Time flew by after receiving the bad news, it had been two months and somehow the guild members were still sulking, it's understandable. Lucy was their nakama. When Lisanna died it took time before they could recover specially their siblings. The guilt, the hurt when the white haired mage died, team Natsu begun to feel it all. 'What if's' were hunting them day and night and no matter how much they tried they just couldn't forget.
After Loki delivered the terrible news, he too was haunted. He was saved by Lucy but he could not save her. Even if he was the one who told his guild that Lucy was gone, the lion never really admitted that his master died. She's gone but she's not dead. And he'll stick to it until he found her remains. To see is to believe he once told his celestial family.
A loud bang cut the silence that was growing inside the guild. Soon enough, two familiar mages came in, they were the dragon slayers of Sabertooth.
"Let's fight, Natsu-san!" The blonde haired slayer shouted as he scanned the place.
"Sting, please" A deep voice started. "We did not come here to fight." Rogue reminded him. "We need to talk to your master." He said as soon as he approached the white haired take-over mage.
"And what do you two bastards want with our master?!" Natsu's voice finally came.
"This is important we need to discuss something with him." Rogue answered.
"This is about, Lucy."
That name, it's been a long time since someone mentioned her name, after her death 'Lucy' became a taboo.
"Well, I think everyone has the right to hear this." The master of the guild stated. "Everyone here had been affected by-"His eyes were casted down.
"You don't have to continue." It was Sting this time.
Makarov nodded. It seems that the word 'death' or any words relating to it brings sadness to his children.
"Well then, what is that you want to tell us?" The master finally asked.
The blonde headed dragon slayer eyed his partner.
"I wanted to apologize." Rogue bowed. He was finally able to do what he was meant to.
Of course this action made the master confuse yet he could only look at the boy softly. "Yes, thank you. However, we have to continue with our lives, sooner or later we have to accept this." The master sighs. "It's just to saddening that when finally one of your children returns another one is taken away from you." Makarov smiled sadly, trying to shake the thought away. He looked back at his guests.
"I'm sorry!" The black haired mage bowed. "I truly am sorry!" Regret filled his voice.
Makarov's eyebrows shoot up and his eyes widen, he looked confused of the young man's reaction. "Please do not apologi-"
"It's because of me she died! It's because of me Lucy died!" Rogue's legs turned jelly. His palms now rested on the floor as he kneeled down. He could not bring himself to look at the master.
The revelation brought shock to everyone in the room except the blonde haired dragon slayer. His face only showed pity while he looked at his friend.
"P-Please explain Cheney-san what do-"
"That day, I was taking a solo mission. Everything had been according to plan. I just have to capture the perpetrators and find where the missing children are…"
"You were taking up the same mission as Lucy" Mira's voice came.
Rogue nodded before he continued "They were ordinary mages, low level at that. I was so confident that I could defeat them that I had forgotten about the most important thing with me, Frosch." Rogue swallowed as he recalled the events. "They we're holding her hostage. I could've used my powers but I couldn't. I had used them all up. Their numbers were growing and their back-ups were a level higher than the others. I walked in to their trap. I was certain that it was the death of both us until-"
Rogue saw a flash of gold and her smile. He saw it every second after that day, and now was no different.
"She came. She helped me retrieve Frosch. I'll always be thankful for her because of that." He smiled sadly while still looking down. "We found ourselves hiding, all mages have their limit and we just reached both of ours. While we continue to grow weaker, for some reason those mages seemed to have an opposite effect. I guess they were hiding what they truly are capable off. "
He could recall the sound of the footsteps getting closer to their hiding place, the feeling of being scared, how he turned pale that day. He felt weak.
"She asked us to leave. She'd be a decoy. I couldn't do-"
"You liar!" Natsu couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Rogue's collar. "You could've done something!"
"I know! I could've-"
"Then why didn't you?!" The pink haired mage growled. "You knew you could help her but you didn't! You let her die?!" He threw him, making Rogue collide with the wall.
"She requested it! She was thinking about Frosch!" Rogue defended.
"So you left despite knowing that she might've survive- you're disgusting! You're a sad excuse for a dragon slayer!"
"NATSU!" This time Erza tried to intervene.
Natsu wouldn't have any of this. "I don't want to associate myself with this coward."
With a threatening glare at Rogue "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR LETTING HER DIE!" He then, turned his back on him and left the guild.