Hey guys! I'm baaaaack! With my longest chapter so far! I hope you guys haven't had to wait too long for this one. It was a super fun one to write. ENJOY!
Mira is already serving people when we make it completely downstairs, the entirety of Erza's class have already started eating. Erza invites me to sit with her, wanting to introduce me to the different people in her group. I follow her towards the bar and begin to gather my food.
"Hey, Mira," I smile at her.
"Hello, Lucy! How are you liking your classes?" Her eyes are shining with kindness.
"Not too bad! Although, it is a lot of information to take in at once! I don't suppose you have those remedy's you mentioned earlier?" I'm really shy as I ask the last part.
"They are in the works as we speak!" She beams at me. "They will be ready at dinner."
"Awesome!" I thank her, "Oh, Mira?"
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering if there was any way you could do me one more favor." I bite my lip a little.
"I'm sure I can manage it! What's on your mind!"
"Well, I was wondering. Happy was really helpful on my tour earlier and I was just wondering if maybe you could give him some sort of reward? It's just, it was really boring for him, and I don't want him to regret helping me because it meant a lot!"
She gives me a knowing smirk. "Of course, Lucy. I don't suppose you are also trying to get on a certain pink haired boy's good side, as well?"
I blush. "Of course not! This is all about Happy! Just, don't tell him it was me!" She nods in agreement and dismisses me with a wave.
"Enjoy your lunch, Lucy!" I turn to Levy and Erza who give me an appraising look.
"That was very kind of you, Lucy." I don't know how to respond to Erza, but I don't have to as she just moves forward towards her classmates. As we walk I notice Natsu watching us from his seat next to Gray. He gives me an odd look when our eyes meet. But, I quickly glance away. I mean, it's not like he could hear me speaking to Mira, right?
As we reach Erza's group, two boys stand at attention, calling out Levy's name in excitement.
"Lucy, I'd like you to officially meet Jet and Droy," Levy states. "We've been really close friends for a long time."
"Yeah we have!" One of them agrees, excitedly.
"You can just go ahead and call the three of us Team Shadow Gear!" The other adds in. I try to ignore the strange name and just nod, politely.
"Lucy," Erza says my name with purpose, "I'd like you to meet the rest of my class. I believe I saw you speaking with Gajeel earlier, so I assume you have already gone through your introductions. But, this here," She points to a keg drinking brunette, "Is Cana. Cana, meet Lucy."
Cana looks up from her drink and looks me up and down. "Well, well!" She states after her appraisal, "Those are some mighty fine lookin' knockers you got there, Lucy! Mind if I have a feel?" She reaches a hand out towards me and makes a groping motion with her fingers. I realize she's talking about my breasts and quickly cover them with a squeak.
"Hands to yourself, Cana," Erza snaps.
"Yeah, Cana. Be respectful, like a real man!" A very, very, large and muscular man cry's out passionately.
"But, what's the fun in that, Elfman?" Cana states, waggling her eyebrows at him, "I'm pretty sure Evergreen, there, would prefer a little less talk and a little more action, am I right?" She switches from teasing the man to elbowing a woman with caramel colored hair next to him.
"Both of you be quiet!" The woman snaps, "Who'd want that Neanderthal to grope them?"
But, despite her protest, both her and said caveman are turning a bright red color.
"Well, I suppose the two of them were somewhat introduced to you, just now, Lucy. But, in case their poor manners distracted you, allow me to introduce Elfman, Mirajane and Lisanna's brother, and Evergreen, my roommate." Erza gestures to the pair as she speaks. I notice that Evergreen bristles a little at her introduction. But, Erza doesn't notice and moves to sit down at another table next to them. Levy and I join her, with Jet and Droy quickly switching seats to move with us.
A couple minutes into lunch I notice the girl who could only be Wendy skipping down the stairs, a young man at her side. Carla (Happy said her name so many times this morning I don't think I'll ever forget her name) is flying just behind the pair.
Wendy and the boy grab their food and then scan the room for a place to sit. Erza stands and raises her arm, "Wendy, Romeo, come and sit with us." The pair come quickly. Romeo sits where Jet and Droy had been sitting (across from Ever and Elfman) and Erza has Wendy sit between her and me.
"Wendy, this is Lucy." She states and then moves back towards her food.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lucy!" She says shyly, in probably the most adorable voice I've ever heard.
"You mistake my pleasure for yours, Wendy!" I say, sincerely. "You're Carla, right?" I ask the white exceed.
"Indeed, I am, Lucy. How is it you came to know my name?"
"Oh, just a small blue exceed."
"The tomcat?" She asks, noise raised snobbishly.
"Uh, yeah? Happy came with me on my tour earlier and couldn't stop singing your praises."
"Well," She tries to continue sounding annoyed, but I can tell by the slight pink coating her cheeks that she's really very pleased.
"Erza said your name was Romeo?" I call towards the other table. The boy looks up at me and smiles.
"Oh, yeah! That's me. It's Lucy, right?"
"Yup!" I say, politely.
"What kind of wizard are you, Lucy?" I open my mouth to respond, however Erza interrupts my chance.
"Romeo, it is not very polite to ask such direct questions of new acquaintances." He swallows hard, clearly intimidated by the scarlet mage.
"Oh no, Erza! It's ok! I don't mind," I rush to fill in the awkward air that arose with her unnecessary reprimand, wanting to comfort Romeo. "I'm a Celestial Wizard, Romeo."
Erza looks at me in surprise, "A Celestial Wizard? Your kind are incredibly rare!"
"So I've heard. I'm pretty excited to learn how to use my magic. Currently, I'm completely lost."
"Well, I've no doubt you will come to prove yourself, in no time!" Erza beams at me, brightly.
"I hope so," I can't help but feel optimistic when met with her confidence.
The rest of Lunch passes quickly, and I'm so caught up in the conversations around my table that I don't even bother to look around the room, well except for when Gray and Natsu start to yell at each other again, only for Erza to throw her butter-knife at the pair. The two jump back in surprise as it buries itself in the wood of their table. After that, they remain completely cordial towards one another. I watch, contently, as Mira approaches Happy with a plate of fish. I can't hear what she says but Happy's eyes practically bulge out of his head as he begins to chomp down on his food.
Through the remaining moments of lunch, I can't stop smiling. This is the first time I've felt so at peace in years. I never want the feeling to fade. As people start to shuffle towards the bar to return their dishes and then upstairs to their classrooms, I feel a rush of excitement and belonging course through me. I think I've finally found home, Mom. The thought leaves me feeling a rush of warmth, that only grows stronger when Natsu and Happy find their way to my side.
"Luuushi!" The exceed purrs out, "Guess what!"
"What, Happy?" I ask, an amused smile on my face.
"Mira gave me more fish for lunch!"
"Really?" I gasp, feigning complete ignorance.
"Yup! She said she heard that I volunteered to help you on your tour and thought I deserved a special treat for being so helpful!" I smile, silently thanking Mira, again, for her compliance with my plan.
"That's incredible! I guess it was worth sitting through the boring parts, then?"
"Aye, Sir!" He calls out, gleefully, "If you ever need me to sit through more boring things for fish, I'll happily do it!"
"I'll keep that in mind," I respond with a laugh.
"Did Carla already head upstairs?" Happy suddenly looks around, panicked.
"Um, I think just a minute or two, ago."
"Oh, no! I wanted to talk to her! I'll meet you guys in a little bit!" He calls out the last part from the staircase, already moving to catch up.
"You know," I say turning to Natsu, "I think you did an excellent job naming him, after all."
Natsu's face breaks out into a giant grin, "Happy's the best." He states it so simply, not a fraction of doubt. "Thank you for what you did for him." I blink, then blush.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure, you don't." He gives me a playful look.
"I don't! So, forget about it! Anyways, I wanna ask you a question."
"Liar. But, I suppose I can drop it, for now. What's your question?"
"Happy mentioned that you and Lisanna raised him?" I ask, eyebrow raised.
"Yup! When we were really little, and both new to Fairy Tail, we found his egg. I thought he was a dragon. We became really good friends as we took care of his egg and waited for him to hatch."
"Wait, how old were you?"
"Uh, I don't know, ten maybe?"
"Master Makarov said most people don't come to the school until they are around fourteen. Why were you guys here so early?"
"He didn't tell you? Fairy Tail is more than just a school. A good number of us are orphans. While we didn't start the Academy until the normal time, many of us have been here far longer."
"That's really unexpected," I say, my eyes large.
"Is it? I don't know. A lot of us were in really shitty situations. Makarov helped us find a home. If you ask, he'll tell you its because he was just trying to keep magic a secret, which would be really hard with a ton of kids running around without supervision. But, really, it's because he cares about us. His son, Ivan, Laxus' dad, is a total dick and disowned gramps. But, instead of giving up on parenting, he treats all of us like his kids."
"That's really sweet," I hum at the tenderness in Natsu's eyes. "Were you one of the ones with a shitty situation?"
He looks at me, a sad look in his eyes, "Yeah. But, Fairy Tail saved me."
"I think Fairy Tail is going to save me, too." We look at each other for a small moment before he nods.
"Aye, I'll make sure of it." And then, he grabs my hand, "So, come on! Let's get to class."
He pulls me quickly up the stairs and I try not to trip as I follow him.
We reach the fourth floor quickly. He's seemingly unaffected but my chest is heaving with effort as we finally come to a stop. "What kind of workout do you do!?" I pant out, disbelieving. He just grins at me.
"The same one I'm gonna make you do with me," He responds cheekily.
"Nobody makes me do anything. But ask me and maybe I'll think about it." I lift my chin in defiance. He grins down at me, before bursting into laughter.
"Sure think, Luce," He says after he can speak again.
We move towards the desks and sit down in the same seats from earlier. Everybody is here except for Loke and Bickslow.
"Hey, Levy?" I ask after a minute of sitting there.
"What's up, Lucy?" She asks with a smile.
"Well, I was wondering if there is anything I can take notes on? I didn't have a chance to ask before the last two classes, and I'm especially curious, now, because I know this class is going to be around my classification."
She gasps, "Oh my goodness! I didn't realize you were without materials! This is horrible! I'm so sorry I didn't realize!"
"Hey! This isn't your fault. Don't get so upset with yourself! Maybe I can ask Bickslow during our one on one?"
"That should probably work just fine. But, for now, I'll take notes on my own lacrima and then you can transfer them later?
"Is that how you take notes? I didn't really see anybody using anything earlier?"
"That's because none of them care about notes and I've already gone over this weeks lessons, so I've been feeling fairly confident in the material covered." As she speaks, she pulls out another one of those green stones, only this one is flat and comes with it's own light pen. She touches the pen to the surface and shows me how it works. It's actually really incredible. By channeling her own magical signature into the crystal, the device springs to life and a series of folders pop up. She touches one of them with her light pen and it opens into an open space, almost like a sheet of paper and she writes me a quick message.
Lucy! I was wondering, would it be alright if I call you Lu-Chan?
Then she hands the device and pen to me. I feel the energy humming underneath my fingers.
I'd be honored! BUT only if I get to call you Levy-Chan in response!
She grins at me, "Lu-Chan it is!"
Just then Bickslow walks in with Loke. Both of them are wearing puzzling faces. Loke looks straight up dismayed. I can't help the sinking feeling in my stomach that somehow I'm responsible. It's stupid and probably just my imagination, but, still, I can't get rid of the feeling.
"Alright, everyone!" Bickslow calls out as soon as Loke is seated and he's in position in front of us. "Who's ready for a totally wicked class period?!"
"You say that every day," Natsu mumbles.
"Yeah, but today IS going to be totally wicked because I finally have a summoner!" Everyone glances at me and I definitely feel my face heat at the attention. "And, because it's Lucy's first day, I'm excited to see what she can do. Although, Loke, I seem to have forgotten something in my apartment that I need. Do you think you could run and grab it?" Loke stands up, eagerly and after Bickslow gives him a couple vague instructions he's on his way.
"Alright. As I've mentioned to all of you in class before, when going up against a summoner, often times the biggest weakness that a summoner has is their own personal lack of strength. Meaning, their own body. Think of it like this. If a summoner is known for their ability to summon help, what happens if the summoner is finished off?"
"Off, off, off," The five shapes floating around Bickslow suddenly chant.
Levy raises her hand.
"Yes, Ms. McGarden?"
"If the summoner is incapacitated, then those summoned lose their ability to remain."
"Correct. Therefore, in instructing you how best to take down a summoner, I focus my lessons on how to target the summoner themselves. Although, don't get too worried, Lucy. Knowing our greatest weakness helps us grow stronger." He gestures around the room. "They may learn how to target you, But, you are going to learn how to turn that into a mistake."
"Mistake! Mistake! Mistake!"
Despite the nervous way he makes me feel with his descriptions, I suddenly feel a surge of excitement. I'm not going to be a weak, rich kid anymore. I'm finally going to be recognized, not as Jude Heartfilia's daughter, but as Layla's, as Lucy.
"Now, if you wouldn't mind coming up, Lucy, I think I'm going to use your help, today." I nod, nervously but move forward. "You mentioned earlier that you've got four of the zodiac keys, which is totally wicked, but I'd like you to pull out Taurus for now." I nod and do as I'm told.
"Have you summoned Taurus, yet?" I shake my head. "Alright, but you know how?"
I nod tentatively before taking in a deep breath. I concentrate on the hum I feel as I hold onto the key and remember the words Aquarius taught me, "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!" I hear a few murmurs as a golden light fills the room, and a large figure takes it place.
The figure, Taurus, as his description suggested, has features similar to that of a bull. However, he seems to be a type of humanoid. He wields a large ax, currently hooked onto his back. A golden cow-bell dangles around his neck. However, besides a black speedo with a metal belt, some black boots and a pair of gloves, and arm wraps, his body is completely bare, although his body is a furry white one with black spots and a large tail. He blinks for a moment, taking in his surroundings, and then looks at me.
"Miss. Loooooooocy!" He crys, dramatically, rushing forward to pick me up in a bone crushing hug. "Yooooou've grown!" He drops me and then looks over my body, practically drooling as he ogles my chest. "Yooou've got quite the rockin' bod!" I blush furiously as the room starts to laugh at us. Taurus looks around the room.
"U-um hi, Taurus. I guess you know who I am, this is my class here at Fairy Tail."
"I know! I'd recognize this roooom anywhere! Your mom used to summon me here." He gives me a big smile. "How can I serve you and your hot body?" I groan, already wanting to vomit at the perverted attitude of my spirit.
"Well, actually, Lucy summoned you on my behalf. I was wondering if you might assist us in training, today?" Bickslow answers for me.
"I'll be happy tooooo! Although, Looocy might not be able to keep me here long."
"I have a feeling she's going to surprise us," Bickslow states, seriously. I look at him after his comment and feel immense gratitude at the trust being placed upon me. Bickslow gestures towards the mats. The little mug shaped things around his head fly over and quickly have them in place. "Alright everyone, lets head over and practice. Lucy and I are going to stand on the other side of the room, by the tables. We're going to place Taurus and my babies on either side of us, on the mats. You'll stay on this side for now, but your job is to make it to us before Taurus returns to the spirit world. Remember what I said. If you can find a way to target us, your chances of victory will increase. But, also remember, Lucy is new. Let's not beat her up too quickly. Understood?" Everyone makes some form of affirmation. I follow Bickslow to the other side of the room and stand by him. I look across the gap, nervously, watching the eager faces of my classmates and opponents.
"Don't worry, Lucy!" Bickslow says on my right. "The best way to get the hang of things is to jump right in. For this exercise, I want you to focus on the magic you are supplying Taurus. You're going to realize, quickly, that the more worn out he gets, the harder it will be to keep him here, because your magic is linked with his status. Try not to give him more power than he needs for each task. Feel how your energy reacts to his actions. I have complete confidence that Taurus and my babies can keep the others at bay. And despite all I've said, most of your classmates aren't going to focus on us. But, if there's one person you should look out for,"
"Levy?" I say suddenly. He grins,
"Exactly. She's going to have listened to what I said. Keep an eye out for her attack because she's going to find a way." I nod and then focus my attention on the task ahead, once more. I notice that Gray and Natsu both head over to Bickslow's half of the room, clearly looking for a bigger challenge. Obviously, that means Juvia is right next to them. That leaves Levy and Lisanna coming after Taurus and me.
"Alright! Everybody, you can either work alone or in a pair. Your choice. However, no more than two attacking at once! Ready? Go!"
"Go, Go, Go!" Bickslow's 'babies' chant.
And with that, the room springs into action. Natsu immediately charges down the line towards Bickslow. His fists flaming as he gives a battle cry. The group of flying objects on my end suddenly zip into action. Two manage to fly behind him and effectively begin circling, fast. Natsu tries to swat them down, but they zip away before he can. Natsu growls a little in annoyance, his entire body lighting on fire. My eyes go wide. He eats fire and can cover his entire body in it?
"Lucy," Bickslow states, "Pay attention to your battle." I find myself blushing, wondering if I was only distracted because Natsu's loud or because I find everything about the boy himself distracting. However, sufficiently chastised, I turn towards Levy and Lisanna.
The pair are still standing on their end, whispering to one another. Well, mostly I can tell Levy is whispering to Lisanna. That doesn't bode well for what's coming. You don't have to know Levy long to realize she is a master strategist.
Trying to ignore the anxiety I'm beginning to feel, I focus as much of my attention as possible, onto the hum coursing through my body. It's almost like I can feel a current running from where I stand to where Taurus stands, ax at the ready. Curiously, I take a step closer. The feeling intensifies a bit as I do so, stepping back, it lessens once more. Interesting. I can feel my magic react based off of the proximity between us. The closer I get to him, the more powerful the connection, but the less the magic I can feel leaving me to enter him.
Levy and Lisanna start to move. Lisanna suddenly calls out, "Takeover: Animal Soul – Cat!" I blink as her body suddenly transforms. The majority of her body still looks the same, although she now has a tail, and her arms and feet shift into that of a furry feline, fingers morphing into sharp claws. Her clothing also changes, leaving her in a striped, animal print bikini.
She bounds towards Taurus, who seems to be struggling from a nose bleed, and tries to swat at him. However, adjusting himself to the fight, Taurus pulls out his ax and uses it like a shield, blocking her claws and then pushing her back. I feel a pull on my magic as he does so, my energy going to supply his. But, untrained, I can feel it almost gushing towards him. I know instantly I'm supplying to much. I try to concentrate on it as it leaves my body, forcing it into a trickle.
"You're a natural, Miss. Looooocy!" Taurus calls, suddenly. I feel a rush of pride, knowing I've clearly done something right. I grin, largely.
Lisanna rushes Taurus, again, and I can't help but feel suspicious as I realize Levy is still in the same spot, completely immobile. I narrow my eyes and scan the room, suspiciously. I know something is up. Trusting that Taurus can handle the fight I focus on finding her attack. I try to think about what Levy's magic type is. Although I know it's solid script magic, I'm completely unsure of how it actually works. But, If I were Levy and Lisanna, I would have a plan that involved distraction and stealth. I figure Lisanna is the distraction portion, and I would bet my money on the assumption that Levy is manipulating something stealthy, somewhere, to attack me. But what?! I practically groan in frustration. I tune out the voices of Natsu and Gray, who I can hear fighting. I even tune out the sounds of Lisanna's claws scratching along the metal of Taurus's ax. I can feel Bickslow watching me, but I tune that out.
I used to do this when Father would force me into dinner parties and meetings that I didn't even have a say in. I would push everything else out and focus on my heartbeat. I had thought it had been in my mind all those years, but as I did so it was like a could feel a gentle humming, pulse through my blood after each beat. I focus in on it now, letting it absorb my thoughts. Grounded by my magic, I look around the room once more.
It's like suddenly everything I see is clearer. I can practically hear the whisper of magic, circulating through the air around everyone else. I feel as if a light is pushing from my body, illuminating the darkest corners of the room. And as I do so, I grin. I grin because I can see Levy's attack. I turn to Bickslow, moving quickly to whisper in his ear. His eyes widen, but with a dangerous grin, he signals to one of his 'babies.' "Poppo," he whispers at it flies to our side, "Move to the back right corner and blast the pesky word magic out of here, would ya?"
"would ya, would ya!" The soul zips away and I grin as it finds its mark and rips it open. In the brief illumination before contact, I read the slithering word: SHADOW. As it is blasted away I hear a shriek of defiance.
"HOW!?" Levy cries out. I grin wickedly, back.
"Come on, Levy-chan! You can do better than that," I taunt her.
"No way!" Lisanna cries out, backing up towards Levy, "They found it!? I thought for sure that would work!"
Levy just pouts at her before rushing forward, towards Taurus. "WATER, SAND" She cries out. The words appear, quickly, landing near Taurus' feet, mixing into a muddy substance. His foot gets stuck in the substance. He howls, kicking off his boot. I supply him a bit more magic than the trickle from earlier and near him. Sensing me there he smiles,
"What's the plan, Loooocy?"
"Defense. Don't let them pass. However, go offensively against Levy. Don't let her try anymore tricks!" I call, stepping back again, towards Bickslow.
"Taurus was right, you know," He says as I near him. I look at him confused. He gives me a devilish grin, "You're wicked natural at this."
"Thanks for taking care of Levy's trick!"
"Thanks for noticing it! I hadn't even sensed it yet. She's good." I smile at him, pleased by all of his compliments.
"You called your soul Poppo?" I ask, suddenly, incredibly curious.
"Yeah. My babies each have a name. Pippi, Pappa, Poppo, Puppu and Peppe" (A/N No joke. If you didn't know this, look it up on FANDOM. I learned while researching for this chapter that Bickslow has legit named them)
"Oh. I'm excited to learn more about your magic, Bickslow. It's already fascinating to me."
"Trust me, Lucy, you aren't the only eager one, here. I can't wait to get into Celestial Magic with you."
"Miss Looocy!" Taurus calls, drawing in my attention. "My gate is going to close sooooon." I look at Bickslow.
"It's alright, you've done a remarkable job keeping him here this long," He then gives a long, loud whistle, drawing in all attention. "Alright, everyone, that's a wrap!" He calls.
I walk over to Taurus who meets me halfway. "Call me again, sooooon, Looocy! I'd love too make a contract with you and your rockin' bod." I barely have time to thank him before he disappears in a shimmer of light. I look around the room, not surprised to see Natsu and Gray at each other's throats.
"This is your fault you dumb pyro! If you hadn't spent all your time charging in like a moron, we could have done something about this!"
"Hey! Don't blame this on me. You're the one who always gets cold feet and chicken out of the fight! Pull your own weight next time!" Natsu's body is still flaming, but suddenly a rush of water slams into him, effectively turning his body to steam.
"Gray-sama is not chicken! Water Slicer!" Suddenly a blade of water rushes towards Natsu. But, he just ignites himself again and it evaporates as it nears him.
"Hey, you three! Give it up and sit down!" Bickslow calls, grumpily. "The fact is none of you were anywhere close to passing me. So, shut up and let's go discuss your stupidity!"
I turn to walk towards the desk. Levy and Lisanna wait for me at the end of the mats. "I'm really impressed you figured out Levy's plan, Lucy!" Lisanna says with a smile. She's back in her normal clothes, once more fully human.
"And I'm impressed by your ability to go toe to toe with Taurus! I don't know either of you well, but I could sense your power!" She grins at me, bashfully.
"Oh, you're being too kind. I have a long way to go to improve."
"We all do, Lisanna. I'm just excited to do so with you guys by my side."
Levy is pouting, so I put my arm around her. "Cheer up, Levy. I'm sure it was only luck that had me notice. I bet you'll have me on my ass soon enough!" She smirks at me.
"You'd better believe it!" She says back. We look at one another and then laugh.
Sure enough, once we're at our desks, Bickslow begins a lecture on, as he called it, 'our stupidity'. Natsu and Gray mumble the whole time. Near the very end of class, Loke shows up with whatever it was Bickslow had forgotten and sits down.
"You missed all the fun, Loke!" Gray calls out, "I bet if you'd been here, I wouldn't have lost because of the flame for brains!"
"You also missed seeing Lucy's magic!" Lisanna called out, excitedly. "She summoned one of her spirits, Taurus, and I got to spar with him, head on!"
"He sounds awesome. I'm sad I missed him." Loke says simply, moping. His voice holds a genuine depth of sadness that stuns me. But, my thoughts are quickly swept away by Bickslow's continued lecture. After a few minutes though, class ends. Most people give me a quick goodbye, as they head off to their next instructor.
"See you in an hour, Lucy!" Natsu calls cheerfully as he moves towards the stairs. I give him a small wave before turning to Bickslow.
"Um, I spend the next hour with you, right?"
"Yep! I'm so freaking excited! Don't get me wrong, it was nice getting off an hour earlier than everyone else. But, it really sucks to be the only instructor without a student of his classification. I mean, just think about class, today. It's hard to maintain that kind of lesson alone. But that was all defense. Now we get to work on your offensive skills!" He grins at me again before he gestures towards the stairs. "Let's head to my office!"
I follow him down to the second floor, which is completely empty at this point. His office is located on the far side, almost directly diagonal from Makarov's office. We enter, and it isn't at all what I'm expecting. Sure, Levy had tried to prepare me, but this is everything I hadn't been able to imagine and more. Upon immediate entrance, the room holds a large desk, like Makarov's office. Directly parallel from that are a series of chairs. But, it is what lies behind that most fascinates me. Through another small, completely open doorframe, lies a very large stage. It is covered with white mats, but a green light pulses from beneath it. The walls are black, all around it, and the light is really limited.
"Like the combat stage?" Bickslow asks, knowingly.
"It's huge!" I call out, amazed. "This whole room shouldn't be possible!"
He laughs at my disbelief. "And yet, it is. Don't worry. We'll get you on that stage sooner, rather than later. But, for now, I think we'll stick to the chairs?" I nod, eager for any type of training.
"What are we going to do, today?" I ask, curious.
"Well, we have an hour to fill and a lifetime of training to teach you. So, I guess we'll start with some basics. Although, first I think you need to maybe meet all of your spirits. What do you say?" I bob my head eagerly with his answer.
"You've already met Aquarius and Taurus. Should we do Cancer or Capricorn, next?"
"Um, how about Cancer?" I say, uncertainly.
"Have at it, then!"
I reach down and fasten my fingers around Cancer's key. Mimicking the actions from earlier, I call out, "Open, Gate of the Giant Crab!" The usual light bursts into a very strange looking . . . man? Like Taurus he is some form of humanoid. His face is masked by green sunglasses, but his hair is pulled back in cornrows. His back gives way to six crab legs, curving around his form. And there is a hair dresser's pouch hanging off his belt, and he is holding two pairs of scissors.
"Baby!" He cries as his eyes meet mine. My eyes widen at his words, and I subconsciously inch back a little.
"Um, Hi, Cancer?" I mumble awkwardly.
"What do you need, baby? He asks, giving his scissors an experimental snip. "Your mom used to call me. I miss snipping her hair, baby." He draws close to me and I sit back, a little anxious.
He looks at me for permission. I look to Bickslow, who just gives a small shrug before I turn and incline my head a little in Cancer's direction.
He moves forward, and the scissors start flying around my face. I don't know what I'm expecting, but it certainly isn't the result. For starters, Cancer manages to somehow turn cutting my hair into growing my hair. When he's done, two, very long pigtails fall down the sides of my head, reaching almost half a foot longer than they did previously.
"Did you just grow my hair?" I ask incredulously.
"You don't like it, baby?" He asks, moping.
"No! I mean, yes! I do like it! I just don't understand how you did it!"
"I can do anything for you, baby!" He states, giving another snip of his scissors. Only, this one isn't on my hair. I don't want my perfect hair to get cut. I like it at the length he's made it.
"Well, Cancer. I appreciate that. I'm definitely going to call on you for more than fighting! I can only imagine what you can do to my hair! Are you ok with making a contract with me?"
"You betcha, baby!"
The next several minutes, with Bickslow's help and supervision, are spent learning how to make a contract with a celestial spirit. There is more than I thought would go into it! We discuss dates of availability, special conditions of summoning, and even phobias that the spirit has. It is completely unlike anything I expected, not that a single day was much to create expectations, but still.
Eventually, Cancer begins to fade, and I smile, thanking him for his agreement.
"You did a good job, Lucy!" Bickslow says after Cancer's gone. "Every summoner should always remember that the souls and spirits they are contracted with are not slaves. Never forget to take into account their feelings and position. Even my babies are special."
"Special, Special, Special!" They cry out in agreeance.
"Trust me, Bickslow, I would never dream of ruling over my spirits. I intend on treating them like friends, family even. Nobody deserves to have their free will taken from them, especially not those on their side."
"Agreed, although, you should know, Lucy. One ability that I have is to take free will. One reason I wear this helmet is to shield my friends from my gaze. If one were to look into my eyes at the wrong second, I would overcome their mind and possess them. I use this ability only when absolutely necessary in the most difficult of battles." I'm stunned by his words. A part of me wants to recoil at the thought, but I think of his words and the fact that he wears a helmet. He truly must care about people's agency.
"I understand. Should we summon Capricorn, now?"
"I think so."
Doing as I had with all the rest, I summon Capricorn. He's even more animalistic than the others, but still with the presence of a human. He wears dark sunglass and is dressed in a full suit. His body, unsurprisingly, is that of a goat. Although, instead of hooves, he has humanlike hands. I notice this because when he arrives his right hand is held, respectfully, across his heart.
"Lady Lucy," He says in complete respect as we make eye contact. "It is a true pleasure to witness you grown, at long last. It seems like yesterday that I bid your mother a final goodbye. Before you ask, I cannot enter a contract with you, for my allegiance is already yours."
"I- I don't really know what to say," I stutter out. Completely blown away by both his words and his presence. "You look familiar." I say, surprisingly.
"I am not surprised. I met you several times when you were a young girl. I believe you would often call me 'Butler Cappy Corn', if I recall your words correctly." My ears go a little pink at his words.
"I apologize for not remembering with more clarity, Capricorn, as well as for my odd title back then."
"Worry not, Lady Lucy. I recall these memories with sweet fondness. Indeed, I have, once or twice, taken to writing these thoughts down in poetic verse. Perhaps you would care to hear them at some point?"
"Uh, sure?" I say uncertainly.
"Perfect. However, Lady Lucy, I can tell that calling us forth has caused a strain on your magic. I will remain here, as a hindrance to your health, no longer. Do take care. Hesitate not to call upon me in the future." And, with little more than that, he vanishes in sparkling dust. I simply stare at him a moment before collapsing in one of the chairs. It doesn't feel like I should be as exhausted as I am, but it seems that summoning takes a lot more magic than I would have suspected.
Bickslow looks at me, concerned. "I apologize if the exercises were too taxing on you, today, Lucy."
"No, no! I'm glad I got to meet all of them, today. I'll have to summon the others again, in the near future, to solidify their contracts, of course, but this was absolutely worth it."
"Good. Now, there's one more thing I'd like to discuss before the hour ends."
"Ok, what's up?"
"As you saw, earlier, it's very dangerous for a mage to be unable to protect themselves, worse so when a summoner. Your spirits can only be as strong as you are. Obviously, you'll learn that true strength is found as a team, but if you don't do your part, they will suffer unnecessarily as a result." It feels like he's tearing me down, but he continues, "Which, is why we need to discuss your personal offensive tactics. Do you have any martial arts or weapon training?"
"Not really. My dad didn't exactly want me able to fight back." I spit the words out more bitterly than I intend.
"I see. Well, that makes our job both easier and harder at the same time. It makes it easier because it means we can mold you to be the best at protecting yourself and your spirits. However, it also makes it harder because a) you're so fresh and b) it could take time to find a weapon of true affinity. Ideally, a summoning class mage can hold their own in close combat defensive techniques and mid to long range offensive techniques. The defensive stuff is going to require a lot of physical training, but the second will take experimentation. You might do best with a bow, or a slingshot, or you could just as easily connect with a whip or spear, even a mace and chain. Some of these are enchanted, others are simply physical tools, only as special as your skill will make them. Are you up to a few tests, now or should we save that for tomorrow?"
I do my best to wrap my brain around all of the information he is giving me. At the different weapons he mentions I find myself incredibly intimidated. How I'll ever be able to learn such difficult techniques is beyond me, but I do my best to find hope. Although, at his final question I take a moment to appraise my current state. "Um, if I'm being perfectly honest. I don't even know how I'm going to make it up the stairs for the next class," I mumble, pathetically.
"No worries, Lucy. This is all so new to you. You've never used your magic before today and you've already summoned four spirits, one of which was in a mock fight. It may seem to you like nothing special, but I admit that, while you're my first student in some time, none have ever performed as well as you, especially considering your special circumstances. You have performed outstanding. Any other student in your position would have collapsed midway through Taurus. Perhaps it was reckless of me to push you as I have, but I could sense your potential." I'm a little annoyed by his confession but touched at the same time. Already so many people here have expressed an odd faith in me. I wonder what my life will be like if I can find the same faith in myself that they seem to hold.
"I will do my best not to disappoint you, Bickslow," my voice is sincere.
He just smiles, "I doubt you could if you tried."
"Tried, Tried, Tried!"
"Is there are reason they often repeat after you?"
"Except for the fact that they are my precious babies?" His voice is oddly tender and defensive.
"Um, no?"
"That's what I thought. Now, if you are feeling a bit better, I'll dismiss you a little early and you can head back upstairs." I nod gratefully and scramble to my feet.
"Oh, one more thing! Levy said that you might be able to help me get a lacrima for note taking?" I can't believe I almost forgot!
"Oh, right! I forgot that Makarov asked me to help you get supplies." He rummages around in his desk for a moment before handing me a lacrima and light pen. "Have at it!" He says, officially dismissing me. I smile and turn towards the door.
"Thanks for everything, Bickslow Sensei," I add the honorific almost hesitantly, but as I say it, it feels right, and a gentle smile crosses his face. "I'm excited to be your student." And with that, I push out the door and start to make my way upstairs.
Alright! I'll be back as soon as I can with the next chapter.
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