Chapter 3: The Truth in the Tale
Lucy added another stick to her pile, long ago filled with enough wood for the camp she'd left behind. Still, she continued onward. The night was clear with only a few lazy clouds drifting passed the clear stars above. A breeze tickled her cheek as it passed and Lucy released a contented sigh into the quiet forest.
Normally, Lucy would be hesitant to be in such a place, especially when her teammates were likely causing trouble without her, but this forest put her at ease. It felt so safe and relaxing to walk aimlessly. Lucy paused to glance through the branches, spotting the twinkling constellation Gemini above her. The full moon provided a scattering of light through the leaves around her.
She'd started her adventures, all those years ago from the Heartfilia Estate, on a night like this. She remembered crawling ungracefully from her room down a rope of covers, which broke about three feet from the ground sending her sprawling unladylike on the hard ground. She'd walked all night under the moon, glancing up at the stars to make sure she was on the right track. When morning broke she found a thick bush and napped quickly before continuing on. It had all seemed to exciting and daring at the time.
Lucy smiled to herself, continuing on her way. Not so daring now. Now she'd been kidnapped, fell over numerous waterfalls and towers, survived S-class trials, almost become a clock, and fought a war that included defeating a dragon. Now she had a new definition of breeze blew passed, pushing Lucy's hair from her shoulder and scattering a few stray strands across her forehead. It felt calm & warm.
Erza, Natsu, Levy, Gray, Wendy, and all of Fairy Tail- Lucy wouldn't trade any of them for all the jewels in the world. Still, now that they were on this 100 years quest, she did miss her few moments of silence she could find back in Magnolia (until Natsu showed up in her bed or Gray appeared borrowing some food, or Erza arrived for an impromptu sleepover).
Especially after that final fight in Ermina, Lucy thought. She frowned in the momentary darkness caused by a slow cloud covering the moon. She remembered Natsu after eating Ignia's flame. He'd been like some kind of beast, ready to tear the Water God Dragon limb from limb and burn him to ash if she'd let him. After he had been so concerned about fighting him earlier. Lucy shivered, though she wasn't cold. That Ignia's flame could change Natsu so much was what worried Lucy. What if she hadn't been there to bring him back? What if next time she couldn't?
Is that what E.N.D. was like, she wondered. She'd never asked Natsu, just as Natsu had never asked her about rewriting the book. They both knew that when their best friend and partner was in trouble that they did what they could, for better or worse. Eventually it would come up, but Lucy knew that trying to pres Natsu to discuss or interpret his feelings or thoughts before he was ready would be a fruitless endeavor. He offered to pee on me to heal my burns, she reminded herself, rolling her eyes with an amused smirk. He's certainly not ready to discuss anything too seriously.
She'd asked Gray, in a more subtle way, but Gray had simply shrugged without much comment, perhaps equally ashamed by his behavior towards his friends when he thought Juvia had been killed. Only Erza had made any reference to it at all, telling Lucy that Natsu had simply lost control, as he often did. "He's never been much for control," Erza had observed to Lucy as Natsu took a punch to the face from Elfman. "He is lucky to have found a partner who compliments him." Lucy had spluttered into her drink and flushed from heat to toe in a deep red. Erza had a way of saying such beautiful, faltering, and embarrassing things.
She paused, looking around confused. She'd lost track of where she was headed while she was deep in thought and now seemed to be in the deepest sections of the forest. The trees here let in almost no light through their thick branches and leaves. If I can find a hole in the trees, I can find my way back from the stars, Lucy considered. Worse case scenario I'll call Pyxis. There is some light!
She hurried towards the moonlight ahead. When she arrived she found that she was at a grassy clearing. Lucy looked up at the stars, noting the direction she'd need to head back, but something caught her eye. She moved towards the center of the clearing to investigate.
The clearing was covered in grass and a few wildflowers, but in the center of the clearing the grass stopped growing and only a dirt circle remained. Within this dirt was a large boulder. Lucy walked around the edge of the grass circle, peering at the boulder. The boulder looked distinctly horse like, except for a long jagged point from its head, like an antler or horn.
Something about the setting and stone rang of a story. Lucy dropped the wood and pulled out her pen and notebook that she kept with her and jotted down some thoughts quickly. Girl goes into forest, stumbles upon strange rock, except its not a rock. A horse?
"Then what," Lucy wondered aloud, tapping her pen to her cheek in though. At this new angle, Lucy could see moss growing where a mane might have been. Lucy had an urge to touch it. She tucked her pen into her hair, stepping from the grass into the dirt to place her hand on the mossy mane. Another cloud covered the moon, throwing the clearing into a gray darkness. A strong wind picked up, tossing dirt into the air and forcing Lucy to cover her eyes with her hands to protect them.
As suddenly as it had started, it was gone. The cloud moved, the clearing was bathed in moonlight, and the wind died away, taking the dirt storm with it. Lucy opened her eyes.
Before her stood a beast with the body of a deer and the hooves and head of a horse. Blue and green scales covered its body except for its silver mane which flew about as if made of flames instead of hair. In the center of its forehead was a single horn, almost like an antler. It tossed its head and made a deep, guttural sound, like a yawn mixed with a groan, causing Lucy to leap back in surprise. Lucy's foot hit her forgotten pile of wood and she fell backward onto the ground, butt first.
The creature's large grey eyes moved to her lazily, as if just noticing her presence. It moved across the dirt to the edge of the grass, stepping onto the grass so lightly that it seemed to be floating more than walking towards her.
Lucy stared, mouth open in a dumbstruck expression as the creature bowed its head within arms length, grey eye watching her expectantly.
"You want me to pet you," she asked. The creature replied with a snort of air from its snout, which Lucy took to mean yes. She reached out and ran her hand gently across its nose. In response the creature made a satisfied humming noise and in a flash of light it transformed into a silver coated horse with a single horn from its forehead.
"A unicorn," Lucy breathed. She glanced back at the rock in the center of the clearing. It was gone.
The unicorn's head shot up, ears moving as if hearing something that Lucy could not. It looked back at her and though she didn't know how, Lucy knew exactly what the unicorn was instructing her to do. So she obeyed.
Jumping up, wood forgotten behind her, Lucy ran as fast as she could through the forest away from the clearing. She ran hopping over exposed roots and ducking under low branches until she finally reached the glow of Team Natsu's camp to find her team around a fire with unfamiliar travelers sharing tea from a kettle.
"Lucy," Natsu said jumping up. "Are you alright?"
Lucy tried to catch her breath. They had no idea of the unicorn or the unknown dangers Lucy had just escaped from within the peaceful forest.
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