Disclaimer: Mr. Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.
A/N: Lucy's POV
Previously on Stuggles of Fate...
"The sudden appearance of that dress." Natsu suddenly spoke with food inside his mouth. "Maybe it's possessed?"
"As if something like that could happen." Sting said.
"There's no proof it can't!" Natsu snarled at Sting. "Anyway, this calls for one thing!"
"What?" I asked.
"A test of courage!" He beamed. "Can we go to the forest later, Auntie?" He turned to Mama.
"Sure but don't stay out too late." Mama answered.
"The it'a settldd! We'll go for a test of courage." He beamed once more. Almost everyone smiled at his suggestion but I couldn't. I turned to Gray and caught him looking at me with concerned eyes.
Chapter 22: Horror of Loving
"Sometimes the heart sees what' is invisible to the eye." -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
"Wow! This place is gorgeous!" Lisanna exclaimed as we entered the Crystal Cove.
"So romantic." Mira-san clasped her hands in front of her mouth.
"It's amazing that a place like this exists." Erza said while looking around.
"This is supposed to be a secret outside the Heartfilia family but Lucy told us about it." Jellal said.
"Told you?" Levy asked. "You're a relative of the Heartfilia's, aren't you?"
"A relative. Not a Heartfilia. Lucy's family is the only Heartfilia."
"So where's the forest you're talking about?" Laxus-senpai asked as he' together with Freed-senpai and Bickslow-senpai, walked towards me and Natsu.
"It's been a long time since the last time we went here, right?" I heard Sting say to Ryos from behind us. "And this time we're with your idol Gajeel-san!" He snickered.
"He's not my idol anymore." Ryos gritted his teeth trying not to hit Sting.
"It's on the other side of the cave." I answered to Laxus-senpai as I turned towards the cave. "Let's go." I ushered and they followed me inside. I switched on the flashlight that I was holding when darkness started to cloud our vision.
"Let me hold that." Gray said. I handed him the flashlight and he walked steadily beside me.
"Thank you." I muttered. Nothing else was then said between the two of us. The silence was heavy but I know we're thinking of the same thing... same person.
Loke
When we got out of the cave, the entrance of the forest welcomed us with a breezy ice cold whip of air. We went in pairs while the others entered the forest as ghosts like how we have decided before leaving the villa.
Bisca-san then walked towards me. "Let's go, Lucy?" She asked. Bisca-san is a friend of Mira-san. I met her when Mira-san brought to Bisca-san's shop. Now, she's also my friend.
"Sure." I answered and so, we walked into the forest.
One more thing about Bisca-san is that she's married to a man, Alzack-san, whom she's not fated the to be with. I have once asked her a question.
'What if you could see the future and you found out that you and Alzack-san will eventually separate. What will you do?'
"This place is creepy yet gorgeous." She said as reached the lake at the very heart of the forest.
Do you want to know her answer?
"Do you want to take a break, Bisca-san?" I asked as we headed towards the lake.
"Bisca is fine. And yes, I'd love to take a break." She said as she sat on a rock.
She answered. 'What would I do? Maybe I will live like I haven't seen anything. I will live normally because for me what's important is the present. If we love each other, focus on it instead of on the negative. Worry about the future when it becomes the present. Besides the future can be changed depending on what you would do on the present... Well' that's just what I think.'
"We've been walking for 10 minutes and we haven't bumped to any ghosts." Bisca said in a somehow worried tone.
"I hope they didn't get lost." I mumbled.
Her answer made me think. Maybe I should focus on the present like her instead of stressing myself about what will happen in the future.
"I think the-" Whatever Bisca wanted to say was cut when an ear piercing scream rang throughout the forest.
"That sounded like Levy!" I said.
"Good. I thought they got lost." Bisca sighed and looked down. She looked up once more and was about to say something but somehow didn't manage to. Her eyes widened in fear and confusion combined.
"W-What is it?" I somehow got nervous because of the way she's acting.
"I-I think I just saw a lady in white over there." She pointed.
"Y-You what?" I felt chills run down my spine. I turned to where she's pointing but saw nothing except for the bushes and trees.
"Kyaaaaaa! Aaaaaah!" Bisca screamed with her face stricken in horror as she pointed something behind me.
I immediately turned around and just like Bisca, horror quickly struck me as I came face to face with a woman with a bloody face.
"Aaaaaaaah!" I screamed. The woman then lifted her equally bloodied hand and caressed my face smearing blood on it. I stared at her hand unable to move due to fear. I then felt someone hold my hand.
"L-Lucy!" Bisca called. I abruptly turned to her and pulled me away from the woman then we started running while holding each others hands.
"W-What was that?" I asked with fear still clinging on my features.
"I-It can't possibly be the kids, right?" Bisca suddenly sounded like an old lady. "That looked so real! Maybe this forest is haunted!"
Multiple screams then rang through the forest.
"... No way. Lucy, let's finish this quickly!" She said and pulled me to a walk.
"They're taking this way too seriously." I said as I wiped the blood on my face with my free hand to remove it but I only smeared it more.
"Yeah. Too bad your boyfriend wasn't able to join us." She turned and smiled at me but I just had to look down and frown.
"Oh! I'm sorry." She suddenly apologized. "To tell you the truth, I saw you and Gray hugging each other and also... the thing that happened before that." She paused. "Did you and Loke fight?"
"We..."
I'll set you free.
"... We broke up."
Bisca looked deep into my eyes almost like she'a searching for hidden emotions behind them. "Are you going to date Gray then?" She straightforwardly asked.
"I... I don't know."
It feels like the emotions inside me are fighting.
"Listen to me, Lucy." Bisca said things that I should do and I listened to everything she said.
"Let's go?" She smiled.
"... Okay." I tried to look happy but I think Bisca noticed my attempt.
We were walking quietly until we heard a noise somewhere near us.
"L-Lucy? Be on your guard." We grew alert and started to look around until we saw a dark figure holding something.
"What is... he holding?" Bisca nervously asked.
"... A head?!" I exclaimed as the moon shone over to what the man was holding. When everything went cleat to me and Bisca, we started to scream and run away.
"Haaa... Haaa... I think... I'm going... Haaa... crazy!" I breathed heavily as we continued to run.
I shut my eyes tightly as I run. Not caring about my surrounding until I heard Bisca call my name. I stopped running and turned around to see that I left her behind.
"Wait... for me." She breathed heavily as she rested her hands on her knees. She looked up me again and her eyes widened in horror.
I started to get nervous again. I wanted to run away from where I am but it seemed like my body has it's own body as I slowly tunrned around. My lips quivered as I came face to face with a man with hideous face. His eyes were gouged out and in place of them were pieces of shattered glass that were carelessly stabbed. He grabbed my shoulders and his mouth that was slit up to an inch before his ear slowly opened then screamed as I screamed.
"Hey! That's Lucy!" I heard Gray's voice say before I passed out.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
A clock?
Suddenly, an image of a blond man with gentle features talking to a woman with long wavy brunette hair flashed before the darkness.
It somehow... made a feeling of sadness and jealousy inside me creating a turmoil of emotions.
Out of the darkness, I saw a golden light flicker, afraid of the growing feelings inside me, I grabbed it.
"Ouch!" A voice screamed.
I opened my eyes and saw that I'm already in my room.
"Lucy! Let go!" Someone pleaded and grabbed my hand.
I turned to my side and saw my hand grabbing a handful of Sting's hair. I quickly let go and apologized.
"What's wrong, Lucy? Suddenly grabbing my hair like that." He asked as he massaged his scalp.
"I'm sorry." I apologized once more. "But thank you." I added and then hugged Sting. I felt him return my hug. "I was so scared."
"I know. Those stupid idiots took it way too seriously. Auntie was so shocked when Natsu came carrying you while wearing that stupid mask with the others wearing those get-up."
"Not that." I mumbled. "I had a scary dream."
"A nightmare? Don't worry. It's just a dream." He pushed me gently to create a space between us.
I know... but it felt so real.
Wait.
... Huh? I can't remember my dream... but I can still feel the sadness and jealousy inside me.
"You're right." I said.
"Anyway, I have something to tell you, Luce." He stared at me with surprisingly gentle eyes. "You see, I..."
"Yes?"
"I found... myself a girlfriend." He finished.
"You found a girlfriend?" I repeated.
"Yes." He answered. "Though I don't want to admit this... I want to be a boyfriend like Loke. Someone who cares a lot for his girlfriend. I... like him for you, Luce."
Loke...
"Who is she?" I tried to look happy for Sting. I'm truly happy for him but the timing won't let me.
"She's a classmate of mine. Her name is Yukino Aguria."
"What a beautiful name." I smiled and added. "I'm happy for you, Sting."
"Oh. I almost forgot." He stood up. "Let me call Natsu. Apparently, he has something to tell you." He said and then walked out of the room.
The door opened and Natsu entered the room.
"Thank goodness, you're finally awake." Natsu sighed in relief as he walked towards me. "Look. I'm sorry, Luce. I was the one with gouged eyes."
I smiled at him and said. "Don't look so guilty, Natsu. It's a test of courage', remember?"
"Lu-"
"Do you think I'm going to say that?!" I exclaimed. "I could've died of a heart attack!"
"L-Lucy?" Natsu nervously called my name.
I sighed. "Nut I'll forgive you since it's you." I smiled.
The door opened again and Gray emtered.
"Natsu, can you please leave us alone?" I tuned back to Natsu.
"Why?" He childishly asked.
"Please. I have something to tell him."
Natsu turned serious. "Alright." He said and walked out of the room.
"Are you okay?" Gray asked as he walked towards me.
"I'm fine." I paused. "About our relationship..."
"What about it?"
"Can we remain as friends?"
"Why?" He suddenly looked hurt.
Flashback
"Are you going to date Gray then?" Bisca straightforwardly asked.
"I... I don't know."
"Listen to me, Lucy. If you're going to date Gray, settle things first with Loke. I don't know him well but I can see that he loves you so much. You know that, don't you? It will be unfair for him if you suddenly date Gray. And the worst thing is he is his cousin." She paused. "Gray has a girlfriend, right?" She sighed. "Both of you should settle your loose ties first."
I didn't answer and only listened instead.
"Look here, Lucy. I'm not saying you and Gray can't date each other. I'm just saying these things for your sake. I also have experienced those things and the people around me were cruel and harsh. You're a good girl, Lucy. I don't want you to experience the bad things I experienced."
End of Flashback
"Let's settle our loose ties first. Me with Loke and you with Juvia." I said. "And maybe after that we can finally..."
...
...
...
"Alright." He said and hugged my head.
To be continued...
Owari!
A/N: Ouh! An update! :D I hope this chapter isn't boring. Anyway, in the next chapter they'll be back in school! Maybe five more chapters and this story will end. Not sure. And sorry for any misspellings. I only used a tablet to type this one. Oh, did someone listened to the song? :))
Review replies corner!
*Elfen Children: LOLs. I won't gibe answers easily. You have to wait. And about Juvia, it's simple. They didn't invite her. :))
*fairytaillover416: Ohohoho. Yes, yes. I love it when you, my dear readers, feel the feels. LOLs.
*ShinigamiKin: It hurts like hell, no? I'll gladly take Loke for myself.
*MinaBlahBlahBlahAnimeFan: You're alive! Oh! I missed you. I thought you fell into the pits of hell!
*Oishii-_-Flakes: Ohoho. It will get more and more twisted because my brains twisted. Literally, yes?
*Otaku4ever14: Feel the power of feels! And thank you :)
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Sorry for the lack of appropriate words, grammatical and typographical errors.
Thanks for reading!
R&R