Chapter Four: Just take the damn invitation!

Lucy was utterly exhausted; she had mistakenly followed after Natsu when he angrily walked out of the guild two days ago. It seemed that he was upset that a member of the guild hadn't come back from their own mission and his son was worried about him. Natsu went off on his own to rescue the guild member while Lucy tagged along, to get more experience.

What she didn't realize that it was on top of a freaking snowy mountain. She was cold and shivering while Natsu didn't seem too phased at all by the weather. In short, they walked all the way up to the top only for her to get kidnapped by the Vulcan instead of actually helping.

Then on top of all of that, Lucy had to find a place to live, she couldn't very well live in a hotel forever. So, the very minute she set foot back on the ground from the mountain, she set off on finding a place to stay.

After much time looking, she found this place by the canal, which was fairly cheap, and it didn't seem too small. Even though it was a studio apartment, the view was great and somewhat cheap. It was even furnished since she didn't have anything to her name from leaving her father.

Now, she threw her bags by the door and collapsed on her couch, muffled by the throw pillow was a groan and exhaustion. It was early in the morning when she just got back from buying a little bit of food. She knew that she should have put her food away, but she really couldn't feel her legs at this point.

When she heard a slight knock on her door, Lucy only groaned louder, almost ignoring it for the day and hopefully, it wasn't one of her neighbors wanting to meet her. Then the knocking got louder and more spaced out.

Groaning once again, Lucy made it to her feet on the third knock. Slowly making her way over to the door she let out a small yawn, "Yeah?" she asked, gradually opening her eyes to see who it was.

"Geez blondie, you look awful in the morning," his deep baritone brought her head up to see Laxus staring down at her with his pointed eyebrows. She noticed his sound pods wrapped around his neck with his fluffy coat set atop his shoulders.

"Laxus? What are you doing here?" tucking a stray hair behind her ear, Lucy shifted her feet off one another.

Instead of answering, he barged his way in and looked around indifferently, stormy eyes looking from her kitchen to her bed to her small and closed off bathroom, "Small place you got here."

Lucy watched him, with arms crossed at the opened door, he just barged in from, "It's still a place to stay," she countered, seeing him shrug at the notion.

Her hand gripping the door to close it, Lucy asked: "Is there something you needed?" However, before she could close it fully, a hand stopped her causing her to gasp loudly and hold her heart in shock, to see Evergreen making her way inside the apartment as well.

"I knew you were following me," Laxus spoke, picking up one of the very few books that were sitting on the shelf before placing it back on the shelf, though in the wrong space causing Lucy to mumble under her breath.

The fairy mage, in turn, slapped him on the shoulder, "And you didn't even stop to tell me you were coming here," she yelled.

Lucy was about to ask what she was doing here and what they wanted when she heard a crash from the side window facing the canal and saw a heap of blue and black along with small wooden totems floating around. Bickslow was now standing up with a cackling smile on his face, "Hey guys, heard you were coming here, and I decided to come!" laughing while his little babies roamed around the apartment.

"Bickslow's here now? What is going on?" Lucy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"I'm here too," Freed raised a hand, eyes glued to a book he pulled off her bookshelf. When, the hell, did he get here? Where did he come in from?

Racking her hands through her hair, Lucy sighed while plopping herself on her couch, "Why are you all here? I thought you didn't know who I was?" her voice spat with anger. She didn't understand why they would be here when they were so adamant about not knowing her in the guild the other day.

It was a minute of complete silence when Freed sighed and stood in front of the blonde sitting on the couch, his hand placed on his katana as he looked at her, "We came here to apologize."

"Apologize?" lifting a blonde brow, keeping her arms crossed in defense. They were here to apologize, why would they say that stuff in the first place. She was just trying to be nice to them.

"Yeah, so we're sorry," Laxus' gruff voice was heard by the kitchen, drinking a glass of water.

She stayed silent, tapping her fingers against her side. Did they think that was really going to work with her? Just a damn sorry? Her eyes flicked over to Laxus before facing Freed again with an unamused look on her features.

"What he's trying to say is we never meant to hurt your feelings," Lucy felt the cushions dip next to her to see Evergreen sitting against the couch arm, facing Lucy. The blonde's lip curled, that's what he was trying to say?

Bickslow jumped to the loveseat across from the couch, his feet hanging off the side and having his totems seated vertically balanced on his booted foot, "Yeah Cosplayer, it's just we have a reputation at Fairy Tail and we just didn't want you to…" he trailed off, waving his hand in a circle.

Crossing her legs now, Lucy stayed silent, she was letting them dig their own grave as they did just barge into her apartment. She then spotted her groceries sitting at the front door that needed to be put away. So, getting up she picked up the bag and began to put the food away when she witnessed Freed helping her out in the kitchen, "Miss Lucy, we really didn't believe that what we were saying meant any harm or misfortune."

Sighing again, her hands full of carrots laid back down on the counter, "I understand why but what I'm not getting here is why are you all apologizing to me now? If you don't want your reputation ruined by me then why are you all here?" slamming the carrots in the fridge at the anger boiling in her veins. She just didn't understand why!

"Why don't we go on a mission," Laxus questioned, leaning against the kitchen frame.

Lucy had to blink, several times. Was…..was he serious? "What?" she simply stated.

The Seith mage jumped up from the loveseat to the counter/bar of the kitchen, "What a great idea Boss, we can go tomorrow," his red eyes shifted to Lucy again with a hanging tongue, "What'd you say Cosplayer?"

Leaning her hip against the counter, Lucy crossed her arms. Did she want to go on a mission with them? Absolutely. Yet did they deserve it? She could ask Natsu to go on a mission, no problem, but he was also a handful.

"What kind of mission?"

Bickslow's smile grew wider, he was glad that she was thinking about going with them. He was slightly afraid that she wouldn't want anything to do with them after they made her feel like shit on her first day in Fairy Tail. She was nice to them, understanding reality, but they threw her away the minute she might get close to them. The Seith mage eyed his teammates, seeing Evergreen actually smile when Laxus was talking about what missions they usually take and Freed still looking through her books with a soft and comfortable look.

Then to Laxus to see him feel calm awhile he spoke to the blonde. It seemed that she was getting the whole thunder legion to open up again. It felt weird, it felt too open to the Seith mage, but he thinks it could help but not all at once.

"So, you usually take dangerous missions that take, sometimes, a month-long?" Lucy asked as she slipped an apple from her fridge, leaning back against the counter again.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" Laxus grunted, watching Ever jump up on one of the counters to sit in the kitchen with the conversation. Freed was sitting at a lone bar stool next to a playful Bickslow who was leaning his elbows across the counter with his chin seated in his hands.

Swallowing a bite before stating, "I mean, kind of. I'm not an exceptionally good mage, I mean, not on your guy's level or anything. I don't want to bring you all down."

"Why don't we train you then?" Ever had actually brought that up, crossing her legs causing her heels to click on the cabinet below her as she leaned forward on her hands by her hips.

Train her? That doesn't sound half bad, "How so?" she asked, fully intrigued by being trained on various things from the thunder legion. They were strategic, they were strong, and she would love to have that for herself if she were ever in a bad situation. So far, it hasn't occurred to her that she would be in a difficult situation.

"Normal training, strengthening magic containers and what you could do with your magic itself," Laxus informed her, yet he wasn't looking at her and moving his way to the door, along with everyone else. Lucy was glad somewhat, now she can finally nap for hours upon hours.

[***]

"No, hold your fists like this," Bickslow moved her arm in a lower position so they weren't in a position to smack back in her face. Tightening her fists but moving her thumb out of the fist, "Don't put your thumb in, you might break it easier."

Lucy nodded, straightening her back while blowing a piece of hair out of her mouth. Bickslow stepped away just a few feet away from the blonde, he patted his own chest, "All right, punch me as hard as you can," smiling as her eyes grew wide.

"Are you sure?" the stellar mage asked. She was all decked out for her first training session with the thunder legion.

They had come to her place again the very next morning after she slept practically all day, Lucy was already up early. Her outfit picked out and coming straight out of the shower just to see Laxus and the thunder legion sitting in her kitchen and living room.

After giving them a scare from her loud shriek, she threw the closes thing to her, a lamp at Laxus as he told her to hurry up and get dressed. She took her damn time getting ready when she heard Laxus grumbling about her taking too long. Lucy came out dressed in a grey sports bra paired up with a grey and pink pair of leggings. Her keys dangling off her brown belt and her whip matched on the other side.

The place the thunder legion train is far out from Magnolia, almost to the next town over. They seem to have their own gym with a wide background. Lucy liked it, it was secluded from the town with tons of things to train with and no one to bother you.

Now, she was here, out in the back right in front of the forest in the dirt and gravel learning physical combat with Bickslow having almost run a marathon with Evergreen and felt like she was going to die.

Bickslow looked at her, lowering his arms with a chuckle, "I think I'm gonna be fine Cosplayer," he joked, patting his chest again.

The stellar mage took a breath in through her nose, pulling her arm back forcing a small amount of her magic into her hand, closing her eyes and holding her breath as she swung.

"Was that it?" he laughed.

Lucy lowered her arms with a huff, "You're so mean."

Shaking his hands in front of her with a laugh, "No, it's a good start. I swear, we can Improve with these," his babies flew from behind him now them possessing punching bags and small targets for her to hit.

"Am I allowed?" it felt weird to hit his totems with how much she knew of his magic. They were still people and souls with thoughts and emotions, she didn't want them to hate her or something. Her hands rubbed on her thighs out of nervousness, kicking a piece of gravel from under her foot.

They circled around her until they stopped with a sliver off Bickslow behind them, "Now, you get to punch these until Laxus calls you for your next," waving goodbye with a cheeky tongue hanging out.

Lucy just let out a sigh but turned a determined look at the small little totems as they slowly spun around her as they even bobbed just to challenge her. The stellar mage let out her own cheeky smile, "Bring it on."

[***]

She was brought out of her focused state as she heard a shout from the gym's back door. Her honey brown eyes looked up to see Laxus standing outside the back door. Lucy stood up, sweat dripping down her whole body, her hair sticking to her forehead as Laxus waved her over to him as he walked back inside.

She dropped her hands, watching the totems fly off into the building as well. Lucy didn't know if she was even going to make it inside without falling over. Hopefully, it wasn't going to be too hard.

Laxus was sitting on the wooden floor, cross-legged with his eyes closed and hands on his knees. Lucy looked around for some direction, but she just assumed that she just had to sit with him. She stepped next to him sat exactly like him and closed her eyes. Her mind started to wonder though, as a shiver ran down her spine. The sweat on her skin was turning cold as it ran down.

"Will you stop twitching," he muttered, opening his left eye to glare at her.

The stellar mage huffed, opening her eyes to glare hard right back, "It's not my fault. I was sweating and it's cold on here."

Laxus frowned his eyebrows, closing his eyes again, "There are towels over there," he nodded his head in the direction of a table nearby with white fluffy towels all stacked up and wrapped up. Lucy quickly stood up to wipe herself off before setting it back down to run back to the lightning slayer.

It only took minutes for Laxus to sigh loudly and moved bluntly towards her, causing her to jump slightly even moving back before he grabbed her wrists to position them at her knees instead of in her lap and straightening her back. His hands touched her chin to lift it to look even more straight than her back.

He sat back down in his own position, letting out a long breath before closing his eyes again, "Don't move."

Lucy really did try not to move once, her muscles were shaking, her fingers were twitching, her eyelashes twitched as her minded raced after what felt like an eternity but was only just short of an hour. Beside her, Laxus cracked his neck and his back before he stood up, "You are really bad at meditation blondie," cracking his knuckles in the process.

Relaxing, Lucy glared up at him, "You're bad at training," getting herself up slowly, she was going to sleep so much when she gets home as she tried to stretch her sore muscles.

Her head snapped to the door slamming open with Bickslow, Evergreen and Freed threw the back door. Freed had his hair tied back and his jacket thrown over his shoulder, Ever also had her hair tied into a bun on the top of her head. The blondes watched Bickslow's totems float around the room, then circling them chanting, 'bath, bath, bath'. It really made Lucy giggle; a bath really sounded good.

"That does sound good," Evergreen mused with a finger on her chin.

"Who won?" Laxus asked, pulling his own towel from the table as he held a small amount of sweat dripping from his forehead.

Freed sighed as his hand set itself down his jacket on the table, "It was a spare, nobody won."

Evergreen scoffed, "I won," afterward getting hit in the shoulder by the green-haired rune mage.

The five of them ended up leaving shortly after. Lucy was now sitting in her tub, bubbles up to her chin and her muscles so relaxed, she thought that she could fall asleep. She was really grateful for their help in their training today, teaching her how to defend herself and trying to meditate, now she wishes she could improve on that.

She honestly felt like she improved her marks on punches and stamina today and she really wanted to do it again. "Not anytime soon, I am so sore," she mumbles, lowering herself further in her tub, covering her mouth completely.

"Who are you talking to Luce?"

Lucy gasped so loud that she swallowed bath soap, choking, and gagging before she could even say one word. "What is going on in there?" she heard the small exceed ask from behind the door.

After a few seconds of spitting soap and saliva out of her mouth, Lucy rasped out, "Natsu! Happy! What are you doing here?"

"We came here to ask you to go on a mission with us!" Natsu cheered, the stellar mage could hear drawers opening and closing. Now, she got up and dried before rapidly getting dressed to stop them from going through her clothes.

Slamming her bathroom open and pushing them away from opening her underwear drawer. "Mission? What kind of mission?" she wasn't going to plan on going to a mission after her training today, however, she loved hanging out and fighting with Natsu and Happy. They were fun and optimistic; it made her feel like she was on an actual adventure.

Placing his hands on his hips, he threw her a wide smile, "Erza had asked us to go with her and Gray to a town talking about some Lullaby thing, I wasn't really paying any attention. So, I thought that you would like to go with us!"

"Yeah! We think you'll be able to learn something from it," Happy shouted, holding a tiny blue paw in the air, causing the young girl to smile.

Lucy only took seconds to respond, "Yeah! That should be awesome!" high-fiving the pink-haired dragon slayer. She could learn more ways to defend herself and fight alongside some of the best there is in Fairy Tail.

[***]

He placed a small flyer on his master's desk before silently making his way out. The master himself picked up the request sheet before a sinister smile spread across his face, "Oh, this is perfect," he stated, writing down plan ideas for the next big war.

"Gajeel, get in here!" he shouted, opening his door to yell down the guildhall. This was starting now.

Thank you all for reviewing! GrimmIchiUlqui21, Readingspoons, Guest, germanfangirl, snerfshoe, and neffateri13! I really appreciate every single one of you! I know they were super harsh last chapter but hopefully, this made up for it!

Sorry, this took so long, I lost motivation for a few days, but I think I got my mojo back! Till next time guys!