All Rights to Hiro Mashima

Chapter 5: Agate

Miraculous healing stone used by tribal priests; warriors carried this crystal around to promote strength and victory

Attempt Thirty-Nine

"Father, would you like to have afternoon tea with me? You've been working so hard lately, and you need a break."

The King didn't look up from the sheets of parchment in front of him, only giving a single exasperated sigh to show that he had, in fact, heard her request.

"Then, can I bring you something to eat. You have to keep up your strength."

A single twitch. Then Jude's eyes finally connected with his only daughter's worried visage.

"No. Leave me be child, your constant whining is grating on my last nerve. Be gone."

Attempt Fifty-Five

At breakfast, Lucy plucked up her dwindling courage to confront her father with something that she thought he would be willing to talk about; her mother.

"Father, how did you fall in love with mother?"

Thick, heavy silence wafted over from the other side of the table. Jude set his papers down on the table, a fork full of sausage halfway to his mouth.

"What did you say?" His voice was barely above a whisper, but it was a far cry from the detached calm that she was used to. Lucy felt her pride grow, she was finally getting through to him, breaking him out of his self-depreciating shell!

Lucy cleared her throat to get rid of her last lingering nerves. "How did you and momma fall in love? How did you know she was the one to become your Queen?"

Suddenly, Lucy knew this was the worst thing she could have asked.

Pain. There was only pain and hatred in her father's eyes. Either for her or himself or the universe in general, she didn't know, but it was the worst thing she had witnessed since she sat before her mother's gravestone for the first time.

Lucy preferred the cold emptiness that the King usually had. This scorching anger was horrifying to look at.

"Never ask me that question again. Never speak of her in my presence again. Do you hear me?" His voice never wavered, and it was so low that she almost didn't catch it.

But it was the most terrifying moment in her short life.

Her father looked deranged. His eyes were blazing, and his face pinched in a cruel sneer.

Lucy nodded and detached her gaze from his unwavering hate filled eyes, staring down at her plate filled with food she would no longer eat. Her appetite was gone.

"Good. You are excused, go to your lessons. Do not disappoint me today, girl."

Lucy belatedly realised that she might not be able to save her father.

Attempt Seventy

"Father, can you please explain summoning the Zodiacs to me? My tutor isn't very knowledgeable about the subject, and I know you've seen it before."

Lucy knew she was treading on very thin ice mentioning her magic, which was the exact same as her late mothers. Hopefully, in a roundabout way, by reminding Jude that Layla was very much alive when it came to magic, without actually mentioning her mother, her father would be willing to relive some of the more enjoyable experiences he spent with his wife.

The magic she had inherited through her blood was a beautiful one, and come with a heavy price of being responsible for twelve other beings and their happiness. Their lives were left in little Lucy's hands, and she was determined to be as amazing as her mother when it came to their shared heritage.

"No. Be gone girl, magic is a filthy leech that keeps taking and taking from the user until they are an empty husk. I should have stopped her from casting any spells or summoning those idiotic spirits. Look where she ended up…dead and gone. Leaving me all alone."

Lucy gasped in fear, gripping her keys closer to her chest for comfort. Her mind was whirling with possibilities, did magic actually kill her dear mother? She needed to talk to someone, but she didn't know who. Maybe one of her spirits would know.

The King closed his face off from her and turned back towards the grain supply reports in his hand. "You are dismissed."

She knew that she had lost her father to the madness that had crept up into this mind. There was nothing left to be done.

-ooo-

"Good evening Miss Lucy. How may I be of service?"

The little Princess fidgeted slightly, scared of the answer to her question. "Capricorn…how did my mother die? Was it because of her magic? Will I have the same fate?"

She had so many questions but cut them off when Capricorn held up a single hand against her tirade. "Princess, please. One question at a time. Now, Queen Layla dies from a very rare disease that hasn't been seen very often. She was not born with it, but she developed it over time after an incident that happened years ago that left her very weak."

"Why didn't she try to stop it?"

"There was nothing to be done. Magical Depletion Syndrome is a very cruel disease. The Queen's magic container was cracked, and her magic energy leaked out ever so slowly, leaving her weak and without much life force. She was told by us that she would live for at least thirty more years if she only sporadically called upon the Zodiac."

Lucy baulked. Quickly doing the simple math in her head, she rounded on the Goat Spirit. "If that's true, then why is she gone? Shouldn't she still be here for at least…at least fifteen more years?"

Capricorn sadly smiled down at Lucy. "Yes. But her life energy went towards something much more important than her life. She knew the risks and what would happen to her if she continued down the path she chose. She went into it with her eyes wide open."

"What!? What could be so important that she would give up part of her life?"

Reluctantly, and with a large amount of hesitance, Capricorn finally answered the pleas of his newest Master. "She gave birth to her only child."

No one moved. Nothing was said. Silence reigned in Lucy's room.

The only thought that ran through her mind was the fact that she had inadvertently killed her very own mother by just existing.

-ooo-

Natsu had so many things to tell Lucy. All his adventures with Igneel, and the training that he was put though, only to come out stronger than before. And that stupid carriage ride! He was sure that Lucy would appreciate just how gruelling it was for him to be stuck in something that rolled around on the ground. He was a Dragon for goodness sake. He was meant to fly through the air and be free.

He wondered if Lucy was any better than the last time he saw her. Happy had told him that when he left, their best friend looked happier and determined. She had even laughed. Maybe he would hear her laugh again when he tells her the stories about how he pounded that stupid stripper's ass.

So it was with high spirits that Natsu practically crash landed on the veranda of Lucy's room only to be hit with the potent smell of fear and salt.

Immediately, his hackles raised. The last time he had smelt something even remotely like this, was when Lucy had collapsed into his arms after they had visited Miss Layla for the first time.

Lucy was crying, and she was scared.

Natsu burst through the double doors, frantically searching for intruders or a monster for him to beat into oblivion. He was dying to try out his new techniques that he had just acquired. What better way to use them than defending Lucy?

What he didn't anticipate was seeing Lucy curled up into a tiny ball on her king sized bed, sobbing all her misery out into her many pillows, clutching her key ring to her chest. She hadn't given him any indication that she heard him loudly enter her room from the outside. That in and of itself wasn't a good thing.

Happy fluttered around his head, his tiny white wings a blur as he darted around is distress. "Natsu…why is Lushy crying? She was happy last time I was here…"

He had no answers for his poor little buddy. "I don't know Happy. But we need to help her."

So, he and Happy jumped up onto her bed and curled around her, lending her as much strength and warmth and love as they could.

Lucy jerked up, her eyes wide and impossibly sad. "Natsu…"

Whatever made her cry must have been a very terrible thing. Anything that made Lucy sad was immediately on Natsu's blacklist.

"Luce. I'm here now. What happened? Who do I need to turn into ash?"

Usually, his over the top declarations of violence made Lucy smack him in the chest and scold him, or just made her laugh in that way that sent his stomach fluttering. But she just clutched his vest in her small hands and wailed harder. "I killed her."

He swore his heart stopped dead in his chest. "What? Luce…who…?" He couldn't even voice his whole question. This whole situation was so absurd that he thought maybe it was a dream. One look at Happy's wide, unblinking eyes told him it was reality.

"I killed my momma! It was all my fault!"

Of all the things that Natsu thought she was going to say, it wasn't that. Lucy crumpled into his chest, and he crushed her to him as if he could shelter her from the overwhelming pain that he knew that she was feeling.

A terrible, heavy burden, one that should never have been put on her thin shoulders, was given to Princess Lucy that day.

-ooo-

"Tch. Brat. Wake up you idiot."

Lucy sprang awake from her fitful sleep at the voice of her beloved spirit, even though her tone was rather rude and the words hurt a little.

Natsu and Happy only rolled over and kept on snoring. Lucy realised that they must have all fallen asleep on her bed after she had cried herself into unconsciousness. A jolt of affection ripped through her at the sight of her best friend drooling on her pillow.

They had stayed with her through the night, even though they knew the truth.

"Oi! Enough with that alright? I can feel your pain and misery, and it's annoying. I can't enjoy my date with you wailing and crying all the time."

"Aquarius…" For the second time, the taciturn spirit swept her up in a big hug. "I killed momma."

"Tch. This is why you're an idiot. You didn't kill her, so stop that stupid thought process this instant. Your mother was already six months pregnant with you before she knew what would happen if she went through with giving birth to you. She loved you very much already and decided to keep going. She knew what was happening and had no regrets. We spirits can feel the emotions of our Masters. So believe me. I know what I'm talking about. She kept it from Jude because she was scared that he would ask her to terminate you."

Hope bloomed in Lucy's heart. "Are you sure momma didn't regret anything?"

A soft smile graced Aquarius' lips for a split second. "Not even once." The mermaid spirit looked towards Lucy's bed. "Who's the pinky?"

"Oh. That's Natsu. And the blue cat is Happy. They're my best friends."

"Tch. Whatever. Not like I care."

"Wait. Why are you here? Can't you only be summoned in water?"

Rolling her eyes, Aquarius detached herself from the little summoner. "Special circumstances. I need to get back to my man. Get stronger brat. I'm waiting."

The spirit was gone in a flash of gold light.

Neither of them saw the smile that lifted Natsu's mouth. He knew that Lucy would feel the guilt for years to come, but hopefully, with the help of her spirits – and himself – she would be able to move past it.

-ooo-

The months flew by. Lucy continued to grow, both in her magical capacity and in her physical training with the Colonel.

The moustachioed man was pleasantly surprised with Lucy's new sword and told her to always keep it close when she was on the grounds. He would say that it would always keep her safe, even though it was far from masterfully made.

He could feel the good intentions from the magic in the sword and believed that it was perfect for his Princess.

Natsu continues to train with his father and pester his older brother – when he can find him that is – for information on best friends and how to keep Lucy happy. Zeref had been spending large amounts of time either locked in the laboratory in the basement of the castle or at the university. It was rare to find him lounging about or just reading an old tome in their extensive library.

On the eve of Natsu's tenth birthday, Lucy could be found wringing her hands and pacing on her balcony. Natsu had promised to collect her tonight and take her to the cliffs over the ocean.

Her mind was running in circles as she nervously sucked in a breath as she spotted Natsu flying towards her on the horizon, his strong wings carrying him closer and closer.

Would Natsu like his present? Would he hate it? Should she had gotten him something different?

She ran out of time to second guess herself as Natsu swooped down and plucked her off the terrace without landing. With a triumphant smile, Natsu stole Lucy away once again and flew off towards their favourite place in the world.

-ooo-

After a very vigorous round of fighting with wooden swords that dissolved completely into a tickle fight that left both Natsu and Lucy breathless, the little Princess presented Natsu with his gift. A small box that fit in the palm of his hand.

He smiled toothily at her as she waited for his judgement. It took her a couple of months to think about something that would have the same meaning to him as his sword was to her. She had begged Capricorn for the materials, knowing that her father would disapprove of her actions. She didn't even think that Jude knew that she had any friends and would keep Natsu from being discovered for as long as possible.

Who knew what the King would do if he realised that Lucy disappeared at least twice a week into the great big world, exploring and laughing and having fun.

Probably lock her away for eternity.

Natsu lifted the lid of the little box and blinked at its contents.

Inside, a delicate silver chain could be seen. He pulled it out and gaped at his actual gift.

A dragon's head, carved completely out of stone, laid flush on his palm. It was small and slightly lopsided, but he couldn't have cared less. Natsu knew that Lucy had made this by hand and he loved it.

"So…? What do you think?"

"…Amazing Luce."

"Yeah?"

Natsu threw the chain over his head and tucked his new treasure under his tunic. A curious warmth seemed to emanate from the stone, it made him feel safe and happy. "Yeah. What's it made out of?"

"Agate. It's said to bring victory and strength."

Natsu could only smile at his best friend. He silently vowed to never take the necklace off. He knew he would always win when he had it. How could he fail when he had Lucy counting on him?

They watched the sunrise over the mountains for another time and felt nothing but peace.

Too bad the peace would be short lived.

-ooo-

He had finally done it.

It was no small feat, and he had been working day and night tirelessly for years to this day. He had neglected his family and left Natsu and Igneel wondering where he was some nights.

But it was finished…and he finally was able to show the academic community that he wasn't crazy.

He couldn't wait to show Mavis.