There is no excuse as to why I haven't updated in forever.
Except for writer's block.
I don't like this chapter. I have rewritten it at least six times and have hated them all. This was the third re write and it's still pretty trash, but I wanted to post it so I could keep this story going. I am sorry for not posting another chapter in forever, but I tried to make this chapter longer to make up for it. (It's only 2,180 words so not long at all. :( Sorry, I tried...)
I will try to update again soon, but finals are this upcoming week so you probably wont get another one until around the 24 or 25. I might do a small little snippet for christmas at the end just to be a little more festive though. (No promises though)
I have not proof read this, so sorry for grammar and mistakes.
Im trash, I know but I'm trying. Enjoy~
Lucy's face contorted in pain, her legs screaming with insufferable agony. She had been walking for hours, aimlessly wandering the streets of Magnolia with little to no clothing on. She was still wearing her pajamas, a loose tank-top with big, drawstring sweatpants. She shivered, the wintry air nipping at her bare arms. Her feet were numb, frostbit and red.
The blonde mage had reached her limits a while ago. She knew she should have gone back to her apartment sooner but she just couldn't stand being there. The once peaceful and happy place that she had called her home for many years was now tainted with fresh, ugly memories. Those memories had been stuffed down her throat, choking and suffocating her causing her mind to spin with rage.
Jude used to be happier, more fatherly but it all changed ((WHEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED)Jk, back to the story xD) after Layla died. He drowned himself in his work, trying to bring the Heartfilia Konzern to the top. Once he had achieved that, he didn't know what to do anymore. He had lost his wife, his daughter was still young and naive, clueless to how bitter he had become from his work. The only thing he could think to do was drown out the empty space in his life with alcohol. When he was drunk, he wasn't himself, he became this over arrogant man who thought he could do anything, be anything, destroy anything, Lucy being one of those 'things'.
Lucy shivered and shook her head, forcing the dark memories away. She thought that she had left her father and his abusive nature back at the estate but she was wrong. Her father was even more bitter than before and to make things worse he re-married. He had re-married. The way he talked about her, his 'wife', it made Lucy want to punch him, puke, and cry all at the same time. The only woman he should call his wife is Layla and it made Lucy's mind go numb with resentment that he even dared to speak of this woman like he did. He was just a disgusting pig who wanted nothing more than to be number one and would do anything to get there and stay there.
Lucy shuffled a stiff leg forward, but it didn't respond and she crippled to one knee, the bitter and cold ice jabbing into her leg. Her vision burst with white, excruciating pain shooting through her whole body. She bit back a scream and ground her teeth. Shifting her feet weakly, she used her hands to push herself back upright, her muscles tight and uncooperative. She grabbed her left shoulder and continued to limp forward, the evil whispers of unconsciousness persuading her to give in. Violent shivers shook all throughout her body, her teeth chattering loudly.
Why was she so weak? Yeah, she was a member of fairy tail and yes, the magic she used was rare and powerful making her a strong asset to the guild, but sometimes she just felt so useless. God she wished Natsu were here, he would make everything better, take her into his arms and make her feel safe.
She took in a shallow breath, her breath visible in the frigid air. Her apartment finally came into view and she let out a strained laugh and stumbled. She recovered quickly, knowing that if she fell again her muscles wouldn't move on command.
She somehow managed to reach her apartment and fell against the familiar building. She opened the door and tumbled onto the stairs in front of the doorway, smacking her head against the hardwood floor. She let out a noisy groan and swallowed thickly. She silently cursed, wishing that the landlady was here to help, but she left to visit her family after Lucy's father had suddenly showed up.
She moved her legs and tried to stand but cried out at the sharp, severe sensation that invaded her legs. The corners of her eyes became misty and she closed them hard. She wouldn't cry, she wouldn't cry. She lay on the floor in a heap, completely vulnerable and helpless. Her mind wandered as she tried to steady her breathing. If she started to cry, it would be harder to breath and she couldn't afford that. Her body was already so beaten and broken, she had to keep the little energy she had left. A picture of Natsu's face suddenly flashed in her mind. Lucy smiled weakly at the thought of him. Yeah, she wouldn't be able to be more than friends with him, but at least he was still in her life. He was always there when she needed help and was so cheerful-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a quick, stabbing pain in her head. She groaned and peeled herself off of the floor.
She had to do something, she was weak and she knew that she wouldn't be able to make it up these stairs. No one was there to help her.
Her mind instantly went to Natsu again.
She could call him.
She has her cell phone, she could call him.
Lucy weakly grabbed her phone from her sweatpants and quickly unlocked it. She fumbled with the buttons and scrolled through her contacts before she found the familiar pink haired mage's picture. She hesitated over the call button. Would he pick up? He probably wasn't even worried about her. She could just call someone else, but would she be okay with that? Natsu was the person who Lucy trusted the most, and that was saying a lot. Lucy almost never trusted people because of her father, and that had ruined her childhood.
"Oh, and you must be Lucy, right?" A deep female voice drawled. Lucy jumped and dropped her phone, clicking the call button before it slipped from her grasp. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes.
"Who are you?" She questioned, trying to think of what to do next. She couldn't move and there was no way she could defend herself. She soaked in the woman's appearance with untrusting eyes, scaling up the enemy. Before her stood a woman in her mid-thirties, wearing a slim-fitting sickly green dress that ended just above her knees. Black, patterned tights outlined her muscular legs. She wore gold pumps along with a gold necklace with a big emerald in the center of it, complimenting the woman's yellow, cat like eyes. She had a golden band on her left hand, with three bracelets on the same wrist. She was well endowed, her breasts practically falling out of the tight dress. Her waist was tiny, so small that it looked like you could bend her in half. Lucy tried to stand but her body disobeyed her command and she didn't move, completely and utterly vulnerable.
"You're apartment was just so, adorable." The woman said drawing out each syllable as she spoke.
Natsu fumbled with his phone as he ran through Magnolia, taking a sharp right. He threw it open and glanced at the caller id before pounding the green answer button.
"Lucy?" He panted into the phone, concern and confusion laced his voice.
"Why were you in my apartment?" Lucy's voice sounded rough and weak.
"What? Luce I checked to see if you were there, but no one responded. What's wrong?" He tried to get a response but none came.
"Oh nothing my darling! Just simply following your father's orders! Oh, terribly sorry my lovely, i'm Madelyn, your father's new wife. It's just so thrilling to finally meet you!"
Natsu heard a thump and a groan following soon after. Vile laughter filled Natsu's ear making him furrow his brow in anger. Whoever this woman was, she was going to pay.
"Lucy!?...LUCY!? Answer goddam-" Natsu's pleas were cut short by a loud shriek and an audible crunch.
"I'm coming Lucy, just hold on!" Natsu spoke, determination swelling in his chest. He wouldn't let something bad happen to Lucy, he wouldn't. She was his sunshine and he wasn't going to let someone burn her out.
Natsu gripped his phone and sprinted towards Lucy's apartment, desperation in each step he took. He was gonna kick someone's ass, and who ever they were, they weren't gonna be alive afterwards.
Lucy shrieked in pain as Madelyn threw her head against the wall. White light bloomed in her eyes, agony and pain shooting through her spine. She bared her teeth as pictures of her father flashed in her mind.
"Oh my, I'm sorry, did I do that? How rude of me!" She drawled, venom dripping from her thick, low, voice.
Lucy tried to respond but a strangled choking sound came from her throat, causing Madelyn to scoff.
"Tired are we?" She spat, a maniacal laugh at the end of her sentence.
Why was this woman so cruel?
Lucy howled as her scalp was roughly tugged, and her limp body was dragged up the stairs, her back bumping each step harshly.
"Such a shame, and I was hoping you would put up a fight!" Her step-mother laughed as she threw open her apartment door. Lucy's eyes rolled back into her head and she lost consciousness. Moments later she came back to the heel of a gold shoe pushing her head down to the ground. Lucy's body went limp as memories of her father danced across her eyes in a vicious taunt. She knew her father had done terrible things to her, but why were those memories surfacing again? She had spent so much time keeping them away from her thoughts and now all her efforts were futile. Lucy lay on the floor helpless as she was beaten to a pulp, memories and pictures of her father with a bottle in his hand invading every corner of her mind. Lucy wasn't aware that Madelyn was screaming at her, she wasn't aware that she had bruises all over her body, she didn't care that she was going in and out of consciousness, all she could see and think about were those damn memories.
"Hey...HEY!" Madelyn screeched in Lucy's ear, "Why won't you RESPOND?! You UNGRATEFUL BRAT! YOU SHOULD'VE NEVER BEEN BORN! I came here to try and help you but all you do is lay there like a stupid, useless, child!" Madelyn's unforgiving voice echoed through Lucy's head before the wedding ring on her hand glinted in the light, and her hand came down onto Lucy's bare face. A sickening slap and thud filled the air as hand met skin.
The door burst open and an inhuman figure screamed and launched at Madelyn without hesitation. Lucy's mind went completely blank as her head was thrown once again into the wall from the momentum and her mind went blank, thoughts of her father lingering like a ghost, taunting her in her unconscious state. Images of her father beating her crossed her mind like a slideshow. Image after image, picture after picture whispering to her in an agonizing lullaby of forever unrest.
Lucy was drowning in darkness, and there was no one to help her. Not even her spirits, her guild mates or Natsu could save her from the terrible images, memories, and thoughts of her despicable father, beating her, scratching her, and screaming at her.
You're so USELESS!
YOU NEVER SHOULD'VE BEEN BORN!
You ungrateful brat! I've given you everything that I can!
Lucy, your mother's dead, she's GONE! Stop hanging on to the past!
She was just spiraling and spinning and suffocating in her memories, those terrible, disgusting, cruel memories that would never go away.
Natsu hurled himself at the woman in front of him and threw her into the wall. He lobbed his fist at the woman's face with out hesitation. An audible crack filled his ears and he smirked, satisfied with his work. He lifted the woman by the front of her dress and slammed her against the wall again. He tightened his grip around her dress and pulled her face close to his.
"Who the Hell are you?!" Natsu screamed, a thousand voices in one filled the room. Steam was rolling off of his body, his skin fiery hot and red. He had small horns placed just above his ears. His eyes had turned a blood red and his hands turned into dark, black claws. The woman's eyes had become wide with fear, her mouth slightly open from the impact. He pulled her face closer and rammed his forehead into hers. The woman shrieked in pain and tried to loosen Natsu's hands from her dress.
"DEMON! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Madelyn cried, pure terror behind her words. A dry laugh escaped Natsu's lips.
"I'm far worse than a demon," He spoke, "I'm your biggest nightmare..."
Natsu's arm reared back, ready to punch. But before he could do anything he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. His body tensed up and he whipped his head around.
Natsu's eyes met with a pair of deep navy ones.
"Gray-?"
Natsu caught a glance of four people before a fist flew towards his face.
Everything went black.