Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters; that right belongs to Hiro Mashima.


Photosynthesis - pho·to·syn·the·sis /ˌfōdōˈsinTHəsəs/

noun

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.


There were many ways to describe someone. And Lucy had to say all humans (or beings) could be described as plants. They needed certain conditions to grow and flourish. The light they would use to synthesize food could be something other than sunlight per se. And right now, even sunlight would be a blessing for her.

Sighing internally, Lucy sat at her desk(which had become a regular thing) in detention. Ms. Lamy did her best to find fault with everything. And Lucy had taken to secretly recording all their little 'chats' they had in her office. It was clear as day that this school counselor was targeting her.

Lucy was far from stupid and had to learn to read people to survive in her father's social circles. So it had been shocking to realize that Ms. Lamy was lust (because the possessiveness wasn't at crush level) after Professor Mard Geer.

The situation had been Lucy being kept after class to talk about a theory she had mentioned (thanks to the twins Gemi and Mini). Ms. Lamy had walked into the middle of their discussion, and Lucy felt the air grow thick with tension. When she saw the barely concealed malice in her school councilors eyes, Lucy connected the dots.

Since then, Lucy has been in detention for a few hours every day. But that was easy to handle; she got all her homework done for the day, so her evenings were freer. It was the bullying that was taking place in the halls and classes. It hadn't escalated too far yet. She was still pushed, tripped, or called vulgar slurs.

But it had started to wear her down. Her friends were beginning to worry about her even more. Which only made things worse as she was outright being ostracized. Yet Lucy couldn't bring herself to tell them to give her space and leave her alone. They were her only rays of warmth and light at school.

"Ms. Heartfilia, you need to head to the Student Council office now."

Blinking slowly, Lucy looked at the teacher on duty for detention today, Totomaru. Seeing the look he was giving her made her feel nervous. Totomaru was a stern man and had expectations of all students. Yet was also a fair person and a great judge of character. He didn't believe any of the rumors going around about her.

Packing up her finished work, Lucy gave a nod of her head and left the classroom. Her heart was beating in her chest. Why was she being summoned by the Studen Council? There was no way of knowing until she got there. And she used the time walking there to try and control her emotions as she had been taught.

With a quick rap of her knuckles on the door, Lucy waited to be told to enter. The response came faster than she thought. Opening the door and stepping in, Lucy paused and stared at those gathered there.

It was Laxus, Lyon, Gray, Natsu, Erza, Levy, Gajeel, and a few others from their group(who were all either on the student council or disciplinary squad), but also the principal and vice principal and PRofessor Mard Geer.

She glanced at Laxus to see his stormy eyes glaring back at her. She had no doubt he was the instigator. Lucy swallowed and closed the door.

"Lucy, child, what do you have to say? I know you are aware of why you were summoned."

Feeling her throat tightening painfully, Lucy nodded her head. Her eyes felt like they were burning.

"Ms. Heartfilia, you are a brilliant student, and with all that you are going through, you are not letting it affect your grades. But this does not mean you are to choose to suffer in silence. That choice is the coward's path; you are better than a coward."

"Professor Geer!"

"What he says is the truth, Makrov. You know full well her actual living situation and family status. And we do not tolerate such actions of bullying at this school."

Lucy listened to the three Senior School staff speaking. She couldn't help it as she blinked and allowed the tears to spill over. It felt like warmth was within reach, yet so far.

"Luce?"

At the call of her name from Natsu, Lucy didn't stop; she turned toward those she cared about and trusted, allowing her tears to fall unashamedly.

"Ah, Ms. Heartfilia?"

"Lucy-child."

"Ms. Heartfilia!"

Shaking her head, Lucy knew what she had to do. Reaching into her pocket and pulling out her cell phone, Lucy unlocked it. With a few quick swipes, she pulled up the audio files and pressed the newest one from yesterday. By chance, she had stumbled upon this group of people and Ms. Lamy talking. And while the only two that were named were Ms. Lamy and Juvia Lockser.

As those words filtered out from the speaker and hung on the air. Lucy saw the faces of those gathered grow dark. Especially Lyon, who knew that Juvia had it bad for Gray, who had started to think he should give her a chance.

Once it finished, Lucy still felt how tight her throat was with her emotions. So holding her phone out, Laxus took it and showed it to the Senior School staff. And then began playing all the other audio files in that folder.

"Lucy-child, we will take care of this. Their actions are against school policy. And I don't want to deal with your maternal family. So, don't worry, I will take care of it."

"Indeed. It is best to remove that cancerous lump. As a school counselor, Ms. Lamy should know better. And I have never spared her a second glance, so she has no right to be that obsessed with me."

Closing her eyes, Lucy hugged herself as she felt the warmth from those gathered. It took a 'friendly' intervention, but at least the problem can start to be fixed. They were her light.

TBC!