Change of Fate

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 16

Grace Heartfilia found herself laying down, just outside of Magnolia. On the green grace that overlooked the city below her. She felt the magical charge in the air. But didn't know what it was. She even noticed the dark clouds swirling over the city.

"What the hell is going on," she asked as she pushed herself into a sitting position.

"Nothing for you to worry about," replied a deep raspy sound of a male voice from the shadows of the treeline.

When the man came into view. Grace knew from the way he was dressed, from his wraps around his arms and waist. She knew from the couple of times that he came to the guild, bringing everyone to sleep a time or two. "Mystogan?"

The man nodded, "Hello Grace." He glanced towards the sky for a moment. "Whatever is coming, you won't be apart of it."

"What do you mean, I have to help my sister..!"

Mystogan faced her, as he raised his hand towards her with a demanding sounding voice. "Sleep!" Causing Grace to fall back onto the ground, into a deep sleep. "I'm just keeping safe from my world, Grace. They wouldn't take to kind to your magic." He shook his head as he made his way towards Magnolia. "I have a feeling that your sister will have her hands full, without worry about your safety too."

A grumbled sound voice whispered out into the forest. Where only the wind and the nearby animals would hear. "I hate you… Mystogan."

What felt like days of sleep to Grace, she woke to the sound of Lucy's voice calling out her name. She opened her eyes, seeing a few people gathered around her with great big smiles on their faces. Each one of them looked happy like they had won something. It was enough for her to wonder what was up with them. Then she remembered that man who had put her to sleep.

"Where's Mystogan," she growled out. "He has some explaining to do when I get my hands on him."

Erza, Gray, Lucy, Natsu, and even Gajeel were looking at each other with worry in their eyes. But it was Wendy, who spoke with fear in her voice. "He's not here anymore, Grace… He went back to his world."

Grace had gotten upon her feet, glancing at each one of them, with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean, his world?" It was then that they told her about Edolas. Surprising Grace that Lucy was mainly the one keeping Natsu and Wendy safe from their travels. "You're just lucky that neither of you died from what you've told me."

A brush sounded behind the group, causing everyone to look. Seeing a small black talking cat, with a scar across one eye. Along with a rope in his hands. "I've found something that you should know about," before tugging the rope. Bringing a young woman, with short white hair to fall before the cat.

"Pantherlily," cried out Gajeel as he ran to the cat and picked it up. "You're definitely my cat!"

The woman glanced up to see, all that surrounded her, but only saw one person within her eyesight. "Natsu!" Then she ran up to him, tackling him to the ground.

"Lisanna," he whispered in disbelief in his voice. He glanced towards Lucy with worry in his eyes, seeing a bit of pain within them. He pushed the woman in his arms away from him, so he could see her. "Many things have changed...since you've been gone."

The white-haired woman gave a worried look towards the pink-haired man. "What do you mean, Natsu?"

"It's been two years, Lisanna…" He shook his head. "Things can't be the same as they were before," he stated with determination in his voice. Natsu helped in unwrapping the rope from her wrist before making his way towards Lucy. Wrapping his arms around her with a smile on his lips. Natsu then turned to Lisanna with a warmth in his eyes. "Lisanna this is Lucy…"

"Oh," the white-haired woman glanced down with sorrow written across her face. "I see." A sad smile made it's way across her lips. "I guess those talks about me being your wife…"

Natsu sighed, "You're the one the kept talking about it." He shook his head, while he pecked Lucy's temple. "But she's my mate, Lisanna. I told you long ago that the only person I can be with is my mate." He then gave his once old friend a smile. "But it doesn't mean that we can't be friends, Lisanna."

Lucy smiled at Natsu, sure she was nearly heartbroken when she saw another woman in his arms. But he reassured her that he cared for her. He even told his old friend that she was his mate, for some odd reason it made her even happier. Knowing it was true.

Lucy turned to her sister with a smile on her face. "Come, Grace, it's time for us to head for the guild." Her smile grew even bigger. "It's time to show Mira and Elfman that their sister has come home…"

After a moment of collecting themselves. They made their way down into their lovely town. Making their way to the only place that they would find the girl's siblings. Once at the graveyard, Lisanna ran ahead towards the two lonely figures. While the rest were standing back, watching a loving moment from afar.

Grace turned to the group around her with a warm smile upon her face. "I like days like this," even though it was a raining day, she had a point. "Seeing family reunited, even during great distances… It makes living life like this, worthwhile."

Natsu came to her and wrapped an arm around her, with his goofy smile upon his face. "So true, Grace." He glanced at the siblings before them. "Days like this, make it worthwhile to be a mage."

Gajeel came over to them and shove Natsu away from Grace, before wrapping his own arm around her. "Just remember, whose mate Grace is…"

"Metalhead," stated Natsu with a sigh in his voice. "I haven't forgotten, but she is a sister to me." He then glanced towards Lucy with love in his eyes. "Imagine, we'll be family after I marry Lucy."

"Oh Mavis," stated Gajeel with a grumble in his deep voice. "That's all I need," he glared at the pink-haired man before him. "Having Salamander as part of my family…" He shook his head. "I forgot that little tidbit in this whole wedding thing."

Grace glanced over at Lucy, trying to hide her giggle from the two slayers. "Should we be fearful in this family affair?"

Lucy groaned but had a smile of her own on her lips. "No, I'm more worried about the civil war with our two families after the weddings…"

Gray sighed while crossing his arms over his bare chest. "I for one is glad to know that I'll never be that flame-brains family." He smirked after a thought came across his head. "Then again, it would be hard for us to stop fighting if we were…"

Erza sighed loudly for their group to turn to her. "Thank Mavis for small favors…" She then glanced towards the siblings from where they were. "Let's give them their time, they'll head to the guild when they're ready."

Causing the group to turn towards the guild. But Lucy had to run home before making her way there. Since she was wearing something that she didn't want the perverted men to see. Her flimsy looking outfit that she was stuck with from Edolas. Once everyone had made it back to the guild, there was a 'Welcome Back From the Dead' party for Lisanna. Where she spent most of the night telling stories about the differences of the people from Earthland and Edolas. Making most people laugh.

"You're telling us that Natsu from where you've been… Is a whimp against the all mighty Lucy?" Cana was drinking one of her many beers with a harsh laugh in her voice. "I find that hard to believe." She then looked towards Lucy, with a smirk on her face. "Then again, I wouldn't mind seeing Lucy in leather with a bad ass attitude."

"No thank you," gulped Natsu with fear in his voice. "You didn't have that crazy chick on her back in a headlock." He wiggled and shivered from his time with the Edolas' Lucy. Then he glanced towards Lucy in the room with a smile on his face. "I like the Lucy that I love and enjoy… I wouldn't change her for the world."

Many of the men within the guild were lost within their own minds. Each one of them picturing Lucy as the badass woman that Lisanna had told them about. Then hearing Natsu saying that he liked her the way she was. It was enough to give them whiplash from the images and words that were spoken.

A deep chuckle came from upstairs. Seeing Laxus leaning over the upstairs ledge, looking down at the guild below. "Well, Blondie! It sure sounds like your other self was a badass."

"Oh," Lucy cried out. "You don't know the half of it." She giggled. "I brought out Gemmi for Natsu to see who was the real one, I was. Sadly, he picked Gemmi."

Causing the whole guild to laugh out loud. Feeling the whole building to rumble with its own power of thunder from the people within. Natsu grumbled from where he sat, glaring at Lucy without any heat behind his eyes. "Now Lucy, why did you have to tell them that?"

Happy spoke up from where he sat with a cheery sounding voice. "I don't know Natsu, but it was fun to watch you…" He laughed. "I almost feel sorry for Lucy, though." Causing everyone to look at him. "If Natsu met Lucy and her mother in the room together, would he still know who is who?"

Lucy raised her eyebrows in thought. "You know Happy, I'm kind of glad that didn't happen." She chuckled. "I don't think Natsu would live after father would have killed him."

Grace smiled, "So how many days were you all gone for?" She had gotten everyone's attention after hearing her speak something that was on everyone's minds. "I mean, I don't feel sorry I wasn't there because…" Her voice became darker. "...someone put me to sleep. So I was just wondering, how much past?"

Gajeel sighed, "About three days if I remember right." He glanced towards Grace with a smirk upon his face. "If I remember right, doesn't it mean we're getting married a couple of days."

"OH MY," cried Mira from the bar. "I don't have much time to plan your wedding!" She turned towards everyone within the building with a glare in her eyes. "TOMORROW, EVERYONE IS HELPING!"

Lisanna glanced towards her sister with worry in her eyes. "Wedding, whose wedding big sister?"

"Gajeel and Grace's wedding," she pointed towards the two. "Grace is Lucy's elder sister and mate to Gajeel." She gave a chuckle. "It's kind of odd how the two of them met."

The young woman raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean, Mira?"

It was then that the barmaid told her little sister about the story behind, how Gajeel and Grace had met. Also telling the story how Lucy's father had used Phantom Lord to kidnap his own daughter to bring her back home. While Mira was telling the story, even the guild at large had quieted down to listen.

Even though they knew the story, they enjoyed hearing her voice. Especially how she talked about a love story. Even though the night might have started loud and wild, it became calm and smoothing. Bringing the guild master to have tears of joy.

'All my children are home…'