Shadows
Chapter 19; Epilogue: The Complexity of Snowflakes
Diamond chandeliers twinkled, velvet blue curtains hung over the three-story windows masked by darkness, music slipped and danced through the air. Dresses and suits paired and twirled on the dance floor. People grouped near the food stands with traditional, donated and some magnificent Magnolian food with a cool blue theme. Grand white stair cases curled around the dance floor to a wide balcony stretching out over the entire hall."It's beautiful." Lucy breathed, leaning on her arms, looking down at the lively dancing couples.
"Yeah." Levy sighed, looking dreamily next to her. Her head rolled onto her other arm, turning towards Lucy. "Shall we go down?"
"You go on ahead; I'll be down in a bit." Lucy smiled, her gaze still watching the people moving beneath her. Her chocolate brown eyes looked down onto the dance floor, but her mind was somewhere else.
"Okay, I'll see you down there." Levy nodded, moving past the blonde with a gentle tap on the shoulder. Lucy watched as Levy approached the staircase. Her brown eyes caught the head of the suited iron dragon slayer turn towards her. He seemed to be stunned in his place as Levy slowly moved down the stairs. From the bright blush on her face, Lucy could tell that she was self-conscious and embarrassed, but she still moved gracefully down towards her date. She was surprised Gajeel finally plucked up the courage to ask her to the ball. Although it was in a roundabout way, something like he'll take her because he had nothing else to do. It was a pretty poor lie, even for him. Not that it matter, Gajeel had probably accepted that everyone knew about his and Levy's feelings.
Levy's white gloved hand gracefully slid down the ivory banister. Blue hair tied into a bun with long curling pieces falling down, grazed her pale collar bone. An ocean blue dress hugged her slim curves, with a long split sliding up her thigh. Thrills curls around the slit edge spreading out into a trail at the bottom of her feet. 2 inch white heels matched the white lily pinned up into her bun on top of her head. She looked beautiful, Lucy had to admit, and Gajeel seemed to notice it too.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Gajeel stretched out his arm which Levy shyly took and they moved into the sea of people onto the dance floor.
Lucy watched them sway at the slow song for a little while before drifting back into her lost world. The sounds of people muttering about a collapsed smithy in the town faded into a faint inaubdiable mumble. Ever since last week, her mind was numb. She had done nothing for the past few weeks; just averagely spending her day at the guild with everyone. Even so, her heart ached ever since she had woken up a few days ago. She didn't know why, but there were tears down her cheeks and every time she went to bed she would wake up the same; crying. It felt like there was a hole in her heart, but at the same time, she felt relieved. Still, she couldn't help but notice the nagging feeling at the back of her mind telling her something was missing. Not to mention, every time there was a full moon her magic began to tingle in her fingers, which was weird.
"Are you alone, Miss?" A rusted voice spoke behind her. Lucy stood up and turned. A tall man with broad shoulders dressed in a tuxedo with a long hanging tie stood behind her. Long silver hair fell down around his sharp, wide face holding eyes the color of dirty ice. A pang echoed in her chest and she dismissed it.
"Ah, no. I'm here with friends." Lucy replied with a smile. Her 'friends' (Natsu and Happy), however, were apparently having more fun clearing the table of food.
"I'm sure your friends wouldn't mind if I steal you for one dance?" He replied, moving in to sweep up her hand. His hand was grazed with a faint shine of scars twirling like tattoos around his skin. It hit something deep inside of her, recognizing the scars. But she was pulled along too quick to think any more about it. Normally, Lucy probably would have pulled back and told him to dance with someone else, besides the fact he was old and not her type. However, she didn't. There was a sort of trust inside her that let him sweep her away.
Natsu pulled up a chair besides Happy, pulling chicken legs and cake and vegetables from all over the buffet tables, stuffing their face. People had to dip in and out as quickly as they could to just get food.
"This food's great!" Happy mumbled his mouth full of fish. "Oo! Salmon, my favorite!"
"Your right Happy!" Natsu replied in the same manner, his hand launching forwards towards a salmon before grilling it in his palms until it was charred black.
Just as he reached forward for something else, something caught the corner of his eyes. A figure in black moved through his peripheral vision. He whirled on them with eyes alight. Whoever he was, had already disappeared. Natsu wasn't sure, but he could swear the man had pink hair. Someone with pink hair other than him? Whoever it was peaked something deep within his curiosity.
"What's up, Natsu?" Happy grumbled, reaching forward towards the dragon slayers plate.
"No one…I think." Natsu replied, turning back on the cat. "HEY THAT'S MY FISH!" Natsu yelled diving on the thieving blue cat, until they were playing tug of war with the fish.
Suddenly, some people stopped and turned, looking up towards the left wing stairs. Natsu noticed in the corner of his eyes, turning to follow their line of sight and the fish slipped free from his hands. Happy tumbled backwards off the edge of the snow-themed table. Immediately, he was back on his feet on top of the table with scornful eyes. "What's everyone staring at?" Happy said, just as they turned.
"Is that…Luce?" Natsu uttered, his food falling from his mouth, knocked into awe.
Long blonde hair fell down in silky curls over her bare pale back. Pearl earrings and matching necklace fell over her collar bone and glistened in her ears. Pure white material clung like a bodice to her chest with glittering jewels twinkling like stars in the light. White feathers swept down towards the pale blue carpet, so pure and flawless like angel wings.
"Everyone's staring." Lucy muttered, feeling the hot burn of a blush that Lucy assumed was similar to what Levy was feeling. Except, it wasn't just a few people like with Levy, it was almost everyone. Blonde hair was quickly drawn in front of her face to hide her glowing cheeks as they managed to conquer the last few steps. As the man lead her into the middle of the dance floor, with people moving back on either side, he took her other hands and twirled her into his rhythm to the music.
After a few more moments, the other people moved forwards, back into their own affairs. It felt like a wall of people had surrounded them but at the same time she was completely ignorant. There was something about the man leading her that felt so familiar. "Who are you?" Lucy blurted out accidentally. The silver-haired man turned onto her softly, with a weak, sad smile.
"My name is Isaac." His reply was almost flawless, but there was something about that felt a little fake. "So," Isaac continued. "Are you having fun?"
"Yeah, I suppose I am." Lucy replied with mild concentration, her eyes seem to flutter to her friends spotted throughout the ball. She gave a soft smile, happy to see them safe with their very own smiles on their face. Lately, she had noticed herself feeling a lot closer to all her guild mates, and she seemed to be satisfied with just being with them. How strange.
"I see. In that case, my work here is done." Isaac smiled. "I hope you find that hand, Lucy." His grip disappeared from Lucy's waist and hand, but as soon as she turned towards him, he was gone. There was no trace of him left, although he had only parted a second ago. Lucy rested her hand against her collar, and felt a stone pressed against it. As she looked down she saw her necklace she thought she had lost around her neck. How did it get there? Was it that man? Who was he? Lucy didn't know, but she had a feeling she wouldn't see him again.
"His work?" Lucy uttered, her eyes fluttering after him. Something trickled onto her hand, and as she looked down a droplet of water raced across her skin. Was there a leak? As she looked up, she saw nothing. "Huh..." Lucy muttered, touching her chin in thought. She realised it was damp and her hand was pressed quickly against her cheek. A damp line ran down from her eyes towards her chin, where a single tear had run across it. She was crying?
Suddenly, Lucy felt lonely in the crowd. The hole in her chest ached a little more and the noise at the back of her head rattled a little louder. There was something important she was forgetting about, something painful but something important, but she couldn't quiet reach it.
"LUCY!" A loud, annoying and all too familiar voice bellowed. From the sea of the ground, a tall pink hair boy came flying through and crashed straight into her.
"NATSU!" Lucy screeched, pulling him off her despite his refusing strength to let go of her. "GET OFF ME!" Natsu let out a mischievous giggle, and stepped back with his adoring grin. Lucy's eyes narrowed into a pointed stare and then she let them soften. "What were you doing? You look like a mess." Lucy grumbled, reaching forwards to fix his crooked bow tie and collar.
"Luce?" Natsu muttered. Lucy turned her head up, meeting his dark black eyes. They stared at her like glass with a knowing gleam that caught her breath. Suddenly, her heart squeezed in her chest and burst into a sprint. A hot blush burned on her cheeks even worse than before. Their closeness became all too obvious to her. Lucy drew back but Natsu took a step forwards.
"W- What?" Lucy grumbled, chaining her gaze heavily to the ground.
"Why were you crying?" He asked softly.
"I wasn't." Lucy denied, trying to turn away. Her burning cheek grazed something warm and soft, drawing her back to his face. Natsu's hand cupped her cheek, his dark eyes staring into hers. There was seriousness about his gaze that froze her in place. It was consuming and unwillingly dragging her closer. All her thoughts came to a slow stop, locked in his dark abyss.
Suddenly, his gaze switched back, and his head turned sharply away. Lucy gasped, taking a quick step back. Her breath caught back to her and her heart raced even faster in her chest to the point it almost hurt. What just happened? What was she just about to do? Why couldn't she look away?
All her mind was spinning in each and every direction that she could barely find her bearings.
"Lucy look!" Natsu suddenly spun back on her.
"W- What?" Lucy snapped, spooked by his interruption in her fluttering thoughts.
"It's snowing." Natsu grinned with the excitement of a child alight in his eyes. "Let's go!" Lucy looked down to see his hand extended out towards her, bearing his smile. There wasn't even a shred of hesitance as she reached forwards. Suddenly, that man's voice resonated in her ears. 'I hope you find that hand, Lucy'. She had no idea what he was talking about, but as her fingers slipped into his warm, big hand, that little missing piece in her heart seemed to swell, and then it was so small it was barely there.
His hand guided her forward, weaving in and out the twirling people like fish in a river. When they finally came to the end, Natsu and Lucy stepped out into the outside. Darkness swallowed up the light ahead of them, cold breezes cut across her skin, music silenced into the night. Lucy slowed to a walk and then a stop, her shoes clicking against the open patio. Magnolia city glowed in the distance from the mansion host of the ball. Grey clouds swallowed up the sky with small cracks, allowing the starlight to twinkle through. "Look!" Natsu called, raising his free hand up and opening his palm. His other warm hand stayed wrapped gently around Lucy's small one. Lucy mimicked him, raising her hand outstretched outwards. Sure enough, a small white snowflake twirled in the breeze, influenced by the weak cold air. It settled into her hand, and turned into a droplet of water almost instantly. As Lucy looked up, thousands of snowflakes began to pour from the sky, settling down like a shower of white on the ground and skin.
Natsu pulled down on his hand, bringing Lucy to his side. His bubble of heat cocooned around her like a weightless blanket. "It's beautiful."
"You wanted it to snow right?" Natsu grinned. Brown eyes watched his face curiously. She thought back through her memories, and realised she didn't remember ever telling Natsu she wished it would snow. However, the familiar but foreign memory of Natsu and Lucy looking out into the cold sky from her warm bedroom window bristled in her vision, although she couldn't recall anything of the like happening. As far as she knew, Natsu was just guess, or he knew her just that well. Either way, Lucy couldn't help but smile.
"Natsu," Lucy spoke. Just as Natsu turned his head towards her, a soft warm peck caught his lips. It was quick and sudden but it froze Natsu in his place like ice. Lucy lowered herself down from her tiptoes, staring up at him with big warm eyes that seemed to swallow him whole. His blood was on fire pounding through his veins. His heart was racing rapidly in his chest. And his whole body tingled with energy. But at the moment, he was only vaguely aware of his body. All he could see was Lucy. "Thank you." She whispered with a gentle smile.
"F- for what?" He mumbled, regaining himself and turning away. His face was beat red, and he was hot with embarrassment, but his eyes continuously strayed towards her face. A small pink blush was on her cheeks, but they could just be red from the cold. Natsu's head was too dull to think of anything.
"I'm not sure; I just had a feeling I had to thank you." Lucy spoke softly. Her brown eyes trailed down her arms to his hands, where the faint glimmer of the scars decorated his skin. It wasn't noticeable if you weren't looking for it. But Lucy knew exactly what to look for. She didn't know why or how they got there, but at the same time, something inside of her told her everything she needed. It warmed her inside, the way you recognised yourself. They were a part of them both somehow. She had seen them on Erza and Gray as well, but it wasn't the same.
"In that case, thanks, Luce!" Natsu turned to her with a bright smile.
"What for?" Lucy asked, surprised by the twist in conversation. Natsu's grin softened into a distant smile. He slung his arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a close side hug.
"Everything." Natsu replied confidentially. Lucy was stunned for a small moment, but settled quickly into his arms, overlooking the snow falling like feather-white stars.
"And what are you two doing?" A voice appeared behind them.
Natsu and Lucy leapt apart, their faces a burning red. Gray, in his slick black and white tuxedo, looked between them suspiciously, and Erza, in a royal blue dress that stuck close to the curves of her body, came up beside him. She gave them both a small grin, and eyes that told them she knew something. They both waited for something to come, but nothing did. Erza simple moved up beside them and looked over the view through the veil of falling snow. "What a pretty sight." She said.
Gray seemed oblivious, and moved with a pale shade to his face.
"What's up with you, ice princess?" Natsu grinned.
"What about you, matchstick!" Gray retorted groundlessly, clashing head with the pink-haired boy.
"Some silver-haired man started dancing with Gray." Erza said to Lucy. "Something about Gray being cute or something."
"I wonder if that's the same guy I danced with earlier. I had a feeling he wasn't quiet straight." As soon as the words left her mouth, Gray fell into a blue depression, muttering something about 'why do men...always with?' Lucy added, watching Gray's face turn beat red. "Although he seemed like the tsundere type and probably bully the person they liked. Maybe he liked you, Gray." Lucy added, watching Gray's face turn beat red.
"So, what were you two doing?" Erza cut in like a knife, glancing between Natsu and Lucy. They both took on Gray's approach of turning tomato red. Erza laugh with Natsu, Gray and Lucy each trying to desperately explain their situations, simultaneously embarrassing themselves more.
Their chatter floated up the three story walls towards the roofs. The two figures sat on top, one with long grey hair leaning over. He slipped free of his loose black tie and pushed it deep into his pockets. "I never like these types of events." He grumbled.
"You weren't supposed to go in, Silver." Another man grumbled, a white cloak fell over his shoulders; the hood drew back over his shoulders. Short pink hair rustled in the strong rooftop breeze, dampened by the falling snow.
"Neither were you." Silver retorted. The other man silenced.
"I was just making sure they didn't remember anything." The other man finally replied, his gaze cast aside for a flicker of a moment of the edge of the rooftop. They touched over the pink haired boy and his friends laughing happily in the falling snow.
"You mean you checked on junior." Silver said with a sly smile.
"I wouldn't get any ideas, Silver." The man growled.
"Don't worry, One. I would do no such thing." Silver waved him off, leaning over the building edge. "I'm just glad we finally got him."
"Aren't you satisfied? You repented for your sins afterall." One suggested.
"Satisfied?" Silver scoffed. "I doubt I'll be anything of the sort. There's no way I can repent for what I did to that girl or all those people."
"It was our fault. We were the ones who made you infiltrate Jeadou's schemes, to befriend him, so we could take him down. We had no idea it would be so long." One corrected him. "We also had no idea it would lead to Layla's daughter."
"So I suppose you got one reward after everything." Silver muttered.
"After Layla went missing twenty years ago, we thought we would never find her." One said, turning the edges of his cloak against the push of the wind.
"Who would have guessed both yours and hers would end up together like so. I suppose leaving him with your old dragon friend didn't quiet have the isolated effect you were looking for." Silver chuckled, watching Natsu and Lucy below him with a gentle smile. One ignored Silver's comment and pressed forwards.
"I never thought she would have a child, after everything the profit said." One said, his blue eyes hazed with memories of the long forgotten past.
"'A child born under six stars and one moon, of humble home, hair blonde as gold, eyes as warm as chocolate, and skin as fair as snow and heart as rare as painite. But beneath the beauty is an old and omnipotent light tempted to be smothered by darkness with the power to change the world as we know it.'" Silver recited. "Layla had six keys at the that time and the date shows that Lucy was born under a full moon at midnight; the moon's highest point, right? I suppose if it was fate there was no escaping it."
"I maybe you're right." One agreed softly, raking a hand through his soft pink hair. "All we can really do is at least protect it from being smothered by darkness."
"A power to change the world, huh?" Silver sighed, rising to his feet, swinging his jacket over his shoulder. "I think the real question is will it change for the better...or the worst?"
That's the end for Shadows. Although Lucy and Natsu may have forgotten what's happened, deep inside it seems their feelings can't forget. Everyone's happy and were able to go to the ball. Jeadou was arrested.
However, Silver and the mysterious One, talk of a foreboding message. Could that be what's in stock for Lucy's future and what's hidden in her past? Well, maybe in another story...
I just wanted to thank all the people who followed, favorited and reviewed, which whether you intended to or not, really helped support me as I wrote this, So I hope you all will maybe read another one of my stories, or keep an eye out for more of my stories. So, thanks everyone.