Chapter 18

"You read my journal...," the man sighed.

"Why?" The ghost asked quietly. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"You really want to know?" the man questioned with a sad smile. "Then I'll tell you."

"She's really pretty and seems nice, brother. You're lucky."

"I know. I know. I love her, I already told you. She just doesn't feel the same for me," the man with messy blonde hair sighed, a sad smile on his face.

"You're her fiance, she'll come to love you," the younger brother commented. The older man shook his head slowly.

"She'll never love me because she already loves someone else," he stated. "Eric, if she doesn't want to marry me...I don't think I could force her, even if her parents want us to be together."

"Brother! She confessed to me. I...I didn't know. I'm so sorry," the young boy mumbled as he watched his brother's face fall. He felt bad for falling for the girl, but he knew his brother loved her, so he knew he'd never be with her. "I'll turn her down. Don't worry."

"No, Eric. Be with her. Make her happy...in my place. She loves you...Not me," the man whispered.

"Really? Are you...sure?" Eric asked, feeling guilty for being relieved that his brother was giving him the chance to be with the girl he fell for.

"Yes."

What Eric didn't know was that his brother was not okay with their love. He watched them day after day, feeling his heart break every minute they spent together. A month later, Eric's brother was killed by thieves. Eric blamed himself at first for his brother's death. However, after looking back, he began to blame Lucky. He began plotting her death. He was the one who murdered his girlfriend. Later, he was killed in a fire that was caused by an old woman who forgot to put out her magic lantern, which fell and burnt the whole building down.

"Y-You were his brother?" The ghost exclaimed, clearly surprised. The man nodded. "You lied to me this entire time..."

"I was a fool who thought he was in love," the man shrugged. "It cost my brother his life."

"You told me he killed you."

"I rather had him kill me than him die...That's too bad that it didn't happen that way," the man sighed.

"I thought that...I didn't know he...I...," the ghost was crying again as she watched the stranger, who was once her boyfriend, through her blurred vision.

"I guess this is better than killing you," the man muttered. "To watch you suffer is much more entertaining."

"How could you?" Lucy yelled angrily. The man towards her and stared a moment before grinning.

"Ah. It's you. Thanks for the help by the way," he winked. Lucy looked shocked so he sighed before explaining, "You helped me out when I was injured in a different man's body."

Lucy thought back for a moment before gasping, "What did you do to him?"

"He died. The man was so weak," the man laughed. Lucy felt her blood boil as she glared at the man through angry tears. "Aw sweetheart, don't cry over a stranger."

"He was my father you murderer!" Lucy shouted as she ran towards the man to give him what he deserved. She was about to throw a kick when someone pulled her back.

"W-Wha?" Lucy murmured. She spun around to come face-to-face with Natsu. The ghost shook her head at Lucy.

"I'll take care of him."

"No! I will," Lucy declared, "you are still in Natsu's body after all."

"He rather be in danger than place you in danger," the ghost stated. "He has a knife," the ghost added, pointing at the man. Then, before Lucy could protest, the ghost ran and punched the man in the face.

"Eric you idiot!" The ghost yelled as she beat up the man. Lucy winced as she noticed the bruises forming on the man's face.

"Uhh...Lucky, let's remember he's possessing a body," Lucy reminded the ghost, who withdrew from her fierce one-sided battle with the almost unconscious man.

"Ehehe~ Sorry...Looks like I overdid it," the ghost giggled. Lucy shook her head at the ghost. There was a moment of silence before the ghost spoke up again, "It looks like its time for us ghosts to leave for good now."

"What? Eric's going too? I thought he'd put up a fight or something."

"I'll be dragging him along with me. His brother probably would like to see him," Lucky sighed. "I can't believe I fell for such a jerk."

"...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Well, I guess it's farewell," the ghost smiled. Natsu's body dropped to the floor and Lucy quickly muttered out a goodbye. She felt exhausted suddenly. That had been one weird quest. Natsu got back up slowly.

"Natsu...That's you, right?" Lucy asked, unsure.

"Yeah," Natsu nodded.

"Natsuuuuuu! Luuuucy!" Happy flew in.

"Where've you been Happy?" Lucy questioned the blue cat, her hands on her hips.

"I created a distraction earlier, but knocked myself out," the cat replied, proudly. Lucy laughed and patted Happy on the head.

"I'm so hungry," Natsu complained.

"Then let's start heading back," Lucy suggested.

"So how was the mission?" Gray asked Natsu.

"We defeated a ghost," Natsu declared while Lucy rolled her eyes at him, but didn't correct him.

"Ghost? There's no such thing," the ice mage stated.

"Oh there is," Happy said, "I distracted one." He hoped to impress Carla, but got no response besides a weird look.

"I'm tired," Lucy yawned. "I'm gonna head back now. Bye guys."

Lucy walked home slowly thinking back to what Eric had said.

He died.

"I can't believe that...My father couldn't have...," Lucy sighed. "I'm sounding like that ghost...I really need a warm bath."

xX End of Chapter Xx

Here's another chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it!