It has come to my attention that the railway does not run through Shirotsume. So...my bad. We will pretend it does anyway, and I'll be more careful with my travel plans in the future.

I obviously have no control over Fairy Tail. I can't even control this imaginary story about the characters in said guild most of the time.

XxXxXxXxX

She could barely see the pale green glow if his magic when she looked deep into his eyes. She heard Macao call it creepy once. She had hit him with a book and informed him that green was the color of life. When she had faced him during the Fantasia Incident she had been fighting for her life, so didn't really have time to have any opinion his magic other than the whole 'imminent threat' concept. Now though...

There had been a series of enormous gardens behind the mansion she used to hide in when the pressure got to be to much growing up. She had memories of playing hide and seek there with her mother. The centerpiece of her favorite garden was a tree the gardener called Pohutukawa. Her younger self couldn't pronounce it so she had called it by its more common name of the Summer Christmas Tree. (AN The New Zealand Christmas Tree is in fact a real tree) She spent many days curled up under it reading by the soft green light filtering through the leaves, basking in the smell of its deep red flowers. That's how she felt now. It was a safe feeling.

"That's better" She whispered, smiling at him. "I can only guess why you wear that thing. I know you have your reasons. I don't want you to hide from me though. In fact I strongly object, and will be annoying about it any time you wear that thing around me." He closed his eyes and she almost threw a fit, untill he let his forehead rest against hers. It was sweet at a level that she wouldn't have guessed him capable of even yesterday morning.

"Thanks, Lucy." Lucy? Wow. Ok then. "Papa is right about you."

"Umm...right about what?" Apparently the sweet moment had timed out because he pulled back and gave her that tongue lolling grin of his.

"Well you're sexy for one thing." She rolled her eyes. She had serious doubts that that was what he was refering to. He held up the bag of candy she had given him. "Promise you won't kill me or cause me serious harm if I don't handle these as well as Natsu does?" More eye rolling on her part.

"I gave them to you. Any negative outcome is entirely my fault. Yes, I promise." She watched him toss one in his mouth. His eyes widened slightly before they rolled back in his head and he sighed in delight. Ok then. She felt herself blush. She was pretty sure he hadn't ment that to be so fucking sexy. Bickslow's version of intentionally sexy was way over the top. This...wasn't. She felt like she had... done something to him. "I take it you like them."

"So much. Cosplayer, I love you right now." She snorted and tucked his visor into her belt to hold it hostage.

"Love me while you are walking, Disco Princess. The kids are leaving us behind." She heard him cackling behind her as she took off down the road, following the babies giggles. *Punishment, hide, punishment. She smiled. "Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

"Punishment Princess?"

"Acctually your presence had been requested by the babies. I believe a game of hide and seek is in order."

"I will be happy to oblige princess. Will you and the panty peeker be joining the game?" Lucy giggled.

"Hey! I resemble that remark!"

"Virgo, we need to find a new name for you to use for poor Bickslow. One that's less...derogatory and more... acceptable for public use."

"Shall I call him Daddy like the babies." Bickslow made choking sounds.

"I'm not sure that's any better..."

"Shall I use your moniker for him?"

"Disco Princess?"

"Yes. Normally you would be the only Princess we spirits acknowledge, however we are willing to make an exception in this case."

"Done. No, Disco Princess and I will not be playing with you. At least I won't. Bix?"

"Umm... I'm good."

"I believe I have been designated It. Excuse me Princesses." Virgo dove underground.

"Cosplayer... did you just agree to let an entire realm to call me princess?"

"Yep."

"Not sure how I feel about that."

"How many times since we met have I asked you not to call me Cosplayer?" Silence. "Exactly. You're stuck with it now."

"Well shit. You are going to be Laxas's new favorite person when he hears about this. Which reminds me. You and Evergreen need to hang out. I'm sure I will regret suggesting it, but your evil matches hers and I bet you two would have loads of fun together."

"I'm pretty sure Evergreen hates me."

"When was the last time you had a real conversation with the woman?"

"...never..."

"When was the first time you had a real conversation with me?"

"Yesterday I guess, but...oh."

"Exactly. None of us had what you would call normal childhoods where we learned how to deal with people. If I'm being honest Freed is the one on our team most comfortable interacting with people and he's... well... practically a recluse. Evergreen is pushy by nature. When Erza bosses people around people call her intense. When Evergreen does it people call her a bitch. People forget that the power behind Laxus's magic was forced upon him when his dad told him he was useless and weak and cut his face open to shove a lacrima into his head." Lucy winced.

"Yeah. When your dad was an ass the guild supported you in pretty much the most dramatic way possible. When his dad was an ass the guild basically did nothing, because they didn't want to think about what Ivan had done under their very noses. He acts like he doesn't care because he wishes he didn't. To top that off he still keeps himself in self imposed isolation because of Fantasia. Freed grew up the same way you did. In fact I'm surprised you didn't know each other as kids. Difference is when he told his dad he refused to marry a woman his dad got violent. He has a scar running most of the length of his arm from a letter opener. It's not that they don't want to make friends and stuff, they just don't know how." Lucy could have cried as she realized how Fairy Tail had failed their family.

"You know, I was always intimidated by you guys. I assumed you held yourselves apart because you wanted to. I thought you were all so powerful you must have everything you wanted. I thought Fantasia was a hissy fit on Laxus's part, but it was really a call for help."

"It wasn't just a hissy fit. Bossman said it best. He called it a temper tantrum." Lucy giggled. "Don't feel bad for them. I just told you because I figure... You are special you know. You understand people." Lucy's chest felt tight. Special huh?

"Our teams are a lot alike you know?"

"How do you figure?"

"Laxus and Natsu are both desperate for approval and their father's love. They show off for attention. Erza and Evergreen try to keep themselves safe by controlling other people. Neither one realizes that they are pushing people away. Freed and Gray walk around pretending they don't care about other people because they don't want to lose them, but I've seen how hard they fight to keep us safe."

"See that's what I mean. You see them in ways no-one else does."

"You know what I think the worst part is?"

"And here I was trying to be all positive."

"You are their me." Bickslow gave her a wide eyed look.

"I'm not seeing any comparison between me and Erza's golden virgin."

"Very funny Bix. I'm serious. You hold them up and love them and pour yourself out to the people around you without asking for anything in return. I've never seen you ask them for anything. No-one sees it because you are so sneaky and silly all the time, but you love your babies as much as I love my spirits. Don't think I haven't noticed how you always smile no matter what. You hide behind that stupid visor and goofy grin even when you feel like breaking inside. Just like me."

XxXxXxXxX

Bickslow had been right on the verge of man tears from her speech when her last three words hit him. Just like her? She was hurting? Didn't her team take care of her? Everyone knew Team Natsu was overflowing with love and acceptance. The overflow was violent but it was still love. Their battle cry was family. They were the heart of the guild and Lucy was their heart. How had they let their heart get broken and not noticed? She smiled. That's how they missed it. Like she said. She was hiding. Just like him.

"Lucy... would you... trust me? Just for a moment? I mean you don't have to. It's just..."

"Bix! Chill. I do trust you. Always. You don't have to ask me to like it's a special occasion. Can I ask what makes this moment you are asking for special?" Her smile was sweet and gentle. He remembered how beautiful her soul had been the only time he had really looked at it, during Fantasia. A beautiful white glow with flashes of color in its center. He had assumed the ripples of black and sickly yellow were caused by the fighting around her and fear of him, but... if she was feeling broken...

"Most people don't know this, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else, but my magic isn't, by nature, offensive. As in it isn't combat magic." She was getting this look in her eye that reminded him of Freed with a new book. If he had seen that look before they faced off the first time he never would have thought she was the blond bimbo he had called her that day. "A soul is more than just the life force of a person. It's their core. It doesn't really hold memories. Most memories are a brain thing. It does hold emotional impressions. Seith magic has three primary uses; easing the passing of souls who are refusing to pass on, holding a soul in a body to prevent death when physical healing can still be done, and easing the pains in a soul like you would, say, sand rough edges off a sculpture or fill in a deep hole."

"Wow. So I was right and didn't even know it."

"Huh?" He had just told her he had power over life and death and the quality of said life or death and she seemed... happy about it. He was very confused. Especially when she started blushing.

"Umm... well... I always thought your magic... When your eyes glow..." Bickslow felt sick at the thought of talking about the creepy green glow his eyes put off with Lucy of all people. "It always reminded me of life. Like sunlight filtering through early spring leaves. Its beautiful." Lucy Heartfilia, the most powerful celestial spirit wizard in human memory, the light of Fairy Tail thought his soul magic was beautiful.

XxXxXxXxX

To be continued