Chapter Twenty-Two

"This next phase is actually going to start testing your control. You are going to be controlling the length of your lightning and the power of it. Do the same thing you did at the guild, only less power behind it. You need to be able to hit targets that are a distance away without killing them." Laxus turned towards the cliff and shot some lightning at it. I was amazed that the amount of lightning that struck the cliff didn't bring it down. Instead it just made a scorch mark that was about a foot, maybe two, in diameter. "You're going to be aiming at that cliffside until your mark is no bigger, and no smaller, than mine. That is the most a normal human body can handle, but, mage's bodies are stronger, so your attack will need to be at least that powerful in battle in order to be done quickly."

"I would think close-range and strong lightning attacks would be before this, wouldn't you?" I heard Evergreen whisper to me.

"If you're able to do this, then that will be child's play. It's easy to make a shot powerful, as you know, but, it's hard to take power away from something, and to keep it constant." Apparently Laxus heard her, too. "Okay, Girly, take a shot. Ever, back up." Laxus was taking a few steps to the side out of my range.

Making myself comfy on my boulder, I began gathering my magic in my hands and pushed it in front of me towards the cliffside. Completely surprising me, the bolt didn't even make ten feet. It was almost fifty to the cliff.

"What happened?" I look to Laxus, who is looking at me with a slight frown on his face. That frown made me feel ashamed.

"You're holding yourself back."

"What? No, I'm not. Why would I be?" I shake my head as if to emphasize my point.

"You're still freaked out by that explosion you caused. You aren't wanting to cause something like that again, so you're subconsciously holding yourself back. Me and Ever being here probably isn't helping."

"How am I supposed to fix it?"

"I can only think of leaving here and actually going out in public and proving to yourself that you can control the magic. Even if it's just to the guild."

"But, I can't..." I said, trailing off.

Evergreen stepped forward, "You never know, Lucy, it might help to see people other than Laxus."

"People might get hurt."

"You came here to master this magic, Lucy, and you can't do that if you let this fear hold you back. You need to be able to do this, at least for the most part, before Gramps sends you on that mission in a couple days." Laxus stands in front of me and places his hand on my head, leaning down to my eye level, "Besides, I'll be there to be sure that your lightning doesn't go astray and hurt someone."

I felt myself begin to blush and looked towards the ground, nodding. I heard Evergreen snicker, and lifting my head I sent a glare her way.

"I'm going to go bathe." I announced, practically running to the house, away from the cause of my embarrassment.

Once I was out of the bathroom I went to my room. Evergreen was there waiting for me.

"So, do you like him as more than a friend?" She asks the second the door clicks closed.

"Who do you mean?" I ask with fake innocence and naivete, a pure smile across my face.

"Don't play blonde with me, Lucy. You know exactly who and what I'm talking about." Evergreen scowls at me, her eyes daring me to try and sneak away. I sigh.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if the feelings I'm getting are actually mine, or if they're Laxus', or if it's a combination of them both. Or even if it's just an affect of the 'Link'. I was going to wait out the next six months until the spell had worn off, and see how I felt at the end. If the feelings were still there, then I... don't know. I'll figure it out then. It's a long time from now." I shake my head, attempting to clear my head of the confusion.

"I thought the 'Link' would have been kind of fun. Having an excuse for being mean. Being able to understand a person's thoughts and feelings without really trying. You even got a really powerful magic from it."

"It's not fun. The attitude all depends on who you're 'Linked' to, as well. For example, if you were 'Linked' to Elfman you'd be spouting about being a man and manly things; to Jet you'd probably be really impatient; Droy you'd crave food; Cana, drinking; Wakaba, smoking. It all would depend on the person.

The thoughts and feelings bit I don't understand at all. I never know if what I'm feeling is because of me or if it's from him. And when I randomly start doing things without noticing, I have no clue why until Laxus comes into the room and says he was just about to do what I just finished doing. And besides, this, along with the lightning magic, is just a 'Lucy and Laxus Link'. It was completely by accident, Wendy didn't mean to."

"Kay, I take it back. That sounds awful." I couldn't help but giggle at the way Evergreen's nose turned up and she shook her head like a child.

We sat in a comfortable silence for a while.

"I get what you said. About Laxus' and your feelings. I get why you'd want to wait before telling him or whatever you're going to do, but what if these are your feelings? Your own emotions telling you to go after him, get to know him, try and date him. Don't you think you should at least chance it?"

"I would want to, Evergreen, I really would, but what if I do chance it and once the spell has worn off and I feel nothing for him and the things I'm feeling are entirely his? He would be heartbroken. I'd have dated him, thought I lov- liked him, then have told him it was entirely the spell. Or what if these are my feelings and he feels nothing, but the 'Link' is making him think so, and all that happens to me? I don't want that." I end in a sad sigh.

It was then that we heard a thud outside the door and a muffled 'shit'. Both Evergreen and I rose an eyebrow and quietly rushed to the door. The door opened and we looked down the hall just in time to see a head rushing down the stairs. We look to eachother and sneak down the stairs just in time to hear Bixlow say, "You'll never guess what I just heard the girls talking about."

Evergreen and I stepped out into the open.

"Bixlow." Evergreen's voice was low and terrifying.

Bixlow turned around very slowly, attempting to delay his punishment. I had my fingers on my whip and Evergreen looked ready to sink her nails into him. Bixlow let out a very audible gulp.

"H-hey, girls. Uh, listen, I wasn't actually going to tell them about Lucy's little maybe cru-"

"Lucy Kick!" Bixlow flew across the room onto one of the couches.

Silence throughout the room. Until...

"Oh, shit! Bixlow, I didn't even think about the lightning that might have been used in my anger. Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did I send lightning at you as well as the kick?" My questions didn't stop as I rush over and kneel by his side.

"Lucy, he's fine, no magic came out, don't worry." I looked to Freid.

"Are you sure? How do you know? I don't even know." Evergreen knelt down beside me.

"We aren't able to use magic in here. Laxus had Freid put up runes for that around the house since me and Bixlow wrecked a few things around the house during one of our fights."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well, he deserved the kick, so I'm good now." I say, standing and brushing off my knees. I guess that makes it Lucy-two, Bixlow-zero.

Hey, how are all my muses? So, for this chapter I really wasn't sure what to write about. I knew I wanted Lucy to start the next part of training, and for her to go to the guild, along with a little bit of feeling talk. Two out of three isn't bad. Getting her to the guild will probably happen next chapter.

So, review and inspire me with everything you did and didn't like. I hope to be back soon with another chapter for you.