Chapter One: The Aftermath
Following Fairy Tail's victory against Phantom Lord, Lucy spent the next few days in her apartment, lying in bed. She was still trying to recuperate from the bruises that she had suffered from Gajeel's brutal beating. Her worst one was on the left side of her waist. It was where the iron mage had mercilessly kicked her so hard that it left a dark contusion.
Her teammate, Natsu, would sometimes drop by her apartment along with Happy to check in on her and update her regarding the guildhall's reconstruction. It had fallen into ruins during the battle with Phantom Lord, but everyone in Fairy Tail was now helping each other to rebuild it. Well, everyone except her.
"I'm sorry for being so useless," she told Natsu one morning, slowly sitting up on her bed. "I should be helping you guys out there."
"Oi, oi. We don't mind," said the fire mage earnestly, dropping flat on the floor and then crossing his legs. "You gotta rest and recover your strength, ya know."
"But it's my fault that Phantom Lord attacked Fairy Tail and destroyed the guildhall," she reminded him quietly. She knew that she sounded pathetic, but she couldn't help it. She blamed herself.
"I thought we're over this," he argued, rolling his eyes. "It's not your fault. So, quit bein' hard on yourself. It doesn't suit ya." Then, he shrugged his broad shoulders. "Besides, Phantom Lord had been Fairy Tail's long-time rival, so we had to fight at some point. Know what I mean, Luigi?"
Lucy didn't even bother to reprimand him about calling her Luigi again. She felt so embarrassed and guilty that her friends had risked their lives in fighting to protect her because her father, Jude, had paid Phantom Lord for her kidnapping.
She heaved a sigh, bowing her head and letting her blonde hair fall to her face. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get rid of the mental image of her friends looking at her in shock when they had discovered who she really was—a runaway daughter of a wealthy and powerful business tycoon. A Heartfilia.
They probably thought that she was mad to have given up a comfortable life when she already had everything, she mused, but that wasn't the case for her. At home, her father would always ignore her and force her to do things his way. It had been a lonely, miserable life since her mother's passing. When she ran away, she had never felt so relieved.
I badly want to stay in Fairy Tail, she thought, feeling a lump in her throat. They're like a family to me, and they're all so kind. But how can I face them after everything that's happened?
"Natsu," she began weakly, raising her head to look at him, but her nakama childishly blew a raspberry to silence her.
"I know what you're gonna say, and I don't wanna hear it," he said dismissively, running his hand through his spiky pink hair. "Just get better, will ya? Mira said the job requests are pilin' up, and I'm anxious to get started on a new adventure with my team!"
The celestial mage watched Natsu as he got up and climbed over her window. After casting one last encouraging look at her, he turned to the blue feline and urged, "Ikuzo, Happy!"
"Aye!" cried the Exceed before jumping out of the window with Natsu. "Get well soon, Lushi!"
As soon as her friends left, Lucy lay back down in her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She closed her eyes and, moments later, broke down into tears.
Writing letters to her late mother, Layla, had always been Lucy's source of strength. Even though she couldn't see her, she always felt like her mother was nearby, listening to her whenever she was scribbling down her thoughts and feelings.
Today, Lucy wrote about how relieved she felt that she could move freely again. It had been two weeks now since the battle with Phantom Lord, and her injuries were healing quite nicely. The contusion in her waist was still there, but the color was much lighter than before.
She still had some doubts about coming back to the guild, but she realized that she owes everyone an apology and a thank you for risking their lives to protect her. She hadn't even thanked Loke yet for returning her celestial gate keys through Natsu when she had accidentally dropped them at the time she got kidnapped.
She took a deep breath. She decided to muster up her courage and face everyone in Fairy Tail today. Even if they would decide to no longer welcome her back, she at least could say goodbye to them in person. Where she would go next, she didn't know, but she could never go back to her old life with her father, who only seemed to care about his money.
If Fairy Tail would decide to accept her again, then she would do everything to atone for her sin. She would train hard and become a stronger celestial mage so she could at least protect her friends in times of danger.
Lucy was about to put the finished letter to her late mother into a piece of envelope when Natsu and Happy came up to her window and greeted, "Yo!"
She let out a shriek and then glared at them. "Don't startle me like that, you two!" she cried in frustration. "And how many times do I have to say it? Use the door!"
"Wow, I kinda missed all that yelling from you, Luigi," said Natsu cheerfully, apparently unfazed by her annoyed expression. "Welcome back!"
She was about to retort: "It's Lucy!" But then she paused, realizing that she was indeed back to her old self again, and her teammate just noticed. Blushing, she turned her attention back to her folded letter and stuffed it hastily into the envelope. Then, she sealed it and placed it inside a chest box.
Heh. Look at how flustered she is, thought Natsu, exchanging smirks with Happy. His other friends in Fairy Tail, especially Erza and Gray, had been urging him to persuade Lucy to come back to the guild since she hadn't shown up for two weeks. Even Loke, who was always nervous around celestial wizards, had sent his regards.
"Well, it does feel nice to have my old energy back," the celestial mage admitted, placing her hands to her heart. "Thanks again for looking after me, Natsu. You, too, Happy."
"Aye," said the blue feline. "We're a team, remember?'
Natsu just grunted. Then, he wondered if he should tell Lucy that two of Phantom Lord's S-Class mages had recently joined Fairy Tail since the former guild had been disbanded by the Magic Council. But if he brought it up right now, it might alarm her.
According to Lucy, Gajeel and Juvia were the ones who had attacked and kidnapped her. However, the fire mage believed that they weren't really evil. They were probably just forced to obey their former guild master's orders, so Natsu chose to give them a chance when Makarov had introduced them as the new members of Fairy Tail.
No. He decided that he wanted Lucy to enjoy her first few days of being able to step out of her apartment after being stuck in the place for the past two weeks. Besides, it wasn't only her injuries that had forced her to stay in her shell. She probably had also been traumatized and feeling sorry for herself. Seriously, his nakama was so easy to read.
"Hey, what are you spacing out for?" Lucy suddenly asked, snapping Natsu out of his thoughts.
"What—? Oh, nothing," he said hastily. "You ready to head to the guild, now?" He openly inspected her "work" outfit, which meant her skin-tight white blouse with blue trimmings that matched her blue skirt and a pair of leather high heeled boots. Her celestial gate keys, as usual, were safely hanged from her belt.
Lucy quickly wrapped her arms around herself, feeling self-conscious. "Hey, don't give me that creepy look!"
"Natsu's checking you out," teased Happy, snickering. "He loooves you!"
"Shut up, Happy. It's not like that," she snapped. Then, she smiled and nodded her head at the fire mage. "Yeah, I think I'm ready to see our friends again."
Natsu grinned back at her. "Then, let's go, Lucy."
When Lucy arrived at the Fairy Tail site with Natsu and Happy, she was amazed at how the guildhall was nearly at its completion. She could see Erza bossing everyone around and instructing them what to do. Gray forgot to wear his clothes again, but he was working on hammering the nails on one of the double doors of the guildhall. When she thought that she saw Loke's figure in a corner, it disappeared the moment she craned her neck to get a better look.
"Lu-chan!"
Lucy turned her head and saw Levy, together with Jet and Droy, running toward her. The petite mage then extended her slender arms and hugged her, squeezing her tightly.
"How are you, Lu-chan?" she asked concernedly. "We've been so worried about you!"
"Ne, Levy-chan." Lucy suddenly felt embarrassed. Levy was one of her friends whom got along so well. "I… I just wanted to say…"
"Lucy," interrupted Erza, walking over toward her. "Don't say any more. Natsu already told us how you felt about everything." She crossed her arms over her armored chest, smiling smugly. "And I gotta say I'd have to agree with him. Getting all gloomy like that doesn't suit you at all."
Lucy gaped at the redhead, blushing furiously. She had always admired the requip mage, more so when they had teamed up for the first time against Eisenwald and his followers in Oshibana Town. Although it was a dangerous mission, Lucy had had the time of her life, being able to work with such strong mages like her, Natsu, and Gray.
"Welcome back, Lucy," chimed in Gray, draping an arm around her and pulling her into a side hug. Then, he looked around. "Hold on. I was sure Loke was here. Where did he go?"
Before she could react at having been pressed against Gray's bare chest, Natsu growled at him. "Oi, oi. Let go of her, you ice pervert."
The ice mage immediately did, looking flustered, but then he glared at the fire mage. "Who're you calling a pervert, flame-brain?" he retorted.
Within seconds, the two of them engaged in a fistfight, catching everyone's attention. Lucy didn't know whether to laugh or feel worried. Natsu and Gray never ceased to amaze her with their fierce yet friendly rivalry on who was the stronger and more skilled fighter.
"So, this new girl is the culprit."
Wait—that deep voice didn't sound friendly at all. The celestial mage spun around and saw Laxus standing in a towering height several feet away, his muscular arms folded over his broad chest. His blond hair was spiky as usual, and his gray eyes bore a piercing look. All of a sudden, Lucy could feel her hearting pounding.
Ever since she joined Fairy Tail, she always felt uneasy around Laxus because of his arrogant and cold nature. She had already scratched him out of her perfect boyfriend list booklet along with Loke, the resident playboy.
"Knock it off, Laxus," said Mirajane, who had stepped in front of Lucy protectively. "You weren't even here to help us when Phantom Lord attacked. You have no right to say things like that!"
"Mira-san," uttered Lucy, her breath caught in her chest. It was Mirajane who had put her to sleep with a magic spell to prevent her from handing herself over to Phantom Lord when Fairy Tail was at a disadvantage during the time of the battle.
"Ah? Nandato?" Laxus sneered at the take-over mage. "You better watch your tone, Mira. You are, after all, talking to the next Fairy Tail guild master."
Natsu and Gray halted, enraged. The rest of the Fairy Tail guild members started forming a circle around them, their faces looking grim.
"What did you say, Laxus?" yelled the fire mage, his fists suddenly engulfed in flames.
"You'll never be Guild Master even if you're Makarov's grandson," said the ice mage, pulling back his arm and placing a fist on his palm. "Master would never allow someone who belittles his comrades to take over Fairy Tail."
Lucy shot a glance at Gray, stunned, and then she turned her attention back to Laxus, who raised his right eyebrow at her, stretching along his lightning-shaped scar across it. Laxus is Master Makarov's grandson? If so, then he would likely be taking over the guild should Makarov retire.
"How rich of you to come back here, Princess," the lightning mage taunted, pointedly ignoring Natsu and Gray. "Tell me. How did it feel when you learned that you're the cause of our guildhall's destruction? If you ask me, you're not even worth all the trouble."
It was like a slap in the face and a shot to the heart. Lucy could feel her body trembling and tears forming around her eyes. Right now, she wanted to run as far away from him as possible, but her body wouldn't move. Everything in her gut told her to stay right where she was.
Within seconds, Natsu and Gray angrily charged toward Laxus, but the blond mage easily evaded their attacks by using his lightning magic to transport his body from one place to another at high speed. Since they couldn't catch him, he kept on laughing at them.
"Natsu, Gray, that's enough!" shouted Erza, causing the younger mages to stop immediately. "Just ignore him and get back to work. Everyone—get back to work!" The requip mage turned to Lucy and nodded at her. "And that includes you, too, Lucy."
The Fairy Tail guild members, except for Lucy and Laxus—who stood glaring at each other—started going back to their respective work. Natsu and Gray grudgingly followed Erza, along with Mirajane and the Shadow Gear, to help with the repairs.
"Why aren't you following them?" questioned Laxus in his deep voice, smirking at her. "Don't you want to be with your little friends first before you leave the guild?"
Gritting her teeth, Lucy decided that she wasn't going to back down to this… this arrogant prick. She willed herself not to get intimidated by him—even if he was the guild master's grandson, an S-Class mage, and a member of her newfound family. He had an attitude, and someone should put him in his place.
"I'm not going anywhere," she told him coldly, catching him by surprise. "And you can't boss me around. I'm going to prove that I'm not a burden to this guild or a weakling!" With that, she turned on her heel and hurried after her friends.
Laxus stared after her in amusement. The blonde girl was not only a weakling, but she was pretty stubborn as well. Seriously, he hated it when Fairy Tail housed spoiled and entitled softies like her. A few days ago, he had been in another town for a mission when he heard some of the townsfolk gossiping and laughing at the Fairy Tail guildhall's demise. They had even mentioned that the guild was going south for having weak wizards as members. Of course, he had electrocuted them with lightning and sent them flying without hesitation.
No one should ever make fun of Fairy Tail. The lightning mage blamed his grandfather for being so lenient toward his reckless comrades. Not only the old geezer hadn't kicked Lucy out, but he also had the nerve to welcome Gajeel and Juvia into the guild after the disbandment of Phantom Lord, making them a magic guild that accepted garbage.
Laxus couldn't wait for his grandfather to retire. As soon as Fairy Tail was entirely his to command, he would redefine the rules and ascertain that no one would dare laugh at their magic guild ever again. Then, he would expel anyone who didn't deserve the Fairy Tail guild mark.
I'll get rid of the garbage, he thought to himself. And I'll start with this blonde chick. He turned around and vanished from sight, leaving streaks of lightning in his wake.
