As always Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima
Chapter 26
Unstable
~ TS ~ two weeks ~ beginning of February ~
Nami sighed as she saw the tray of mostly untouched food outside of Lucy's room, once again only the toast was gone. She tried the knob but it was still locked. She picked up the tray and brought it downstairs, trying to think of a way to get her to eat something besides toast.
I've been living with her for two weeks now and she still won't eat. I promised Laxus I would protect her, but how do I protect her from herself? Nami slammed the tray on the kitchen counter, the plate of untouched food rattling as it hit a large bowl on the counter. Damn it! There has to be something I can do!
Nami then noticed the small comm. lacrima in the bowl. Someone at the Guild might know what to do. She picked it up and held it carefully in her hand.
"Guild." She said to it and a moment later Freed's face appeared in it.
"Nami? What do you need?"
"I need help..." She sighed in defeat.
"What's wrong?" Concern laced his voice.
"I can't get Lucy to eat anything but toast, I can't get her out of that damn room, and I'm about to go crazy being stuck in this damn house!" She vented, slumping forward onto the counter.
Freed thought for a moment then sighed. "Give me some time and I'll be right over."
"Hurry." She told him before stopping the connection, and started to pace around the house, cringing as she heard sobs coming from upstairs, again. After about thirty minutes she heard a knock on the door and she opened it, revealing Freed, a large bag on each arm.
Without a word he made his way to the kitchen and started emptying one of the bags; a bag of frozen strawberries, a carton of fresh strawberries, a carton of milk, and a tub of ice cream. The other bag made a strange clanking noise as he placed it on the counter.
"What's all that stuff for?" She asked eyeing the food on the counter.
"Mira's milkshake, its Lucy's favorite." Freed said as he pulled his hair up.
"Why do you think she'll eat it?"
"Lucy probably doesn't know it, but it used to be Laxus's speciality before it was Mira's. Before Lucy joined Fairy Tail, Laxus made the mistake of making it for Mira once and she hounded him until he gave her the recipe. Since then he hasn't made it for anyone, but I thought that Lucy would be willing to eat something she's familiar with. I don't know if Laxus has ever made it for her but its worth a try."
"Okay." Nami pulled her hair up too. "How can I help?"
Freed turned and smiled at her, the first smile Nami had seen in days. "Well, the first thing I need is a blender."
As Freed poured the finished milkshake into a glass Nami poked at the unopened bag on the counter.
"Freed, what's in this bag?"
Freed placed the glass on the counter and walked over and opened the bag, revealing dozens of clear orbs, each about the size of a walnut, with a metal band circling it.
"They're recording lacrima, I figured it would give Lucy something to do. She could record a message to Laxus and she could give it to one of her spirits to give to him when he wakes up." He glanced over at Nami and sighed. "Has there been any word about him?"
"Yeah... Leo came by a few days ago, but Lucy doesn't know yet. He's stable for now, but still unconscious. Lupus identified the different poisons, and they were pretty nasty ones, so he got lucky that Lucy summoned her spirits when she did. One was a type that attacked and destroyed magic in his body while the other one attacked his life-force. Lucky for him Lupus made an antidote as quick as she could, and he's healing now thanks to the spirits."
"That's a relief. Let's go see what we can do about Lucy, grab that bag and follow me." Freed grabbed the glass and made his way to Lucy's room. Nami grabbed the bag and followed, slipping one of the orbs into her pocket.
When they reached the door Freed knocked lightly on it. "Lucy? Its me, Freed, open up." Faintly from the other side Nami could hear footsteps, and let out a sigh of relief when Lucy opened the door. Freed took one look at her and let out a heavy sigh. Lucy was paler than normal, and she had lost a bit of weight. She had dark circles around her puffy red eyes, like she had been up every night crying, and Nami knew all too well that she cried herself to sleep every night.
"What do you want Freed?" Lucy asked in a low whisper.
He looked at her and held out the milkshake. "I came over because you need some help. If Laxus could see you now, I believe he would try to kill me and Nami. So for our sake, please eat something."
Lucy let out a sigh and took the glass, and as she took a sip her eyes lit up a little. "Mira's recipe?"
"In a way. Could we come in?" Lucy nodded at him and went back into her room, leaving the door open for them. Nami looked around as she followed Freed inside, the room was a mess. Clothes were strewn everywhere, half empty glasses of water cluttered the dresser and end table, and an unmade bed, which Lucy sat on.
They watched in silence as Lucy finished the shake, and once she placed the empty glass down Freed started on her, surprising both her and Nami.
"Lucy, what you are doing isn't healthy fro you or your child!"
"How do yo-"
"Erza told us, hell, she told the entire Guild so we would understand what you were going through. What would Laxus say if he found out all you've had to eat these past two weeks was toast?"
"He wouldn't be happy..." She murmured softly, her hands going to her abdomen, to the child growing inside.
"No, he wouldn't be. I want you to get cleaned up, we'll clean up the room, and when you're clean we'll talk some more."
Lucy gave them a small nod and walked across the room and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her, a few moments later they heard the shower turn on. Freed let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
"I guess we should start cleaning." Nami nodded at him and started to clean up the floor while Freed changed the bed. When they were done they sat on the bed and waited for Lucy to get done. A few minutes later the door opened and she walked out in her robe, her hair damp, but combed and falling down her back, she looked better than Nami had seen her in days. She sighed and sat on the bed next to Freed.
"What is it you're really doing here, Freed?"
"I came because you really do need some help. You need to start taking care of yourself again. If you won't do it for yourself do it for your child, for Laxus's child." He wrapped an arm around her, and she sighed and leaned into him as he continued to speak in soft tones. "Lucy, everyone is worried about you, you won't even answer the comm. lacrima anymore. We understand that you're sad, but don't do this to everyone that loves you, not now. Everyone pitched in for them, and I brought you something that might help. Nami, could you hand me the bag."
Nami handed the bag over to Freed , and he showed Lucy what was inside. "These are recording lacrimas, they can record up to fifteen minutes, I figured that you could record a message to Laxus, one of your spirits could then bring it to the spirit world and he could watch them when he wakes up." Freed looked over at Lucy and saw tears. "Hey, don't start crying now."
"Sorry." Lucy said, brushing away her tears. "Thank you Freed, and you too, Nami. Before I record any messages, I think I'm going to go to Fairy Tail, try to get back to normal first."
"I think that's a wonderful idea, so we'll leave while you get dressed. Oh, there is a surprise waiting for you at the Guild." Freed told Lucy as he and Nami left the room.
A few minutes later Lucy came out of the room, dressed and ready to leave except for her boots, which she was holding. She had on a pale blue, floaty top and a pair of white shorts, held up by her belt, her keys and whip on it. Around her neck was the necklace Laxus had gotten her, the engagement ring resting next to the key. As Lucy bent over to put her boots on Nami raised an eyebrow at Freed, who shook his head, sending a silent message not to ask her about it.
When they got downstairs Lucy glanced around, looking for something. Spotting what she was looking for she walked over to one of the arm chairs and picked it up. Laxus's coat. Quickly she slipped it on and turned back to them.
"Okay. I'm ready now. Let's go." They nodded, and she followed them out the door.
Fairy Tail was silent as Lucy walked in, no one had seen her in two weeks. Soon, though, she was surrounded by the children, all of them wondering where she had been. The entire Guild let out a sigh when she sat on the floor and started to answer their questions.
"Where were you?" Gray and Juvia's son, Loke, asked as Nami walked into the mix and picked up her little blue haired brother, Issac, out of the mix before one of the older kids knocked him over.
"I was at home." She told the little boy, he was the same age as Rose.
"Why?" This time it was a red haired little boy, Erza's two year old son, Simon.
"Because I was sad."
"Why was you sad?" A girl asked, and Lucy looked for the one who asked, and saw the odd one in the mix.
"Sorano? Why are you here?" Lucy asked, looking at the little girl.
"I came wid Mommy." Sorano smiled sweetly at Lucy. "Mommy said tha Wucy was sad, so I came wid her to cheer you up!" Lucy looked around and saw Yukino sitting at a table near the bar.
"I was sad because I lost someone I care about."
The little girl looked up at Lucy and gave her a knowing smile. "But, Auntie Wucy, if you care bout somewon they will always be here." She reached and touched Lucy's chest, right above her heart. Lucy smiled, stood up, and gathered the little girl in a tight hug.
"Thank you Sorano." She whispered to the little girl and put her down, and Lucy walked over and sat next to Yukino. "What brings you to Fairy Tail, Yukino?"
"Well, I have news from the doctor that saw you, turns out you are further along in your pregnancy than he told you. Instead of three weeks like he told you back then, you were five weeks."
Five weeks before the train wreck, so about seven weeks ago... "Seven weeks ago..." Lucy whispered quietly. The Lotus Resort! I guess all the signs make sense now... but why did I have morning sickness so early?
"Earth to Lucy." Yukino said, getting Lucy's attention again. "I also brought you a gift. Rouge got it on a job, and since no one at Sabertooth can use them I thought you might like to have them." She reached into her bag at her side and brought out a box and handed it to Lucy.
Lucy opened the box and smiled, inside of it was two jeweled keys. Their symbols were similar to each other, both had two horizontal waved lines, a vertical waved line going through the middle of the two. While one had a circle on the top of the vertical line, Hydra, the Female Water Serpent, the other had a circle on the bottom of the vertical line, Hydrus, the Male Water Serpent.
"I don't know how to thank you, Yukino."
"You can thank us by never doing something like this again." Erza cut in from behind the two women before Yukino could answer.
"Us?" Lucy looked up at Erza and saw she had a box in her hand, which she handed to Lucy.
"The jeweled one is from Cana and Bacchus, the regular one is from me." Erza told her as she opened and found two keys, one jeweled, one plain, just as Erza had said. The silver key's symbol was simple enough, th outline of a shield with a cross in the center, it was Scutum, the Shield. The jeweled key's symbol was a little more complicated. It seemed to be a quarter of a circle, a line coming from the right angel on the bottom right ending in a spiral. She racked her mind for which one it and then remembered it was Chamaeleon, the Lizard.
Lucy hadn't realized she was crying until Yukino handed her a tissue from her bag. "Oh, thanks." She wiped away her tears and looked at them. "I'm sorry, I guess its hormones." She laughed a little, and Erza and Yukino laughed with her.
"I'm glad to see that you're returning to normal Lucy." Erza said as she gave her a light hug before leaving. Lucy turned to Yukino and saw her staring longingly at the keys in front of Lucy.
"Yukino." Lucy said softly.
"What?"
"Do you want to watch as I make a contract with these ones?" Lucy asked, and Yukino smiled and nodded. "Well, come on, let's go out back." They both got up and made their way out to the training field, several people following behind them.
When Lucy got to the center of the field she turned and smiled at Yukino. "Time to meet my new friends."
As Lucy concentrated her magic she realized it was a bit unstable, it took more magic and concentration than usual to open one of the gates, but she did the group summoning anyways. In her clear voice she called out, straining some to keep her magic stable.
"I am linked to the path to the
World of Celestial Spirits, now!
O spirits, answer my call and pass through your Gates!
Open, Gate of the Shield, Scutum!
Open, Gate of the Lizard Chamaeleon!
Open, Gate of the Female Water Serpent, Hydra!
Open, Gate of the Male Water Serpent, Hydrus!"
After the normal flash of light died four spirits stood before Lucy. The first was a young woman wearing a beautiful suit of armor, reminding her of Erza's Black Wing Armor, but instead of black it was a blinding white, which matched the woman's snow white hair. She had piercing violet eyes, which were gazing steadily at Lucy, and she stepped forward and bowed.
"Greetings, Lady Lucy, I am the spirit know as Scutum, and it would be an honor to make a contract with you."
"Okay then, all I need to know is what your magic is and when you're available."
Scutum looked at her and gave her a quick smile. "My magic is defensive magic, though I am quite skilled with a sword, and I'm available whenever you call. I will take my leave now." As she left Lucy felt her magic go down some, then flinched as she felt it spike again, and quickly turned to the other spirit.
This one was a young boy, he looked about eleven, with hair and eyes that were constantly changing colors. The boy looked up at Lucy and smiled, his hair changing from deep purple to a bright lime green, his eyes changing from dark blue to stark white. He was wearing a simple black t shirt, black combat boots, a pair of baggy black camo-pants, and he had a long, scaly lizard tail coming from behind him.
"Hello, you must be Chamaeleon, my name is Lucy. Would you like to make a contract with me?" She smiled at the boy, who gave her a wide grin in return.
"Yep, though I go by Cam, Chamaeleon is a bit of a mouthful. I can use stealth magic, and I'm very skilled with projectiles. I'm available anytime, and I know you are collecting the jeweled keys, so I'll tell you who I'm related to. I'm Cancers younger cousin. I'll leave now before your magic goes even crazier than it is now." As Cam disappeared Lucy felt her magic spike again and struggled to keep standing. I will not let this beat me. I need to be stronger now. She turned her attention to the remaining spirits.
The woman had creamy white skin, bright green eyes, and dark purple hair. She appeared to be wearing a skin tight, dark purple top and a dark blue silk cloth wrapped around her waist. As she looked closer she realized the top was actually tiny scales covering her breasts and trailing down her abdomen, exposing a deep v of creamy white skin, the scales spreading out towards her hips, going under the cloth, which was split down both sides, exposing her long legs.
The man was very tanned, with messy green hair with white tips, his bright yellow eyes glowing from beneath his bangs. His toned chest was bear and he was wearing a pair of loose fitting, dark green pants that closed around his ankles. He had dark green scales starting at his neck, going across his shoulders, down his arms and ending at his wrists.
"Hello, Miss Lucy." The woman spoke in a soft voice, a cross between a hiss and a purr. "We can sense that your magic is very unstable right now so we will make this quick. My name is Hydra and I use illusion magic." Hydra then turned and glared at the man, who laughed at her expression.
"Lucy, my name is Hydrus, and I use sensory magic. I am the younger brother of Scorpio, my wife, Hydra, is the younger sister of the female part of Pieces, aunt to her male counterpart, and we are both available when you call us." Lucy could feel sweat starting to run on her forehead, and she started to feel light headed, and she saw the two spirits exchange worried looks.
"I'm sorry, Miss Lucy, but we have to leave, your magic is reaching it's limit, it's become too unstable." As they vanished Lucy stumbled, her vision blurring, and heard Yukino behind her yelling for help before the blackness overtook her.
Lucy woke up, once again in the infirmary, and saw Yukino sitting next to her.
"Wendy!" Yukino called out. "She's awake!" Lucy sat up and saw Wendy walk towards her, a concerned look in her eyes.
"What happened this time?" Lucy asked with a sigh as Wendy sat on the bed next to her.
"Due to your pregnancy your magic has become unstable. This actually happens more than you would think, especially when two powerful mages have a child together. I know that it happened with both of Erza's pregnancies and all of Mira's, and Juvia is having some trouble with her pregnancy this time." Wendy sighed and placed a hand on Lucy's knee.
"So what does it mean?"
"It just means that you'll have to limit your use of magic until you have your child. Try to use only one spirit a day if necessary, and try to stay away from your Zodiac spirits unless its an emergency." She smiled and stood. "As soon as you're feeling better you can leave, and I'm going to make an appointment with me in two weeks to see how your baby is doing."
As Wendy left Lucy let out a sigh and sat back. "I guess I can't take jobs anymore." She looked over at Yukino. "Think Mira will let me work at the bar?"
"She would be crazy not to, everyone loves you Lucy." Yukino smiled at Lucy and let out a small laugh. "I've been meaning to ask you, why aren't you wearing Laxus's ring."
Lucy sighed and her hand went to the chain around her neck, to the ring and key there. "I want him to be the one to put it on my hand."
"Oh." Yukino stared at the key on the chain for a moment. "That key is really beautiful, is it magical?"
Lucy shook her head. "No, I've already check, there isn't a trace of magic in it at all." She glanced over at Yukino. "Do you ever miss it, your magic?"
"At times, yes, but then I see Michael and I know it was worth the price. Everyone at Sabertooth remembers the accident, how Sting reacted when he was born too early, when the doctor said there was nothing we could do to save him." She gave Lucy a sad smile, and she saw a tear come from Yukino's eye. "They don't look down on me for giving it up to save him. They still accept me, and they accept him even though he has no magic. I'm just glad that I found a caring owner... no, friend, for them, they're with the rest of the Zodiac, they're with family."
Lucy smiled and her hand went to the coat pocket, pulling out a small orb, her other had going to her belt, bringing out her Zodiac key ring. "Well, if you help me figure out how to use this recording lacrima you can talk to your old friends again."
Yukino smiled. "Of course I'll help you, let me see the lacrima." Lucy smiled and passed her the lacrima, along with the keys.
Hi everyone! Sorry its taken a while for an update, but don't worry, I'll try to type a few more chapters before monday. Don't worry Laxus will make an appearence again. If you liked it please leave a review!