Hey everyone. Thanks for all your previous responses on my last chapter.
Someone asked if I'm going to show you how Eve died and I'm really glad they suggested it.
I'm not sure how I'll accomplish doing that yet but I'll do my best.
Maybe the chapter following this one. :D
Please enjoy and review when you get a chance ~
P.S- I checked the wiki and such but it seems Layla. H had Lucy when she was around 19, and died when Lucy was around 10, so yes I did the math and Layla was one year Eve's senior,and Layla left one year early, before graduating at 18. So she went to FT Academy around 19 years ago I'm thinking. If that sounds wrong let me know, I suck at math.
Gomen.
2015: Revised
The sky was painted in a lovely shade of pink; as the sun began to set Lucy began to feel more anxious than before.
It was growing dark and Lucy was still wandering behind Eve like a lost duckling.
Fidgeting with the hem of her skirt Lucy cast worried glances around the eerily dark woods.
"So, um Eve are all the ghosts you live with girls?" Lucy asked, hustling to keep up with the ghostly figure.
A bell chime like laugh left Eve's full, pink lips.
"Oh no. My dear sweet William lives with us too." Eve clasped her hands together and batted her eyelashes.
"William?" Lucy questioned as she stumbled over a root protruding from the ground.
"William is the nicest, cutest, friendliest boy you'll ever meet." Eve gushed, eyes all gooey.
"How'd you meet him?" Lucy asked.
Eve's face grew sad for a moment, her eyes downcast.
"Well about 19 years ago, when your mom still went here, I was newly deceased. I wandered the school grounds aimlessly, back then I didn't understand why no one could see me. It drove me insane that no matter how much I tried to yell or scream I was never heard. One afternoon, two weeks after my suicide I was walking in the woods when I saw something. It was a blur, much like myself. Excited, I ran after the blur in an adrenaline fuelled dash, my excitement overtook me and I tackled the person to the ground."
Eve took a deep breath, folding her hands over her chest.
"That boy was William. He told me he had been a farm boy a few miles west of here where he worked his grain field with his father. He had died in a freak accident, one stormy night a terrible storm hit the valley. Him and his father braved the weather to check on their electricity pole, which generated all their power. Being young William offered to climb to the top of the pole for his elderly father, just as he reached the top a frightening strike of lightning hit the pole."
Eve's voice began to crackle and break in emotion, Lucy stepped towards the crying ghost and rested her warm, fleshy hand on her chilly back.
Eve wiped away her tears and gave Lucy a small tentative smile and continued.
"He died in that shock. His nerves couldn't take all that electricity voltage, he wandered throughout the land until well, until I tackled him to the ground one sunny afternoon. He's been by my side ever since." Eve finished her sad story with a heartbreaking smile, blue eyes glimmering.
Lucy was overcome with emotion, if that wasn't true love she didn't know what was.
"It sounds like you love each other very much." Lucy replied, giving Eve a warm smile.
"Y-yes, we do." Eve blushed, which on a ghost, looked very odd indeed.
Eve began to float forwards onwards again, "oh, Rouge lives with us too. Although I have no idea how he died, he won't tell anybody. He's nothing but a big waste of ectoplasm. Don't pay him any attention." Eve warned.
Lucy began to open her mouth to ask another question but before she could verbalize herself Eve blurted out, "look! We're here!"
Lucy stopped, looking around. It sure didn't look like anything, in fact the scenery didn't even change.
"We are?" Lucy asked skeptically.
Eve giggled. "Yes silly of course we are. What kind of 'secret hideout' would it be if you could find it easily?"
"Good point." Lucy laughed in good humour.
Ignoring Lucy Eve floated over to a decaying stump, Lucy watched in confusion as Eve reached her transparent arm down deep into the stump base.
"Almost got it . . . there!" Eve said, jumping back from the rotten stump.
The ground below Lucy's feet rumbled, she struggled to find her balance. Then to Lucy's amazement a piece of the ground fell down, revealing a well lit path.
"Well, come on. The ramp only stays down for a minute before closing behind you." Eve said, tone impatient.
Nodding frantically Lucy hurried down the grassy ramp after Eve, her ghostly form floating down the earthy corridor.
The dirt walls around Lucy had roots sticking out precariously, oil lamps hung every five feet or so, omitting the thick scent of gasoline.
The tunnel curled like a snake, going deep into the earth.
Finally they reached the end of the tunnel, a small round red door blocked awaited them at the end.
Eve reached out and twisted the door knob, revealing a very cozy room Plush, velvet lounge chairs, shag carpets, tapestries hung on the dirt walls and a blazing fire crackled cheerfully in the hearth.
A small, quaint kitchen was in one corner of the room, a large steel pot hung over the fire.
"Home sweet home." Eve announced, giving a childish twirl.
"I-it's so clean." Lucy exclaimed, walking over to where a small side table held various pottery creations.
"Yes well Dinky does have slight problem with neatness. She always seems to be cleaning the place." Eve said offhandedly, floating daintily over one of the chairs.
"Where is everybody?" Lucy asked, looking around. Eve seemed to have said there was quite a few of them it was odd no one was around.
Eve jumped up from her spot, clapping her hands together. "You want to meet everyone!? Okay! I'll just call them." Eve said exuberantly.
Eve stood there, eyes closed, index fingers placed on her temples.
"W-what are you doing?" Lucy dead-panned.
"Oh, I forgot. Mortals don't have the ability to call mentally. I'm just using my brain waves to reach theirs. They said they'll be here soon, they are all very excited to meet you." Eve chirped, flashing Lucy a pearly grin. "Some more than others."
Intrigued at the concept of 'mental communication' Lucy began to open her mouth to ask about it when a startling clap of what sounded like thunder tore through the room.
Frightened, Lucy dived under a chair, hands over her head in fear.
"Is she alright? It was just a simple transportation." A squeaky voice Lucy didn't recognize asked.
"Good one Eve, you have picked the rotten egg in the bunch again." A rather exasperated man said.
Gritting her teeth angrily Lucy crawled out from under the chair, brushing herself off and standing up.
"Who were you saying was a 'rotten egg'?" Lucy growled, crossing her arms over her chest.
Before her stood a group of around ten ghosts, some tall some small, fat, thin, ugly, beautiful it was a very mixed bag of specters.
"Look what you did Rouge, you made her angry." A small, mousy looking one on the right scolded, pointing a thin finger up at a silver haired boy.
The boy who was addressed as Rouge shrugged indifferently, rolling his eyes. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his broad chest.
"Whatever Dinky." He rumbled, his eyes focusing anywhere but on Lucy
Eve stepped in between Rouge and Lucy, hands raised defensively.
"Now, now everyone. We haven't had one with the Sight in here for a long time, since her mother in fact, so be polite."
An eruption of muttering exploded in the room, all the ghosts whispering feverishly in one another's ears.
"Now that's enough, you're all being very rude!"Eve barked, flapping her arms around like a bird.
Everyone's jaws snapped shut.
Lucy jammed her toes into the fluffy comfort of the carpet beneath her feet, feeling very awkward.
"Are you trying to tell me this loser is Layla's daughter?" Rouge asked skeptically, looking her up and down.
Eve pressed a palm to her forehead, exhaling deeply. "Yes."
A tall blonde haired teen stepped towards Eve, large hands resting tenderly on her shoulders, his brown eyes soft.
"I think Eve is right. This girl does look remarkably like Layla Heartfillia."
"Wait! Hold up!" Lucy spoke up. "How do you all know my mother?"
All the ghosts shared a look, before turning back to the distressed witch.
"Your mother was a good friend of mine, of us all." The blonde haired boy said, his tone patient.
Feeling light headed Lucy staggered towards a chair and collapsed in it's comfort.
"What did she tell me? Her whole life is a complete mystery to me." Lucy said under her breath, hands shielding her face.
A comforting hand rested on her shoulder, it's chill reminding Lucy where she was.
Resting her hands in her lap Lucy swallowed the emotions that wanted to spill over.
"Sorry." She peeped meekly.
"It's alright, it can only be expected you feel distressed." The blonde boy was overwhelmingly nice and he made Lucy want to collapse into his arms and cry.
Instead she shrugged away from his freezing hand and muttered a "thanks."
Eve sighed dreamily, "thank you William dear, now, shall I make some tea, then we'll discuss your mother." Eve hurried towards the kitchen, manoeuvring around the other ghosts.
All of the other ghosts, including kind-hearted William found places in the cozy sitting room, graciously leaving Lucy the nicest and most comfortable chair.
Gulping Lucy sat down on the plush pillows, unsure where to set her gaze as a handful of ghosts stared at her unabashedly.
Lucy's face heated uncomfortably, shifting in her seat awkwardly.
William cleared his throat, saving Lucy from feeling like a alien.
"So, Lucy, I don't mean to push you but, can you tell us what you do know about your mother and from there we'll fill in the blanks."
Lucy moved her gaze to William's warm face, he gave her a gentle encouraging smile.
Nodding slightly Lucy spoke. "Well, in all honesty I don't know very much. All I know is that she was the most caring, genuine and loving mother anyone could ever have." Lucy's words stuck in her throat, she was blubbering like a baby and she knew it but . . . but she couldn't help it.
William gently offered her a handkerchief which one of the other ghosts had provided.
Lucy took the handkerchief gratefully and wiped her eyes and blew her runny nose. Now prepared to continue talking Lucy straightened her back.
"She was a spectacular witch of course, and I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Although she loved me more than anything she never told me anything. Not about being able to see ghost's, having an Eater possess her, not about my Grandmother! Nothing. She told me nothing." Lucy finished weakly, her voice fading out.
Silence stretched like a rubberband under extreme strain. Apparently none of these ghosts knew what to say.
Lucy thought she was going have to cough up more unknown facts about her mother when Eve undoubtedly came to her rescue.
"Who wants tea? We have Red Rose and green." Eve asked cheerfully, holding a tray of various tea cups and a steel kettle.
Letting out a puff of air, Lucy relaxed, "I'll have green tea please."
"Alrighty." Eve smiled widely, placing a tea bag into a porcelain cup, adding water then handing it over to Lucy.
Lucy cradled her cup of steaming tea like a newborn child, the smell calming her immensely.
"Can ghosts even drink tea? Or even eat for that matter?" Lucy asked, the question just popping out of her mouth.
"No, in fact we can't, thanks for rubbing it in." Rouge said icily, his startling ice coloured eyes matching his tone.
Eve laughed tersely, "it sure saves the trouble of grocery shopping. Some ghosts just eat to feel more connected to their mortal life, but that's obviously a waste of food." Eve finished matter of factually.
Lucy rose her cup to her lips and sipped gingerly on the boiling concoction.
This was all way too weird for her liking.
Eve settled into William's lap, stroking his chilly hand with her own, it was rather funny looking because Eve floated a good two inches above him.
Another ghost thing.
"So, we were talking about your mother weren't we? I'm sure you have a million questions." Eve smiled sadly, folding her hands in her lap.
Lucy placed her tea cup onto the coffee table, indeed she did have questions, and a million was on the small side.
Getting down to business Lucy bluntly asked, "What was my mother's involvement with you guys?"
A rather large female ghost with flame red hair shuffled through the other ghosts, her large stomach protruding from her Academy uniform rather grotesquely.
Eve frowned deeply, opening her mouth to say something but the large ghost cut her off.
"I Big Bess." The obese ghost rumbled, her voice a guttural growl.
Nervously Lucy replied, "H-hi there."
Big Bess ignored her, she floated closer to Lucy, her eyes like hot coals burning into Lucy's.
"You need to know something, 'bout your momma." Big Bess pointed a sausage like finger at Lucy, her double chins moving in speech.
"Y-yes?" Lucy squeaked, feeling this girl could snap her back bone in half a second if she wanted too.
"Big Bess, I know she has to know but like this _?" Eve peeped nervously, hands twisting her skirt apprehensively.
Big Bess shot Eve the coldest glare Lucy had experienced in a while, it made quakes of fear tingle down her spine.
Big Bess countered back at Lucy, her hair; greasy even in death was matted to her head, her lips looked like two thin maggots plastered on her lower face.
"Your mother was the one who killed us."
Lucy felt all the oxygen rush out of her lungs, her throat constricting, her eyes wider than her mom's old china plates.
"S-she what? Y-you're lying." Lucy said defiantly, her chin wobbling.
Dinky, the small mousy faced girl also wearing an Academy uniform waved her arms around wildly like a windmill.
"Hey! Big Bess! That's not true! Layla was just the reason for our death!" She squeaked, her nostrils flaring.
What felt like a boulder of dread and confusion knotted into Lucy's stomach, sucking in everything like a merciless black hole.
Eve saw the look of pure horror stretch across Lucy's face, not being able to sit any longer she also jumped up.
"Lucy, let me explain." Eve pleaded, her voice desperate.
Lucy just stared at her blankly, unseeing as her mind was thrown into chaos.
"It wasn't your mothers fault! It was Angel! The Eater, the same one who's after you! To become a human he needed seven untainted human souls, or at least that's what Layla seemed to think, the thing is he never finished _" Eve cut off, her voice fading.
Lucy struggled to collect her thoughts her mind swimming with lies, confusion.
"H-how many did he get, in the end?" She asked weakly.
"Six." Eve whispered. "Big Bess, Dinky, Slapper, Skinny. Gena and I."
The five other young girls stepped forward, their school uniforms burning in Lucy's mind.
Six innocent young girls murdered for some twisted .
It was despicable! Anger surged like a river in Lucy's veins, her face heating in resentment.
"A-and my mom found this out before Angel could find the next soul to harvest?" Lucy asked, her voice wavering, weak.
Eve hung her golden head for a moment, "yes. I was the first, and as I said earlier I was quite disoriented until I found William. I-if I had told her sooner then. . ."
A thin, willowy like girl with long caramel coloured hair placed a reassuring hand on Eve's back.
"You can't blame yourself like that Eve, you couldn't have known." She said softly.
Eve straightened, composing herself. "I-I, well thank you Gena."
"Lucy. What we're trying to say is don't let history repeat itself. It's small, but there's definitely a disturbance in the Spiritual Plane. Angel will strike soon, he wants you more than he did your mother and that scares me; watch your back." Eve's voice was hard, her blue eyes steady.
"Eve, I-"
"One last thing Lucy, never forget who your friends are. We'll be watching, stay safe."
Sound began to fuzz in Lucy's ears, like static and she felt her head grow heavy.
What was happening?
Her vision became bathed in light and Lucy's slipped into the realm of the unconscious.
OoOoOoO
Lucy felt something uncomfortably hot searing her skin. The pain was overpowering, like she was being cooked over a campfire wrapped in tin foil.
A scream of pain ripped out of her throat, eyes flying open, a canopy of trees swarming her vision.
"Oh, thank god you're finally awake, for a while there I thought you were dead."
A voice!?
Instinctively Lucy threw a wild punch at the direction the voice came from, letting out a rather brutal sounding battle cry.
A chuckle. Whoever was trying to boil her inside her own skin thought this was amusing?
Feeling shaken and dizzy Lucy tried inexplicably hard to focus on the blurry blob of human skin that sat in front of her.
"Who are you?" Lucy wanted to sound tough and authoritative but ended up sounding raspy and tired.
Another gravelly laugh, it was a boy.
"Calm down Heartfilia, it's just me." The voice was light and friendly, like an old friend.
But Lucy's head was clearing by the second and she knew that that wasn't the voice of any friend of hers!
In fact she hated this so said individual more than anyone in the whole Academy.
Lucy threw another blind punch, this time getting him square in the chest.
"Ow! What the hell!?" She heard him gripe, presumably holding his offended muscular right breast.
"What is wrong with you!?" Lucy shrieked, Natsu's salmon hair coming into focus. "What were you trying to do?! Boil me into a nice Lucy soup!?" She screeched indignantly.
Natsu was mad now.
All he was trying to do was warm her up a little, who knows how long she'd been laying in these woods, in the cold!? It was way past curfew already as it was!
"I was just trying to warm you up a little! You felt so damn cold!" Natsu barked back.
"You were touching me!?" Lucy shrieked.
She then began shouting and spewing swear words out of her mouth like some possessed anger demon.
Her vision had now returned and she was storming around Natsu, screaming her head off, her face beet red as she ranted.
Natsu watched her idly, she looked ridiculous. Her hands grabbing at her blonde roots and her brown eyes dancing with a vivid flame, yes she was clearly pissed but something about her made it . . . funny.
Wonderingly Natsu stared at her . . . she was insane. That was obvious, and she could be the biggest bitch he'd ever met but there was also something else.
His apology to her rang in his head, loud and clear.
Yes, although she was abnormally weird and a freak she was also brave and beautiful and that's what bothered him the most.
"Lucy, I have a proposition for you." Natsu said, voice steady.
Lucy continued her rant, now adding her arms to the mix.
"Lucy!" Natsu said a little louder, tone sharper.
Still no answer.
"LUCY!" Natsu bellowed, shaking her from her fevered speech.
"What?!" She snapped exasperatedly.
"Go out with me. Lucy, go out on a date with me."
END OF CHAPTER. LOL. I'm a big meanie.
Sorry guys you'll have to wait until next time.
Please review and favourite and such.
Love you all.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME
3 Suicidal