Chapter 19: To the Stars and Back
Lucy and Ultear ran to a stop outside the village. Or what was left of one anyway. From a distance it seemed perfectly fine, but from up close it was a wreck. The entire village was destroyed with buildings half burnt and roofs collapsed in on itself. Nature had reclaimed most of everything, with moss and vines covering building after building.
Lucy saw that the sign welcoming people to the village was broken, only partially being readable. "Welcome…village of hap…ess: Rose…vill…" She frowned. "Well, that is pretty garbled."
"You could say that about the whole town." Ultear waved Lucy down. "Come on, if we are lucky, there still might be some supplies felt."
Both girls walked further into the village, not daring to go into the few still standing buildings that looked like they would collapse at any moment.
Lucy saw a store that looked only partially collapsed, she assumed it was the only store in the whole village. She tugged on Ultear's gown to stop her from walking away and pointed into the shop.
"A general store? Good work Lucy." Ultear said.
"Thanks!" Lucy replied with a blush on her face.
The store itself was completely overgrown with moss and vines, luckily enough for them the windows where already smashed. They jumped in through the windows and took stock of the store.
"It is very bare. Not much remains, it must have been looted…" lucy murmured.
"Yeah, this place didn't stand a chance. Although I think it was looted during when the rest of the village was razed to the ground." She waved Lucy over to the back door of the building. "Look here. Someone must be still living here."
Lucy peered in through a crack in door and saw a makeshift bed consisting of a layer of blankets and clothes. "We should steal it."
"Yeah, they won't last long anyway if they're still living here after all this time." Ultear replied.
"And who said you could steal from me?!" A furious voice shouted from behind them.
Lucy turned around to see a girl only a year or two younger than her glaring daggers into her soul, and pointing a rusting sword in her face. But there was something about the girl's eyes that caught her attention. They were dead.
Lucy held up her hands in defence. "We mean you no harm, we just need supplies to make it to the next town." Lucy begged.
"Why should I believe you?" The girl questioned.
"Because I am a very grumpy mage that could easily kill you before that sword of yours could reach Lucy's throat." Ultear said, glaring at the young girl.
The young girl gritted her teeth in anger and frustration, about to deny them. But then, suddenly, both girls collapsed by her feet from exhaustion and pain.
Lucy awoke to find herself lying on a pile of blankets and clothes beneath her. She looked at her body and saw it was wrapped in bandages
Lucy looked around the small backroom and saw Ultear sleeping next to her with her feet wrapped in bandages too.
Lucy's gaze landed on the one who helped them. She was writing something down in what Lucy assumed was a diary. "Thank you…"
The young girl moved around when she heard Lucy's voice. She slightly smiled, trying not to look at Lucy. "Kagura. It's Kagura Mikazuchi."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you avoiding looking at me?" Lucy asked.
"Because your naked." Kagura said flatly.
Lucy cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Why are you embarrassed? I assume you striped me for the sake of healing my ailment but we are all girls, are we not?"
"Just put these on!" Kagura sighed, and handing her a light blue dress.
As Lucy was getting dressed, she asked Kagura a question; "Hey, Kagura. Why are you all alone here?"
"I-I…am the only survivor of this village." Kagura replied, sadness and longing filled her voice.
Lucy gasped in shock. "I am so sorry."
Kagura waved her off. "Nah, don't worry about it."
"But…if I may ask, why did you stay? What happened here?!" Lucy murmured, in the hope of not waking Ultear who slept peacefully to her side.
Kagura took in a deep breath and brought her knees up to her chest, hugging herself tightly. "B-back when I was younger, one day our village was suddenly attacked by cultists." Kagura breathed in and out, in and out in an attempt to calm herself. "I-no, everyone over the age of eighteen where killed, and they took the children for slave labour. I don't r-remember much but just when I thought I was about to be captured, a beautiful girl with scarlet red hair hid me in a barrel. S-she saved me, b-but because of t-that she was taken."
Kagura had tears streaming down her face as she quietly cried, and lucy's stomach knotted itself up in worry and angst over it. 'I made her re-live her trauma…' Lucy got up and moved over to said girl and stared into her eyes. They were sunken in, with dark rings under them. It was as if this girl never slept.
"Come on, it's getting late. We need to get some sleep." Lucy pointed to the blankets.
Kagura rubbed her arm. "I-I think I might just sleep on the chair…"
"Hmm, okay." Lucy replied.
A few hours later Lucy shot straight up out of bed when she heard something being whispered in her ear. She looked around frantically only to find Ultear sleeping beside her. "What was that?"
Lucy hesitantly moved across the small backroom and opened the door slightly. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw a sickly, white, pale face with sunken eyes and impossibly long limbs staring back at her.
The door was quickly slammed shut and locked by a somewhat sleepy, yet entirely serious Kagura. "Don't ever open that door past midnight! Ever!" she had such a terrified yet serious look in her eyes that Lucy could only nod in understanding.
"W-what's going on?" Ultear said croakily.
"Ghosts." Both girls replied in unison.
Ultear sputtered. "You can't be serious!"
"Shhh!" Kagura shooshed the black-haired girl, putting her hand over her mouth. "Quickly, everyone get under the blankets."
"What will that do?" Lucy asked.
"They can protect us. We can see them but they can't see them." Kagura replied.
Ultear was a bit sceptical about this whole plan. "Are you kidding me? We aren't children anymore, what's a child's game going to do?!"
"Just get under!" Lucy hissed as she pushed her head under the blankets.
As soon as they were all under the blankets a warm, blue glow momentarily enveloped them.
"What was that?" Ultear whispered.
"Enchantment magic." Kagura whispered back.
They heard the lock unlock itself and the creak of the door as it opened.
"~Ka~gu~ra~"
"~We~miss~you~"
"~We~sorry~"
"~fight~"
"~Survive~"
"~Live on~"
"W-what was that?" Lucy whispered.
Ultear shushed Lucy, putting her hand over the blonde's mouth.
They waited in stunned silence until they heard the door close and lock itself. With that all three girls ripped off the blankets and got out of the makeshift bed.
Ultear put her hands on her hips, furious. "What the hell was that?! Where you planning to kill us?"
"Um, Ultear. If she was planning on killing us, why would she suggest the usage of the protective equipment?" Lucy said, pointing to the blankets on the ground.
"I suppose your right." Ultear crossed her arms. "Alright, sorry. I guess."
"Yeah…whatever…" Kagura mumbled.
"So, how did you enchant those blankets like that? I never thought a child's trick would actually work. Ultear asked.
"Maybe Kagura, did it?" Lucy said.
Kagura shook her head. "No, they were already enchanted from before the village was destroyed."
"Oh…" Both Ultear and Lucy said.
Lucy poked Ultear in the ribs with her elbow. "Do you want to say thank you?"
"For what?" Ultear looked down and saw her feet were bandaged, in fact they didn't even hurt anymore, yet alone bled. "Thank you."
Kagura waved her off. "Don't mention it. I only did it because I didn't want to bury two more corpses."
Lucy's eyes went wide with shock. "You b-buried corpses?"
Ultear's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Just what kind of person are you?"
"I'm the only one left, so obviously I had to bury the bodies…" Kagura murmured.
Silence enveloped the small room. No one was quite sure what to say. That was when Lucy noticed the sun rising through the window in the room. "Do you think It should be okay to go out, since it is day now?"
"Yeah, they only come out at night." Kagura replied.
"Thanks, I've gotta get out of this stuffy room." Ultear said, pushing past the two other girls.
Lucy turned to the purple-haired girl. "So, um…if you're not using anything, can we take a few things from the store?"
"Yeah, why not? Go crazy. I don't need half the crap here anyway." Kagura replied.
"Thank you, Kagura!" Lucy said, quickly hugging said girl, who stiffened in response to the hug.
Kagura saw her run off towards the one called 'Ultear.'
She found Ultear rummaging through a box of items on the floor under a rack. It took a few seconds for lucy's mind to recognise what Ultear was looking through was actually perfume.
"Why are you getting that?" lucy pointed to the bottle of perfume in Ultear's hand.
"It's the very same perfume mother used, Lucy." Ultear said.
"But, don't you hate her?" Lucy said, cocking her head to the side in confusion.
"Lucy, I hate her, not the perfume." Ultear explained.
Lucy's face lit up in understanding. "Ohh, I see now!"
"Wanna smell it?" Ultear said, shaking the perfume bottle.
"Sure." Lucy replied.
Ultear opened the lid and sprayed some perfume on lucy's arm. Lucy's eyes started to water as soon as the scent found her nostrils. She coughed and hacked, having trouble breathing.
"You, okay?" Ultear said, voice rising with worry.
"Y-yeah…fine…" Lucy sputtered out, catching her breath.
"What was that all about?" Kagura asked, leaning against the back-room door.
"Sensitive nose." Ultear explained, tapping her own.
Lucy walked off to go find some bottled water and some medical supplies. "I do not want to take too much, just a little bit of gauze and a few bandages, oh and this too." Lucy shook a packet of pain relief tablets. "Although, I will not take them all, since I am sure you will need them in the future.
Ultear smiled sadly. "Take it, I have another packet in the room."
"Thank you!" Lucy smiled.
"Ultear!" Lucy suddenly shouted from the top of her lungs. "I want to explore the village! See if something is haunted!"
"This whole damn village is haunted!" Ultear shouted back.
"Take that back!" Kagura shouted; her voice filled with the fury and life that her dead eyes where lacking.
Ultear held her hands up in defense. "Okay. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to upset you."
Kagura calmed down. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you…"
Ultear was about to respond when she saw lucy swallow a diamond ring. Her eyes budged out of their sockets and she ran over to the blonde in terror. "Lucy! Spit that out!"
"Hmm?" Lucy mumbled, stuffing more pieces of jewelry in her mouth.
Ultear forcibly opened Lucy's mouth much to her chagrin and ripped out the jewelry. "What are you?! An animal!?"
Hurt flashed across Lucy's face. "No! I…I just…I saw the jewelry sparkling in the corner and when I noticed the diamond pieces it was like my body started acting on its own.
Kagura looked on at the whole exchange with befuddlement, until a thought hit her. "Oh! Is it like how some elemental mages need to eat their own element to replenish their magic?"
Ultear and Lucy cocked their heads in confusion. "I…we have never heard of that before." Ultear said.
"Oh. But don't worry! It's a real thing and I think Lucy's body was just attracted to her element." Kagura explained.
"So, what is my element?" Lucy asked.
"Hmm, maybe diamond? You only put the diamond jewelry in your mouth." Kagura said, pointing to the saliva covered jewelry on the floor.
Lucy picked up the diamond ring she was forced to pick out, but this time just chewed on the jewel itself. To her surprise the diamond shattered under her teeth like a hard lollie.
Lucy moaned in satisfaction as she swallowed the jewel, the taste of it was better than anything she had eaten before.
"So, I take it you like it then?" Kagura asked.
"Yep!" Lucy said with a big smile.
"Then take the whole box." Kagura replied.
"You sure?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah, I don't need it anyway." Kagura said.
"Thank you, Kagura!" Lucy said while chewing on more diamond jewels.
"Don't eat with your mouth full." Ultear playfully sighed.
Lucy turned to Kagura. "Are you sure it will be okay if I explore the village?"
Kagura shrugged her shoulders. "Fine by me."
And off Lucy went to explore the remains of the burnt-out village.
Lucy slowly waked through the village ruins, picturing how the residence of this idyllic village where horribly slaughtered.
She looked at blood-stained walls where people were lined up to be shot. She saw how the houses where broken into, some through the roofs and some through the walls.
It seemed that no matter where they hid themselves and their children, the people could not escape their ghastly fate.
Lucy slapped her cheeks, trying to get out of such a horrible mindset. Although, she muses that it probably comes from everything she witnessed in the institute- everything that made her so… desensitised.
It was only a short walk, the village itself only being small. She was about to head back to the general store when she saw something glint in the sunlight.
As Lucy got a closer look she gasped as she saw dozens and dozens of crosses lining a small mountain just outside the main village.
They were graves.
'These must have been the people…'
She couldn't just leave after discovering that, so she walked to the front of the crosses, held her hands together, closed her eyes, and prayed. She never prayed much, but she could vividly hear her mother's words echo through her mind;
'Lucy, when your older you will be invited to pay your respects to the dead, so remember to clasp your hands together and pray for the safe travel of their souls to the afterlife.'
Lucy heard footsteps as she prayed. They got closer until they had arrived at their destination.
"You don't have to do that."
"But I want to. Momma always told me to pay my respects."
Kagura smiled slightly. "I see. Your mother raised you well then."
Lucy opened her eyes. "Did you really lay them all to rest here?"
Kagura bit her lower lip to stop It from trembling. "Yes."
"If…if someone hurts you and you kill them, are you the same as them?" Lucy murmured.
Kagura gripped her sword's sheath. It helped to keep her composed. "No, that's nonsense." The memory of her brother's smiling face flashed in her mind. "I would have gladly cut down the men who took away my brother."
Lucy stood up, dusting off her dress. "Ahh, I see." There was no judgement in her voice, just recognition.
"I think we should stay out here tonight." Lucy said aloud.
"Why?" Kagura questioned.
"Because I want to get to the bottom of this and I think this place is the key." Lucy replied.
"We can't. Those ghosts will kill us." Kagura said.
Lucy shook her head in dismissal. "No. Those spirits are not out to kill us, if they were they could have done it already."
Kagura rounded on lucy. "No! you don't understand!"
"Of course, I do not understand. I just have a…feeling that is all." Lucy replied.
"A feeling? You're going to risk your life only on a feeling?!" Kagura yelled.
Lucy sat down with a huff and crossed her legs. "I have taken far worse risks."
"Suit Yourself." Kagura angrily said, walking off.
Lucy saw the beautiful orange and yellows that danced across the sky as the sun was setting. 'It won't be too long until the spirits come out.'
"So, this is where you were hiding." Ultear said with her hands on her hips.
Lucy looked up when she heard her sister's voice. "Oh, you're here."
"Don't 'oh' me, Lucy." Ultear said as she sat down. "So, whatcha doing?"
"Waiting for the ghosts to appear." Lucy calmly said.
"I see-You what?!" Ultear yelled.
"Um…" Lucy looked at Ultear quizzically. "I said what I was doing…"
Ultear shook her head. "No, I mean why?"
Lucy yawned. "Oh! I just feel that these are not evil spirits, just lost and alone…like me-like us…"
"Yeah, just like us…" Ultear murmured as she sat down by Lucy's side.
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked.
"Joining you, I can't leave you here alone, can I?" Ultear replied.
"Nope" Lucy smiled.
The sun had finally set and the moon was slowly rising into the sky. That's when they heard the sound of footsteps.
Kagura had run to the two sisters and had her hands on her legs panting. "I can't believe…you would…seriously do this!"
Lucy cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Why not?"
"Because they will kill you!" Kagura exclaimed.
"How do you know that? I thought you were the only one left in this village?" Ultear questioned.
"Well, yes…but…" Kagura mumbled in embarrassment.
"Then stay with us, you won't know otherwise." Ultear replied.
Kagura sighed as she sat on the ground, crossing her legs. "I guess I will have to stay then."
It was now night. The moon shone beautifully in the night sky, acting as a beacon in the dark abyss of space.
They sat under the moon for hours, waiting and hoping for something to happen, yet it seemed just like any ordinary night. That was until it hit midnight.
The trio of girls heard an old clock strike midnight.
Lucy looked around, unable to find the source of the sound. "Where did that sound come from?"
"An old clock?" Ultear suggested.
Kagura shook her head. "No, we- I don't have any."
"Then where did it come from?" Lucy asked.
Just as Ultear was about to reply, the gravestones Infront of them started to light up one by one. They jumped to their feet and looked on with suspense. Then, slowly, spirits began to emerge from the graves.
The spirits were thing and tall, with deep, sunken eyes. As they made their way closer to the girls, Kagura unsheathed her sword, ready to strike.
"Don't do it, Kagura." Lucy whispered.
"Lucy! Their coming!" Kagura hissed, pointing to the spirits.
Lucy placed her hand on Kagura's sharp blade and shook her head.
With hesitation, Kagura placed her sword back in its sheath. "I shall place my trust in you, Lucy."
They stood still as a statue as the spirits rushed towards them and circled around them, looking into their souls with their sunken eyes.
Kagura and Ultear shuddered. They didn't know how Lucy wasn't freaking out.
Suddenly, a bright light enveloped the spirits and when it died down, they looked like normal humans.
Kagura's eyes went wide in shock and a sob escaped her when she took in the now human appearance of all the spirits. No. They weren't just spirits, they where her friends and family, the villagers.
Tears fell from eyes and she didn't pretend to act tough anymore- she let it all out, crying to the heavens themselves.
An elderly woman wearing a long dress and a cook's apron walked towards the crying girl and placed her hand on her head, ruffling her hair.
"It is okay, Kagura. None of us could have ever know what would happen."
Kagura lifted her head and looked into the kind eyes of her neighbour. "But Ms. Bello…"
An older man, dressed in a business suit and hat shook his head. We all wanted to see you one last time…before we go."
"But you can't go! I need you! I need you all!" Kagura yelled.
"They need to rest in peace, Kagura." Ultear said.
"No!" How could I possibly live without them!?" Kagura shouted.
"You will live for your friends…" Another spirit said.
The sky started to part, a white, wispy light leaking into the world.
Lucy looked up. "So that is heaven…Mama, I hope your happy now."
Slowly, one by one, the spirits started to ascent into the afterlife, wishing Kagura their farewells.
"You've done enough, Kagura. Go and live your life." The spirit names Ms. Bello said.
"Just as my wife said…" The man in the business suit smiled, and tipped his hat in goodbye. "…Go! Live a long and happy life."
Ultear looked on in awe at the sight before her. "It really is beautiful."
Lucy sniffled, wiping away tears. "I am so happy they can finally rest in peace."
"Me too, Lucy. Me too." Ultear said, patting Lucy on the back.
There was one last spirit left to leave for the afterlife. It didn't look human, nor did it move, staying still and staring at Kagura. "I will miss you, daughter…"
Kagura's eyes went wide with shock. "M-mum?" Tears pricked the back of her eyes when the spirit wrapped its arms around her, hugging her.
Suddenly, a warm glow and white light enveloped both mother and daughter. When the light faded the spirit was clothed in a light, white dress, her appearance now human again.
She caressed her daughter's cheek. "Thank you, Kagura for letting us rest in peace and burying our bodies. I know what was not an easy task to take on."
Tears now streamed down her cheeks anew as Kagura cried her eyes out. "Don't cry, my daughter. We couldn't go before not when you were still here. We didn't want you to feel as you had to dedicate your whole life to protect this village."
"Then why…why did you all scare me every night!" Ultear protested.
"Because we wanted to look over you, make sure you were safe from others. But it was hard to communicate, it was hard to do anything, but it was easier to try at night." Kagura's mother explained.
Kagura tried to away from her mother's spirit, but she clasped her head with her two, ethereal hands. "Why do your eyes look so sunken and lifeless?"
Kagura couldn't explain that, she wouldn't. All those days haunted her life and she wanted so desperately to forget them. The spirit of Kagura's mother smiled. "You don't have to say anything, I understand." And with that Kagura's tears began again.
The spirit of Kagura's mother looked over to Lucy and Ultear who stood still as wood. "Come here, please. I want to thank the people who helped my daughter."
With hesitation both girls walked over to the spirit. "I can feel that you have both been through great pain and suffering, but fear not. There will come a day when you all are happy."
Lucy didn't say anything for she didn't need to say anything. She knew mere words couldn't describe the things she was feeling in that moment, and oddly enough, she knew the spirit understood.
Ultear smiled, happy everything with Kagura was resolved. While they may have gotten off to a bad start, Ultear was starting to think she could one day be good friends with the purple-haired girl.
The spirit of Kagura's mother started to drift into the sky, leaving the warmth that Kagura was wanting for so long. She started to float higher and nigher until she could no longer see her own daughter.
Kagura desperately tried to grasp her mother's hand, only to pass though it.
Kagura was frantic. She looked up, yelling her mother's name over and over. "Mum! You can't leave!" She fell to her knees in defeat, her tears hitting the burnt grass below.
"Live!"
Kagura's head shot up in shock. "Mum?"
"…Live on…for you and for me..."
Kagura knew that was it. She could no longer feel her mother's presence or hear her voice.
Lucy walked over to Kagura and embraced her in a hug. "It will be okay. The pain does not go away, but it does get easier."
Kagura sniffled, nodding her head in agreement. A few moments later she pushed away from Lucy's embrace and wiped away her tears.
The trio watched as the sun rose over the mountains in the distance. The dawn of a new day.
"So, what are you planning on doing now?" Kagura asked.
Kagura sighed, not sure how to take in the whiplash of emotions she was feeling.
"Since I have everyone's blessings, I plan on leaving this village. I think I might search for the others."
"The others?" Lucy cocked her head to the side in confusion.
"Yeah, the kids who were taken by the slavers." Kagura replied.
"Oh…" Lucy murmured.
Ultear patted Kagura's shoulder. "That is a very admirable thing to do. Just don't go thinking it's something you have to do."
Kagura shook her head. "No. This is something I want to do."
Ultear smiled. "Well, I hope you succeed."
"Yeah! You can do it, Kagura!" Lucy cheered on.
"Shortly after that Ultear disappeared. It was as if she was spirited away. I searched for months, but I couldn't find her, and eventually I gave up." Lucy murmured, looking around at her precious guild mates all around the table.
Lucy took a deep breath. "But…I found her again. Just recently actually. She was on Galuna Island when we happened to be there. She was disguised as a man, doing some sort of work for the council I think."
Natsu's eyes widened in shock. "So that guy with the mask that smelled like bad perfume was your sister!"
Lucy giggled. "Yep, I knew it when I smelt her perfume."
Makarov had a hand to his chin in deep thought, rubbing the stubble on his chin. "The question remains. How did you obtain this dragon form and what does It mean for others like Natsu."
Levy piped up at Makarov's question. "Master!"
"Hmm. What is It Levy?" Makarov asked.
"Well, what if Lucy's dragon transformation isn't because she has a curse or is part dragon or whatever, but because it's an extremely advanced form of dragon slayer magic." Levy paused to catch her breath.
"You may continue." Makarov said.
"Well, as I said, Lucy's transformation seems to me to be more reminiscent of dragon slayer magic. Take for instance you Natsu." Levy looked towards said dragon slayer. "Your body has several characteristics of a dragon does it not?"
Natsu thought hard. "Yeah, Igneel told me I had the scales of a dragon, a dragon's lungs and stomach for breathing and eating fire, and a dragon's strength and speed."
Makarov was silent, content to listen in to his guild's genius.
"Well, my hypothesis is that in the case of lucy, her dragon slayer magic is so strong that her body takes on more than just a few characteristics of a dragon, it for a lack of a better term, becomes a dragon." Levy explained.
"I think that is the most logical explanation considering our lack of information." Makarov said, agreeing with the petite girl.
"But I don't have dragon slayer magic. I have celestial spirit magic and this weird secondary magic of mine." Lucy said.
"Perhaps there is a memory block or a seal on your magic? I will see with Porlyusica." Makarov said.
"But that doesn't explain the transformation Lucy had when Phantom attacked. She looked horrific." Mirajane protested, with tears in her eyes.
"It makes perfect sense, my child. Lucy was forced under black magic by Jose to transform. Her body resisted, but when magic is forced to act against its users will then it can be twisted and corrupted." Makarov explained.
"That Bastard! I'm glad you smashed him into tomorrow, Master!" Natsu yelled.
"I-I am not a dragon, a dragon slayer or anything like that." Lucy shook her head in protest. "I am just me!"
"Yes, of course child. And we wouldn't want to have you any other way." Makarov said with a smile as he jumped off the wooden table. "Now excuse me please, I have a few calls to make in regards to this 'Brain' character.'"
"Yes. Thank you master." Lucy said, bowing.
"There's no need for that, Lucy. Keep your head up high, for you are surrounded by your Fairy Tail family here." Makarov said.
"Yeah…" Lucy whispered, looking at all the faces of her precious friends.
And i am back!
I thought it might be fun to explore some of the other characters we don't see before the time skip in the anime/manga. Don't worry, this isn't a one off. It will play into the later story.
Special thanks to: NaLu1411, Ushindi, FireShifter, and last but not least, kurahieiritr JIO for all the reviews.
I hope you enjoy the story and I'll see you next time.