The Seven Swords of Lucy

Chapter 2: A Trip to Westeros

Lucy was walking down the beach. She didn't want to think about what she had done, but it haunted her nonetheless. She was guilty that she did that to her own teammates i.e. leaving them with a piece of paper. She had left hastily after she had left the note, knowing too well that Erza wakes up too early.

She wore a simple light blue t-shirt and a knee-length white skirt. She was also wearing a wide brimmed hat to cover her from the sun. She had kept her keys inside her bag, since she had felt that she won't need it right now.

The message on the note was not she wanted though. Lucy still wanted to stay in the guild. She still wanted to be a mage, to go to those crazy missions like what she had gotten before. She just wanted to be alone, to reflect, and to try to forget her feelings for him. But it didn't come out the way she wanted it to be.

It was not her nature to do those things, but she learned you must be selfish once in a while. Like what she's doing now.

She was now in Hargeon, a town by the sea. It flourished because it was abundant in fishing and other marine-related business. As far as she could remember, there was only one magic shop in the town center, which was where she had bought Plue. Something inside her mind there was something important that had took place in that little town.

Oh right, this was where I met Nastu and Happy…

It happened a year ago. That was the time that she already ran away from home a few months back. She was trying to find the right guild to enter to, still contemplating with Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. But luckily, she had met Nastu and Happy, who saved her from Bora of Prominence, who was trying to sell her to become a slave. Natsu and Happy were the ones too who recruited her to Fairy Tail. That started the best time of her life. And that was also the time I had met Gray…

She was near tears again, remembering him. She didn't want to leave him. She never wanted to leave him. But what could she do now? She already did.

Don't think about him Lucy; don't think about him, she shouted in her thoughts. But she couldn't let him out of her mind.

His sweet smiles…his voice…his face…his scent…his…

Don't think about those dirty thoughts Lucy, she scolded herself.

In order to drown him in her thoughts, Lucy tried to think about other things. But she can't find anything interesting stored in her mind.

All that was interesting is Gray, Gray, and Gray…

Embarrassed of herself by thinking of those thoughts, she ran to the sea. She didn't care if she got wet though; all that matters is that he would go away from her mind.

He's getting married! Better to forget him than love him behind his back.

Lucy had always found out that water can calm her. It has the capacity to let her mind go blank. She enjoyed the water very much, although it was warm because of the sun. Thinking of the water made her miss her rented room in Magnolia, since she had always liked the hot tub.

I wonder what the land lady would do if she knew I was missing…I still have some items left in there, especially my letters to my mother…

After her mother had departed from this world, Lucy has been writing to her almost every day, from what she eats every morning, to who she finds out sleeping on her bed in the evening. It was like writing a diary, just without the notebook.

She decided to get out of the water, since the sun was already up high, it scorched her. But as she came to pick her bags, a familiar figure was standing behind them. It was the man she hadn't seen for a long time. He had the face of a one-time antagonist who fought Lucy's team in the Tower of Heaven, but he had been a part of Fairy Tail.

It was Mystogan.

"I need your help," he said, still as a rock. But his eyes gave it all away. It looked like he had a problem, and it's a major one.

"Mystogan," Lucy managed to smile at him, trying to hide her pains. "It has been a very long time, isn't it? Why are you-"

"There's no time to explain," Mystogan interrupted her. It seems like he was on a hurry. "You're in a very grave danger, Lucy Heartfilia. The forces of darkness are watching you."

Where could have she gone?

That was in Gray's mind, ever since they started running to the direction where Lucy went; at least, at where Natsu could smell her tracks. He has always been pathetic, though…

But he started to go back to the main subject: Lucy's disappearance.

The letter had bothered Gray. He can't think of any reason why would Lucy disband from the guild. He had always thought that she loved it there, that her best experiences started there. She had always been screaming to the whole world that:

"FAIRY TAIL IS THE BEST!"

What could have we done to make Lucy leave?

He kept on thinking about the other factors and he had made this list:

Lucy was already tired of being a mage.

Lucy was irritated with their barging to her doors every day.

Lucy wanted a new adventure.

Lucy eloped with a guy.

Lucy was…

He thought of it as inevitable, but what if?

What if Lucy was affected by my relationship with Juvia?

But that's impossible!

To everyone's surprise, Erza was thinking of the same thing.

Erza was already shouting at Natsu about how stupid he is that he let Lucy run away. He supposedly had the best major senses. He didn't even sense Lucy running away?

Deep inside though, Erza was blaming herself. She was the one who was stupid, stupid enough not to notice.

Ever since the Gray and Juvia relationship started, Lucy has changed. Erza noticed that. But the others didn't; even Mirajane's powerful perception prowess defied it.

Who would have thought that Lucy Heartfilia, who was one of the saner members of Fairy Tail, would fall to the likes of Gray Fullbuster, who is a porn star in the making?

She started seeing the signs the night after Gray's dinner with Juvia.

START OF FLASHBACKS…

Erza Scarlet was walking down the street to Lucy's house that night. She had wanted to surprise her, as what she and the others were doing always. (OTHERS=Gray and Natsu)

Bringing with her some of Mirajane's no. 17 specialty dish (don't ask yet what that is), Erza had decided to go to Lucy. She noticed that she was down today. Her face looked like Armageddon came earlier than expected.

She was already at her doorstep when she heard someone crying from the inside. Her intuitions were right; she has a big problem. Erza was wondering what that is.

The scene ended when Erza barged inside her room and…

ANOHER FLASHBACK

Erza and Lucy was walking down the Alley Road, the best shopping place in Magnolia. They were deciding what to wear to Makarov's surprise birthday party.

On their way to the boutique where Lucy loves to shop, Erza saw Gray and Juvia also shopping. They looked like they had the fun of their loves, the way they smiled at each other. They were eating ice cream. How I wish there is someone like that to me too, she thought to herself.

She decided to drop the subject inside her mind, while bringing her attention back to Lucy. But she was dumbfounded by her expression. She looked pale and her eyes were near tears.

"Lucy, what's the problem?" Erza asked her. But she didn't answer.

"Let's go," Lucy said quietly, and went the other way, back to where they came from.

ANOTHER FLASHBACK

It was the day of Makarov's birthday party. The old man was still clueless about what's going to happen to him that night.

As usual, the guild was in chaos as ever. Gray and Natsu were fighting, with Gajeel and Lyon being little interruptions. Macao and Wakaba were chatting near the commotion. Reedus was painting the commotion, with exquisite detail. Cana was still drinking with the barrel of wine. Elfman is still saying silly speeches about what men really are, while Mirajane was at the bar stall entertaining other guests, typically the ones from the other guilds who were invited.

Makarov was sitting near where Mirajane was, holding his silly-looking staff (the one with the smiley face) and sleeping. Erza was keeping an eye on him, whether he had already found out or not. The other guild members were doing what they always do, but there was a devious look on them. They were already excited what would Master Makarov look like when he receives his surprise.

At about 11:59 am, the guild members were already getting ready. Their allotted time was nearing its end.

5 seconds…4…3…2…1…

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASTER MAKAROV!"

Everyone was already laughing at the old man, whose face was already near red with embarrassment. Makarov already knew that there was a surprise party planned for him, but he didn't know that it was today. All thanks goes to Mirajane and Erza's hard work to hide it from him.

It was a fun-filled party, with everyone taking laughs and, for the first time ever, at peace with other. No one was fighting; everyone was participating to the joy that everyone was making.

All of them except one.

Lucy was at the darkest part of the guild hall, drinking tea unlike everybody else, who were drinking booze or rather sodas. It seems like she was not in the mood. She kept looking wistfully at Gray, who was dancing with Juvia at time and, for the first time ever, wearing a complete set of clothes for a longer period of time. It seems like their relationship has advantages after all.

Erza saw what Lucy was doing. Her intuitions are now taking form.

END OF FLASHBACKS…

"Why didn't I talk to her back then?" Erza muttered to herself.

"What's the problem, Erza-san?" Juvia asked her, apparently hearing what she said.

"No, nothing," Erza answered, still thinking about the dilemma Lucy was making.

"Oi, Erza," Gray shouted to Erza, who was already panting due to running all day long looking for Lucy. "What about our mission?"

"I've already contacted Master all 'bout this," Erza responded to him while following Natsu. "I'm sure he'll understand. After all, our teammates are more important than any jewel found in the earth."

Gray grinned at her. But he was still looking Erza that he didn't realize they had stopped. He accidentally collided with Natsu and as a result, tumbled near to the edge of the cliff. Thankfully, Juvia had saved them with her Water Lock. They were nearly drowned because of it.

Natsu was just recovering from the water when he saw what place he was seeing from the cliff. It looked vaguely familiar to him.

Then it hit. It was a town by the sea, the town where he had met Lucy.

Hargeon. A ship was hovering by the docks.

"Natsu," Happy whispered to Natsu. "That's-"

"C'mon," Natsu said to them. "If we want Lucy back, we have to move fast. She's leaving Fiore."

"I don't understand," Lucy spoke to Mystogan. She was confused by what he said.

"You'll know everything later, Lucy Heartfilia," Mystogan said to her. "You only have to know one thing: you are in danger."

"But why? Who would try to hurt me?"

"Do you remember my father? The one who opened the Anima portals?" Mystogan asked her, letting her remember.

Lucy nodded. She had remembered when she went to the parallel universe of Earthland,
Edolas. It was one of her weirdest memories of Fairy Tail, where she had met some of her friends' counterparts. She had also known what Happy really was: an exceed.

"My father, Faust, wanted a vast supply of magic to Edolas, right?"

Lucy nodded. "So he used the Anima portals to steal magic from Earthland."

"Right, but he was defeated by Natsu, Gajeel and Wendy, stopping his plans," Mystogan continued. "Now he wanted revenge."

"But how- Wait a minute, how did you come here?" Lucy asked him, wondering. "I thought you could never go back again here?"

"I'm going to that point of the story," Mystogan responded. "But let me explain first what happened. Faust wanted revenge against us. So he used again the Anima portals. He reversed it again but not aiming for Earthland's magic. He had discovered something more powerful. He used the portals to steal magic from other dimensions."

Lucy gasped. "Is that even possible?"

"It is possible," he continued. "I don't know how he did it. But two things are for sure. First, the portal can destroy Earthland."

"Oh, no," Lucy gasped.

"It's power is the combined forces of a hundred or even a million Etherions. That's enough power to destroy completely Earthland and Edolas together, without leaving a trace they ever existed."

Lucy was aghast. How could that happen?

"Second, there's a possibility that it can be closed, forever."

"How?" somehow Lucy had known the answer. Why would Mystogan seek for my help, if I was not the one who can help him?

"I had consulted on one of the persons who came from other dimensions. She had the power of predicting the future, known to their world as an Oracle. One thing is clear on her prediction or shall we say prophecy. A blond girl who's holding a set of keys shall collect the seven swords and stop the portals from opening further. And there's only one girl who fits the description. You."

"What? Why me?" Lucy was dumbfounded.

"We'll talk later," Mystogan talked faster, like someone was chasing him. "I'll tell what to do. Do you see that ship?"

"Yes, but-"

He interrupted her again, leaving her speechless. "Ride that ship. It is bound to where they call the Seven Kingdoms, commonly known as the Westeros. Heard my father say that it is where the main portal is, where most of the beings will go. And the Oracle also told me that the girl should go to the West. From there and onwards, you must find your Seven Swords, the ones who are destined to protect you in this journey. Find them all; they are the keys to your success. On that note though, I found one of them. In fact, he's already aboard on that ship."

Lucy was still speechless. She just wanted to forget his feelings for Gray, but how did it come to this? She didn't want to be the girl in the prophecy. She's just an ordinary mage.

But the gears are already turning. She can't go back now. She has to save everyone.

"Who is it?"

"His name is Li Syaoran."