HELLO. Thank you all for your reviews, means a lot.
Now some of you are wondering why is the story called 'Light Eater'. Weeell, I have a few tricks up my sleeve yet to come. ;)
Now that the big 'secret' about Angel is out I can finally leap into the real plottieness of this story.
Look out here comes a big wad of plot! YAH.
Please enjoy and review if you get a chance~
2015: Revised
"Oi! Natsu! Are you okay? Wake up!"
Natsu bolted upright, sweat dripping down his neck, an unfocused face looked down at him.
"Natsu! Are you okay? It's the middle of the bloody night and you were groaning like you'd been shot or something!" The voice sounded worried, hesitant.
It was Gray.
Closing his eyes Natsu took a deep breath, relaxing his grip on the sweat ridden sheets, muscles relaxing.
"I'm fine. Bad dream." Natsu grunted, although it was much worse than a bad dream.
Gray rubbed the back of his neck looking down on Natsu apprehensively.
"If you had a dream about that demonic look in Lucy's eyes yesterday too then at least we're on the same page." Gray puffed, trudging back over to his bed."Still can't believe we actually lost to her. My body still aches."
Natsu massaged his aching temples, Lucy had been anything but scary in his dream.
"Yeah, it was something like that." Natsu grumbled, Lucy's red dress flashing in the back of his mind.
Everyone else was still sound asleep, Loke's heavy breathing comforting Natsu a little bit.
Gray pulled back his sheets and snuggled into his blankets, eyes closing immediately.
"Night," he mumbled sleepily.
Grunting a minimal response Natsu too eased himself back into the comfort of his bedsheets, hoping his dreams wouldn't be cursed with Lucy's beautiful face once again.
OoOoOoO
The Following Day: After Classes~
The day seemed to have slipped away quickly. Class after class seemed to blur into one non memorable fuzz. Lucy rubbed her eyes tiredly, she had not slept well last night.
How could she when Professor Bob had prophesied her eventual death if she didn't kill some kind of mysterious ghost demon?
He expected so much from her yet she didn't even have complete control over her own mind.
Every time she used magic she could feel him there, lurking in the shadows of her mind, orchestrating her movements.
It terrified her, how could she beat someone who was a part of her?
Lucy shook her head, she needed some air. Lately she felt so lonely, more alone then ever. With Levy's new boyfriend she was always busy, her and Gajeel were off snogging half the time, leaving no time for Lucy's building personal complications.
Begrudgingly she pushed open the courtyard gate, inhaling the sweet scent of clean cut grass.
It was an unusually sunny day for mid fall, many students were outside, laughing and lounging in the much missed sun in the courtyard.
She needed to make a plan,to think about the information just given to her and come up with some sort of plan, no matter how impossible that may have seemed.
Feeling deflated Lucy unknowingly began to make her way towards Pearl Lake. Before she even realized it Lucy noticed she was standing beside the lakes cool blue waters.
Sighing tiredly, Lucy dropped her book bag from her shoulder and plopped down on one of the rocks lining the lake shore.
The memory of Natsu floating helplessly in her pull field while she covered her nearly naked self danced in her mind. A smile formed on her lips, that was pretty fun truthfully. Watching Natsu dangle like a fish in a net.
Lucy reached down and reached for a small, smooth rock that lay in the grass beside her.
Examining the rocks milky surface for a moment before throwing it into the sapphire waters of the lake.
Here it almost felt like she could just wash her worries away. Cleanse herself of a curse that wasn't even her doing.
A blinding resentment towards her Grandmother swarmed her mind like angry, buzzing bees. Why had she made such a foolish promise to Angel? What was she thinking?
Then the familiar warmth began to grow in the base of her neck and she the onslaught of fury stopped automatically.
Angel.
Clenching her fists Lucy gnawed on the inside of her cheek. She knew she couldn't let herself get mad like that, it put her at risk of possession and possibly worse.
'You're most vulnerable to Angel's control when you're mad, Lucy.' Professor Bob had said, 'keep your mind clear of hatred and he will be practically powerless.'
Easier said than done Professor Lucy scoffed to herself, tossing another small rock into the cool waters of the lake.
For a long time Lucy just sat there, thinking. She thought about her mother, the mother that should still be alive, would still be alive if her Grandmother hadn't doomed them entirely.
Bitterly Lucy threw yet another rock into the waters, just as she was about to stand and leave she heard something.
"Ooff! Snap! Where did I put that damn Pixie Dust. Rouge's going to kill me!"
Lucy jumped up, eyes scanning the forest around her.
Who the hell was that? It sounded like a girl?
Grabbing her book bag Lucy lurched forward, eyes combing the forestry.
The voice came again, to the left of Lucy. "I'll be hung by my pinky fingers in the basement for a month if I don't find that Dust!"
Turning Lucy squinted in the direction the voice came from.
Far beyond the lake was a . . . blur? Fuzzy and pale, like moonlight, was a human-like blur, drifting through the woods.
Heart racing, Lucy ran towards the moving blur.
The blur danced further away, floating two inches off the ground, a light giggle floating behind it on the wind.
It was getting farther and farther away! Dismayed, Lucy called out. "Wait! Stop!"
The blur stopped, yards ahead of Lucy, the image shifted strangely.
Relief jetted through Lucy's body she leaped towards the blur.
"Y-you can hear me?" The blur squeaked.
Out of breath Lucy replied. "Y-yes. A-are you a . . . ghost?"
Silence.
"Yes. I am. What is it to you? Who are you?" The blur moved, ducking behind a tree as if in fear.
Astonishment wracked Lucy's body, she slowly made her way towards the ghost's hiding place.
"It's okay." Lucy said quietly, gently. "I won't hurt you."
What sounded like nervous tittering came from behind the tree.
Inching closer Lucy pressed her back to the opposite side of the tree trunk, waiting patiently.
"I shouldn't be talking to you, I'll be in trouble." The girlish voice peeped.
"if you lay a hand on me I'll get Big Bess to beat you silly!" The blur's voice wavered but tried to remain calm.
Lucy let out a calming breath, the rough bark itching under her fingertips.
"I swear on my life I won't harm you." Lucy whispered, "will you face me now?"
Another pause of silence.
"Yes." The reply came.
The blur moved, drifting around the tree trunk until she was less than a foot away from Lucy.
Up close the features of the ghostly blur became recognizable. Large, doe-like blue eyes, strawberry blonde hair curled in pleasant ringlets framing her heart shaped face.
She was beautiful.
"Layla? Layla Heartfillia!" The ghost yelped, dainty hands flying to cover her mouth, blue eyes wide.
Confusion, "Y-you knew my mother?!" Lucy asked.
The ghost dropped her transparent hands, blue eyes looking at Lucy shrewdly.
"Are you telling me you're not Layla Heartfillia?"
Lucy shook her head, still unable to compose herself. "No, I'm her daughter."
A giggled left the girl ghost's pale lips. "Oh, how silly of me! When you're a ghost time has no meaning, of course you're not Layla."
Lucy straightened her shoulders, eyeing the ghost suspiciously.
"Who are you?"
The ghost brought her gaze back to Lucy's, blue eyes unblinking. "My name is Eve." Lucy opened her mouth to speak but was cut off. "I can't remember my last name so don't ask!" The ghost bristled angrily before Lucy could even say anything.
"O-oh, okay, sorry." Lucy said nervously.
Eve huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "So what do you want from a ghost like me? To laugh at my untimely death?! To throw objects through my body!?" Eve barked, her pleasant, innocent demeanour seemingly vanishing.
Lucy gulped. "U-um, no nothing like that. I've just never seen a real life ghost before."
Eve snickered, blue eyes narrowing. "You have the Sight yet I'm the first ghost you've ever seen? Now that sounds like a lie." Eve scoffed.
"Well, actually until yesterday I never even believed in ghosts." Lucy said meekly.
"Oh." Eve said dumbly. "If you don't believe in ghosts even those with the Sight can't see us." Eve said.
"So, if you don't want to torment me and the others what do you want?" Eve asked.
"They're more of you?" Lucy gasped, eyes goggling.
"Well, of course. A pretty lil' ghost wouldn't live in these scary woods all by herself would she?" Eve said, batting her long eyelashes in a girlish fashion.
"They're lot's of us. Rouge, Skinny, Big Bess, Beezlebub, Slapper, Dinky . . ."
"That's enough." Lucy said, stopping Eve from listing every ghost she knows.
Eve blinked at Lucy, lips puckering in thought.
Lucy watched as Eve looked at her closely, "what is it?" Lucy asked exasperatedly.
Eve tapped her lower lip, brows still knitted together. "There is something off about you. Something I can't quite put my finger on . . . are you half Faerie?" Eve asked.
Lucy deadpanned,"no. I'm not half Faerie."
"Hmm . . . wonder what it is then . . . you sure are strange." Eve murmured absentmindedly.
Sighing Lucy shook her head, a headache blooming.
"Hey! I've got an idea!" Eve chirped brightly, clapping her hands together excitedly.
"What is it?" Lucy asked.
"How would you like to meet the others? Come to the secret hideout." Eve whispered the last part in Lucy's ear, tone excited.
Lucy chewed on her fingernails, she wasn't sure she liked the idea of going of going to a hideout of rag-tag ghosts.
"I-I'm not sure that's a good idea." Lucy admitted nervously.
"Why not? We haven't seen a person with the Sight for years . . ." Eve whined, pouting.
Anxious knots tightened in Lucy's stomach, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"Fine. I'll come." Lucy said under her breath.
"Good!" Eve cheered, smiling broadly.
"Come on! You have so much to see!" Eve grabbed Lucy's hand, her ghostly hand frightfully cold.
Shocked at the chill from Eve's hand Lucy wretched her hand away, yelping in surprise.
"W-why are your hands so cold?" Lucy demanded, holding her surely frostbitten hand close to her chest.
Eve giggled behind a freezing cold hand. " Sorry about that, I forgot to tell you. Ghost's don't need to keep warm so we tend to be freezing cold to the human touch most of the time. But enough about that! Let's go!" Eve said brightly floating forward.
Lucy muttered angrily under her breath she followed behind the cheerful ghost.
For a long time the two walked, er, well, Lucy walked, Eve floated in silence.
Out of the corner of her eye Lucy examined Eve closer.
Eve wore a Fairy Tail Academy uniform, the old one. White with navy blue trim, white thigh high socks, and a navy blazer and tie.
All together she was very pretty, but something marred her otherwise perfect appearance.
Lucy hadn't noticed this before but a two inch thick bluish, purple line ran all the way around her neck.
L-like she'd been hanged Lucy thought nervously, shuddering inwardly.
"H-hey, Eve. I know it's rude but . . . how did you well, die?" Lucy asked apprehensively.
Eve stopped, turning around to look Lucy dead in the eyes.
"I hung myself." Eve said, emotionless.
Fear wracked Lucy's body. "Y-you did? Why?"
Again Eve transfixed her deep blue eyes on Lucy's. "I know it sounds stupid but, I don't remember. None of us do. We all just remembering killing ourselves in some gruesome matter but not remembering why." Eve grew quiet, her eyes shaded.
Lucy didn't prod, she knew this was something Eve didn't want to discuss. Everyone had their own secrets.
Changing the topic Lucy moved on to something lighter. "So you were a student at the Academy?"
Eve's eyes glimmered with happiness again, a small smile on her lips.
"Yes! I was at the top of my class, super popular too. I got confessed to at least once a week." Eve said pridefully, flipping out her pale strawberry blonde hair.
Lucy smiled, happy that Eve wasn't dwelling on such dark thoughts.
"W-wow, good for you." Lucy laughed.
Eve beamed at her, drifting forwards again. "Hurry up Lucy, we still have a long way to go."
Groaning Lucy followed, anticipation growing.
~With Natsu~
He had watched her disappear down the path, blonde head vanishing into the thick forest. Where could she be going? Not to go polar bear swimming in the lake again?
Natsu sat at one of the various picnic tables scattered throughout the courtyard, staring down the path Lucy had disappeared down a little more than a hour ago.
"So then I told her, 'sorry baby cakes but I'm too much man for you to handle' then I walked away!" Loke finished his story laughing hysterically.
"Hahaha! Bet she never saw that one coming!" Gray laughed with his friend, slapping him with brotherly approval on the back.
Jellal, who was also seated with the teens rolled his eyes, what immaturity.
"Don't you think that was kind of an asshole thing to do?" Jellal asked.
Loke rolled his eyes. "Whatever man. She's probably over it by now." Loke responded.
Jellal was about to open his mouth to retort when a rather worried Erza stormed over towards them.
Erza and him had been childhood friends for years, being close family friends. Jellal had a secret crush on her for the past ten years but Erza was always way too oblivious to realize it.
"Have you guys seen Lucy? Erza asked, hands on her hips.
The four boys exchanged looks, in fact they all had seen Lucy.
"Why? Is she missing?" Jellal asked loftily.
Erza narrowed her eyes, "no. But Levy is looking for her and I offered to help her find her."
Gray was about to blurt out he had in fact seen Lucy disappear down the path towards Pearl Lake about an hour ago but before he could even open his mouth Natsu spoke up.
"Sorry, Erza we haven't seen her. Go try looking somewhere else." Natsu's tone was guarded, his eyes oddly cold.
"Fine. Thanks for all your help." Erza said coolly, turning on her heel and stalking off.
Once she was out of earshot Jellal turned to Natsu and snapped angrily. "Why did you lie to her?! We all saw Lucy head towards the lake about an hour ago!"
Natsu closed his eyes, sighing. "Don't get your knickers in a bunch. I'm going to go find her then I'll return her to your precious Erza in perfect condition." Natsu stood from the table, eyes flickering over to the path to the lake.
"Why you? Why not just let Erza find her?" Gray asked.
Natsu didn't look back at him. "Because I have a proposition for her."
" Natsu _!" Gray began but Natsu wasn't listening.
Hands shoved deep in his pockets Natsu was then also swallowed by the cover of the woods.
SIGH. Done. UFF.
Please review, favourite and such.
Love you all.
3 Suicidal
SEE YOU NEXT TIME.