Hello, it's been a while. I've decided I'm going to re-write this story. It will loosely follow my original plot, however, I have new ideas and a new direction that I believe fits my over-all goal for this fic better. This new chapter is posted 06/24/21. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy
Kicked Out
Ch. 1
Welcome Back
Lucy quietly slipped through the large, wooden doors into the crowded guild hall, her tattered backpack loosely slung over her shoulder and completed mission paper gripped loosely in her hand. Her clothes were grungy with dirt, smoke, and wrinkles while her golden hair clearly needed a wash. But she was eager to gather her reward before going home for the night. She had rent to attend to, after all, and there were a few items she needed to restock before she could head out again. If everything was available she hoped to be on the road again by next week, and done with her mission by next month. Makarov already had an assignment reserved for her specifically, so she was on a somewhat set schedule. This past month she had completed her fifth S-Class job, and was quickly making a name for herself in the advanced mages community in Fiore. As she walked he was pleased to note the drastic increase in her stamina and durability, even though she was practically running on reserves at this point. Just six months ago her limbs would have felt like wind-battered branches, her legs like wilted bamboo, and she'd have a piercing headache due to sleep deprivation. But now she almost had a spring in her step, even though she had just gotten off the train and had to walk all the way across town on two dismal hours of sleep.
She'd begun doing solo mission a little over a year ago, and over time she had gotten both physically and magically stronger. Her first time going it alone she struggled to complete the, comparatively, easy quest to take down a gang of five bandits camped out near a well-used but secluded road tucked away in some woods. In the end she did manage to defeat them all, but she needed to rest for a day before actually turning them. She had depleted most of her magic during the fight by summoning three spirits at once, something she was able to do now even after days of intense fighting and magic usage. But back then the bandit's preparedness had taken her by surprise, forcing her to push herself past comfortable levels. So while she was happy she was able to summon Capricorn, Gemini, and Loke at once the exhaustion that followed highlighted just how much conditioning she needed before attempting to go solo again.
Now, a full year since that eye-opening mission, her magic capabilities were impressive to even the most critical wizards. She was able to summon all her spirits at once for a maximum of 12 hours before completely draining her magical core. However, she only liked having everyone out in fifteen minutes intervals every hour because the strain noticeably ate through both her magical and physical energy, exhausting her more and more the longer everyone was out. Besides, the one time she did summon everyone during a battle was to even-out the numbers against a dark guild assassination squad. Lucy scowled at the memory as she took her usual seat at the empty end of the bar. Her spirits spent more time fighting and arguing with each other than fighting their opponents, and fatigued Lucy so much she passed out once the dust settled. She cringed. That day she made the iron decision that it was more productive to have, at max, four spirits out during a fight. With four she was able to supply power for their more advanced skills while also using another magical item herself, like her celestial whip or silver keys.
However, her celestial magic was only part of her magical capabilities now.
After her first few solo missions, before she was S-Class, she began to feel something growing inside her. It made her skin tingle and muscles twitch as an unknown warmth bloomed from her chest through the rest of her body. When she was fighting she would feel a sudden surge of something pulse from the center of her magic core through her nerves to the very ends of her fingers and toes. It was like a familiar voice whispering in a crowded room, clearly there but too washed away in nameless faces to find. This force was clearly different from her celestial magic but it was buried too deep to give it a face, let alone a name. Then, one day while she and Loke were sparring, her chest spasmed and as something that felt like lighting ripped through her veins, scorching her insides into an intense, excruciating blaze that consumed her entirely.
The pain took effect so quickly Lucy was already doubled over in a trembling mess by the time she had even registered the blood pooling out of her mouth and tears rolling down her sweaty cheeks. Her body reacted on its own, twitching motionless on the ground as her brain desperately searched for a way to make the burning stop.
Lucy watched Mira with lazy eyes as she relived the memories, ghosts of fatigue settling into her bones now that she was waiting for the silver demon warrior to notice her. That day she and Loke had been working on strictly martial arts moves when the feeling ensnared her. It caused all her muscles to contract at once in an excruciating vice, and then suddenly relaxing them enough it felt like she was unraveling under her skin. That was when she had fully collapsed and was choking for air while struggling to keep her eyes open and focused, dazed at how quickly she'd been dispatched. All she could see was a golden light drowning her vision, masking everything in an unbearably blinding glow as she tried to frantically find Loke's screaming voice. She could feel her nerves firing uncontrollably and limbs twitching violently. When Loke gathered her into his arms the physical contact amplified her pain, causing her to release feral screams of agony the entire time he was rushing to the guild.
Mira caught Lucy's gaze and gave a small smile and nod before rushing through the door leading to the alcohol storage room. Lucy smiled back even though the mage was gone while she continued reflecting.
By the time Loke exploded through the front doors blood was flowing in an alarming stream down both sides of her mouth, and it sprayed in a sickening copper cloud with each of her cries. She remembered being forced into an infirmary bed and more faceless voices frantically asking her what was wrong. She'd only been able to answer with 'it burns' and, 'make it stop. Please, make it stop.' She kept wailing like that for an hour despite the unknown bodies efforts. Finally, throat raw and lips crusty with dried spit and blood, she fell into blissful unconsciousness, her bloodshot eyes abruptly closing and her body going completely limp. She could vaguely hear the frantic voices screaming, but it was all washed out in golden waves of light.
Later she was told she'd spent three days like that. Unconscious, unmoving, and unresponsive regardless of Mira's attempts to stir her back into wakefulness. She remembered during that time there was only gold encapsulating her. It was soft and warm as it gently enveloped her, and it took her back to the memories of her mother. Specifically memories of her mother holding her tightly as an unrelenting thunderstorm raged outside their massive mansion. Lucy was wrapped in her favorite fluffy pink blanket as she and her mom sat in her childhood bed as rain and hail pelted loudly against her designer glass windows. Each time there was a flash of lightning Lucy would dive under the covers in preparation for the crash that was soon to follow. Then, as soon as she heard the ominous 'crack' she would burst into a fresh fountain of tears. But then her mother would start singing, and she'd be lulled in by the soft melody until eventually falling asleep wrapped in the warm safety of her mother's love. Each time her mom sand Lucy tried to memories the lyrics, and yet when she woke the next morning all she could remember was the melody.
Mira was back at the bar now, hands overflowing with brimming mugs of beer that sloshed with her quick steps as she passed them into eager hands. Lucy put the mission sheet on counter in front of her and began gently trying to smooth out the wrinkles in the cheap paper.
When Lucy finally woke up back then Mira had bombarded her with endless questions, and it was quickly obvious how unusual the episode was. After a full hour of discussion Mira concluded this was out of her league, and she went directly to Master Makarov. With Lucy's discharge and an intense talking to by a worried Mira Makarov suggested she begin investigating by meeting with all her spirits one by one to discuss what happened. More specifically to talk about if they felt anything during the episode. At the time the task of summoning all her spirits was a daunting one, to say the least, and she knew it would take her especially longer in her recovering state.
Now, a year later, she could have them out and chatting away all at once if she didn't know it would only end in a family brawl.
But back then when she began asking her spirits one by one, starting with the silver keys, it had been an exhausting task that left her depleted. Her silver keys didn't have much input, but when talking with her golden keys Lucy immediately knew something was wrong.
At first they claimed they hadn't felt anything, and that they didn't have any theories regarding what the cause was. But by the time it was Capricorn's turn to meet with her, being the seventh spirit in line, Lucy found no less than ten inconsistencies between everyone's answers. So she demanded he tell her the complete truth. When he began trying to resist she'd finally had enough and resorted to sternly reminding him he was bound to her through magical contact, thereby forcing him to answer her honestly. She hated relying on the 'master-servant' nature of their bonds, but her need for answer took precedence over everything.
After that Capricorn told her everything.
According to him all the zodiac keys could sense something was happening, even if they hadn't been summoned recently and were deep in the Celestial Realm. Despite how close they were due to their unusually strong magical bonds, Capricorn carefully acknowledged how the intensity of the situation was beyond anything and of them had ever experienced before. Seconds before the episode started he stated he felt a shift in his own magic core, and that he suddenly had a secondary power source he was unexpectedly able to draw magic from. It happened so fast he wouldn't have been able to recognize what was going on if he hadn't been trying to force open his own gate to get to Lucy, something that usually took an immense amount of his own magical energy that suddenly felt like nothing to accomplish. After that he didn't do anything that might accidentally engage this new sources limits, resulting in him returning to the Celestial realm. But with then he could tell this new source was powerful. Whether it was a good or bad thing he couldn't say, but the power difference was undeniable.
When she collapsed the secondary core seemed to grow in the following days, constantly expanding while the magic it supplied became increasingly erratic and intense. Then, after peaking around the afternoon of the first day of her stay in the infirmary, the growing slowed to an imperceptible rate for two more days while she had been unconscious.
It was at that point in the conversation that Capricorn went silent, clearly deep in thought. Lucy initially wanted to urge him to continue, anxious as to why he was suddenly so contemplative, but she restrained herself and grit her teeth till he was ready to continue. After what seemed to be an entire minute he took a deep, defeated breath, then straightened with a newfound resolve.
Satisfied with her efforts to unwrinkled her paper Lucy leaned back on her stool slightly, enjoying the rush of almost toppling backwards before leaning forward to keep her balance. Mira had retreated to the booze storage room once again, Cana pouting in her seat while she waited. Lucy sighed. All she needed was to drop the mission off with Mira to file away with the rest of the guilds completed jobs. It was policy to keep record of any and every completed quest so the they could be referenced in the future should the guild need to. With an exasperated sigh Lucy laid her head on the bar with a deep, 'thud' as she continued to mull over her year.
Capricorn told her that apparently Loke was able to make it to the guild faster than he should have been able to. Much faster. Three times faster, to be exact, and without sustaining any sense of exhaustion after delivering her to Mira. Then, once back in the spirit world, there was a golden glow surrounding his entire body that lasted until she regained consciousness. It blurred around him as he moved, shrouding his image in a heavenly halo that burned with an unknown power. It blinded the other spirits if they looked at him for too long he was shining so intently. Even the spirits of the Sun was swallowed by the peculiar rays.
Yet even though Loke could clearly see the light he wasn't adversely affected at all. Instead he felt a comfortable warmth settle over him. It bloomed from his chest and cocooned him tenderly. It rooted in his heart with memories of laughter and family, and sprouted through his veins into his fingers and toes. It was an addictive, incredible feeling that left him on an incomparable high.
Capricorn had finished their conversation by explaining why Loke asked them to lie. In short the brave, proud lion was scared. The amount of new, raw magical strength he had experienced in just his short sprint to the guild terrified him, especially because he couldn't tell where it was coming from or why it was there. And with no way of knowing if this new core was safe he didn't want his beloved Lucy to risk even accidentally triggering it again. So he'd demanded everyone keep their experiences under wraps while they silently researched on their own.
Lucy had been stunned to hear the revelation. Sure Loke was already overprotective of her because of his naturally flirtatious personality, and because he was one of her spirits, but she was surprised to hear that he'd gone to such lengths in an attempt to protect her. Asking all the golden keys to lie to their master about something that could potentially be a very serious matter took an amount of courage only he would have, and even though she was furious she couldn't deny the small amount of respect she had for his actions.
When she interviewed Loke for a second time he constantly shifted uncomfortably in his seat while trying to avoid looking her in the eye. For her part Lucy had attempted to convey an attitude of disappointment in the fact that he didn't seem to have confidence in her to keep herself safe, and annoyance that he had gone above her authority to direct the spirits to withhold information. But in reality it was a façade to try and cloak her growing unease. When she asked him to describe what the new strength felt like he barked out a bitter, pessimistic laugh. The sound was so unlike the way Loke usually sounded Lucy was physically taken aback, this time her being the one shifting uncomfortably.
"I could have demolished entire forests. Leveled whole mountain ranges. Evaporated the seas if I wanted to. I could've slaughtered a whole dark guild in one day. I could have crushed you like an autumn leaf while carrying you to the guild to get help, Lucy. If I wanted to take on this whole damn guild it would have been impossible to stop me. That's how powerful I felt."
As he spoke chills clawed down Lucy's spine, Loke's voice detached and emotionless as he described the power trip. His robotic tone and black, empty eyes caused her jaw to anxiously clench and hands begin to sweat. She was used to Loke being overly animated and expressive in everything he did that hearing him talk in such a unemotional and vicious way made her stomach roil and skin clammy. She'd never seen him look so…sinister. She hated it.
Once finished he just stared at her with blank eyes, clearly still masking his true opinions on the situation, although now his tense body language was basically daring her to provoke him for more information. A predator poised to strike their prey with deadly accuracy. She'd guessed he was still nervous she would do something to accidentally, or maybe intentionally, trigger another attack. Or maybe he was worried an outside party was responsible and was waiting for another chance to strike. Perhaps it was an unknown curse she'd picked up while on a mission that he knew nothing about. Whatever his thoughts were she knew she couldn't press him further then. The event had changed him, at least for the time being, and now she needed to treat him like a recently uncaged animal on the prowl. So she concluded the meeting and force closed his gate even though he went willingly, the look in his eyes before disappearing into the golden void sharp and unhinged. She hoped the show of literal force reminded him about how hurt she was that he made the decision to withhold information from her, although even if it did she doubted he'd ever regret the decision. At least not until whatever this new attitude was passed. Hopefully after spending a few earth days in the spirit word he would relax back into his usual self.
"Sorry Lucy! I don't know why it got so busy all of a sudden!"
Mira's cheery voice snapped Lucy out of her memory. Lifting her head the blond mage was greeted with the sparkling smile of Fairy Tail's voted most beautiful witch, and she grinned back.
"Nah, it's no problem. I'm just dropping off my mission paper." Lucy replied easily as she stretched her back. Mira nodded and grabbed the paper while humming softy to herself as she looked it over.
"Wow Lucy. You're missions have been getting more…dangerous lately."
Lucy stopped stretching to look at Mira with a questioning glance. Mira gazed back at her. She was chewing the corner of her bottom lip, a habit she'd picked up in childhood and had never been able to shake. Especially when she was concerned about something.
Lucy just shrugged nonchalantly, her greasy hair falling over her shoulders down the length of her back.
"Makarov's been picking them for me recently, although sometimes I get requested specifically now that I'm getting my name out there more. Besides, I showed it to you before I left so you'd know I'd be gone for most of the month."
Mira looked away from her and back to the page, her eyes skimming over it again.
"I know, but I didn't realize it was just going to be you. This mission was to beat down and arrest an entire underground crime syndicate in Crocus. There must've been at least 75 mages involved, and in the capital no less. You should've met up with members from other guilds to form a team. Not go by yourself."
Mira looked back up to Lucy, the gears practically visible as they turned in her brain. Lucy sighed, the fatigue from earlier now full blown exhaustion. She didn't want to blow off Mira's anxieties, but she really just didn't have the mental energy to have this discussion right now.
"I was fine. It took me a little longer than if I'd been on a team, but I got it done and now I'm back safe and sound. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle."
Lucy hopped off her stool and felt her legs wobble underneath her. She was tired. Beginning to walk away from the bar she mustered the rest of her energy and looked over her shoulder back at her friend.
"Besides, you know I'm never by myself. I have my spirits!"
Mira just nodded quietly as she watched Lucy melt into the bustle of the guild. She would talk to Makarov. It wasn't okay with her that he was sending Lucy out to do team missions by herself. Even if she were requested specifically Mira wouldn't stand for it. As an S-Class mage herself she knew what these missions were like, and while she knew Lucy could handle them alone the silver haired bar tender knew just how much of a toll it took on her dear friend. Yes, she would talk to Makarov whether Lucy thought it was an issue or not.
Slipping through the guild hall Lucy's smile dropped and her eyelids suddenly felt like they were made of lead. She was barely able to stifle a powerful yawn as she continued to trudge forward, her tired mind wandering back into her memories.
After talking with all her spirits she had taken a break from solo missions, and decreased her training intensity. Instead she opted to spend most of her and her spirits time researching to see if they could glean any answers from the guilds expansive library. They hoped this would prevent another attack, and that by cutting down on her magic interaction and expenditure she would be safe, but a second episode had happened just two weeks after the first. That time it happened while she was sat at a table in Fairy Tail's library. She, Loke, Capricorn, Virgo, and Gemini were five hours into their 16 hour research session when the spirits suddenly began to glow brightly, their eyes shining with golden flecks and bodies surrounded in a soft glow. They all knew immediately what happening and luckily Lucy was close enough to the infirmary that Makarov and Mira were able to observe her while she was still conscious. Again, her body was reduced to a sweating, trembling mess as spurts of blood dribbled down her chin with each excruciating scream. The pain was like an infection that bore deeper into her with each passing second.
Just like the first time she had collapsed into unconsciousness again. However, this time there were four spirits out and Makarov was able to request they stay out so he could observe them. Loke, who had apparently been frantically pacing in front of her bed, only agreed to follow Makarovs suggestions after Mira placed a stabilizing charm over Lucy. It wasn't anything special, but it would magically monitor and display her vitals while also maintaining her body temperature and energy levels, both magical and physical. It was by using this charm that they discovered that whatever secondary magical source they had access to during an episode was no different for Lucy. They were astonished to see that her magic levels were astronomically higher than they expected them to be, easily reaching S-Class levels, and yet it didn't appear to be an outside influence combing with her own magic. It all stemmed from her singular magical core. The golden light wasn't a foreign power like they assumed, but was actually a previously dormant part of Lucy's own magic.
It was then, with this observation, that Lucy's life was suddenly derailed and thrown into uncharted waters. It was during that second attack that Makarov made the executive decision to extensively train with her until she had complete control over this new magical influx, a decision she hadn't even been able to discuss with him because she had been unconscious.
At first Loke had been enraged, and he feverishly argued with the headmaster. Mira later told Lucy it was like watching a loyal animal desperately trying to protect their master. His logic was shotty and actions wild and untamed.
He had brought up his concern that excessive training could trigger more attacks, and that they didn't know what long term effects using this dormant power could cause. But Makarov had put his foot down and kept it down, countering that Lucy would weather more attacks regardless of training, and that the episodes would only get worse if she had no way to utilize and dispense her powers. She was a teakettle without a spout, screaming for a way to relieve the pressure building within her. So, Loke was forced to back down. Even though it had been clear to everyone present he hated the thought of potentially causing more attacks with intentional training, he had vowed to the still unconscious Lucy that he and her spirits would continue to protect her no matter what, and would be with her through the whole process. After that he had disappeared back into the spirit realm without another word to anyone, a look of pain and sadness the last thing any of them saw. With Makarovs permission the other three spirits soon followed the lion, each of them silently worried in their own ways about what was to come. All of them still glowing.
Once Lucy had woken up she was instantly put onto a recovery regime. No physical training, no excessive studying, and no strenuous magical usage. Lucy cringed again as she made it to the big wooden doors of the guild, her tired arms straining to open them as the old feelings washed over her. She'd felt completely lost and useless while being forced to recover. She supposed that was when she realized she had changed as a person. Before going solo she would have been happy to stay at home on what was basically bedrest, excited for the excuse to work on her novel all day without interruption. But then when it actually happened she hadn't even made it one day before going stir crazy. Her home became nothing more than a glorified cage, the powder blue walls and framed windows taunting her with each passing hour. She had basically spent the entire second day sitting at her window and staring into the street, her chest filled with longing to walk the cobble stone path to the train station that would take her to her next mission. She couldn't even summon a spirit until the fifth day, so it had just been her and her thoughts as she relentlessly watched people mull about their days business.
She supposed that was when she realized how much she hated being alone with her own thoughts. Specifically the fresh, painful memories that she usually kept locked down deep inside of her. One day she would revisit them, but until that time she wanted them so far away she could forget if they even existed. They hadn't escaped their prison during those days, but she could still hear them whispering to her from the bottom of the void that was her soul. The deeper she went the darker things became, and she didn't want to see it yet.
Once she was finally deemed recover she had basically sprinted the entire way to the guild hall, her keys and whip barely managing to remain latched to her hips as she tore throught he streets. When she did arrive she immediately went into Makarovs office, eyes gleaming and heart pounding with rejuvenated excitement.
After that they began working immediately, her spirits never far from her side as she and Makarov sparred, meditated, and studied. The master made it a rule she was only allowed to use the golden magic when fighting, and that he would instantly forgo any restraint if she brought any of her spirits out. It was a game she had been thrilled to play until it came down to the actual fighting. It then became crystal clear how untamed and unruly her new magic was, as did the bruises from Makarovs beat downs when she inevitable became frustrated and summoned a spirit or used her celestial whip.
Lucy grinned to herself as she made her way home. She'd be lying if she didn't say that those had been some of the most painful weeks of her entire life. Fractured bones, strained muscles, and the sheer amount of bruises where things she would never forget. And all of it had been brought on by her own frustrations and tendency to lash out against her master whenever things didn't go her way. After a few solo missions she had already grown accustomed to getting what she wanted when she wanted it in fights, and suddenly having that taken away had, for lack of better words, really pissed her off.
During that time Makarov never used more force than was required. So if she had just stopped after an initial back-of-the-head smack or flick-to-the-ear she would've saved herself so many swear words and jewels spent on pain-relief potions. She hadn't stopped tough.
And she paid for her bad attitude dearly.
Taking her usual turn Lucy almost lost her balance as a pack of children rushed passed her. Damn she needed to sleep. As she'd been walking her legs continued to feel like they were disintegrating and her eyes were basically drooped closed. She momentarily toyed with the idea of having one of her spirits carry her the rest of the way, but with a quick check in on her magical core she knew that would be a stupid decision in her current state. Maybe Mira had been onto something with her whole, 'you should've done this with a team' talk back at the bar. She would ask about it later. For now she continued forcing her feet to step on in front of the other. She was so close to bed. Just on more push.
After observing Lucy and her spirits for two months Makarov had concluded without doubt that this new power was entirely a dormant part of Lucy's own magic, and that it actually stemmed from her bloodline. Yet he still didn't know why it hadn't manifested till then. He speculated it was a form of rare, unstable familial magic passed through one of her parents to her. So, while it wasn't exactly dark by nature, he had told her that familial magic like this was unpredictable and undocumented due to its elusive nature, often skipping multiple generations of mages before appearing again. Through those two months the episodes slowly transitioned from excruciating pain to an uncomfortable, but manageable, scalding under her skin. The best way Lucy could describe it was how electricity flows through water, crackling and pulsing through her veins, barely contained. But contained none-the-less.
Even though Makarov had been able to determine what was going on after those two months she still had a long road ahead of her if she ever wanted to control and eventually use this familial magic. So, in addition to the freeform sparring's, she and her guild master began working on techniques to control this new, unique magic. During her third month of training everyday ended in dismal failure. The golden magic always overpowered her before she could manifest more than a single blast of pure, unrefined energy. This lead to many sleepless nights, bloodied shirts, and frustrated explosions of her celestial power as Lucy clawed for anything that would lead to her success.
She was at her apartment building now and she couldn't hold the grateful sigh that slipped through her tired lips. Usually she would take the stairs, sometimes timing herself to see how fast she could make it to the sixth floor.
Not today.
Without even glancing at the door to the stairwell she marched to the newly installed elevator and giddily shuffled inside, her muscles sagging with relief as she pushed the button to reach her floor. With a shaky jerk and unholy screech the metal door closed in front of her, and she felt herself being pulled upwards.
Sure magic was cool, but riding an elevator straight to your floor with just a push of a button was cooler.
After three more months, it finally happened. She had been 'sparring' with Scorpio, which actually looked more like her being thrown around via tornados and then periodically being drowned in sand, when something clicked into place, and suddenly she was overwhelmed with a sense of home.
In that second the unbearable burning transformed into the distinct warmth she remembered from her mother's hugs. The rush of blood and magic drumming in her ears became the soothing lullaby on thunderous, rainy days. The stench of scorched flesh now the unmistakable smell of the subtle lavender perfume her mother adorned every day.
Her mother's lyrics suddenly Ringling clear and full in her ears.
The glow will find you. The glow will guide you. The glow will remind you how much I love you.
She knew where this magic came from. With tears in her eyes and her heart in her throat she knew exactly what to do with it.
I will find you. I will guide you. I will show you how much I love you.
This time when Lucy opened her eyes and focused on her surroundings the golden haze sharpened everything around her. Every detail. Every movement. Every speck of magic. It was all as clear as her mother's soft lullaby, and she finally felt balanced. Every ounce of her being was suddenly where and how it should be, and she was entirely complete in a way she had never thought to think was possible. She hadn't known she'd been operating as half a human until then, but in that moment she knew she would never go back so long as she lived.
Instead of being surrounded by golden rays they soaked into her, causing the glow to thrum powerfully under her skin, the golden sheen still visible. It gave an unnatural, godly hue to Lucy that both alarmed and entranced those who saw her. With this newfound harmony she was able create a powerful blast of golden magic that, like lightning, scorched and decimated all that was in its way. Only leaving a blistering, golden inferno in its wake as an menacing, 'boom' thundered around her seconds later. The attack struck before the eye could process what had happened, and by the time the brain was able to comprehend the initial attack the shimmering flames overwhelmed everything without mercy.
Lucky for Scorpio Lucy's aim had been off by a good few feet, but that didn't stop him from retreating back into the spirit realm before the flames could catch him. Even then the heat had been close enough him that his exposed arms were covered in blisters for three days after the match, much to Aquarius's anger. Lucy promptly collapsed after the attack, the residual warmth covering her like a soft blanket and lulling her into a peaceful sleep.
Makarov had seen the whole thing, and while he was pleased with her progress, the golden magic's power worried him. While he could tell Lucy felt nothing but affection and love for her new power, Makarov wasn't blinded by familial emotions.
This magic was a chaotic force with a unquenchable thirst for complete destruction. There was something untethered and wild about it that made his old joints creak with caution, and hands itch with the undeniable sense to protect against the golden beast. It was like watching a natural disaster in real time. Wild flames burning away even the dirt of the ground beneath their feat so only ash remained. Tsunami waves crashing and demolishing large boulders into fragments of gravel before being ripped out to sea. Vicious winds of a tornado shredding entire forests in an unending demolition. The earth tearing open to gaping jaws eager to swallow entire villages. This magic was a wild beast finally free to run loose without anything to put it in its place. The top of the predator hierarchy. A starved creature impatient to fill it's empty stomach with violence, blood, and annihilation. That was what Makarov saw within the golden light, and it was terrifying.
That night he created an specialized magic limiter for her and began the process of granting her S-Class status. Under normal circumstances he would wait until the annual S-Class trials, and was in fact already planning to have her participate anyway, but given her sudden progress he knew she couldn't afford the wait, especially if she wanted to continue taking missions while training to control her magic. Not only was this gold technique clearly S-Class rank, but her instantaneous ability to use it put him on high alert. He could tell that learning this magic wouldn't happen overtime. Instead things would eventually click into place again, either due to practice or circumstances, and would result in her instantaneous capability to wield new attacks and spells. So even if he had been hesitant to move forward with S-Class preparations it didn't matter now. She had forced his hand, and he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the situation.
The next day when she had come to fetch him for training he had sat her down instead and laid out everything on his mind. His observations, thoughts, and predictions for her future should she continue mastering her golden magic. She would be promoted to S-Class without the trials under the conditions she would wear a magic limier anytime she wasn't on a mission, in battle, or sparring with an opponent who was aware of her full magical capabilities. Lucy, for her part, readily accepted the terms and seemed to genuinely accept his reservations regarding her new powers. They agreed that overtime he would continue to monitor her, and adjustments to this contract would be made accordingly as they continued their monthly training sessions whenever she wasn't on a job. That day Lucy walked out of the guild masters office with simple black band anklet and the S-Class mark on the back of her neck, easily hidden by her hair.
The elevator gave an obnoxious, 'ding' and Lucy nearly punched the wall out of reflex as she jolted awake. Quickly swiping the drool off her chin she stood up straighter and shook her head to hopefully insight enough wakefulness to get her down the hall and into her apartment. She briskly made her way to her door, and after struggling with her key for an embarrassing amount of time, she slipped inside.
Finally. She was home.
Her body moved on autopilot as she walked to her room. At the door she slumped her backpack off, allowing it to land in an unimpressive heap on the floor. In the living room she unhooked her whip and keys from her belt and tossed them onto the couch as she shuffled past. It was at this point her hazy mind remembered she was supposed to have re-upped her supplies on her way back. But while she began shimmying out of her soiled shirt and pants she couldn't care less about her unfulfilled errand. She left her clothes where they fell, too tired to bother with cleaning up after herself yet. Now in her bedroom she gravitated towards her dresser. Without bothering to really look at what she was sifting through she grabbed an oversized shirt from the top right drawer. She slipped into it would trying to pry herself out of her sports bra. She didn't have the energy to peel the thing off her, and besides she found sleeping with some extra support didn't hurt after missions where she thoroughly exerted herself. Spinning on her heel she was basically sleep-shuffling through the home stretch.
She literally walked into her bed, the mattress hitting her at shins and allowing herself to flop face first into the heavenly jumble pf blankets and pillows. After a month of sleeping in shady inns, tents, or the last resort when shelter wasn't available, tree's, she had forgotten what luxury felt like.
Good. It felt damn good.
In three breathes she was out cold, her mind floating into a, thankfully, dreamless sleep.
