught it eagerly in his drooling mouth before digging in. While Lucy enjoyed the meal she handed one of the pieces of bread to Rokon who sniffed at it curiously having finished his slice of meat already.
"It's good, trust me." Lucy insisted and smiled as Rokon licked it before accepting it and barked happily at his desert. "Told you so."
Rokon grunted in response, licking up the crumbs from the grass.
"You should sleep, Luce." Rokon told her, watching as she climbed up the stable roof to where she slept. "In a bit. The sunset's beautiful tonight," the mage replied.
"The goat's training you tomorrow?" Rokon asked.
"You mean Capricorn? Yeah, can't wait." The Celestial mage said that last part sarcastically.
"As long as you can walk, we can eat." Rokon teased.
"Moocher," Lucy replied.
"Hey, I got you spare food didn't I?"
"Touché."
Lucy smiled at the sky before rolling over to sleep. She was relieved that the people she worked for didn't mind Rokon's presence considering Lucy took care of him and he never took food from their home. It allowed her a companion that she could talk to; a friend and a partner.
It made her life without Fairy Tail all the less painful.
Capricorn decided to do something different today. Instead of the usual exhaust yourself magically then physically they were instead working on her other magics to remain familiar with them rather focusing on her magic individually. Not only that, but Lucy is also having to meditate the use of her magic while ignoring Capricorn's distractions.
She started out by physically having her body occupied so that wielding her other magics and abilities became second nature - wielding her magic with her mind rather than solely her body. It was difficult but possible especially considering that she could use both holder magic and caster magic. Currently she had both hands on her guitar while settled on a boulder by the ocean with her legs crossed. She had to keep the music fluent without so much a flux or she would undergo double her physical training; Capricorn's favorite - Endurance training.
"You have great potential Lucy, so why wait when you can harness it now? Today you'll be using your magic to become completely independent from yourself. That way, during battle you wouldn't need to worry about losing dependence on your magics hold. Magic needs to be as much apart of you as you're mind and body are connected, while independent in their own rights."
Lucy nodded, looking out at the ocean as her fingers worked their metaphorical magic into music.
"With the use of both caster and holder magic you'll be able to use both at once after making yourself independent of your caster magic. At the same time, you'll have something to back yourself up with while your spirits are in combat, fighting among side them without risking yourself on the frontlines. We'll begin with your water magic. I know that you've had some difficulties with it even after getting a harness on it but that is only when you show the greatest of emotions. Element magic is tricky that way. It relies on emotion however you need to be able to control an element without placing your emotional state on the line; you need to wield magic at your calmest state of mind to most fragile without risk of losing control. Hence, the need for independence."
For a moment nothing occurred but slowly the wind began to whip around Lucy as the waves gathered in circle around the boulder she sat upon.
"Think of the element itself, without any shape or form but of its nature. Use your willpower not your mind, concentrate on the music and do not limit yourself to the same tune. Change it, make it unique and memorizing. Make it as special as it deserves to be, not mediocre. Respect the magic and it will follow."
Lucy breathed deeply in a rhythm, picking up the tempo into something more upbeat while allowing the water surrounding her to thicken into waves rather than simple spirals.
"Good Lucy. More, put more into it. Not just magic but purpose and energy, make it real. Make it as much apart of the world as it was born apart of nature; allow it to live!"
The water began to trill as her music turned into a soft melody, her concentration never wavering.
"You have speed Lucy! I've seen it before Lucy, during your training. I don't no why you wanted to keep it away from training but I've always known. You have great natural potential, something you've been gifted with. Use it!"
Lucy nearly slipped the tune at Capricorn's knowledge of her speed gift she was certain was from Cancer. The mage hadn't want it to be common knowledge because Capricorn was clever and intelligent, he would've see the connections between herself and the zodiac. But then again, she just underestimated exactly how intelligent he was.
So, with a deep breath she focused on placing her speed magic outside of her body unaware of how choppy both her music and the water had become as the speed tried desperately to keep its attachment to her body until it broke away completely and suddenly her music returned calm and the water was spinning around her faster and faster.
"Breathe Lucy, you've almost got it. Use your senses, close your eyes and feel the magic listen to your command without willing it to physically. Think and it should obey its commander but only if you respect it."
Lucy struggled to keep her breathing even as she controlled three things at once. As though reading her mind Capricorn's voice cut through the thin layer of her concentration and everything fell apart around her.
"You don't control independence. You must let it go in order to harness this technique otherwise this will be a waste of time. Good work so far Lucy, but remember in order to concentrate you must also have a reason - a purpose to reach what you want. That's your magic training today, now let's begin your endurance training.
Lucy groaned.
"If you don't get a move on now, I'll make it triple." Capricorn threatened gently as he walked away, hands clasped behind his perfectly straight posture.
"Yes, sensei!"
After two days of the same training Lucy continued to struggle to make her magic independent from herself. No matter where she was or what was going on the same thing happened over and over again leaving Lucy physically exhausted from her failure and motivated with adrenaline to succeed that she hardly slept.
Her work at the stables became a chore compared to her training, and suddenly she felt like she couldn't get enough to eat but continued to split with her companion knowing that she could take pushing herself to the limit.
It was on the third day where something interesting happened at the stables.
"Hey, kid. Our buyer for the black mare will be here in half an hour. Make sure he's all saddled up and ready to go, okay?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good lass." The man said as he returned from the fields.
Rokon barked beside her. "You look like you're going to pass out, Luce."
Lucy sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow. It was unusually extremely humid today and the sun was unforgiving in its wrath against her.
"I'm okay."
Rokon growled.
"Seriously! I'll be fine Rokon. I just need to get this done so that I can complete Capricorn's training."
"Didn't you have it this morning?"
"Ugh, don't remind me. He's moved it to twice a day until I can get the bloody technique down," Lucy replied exasperated.
"What's the problem?"
"The problem... is that water is as emotional as ever that I can't even get my other magic to cooperate with it! It's like putting Aquarius and Leo in the same room! Impossible!"
Rokon only seemed more confused at Lucy's explanation.
"So are you Aquarius or Leo?"
The mage sputtered for a moment.
"What?"
Rokon shook his head.
"Well, are you more like Aquarius or Leo in this situation?"
Lucy stared at the wolf-dog pup blankly for a moment before her eyes lit up.
"That's it! Mavis you're a genius Rokon!" Lucy squealed as she spun around to begin setting up the young black mare with a saddle.
"Thanks... Who's Mavis?"
Lucy turned back to Rokon and quickly ruffled his fur before turning back towards the mare with a final reply, "I'll tell you later, thanks Rokon!
To the farmer's word the buyer arrived not long after Lucy completed her assigned task and walked the mare towards the front where her boss and their potential buyer stood.
"That'll be 100,000 jewels." Her boss said to the purple haired man, who wore a rather expensive looking green cloak that was quite hideous but at the same time seemed to suit him. That must've been the buyer.
"Why not make it 10,000 jewels?" Lucy's eyebrows practically flew to the sky at the outrageous suggestion. Her boss seemed frozen in his place with a dazed look in his eyes. "10,000 jewels you say? Why not?"
"What?" Lucy sputtered as she approached the two and suddenly her eyes caught sight of the familiar ring on the man's ring finger. It was charm magic!
"Don't! He's tricking you!" Lucy shouted, running over to them. The buyer looked at Lucy in surprise before it turned to contempt. "I'll even thrown in another 5,000 jewels for the brat? Get her off your hands, must be a nuisance!" The man laughed, giving Lucy a very spiting look.
"Err, I don't know. She's been helping me out with the stables and she's a good worker-"
"Look at his hand! The ring! You have to see he's using magic!" Lucy shouted.
"No? Look at her! She's an orphan, you shouldn't even bother having her here. She's filth! She's nothing!"
The farmer never lost his dazed look even as his eyes slid to look at the ring. Lightning hit Lucy's heart as he accepted the jewels. "Fine, take her. You're right, she's nothing. I'll take the five for the horse, yes? And thank you!"
"Come here, brat!" The man said evilly as he approached her, while her former boss left to the house.
"Stay away!" Lucy shouted, leaping away.
"You nearly cost me a sale. Good thing this ring was enchanted to only be recognized by others with magic!" He winked at her and pulled out some rope.
"I could probably fetch a good price with you to the slavers. They've had some trouble after the Tower of Heaven was taken over by their own slaves. I'm sure they'll appreciate a girl like yourself-ah!"
The man stumbled as Rokon leaped at him, his small fangs sinking into the flesh of his ankle.
"Rokon!" Her companion let out a cry of pain as he was thrown away from the man, his body slumping unconscious after hitting the stable wall. The black mare reared back as Lucy dove under its legs and desperately tried to press herself into the wall and away from the man. If she wasn't so exhausted she would be able to use her magic!
"Nowhere to run brat! You're worth nothing so I'll treat you as so!" Blue chains suddenly shot from his hideous cloak and wrapped around Lucy's wrists despite how hard she tried to wretch herself away.
"Don't bother. They're magically draining! If a brat like you even had magic to begin with, you won't be using it anymore."
"No!" Lucy cried feeling completely helpless as the man tied the sturdy rope to the shackles which bound her before mounting the horse and pulling her up behind him. "I should drag you to the boats but that'd only look suspicious."
"You won't get away with this!" Lucy growled as the mare picked up into a run.
"And whose gonna stop me? You? Ha!"
"I'll make you regret your entire existence..." Lucy whispered, giving a sad glance at Rokon before he disappeared out of sight.
For a day Lucy was forced across the land she had grown to love to the other side of Fiore. The side her father was from. Lucy could only pray they had no idea who she was the daughter of... and even then that was depressing because she was magically bound and about to be sold into slavery. Lucy could only hope that Rokon was okay, the poor pup would be worried about her when he woke up but at least he would be alive.
Lucy would find him again, someday. Once she was free of this mess, she didn't have time to waste time. And yet, time was suddenly completely out of her hands which were chained and tied to the disgusting man who 'charmed' his way into everything.
Capricorn was going to smoke her when he found out.
When they reached their destination Lucy felt almost nostalgic that the slaver's ship was in none other than Hargeon. She even dared to question if Bora was there, trying to swoon girls with a ring much like this man's. "Well brat, here we are. Keep quiet and don't fuck this up for me or we're both screwed."
"Why should I care what happens to you?" Lucy spat as he shoved her off the horse.
"You don't want to know," He supplied unhelpfully.
Lucy glowered as she was hauled towards the docks. It was night so there weren't any people outside in this area while the slavery ship stood right around the corner. Awaiting there awaiting a single man who wore a bandana over his head with black pants and no shirt. There was a strange guild mark over his chest that Lucy had never seen before and as her eyes moved to meet the man's she found him smirking at her.
"Come on in, we'll see who wants her inside."
Lucy swallowed as she was roughly shoved inside and was led to a pillar which she was tied to even after she kicked the man who brought her there in the groin. The mage glared hatefully at the man who ruined her plans in the first place. Now she had no job, no place to stay, Rokon was left behind, she couldn't use her magic, and now she was being sold like common cattle.
"Gentlemen! Tonight we've been brought a child! She's little and scrawny but ready to endure large amounts of strain. Whatever you want her for just pay the price! Whether that may be construction working, prostitution, experimentation, or our favorite: Pit Fights!"
The men roared throughout the room and suddenly hands launched into the air with shouts of hundred of thousands of jewels thrown on the table to buy Lucy. She snarled in disgust at these people wanting nothing more than to kick them all to oblivion but with her magic drained she could do nothing but glare hatefully. Even worse was that prostitution was winning in payment so far while the man who brought her there even looked a little sick at the idea of turning her into a prostitute.
Well, maybe monsters did have a shred of humanity..
She would still bring them world's of pain though, if she could.
"300,000 jewels to Red Sparrow going once! Twice!"
Lucy shut her eyes trying and failing to suppress her tears at what her fate was looking like when suddenly a voice broke through the air.
"500,000 jewels!"
Heads turned to meet the most fearsome man Lucy had ever laid eyes on. He was completely covered in scars with an eyepatch over his right eye and a metal arm replacing his dominant arm. An intimidating aura flowed off him in waves as everyone cleared out of the way as he walked through.
"Ah, it's good to see you my friend. Hear that everyone? That's 500,000 jewels for this scrawny brat to compete in Lightning Chimera's Pit Fights!" The men roared in cheers as the bidding ended and everything became a blur after that. Rough hands dragged her away unto a pirate ship where she was thrown into a cell where blood could be seen covering the walls while decay flooded through the room. Water would leak in from the side wall while Lucy was refused any food whatsoever. The magically draining chains remained on her wrists until the ship finally arrived at its destination where she was dragged forcibly across the rocks which cut into her feet leaving them raw.
The island was small but was easily outshined by the huge arena built of iron and steel which towered over the island like a forbidden storm.
Lucy was thrown into a room where the man who bought her - Crow - sat upon a thrown looking down at her with an inspecting look. "Yes, you will do fine." He said, and as though by some unspoken command she was suddenly seized by the arms and forced unto her knees leaving her back exposed painfully while Crow disappeared from her view from the floor. She was practically shaking in anxiety as to what was happening until tearing caught her ears as she felt her shirt ripped open from the back followed by scorching heat so close to her skin.
"No! Stop!" She yelled hopelessly, trying to resist but the people holding her down knew what they were doing and Lucy was left shaking in terror as the heat grew hotter and hotter until finally screaming so loud and so agonizingly real because this wasn't just a nightmare she could wake up. She was really here as a slave being branded as apart of the Lightning Chimera. All the proof she needed to be reminded of that was the bloody burn on the back of her left collarbone.
And to seal the deal the magic draining chains were replaced with runes which wrapped around her entire body with the root of it over her heart. They prevented her from using magic completely and if she so much as tried to do so then the rune would activate and send high amount of electricity throughout her body until she stopped.
Then she was back in a cage surrounding by many others of all ages from the youngest child to the oldest man, all either wounded or scarred from the pit fights inside. Lucy would sit on the cold floor with only a bucket beside her for toiletry and watched as unconscious and beaten competitors were thrown back into their cages while the winners were allowed to stumble back inside on their own but sometimes they didn't always return alive.
Lucy had to survive but could she really bring herself to kill? To murder someone who was a slave just like her?
She was removed from her thoughts as something clanged across the bars of her cage making her look up curiously. A young adult was looking at her with curious but scarred eyes. "You're the new pit dog they dragged in, aren't you?"
"What's a pit dog?" Lucy asked.
"A fighter, like the rest of us. Trying to fight our way to the top so we can get our freedom.. although you know its a life or death battle!" The man whispered to her.
"What is this place?" Lucy asked, looking at the brand on his chest that must've been the same one on her back.
"Lightning Chimera. It's the most feared illegal area for slave fighting. Whether you're magically or not anyone unlike enough to end up here is forced to compete unless you're watching and bidding the highest sums."
Lucy's heart pounded in her chest.
"How long have you been here?" Lucy asked, nearly fearing the answer.
"Six years. The slavers love to remind us how long we've been here before every fight. I guess they like to encourage us how many years we've lived our lives or have lost our lives to this place."
Lucy went silent as she mulled over the information while the man backed away from the bars of his cage when one of the slavers passed by their cages. The Celestial mage was suddenly grateful that her keys were left at the stables as she could only imagine how excited the slavers would've gotten at the idea of selling her rare and one-of-a-kind gate keys.
Once again she hoped that Rokon was doing okay on his own, and maybe even had her keys.
Mavis, if she thought Capricorn was going to kill her imagine what Aquarius will do to her!
Lucy squeezed her eyes shut of facing her strongest spirit and dreaded the conversation that would follow but at the same time it motivated her to see her friends again. No matter how dreadful the idea of facing Aquarius's wrath may be she would do it any time over this place.
One thing for sure though was that she was going to get out of here.
And pull a Fairy Tail move and free the other slaves in the process. Lucy just needed to fight her way up the food-chain first.
With the luck in surviving her opponents who've been fighting here for years with experience towering over hers.
Lucy would make it though... she just had to.
I found myself missing this story and so I've returned! Such an interesting turn of events isn't it?
Not much for me to say aside from letting me know if anyone is interested in the challenge I mentioned above.
So, yeah. Thanks everyone for your support! Ten chapters and already over a hundred reviews! Who could've seen that coming? I didn't!
Sincerely,
- Gothic Rain
P.S. I'm thinking of restarting a community. If there's any of my old staff members reading this or anyone interested send me a PM and I'll get you guys included. So far it's going to be in the Fairy Tail community (obviously) and it's gonna be Lucy-centric with any pairings accepting may that be slash/fem-slash or not. Though I'm not picky about what stories that are picked out.
Here are my ground rules:
Nothing rated M is allowed
Try to look for something unique and not overdone (like evil Lisanna)
Go easy on the cross-overs
Only select stories you actually enjoy and not something you think you'd like so you feel like you're contributing
Make sure the stories are well-written and more than a thousand words a chapter
Trust your gut feeling
If you're still questioning of this, just check out my profile page and read some of the bullet points about my reading pet-peeves.
Then you're good to go!