Bicks held the door for him then followed behind into the rooms communal space."We have good news and bad news," he announced. "What would you like to hear first?"
"Bad news," Laxus and Gajeel said at the same time. They looked at each other, startled, then focused back on Freed and Bickslow.
"I was unable to learn anything new from my calls to the train company," Freed explained morosely. "So that is a dead end. It would have been nice to prove that Lisanna was the reason they ended up in Willows Town and eventually that barren stretch of land where Lucy went missing."
Bickslow decided it was his turn as he watched his friend mope about not getting what he wanted.
"I got a hold of an old friend who goes to the Academe Celestine. She knows a Celestial Mage who has a Canis Minor key. She is going to bribe him for me, have him make a promise, and basically pass notes through his spirit to Lucy's spirits." Bickslow explained it all in basically one breath. "We hope anyway. The first message I had her pass was asking what happened after the mission. I figured that will give us something. I just really hope this works."
As Bickslow finished relaying his news Laxus's com went off. He answered, not surprised at who it was. "Hey Gramps. How is everyone holding up?"
"A rather angry Natsu came to see me yesterday." Laxus maintained an uninterested expression as Gramps continued. "He told me he could not get into Lucy's place. That something was keeping him out and he demanded that I fix it." He studied his grandson's face closely. "Do you happen to know anything about this?"
Laxus still kept his face neutral,"freed placed some runes before we left, to keep people out of the apartment," Laxus explained. "We would not want a repeat of what happened while we were trapped on Tenjrou Island. It is best that her stuff be untouched." He raised an eyebrow at his grandfather.
"Of course brat, but you could have told me so that I could explain to the Guild." He was irritated with his grandson for not sharing this info before now.
"Gray knew," Laxus passed the blame. "I would have thought he would tell you about it."
"Fine, fine," Gramps waved it off. "Do you have any news on Lucy yet?" his voice was eager.
"Nothing substantial unfortunately." He grimaced at having to admit to that but moved on quickly. "There may have been something weird with how they got to where Lucy disappeared but nothing we can prove. We found Lucy and Lisanna's scents at the scene and something that smelled like bonfire or Natsu. The Holy Knights they worked with loved Lucy but only tolerated Lisanna. They say that Lucy may have found a new key but we have no knowledge of what key or if she made a contract. Everyone agrees that Lisanna is a cold fish and rather unlikeable." Laxus got looks for that but he ignored them. "The Mayor doubled their reward so each girl had a bag of jewel when the mission ended. Also Bicks has a friend of his bribing a kid so that we can try to contact Lucy's spirits in the Celestial Realm. That is about it, everything we know and are doing. I will call you when I know more." He hung up the com and finally acknowledged the looks his friends were shooting his way. "What? Did I say something wrong?" He did not wait for them to respond. "No, I did not."
Gajeel could not hold it in anymore,"Gihi!"
She slept fitfully. She kept dreaming of shadowy figures in a kind of shimmery fog. They were reaching for her but when she reached her hand out it passed right through theirs. She half woke, hot from being covered by blankets like she was. Shoving them all off she rolled over and fell back asleep.
The next time she woke up it was morning and she hurt. It was difficult for her to move, even just to roll over. Her back was stiff, her shoulders and knees sore. Even her feet and hands ached like they had when she first ran away from home. Her eyes went wide at what she could only assume was a memory."I ran away from home?" she asked herself out loud. "When? Why?" But the more she tried to focus on the brief memory the more her head hurt. "Ugh." She gave up on it and tried to relax back into the soft pallet she was laying on but it was not to be. She winced as every injury and stiff muscle made itself known.
Footsteps heralded the arrival of a guest."Are you sleep?" Came a young voice trying to be quiet. "I'm not s'post to bother you if you are." It was the little girl, Amber. "If you're wake I'm 'post to tell you that brefast is almost ready."
"I am awake," she assured the girl, a smile in her voice. "I think I am going to need some help getting up though."
"I expected as much," Granny said from the doorway. She was holding a bundle of cloth and a jar of something. "Go set the table please Amber. We will be down in a couple minutes, then we can all eat. "The young girl took off and Granny moved into the room. She helped the young woman sit up then opened the jar. "This should sooth any discomfort you are feeling." She indicated the bundle of cloth now sitting on the bed. "It will probably be a little big on you but it will keep you decent."
Granny finished rubbing the cream into her back then stood."Go ahead and get dressed and then we can go eat."
She let the bundle unroll before pulling it on over her head. Granny had been right, it was too big on her but it covered all that needed to be covered. She gingerly got up from the sleeping pallet, conscious of all her sore muscles even as they began to relax. She stretched a bit and found an increasing amount of relief, the cream really seemed to be helping. She followed Granny out the door, down a short hall, and down some stairs, Granny talking the whole time."My room, Amber and Bessy's room, Anthony's room, and the bathroom." She barely paid attention to the bedrooms but noted the location of the bathroom. Downstairs was all one big open space she noticed. Front door straight ahead, living room to the right, dining room to the left, kitchen at the back. Everything from the tables and chairs to couch and Lacrima Vision Screen were old but well maintained. She got a flash of long corridors and shiny new things, getting yelled at for spilling juice on a rug and a massive bath tube with a slightly older lady and a… mermaid? "Do mermaids exist?" she questioned.
Granny gave her a sideways glance."Maybe out around Enca, heard rumors anyway."
"Hmm," she nodded absently, trying to make everything make sense. Once again trying to focus on the memory just made her head hurt. She just wanted to think.
She pushed the memories away and focused on the present. Amber, Anthony, and Bessy were all sitting at the table waiting for them. The breakfast laid out was simple, consisting of egss, toast, and thinly sliced ham.
"How about you start with a little of everything, see what you like and make sure you do not react negatively to any of it," Granny suggested.
She just nodded. Even if she reacted badly or she hated it she was pretty sure she would eat all of it. She was so hungry her stomach was making noise. She sat in the only empty chair after Granny sat and waited. Granny filled plate after plate and passed them around. Once everyone had a full plate she smiled and nodded, the three kids dug into their food with gusto and a moment later she did too. It was amazing and it did not take long for her plate to be empty.
Granny looked at her questioningly,"how do you feel?"
She took stock of herself,"fine. Hungry," she answered honestly.
Granny waved,"help yourself to seconds then." She smiled and turned back to her own plate.
She refilled her plate and ate, slowing and watching the others. They ate with manners. Not the refined manners of the upper-crust, but with the kind of manners that showed they cared for each other, had respect for one another. Not like… "ahh," she cried out and dropped her fork as pain lanced through her head. She had been about to remember something, someone, she knew it, but even just the thought of remembering had her holding her head between her hands. The whole table was staring at her and she tried her best to relax and guide her mind away from the memories.
Granny came to her side,"are you alright deary?"
She gave a minuscule nod."Some things are coming back to me but if I think about it I just get a headache." She took a deep breath, "I almost remembered someone but then it hurt so bad." She looked up at Granny. "Do you think they could be the one who did this to me?"
Granny was rubbing gentle circles on her back, helping her to relax."It just may be that they did and that is why remembering hurts you so much. It could also be that this person was close to you and so you do not really want to remember."
She looked down at her plate.
Granny brushed her hair back."I know that is hard to hear." She went back to her seat. "After we all finish eating how about we all go for a walk in town. Maybe do some window shopping?" Granny tried to raise the spirits of everyone at the table and shopping of any kind was usually a good bet with the girls.
Amber and Bessy squealed in delight while Anthony groaned, trying to hide his excitement at going into town where he might get to see the girl he liked.
She perked up slightly,"yeah, shopping sounds good." She took another bite before asking, "is there a magic shop in town? Where am I by the way?"
Granny looked up from serving Amber another helping of eggs."Mabituin, Seven." She looked at the young woman oddly for a moment. "Which reminds me, we really need to be careful in town with you. It is pretty obvious you are not from Seven, no matter how fluently you speak the language."
She gaped at the other woman."Seven? How do you know I am not from here if I am speaking fluent Seveneese?" she did not understand, if she was not from here, Seven, then where was she from.
"Do not take it wrong dear. It is just that the way you say certain words indicates a foreigner who has been taught the language. Based on how well and naturally you slip into the tongue I would guess that you had a native speaking tutor." Granny took a bite of toast and thought for a moment. "If I had to guess, I would say that you came from a very well off family, and that you are probably Fiorian. Too blond and little to be Boscan." She took a drink of milk. "We have a good relationship with Fiore, so hopefully none of the townsfolk will be too interested in you, but we sometimes get slavers through here. Nasty group that lot. It is why the youngens are so excited about a trip into town. Too dangerous to go out a lot, but we do need some supplies." Granny finished her food. 'We can go after we clean."
She had probably never seen kids move so fast. She barely had time to finish her food before little Amber was coming for her plate, complaining because it was the last thing left to wash. Having relinquished her plate she visited the bathroom. She immediately regretted looking in the mirror, but a little searching provided a hairbrush and she set to work detangling the rats nest that had become her hair. She did not have long before Bessy was outside the door telling her they were all ready to leave. One more look and she deemed her hair suitable for public display."It would be nice if I had someone to do this for me at times like this." She shrugged at her reflection, "oh well. I am coming Bessy!" was her response to the incessant knocking.
Four chapters should be good for today. Hope you enjoy them.