Have a holly jolly Christmas darlings! I haven't planned a Christmas special chapter... Maybe I will make a little thing for New Year... who knows ;)
But now, let's go back to Fiore, where it's April (and not December!)
We left Cobra, Gajeel and Lily in Era, and Dalila has finally awaken in Fairy Tail infirmary...
Morgana sends you kisses and hopes you enjoy this chapter!
XOXO
Almost lunchtime, Fairy Tail guild hall...
It was almost lunchtime, and the guild hall was noisy as always, but Lucy was too busy with her thoughts to pay attention to it.
Little after the Thunder Legion had left the infirmary, Porlyusica had rushed Lucy and Master Makarov out of her territory as well. "I will call you as soon as she is able to talk with someone." had muttered the healer, waving them towards the door. "I understood the First wants to speak with her when she wakes up, am I right Makarov?"
"Yes Porlyusica." had said the Master, while he and Lucy were being pulled harshly outside the infirmary. "Just tell us when she wakes up. We will give the child some time to-" "Yes, yes. Now, out!"
The door of the infirmary was slammed closed behind them.
"When are we going to tell the others, Master?" asked Lucy, as they went into the hallway and in the guild hall. It was still early in the morning, but Mirajane had arrived a few minutes ago, and was polishing some glasses behind the bar counter.
Makarov sighed. "I am not keeping the child hidden from the rest of the guild of course. But for the first couple of days, I would prefer if Dalila can rest. I will tell Mirajane about her for now, and then we will wait a few days before breaking the news." Makarov features had darkened slightly, as he added. "I confess you I am glad it was us that found her, Lucy."
Lucy frowned. "Why do you say so, Master?"
"Because dragon slayer magic is very powerful. A lonely child can be easily manipulated." Makarov voice had trembled with anger. "I am thinking about Jemma, how he influenced Sting and Rogue, and..." Makarov voice had trailed off, but Lucy had felt Cobra's unspoken name suspended between them.
It was true, thought Lucy, now sipping a pomegranate smoothie Mirajane just gave her. It had been pure luck that the Thunder Legion had been called by the owner of the mine where Dalila had been lying for so long. Hadn't she had the Fairy Tail guild mark on her tight, or had the news of her finding spread around... Lucy shook her head. Those thoughts were doing nothing but made her angry and preoccupied. Her hand run at the key holder at her side. The feeling of the magic enclosed in the small pocket gave her the force to put aside those perspectives. Let's not think about the worst, she smiled at herself, Right now we have many things to think about... We will work out a solution, as always!
Her eyes trailed on the guild hall. Mirajane was already serving the fourth mugs of beer of the day to Macao and Wakaba. Romeo was nowhere to be seen - probably he was training somewhere. Levy must be still home - there were a few tomes she wanted to study, she had told Lucy a few days before. Maybe I can get Levy to help me with Dalila... Maybe Dalila likes to read as well...
On that moment, Max entered from the door and immediately asked Mirajane about Natsu. Luckily, Natsu had yet to burst from the door. I wonder why he is not here yet... Maybe he went training with Romeo?
Lucy chuckled to herself. Was Dalila going to get used to the fights in Fairy Tail? If she decides to stay, reminded herself the Celestial mage.
At the board that held the work request, Nab was carefully looking at them, probably helping Elfman and Lisanna, who were standing right behind him. Reedus was at the bar, talking to Kinana, who seemed to feel a little better than yesterday.
Makarov had said to Lucy that she was free to talk to her team mates. "There is nothing to hide, after all. Just remember that they can get very... Enthusiastic." Makarov had grinned.
The little Master and Lucy had informed Mirajane of the sleeping dragon slayer laying in the infirmary. "Oh my Mavis!" had exclaimed Mira, her hands on her mouth. "This is why I encountered Freed so early in the morning on my way here. He was going home, but he looked exhausted! Well, I hope Dalila will wake up soon... Lucy, if you need anything, let me know!" had smiled the barmaid.
So, Lucy had been sitting on the usual table of her team for the whole morning - but she hadn't been inactive. First of all, she had asked Virgo to prepare a list of all the things Dalila might need, starting from shampoo and conditioner - Such long hair, Virgo! - to flip-flops and socks.
Mirajane had been fuelled the Celestial mage with treats all the morning - "That's on the house for today, Lucy! You are on a mission for Master Makarov!" - and Lucy had received, in the order, an iced frappuccino with whipped cream on top, a strawberry smoothie, two slices of Mirajane special chocolate cake, a few candies, and the newest experiment of the barmaid, that very pomegranate smoothie that the Celestial mage was ready to put as her second favourite drink. The first, was going to be strawberry smoothie, always.
Right when Mirajane was retrieving the empty glass - and placing in front of Lucy a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of orange juice, Erza and Gray entered the guild hall. Lucy waved, and the two mages went sitting next to her.
"Hello Lucy!" smiled Erza, "We have met Wendy and Charle on the way. They are busy shopping today. Charle needs some new dresses."
"I wonder why Happy doesn't use any t-shirt or trousers?" asked Gray yawning.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Gray, why don't you wear a t-shirt?"
Gray looked at his bare torso and groaned. "Crap. I forgot to dress!"
"Mh, are you planning to go shopping?" asked Erza, looking at the long list that Lucy just wrote with the help of Virgo, that was lying next to her on the table. "This a long list."
"Oh, it is not for me!" Lucy took a bite of his cookie. "It is for-" "Gray!" yelled Max from the other part fo the guild. "Wrestle me!"
"What the hell do you want, sand man?" yelled Gray back, rising from his seat, leaving behind his trousers in the process.
"Oh, well..." chuckled Lucy, as Gray and Max, and for some strange reasons also Elfman, started a brawl right in the middle of the hall. "I will tell Gray another moment. You see Erza, yesterday I had a talk with Master Makarov..."
As Lucy went on telling Erza about Dalila and her story - the meeting with the First and Warrod ninety years ago, the collapse of the mine and the crystal prison she had been slept in for almost a century - the Requip mage went from incredulous, to confused, to incredulous again, to totally bewildered.
"This is... incredible, Lucy." Erza finally said. "Her is a very sad story. However, she is lucky to be alive, and I will be happy if she finds a home in Fairy Tail. There are five dragon slayers here already!"
Erza was currently eating the third strawberry cake slice. During Lucy's tale, she had mindlessly kept asking Mira for more. Not that she minded. Strawberry cake was a blessing in this world, and Erza was going to cherish it as much as she could. And Erza was going to have a proper lunch afterwards as well. Because at the end of lunch there is dessert, which meant strawberry cake again.
"Yes, you are right." Lucy nodded, "Master wanted to help for the first months. She has no money, no home, and doesn't know anything about this world." Lucy lowered her head. "She just lost her family and friends, and there is no one left alive who she can go to."
Erza munched slowly the last piece of cake. Lucy's word slowly sunk into her. 'There is no one left alive who she can go to...'
Erza let her eyes travel around the guild hall, looking at her guild mates chatting and fighting... And she remembered the first time she entered Fairy Tail. She was young, much younger than Dalila actually, but alone as her. A young, scared child, who new nothing about magic, family freedom.
And then... There, at the guild, she had found a family. She had met Gray, Natsu, Mira, Lisanna and Elfman, and later on Cana, and Lucy and Wendy, and all the others... Now they were one family. She loved each one of them so deeply, and cared for them...
"Erza?"
Lucy calling out her name distracted Erza from her thoughts. "Sorry. I was not paying attention. What were you saying?"
"Only that, after adjusting to her new life, she will need to learn dragon slayer magic..."
"Who is a dragon slayer?" asked Gray, coming back on that exact moment, and putting his trousers back.
"Right!" Erza nodded. "We should ask Wendy about that, I do not see Natsu very inclined to-" her sentence was cut off from a loud bang.
Splinters of wood went flying around, as the guild door was destroyed and a huge, burning blaze invaded the guild hall. Everyone screamed in fear, and Lucy, Erza and Gray run under the table.
"Oh my stars, what was that?" cried Lucy, searching with her eyes the smoke and the dust entering through the smashed door.
"Who the hell are you?" screamed Gray, throwing his trousers behind him. How did he manage to get them off again while rushing under the table, was beyond Lucy's understanding.
"What do you want, popsicle?" a figure emerged from the shadow, his bare chest covered with a slim jacket, a white scarf wrapped around his neck, and a large grin on his face.
"Natsu!" shouted Lucy and Erza at the same time.
"Lucy, I have been looking for you the whole morning!" dodging Max sand wave enchantment, Natsu jumped right in front of their table. "Why are you all under a table?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Because you destroyed the door once more, you idiot!" yelled Gray.
"Think about your pants first!" retorted Natsu, a fist already covered with fire.
"Hi Luuushyyy! Hi Erza!" Happy came flying towards the hole left from the door. "Natsu destroyed the fountain in front of the guild!"
"Is there a fountain in front of the guild?" asked Erza, already on her feet, dusting her armour and glaring at the two mages next to her.
"I am going to freeze you flame brain!" "Make me, princess!"
"They are putting one in the square right here." Lucy crawled away from Natsu and Gray, and run safely behind Erza. "I think is a gift from the mayor or something," she explained "for the Grand Magic Games... They had just finished to work at it a few days ago."
"I see." Erza didn't comment that Master would have to probably pay for it, even if it was a gift from the mayor.
"We were looking for you, Lucy! Where have you been?" Happy asked pointedly. "We came at your place this morning, but you were already gone!"
"I was at the guild. Master had a special task for me!" Lucy smiled. "I was telling Erza a while ago. There is a girl who-" as Erza before her, Lucy was not able to finish the sentence. The table where they were hiding a second before, was sent flying up to the ceiling by a huge ice pillar, missing Lucy for a few inches.
Lucy screamed again in terror and closed her eyes, ready to feel the table landing on her head and crushing it. Erza shouted something, and one of her blades was sent up to the flying table, pinning it to the ceiling.
"Now," said Erza, glaring menaciously at Natsu and Gray, who froze on the spot in terrified silence, "What were we saying?"
"That there is a girl!" said Happy.
"Ah yes!" Lucy said with shaking voice, opening her eyes and looking up at the table, transfixed on the ceiling by Erza's sword. "Actually, she is about Erza's age, so she is a woman... The Thunder Legion found her, and brought her to Fairy Tail-" "Is Laxus back?" shouted Natsu beaming, interrupting Lucy one more time. "Can I fight him?"
"No, Natsu!" growled Lucy. She was starting to lose her patience.
However, next to her, Titania had already lost the little patience she possessed. "Natsu," she hissed, grabbing the fire dragon slayer by the hair "If you do not shut up and listen, I am going to get very mad! This is an important matter! The Thunder Legion found a dragon slayer that has been sleeping in a crystal for almost a century! She is an old friend of Mavis, and-" "WHAT? A dragon slayer?"
It was not Natsu lucky day. Erza didn't like to be interrupted as much as Lucy, but she used a highly efficient educational method to teach her guild mates how to shut up when someone else was speaking. With a single movement of her arm, she smashed Natsu onto the floor.
"Ouch! What was that for?" whined the fire slayer.
"For being an idiot as always!" shouted Erza.
"A dragon slayer, really?" Happy asked with amazement. "Is she going to join Fairy Tail? Does she have an exceed too?"
"No, she has not an exceed, Happy... And I do not know if she will join Fairy Tail, after she wakes up!" Lucy shook her head. "She had been sleeping for so long, and had lost her family and friends... We will help her as much as we can, of course, but Master wants her to be free to decide whether to stay or not!"
"But she is alone, right? What can she do?" Gray raised and eyebrow. He had been missing the whole recount Lucy had given Erza, but he grasped the main idea. That there was a girl who was totally left to herself and had nowhere to go. What have we all been before joining Fairy Tail, after all?
Erza brought Natsu on his feet. "She will make her own choices, Gray. But if she decides to stay, we will be happy to welcome her, right Natsu?"
"Yes, sure!" Natsu swallowed under Erza's heavy glare.
Erza released the fire dragon slayer with a satisfied smile. "Good. Is she still sleeping, Lucy?"
"Yes." Lucy nodded, "and no Natsu, before you ask, you can't fight her. Not now, at least."
"Uff." Natsu huffed. But inside him, his mind was running wild. A new dragon slayer? Wow, that was awesome! That would be good if she stayed at Fairy Tail. If she had hadn't had a dragon parent, they could have taught her dragon slayer magic! Finally, Wendy will not be the only girl with dragon slayer power! And what was her element?
Natsu was about to ask which kind of dragon slayer the new girl was, when Mirajane came running towards them. "Lucy, Lucy!" she panted "Dalila woke up!"
"Really?" a rustle of excitement run on the group. They all looked excitedly at each other. She was awake!
"When?" asked Lucy.
"A couple of hours ago. Porlyusica was there, and then Dalila talked with the First. I think the First told her, you know..." Mirajane looked at Lucy with a sad look, "Everything."
Lucy nodded thoughtfully, and took a shaky breath. Now it was her turn. "How does she feel? Can I go?" she asked Mirajane.
"Yes." answer the barmaid. "I think Porlyusica is giving her something to eat. She said that she needs to eat a lot, she has lost a lot of strength and weight."
Lucy turned to her teammates. Gray gave her thumbs up. "You will do well, Lucy!"
"Call us if you need some support." Erza smiled.
"Can I come, Lucy?" "No Happy," giggled the Celestial mage, "Master orders! We need to do baby steps with her!"
"Oi Lucy!" Natsu grabbed her hand. "Call us if you need, ok?"
The fire dragon slayer was curious about the new slayer - Dalila was her name, right? - but he understood Master regards. If he was thrown a hundred years from now, he would have needed a lot of time to adjust. And to realise what just happened. He grinned at Lucy. She is the best one for this job!
Lucy smiled back. Natsu was... well, boisterous, to say the least. But she was sure he had understood the situation. "I promise, Natsu, don't you worry." she chuckled.
"Good." Natsu let her follow Mirajane through the guild hall. "Ehi Lucy, wait," he called, "I want to come as-" "Certainly you are not! Sword Retrieving!"
With that enchantment, the sword that kept the table pinned at the ceiling fell back into Erza's hand. The Requip mage pointed it towards Natsu, and Gray. "What have I done!" protested the naked Ice mage.
"You two will stay here, as Master ord-" unfortunately, Erza was destined to be interrupted another time that day.
Finally free from its constraint, from its place against the ceiling, the table fell exactly onto the Requip mage head, crushing her down to the floor.
"Uh-oh..." Natsu and Gray looked at each other, before slowly backing away from the red-headed, raging monster that was growling in between the splinters of the table.
At the infirmary...
Dalila was staring at nothing in particular.
She had been talking with Mavis - or, with her ghost - for an hour. She was still not believing what Mavis told her. Her family, gone? Her friends, all the people she knew in Linveland, were no more? Ninety years have passed, and she had been slept, suspended in time, under debris and rocks? This must be some sort of joke.
Mavis had been crying a lot, and even Dalila had shed a few tears. But the news was so unbelievable, so shocking, she had yet to process it.
Thrut was that she had never felt so sore in her life. It was also true that she felt, somehow, different. So, maybe the whole 'dragon lacryma' thing was true. Whatever a dragon lacryma is.
And part of Dalila was telling her that Mavis was not lying to her. Her eyes, scanning the room, saw architectures and materials she had never seen. The bedsheets were made of a strange texture, soft and silky, that had no comparison with the rough cotton she had known for her whole life. And finally, the healer, Porlyusica, was dressed in a way Dalila had never seen.
My parents would have been already here, was a recurrent thought, that Dalila's mind kept pushing away.
She tried to concentrate and hear the sounds around her, as she was expecting from any moment a known, familiar voice calling her name, but all she could hear was some foreign voices, screaming behind the close doors of the infirmary.
Porlyusica had assured her that the door was thick enough, and that no sounds could disturb the quietness in the infirmary, but even so, Dalila could make that outside, someone was making a hell of a noise. Crashes and bangs were sounding from time to time.
Dalila could also hear the birds chirping from outside the window. Maybe there is a tree right outside, she thought, twisting her neck, trying to peek the outside world.
Unfortunately, her bed was too far from the window, and the only thing she was seeing was a small triangle of blue sky.
It must be late morning, thought Dalila, looking at the golden light illuminating the wooden floor.
She let her head fall on the pillow again, and went on rummaging all that her old friend had said.
Dalila decided she wasn't believing it. Me? A mage? Yep, definitively not believing it. It was too bewildering, too incredible. It can't be true. And then, another question was ponding in her mind. What is a 'dragon slayer'?
Porlyusica exited from a small room next to the infirmary. She had been in there while Dalila and Mavis talked, and since the ghost vanished, the old healer had been in and out constantly, muttering incomprehensible words and carrying with her different ingredients and herbs.
Dalila had not paid much attention to her coming and going. When she first woke up, Porlyusica had done nothing but telling her her name and commanded her to listen to Mavis. Moreover, the old woman was looking at the young woman every now and then with such a stern frown, Dalila assumed she wasn't one for chatting. But that didn't make her feel unwelcomed in the infirmary, though.
Porlyusica had called Mavis 'the First', Dalila was not sure why. Mavis had told her nothing about her guild, she only spoke of what happened in Linveland after the collapse of the tunnel and after Dalila had been declared missing. I have been missing for ninety years... Everyone had believed she had died. How is it possible that they didn't found me?
Mavis and Warrod power magic had not been enough, and Mavis had told her that the techniques used for digging were powerless against the wall of rocks that blocked the entrance. Everyone believed that there was no chance that she was alive, and after a few weeks, researches stopped, and the mine was definitively closed.
What happened to my parents? To my sister? To my friends? Had really life moved forward, without her?
A loud rumble from her stomach pushed those considerations aside. It must be midday indeed, Dalila thought one more time. She started to feel slightly hungry.
"Here." a cold voice cut in, making her flinch. Porlyusica was next to her bed, and was giving to her a small pot, with a reddish liquid inside.
Dalila sat on the bed. Even such a small movement was hard. "Thanks." murmured. Damn, she felt her throat so sore, as she had not been talking in years. Which, according to Mavis, is exactly the case.
Dalila stretched out an arm - she had never felt so weak, really - when Porlyusica huffed and placed the pot right in between her legs. "You are still very weak, young dragon slayer." said the healer, placing a spoon inside the pot and immediately busying herself again with her strange potions. "That will help you recover faster."
Dalila felt many different smells running up her nose, and sneezed. The red liquid smelled of a mixture of tomato and pumpkin, with some spices Dalila didn't know. She tried to focus solely on the pot and the spoon in her lap. Her hand felt numb when she grabbed the spoon, and started to stir whatever was in the pot. My hands... She didn't trust to lift a spoonful to her mouth. They feel so weak...
A lump formed in her throat, sudden and unexpected. Anguish rushed over her, and overwhelming urge to just lay down and cry all her tears. Where am I? What happened? What the hell is a dragon slayer?
"Eat." ordered the healer once more, apparently not aware that Dalila was ready to burst into tears.
Dalila stared angrily at her back, vision blurred. Hot tears run onto the cheeks, as she lowered her head.
I want to go home, she silently pleaded, I don't want to stay in here. But her silent prayers were unheard by the still air in the room and by the tinkling of cups and glasses.
The wind outside started blowing. Dalila heard the trees rattle and a twig, torn from the the main branch, hit the frame of the window with a loud thud. The sound caught Porlyusica attention, and she turned, staring at the dragon slayer sitting in her bed, as if the wind blowing was her fault.
Which is totally possible, considered Porlyusica, as this young woman is the wind dragon slayer.
Dalila didn't see staring at her, for the newborn dragon slayer had her chin almost touching her chest, not wanting to be seen crying like a baby. The features of the healer softened. Her hard, red eyes were no more distant, but full of compassion and understanding. Young woman... She is like a small child right now.
Porlyusica knew, better than many others and better than many though her capable of, what it was to be alone in a foreign world. And she knew that the feeling was far from easy to deal with. And the girl - not girl, woman, she reminded herself - looked more like a lost child than like one of the powerful, lively dragon slayers that were at the guild. Even Wendy had looked less terrified and alone when team Natsu brought her to Fairy Tail. But of course, Wendy knew how to master her power, and she had Charle at her side. Her whole life had not been ripped away from her in the blink of an eye.
Dalila was struggling not to cry - she hated to cry - when a napkin was shoved onto her face.
"Here."
Dalila looked up at Porlyusica, who was holding the napkin. She took it slowly, murmuring a 'thank you'.
But the healer was not done. Porlyusica took a deep breath, before speaking again. "I am not good in comforting others, young Dalila. But I will tell you this." she cleared her throat "Whether you feel scared or wretched now, you should not forget that you are a survivor, and be grateful for that." Porlyusica hated long speeches. She always tried to sum up all the things she wanted to tell in a sentence. "At Fairy Tail there are others with your magic, and every mage here is willing to help you, anyway. Master Makarov himself wants you to find as much support as possible. I see you have many questions, but you have plenty of time to get your answers."
Dalila slowly nodded. That was a little comforting. But tears didn't stop coming out from her eyes, despite how much she tried to keep them back.
"I will not tell you to not cry." added the healer, in a more gentle tone. "But I recommend to avoid useless regrets and bearing yourself with weights you aren't meant to carry." Porlyusica let out a small smile. "Despite many forget that, I have also been thrown in this world against my will, somehow. So, my best advice, is to not look behind you too much."
Those words had little meaning for Dalila at the moment, but they made her breath a little easily. At least, it was something comforting - more comforting than Mavis tears and words of sorrow.
And, weren't she dealing with the fact that all the people she knew were dead, she would have voiced her agreement to the old healer. Dalila had always looked at what was in front of her, playing her cards as best as she could, not caring if her hand was good or bad. And if this was another trial, part of her raised her head and gritted her teeth, ready to test herself.
Porlyusica must had seen the determination in those grey eyes, as tears lessen. "Good." the healer went to the door of the infirmary, a hand on the doorknob. "Now, there are many mages in this guild, as I just told you, but Makarov wants you to be introduced to one in particular. She is one of the last mages that joined us."
Without waiting for Dalila to dry her eyes, and adjust the dress she was wearing, that was definitely too big for her, Porlyusica opened the door.
If Dalila was expecting a tall, strong woman, with a big hat and a black cloak, and a staff glimmering with magic in her hands, she was disappointed. What she saw was a girl, a few years younger than her maybe, with big, gentle brown eyes, peeking inside the room.
"Good morning Porlyusica," she said softly, tugging a blonde strand behind her ear. "May I come in?"
Her tone was polite and her voice clear. The blonde stepped inside, and Porlyusica closed hastily the door behind her, as if she feared some other invader could sneak into the infirmary. The blonde chuckled, and then her eyes landed on the wind dragon slayer.
Lucy neared the bed where Dalila was sitting. What she saw moved her deeply: Dalila had her long, fair hair, falling around her shoulders and back, despite the braid Lucy had made a few hours before, and was staring back at her with puffy, grey eyes.
Ok. Time to go, thought Lucy. She hadn't really asked herself how to properly greet the now awaken dragon slayer, so she opted for the easiest option. She stretched out her hand, enough for Dalila to reach but without getting too close to the bed. Careful not to look too cheerful, and not too gloomy at the same time, Lucy greeted her with a small smile "Hello. My name is Lucy Heartfilia. Nice to meet you!"
"I will be in there, if you need me." Porlyusica disappeared behind the small room she used to go back and forth from. However, both of the girls seemed too busy studying each other to notice her absence. Porlyusica allow herself a small chuckle as she closed the small door behind herself. Lucy had been a smart move from Makarov. She was the right person to introduce Dalila to Fairy Tail, and to the new world she was going to live in. Well done, Makarov. Well done.
Automatically, Dalila extended her own hand and shook the one that was outstretched onto her. "Dalila von Altzner. Nice to meet you too." Dalila looked up into those chocolate eyes, and she saw... Understanding, a silent hug, a mute comfort. What she needed right now. The lump in her throat seemed to ease a little, and she took a shaky breath, and she shook Lucy's hands weakly.
Lucy smile grew a little. "May I sit here while you have lunch?" she asked.
Dalila nodded, although she was not very sure if she was able to have lunch properly.
Lucy sat awkwardly on the bed, careful not to sit onto one of the thin slayer ankles. She looked as Dalila lingered a few moments looking at her face, taking in her features and expression, she felt a little under examination.
She stiffened, and Dalila immediately averted her gaze. "I am sorry." she murmured, "I feel still a little numb." Which was quite a euphemism to say she was processing the shocking news Mavis had thrown to her a couple of hours ago, and now was trying to eat with a spoon she was too leak to use. Moreover, Lucy's skirt was too above her knees not to catch her attention, and Dalila was sure she had never seen so much exposed skin on someone chest. Do I have to dress like that?
Oddly enough, that thought, so out of the blue and so inappropriate in her situation, made her lips stop quivering. Not that she minded how Lucy was dressed. She could have come inside the room dressed like a clown, and that would have been perfectly fine with her. Maybe not a clown. Clowns are scary. Dalila grimace, but her smile grew a little more. Yes, she had always been a little afraid of clown, with all that make up that you couldn't see their faces.
"No worries." Lucy smiled brightly as Dalila face relaxed. "Take your time! I don't want to rush you!"
"Thanks." Dalila stirred the red soup into the bowl. "Even holding a spoon is a difficult task right now." she chuckled to herself, as she held the full spoon a few inches above the liquid.
Lucy looked around, humming something. She doubted that Dalila would allow her to feed her - it would have been embarrassing for both of them - but maybe...
"A straw?" asked the two girls together.
They stopped and looked at each other with wide eyes. The tension in the air suddenly broke, and Lucy laughed openly. The sound was like a ringing bell, that seemed to wake up Dalila from her dull stupor, tearing part of the veil of somber and sorrow wrapped around her.
Dalila laughed with Lucy, her own laugh easing a little more her tightening chest. She thought that her grief could wait for a little more, and pushed the dialogue with Mavis in a corner of her mind. Not looking behind me too much, I hope. She was going to face whatever was behind her after lunch, she decided.
Lucy on the other hand, was relieved when she heard the jingle of the wind dragon slayer laugh.
"Ah, a good laugh is always good." she said, smiling broadly, and, Dalila noticed, more naturally.
"Yes. I think I needed that." The dragon slayer found the strength to finally lift the spoon, and gulped as the liquid went down her throat. Spicy! she coughed.
"Do you want me to ask Porlyusica a straw?" asked Lucy, looking at Dalila red face and teary eyes - now for a very different reasons. Maybe next time I should ask Mira to cook for her... Surely Porlyusica was a great healer, but in the kitchen...
"No, it's ok. It's just.. very savoury." Dalila coughed once more. "I think I can manage." she giggled. She took another spoonful. It was good, even if it was very, very spicy and salty.
Lucy chuckled at the dragon slayer reaction. In the pot there was plain tomato soup. But maybe Dalila was not used to their diet. Dalila ate another mouthful, and Lucy averted her gaze from her. There was no need to stare while she was eating.
Well, maybe we could do something, while she eats. she thought. An idea popped in her mind. She pulled out her key holder, and showed it to Dalila. "I know you just woke up and there are many things you might want to ask," Lucy started, "but while you eat and get back into shape, would you like to see a little bit of magic?"
Magic.. Real magic? Dalila stood with her mouth wide open for a second, as her excitement spiked up, before rushing "Yes, sure! I mean... are you a mage?"
"Yes, of course!" smiled Lucy, amused by her child-like reaction. No wonders she is so excited... She must have never seen magic before! Lucy remembered that Dalila was abducted by villains a little after she met Mavis and Warrod-sama. There was the chance they had little time to show her their magic, considering they were on a mission to rescue some missing civilians. "I am a Celestial mage!"
Dalila had no idea what a Celestial mage was. "I see," she smiled, trying to be as polite as possible. Maybe Celestial magic was something that was very common? "I am afraid I never met one."
"Uh, I am sorry!" Lucy, you are an idiot! Lucy mentally slapped herself. Dalila knew nothing about magic! She had to start from scratch. Not that Lucy minded - she liked to talk about her magic, and her Spirits, a lot.
"Celestial magic allows me to summon Celestial Spirits, who are magical beings residing in the Celestial Spirit World." Lucy started explaining, lifting the keys in front of her. "To call them, I use the Keys of their respective Gates. Would you like to meet one of them?"
Dalila nodded frantically, even if the words 'keys' and 'gates' had little meaning for her. But it didn't mattered. The enthusiastic look on Lucy's face when she picked up her keys was enough to light her interest. "I would be glad! If it is not much trouble for you, obviously!"
Lucy looked at her keys. If it was one of the first time Dalila saw magic, it was better to start smoothly. She didn't need the wind dragon slayer to be drowned by Acquarius, or frightened by Taurus or Scorpio. Well, Taurus is more likely to embarrass me... she thought with a grimace. Finally, she took one of her silver keys. Holding it right in front of her, she waved it in the air and chanted: "Nikora! Open, gate of the Canis Minor!"
Dalila looked stupefied as a thin pillar of golden light appeared in between them, and a second later... "Puun!"
"Hello Plue!" smiled Lucy happily, as what looked more like a snowman than a dog jumped happily in her lap.
"How did you-Form where..." Dalila looked frantically around. "How did it come here?"
"They come directly from the Celestial Realm." Lucy said softly, caressing Plue on the head. She noticed how Dalila was leaning towards the small spirit, studying it closely, with a look that Lucy believed could only be seen in children. So precious... she giggled to herself. "Do you want to hold it?"
Plue seemed not to protest too much as the Celestial mage grabbed him under his tiny arms and passed to Dalila.
Until now, Lucy had believed Dalila was a kind girl. She looked polite, and her shyness and child-like grimaces reminded her of a mixture of Wendy and Levy. However, it was the reaction of Dalila at Plue that made Lucy start really to become fond of the wind dragon slayer.
As soon as Lucy handed her Plue, Dalila had frozen. "Is it ok for it to come to me?" she asked in a whisper.
Lucy heart skipped a bit. Was really Dalila considering Plue as a living being, not as an object as many other mages? "Yes, sure." she said.
Dalila stretched out her hands and took carefully Plue. Lucy had the smartness of taking the pot from her legs and place it on the nightstand, right before Dalila pour all of it onto the floor, for the dragon slayer had absolutely been enchanted by the small spirit and was not paying much attention to anything else. "Hello, little one. How are you doing?"
"Puuun, Pun Puuun!" Plue chanted happily, snuggling onto her stomach.
"He said he is good!" translated Lucy. "Pun Puun!" "And he says you smell good?"
"Do I?" Dalila had to resist the temptation to smell herself. That would have been quite impolite. I have not yet taken a shower... She felt a good bath would have done wonders. Mumbling a few more compliments, she continued to scratch the spirit head and back, while Lucy explained to her how Celestial Magic worked. "Once they have a key, Celestial Mages call the Spirit and made a contract with him or her. For instance, Plue is available for me to summon on certain days, in which he will fight on my side and perform several tasks for me."
"Wait, do you use them to fight?" asked Dalila with a look of horror. That white, furry ball in her lap, fighting?
Lucy waved her hands in front of her. "Oh no no, Plue is not done for fighting. But other spirits are. And sometimes I ask them several other favours... Or sometimes they just open their gates and come at me." admitted Lucy embarrassed. She didn't want to say that Virgo had come a week ago all by herself to do Lucy's laundry, because Lucy had been busy with a job longer than expected, and Virgo couldn't stand the emptiness of her wardrobe and drawers. She had not been mad at her Spirit, but still...
"You know, Celestial Spirits have varying levels of power, with different ones being more suited for certain tasks than others, not necessarily related to battle." Lucy continued. "For example, Aquarius can manipulate water, creating waves which can sweep away large amounts of enemies at once, and often also me, while Taurus has enormous physical strength, and he is a valuable fighter, able to tackle opponents on my behalf."
"Aquarius? Taurus?" asked Dalila lifting an eyebrow. Aren't those Zodiac signs?
"Yes! Sorry, I forgot to mention it!" Lucy giggled. "This is because there are different type of Celestial Keys. There are store-bought Silver Keys, like the one of Plue." she pointed at the silver key she was still holding in her hand. "And then there are others, extremely rare Keys. Those are the Gold Keys, and open the gates of the Ecliptic Zodiacs." Lucy opened her key holder, showing Dalila her full set of Keys. They glinted with magic, as the wind dragon slayer looked at them is awe. "They are so beautiful." murmured Dalila, doing her best to resist the temptation to touch them. She had always been like that, her eyes seem not to do the job. When she was something she liked, she wanted to test it with her hands.
Lucy felt a swell of pride. "There are a large number of Silver Keys," she continued, "but there are only 12 Gold Keys, each of them being related to a specific astrological sign."
"So you can call, for instance... Virgo?" asked Dalila, even more excited than before. "I was born in September, it is my sign!"
"Sure I can!" laughed Lucy.
"And do you work together often? How is she like?" asked Dalila. "I am sorry, maybe these are very stupid questions..."
But those questions were music to Lucy's ears. Sentence like 'working together', or looking horrified at the thought of using Celestial Spirits into fights, were very rare among mages. She was liking Dalila even more now, that the dragon slayer was showing such a deep interest and care for her Spirits.
"You know," Lucy said softly, "usually Celestial Spirits are seen only as weapons, rather than persons. But the truth is, that they are sentient beings, who possess personalities and traits... Sometimes they even ignore my orders and act on their own."
Lucy sighed. "I met a mage once, that believed Spirits were mere objects..." she was thinking of Angel, of course. "She possessed three of the Golden Gates, Aries, Gemini and Scorpio. After I defeated her, I took her keys and-"
Lucy was interrupted - again, that day! - by a pillar of light appearing next to her, and a strong, male voice sounded between the gold rays, completing her sentence for her. "-and now they are among the most lucky Spirits of the Celestial Realm!"
Dalila blinked, and as the light died down, the dragon slayer was looking at a tall, handsome man, with small rectangle spectacles on his nose and a huge, golden head of hair.
Lucy let out a defeated sigh. I should have felt it was going to happen.
"This is Loke, the Lion." Lucy introduced the man to Dalila, who was staring at him mouth agape, "He is the leader of the Zodiac Signs."
Leo bowed deeply. "And he sometimes forces his gate open." the Celestial mage added in a slightly scolding tone. Not that I am mad, but couldn't he at least advise me before?
The Lion pouted. "I only force my gate open when I miss you, my queen, my spouse. It's not my fault it happens pretty often!" Loke captured Lucy hands in between his."
Dalila looked speechless as Lucy went from normal to red cherry in a couple of seconds. "Ehm, Now-Loke, you see... You meet Dalila, Loke." Lucy regained her composure, even if the blush was spreading from her cheeks to her ears and shoulder. "Dalila is a dragon slayer. Laxus and the Thunder Legion rescued her and..."
But Loke had already diverted his attention towards Dalila. His eyes darted onto the dragon slayer, and he bowed once more "I am... bewitched by such beauty, my dear." He touched Dalila's hand.
Alarming flirting-alarming flirting-alarming flirting! she squealed, and she felt a blush exploding on her cheeks. She was not one for flirting. No, she had always been clumsy in such areas, and resigned to always be. She blushed too easily and had never ever a good comeback. "Ehm... I am happy to know you, Leo the Lion... How is it going?"
"Such a beautiful voice... My princess," Loke turned back to Lucy. "I hope to see your friend more often!" he captured Lucy's hand once more. " And you, of course, Princess!"
Leo started planting kisses on Lucy's hand, that made Dalila blush even more. She thanked she was not the attention of the Lion anymore, and giggled when Lucy blush intensified.
"Yeah, yeah Loke..." Lucy seemed to be used to that kind of attention, but that was not making it less embarrassing. One day I promise I will give him a little talk... Just to make him stop kissing my hand, I am not asking much!
"I bid you farewell, precious ladies!" Leo let go of Lucy's hand, and bowed once more to the two, blushing girls. "And Lucy, my love, don't keep me away from you that much anymore!" and by saying so, without waiting for Lucy to protest he had appeared next to her bath tube just yesterday night, the Lion disappeared in another pillar of gold light.
Dalila stared jaw-slacked at the point were Loke had disappeared. She was not even sure how to put her questions into words. She was not very sure on what to ask, really. What did just happened?
Lucy looked uttermost embarrassed. "I am sorry... I was going to call Virgo, she is a more... quiet Spirit than Leo, but he forced his gate open... You see, just to say hello and introduce himself..." Lucy tried to regain a little bit of her composure, and to send the blush away. "As I was telling you, they have they own personalities, and Loke has quite a flirting one."
Dalila was more red than Lucy, but was glad not to be the only one startled by the Lion performance. "Yes, sure, no worries..." she stuttered a little, "It was a bit... I am not very good at flirting, that's all..."
"How about I call Virgo, then?" smiled Lucy, hoping Virgo did not ask her for a punishment.
Of course, Virgo did, and Lucy had to go onto a long and awkward explanation to Dalila, which made the wind dragon slayer even more embarrassed. But Virgo was kind, and Dalila had chat with her a little. Lucy looked at the way Dalila interacted with her Spirit, and sighed. Dalila was really gentle and kind. Her small bursts of excitement were adorable. It made Lucy sad knowing that Dalila had been torn away from her previous life. I wonder what was her life before...
She wanted to know what Dalila liked to do, her favourite color and food, if she liked reading or preferred cooking, or knitting - or maybe fighting, like all the dragon slayers but Wendy. And what was her job, if she had one, before. Well... Before meeting Mavis. But Lucy kept her curiosity at bay, planning onto asking more to the dragon slayer the next days. We have time. I don't think she is really ready to open up right now.
They kept chatting, with Dalila asking more and more questions about Celestial Magic and the Celestial Spirits. Moreover, Lucy told Dalila that she had obtained ten Gold Keys, and five Silver Keys until now, and a little bit of how magic worked. "The more Spirits I summon," she explained, "and the more powerful they are, the more magic power I use."
Dalila was drinking every single word. Her questions were precise and intelligent, and Lucy was liking her more and more.
On the other hand, Dalila was liking Lucy as much as the Celestial liked he. For the little she understood, Lucy was very beloved by the Spirits, and that was a point of favour. Moreover, the patience and the kindness Lucy had towards her were warming her heart and made her feel, if not completely at home, less alone.
"How did you get the key of Virgo?" asked Dalila curiously, after they had waved goodbye to the Celestial Maiden.
"In my first mission with Natsu!" said Lucy proudly. Dalila was about to ask who was Natsu, when Lucy had a better idea. She leaned towards her with a conspiratorial smile. "Many things happened in these last years. How about I give you a full account of what Fairy Tail is? I am sure everything will be more clear after that!"
"Can you tell me, really?" asked Dalila, and Lucy saw with great satisfaction that the eyes of the wind dragon slayer were dried, and the grey eyes she saw when she had entered the infirmary the first time had turned into beautiful, shimmering diamonds, looking at her expectantly and excitedly.
"Ok," started the Celestial mage, "Natsu and Happy were the very first mages of Fairy Tail I met..."
I hope you all are liking my story so far :) Sometimes I make up some spells they maybe have never use in the manga, but let's just say it's poetic licence!
Leave comments and reviews ;) See you next week dear readers!