Chapter Twenty-Three: Decision

Lucy's POV

I listened to the ticking of the clock on the bedside table next to me and watched the pitch black ceiling since it was so dark. Hibiki had tried to help me today but now I was even more stressed and confused about what to do. I turned around and read the numbers on the clock. 12:32.

Quietly sitting up, I looked around. Gray and Natsu had to share a bed and I had one by myself. Gray was probably naked down to his boxers as usual and Natsu's scarf was still wrapped around his neck. They both slept soundly. I smiled and soundlessly crept out of bed and got dressed. I decided I didn't have to wander around the unfamiliar city and get lost but I could have some sort of privacy.

I parted the thick curtains slightly that covered the windows leading to the balcony and slipped through. Luckily the doors in expensive hotels were well oiled and didn't squeak or anything. I slipped outside onto the white stone balcony easily enough. It was cool but not cold. I breathed in and out calmly and hoped the curtains were thick enough so the light couldn't break through.

I don't really know how to summon them though… I thought. The last time I did, it was purely by accident and I was taking a big risk to do this. I tried to trust that I wouldn't lose control of myself. I closed my eyes and said the first words that came to my mind.

"Nikki," I said, "Please help me with your gifts and let me know what I have to do to make things right."

Almost instantly, a magic circle of nearly transparent white and gold opened in front of me. It was luminous but not blindingly bright. Then a dark figure emerged from the circle and floated before me. It appeared to be sitting on the railing of the balcony but actually drifting right above it. Her slightly curly, long hair moved and floated as if she were underwater but there was no wind. I tried to think of the silhouette and who it was a shadow of and it finally came to me.

"You're Cana's shadow, aren't you?" I smiled, "Nikki."

I could somehow feel Nikki's shadow inside my head and feel her emotions and hear her speak.

Yes, I am Nikki, she said in my head. She sounded exactly like Cana and was content, I am Cana's shadow. I am surprised you know my name. That proves you have a good relationship with the shadows. Perhaps that's why I chose you as my mistress.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm really a 'mistress'," I laughed. I saw I had to actually speak to communicate and couldn't send thought messages. I suppose that was a disadvantage of the Shadows magic, "It feels a bit strange for me to be addressed as one, like I'm supposed to be superior to you or something. I want to be friends with all my Shadows like with my Celestial Spirits. So we'll just stick with Lucy, OK, Nikki?"

I could sense she was a bit surprised but then happy, OK. You are one of the first people to actually befriend us. The only other who ever did is Aston.

I smiled, "That's good then, right?"

Yeah. So, Lucy, why did you summon me out for?

"Oh yeah. Well, I was hoping you could use your powers to help me?"

Of course. What would you like me to predict?

"Um, well…" I said. I would probably be babbling for an hour if I told Nikki everything. So I just decided to cut it down, "…What would happen… if I continued doing what I am?"

Nikki was a bit confused for a second but then concentrated. After a few seconds, she said, well, if you continue on your current path… I see two men, which I assume are those sleeping inside, competing for your affections for, I can assume, the rest of their lives.

"Oh, God," I sighed. I sort of knew that was coming with their praiseworthy persistence but seriously… I wouldn't be able to avoid the situation then since Aston had said the Shadows' predictions would come true.

Lucy, just what are you trying to avoid? Nikki was gentle yet firm as she talked.

"Everyone getting hurt, feeling guilty for the rest of my life for one person's heartbreak or even worse both of their heartbreaks if I chose neither, making the wrong decision," I said, "Just to name a few."

You're trying to make everyone happy but have you thought about who really belongs with whom?

"Who really belongs… with whom?" I repeated, slightly confused, "What do you mean?"

You can't give everyone everything they want and make everyone happy. Only one person can make another truly happy. With one of those males, Lucy, one of them makes you truly happy and vice-versa. One of them belongs with someone else who can affect him the way you can't. Who really makes you happy, Lucy?

"I-I don't know…" I replied, even more confused, "That's what I've been trying to figure out. Why all the riddles? You already know how this ends out, don't you? Can't you just tell me that so I'll know what to do?"

No, I can't. I do know the outcome but I can't tell you what to do. People learn and grow off situations like this. It helps them become better as individuals. Plus it's much more rewarding when you figure out a situation yourself. I'm not going to take all that away from you. I will give you hints and support you but you're the one who makes the final decision.

"OK," I said, nodding, "I understand. Are there any other hints you can give me, like, I don't know, the initial of his name?"

Nikki laughed, no, Lucy, no. But I have learnt a quote from Princess Miya before she… well…

I nodded, "I know. Aston told me."

She was very wise and kind, possibly the most gifted Shadow that ever lived. She probably predicted this would happen, actually and made a quote especially for it. It went like this:

'Everyone's life is a story in which they are the main character and everyone is a character in everyone else's lives. Sometimes, you're an important character and remain through the whole thing while sometimes you disappear before being introduced. Every story is different and they each have a variety of characters. There is always one character that remains throughout the whole thing; loving, protecting and caring for the main character. Sometimes, however, that one character is even more important to someone else and their story. But there is always one character that is always there for the main character in their story and the most important unlike in anyone else's story. Always. Not every story is always happy but no story is ever worthless. Every single story has the potential to be a fairytale. Remember that, Lucy.'

"Nani?" my head snapped up at the mention of my own name in the quote, "My name is actually a part of the quote?"

Yes. Princess Miya somehow predicted your name and added that to the quote made specifically for you. She had said she thought it would have helped her human form's daughter since her human form was a very kind mistress to all shadows.

"Wait, what?" I immediately said, "Her human form's daughter… so Lucy's me and her human form is… My MOTHER? What did… what did she look like?"

She was beautiful and had her hair in a bun. She was incredibly graceful and kind.

"That's Mother!" I said, "But… That doesn't make any sense… Mother died when I when ten and Princess Miya died when I was supposed to be five, when Aston was…"

Nikki seemed to think and then said, someone can live even when their shadow dies. A person can survive without a shadow but a shadow cannot survive without a base. That is just the way it is.

"I guess that makes sense," I conceded, "But… Wait, didn't you say because her human form was kind to the shadows… Did my Mother summon Shadows as well?"

I don't know. I was only young back then. But there had been talk I recall about a kind human who treated Shadows fairly and kindly unlike any other human back then. That might have been her.

"Wow…" I said, "Mum summoned Shadows… Even her Shadow was looking out for me. I wonder why no one ever said anything about her other magic…?" I touched my keys, Aquarius and Cancer, the ones who had once belonged to my mother, "Do you guys know why?"

A bright light emanated from Aquarius' key and she suddenly appeared, sitting on the railing, close to Nikki.

"I'm just letting you know so you won't spend the whole night dwelling on it," said Aquarius, "I'm supposed to be with Scorpio right now. Anyway, Layla didn't tell anyone about her Shadow summoning because of the reason you aren't. God knows if she did, she'd scare the family half to death what with the chances of summoning shadows safely are very low. But Layla was very skilled and the Shadows liked her until she passed away. That's about all you need to know. Goodbye." With that, she transferred back into the Spirit World again.

"So that's why…" I said, kind of excited at having found out something else about my deceased mother. But I decided to keep quiet about it since no one else needed to know.

Well, anyway, said Nikki, I think I've been out here long enough. Think about the hints I have given you. You will find the answer within yourself.

As she finished saying this, Nikki slowly seemed to melt away into light. As she disappeared, the light died down until I was standing on the balcony alone. A soft wind blew as I tried to comprehend what Nikki had managed to tell me, but not really going anywhere with it.

'One character that remains throughout the whole thing'? I thought, completely confused, then… doesn't that equal Natsu? I had met him before I met Gray. Then there's that other line 'Sometimes, however, that one character is even more important to someone else and their story'? So… that means Natsu isn't actually the one for me? Or maybe that applied to Gray… God, I don't know…

While I thought it over a few more times, a quiet knock sounded on the door. I looked back in surprise and raised an eyebrow, who's up this late?

I quietly walked back inside and closed the doors and curtains before walking over the plush carpet to the door. Natsu and Gray were still sound asleep, the noise not bothering them at all. I opened the door and was surprised by who I saw.

"Cana? Juvia?" I said in surprise quietly. Like me, they were dressed so they weren't standing there in their pyjamas.

"Lucy, good you're up," said Cana, smiling slightly, "Natsu and Gray are asleep, right?"

I looked back to check. They were still sleeping like logs. I was careful to position the door so the light didn't shine on them.

"Yeah," I turned back, "Why? What's going on, anyway?"

"I was reading my tarot cards again," said Cana, "I read the end of your problem is near. Did you decide what you'd do yet?"

"Not yet," I said, "I… um, heard this from someone else who knows about the problem. I've been thinking about this and trying to see what it means." I repeated the quote of Princess Miya to them.

"Who did you hear that from?" asked Juvia, looking curious.

"Um, just, someone," I said, not ready to talk about the Shadows yet. It was a lot to take in, after all and they already worried about me a lot as it was.

"Well…" said Juvia. She looked at Cana, "I think now I'm even surer of my theory."

Cana nodded, "I think so too."

"You guys are all of a sudden in cahoots about everything," I said, raising an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, anyway? Theory?"

"Well, I made a theory based on things you have told me, Lucy-san," said Juvia, "I talked about it with Cana and I think it's right."

"Well, what's the theory?" I asked.

"It goes back to when Natsu first confessed he loved you and when you two kissed…" said Juvia.

After the talk (suspense, eh?)…

"Wow…" I said, once they finished, "I can't believe you two noticed that much simply from me talking about it with you."

"So our theory's correct?" said Juvia.

I nodded, "Yeah. Thanks, you two. Your help means a lot to me."

"Hey, it's no problem, we're friends!" said Cana, putting an arm around me, "We wanted to help you since you were so stressed over it. But you're fine now, right?"

"Yeah," I smiled, "Thanks. You two should really get some sleep."

"You're one to talk," said Juvia, smiling.

"I did get sleep!" I said, realising how much of a pathetic liar I was. Cana and Juvia laughed at my attempt at lying.

"OK, we'll go now," said Cana, letting go of me, "But you'll have to tell Natsu and Gray what you've decided, Lucy. That's the only thing Juvia and I can't help you with."

"I know," I said, "But, really, thank you."

"No problem," said Cana, grinning, "Friends, right?"

"Friends," I smiled back as they walked off. Then I went back inside my room and climbed back into bed. Gray and Natsu were still sleeping, oblivious of my talk with Cana and Juvia which led to me having an epiphany.

Now I've made my decision. I'll tell them tomorrow night, I decided as I drifted off to sleep.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Dun dun dun! Finally the big moment's here! Or… nearly here anyway. I'm really proud of the quote I managed to come up with at approximately 3 in the morning. XD

I also put in Layla because… well, I just like her, she's cool. :D

Anyways, review~