my answer is you

transformation

"Lu-chan, why do you let them treat you like that? You could easily beat them all up! Put all those self-defense skills to good use!" Levy huffed in frustration as she fell back onto the bed.

Lucy rolled her eyes but smiled. "Levy-chan, then I'd be bullying them, since they have no chance at all. Besides, I don't wanna draw more attention to myself."

"Any more than you've already drawn now that everyone knows who you are?" Levy pointed out dryly.

Lucy winced. "Okay, yeah, but that's exactly why I didn't want anyone to know I was a Heartphilia in the first place! Ugh, if Minerva had just left me alone…why does she target me, of all people? I don't get it!"

"Are you serious, Lu-chan? It's because you're smart and gorgeous and rich and kind! She's just jealous, duh."

"Jealous? Of a nerd like me?" Lucy scoffed.

"Oh c'mon, Lu-chan!" Levy jumped off the bed and flopped down next to Lucy, who was sprawled out across her carpet. "You try to hide behind those huge glasses of yours and your hair, but everyone knows you're gorgeous. Literally everyone. It's a fact. No one like Minerva—they're just scared of her. But everyone likes you."

"Levy-chan—"

"Y'know what I don't get?" Levy interrupted, as if Lucy hadn't spoken. "Why are you still trying to be all low profile when your last name's already out? There's no point anymore, is there?"

"There is—well, no, I guess there isn't anymore. But I don't wanna get in trouble for beating her up either. Plus, if Minerva targets me, she won't bully anyone else."

Levy groaned. "Oh god. You are seriously too nice for your own good. Give in to your dark side a little, won't you?"

"Levy-chan!" Lucy encouraged. "Are you encouraging bad behavior? You?"

"It's not bad behavior! It's putting Minerva in her place!"

"Oh my Levy-chan! Well, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, given that your type is Gajeel Redfox, after all." Lucy snickered as Levy squealed and blushed.

"O-oh yeah? W-well, what about you? You like Natsu, don't you?" Levy retaliated.

Lucy fought down her blush. "W-what? How could I ever like such a—a—a guy?"

Levy burst into laughter. "See? You can't even say anything bad about him!"

"Yes I can!" Lucy argued. "He's—he's reckless, and—and loud and—obnoxious and—"

She thought of his unruly pink hair, his dark eyes, his sharp grin, and couldn't hold back the flush in her cheeks any longer.

Levy was practically cackling, holding her stomach as she rolled around. "And? And you think he's super cute, don't you?"

"Shut up!" Lucy grabbed a pillow and shoved in it Levy's face. "Well—well, you think Gajeel's piercings are dangerous and sexy and you wanna ride on his motorcycle!"

"Lu-chan, oh my god, shut up, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Well, if you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen!"

.

Later, when the pillow fight was over and the two girls were huffing and puffing on the floor, Levy rolled over and panted, "Hey…Lu-chan. I've…got an…idea."

"Oh…no."

"Hear me out!" She gulped in a breath of air and sat up. "Now that everyone knows who you are, you'll never be able to blend into the shadows again! Not that you really did in the first place but…"

"Just tell me the idea, Levy-chan."

"Alright, alright, have a little patience, girl…"

.

Oh god. I can't believe I let Levy talk me into this.

Lucy gritted her teeth as she took a deep breath and stepped into school. She calmly strode to her locker, where Levy was waiting for her, and tried to ignore all the loud whispers surrounding her.

"Oh my god—is that—"

"Lucy Heartphilia!? Wasn't she a nerd!?"

"Holy crap, she's gorgeous—"

"Dude, look at her rack—"

"—didn't think she was that pretty! What the hell—"

Lucy rolled her eyes and concentrated on her locker.

"You look so beautiful, Lu-chan. Really. I don't know why you tried to hide in those baggy clothes before," Levy whispered from beside her.

Lucy laughed a little. "Thanks, Levy-chan. All I did was wear contacts and tighter clothes, though. Do I look that different?"

Before Levy could answer, a mocking voice cut in. "Finally got a makeover, Heartphilia? Did you get plastic surgery too?"

Sighing, Lucy squared her shoulders and spun around with a sweet smile on her lips. "Oh Minerva! I didn't expect to see you so soon! But to answer your question, no plastic surgery here."

Minerva bristled and onlookers gasped. The implication was obvious.

"How dare you—"

"Does this count as a makeover?" Lucy shrugged, casually pulling out textbooks from her locker before shutting it. "This is how I normally look. I just wore contacts today and fancier clothes. I wouldn't really know about makeovers, but you do, don't you, Minerva?"

Minerva snarled and whipped a hand, but before it could connect with Lucy's cheek, Lucy extended her free hand and grabbed it, twisting it slightly. Minerva gasped in pain and Lucy let go.

"You—what are you—" Minerva rasped out.

"Levy-chan was right, I've let this go on long enough." Lucy smiled briefly at Levy's "I'm always right!" before continuing, glaring at Minerva. "I never fought back before, Minerva, because I didn't wanna waste any effort on you, but now I'm tired of it. I've mastered three different types of self-defense and don't think I won't use them on you if you ever try to bully me or anyone else again."

"You bitch—"

"Ah-ah!" Lucy wagged her finger in front of her. "No name-calling—that counts as bullying, you know?"

With one last smile, she turned and pulled Levy along with her down the hall to the bathroom where she promptly clutched all her books tightly to her chest and hyperventilated.

"How—how did I do—"

"You were awesome, Lu-chan! But you're really kinda lame, huh?" Levy laughed at Lucy's half-hearted glare. "You're just too nice, Lu-chan. You were so cool back there and you didn't say anything wrong, you know? No need to be so nervous!"

"Everyone was staring!" Lucy hissed. "Oh god, rumors are gonna be flying!"

"Oh c'mon, Lu-chan, you did great. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Except maybe Natsu," Levy teased, giggling at Lucy's pout. "C'mon, time for class!"

.

"Hey Lucy! Hey Levy! I heard what happened this morning! You were awesome, Lucy!"

Lucy blushed and stared with wide eyes and Natsu easily slid into the seat next to hers and began devouring his lunch. "O-oh…thanks, Natsu. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to have lunch with you! 'Cause you're cool!"

Lucy steadfastly ignored Levy's suggestive smirk and said, "Um, thanks. But what about your friends?"

He glanced over his shoulder, stuck his tongue out, and shrugged, shooting her a wide grin that made her heart stutter in her chest. "Eh, they can come over if they want. I'd rather eat with you than stupid ice princess any day."

"Ice princess?" Levy asked.

"Gray," he clarified with his mouth full.

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "Ew Natsu, don't talk with your mouth full!"

He blinked. Then swallowed. Then grinned again. "You really are like a princess, huh? Metal head and the stripper both said so, something about your last name, but I didn't see it before!"

She flushed. "I am not! My name has nothing to do with who I am! And who are all those nicknames referring to?"

Natsu stared at her for a long moment, during which she tilted her head in confusion, before shaking his head and looking back to his food. Was that a light blush on his cheeks or was she hallucinating? "Stripper's Gray, again. Metal head's Gajeel."

Levy immediately sank into her seat, hiding her face with a book, while Lucy stared her down with a smirk. "Oh, Gajeel, huh? Hey Natsu, do you mind inviting your friends over here? We'd like to meet them."

"Lu-chan!" Levy hissed in horror. "Don't you dare!"

"Oh, I dare!" Lucy giggled before smiling at Natsu, who was staring at her with a strange look. "Natsu? Is…something wrong? I mean, you don't have to, of course, if you don't want to!"

"Are you…interested in Gajeel or somethin'?"

Immediately, Lucy and Levy both choked on their spit.

"W-w-what? Where'd you get that from?" she cried, staring at him disbelievingly.

He ducked his head. "Er, no, well, as soon as I said Gajeel, you asked me to call my friends over…so I just thought…"

"Oh no! No no, not me, I'm definitely not into Gajeel! No way!" Lucy hastily explained.

"Oh! Then…" His eyes slid over to Levy, who was practically under the table now.

Lucy giggled again, playfully sticking her tongue out at Levy's heated glares, and found Natsu staring at her again. "What is it?"

"Nothin', just…you're really pretty when you smile, ya know?" He quickly looked away.

"Oh! Thank you!" she squeaked, surreptitiously fanning her face. "Um, I really like your smile too. Just, you know. By the way. I mean—" She internally groaned, wishing the ground could just open up and swallow her so she wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment and Levy's guffaws.

"Thanks," he muttered gruffly and this time she knew he was blushing for real.

That's the first time I've seen him embarrassed. Oh my god, he's so cute, what do I do?

Lucy glanced at Natsu, caught him looking at her, and they both instantly turned away, even more embarrassed.

"Lu-chan, you owe me big!" Levy snickered.

Copyright 2015 by The Siege