Hello guys! At this very moment I don't have much time to write. It seems like suddenly everyone wants to be with me on the holidays now! This is literally the only day

that I am free this week! Eurgh... socializing... yuck. I'd rather just lock myself in my room and only come out for food.

So, I don't have the time that I usually do, so I thought I'd just swap next chapters plot with this chapter, and vice versa. It's easier, because I don't need youtube to do

this chapter. So the boss fight is next week. Savvy?

Disclaimer: I hope not.

Chapter 35: Rotting and Rotten Memories

(Lucy's P.O.V)

I sighed, sipping my fast depleting coffee supply. The warm liquid ran down my throat, briefly warming me up before the fuzzy feeling faded. It wasn't too bitter, the milk made sure of that.

If there was one thing that the golden age did well, it was their coffee. Pity the knowledge of such things are lost now only to the most high class people. The coffee bean factories are too small for anyone else, so now it was a highly expensive drink.

I am a Guardian. I used to be a wizard. But I left that life behind, not by choice but by time. As a wizard, my duty was to my friends, to my family. It was a strong bond. But it wasn't strong enough. We had a staring contest and they blinked first.

They betrayed me first. I have left it behind. But now, I am a Guardian. As a Guardian, I can have friends and family, but my duty is to the people. The City. The Traveler. To take back our home. Unlike before, I have a goal now.

Before, it was peaceful but we kept looking for fights. Now, It's the opposite. We fight to have peace.

And against all the odds, I think we have a chance. Small, but a chance. And another thing about being a Guardian? We also get coffee. That alone is a great thing, and beats Fairytail's drinks any day.

Tank sank down on the chair next to me. It creaked under her weight, and she overlapped it a little, but it held. The chairs were in front of the controls, just in case we needed to manually drive the ship.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked, her voice careful as if she was walking through a minefield. I smiled tiredly.

"Nothing. When are we getting home?" She didn't press me on the subject. I'm glad she didn't. Some things I don't like being shared.

"I was thinking we could drop by the Reef? We need to show them the Gate Lord's eye." Her face darkened as she said it, as if she really didn't want to go.

"As much as I hate it, I want to get it over and done with." Wi-fi agreed. "Didn't you say that you recorded it or something?" He added as an afterthought, Glancing through the window at the black empty space.

"Oh yes! I need to show you guys. Ghost, do you still have the recording?" She sat up, and I could literally see the light bulb going off on top of her head. Oh no, that was Ghost appearing.

"Wait... let me see... yes. It's here. Do you want me to show you?" Ghost asked Tank, and she nodded.

We all turned to the mission board in the top corner. The picture of our solar system flickered once, twice, before being replaced by a high definition quality recording. It started playing.

It started with a pale skinny man leaning over a lithe woman, who was sitting on a giant chair with two Vandals next to her. They whispered for a few seconds, before splitting.

The thin man walked towards the camera. It continued on from that, and overall nothing too special happened.

The thin man was an asshole. The queen less of an asshole than her brother. Tank was being her normal self. Nothing much else to tell.

After the clip finished, Wi-fi walked up to Tank, put his hand on her shoulder, and said:

"You're right. He is a douche." Tank looked like she heartily agreed, and then glared at the frozen picture of Edward (As she named him) on the screen were the recording had stopped.

"What were they whispering about though?" I asked, a little curious. It looks like the video was started right in the middle of their conversation.

"Good question." Ghost started the video again, this time amplifying the sound of the whispers. I don't know how he did it, but he's Ghost so he got the job done.

We could now clearly hear them talking.

"She'll never make it." The Queen stated calmly, glancing briefly at Tank.

"I know. But it is a way to get rid of her." Edward persuaded. Tank hissed and scowled.

"Stupid stick. I made it fine!" She cried indignantly.

"She seems familiar, but I don't know where from." The Queen told her brother, deep in thought.

"I'm going to tell her how to get there." The Queen continued, then he got up and the conversation was finished.

Ghost paused it, and turned to us.

"That was very interesting." Wi-fi said dryly.

"Yes. Not too important." I added after him. All we have learned is that they underestimate us, and we give them deja vu.

Tank nodded, deep in thought. She looked a lot like the Queen when she did that.

"I... guess it wasn't important." She finalized, and the board flickered back to it's default screen.

"We should go then." Ghost turned to disappear, but I stopped him.

"Wait!" I yelled, stretching out a hand to a surprised and confused Ghost hovering.

"Wait. Can you guys drop me off on Earth?" I looked down. It's not that I didn't like their company, it's just that I needed some alone time right now.

"Why?" He said back.

"It's just... I want to go back to Magnolia." I didn't want to say anything else. It still hurt saying it, and I only just eased up myself on thinking about it.

There was a moment of silence. The only sound was the whirring of the engine and Ghost's clicking.

"I understand. We'll pick you up when we are done." Tank smiled and I took another sip of coffee. I almost forgot about it, so it was nearly cold. No longer was the warm fuzzy feeling.

I was going to go back home. No, it wasn't my home anymore. My home is the vast rusty wastes of Earth and it's colonies. The crater filled landscape of the moon. The wild and humid jungles of Venus. And under the Traveler. That is where my home is now. I am just visiting memories.

The ship did a U-turn, and I could see the beautiful green and blue planet fast approaching.

I finished the cup in the next few gulps, draining it completely. I needed adrenaline to get through this, but it is my choice.

"You don't have to do this." Tank said gently, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"No, I don't." I agreed, but made no move to stop my actions. I didn't like my decision, but I don't want to block out my past. It happened, and I'm not about to ignore that.

The ship landed softly, and I was transported outside. Once I was out, still with the cup, I watched the ship fly away into the blue until I couldn't see it anymore.

I steeled myself for having to turn around. I don't want to forget it.

I turned slowly, looking at the landscape before me. Just like before, it was a mess.

It stank of rotting meat, and nothing looked the same. Crows and rats ran away when I laid my eyes on them.

I knew that the meat smell was from tourists. This place had been a tourist attraction, and before that, a historical site, before everything turned to crap.

Not even Mavis could have prevented that disaster. And even so, all my friends have already rotted and are buried under the soil at this very moment.

They never had a chance. No, they did have a chance. They had a snowball's chance in hell.

I huffed at my own joke.

It looked like I was in front of the guild. I didn't want to look down at their graves. My dead friends. I miss them. Next to Natsu's there was the one that I knew by instinct was Lisanna's, they always seemed close. I couldn't feel happy about them when Lisanna betrayed me, turning my family against me. The writing was faded and you couldn't read anything on it.

The Fairytail sign had lost most of the letters. The sign in front said that the experts believe that it was the first pub, and thought it spelled Fair Ale. How funny.

I don't like standing here. I turned back and almost on autopilot made my way down the docks.

I stood on the edge of it, hoping in vain that some fisherman will call out to me and tell me to be careful.

I could almost hear them. It's strange how I've been alive and conscious for so long, I still remember so much about my past.

I remember every detail. Either it be a gift or a curse. Probably a curse.

The water wasn't pretty and blue anymore. It was a murky brown, and it didn't flow. I don't want to touch it and put my feet in it anymore. What died in there? Actually, don't answer that.

My apartment was coming up. I wanted to stop, to run away like I've been doing recently. But I don't.

I turned the corner, and I saw my home. It brought tears to my eyes.

The roof was gone. The top floor was scattered across the road as debri. Windows smashed, doors gone. If I hadn't known it's exact location, I wouldn't have recognized it.

I sobbed but didn't cover my eyes or try to wipe it away. It wouldn't do anything.

I stepped over smashed glass and entered the building. Most of the wood had rotted, and none of the furniture was there. Nothing at all. It was empty, broken space. Just like me.

I didn't bother walking up the stairs. It ended in nothing, and I could see the sky. Moss clung to the walls that remained. I nearly stepped over a body of a tourist that was in the living room.

It was a complete mess.

I saw something flash in the corner of my eye. What was that? I walked closer. it was underneath the floorboards.

I didn't have anything left to lose, so I ripped it out with my hands. I got splinters all over my palms, but I don't care. Why should I? It'll heal.

It was a book. No, it was a diary. A pink diary. But what was even more peculiar was that it was not aged. It looked completely new.

I opened it. Diary entries. Every page had a diary entry. Who had this diary? And why did I find it here?

I looked at the back page and read it.

This will be my last entry. I've lived a good life. I don't have much longer. At the moment I'm on my deathbed.

It was long, and I don't regret any of it. Edolas, the GMG, Tenrou island... I had so many adventures.

I've passed on all of my skills now. There is no more reason for me to live. I'll join my beloved husband under the Earth. To you who is reading this...

Nothing is lost. Don't give up hope. If you lie and cheat, you can win anything.

Lisanna. It had to be her. Who else would take my house, my life, Natsu, from me? Disgusting. All my tears came back in an angry, frustrated flow.

"AAARGH!" I screamed, sending birds flying.

It's not fair! She took everything from me, why does she get a happy ending!? She stole my life and because of her I was left in an ice berg for 2000 years.

I wish she'd died a worse death. I hate her.

I sniffled, and I felt no more reason to be here. I got up and started walking back to the drop off point, where they would also pick me up.

I never should have come here. This place is no longer a place of friendship, happiness and love. It is a place of rotting memories of lost people. Decaying happiness. Dead love. I had nothing left here. It had all rotted away a long, long time ago.

Phew, I'm finished. It got a bit angsty, didn't it? I had fun writing this. I have fun writing sad scenes. Because I am a horrible person.

Thankyou for reading! I'll update this again as soon as I can. :)

Pineapple out.