***I do not own Fairy Tail, nor its characters or its storyline. But you already knew that, didn't you.***
I didn't recall getting on the train. When I finally looked about, I already stood on the platform, Magnolia in front of me. And I remembered walking to the station, how Claire had waited on a bench there, smiling at me sweetly.
"I can't wait to see you run again, Lady Coward. Then I can break you other arm," she had said, and I had felt myself turn cold. And now I stood here, in the place I still didn't know if I belonged in, and still clad in the clothing borrowed to me yesterday. The tank top and the sweatpants needed to be washed before I could return them, so this was all I had. I started walking then, painfully slow, towards the only magic guild in town. Fairy Tail, a place that was not made for cowards. I shouldn't be here. I really shouldn't be here.
But if I ran, I would say goodbye to my other arm.
As I opened the door to the guild I was almost greeted by a chair to the face. Luckily I managed to avoid it, a habit it almost felt like I'd been born with, ducking, and I entered. The hall was scarcely lit, like usual, people laughing and drinking and brawling. A lot of them stopped what they were doing as they noticed me walking though, clad in the garb of the Salamander. I tried making myself smaller as I looked at my feet, focused entirely on them while walking over to the noticeboard. My cheeks were burning by the time I made it over there, and I lifted my gaze to find a mission.
A solo mission. Preferably far away. Preferably a long one. One that could give me the illusion of getting away without me actually running. That would give me a temporary escape without costing me the arm. One broken arm was bad enough. At the moment I had bandaged it, and had made a sworn oath to myself not to move it around. As long as I didn't, it would look like a scratch of sorts rather than anything serious. Suddenly I sneezed, and had to hold back a groan as the repercussions went through my body, including my arm.
"So, is Natsu still asleep?" Mira asked casually where she stood right next to me, pretending to be studying the notice board herself. She almost gave me a heart attack right there.
"Probably." I replied. If he wasn't here yet, he would most likely be sleeping still, yes.
"How'd the mission go?" she asked further, and I smiled. Looked at her and saw her smile falter slightly.
"It went well. It was only moving a few boxes around. Is Master around?" I said it all calmly. Ah, yesterday, when all was forgotten for a few thrown words and a good meal. Before Claire turned up. Before I was reminded of what I was. Lady Coward, the one that runs. I am nothing.
"No. He's out of town, actually, on a meeting. Why?" she replied, Mirajane, the beautiful barmaid.
"Okay. Would you approve for this, then?" I replied, handed her a flyer I just picked off the board.
"You sure about that? It's pretty far away, and looks rather difficult..." Mira said, and I was about to come with a comment involving how I would handle it somehow when suddenly, the door burst open, and a body was sent flying through the opening. The one that stood there, his fists clenched as he entered the guild after the flying body? Natsu Dragneel. He spotted me, and raised an arm in a greeting.
"Yo." he said, simply.
"Yo..." I replied, confused by his behavior.
"Natsu, that is no way to treat a lady," commented Elfman cooly where he sat on the counter by the bar, right in front of Levy that didn't even flinch upon the sudden proximity. He had been tossed there only moments before the brawl he had participated in ended.
"I bloody well knew you were a fool, Lady Coward, but I didn't know you were a snitch, too." said the voice of Claire as she stood up from where she had landed on the ground, wiped blood from the edge of her mouth. She was staring at me intently, a smile twitching ever so slightly, but her eyes telling me the truth. She was positively pissed off.
"Claire..." I muttered, my eyes wide. What was she doing here? Why..? She wouldn't willingly mess with other members of this guild. It was too early, even for her.
"I haven't mentioned you to anyone," I added, walked over to her, slowly without getting too close, checking her for injuries. She seemed alright. A bit roughed up, perhaps, but nothing the girl couldn't handle. So I looked at Natsu again.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"She gave you this note, didn't she?" ha declared, held up the crumpled remains of what I could only assume to be my note. I blinked.
"So?" I said.
"He doesn't get it, since he's too STUPID to be a coward." Claire laughed, coughed a bit. Now I turned wide eyed over to her. That would have to be the closest she ever had been to giving me a compliment.
"Did you hit your head when you fell?" I asked her, looked her over once more to see if I'd missed any injuries that might possibly be fatal. Since I saw nothing I took a few steps closer, used my good hand to check her forehead for a fever. Nothing. In a swift movement however, the situation changed as Claire ceased to be the victim in Fairy Tail since she.. well, gained a hostage. Her grin returned, and she almost caressed my cheek with her own where she stood behind me, holding a knife to my throat. And the line returned.
"Run, run, as fast as you can. I'll still break your arm." she said, loud enough so anyone could hear it, and then she was gone. Or rather, then WE were gone. One moment I was held hostage by her, her knife so close that it might already draw blood, the next, she let me go as we found the both of ourselves in the middle of the forest. The sudden teleportation left the both of us breathless for a moment, but then we stood there, staring at each other.
"That was a bit over dramatic, wasn't it?" I asked, and she shrugged.
"You ratted me out." she accused me instead.
"Did not." I denied.
"Well SOMEONE did, 'cause he just upped and attacked me in the middle of the street while I was heading for the guild." she continued. Well, obviously he had found the note, and there was the slight possibility of him spying on me at the restaurant. Natsu, or that cat of his.
"YOU headed for the guild? Doesn't sound like you." I said instead. Why would she be seeking me out already?
"I was following you." she replied, looking away for a bit.
"Why?" I asked.
"I thought you'd run. You always run." she continued, her voice lowering slightly.
"Not this time." I replied.
"Well, I wanted to find out WHY. Is it because of him?" she asked, her voice gaining more strength as she set her eyes into mine again.
"Who?" I asked.
"The guy those clothes belong to." she said, and I looked down, realized once more that I indeed still wore his clothes.
"Natsu? No. I don't know." I replied. I genuinely didn't know why I had chosen not to run this time. Maybe because no one around me were running away.
"I don't like him." Claire continued.
"You don't like a lot of people." I commented, and that was a given truth.
"Well I like him less than normal." Claire specified, her voice getting stubborn.
"Okay... Are you jealous?" I asked her then.
"NO!" she exclaimed, perhaps a bit too fast, but I let it go.
"Just wondering, since you almost complimented me earlier, calling me smarter than him, and you complimenting me is almost like Aquarius WANTING to work with me." I explained. In other words, compliments coming from Claire were RARE.
"Is NOT!" she protested. Why was she trying to make herself look good?
"It is, and you know it." I said. Wasn't like I was accusing her or anything. Claire was merely not the complimenting kind. It made her who she was.
"Well.. I don't want you hanging out with him anymore." Claire said then, her eyes averting mine again.
"What do you suggest I do then, go back to HIM?" I asked. We both knew what GREAT idea that was, as in not a great idea at all.
"No..." she almost mumbled.
"What then?" I asked.
"Go with me..." Claire replied. Now THAT, was mumbling, right there.
"Go where?" I asked.
"I don't know. Somewhere..." she mumbled. Oh really now. She was getting shy, since this probably was very difficult for her, almost begging me as she was. I sighed, leaned against a nearby tree.
"Claire..." I began.
"What.." she said in a grumpy voice, looking at the ground.
"Claire, look at me." I said, and she did. Looked at me with silently pleading eyes.
"Has HE done anything to you?" I asked. We both knew very well that the conversation no longer revolved around Natsu.
"No. Just yelling. A lot of yelling. I've pleased him so far, but... Unless I bring you to him soon he'll really be mad," she said.
"You don't have to go back if you don't want to." I said then.
"Then what do you suppose I do? Stick with YOU?" she asked, her voice getting a tad shrilling. I looked at her silently. It always took a great deal of patience sticking with Claire. She was so STUBBORN at times. And sadistic. But right now, I reckoned she had something to say.
"MAY I... stick with you?" she rephrased the question, and there they were. The puppy eyes. Making her say THAT had to mean that she actually genuinely must've missed me despite our earlier disagreement. My gaze softened, and I wandered up to her, close so I could give the girl a hug. She needed one by now.
"Of course." I said. A simple answer without need for further explanation.
"I didn't think you wanted me anymore. You let me go." she continued in her wounded voice.
"I didn't think you wanted anything to do with ME since I was your new owner and you obviously had been through enough with the last one." I replied.
"I'm a dog, Lucy. Dogs are used to mistreatment. We don't deal with abandonment." she mumbled into my neck. I let go of her then, put my hands on her shoulders.
"I'll remember that. Now would you mind taking me back?" I asked her nicely, and I saw some of the old spark return in her eyes. Canis Major, a Spirit I had attained a year ago. One of my first ones. Her and Aquarius. Safe to say my first introduction to spirits had been eventful. At least Cancer was somewhat docile.
"No." she said, suddenly grumpy, but not sad grumpy. Just grumpy. Ah, the mood swings. How I had missed them...
"And why not?" I asked.
"I'm going back now." she declared.
"OI, CLAIRE. Don't you.. and, she's gone..." I muttered to myself, alone in some forest as Claire returned to the Spirit world. Great. Just.. great.
***Don't know if you saw it coming, but I do like throwing some curve balls every once in a while just to make things more interesting. Until next time!***