It was late afternoon by the time Lucy reached the grim mansion prison she called home. She watched the dark windows cast shadows on the stone walls where the great Heartofilia crest hung. The house stood menacingly surrounded by a large wood filled with pine trees however the village wasn't too far away but it took about an hour to walk there. The gold gates began to screech as they were pulled open. Ready to close in on her.
"Why am I still here?" she whispered to herself thinking about Freed's words. She saw her father get out of his carriage glaring in her direction.
"Stupid worthless child." He hissed.
She looked at him, then wordlessly opened the carriage door and ran.
She ran and ran towards the tree line not looking back, but she could hear her father yelling out her name as a guard ran after her. She lifted up the ends of the red dress stumbling in the heeled shoes. Heavy footsteps stomped behind her.
She finally made it to the edge of the forest, immediately tripping a skidding down a small muddy hill.
Luckily a tree stopped her fall as she smashed head first into it.
Lucy winced pulling herself up not wanting to be captured again. She ran along the forest floor as branches grabbed at her scratching her arms trying to pull her back.
She slipped down a leafy slope into a stream, letting out a yelp as the cold water splashed over her.
"What did I just do?!" The blonde murmured to herself quietly pulling herself out of the tiny stream and onto the dusty rocks around it.
Reluctantly she got up groaning slightly. She walked slowly down the stream, stopping dead still every time she heard a noise.
After a long while of doing this she completely lost track of where she was.
As the sun just began to set she saw a clearing. With a small fire that burned dully. She saw a battered wooden carriage and a few little bags of food laid out around the tiny fire. She shivered as she stared hungrily at the food.
Now Lucy wasn't stupid. She knew not to steal.
She also knew it was dangerous out here… but she was really hungry… and cold… and lost.
"Maybe if I just take a little." She whispered tripping forward and reaching for one of the little bags.
The wooden carriage creaked. Lucy froze mid reach unsure what to do.
"Who's there?" a low voice snarled.
The carriage moved slightly. Lucy stood silently, still reaching out for the food.
A man stepped into view, his black and white hair swayed as he took a step towards Lucy.
He stared at her silently.
"Midnight?... What are you- " a girl called following him. She noticed Lucy and tensed. Her white hair was short and she wore white feathery clothing like an angle.
Lucy took a step back beginning to apologize for her intrusion before hitting something hard behind her.
She turned to see another man looking down at her scowling. His yellow eye fixed on her as he hissed. He had a long scar running down his right eye and spiky red hair.
"Cobra!" The angle greeted as the little blonde began to shake slightly taking another step back.
"I-I'm sorry…" she said nervously looking at the group around her. She began to make her way back into the forest when Cobra laid a strong hand on her shaking shoulder still hissing.
"Who are you?" he commanded.
"L-Lucy." She whispered pulling away only for him to grab her other arm. "Lucy who?" he hissed narrowing his eyes.
"Lucy…" she hesitated, no one was going to take her back. "Just Lucy…"
He scowled gripping her arm tighter as she pulled.
"L-Let go!" she said finally freeing her poor arm.
He grabbed her again, this time by her waist. "Tell me who you are?" he growled.
Now he'd done it.
Lucy scowled and went for punch right in the – He blocked it.
She had another go desperately trying to pry his arms away from her. He blocked it again with ease sniggering.
"I can hear your moves." He said calmly blocking yet another punch. Lucy frowned confused for a moment.
She turned and looked at him, "What?!" she said raising an eyebrow, still clawing at his arms.
He sniggered again loosening his grip for a second.
Lucy took her chance and dropped to the floor escaping him. She dodged as he reached out in the directions she was about to run.
She ran back towards the trees breathing heavily.
"Lucy Heartofilia!" Midnight boomed pointing at her.
She gasped for air running back into the trees. She saw the stream she'd followed and almost smiled.
"Wow, you're actually quite fast." A voice said next to her. She turned her head in despair and saw a man running beside her incredibly fast. He smiled, his cheeks pushing up his dark googles.
She ran past him.
"Yeah, that won't work… I'm still faster." He said grabbing her and tripping her over. "Lucy Heartofilia, right?" he said pinning her to the ground next to the little stream as she struggled.
She flailed her arms and kicked. He raised a blonde brow before she scooped up the muddy water and splashed his face aggressively.
He scowled slamming her arm into the rocks making her yelp.
He rolled his eyes before her injected her with a syringe that contained a strange looking green liquid that bubbled when it made contact with her pale skin.
"St-stop.." she whispered as her eyes drooped and her head dropped back slamming against the rocks.