notes: ahh woo chapter 2 already! there's not much to say except this was kind of painful to write haha :) enjoy everyone!
"This is … there's no way … is she?" Erza stoically made her way towards Lucy's listless body. Erza's voice was barely audible. It seemed at least some of their magic power was back. They had no idea how much time had passed since Tomica had left without a word, but Lucy still hadn't awoken.
Natsu's eyes were filled with tears, he could feel it, but he was trying to hold back and be strong. "I … I don't think so," he said breathlessly. "There's no way… Lucy would go out like that. There's no way he was planning to kill us. He… he probably just wanted to say he defeated us. So let the bastard say whatever he wants. We'll get him back one day. For Lucy and the guild."
Gray and Erza nodded, but it was with a heavy rhythm. They wanted to believe what Natsu said was true, but in the current state, they didn't know what to think.
"Well… let's try and get her back to the guild, and ask Makarov what we can do. Maybe even Porlylusica could help us," Gray suggested, breaking the silence.
They nodded, and moved towards Lucy's body. She was covered in bruises, just like the rest of the team was as well. But, Natsu thought, she might have endured more than us …
Lucy wasn't as heavy as Natsu had originally thought. Even though Happy would always make jokes when he would have to carry her, he noticed that her body was actually quite fragile. How did she manage to take this beating? Well, there was one thing he knew for sure - she was strong where it counted. In her spirit, her personality, and everything else, despite the fact she might not have much physically. He couldn't help but smile when he thought of how humble she was, and how she wouldn't give up even if she was overpowered. She truly belonged in Fairy Tail.
The remaining trio each supported Lucy's body extremely carefully, as they attempted to make their way back towards the guild as quick as they could. They switched off holding her on their backs. Though their bodies were just as beaten, they had no other choice, nor would they consider any other. When a team member falls, they all fall. They would never abandon each other, no matter what.
About halfway to the guild, still in a somewhat deserted area, but closer to the town square than before, Natsu, who had Lucy on his back, felt something shift. Wha - what the hell? Is she awake? Alive? He turned his head to see her eyelids fluttering softly.
"Wait, Lucy?" Erza and Gray stopped walking and turned to Natsu, who was preparing to set Lucy down. "Lucy? Hey, Lucy? Can you hear me?" His voice was tinged with desperation. He placed his hands on her shoulder, his heart pounding out of his chest. Please… please…
Natsu was supporting Lucy upright, and Erza and Gray both noticed that her face had lost most of its previous pallor. "Lucy?" Erza questioned. "Lucy, can you hear us?"
After what seemed like an eternity, Lucy's eyes flitted open. A rousing sigh of relief was heard and the team breathed. She's still here, Natsu thought, and he smiled. There's no way she would've given up that easily.
Natsu chuckled and his smile grew wider. "Lucy! Lucy, you're back! We were so worried that you'd … but I knew you would never!"
Lucy's eyes were full of wonder and confusion. "Where… where am I, exactly?" she inquired.
A row of glances were shot to one another. Huh?
"Lucy, you know who we are, right?" Natsu asked her.
When she got a good look at Natsu, and finally came to her senses, her reflexes pushed her farther and farther away from Natsu. "Wait, who … who are you? How do you know me? Erza, Gray, who is this?"
Natsu's smile faded almost instantly. WHAT? There was no way that this is what Tomica meant … there is no way …
Erza knelt down and tried to pick Lucy up, but Lucy stayed on the ground, her hands wrapped around her knees in fear of the pink-haired mage in front of her. "Lucy, are you alright? Of course you know who this is," Erza told her matter-of-factly, trying to choke back some emotions that were coming through. "Do you know what happened?"
"I'm not entirely sure, Erza, but can you tell me why this man was this close to my face?" Lucy squealed, and she brought her index fingers together to indicate just how close Natsu was to her.
"Lucy, please don't play games, we don't have time for this," Gray broke in. "You know who Natsu is, don't you?"
Lucy shook her head and her face was pained with disgust and fear. She lowered her voice a little bit so Natsu could barely hear her. "I can't believe you guys didn't stop him! Why aren't you doing anything? I feel kind of weird right now, but believe me, I would've kicked him if I could! I can't believe you guys!"
Before she could say any more, Erza stood up. "We need to get her back to the guild, and now." Her demanding voice prompted Gray and Natsu to try and help Lucy out of her position. However, something stopped them from completing the task.
"Woah, woah, woah, wait! Who is he? Why are you guys being so cryptic?" Lucy demanded, shooing Natsu's arm off hers. His face fell.
Gray turned to her swiftly. "Lucy, don't worry about it right now, we gotta get you back to the guild, OK?"
"But, uh, why is he coming? Is he from another guild or something?" Lucy's demeanor changed a bit and upon this potential realization, and she turned to the dumbstruck Natsu. "Oh, do you want to be a part of Fairy Tail? Well, if that was the case, why didn't you just say so?" She let out her normal laughter, and it reassured Natsu to hear it, even though it wasn't for the right thing.
Erza shot Gray a glance, and began to continue to walk, with Lucy and Natsu not too far behind.
Natsu couldn't even look at her. He was in awe. Had he really taken all her memories? There's no way… It was quite unlike him to be somewhat calm in a situation like this, but there was something holding him back. Normally, Natsu would be freaking out, but he restricted himself in doing so. He'd probably scare her, and if she truly doesn't remember him, then he'd have to try something in order to help jog her memory. What, though? What could I do? She thinks I'm a stranger. She doesn't know me.
Lucy was chipper as ever, though, almost as if her bruises were forgotten and everything was normal. "So, what's your name?" she questioned.
His face dropped a bit. It was unlike him, he knew, but the relationship they had before - to be dissolved in an instant wasn't something he was going to take lightly. But he put on a bright smile, flashing his sharp canines, and told her. "I'm Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. You sure you never heard of me?"
The blonde shook her head and sighed. "No, no, I'm sorry, I haven't! But it's really nice to meet you, Natsu! What are you doing here with me, Gray, and Erza?"
His whole body froze, even as they pressed on. He figured he'd just relay the truth to her, whether she believed it or not. There wasn't anything else he could do. Though, while pondering this, flashes of Tomica appeared in his mind, and a fire started to well up when he thought of the vicious mage.
"We were on a job, you see," he said stoically. "We thought we were doing something simple. You picked it, actually. But it turned out to be a trap."
Lucy perked her face up. "A trap? Wait, what? And I picked it? Man, I think something's a little off here …" She rubbed her temples in confusion.
Natsu continued. "Yeah. We were all… defeated. Pretty easily, actually. I couldn't believe it myself. It was Tomica. It was all his fault." Recalling this definitely wasn't easy for him.
"Tomica… hmm… sounds quite familiar. Interesting name, just like yours! But … ow, is that why I'm covered in bruises? I don't … I don't really remember much. I guess it makes sense I was on a job, though. We've been doing lots of those lately, right, Gray and Erza?" Lucy shot them a smile and their faces dropped. Natsu turned away from her. She had completely forgotten Natsu was on all those jobs with her. She had erased Natsu from her mind completely.
He took a deep breath and stopped walking for a second, which halted Lucy's footsteps, and in turn, the others walking in front of them.
"Lucy, you realize I was there too, right?" he begged her.
"I'm sorry?"
"I was with you on all those jobs. I've been with you even before Gray and Erza were here." His voice was initially soft, but it grew louder, and before he knew it, he was booming. "I've been with you since you joined Fairy Tail. Hell, I got you in Fairy Tail! You can't tell me you don't remember these things, do you? You can't! There's no way! After everything we've been through together, you expect me to believe you've just gone and forgotten everything?"
He could barely see Lucy's face, and didn't realize he was holding her shoulders firmly in his hands. Tears were welling in his eyes, but he didn't care. This was cruel and unfair. There was no way everything could be gone in an instant.
Lucy was completely stunned. Her deep brown eyes were focused on Natsu's tearing face. At this outburst, Gray was about to move forward, but Erza held him back. Lucy's eyes then softened, and though she was noticeably taken aback, she raised her hands gently to Natsu's shaking ones.
"Natsu?" she whispered. "What do you mean? I…" Her eyes shifted to the ground. "I don't really understand what you mean…"
With a heavy breath, he relayed his words again, each one heavier than before. "Lucy … you and I … we were … we are a team! And I can't lose you! You can't forget about everything that we've been through together! Don't you see, Lucy? You can't remember anything because Tomica took your memories away! The memories about … about me, and us, and our team … how… how can you forget?"
Natsu sighed and stared at the ground. He couldn't look her in the eye. He didn't want to see her face. He wouldn't be able to take it.
She lifted her head in Erza and Gray's direction. "Is he telling the truth?" she asked. "I… knew Natsu?"
They nodded, speechless.
In return, Lucy closed her eyes, in what seemed like she was trying to remember something. But her face became strained and she released herself from Natsu's grip, who didn't put up a fight any longer.
"Natsu, I'm so… I'm so sorry, but I can't remember you. I can't remember anything we did together. But it sounds lovely. I really wish I could remember it, if it's true," she concluded in a wobbly voice. "I'm so sorry…" It was apparent she was on the verge of tears.
At this notion, Natsu bolted up, and started stridently walking towards Gray and Erza, not paying any attention to Lucy's words. "Come on, guys," he huffed, dragging his partners with him. "She needs help. We're gonna fix her. I'm not going to be satisfied until she has her memories back. There has to be a way."
With that, Natsu's pace quickened, and it seemed he had tunnel vision for the guild and only the guild. Deep in his heart, he knew there had to be some way to reverse the spell, some way to make her remember. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if she didn't know who he was. There was absolutely no way he was going to let that happen - that was a promise.
after notes: hope you enjoyed this chapter! thanks for reading :) the next chapter will be up very soon!
