Lucy checks the time on her phone. Levy should be arriving at the studio any second now, and she's sure she'll know when she does. Her phone is still on in case of emergencies, but it also means that she'll receive a barrage of texts and calls the minute Levy delivers her message. That's one thing she's not looking forward to. The other is her destination, the place she's heading via this packed train. A place she hasn't been in over a year.
Before she can think too hard about it, her phone lights up and she resigns herself to how the rest of her day is going to go. She has to put her phone on silent as to not bother the rest of the passengers. Her eyes follow the notifications as they come in at the speed of light, one after the other.
Erza: Lucy, do you need us to meet you there?
Mira: you could've just told us~!
Bickslow: laxus told me to tell u that u need to get back here to write the script.
Levy: Sorry, I tried to stop them.
Cana: LUCY GET BACK HERE
Gray: [video sent] you broke the entire office they're running around like headless chickens
Natsu: call me
Lucy smiles despite herself, but doesn't answer any of the texts. She knows if she does, she'll want to cave and turn back around, but this is something she needs to do. It's not just for her sake, but for everyone else's. This was something she could tolerate when she was the only one being affected, but this? This hurts all of them.
She doesn't check her phone for the rest of the ride, but she can feel it vibrating in her pocket, and she's sure that someone even calls her a few times. She still doesn't turn her phone settings back to normal when she arrives at her station, knowing she needs to focus more than ever, even though she knows the route off by heart. The Heartfilia mansion isn't exactly easy to miss.
It would be more convenient to take a taxi, but Lucy wants to collect her thoughts, so she opts to walk instead. It's a good day for it and the fresh air works wonders on her mind. It doesn't quite help her nerves, though.
The Heartfilia mansion is a large, white building with golden trimmings, right across the road from a gorgeous park. It was Lucy's favourite view when she was younger. The park is in plain sight of her old room and she remembers wanting to take her father out, perhaps have him push her on the swings like he used to when her mother was alive, but nice family outings on sunny afternoons died alongside Layla Heartfilia. The thought combined with the nostalgia makes her want to cry, but she convinces herself to be strong. She's isn't about to cry in front of her father this time.
She presses her hand to the security pad connected to the gate. One fear she had before leaving was whether security would still register her as a member of the household, but it seems such worries were in vain. The gates open without any problems.
Keeping her head high, she heads straight for the front door. She sees the gardeners watching her out of the corner of her eye, and she only stops to give them a brief wave before pressing forward, pretending not to see their excited looks. She isn't here to stay, and no one can convince her otherwise. Not even Spetto or Bero, who she's definitely the closest to out of all the house's servants.
Before stepping inside, she turns her phone off completely, but not before seeing her notifications.
Missed call from Mirajane Strauss.
Missed call from Natsu Dragneel.
Missed call from Lisanna Strauss.
Missed call from Natsu Dragneel.
Missed call from Natsu Dragneel.
With one last sigh, she tucks her phone into her pocket and heads inside.
The mansion is the same as she remembers with its velvet carpet and classy wallpaper. There are family portraits lining the walls and Lucy remembers that they were put there because the foyer is the place her father visits the least. She knows that seeing photographs of her mother makes him upset, and she understands, but she can't agree with him pushing everyone else away. It's not fair on either of them.
"Miss Lucy!"
Lucy greets Spetto with a smile as the tiny woman rushes down the stairs to give her a hug in lieu of the usual formal curtsy. "Hey, Spetto, long time no see."
Spetto lets go, looking up at Lucy with bright eyes. "Are you here to stay?"
Lucy's smile wavers, but she can't lie. Not to Spetto, and not to any of the other servants. She can't get their hopes up. "I'm afraid not. I'm here to talk to father, then I'm going back home."
"I understand," Spetto says with a smile, albeit a sad one. "He's in his study."
"Where else would he be?" Lucy mutters under her breath before thanking Spetto and heading upstairs. She knows the path to her father's study like the back of her hand, and she doesn't think she could forget it even if she tried. He's in there more than he's in his own bedroom.
She arrives at the study's double doors far too quickly, and she swallows thickly before raising her hand and knocking on the door. For a moment, she hopes that her father won't hear her, that she can still turn around and run the other way before he even knows she's here. Her hopes are quickly dashed.
"Come in."
Opening the door, she crosses the threshold and makes her way to her father's desk. He's standing rather than sitting, and that's how she knows this is serious. Her stomach drops. She can't tell how angry he is just by his facial expression alone, because Jude Heartfilia never shows emotions these days, but she knows he can't be happy about her recent actions.
"Hello, father," she says, keeping her voice steady.
He nods in acknowledgement. "Lucy. You've returned. Welcome home."
When it's clear that he isn't about to say anything else, she takes a deep breath and says what she's wanted to for a while now. "I'm sorry."
If this surprises her father, he doesn't show it. He just nods again (oh, how she hates those damn nods of his) and turns around so he's facing the large window that overlooks the entrance. "Very well. I hope you realise the consequences of your actions. The only reason I went after Fairy Tail was your affiliation with them. Innocent people get hurt when you do the wrong thing, Lucy, I hope you know that."
His words may have influenced Lucy when she was a child, but now she has to hold back her anger. For now. All she wants is confirmation that he hired Phantom Lord, then she'll say what she really thinks. She convinces herself that she can hold out for that long.
"You were the one who set up the deletion of Levy, Jet, and Droy's videos, then?" she asks, holding back the bite in her tone.
"Is that who they were?" Jude's nonchalant attitude makes Lucy's blood boil. "I didn't really care. All I asked was for Phantom Lord to start hacking into the channels bit by bit until you returned."
This is it. This is the confirmation she wanted. Yet it doesn't feel satisfying, not yet.
"Now that you've returned, it's time to finalise the plans for this YouTube channel of yours," Jude continues, oblivious to his daughter's anger. "At first, I despised the whole idea, you just broadcasting your life on the internet, but people actually like your content. You remember Sawarr Junelle, yes? An associate of mine, you've met him on several occasions. He took an interest in your channel and wants to make it part of his company. It's for the sake of the family, you understand. I have the contract right here."
As he fishes through his desk drawer, things click into place for Lucy. He didn't do this simply because he wants her back, but because he can get something out of her, and she curses herself for not realising it sooner. She feels like she's going to be sick as her father slides several sheets of paper and a pen her way.
"Here's the contract. Just sign on the dotted line and I'll handle the rest."
Lucy can't hold it in anymore. She raises her head to meet her father's eyes, glaring at him with as much ferocity as possible.
"You misunderstand me. I'm not coming back, nor am I leaving Fairy Tail."
Her father's eyes widen and she takes his silence as an opportunity to continue. "I said I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry for leaving. I'm sorry for how I left. I should have come to you and told you just what I think, so I'm here to fix that mistake. You are not taking my channel, you are not about to do anything else to Fairy Tail, and you are not about to decide anything else for me."
She grabs the contract with such a tight grip that she crinkles the paper. With one simultaneous pull and push, she rips it in half, then again, and again until all that's left are confetti-sized pieces that she throws into the air. They land all over her father's desk, and for once, she doesn't apologise.
"I came here to say a proper goodbye, not for you to dictate the rest of my life. I'm finally happy, the happiest I've been in years, and you're not about to ruin that," she says, growing bolder with every word. "Even if you do continue coming for Fairy Tail, we're about to fight back with everything in us, because you're not my father anymore, but our enemy. Nothing you do will ever be able to bring me back to you."
She spins on her heel and heads towards the door, ignoring her father's spluttering behind her. Yanking the door open, she pauses briefly, shifting so she can only just see him.
"Goodbye, father."
The door closes behind her with a soft click.
Lucy doesn't leave right away, wanting to say proper goodbyes to Spetto and the others who have looked after her all these years, and it takes half an hour before they let her leave with promises to stay in contact. In turn, they promise to watch her videos and support both her and Fairy Tail. It warms her heart to know they care about her, even if she isn't living in the Heartfilia Mansion anymore.
She's approaching the gate when she realises there are people standing outside. It's Erza's bright hair that she spots first, then Natsu's, and it's definitely hard to miss a shirtless Gray when he's standing right in front of her old house. She picks up her pace until she's full-on running, practically slamming her hand against the security pad to open the gate.
"What are you guys doing there?" she calls out to them.
They all spin around at the sound of her voice, but they wait until she's on the other side of the gate to ambush her. She notices that Natsu's even brought Happy with him, and she can't help but laugh as all four of them crowd around her.
"Lucy, there you are!"
"I can't believe you didn't tell us!"
"Did you know you can find this place with a simple Google search? The internet is amazing."
Lucy holds her hands up, a gesture asking them both to stop and give her some space. They do. "Guys, it's okay, relax. I just needed to do this. For my own sake if no one else's. And I didn't tell you guys because I knew you'd try and stop me - and don't even try to say you wouldn't."
Natsu, who looked as though he wanted to protest, quickly closes his mouth. Lucy goes on to explain everything that transpired while under her father's roof, and she can't help but be amused by their reactions, their eyes widening, their bright smiles as she tells them her resolve. She can't help but feel proud of herself, too. A mere year or two ago, she never would have been able to stand up to her father like that. Now she's free to speak her mind.
As they head down the pathway, Lucy catches sight of her father staring at her and the others via his study's grand window. He doesn't seem angry, but pensive, and she decides that it's best not to think of him as she disappears round the corner.
"I brought Happy to the office today 'cause I thought he might be able to cheer you up," Natsu is saying as they start down the side-street. Happy is now cuddled against Lucy's shoulder, right in the crook of her neck, his soft fur reminding her just how ticklish she can be. "And then Levy told us you were here and I couldn't just leave him in the office - I don't trust him to be there on his own - so I brought him."
"He smuggled him on the train and everything," Gray says, turning his head so he can see both of them. He and Erza are the ones leading them back to the train station.
Natsu huffs through his nose. "I've done it before and I'm about to do it again. Besides, you love Happy just as much as I do. Well, not as much, but close enough."
"He's more tolerable than his owner, that's for sure."
"Why, you -" Natsu starts, but Erza stops him as they reach the next corner. Everyone looks at her in confusion.
She presses a finger to her lips. "I think something's happening around the corner. Be quiet, don't disturb them."
And yet all four of them (five, if Happy is included) peer around the brick wall to see the next street. Lucy can hear yelling coming from a few metres away, and she squints her eyes as she attempts to catch a glimpse of the people involved. There are two, by the looks of it, a man and a woman, and neither look happy. The man is angry, the woman apologetic and nervous.
"You promised me you would have the money today, what do you mean your big job just got called off?" the man yells, towering over the woman.
"I-It happened just now, the text was a minute ago!" The woman fumbles with something, most likely her phone, but the man isn't done yet.
"Dammit, Juvia, aren't you good for anything?!"
The woman's head shoots up, and if the name hadn't alerted Lucy to who she is, then the sight of her panicked face would have. Juvia's blue curls are messier than they appear in her videos and she's clutching her phone so tightly that Lucy is sure her nails are tearing into them. She seemed so composed in her video, if not a little sad, and so seeing her in such a state is a little jarring.
"That's the Phantom Lord girl, right?" Natsu says, and there's an underlying tone of aggression that makes Lucy reach out and gently take his wrist in her hand.
Erza's eyes are narrowed, but they're directed at the man, not Juvia. "Wait. Now isn't the time for that. She's in trouble, and maybe she'll know how to get Levy, Jet, and Droy's videos back."
Juvia is close to tears now, phone clutched to her chest like some sort of lifeline. "Juvia didn't - isn't - most of it she has to pay back to our boss, anyway -"
"You promised me, Juvia!" the man yells, apparently not caring about any potential witnesses. The street is deserted as far as he knows. "You can't keep doing this, you know. More people other than yourself are going to get hurt if you don't pull through."
It's Lucy's turn to be angry. She knows this tactic. Her father invented this tactic and proved as much a mere hour or so ago. Phantom Lord be damned, Lucy isn't about to let this girl be a victim of yet another emotional abuser. She pries Happy off of her shoulders, ready to hand him over to Natsu and storm over when it happens.
In a fit of anger, the man pushes Juvia. Right into the middle of the street.
Juvia is stunned, too stunned to see the oncoming car as it turns the corner and heads straight towards her. Lucy lets out a shout, but before she's even finished, Gray is running over with his hands outstretched, pushing the man to the side as he pulls Juvia to him, to safety, right as the car rushes past. It's almost as though the driver doesn't care, and Natsu sends a rude gesture their way as they drive past.
"That was close," Erza mutters, the tension in her shoulders falling.
The man is shouting expletives at Gray, who just kicks him where he deserves to be struck down, leaving him in a heap on the ground. Juvia can't stop staring at Gray with wide eyes, but she doesn't seem nervous anymore. She's more astonished than anything. Lucy would hazard a guess and say starstruck, even.
"You saved me," she says bluntly, cheeks tinged pink. "Thank you, Gray."
Gray looks away awkwardly. "It was nothing." He pauses. "Wait, how do you know my name?"
Juvia looks embarrassed now, stepping out of Gray's loose grip and keeping her eyes trained on the pavement below. "I, um, Juvia is a big fan."
Before Gray can respond, Erza approaches with the smallest of smiles. "Juvia, is it? If you're a fan, you'll know who we are and why we want to ask you a few questions, yes?"
"That man, Bora, is - was - Juvia's boyfriend," Juvia says once they're all sitting in a nearby coffee shop with drinks in front of them. She hasn't touched hers yet. "He was probably the first person to be nice to her outside of Phantom Lord, and as much as she loves most of the members, it's nice to have someone else to talk to. Or at least it was at first. He made sure not to show his true colours until Juvia was emotionally invested."
"So, he wanted your money from the very beginning?" Erza asks, taking a forkful of her strawberry cake.
Juvia purses her lips. "Juvia suspects so. He wasn't like that at first, but she sees no other reason for him to stick around for so long."
"They never do," Gray says under his breath, but by the way Juvia's eyes flicker to him, she hears him. "Did you tell anyone about this?"
She shakes her head. "Juvia has considered telling Gajeel many times, but it has - it has never seemed like a good idea. Gajeel is Juvia's best friend and she cares for him dearly, but he has a tendency to make things complicated when he gets emotional. And Juvia does not trust anyone else in Phantom Lord as much."
"Well, I think you should tell him," Lucy says. "Telling someone else helps minimise the risk of it happening again, at least in my experience. The people around you give you the strength to stand up for yourself, and I'm sure they'll do it for you if you can't seem to manage it yet."
Juvia's smile is brief, but it's there. "Thank you. Juvia will make sure to tell him, though she will have to convince him not to do anything rash. He can be a bit protective of Juvia."
"Yes, we have someone like that," Erza says, eyeing Natsu, who crosses his arms defensively. "But even if you can't talk to him, I'll give you my number and you can call me if - Bora, was it? If he contacts you again. But I also have a few other questions. About Phantom Lord specifically."
Juvia nods slowly. "Juvia thought you might. She isn't sure how much she can answer, but she'll try her best."
"That's fine, just answer what you can," Erza says, setting her now empty plate on the table in front of them. "First off, the basics. What is Phantom Lord?"
"It's a hacking group, which you already know," Juvia starts, glaring at the table like it's offended her in some way, but there's a hint of anxiety that Lucy can pinpoint in her expression. "Our boss, Mister Jose, takes in foster children like Juvia and Gajeel and looks after them in exchange for them working for them. People like Juvia and Gajeel don't get much money, just enough to live decently, but not enough where we are able to save up enough and leave. The majority of the money goes to Mister Jose. He is a professional at being a fraud, it's how he was able to take in so many children. He receives requests from clients and gives them to us. Juvia and the others have to complete it."
Lucy sets down her milkshake, making sure not to hit Happy in the process. She's beginning to lose her appetite. "That's horrible. And you have nowhere else to go?"
"No." Juvia's hands make creases in her skirt, and it takes Lucy a few moments to realise they're shaking. "Mister Jose makes sure of that. But because of our inability to leave, we have caused you trouble. Juvia's apologies."
"Oi, oi, it's not your fault," Gray says, leaning back in his seat. "You were forced to do that stuff. And I'm sure if we try, we can find somewhere better for you."
Erza has a knowing look on her face, one that Lucy has learned to recognise by now. It's not as obvious as Mira's or Lisanna's, and she isn't as nervous when she sees this one, either. "I think I might have a place. But I'll have to discuss it with the others first."
Natsu blinks. "Wait, you're not serious."
Erza's expression barely changes, but there is something, a sort of determination. "Oh, I'm completely serious." She turns back to Juvia. "How would you like to join us? You can even bring Gajeel if you want."
Natsu looks as though he wants to argue, and Lucy can't help but agree with him, just a little, but when she sees the way Juvia's face lights up, all counterarguments die on the tip of her tongue.
"Juvia would love to!"
hello hello! this update was a little slower than my usual ones, i've been busy and will still be busy for the next week and a half, so please bare with me!