Title: How Will You Know
Pairings: Lucy/Natsu, some Mirajane/Freed, some Levy/Gajeel, some Gray/Juvia, some Elfman/Evergreen.
Rating: I'm gonna stick with M just in case of later chapters.
Plot: Lucy has had a rough time since coming back from Tenrou Island. To make matters worse, her and Natsu seem to have crossed over the line of friends. Confused and hurt, Lucy goes on a quest to clear her mind, with Natsu hot on her trail. (Bad Summary) R/R NaLu.
Ah man, Skyrim is eating away at my life again! But I managed to get this chapter done. So happy! Sorry if it seems rushed. I'm not so good with the action scenes! Also worried that Natsu is becoming slightly OoC. Yikes. ; I hope you guys enjoy though. Let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. I just love it to death XD
Chapter 6: Pretty Little Girls
"I can't defend myself, but at least I still accusations make me feel alive. I know you listen in, obsessed with all I do. You wanna be me, but he got stuck with you… Pretty little girls should be more careful… You know you're just a face, there's no meaning in his touch. For all you try, you'll never be enough." Pretty Little Girls by BECCA
/ / / / / / / / / / /
"Are you sure?" Natsu shouted.
"Are you doubting my abilities?" Cana shouted back, slamming her tankard on the table.
"What's wrong fire brain?" Gray approached, curious as to why his friend was getting worked up.
"Cana said something bad would happen to Lucy and she just went off on a mission without her keys." Natsu explained quickly, still eyeing the woman.
Did Natsu just ignore an insult from me? Gray was somewhat shocked that Natsu was too upset to notice. He felt a small poke to his arm and turned to see Juvia glancing at him shyly, red tinting her cheeks.
"Gray-sama, your clothes."
"Ah!" Gray freaked out and saw his pants and jacket lying on the floor a few feet away. "Err…just call me Gray…Juvia."
"Gr-Gray…" Juvia managed to say and flushed a deeper red when she was met with a grin from the ice mage.
"Gray! Natsu!" everyone turned as they heard a somewhat deep voice from behind them.
"Er-Erza" Gray replied quickly as he felt his abandoned clothes hit him in the face.
"Is it true Lucy is in danger?" The red-haired mage asked.
"I didn't know if it would be danger or not, I just read she would have something bad happen. It could range from getting sick, being heartbroken, to any number of things. My readings aren't always specific when I'm drunk." Cana explained, taking another swig from her tankard.
The table was quiet for a few seconds until Erza's eyes met Natsu's.
"You don't usually listen to Cana's readings Natsu. Why now?" Erza asked seriously.
Natsu stood there for a minute, cupping his chin with his hand as he thought long and hard. He wasn't even sure himself, he wasn't the type to believe in fate, fortune telling or astrology. You carve out your own future, the way you want to. Not what some card or book or magic tells you…but why then? Because it's…Natsu pondered.
"Because it's Lucy." Juvia suddenly finished Natsu's thought.
"Eh?" Gray and Erza looked at the young rain woman.
"Er…that is…Juvia thinks Natsu-san believes because it was Lucy's reading. Lucy believes in these things…I think…"
"Lucy had a reading also?" Natsu asked somewhat confused and looked back at Cana.
"Yeah, at Mira and Freed's wedding I did readings. Both you and Lucy came. I was pretty shocked you came to me, although you were pretty drunk."
"Does all of this really matter?" Gray asked.
Natsu glared at the ice mage, flames forming at his fist. He walked towards him and pressed his forehead into his.
"Wanna fight?" he growled.
"Do you wanna fight?" Gray growled back.
"Natsu! Gray!" Erza shouted and pulled the two apart. "This solves nothing."
"Hmph. I only meant does all this talking really matter. So what about readings. Fact is, Lucy is out there on a quest without her keys." Gray started.
Juvia linked her arm with Gray's and nodded. "Weren't you going after her? The longer you wait, the longer it will take to find Lucy, Juvia thinks."
The flames from Natsu's fist vanished slowly and he started walking towards the door, not saying a word.
"We should come with you." Erza stated.
"No. I'm going alone. There are things I must do." Natsu replied in a serious tone.
Natsu opened the guild doors and sniffed the air, picking up Lucy's scent. He then proceeded to run off, the doors slamming behind him.
"Juvia has never seen Natsu-san like that before."
"Me either." Gray, Erza and Cana replied in unison.
/ / / / / / / / / / /
Lucy shivered again as she kicked a rock with her boot, getting bored. Lucy looked up at the sky and saw snow was starting to fall slowly, reaching her out to the sky to catch some. Was this request even worth it? It looks like no one is here. Was I too late? Did they move onto the next town already? Lucy sighed and felt another shiver down her back. Digging through her bag, she pulled out Natsu's scarf and wrapped it around her neck twice.
"Much better…" she smiled sadly, picking up on Natsu's scent from the garment.
"You haven't changed a bit Lucy of Fairy Tail." A woman's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
She turned around to see no one behind her. She started to survey the area around her slowly, searching for someone.
"Hello? I'm here for the request. You wanted to learn more about spirit magic?" Lucy called out, confused.
"Oh yes…please teach me dear Lucy." She heard a reply and spun around again to see a woman standing near her.
Lucy eyed the woman slowly, she had stunning features. Her hair was medium length and blonde, cut to her chin with purple dye kissing the tips. Her dress was short, form fitting and of the darkest black. Over it she had a purple jacket made of some type of fur. Slightly hidden by the jacket was a simple black choker. Her feet were covered by a pair of black platform boots, with the same type of material as her jacket sticking out the top. Lucy glanced back at her face to see cold and dark eyes staring back, her lips were plain but a slight tint of purple eyeshadow could be seen. All in all she was a pretty woman, maybe 24 years top but Lucy still felt something about her was familiar.
"Are you the person who made the request?" Lucy asked again.
"Yes…although I suppose you must have already known what I was up to. A shame really, I wanted to surprise you." The woman explained.
"I don't follow…" Lucy spoke slowly.
"Oh don't play dumb. You must have known it was me making the request, why else would you not bring my keys back with you?" The woman took a step forward, visibly getting annoyed.
"Your keys?" Lucy took a step back, a pit forming in her stomach.
I have a bad feeling about this… Lucy gulped and went to reach for her keyring, instead of grasping empty air. She quickly looked down in shock and tripped over rock, landing on her bottom.
"My keys! I want them back along with the other ones you had." The woman demanded
"I don't have my keys, I must had dropped them. Or did you take them when I wasn't looking?" Lucy replied somewhat scared now, attempting to stand.
"Stop playing dumb!" The woman yelled, pulling out her keys.
"I'm not! I don't know where my keys are! Even if I did, I wouldn't hand them over. They are my friends, my companions! Each contract is precious to me!" Lucy quickly reached for her extendable whip, Fleuve des Etoiles.
"Hmph. Still babbling on about how spirits are our friends. How naïve. They are tools for our use!" the mysterious woman kicked Lucy to the ground, knocking her back a few feet.
Lucy groaned and slowly pulled herself up onto her knees, clutching her stomach in pain. She eyed the woman with disdain and as the woman's wicked smile form, Lucy put the pieces together.
"Angel…" Lucy managed to say.
"Aww…now you remember me. I have to say, for being lost for seven years you still look pretty mundane and weak. Don't have your precious pegasus boy to bail you out this time?"
"You make look prettier now, but you're still ugly on the inside." Lucy replied back before she felt another kick to her stomach.
"Quiet!" Angel yelled and brought two of her keys up, one in each hand. "Gate to the chisel, Gate to the bird-of-paradise, I open thee! Caleum! Apus!"
Lucy watched with amazement as two summoning gates opened in front of her rival, a spirit emerging out of each one.
"Two spirits…at once?" Lucy stuttered and slowly stood, grabbing her whip.
"Unlike you I had seven years to improve. I'm much more stronger…" Angel started before she saw a string of magic water fly at her, dodging out of the way at the last second.
Lucy brought her whip back around and attempted to hit her again but to no avail.
"Fancy new toy. Your pegasus boy get it for you?" Angel smirked.
"No, it was a gift from Virgo. Unlike you my spirits love and trust me!" Lucy yelled at attempted to hit her again.
"Hmph. Too slow! Apus, get her!" Angel commanded.
"Yes Angel-sama." The young female spirit replied solemly, bringing her hands up in front of her.
Seeds started to form in her hands and as Lucy started to back away she released them. Lucy quickly rolled to the side and sent out her whip towards the young green haired spirit. The whip connected and sent the spirit back a few feet.
"What are you doing?" Angel shouted.
"I'm sorry Angel-sama!" the young spirit cried back, floating back in the air again.
"Worthless trash." The spirit mage scoffed and pointed at Lucy again. "Caelum! Don't you dare miss this time!"
The machine spirit started to power itself up and aimed itself at the blonde woman. Lucy retracted her whip and eyed the spirit carefully. That spirit sent Aries and Loki back to the spirit realm in one hit. I don't want to find out what happens to humans… It quickly shot off and Lucy jumped and rolled, moaning as her side hit the snowy ground with a loud thud. Lucy rolled again as she saw another beam hit the ground where she was.
Lucy staggered to her feet and brought her whip up again, sending a line of water towards Angel. Caelum fired off another shot and Lucy yelped, feeling her whip fly out of her hand, clanking to the ground a few feet away. She brought her hand up to her chest, her skin burning at the wrist. Lucy started to run for her whip but tripped in the snow, feeling something akin to vines growing around her ankles now.
Lucy screamed and tried to kick the vines off, feeling them growing up her legs slowly now. She tried to crawl away but to no avail, she was now immobilzed. She glanced over to see Angel smirking. I should have known this quest was too good to be true. I should have known…but I was so caught up in my thoughts. I'm going to die, just like Karen. At least Angel won't have my keys…
Lucy felt herself being lifted into the air by the vines, beautiful birds of paradise flowers sprouting from the snowy ground. More and more flowers sprouted from the ground, with razor sharp like beak leaves pointing towards Lucy. She gulped and looked at the young spirit.
"Your flowers are very pretty, I don't think you should use them for things like this" Lucy pleaded to the young girl.
"I…I'm sorry…" Apus looked at the blone with sympathy before being kicked.
"Don't apologize! You traitor! Do it now!" Angel screamed at her.
Apus cowered away from her master and tears threatened her eyes as she brought her hands up once more.
She moved her hands swiftly in an upward motion, "Exotic Bird!"
Before she could even react, Lucy felt a dozen birds of paradise stab right through her abdomen. She screamed and screamed even more in pain it felt as though she had fallen into a pit of spikes. Apus closed her eyes tightly and sobbed, breaking off the spell. Lucy fell to the snowy ground with a loud thud and all that could be heard was Lucy's and Apus' crying.
"Who told you to stop?" Angel once again screamed.
"Angel-sama I'm-" Apus started before she instantly dissapeared.
"You…force closed…her gate? Just…for listening…to you…?" Lucy managed to speak between painful and forced breathes.
"Even as you are bleeding out on the snow you still berate me about my spirits? Caleum!"
Lucy closed her eyes and felt the beam shoot right through her, letting out yet another ear-piercing scream. She flew back and landed on her stomach, whimpering. Angel walked over leisurely, calming down again. She placed her foot on Lucy's back, pushing her into the snow further. Lucy screamed louder, feeling blood seep from her wounds.
"You got blood on my shoe" Angel sneered and kicked her, rolling her onto her back once more.
Angel kneeled down and grabbed Lucy by the hair, yanking her head up close to her's. "I really don't see what Avery saw in you…so weak. So annoying…so easy."
"Avery…? How do you…know him?" Lucy asked, somewhat surprised to hear her ex's name.
"He really didn't tell you? He's my toy. I play with him and when I'm done with him he goes to you. But he always comes back for more… I would give him anything he wanted until I got bored. How do you think that request made it to your guild?" Angel smirked, her eyes shining with victory.
"Heh…I see…now. Everything makes…sense. I hope you…two…pieces of trash are…happy. You deserve….eachother. You…can have…him." Lucy gave her rival a small but pained smirk.
"How dare you!" Angel slammed her face into the snow, stepping away. "He is my leftover to give away as I choose! Don't you dare think for a second that its the other way around!"
"Did I hit…a sore spot…Angel…?" Lucy lifted her head from the snow and continued to smirk.
"Stop that!" Angel screamed.
"Did you want…Avery back now…?" Lucy continued to bait her.
"Caelum!" Angel continued to become enraged.
Caelum powered itself up once more and fired, sending Lucy flying further back into the snow once more. Lucy laid their nearly motionless, crying as regrets starting to come to mind. She tried to shake them away desperatly. Lucy you tried to stall her as much as possible. Natsu…please save me. Please please save me. I don't want to die without telling you how I really feel. God I was so stupid…I want to go back to this morning. Natsu…Natsu…you're crazy Lucy, he's off fishing…with Lisanna and Happy. Why would he come to rescue me? Oh god…Natsu save me…
"LUCY!" her eyes opened slowly to see a salmon hair dragon slayer running towards her quickly, his eyes full of worry.
He quickly slid in the snow and kneeled beside her, his eyes wide with worry. Lucy managed to give him a small smile before she winced, Natsu feeling her stomach slowly.
"Damn it, I should have brought Wendy with me." He cursed. "Lucy! Stay with me. Which bastard did this to you?"
Natsu didn't get a response to his question from Lucy but soon hear chuckling behind him, he glanced over his shoulder to see Angel standing beside Caelum, never looking more pleased.
"You…" Natsu paused and sniffed the air, "You're that woman that bastard has been with."
"My my you have a great sense of smell…and timing dragon slayer." Angel replied, getting excited. "I also see my keys. You brought them like a good boy. See Lucy Heartfilia, boys make the best pets."
Natsu placed the keys underneath Lucy gently and stood, flames erupting from his fists. "I'm no pet of yours witch. You'll pay for touching Lucy. YOU'LL PAY!"
"Hmph. We'll see." Angel brought up another key, "Gate to the chained woman, I open thee! Andromeda!"
A summoning gate opened around her and a tall slender woman with black hair appeared.
"You summoned?" she spoke with an accent.
"Shield me!" Angel replied back hastily, focusing on the dragons slayer.
Natsu started charging at her and jumped into to land a punch on her. He stumbled back and noticed his flames has instantly been destroyed. Natsu growled and jumped in once again to the side, thinking she was unprotected. Natsu jumped backwards and landing perfectly, looking surprised to see a wall of chains had moved to where he tried to hit. Before he could get in another hit he rolled to the side, dodging a shot from Caelum.
"Heh, just try to hit me." Angel grinned as she brought her hands up slowly to her chest, a light forming.
"What is she doing?" Natsu muttered under his breath as he started to go after the robotic spirit, hoping to knock it out first.
"This spell Lucy…I learned from your dear Avery. He found the book for me, it was right under your nose. I look forward to killing you with it!" Angel shouted.
Lucy groaned and rolled onto her side very slowly, grabbing her keys with a weak hand. She pulled herself to her knees and watched Natsu dodging the spirit's shots effortlessly. He's going to tire out eventually, Caelum is just a distraction…got to get to Angel…Lucy glanced over at Angel to see that behind her wall of chains, she was infact casting something, her mouth moving slowly and quietly.
The chains broke away momentarily and Angel brought her hands away from her chest to aim it at Lucy, but quickly changed her direction to Natsu. Circular lights were forming quickly around the celestial mage and Lucy's eyes widened. Uranomateria? Wait no…its somehow different…
Lucy brought one of her keys up slowly, mumbling under her breath. "Gate to the clock, I open thee. Horologium."
A summoning gate appeared beside Lucy and out popped a grandfather-style clock.
"Please…protect Natsu" Lucy pleaded and while her spirit seemed confused, he gave her a salute.
Before Natsu could do anything he felt himself grabbed by something. Before he could protest, he was tossed inside of Horologium, the glass door closing behind him.
"Oi! What are you doing you stupid clock! I'm on your side! Let me out!" Natsu screamed and pounded on the door.
"That clock won't protect you!" Angel shouted and released the lights in grasp. "Almagest…Tetrabiblos!"
Natsu's eyes widened as he saw Lucy push Horologium to the side, standing in the spirits place. Lucy closed her eyes and some tears threatened to show, his scarf clinging to her neck for dear life.
"Alpheratz Sirrah!" Lucy and Natsu heard a accented voice shout.
As the lights got closer to her Lucy stumbled to her knees, crying in pain from her wounds. She bit her lip, I'm going to die…to save Natsu…
"Natsu…" she opened her eyes to look at him through Horologium's door, his eyes wide in horror.
"Lucy!" Natsu screamed, but she couldn't hear him.
"I love you…" she managed a smile as the light hit her, enveloping her.
As the light dissapated, Horologium instantly vanished back through his gate, causing Natsu to hit the ground on his bottom. He was in shock as he saw Lucy's keys lying on the ground, her clothes slowly floating down to the snow, his scarf landing on top of her now empty boots.
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
This chapter took a lot of work XD Took me forever to get to a somewhat okay level. I realize I probably just made things confusing? I was thinking of going more indepth with the spirits, but well, I thought it might take up too much time. Anyways, you'll see more of a certain spirit later on. Please R/R :D See you next time!
::hands out angel plushies::