Change of Fate

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 6

The next day, the group found themselves back at the guild. Where they found that it was under construction. Gajeel found the master. Who was sitting on one of the outside tables, overlooking the progress. He turned towards him with Natsu's team. Along with Grace behind him.

"How did it go," asked the elder man.

Gajeel glanced towards Grace, who gave him a small nod. The dark Dragon Slayer faced the master again, handing him the file. "Proof that Grace was indeed a text lab experiment, adopted by the Heartfilia's to save her life."

"Really," Makarov asked with shock written all over his face. When he saw Grace and Lucy nod, he sighed for a moment before glancing in the file. "Yeah, all the paperwork states that loud and clear." He glanced towards the two girls, who had believed to be sisters. "As long as your heart believes to be family then you are," he saw the warmth in their eyes. "No one can take that from you and your mother was the most caring person in the world."

Lucy cried, who wrapped her arms around Grace, who smiled. He knew from that moment, no matter who told them otherwise, they were sisters. He then turned to Gajeel, "After the weekend, I want to send you out to do some jobs for me."

"Sure, boss."

Makarov turned over his shoulder, "Mira! We have two new members to brand."

"Coming," she called out. She came over with the stamp and glanced at Grace and Gajeel. "Okay, color and where?"

Grace smiled, "Lilac with silver edging and on my right hand."

"Okay, something new with spice." Mira stamped Grace's hand and glanced at the dark man. "And you Gajeel?"

He pulled his left shoulder to the white haired barmaid, "Black."

She then stamped the two of them and glanced towards the master. ". . . and you sir have paperwork to file."

"Don't I know it," grumbled the man. He glanced at the boys, "You boys get to work, everyone has to pull their fair share."

"But . . ."

Erza smiled, "This might be a great way to try out that new builders outfit I have." She equipt into the said outfit. "Plus I need a good workout."

The guys looked at her with a shocked look, but Gajeel smirk. "Why I'm not surprised," before walking off to help with the building. Making Gray and Natsu follow and see what they could do to help. Neither one of them wanted to be outdone by the Iron Dragon Slayer.

Lucy laughed, seeing the grumbling younger boys. "Who would have thought that having Gajeel around would get them to do something, other than fight?"

The master hummed, "That is a point, I must say its a plus."

Grace glanced at the two of them, "What are you two talking about?"

"Oh," Lucy cried with excitement. "You weren't there, but whenever Natsu and Gray were in the guild hall together, they would always have a war. Which caused many to get into it with them." She glanced at them again. "It's nice to see them do something other than fight, just because of alpha dragon slayer around."

Grace smirk, "It's not because of Gajeel, Lucy." Which caused the blonde to look at her. "It's because I'm his mate and he wants to prove he's a different man than you've seen him be." She saw the said man turn to look at her, winking at her, causing a blush to dusk her cheeks. "Since I'm right, can I get some Oolong tea, Mira?"

The bubbly woman smiled, "Anything for you, Grace." She then glanced towards Lucy, "What about you, Lucy?"

"Humm," she glanced towards Grace for a moment and smile. "I would like mom's tea, do you remember what it was?"

"Rose with a hint of vanilla?" This caused Natsu to glance at the two girls, neither one of them saw him raised his eyebrows at them. "Oh shucks," causing more of the guys to look at them. "I want that instead of my regular, Mira." Grace glared at Lucy with her hands on her hips, "I'm going to have to have dreams about mom, again."

"What's wrong about that," Lucy asked with worry in her eyes.

Grace's eyes soften, "After hearing father talk, yesterday. I now understand the nightmares I've had for the last three years." She shook her head, trying to get her brain on other things than darker thoughts. "My subconscious is trying to get me to remember things I didn't remember before. Now after our talk, I now know it's my dark past trying to come back."

"Oh Grace," cried Lucy with worry in her eyes. "I didn't think about that, I just thought you wanted to forget the happy times in our life."

"How can I," Grace asked with sadness. "When father said I was the cause of mother's death."

Gray and Natsu glanced at Gajeel for confirmation, who gave the two a nod. The girls didn't know that they were close enough for them to hear but stayed out of their way.

Makarov growled since the girls forgot that he was still next to them. "If I ever see Jude again, it would be too soon." He flashed as he looked towards Grace, "That's not true Grace, he was using you against the truth which he didn't want to hear." He took a deep breath, "Your mother was part of Fairy Tail; long ago, a real powerhouse of a lady. She ran into my evil son, Ivan. He cursed her when she wouldn't marry him."

Lucy and Grace glanced at each other. Both looking sick after realizing that Laxus would have been their brother. A sick feeling came over them at that moment. The same would have been brother, who lusted after them.

Makarov saw the looks on the two faces and realized what they have pictured. "Oh great, another thing to warn Laxus of . . ." He closed his eyes to shake off some of the images. "Yeah, not something I wanted to picture either. He cursed her to the point to where if she used her powers, it would kill her."

Grace growled, "So in a way, Jude told the truth. I killed her because she used her powers to save me, which in the end had gotten her killed." She sighed after another thought came to her. "In all reality, it was your son that killed her in the end. For if she used her powers without the curse, she would have lived."

She had her hands in her hair, growling like one of her animals that she could change into. "Oh, this is so confusing."

Lucy grabbed onto Grace, "Stop it!" Everyone within the building sight glanced at the girls. "Just stop it!" Gajeel came running up to them and wrapped his arms around the two. Since he could not see where Grace began and where Lucy ended. "Gajeel help me, get through Grace and tell her to stop!"

Gajeel nuzzled his nose into her neck, which he felt her relaxed. "Listen to Bunny, Goddess." Everyone glanced at one another before everyone glanced towards Natsu, who smiled knowingly. "She is your sister, the one who knows you just like you know yourself." He felt her breathe, it showed him that she was listening to him. "Don't ever forget that," he pulled from her to allow the girls to look at him, who gave a warm smile. "Let's live one day at a time, as see if we can build new memories and live like nothing before."

Grace smiled, "I guess it takes someone from the dark, to help those to get back into the light." She saw the blush come across his cheeks, it showed that they needed each other. Even though it had taken a while for her to understand that. She gave him a peck on the cheek, "Thanks, Gajeel."

He gave a grunt before going back to work, allowing many to see a whole different side of the man. The one who brought Grace back to earth. Someone that many within the guild had respectfully feared. Knowing that one of her creatures under her belt was a tiger.

Mira came back with the tea that the two girls had requested and the two sat down. Drinking as they watched the guys worked hard in framing the building. They saw that Gajeel had nearly had gotten most of that done. While Gray and Natsu glared up at him for leaving them in the dust. It caused the two girls to laugh, seeing them being outdone by a pro.

As the two sat, Loke came running towards them with fear in his eyes. He sat next to Grace, not carrying that Lucy was near her. "Grace, thank Mavis you're back."

Grace glanced at Lucy, "Mavis?"

"The guild's first master, everyone declares to be their God here."

Grace then looked back towards Loke with worry in her eyes, "What's wrong Stardust?"

"Hu," Lucy grumbled.

"I'm dying, Grace." Loke gave the girl a glare, " . . . and how did you come up with lion reference when talking to me?" Grace blinked at him, with her lips open but no sound left them. It caused him to groan, "I broke you . . ." He took Grace and Lucy's hands before leaving the guild behind, missing the sounds of the males calling out to them.

"Where are we going, Loke," asked Lucy with worry in her eyes.

The man like always, he didn't speak to her. Grace sighed from being lead into the streets until they boarded the train and headed east. It was all they knew about the man that took them. Neither of the girls felt danger or anything that would give them any belief that he would harm them.

After hours had passed, Loke dragged the two to a gravestone that was made near a waterfall. It was there that the two found out that he was Leo the Lion, a Celestial Spirit. He told them about Karen and how he was the cause of her death. It brought the two of them to tears but knew that there something more to it than that. They were right, Karen caused her own death by not listening to Loke.

"NO," screamed Lucy with all of her heart and soul. Causing Grace to look around and saw the spirits that stood behind her to get Loke to see what kind of person she was. A fearless warrior of her own right. "THE LAW IS UNJUST AND WHO EVER MADE THE RULING IS WRONG!"

Grace glanced towards the sky. Smirking when she felt a heavy presence of someone watching. Someone, who can turn their lives from what they were. A flash came to the waterfall, causing the water to stay in place. Meaning that time has stopped for the meeting of the important spirit that has yet to come. She nearly laughed when she saw Loke and Lucy holding onto each other, like a lifeline for one another.

When the Spirit King came onto the scene, Grace laughed from her belly that she hadn't felt in years. The king gave a look towards Grace. Showing that he was worried for the poor girl before he glanced to the two upon the ground.

"Old friend and human girl," he then glanced towards the laughing girl. "And human girl's sister." He turned back to the other two, "You think that the ruling was unjust or the law itself?"

Since neither of them was going to speak, Grace spoke for them. "The law itself, your majesty." The King glanced towards Grace with a raised eyebrow. "If you please, sir. We know that it's against the law for a spirit to kill a human, but the human in question killed herself. Because of her misguided attitude against your spirits. Loke was only trying to save Aries from getting hurt because of the human using her as a shield."

"I see," he glanced over towards Loke. "Leo the Lion, I owe you deep gratitude for protecting your fellow spirit." The King sighed, he glanced towards Grace once more. "What should I do with him?"

"Make him into Lucy's spirit, he will show you through her that he met every word that spoke tonight." The King reached down and put Grace into his hand, to where he was able to see her better.

"That is a good idea, anything else human girl's sister?"

Grace smiled, "The name is Grace, sir." The king laughed, making her smile. "Please tell us about Layla Heartfilia?"

The King glanced towards the girl on the ground, "Your mother?" When he saw Lucy nod; the King sighed, "She was the best mage that any king should ever ask for his spirits. She treated them like family," he glanced towards Grace. "How does she treat them?"

"Lucy treats them as friends and partners in her adventures, sir."

"Leo will be her new protector and friend." He waved his hand to where a necklace found it's way upon Grace's neck. "This will protect you from her journeys and Leo will also be the one to give aid to you, if he's not helping your sister. Along with any other warrior, even Draco."

Grace smiled brightly, causing the king to smile even more. He helped her back to the ground again. "If I didn't know any better, I swear that you were a fallen star yourself, Lady Grace."

She bowed towards the king, "I would take that as a complement, any day from you Spirit King."

The king chuckled, "Come Leo, time to come home." The Spirit King was gone, along with Loke, who flashed out before giving Lucy his key.

The blonde girl turned towards Grace with a sad but happy smile upon her lips. "Grace .., I don't know what to say." She gave her sister a hug, not realizing the guys had been watching everything.

Grace laughed, making her eyes sparkle with like the starlight that surrounded them. "Oh Lucy, you would have come up with something but I don't think he would have been too much of a happier mood like he was." The two glanced towards the waterfall, causing the two to laugh even more.

"Let's see your necklace, sis?" The two saw a crescent moon, within it was sparkling starlight. Lucy gave Grace a big hug, "Now we have something that we can share!"

Grace smiled, "Yeah, brother Leo." She glanced towards the night sky, "I knew he was made of Starlight."

"What does that even smell like," Lucy asked her.

"Sand, ash and the moment before the rain." Grace glanced towards Lucy, who had wonder in her eyes. "It helps when I'm able to become animals. But I'm afraid that those Dragon Slayers are better when it comes to sniffing something out." She shook her head. "I'm surprised that Natsu hadn't noticed it before."

"I did," called out the voice that the two girls knew well enough.

Lucy turned to Grace, "Did you know that they were there?"

"Yes and no, I knew I smelled dragons but I didn't know that Gray was there." She mentioned Gray because he came out of the bushes with other two.

Gray glared at Natsu, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Not my secret to tell," he stated, which caused the dark haired man to agree with him. "I'm surprised you're able to keep them."

Grace chuckled, "Dragons are good at keeping treasures close to their hearts." Everyone glanced towards her, even Lucy looked at her as if she was odd. "Natsu treasures friendship and whoever he values as family." This brought a better understanding to those surrounding her. Even Natsu was impressed with her. "Plus, Gray is his treasured and valuable person. Because of his trust in knowing that they can battle each other without hurting one another."

"Hu, I always thought it was because of their fire and ice. Which can work against each other," stated Lucy with new thoughts running in her mind.

"Well that too," Grace smiled. "It's mainly the trust that Natsu needs to help grow into his powers. He had Igneel to help with that and since he doesn't have that. He has Gray to do that with him." She turned from the group and glanced around, "I think we came from this way." She leads the group out of the area.

Gajeel came up to her, wrapping his arm around her. "What about me?"

Grace laughed, causing everyone to take notice. "You're just another male dragon, which all males like to show off their alpha side with one another." She heard many of them grumble. "Just think about it. If Y'all know so much about dragons, you would have thought about it as well. Plus, you want to show us females. Who the top dragon for us to keep an eye on," she slurred her voice in a way that caused even her own blood to heat up.

The group moved out of the area that they were in. Gray turned to Lucy with wonder in his eyes. "I didn't know that your sister was full of knowledge that none of us had thought about before."

Lucy smiled, "That's Grace, reading books that I wouldn't have thought about reading." She sighed, "Sometimes I wished I paid attention to what she read. It would explain a lot of what runs in her mind."

Natsu turned to her, "Don't worry Lucy. Each one of you is smart in your own ways," he gave a smile worth of many suns from his. "Everyone has their own strengths if we acted the same the world would have been not worth living."

Gray slapped Natsu on the back, "Who knew that Natsu would have a scholar like a mind at times?"

Lucy smiled, she was surprised but happy about Natsu's stroke of brilliance. She's seen it at times but only when it's needed the most. Which she could take the privilege of seeing. 'Mom, you should see us now. Grace and I have finally found our own home.'