Lucy grabbed her combat boots, Locket in hand, put them on and made her way down the stairs. As Lucy stepped on the last step of the stairway, she looked up and was met with worried, and some teary, eyes looking at her. She rubbed her eyes to make sure that the last of her tears has fallen off. Crying in front of the girls? Not a good way to be approached.
"Lucy-nee-chan? Are you okay?" Wendy said as she walked over to her. Lucy's bangs covered her eyes for a minute and looked up again with her straight face on and nodded. "I'm perfectly fine Wendy. Girls, I'll be out to train for a while near the school campus in the forest part. I am pretty sure there is enough space for me there, so Erza…" Lucy faced Erza who was beside Wendy "take care of the girls while I'm gone please. I really don't want to come back 5 minutes later to see that Charles has lost her way home and ended up at the dumpster. Again." Everyone snickered at a pouting Charles that is mumbling an 'its Wendy's fault' as Erza giggled and nodded her head. "I will Lucy, don't worry. I will always be here for them and I will always be here for you." As Erza said the last words, Lucy's eyes widened.
'I'll always be here for you Luce!'
Lucy just nodded her head and dashed out of the room before one teardrop got released from her right eye. The girls looked at each other in worry and sighed. "Erza, when you graduate—"
"I know; I'll cut off BOTH the Principle AND the Master's heads."
He can't believe it. He doesn't. That girl can't be her, she can't be her.
Can she?
"Oi! Salamander!" Natsu snapped out of his thoughts as he looked up at his pierced friend. "What do you want Gajeel?" He said in a lazy voice, nearly growling, and removed his elbows from his knees and placed his hands behind his head as he leaned back at the couch, eyes not leaving the long haired man.
"Why are you making a fuss about our loss?" Gajeel asked as he sat beside him and sprawled out his legs as he let out a sigh. "We could beat them again you know."
"I'm not making a fuss over that, in fact I don't give two shits about it." He placed a hand over his eyes as he held his head up high. It was true, He didn't give a crap about their loss, but what she said made him think his current problem over.
'I received enough pain. I don't need more.' He heard her whisper. To him it was crystal clear. His dragon slaying enhanced hearing has really paid off.
Natsu started to think about the blonde. He didn't want to stress himself over this but he really wants to know…..to know…if it's her.
Blonde hair…
Chocolate brown eyes…
Kind heart…
But her name…it's still possible even if it isn't her name right? At least her surname that is. Right?
No, it can't be her, that's what he thought. Everything was put in their places, but he knew that there was one thing, ONE thing missing…it was the most important part of the puzzle.
She never smiles…
The girl he knew was the one that could light up the whole day with her beautiful warm smile, the one that would beam up at everything. She was the sweet and happy-go-lucky kind of girl. This girl, however, is different.
This girl is a badass with powerful magic. She is caring towards her girls, but bitter towards every man known in the universe. She is wise and strong, fearless even. She has a thousand reasons to smile, yet she doesn't, what's up with her?
And what she whispered? What does it even mean?
'I have received enough pain. I don't need more.'
He doesn't know this girl. It's one thing he knows.
She isn't her.
"Natsu! Oi! Are you still alive!? Holy shit, don't tell me you're dead!" He flinched at the voice that intruded his mind but didn't care and removed his hand from his eyes standing up, shrugging. "I'll go take a walk. Tell Jellal to watch over Romeo for me." He said picking his pace and head towards the door, hearing his fellow dragon slayer mumble a 'whatever' and shut the door behind him.
He headed towards the forest just outside the school campus, he wanted to take a break from his mind debate. He knew which side won.
*Outside the school campus, forest part* Lucy's POV
I sighed out loud as I looked for a comfortable branch to sit on.
I passed by 14 trees so far none have any branches that actually aren't that wimpy and small. I didn't get frustrated though, just tired. I was too tired thinking about him that it made my eyes swell as well as some of my brain cells. I felt my senses tingle and stopped in my tracks, looking up.
I saw that I stopped in front of a gigantic and fully grown tree in all its glory. Its leaves are nature green, I can tell even if the moonlight wasn't enough to show its full color. I countered my attention towards the branches and saw that, unlike the other trees, they were all strong and sturdy. They even look a bit comfortable.
Perfect.
I climbed a few of them until I was a complete 30ft from the ground and rested on a branch its level.
I leaned back against the trunk and rearranged my position on the branch. I told the girls I was training. I would have trained but my mind is in too much of a frenzy right now to actually acknowledge that. After a few minutes of hearing nothing but my rugged breathing I started to feel a bit lonely. Without a second thought, I pulled out my emergency keys in my back pocket and took out a silver key. I have keys that I didn't keep in my key wheel, my most loyal ones. Some of them are boys but I didn't mind that, they were still my spirits, the spirits I have been with since birth. I swayed the silver key in the air and a cute little white dog-that somehow looks like a snowman-came out. It shook and waved at me.
"Hi Plue." I greeted and picked him up, placing him in my lap.
"Puuun pun!(Hi Lucy!)" I poked his nose and he just shook his head, shaking slightly.
"Puun pun pun?(Are you okay?)" I nodded at him and just placed the palm of my hand in his head, my thumb rubbing it every few seconds. "I'm fine Plue, don't worry."
"Pun puun pun pun?(Why did you call me?)" I shrugged. "I just felt lonely." He shook his head at me. "Puun puuun pun.(I thought you hate the opposite gender.)" I frowned.
"Plue, I love my spirits, men or not." I kissed his forehead lightly. "It will always stay that way. Don't worry, only Taurus pisses me off." He just giggled and lied down my lap.
"Pun puun. Pun pun pun?(I'm sleepy. Can you sing me a lullaby Lucy?" I just sighed and leaned back again, realizing I had gone a little distant when I leaned to kiss his forehead.
"Sure Plue. Which one this time?" I asked as I patted his head slowly.
"Pun.(Tenohira.)" I flinched a bit, but I managed not to let Plue notice. That song, he made it for me. As much as I want to say no because that song reminded me of his promise, his broken promise….
'I'll always be here for you Luce!' That promise…
No! I won't say no to Plue. I just have to bear it. I'll bear singing it, even if my voice reminds me of it.
"Okay."
Natsu's POV
I finally sorted out my thoughts, she isn't her.
She isn't her.
But why do I have the feeling that she IS her? Why do I have the feeling that she WAS her? That she might have been like this now but not before?
No that's impossible. She is the kind of person who doesn't want to change. If she really is her, wouldn't she still be the cute and happy girl I knew?
I have to keep it together. She isn't her.
She isn't her!
She.
isnt.
he—
"Dareka no tame dake ni namida o nagasu…(Only for someone else's sake,)" her.
That voice…it's her voice!
"Koto ga dekiru kimi dakedo…(you are able to shed tears but,)" I ran towards her voice.
I kept running. She is really here!
"Naiteru kao o mitero to waratte shimaunda…(when I see tears running down your face, I cant help but laugh.)" I'm getting closer and closer…
I can feel it.
"Kimi o aishite yokatta to…(I'm glad I'm in love with you…)"
I paused when realization hit me. It was my song. I leaned against the tree and just listened.
Realizing what my song meant, I can't bear to face her.
"Dakara douka semete kono te ga,"
"(That's why,)"
"Todoku kyouri ni ite hoshii"
"(I want this hand to reach the distance)"
"Namida nagasu toki wa kono te ga"
"(So that when you cry,)"
"Sore o sotto nuguu kara"
"(this hand can gently wipe off your tears.)"
I clenched my fists as I smelt tears, but I didn't budge.
"Dareka no tame dake ni namida o nagasu"
"(Only for someone else's sake,)
"Koto ga dekiru kimi dakedo"
"(you are able to shed tears but,)"
"Mousukoshi jibun jishin no tame ni namida o"
"(Isn't it right to shed tears)"
"Tsukatte mo ii nda yo?"
"(a bit more for yourself?)"
I can tell, she did.
"Dakara douka semete kono te ga,"
"(That's why,)"
"Todoku kyouri ni ite hoshii"
"(I want this hand to reach the distance)"
"Namida nagasu toki wa kono te ga"
"(So that when you cry,)"
"Sore o sotto nuguu kara"
"(this hand can gently wipe off your tears.)"
I can hear her sobbing, my song was a lie.
"Dakara douka…" "Dakara douka…"
""(So somehow,)""
"Soba….ni ite…(stay…with me…)"
I fell on my knees. It was her, the scent was fresh. I can't smell her clearly, but her tears…
they are all I smell…fresh tears dripping, I can smell it.
I sprang up and ran towards her again, I can't miss my chance.
I can't miss my chance to see her again.
It was when I stopped at a big tree when the scent stopped. I looked for any sign of human, none. I checked the branches and the leaves, nothing.
She already left.
I missed my chance.
I missed her.
Lucy's POV
Fuck. I'm crying? Damn it.
Before Plue could notice, I sent him back to the spirit world. He was asleep anyway, I know he wouldn't notice. The moment he went back to his gate, I climbed the branches again and fled using air magic. My gate to the power of the Air gods were still open.
My magic is celestial magic but what I am using is not so different. Celestial magic allows me to have contracts with spirits. I had about 400+ spirits so far, but the ones most loyal to me is my zodiac keys, along with a few silver ones including Plue's, because they have been a gift from mom when I first learnt magic. This other kind of celestial magic I have however; this magic gives me the ability to make contracts with the gods. I can't summon them of course, that's impossible. Having contracts means having to use their magic and of course, their power. I made contracts with about a hundred gods but I still manage to use my spirits. I can keep the magic within me for at least 12 hours, till then, I use them to my liking. The way I used them in the magic testing is called 'Sphere Bonds'. Sphere Bonds allow me to use a few gates of the gods in a unison raid. I have to say that using that kind of magic will drain yours easily but for me, I have endless veins of magic. Shocking I know, got it when I got a contract with the gods of herbs.
I jumped and balanced myself mid-air to keep myself flying and to not fall into bloody murder. I spotted the house and by seeing that I am very emotionally drained right now, I decided to make a quick go.
"Key wheel." I chanted silently seeing that it is probably very late, people are probably having sweet dreams now. I held out my right hand while my left was still balancing me and my wheel appeared, my right hand now inside the center. The wheel disappeared a second later, releasing my hand with a key in it, a white bluish sphere in the center of it.
"Gate of the Swifts, I open thee! Telpo!" I whisper-shouted and Telpo appeared beside me in mid-air too. "Hi Lucy, long time no see." I just nodded at her and pointed towards the house. "I have to get home now, mind giving me a lift?" she smiled at me then nodded. I forgot to notice that Telpo actually looks so cute.
Telpo is about the size of a little girl with cheetah ears and tail while dressed in a cute orange Sunday dress with tiny frills on the edges. Her skin is a normal peach skin color and has a very cute personality. Yup, my spirits have personalities, I know.
Telpo held my hand and the next thing I knew, I was in my blue and purple bedroom already sitting on the edge of the bed with Telpo right beside me. "Is my work here done Lucy?" I nodded again and gave her a little ruffle on the hair making her giggle. She waved one last time at me and finally returned to the spirit world. I sighed and fell back towards my bed. I'm alone once again.
I sat up again to take off my combat boots and bolero and stood up to change into my PJ's, putting my bolero and boots in my shoe rack and side table on the way. Buttoning the last 3 holes up my pajama top, I hopped into my bed. Again.
I was just staring at my pillow for who knows how long, not noticing that the song was slowly creeping onto my head, making me doze off.
*Flashback*
"Luce! You are such a crybaby!"
"Hey! It's just so sad okay? I can't help it! UWAH!"
"Lucy, remember the song?"
"Yeah! I really liked it!"
"I will sing it to you if you will quiet down!"
"Okay! Can I sing too?"
"Of course Luce! It IS our song after all."
"Yay!"
"Dakara douka semete kono te ga"
"Todoku kyouri ni ite hoshii"
"Namida nagasu toki wa kono te ga"
"Sore o sotto nuguu kara"
"Luce?"
"Hm?"
"Dakara douka…"
Unknown to Lucy, countless tears are already streaming down her closed eyes.
"Soba..ni..ite"