Reposted because I changed a few stuff.
~\Chapter 3/~
~**Maybe I'm Back**~
\***/
Shoyuu poked at the flower situated at the purple vase in the middle of their table for the tenth time, bored once again as she waited for her mother to wake up. She bloated her cheeks in a pout as she scowled at her, she didn't take that long to eat. Shoyuu looked down at the four now empty plates in front of her and nodded.
Definitely didn't take that long.
Lucy sneezed in her sleep, surprising the five year old a bit. Seeing that her mother was still residing in dreamland, she sighed. Shoyuu didn't have the guts to wake her up, she knew her mother long enough that she gets cranky when forced out of sleep. Uncle Loke had the scars to prove it. Slowly she raised her head that was leaning against her palm and slid off her seat, reluctantly ready to wake up the blonde. She needed to go to the bathroom and there was no way she's going alone.
'If only Na was here…' Shoyuu weepily thought.
As she was about to raise a hand to her mother's shoulder, a spot of green got caught in her peripheral vision. Whipping her head to the right she saw green hair just as it walked past the glass doors of the restaurant. Her eyes brightened, it must be Uncle Carol! He must be looking for them and passed by them without noticing.
'Savior!' She rejoiced in her head and ran outside the doors. Looking around for a bob of green hair, she found it running towards somewhere wearing a cloak. "Uncle Carol!" Shoyuu yelled and ran after the green-haired figure. "Hey! Uncle Caroool!" She shouted louder, but the person didn't stop. Frowning, she turned around for a while and yelled, "I'll be right back Mommy! I'll just go get Uncle Carol!" and with that, she resumed running after the mysterious figure.
"I'l…e…ht…ba…k…M…my!"
"…Sho…yuu…?"
"I'll just…g…et…cle…rol!"
"…w…what?"
"…cy…Luc…Lu…y…LUCY!"
"What the—!" Lucy jolted up in her seat and looked up to see her green-haired perpetrator smiling sheepishly down at her. With sleepy eyes, she scowled up at him and seethed her teeth. "What the f**k do you think you're doing ruining my sleep, pal?"
"Ahaha, I'm sorry I'm sorry. Just wanted to wake you up that's all, people were starting to look at you weirdly," Carol said, scratching the back of his neck.
The blonde only scoffed in reply, "I don't give a damn. Sleep is shameless."
"If I may please include that your bill is just sitting a few centimetres in front of you," He prolonged it a little bit for dramatic effect and the blonde growled at him. Lucy looked down and sure enough, her bill for the much needed food was glaring right up at her, demanding 3,046J. Her jaw dropped. She didn't have that much money!
"I already paid for it so no worries," Carol shook it off with his hand, pride proudly etching into his face until Lucy looked back up at him, tears smearing down her face. Carol jumped in shock and panicked, "Hey hey! I d-didn't mean to make you cry! I-I'm sorry for whatever I did—!"
"Carol-nii…you're an angel."
"…um…"
Lucy animatedly wiped away the grateful tears on her cheeks and smiled brightly at the man, who uneasily smiled back. Looking back down at the bill she sighed in relief, thankful that Carol was finally here to help her out once again. She smiled as she adjusted the combat glove on her right hand.
Carol had given them some jewels just in case they got lost without him earlier. Although, they did technically got lost a little. Lucy and Shoyuu got on the wrong train and it left one hour earlier before the next train to Magnolia would arrive. Lucy had to pay almost every jewel Carol gave her after getting off the train. It didn't seem like that big of a deal until Shoyuu demanded food a little after they explored the town and Lucy thought that the money they had left would be efficient enough to grab at least some bit of grub for her.
She just had to pick this fancy restaurant and that definitely made sense to Lucy now.
That girl and her stomach.
Lucy shook her head disapprovingly when suddenly she flinched. Looking around frantically she realized, her daughter's red streaked black hair was nowhere to be found.
Where...is...
"C-Carol-nii."
"Yea—" He stopped short when Lucy harshly grabbed at the front of his shirt.
"Have you seen Shoyuu?!" She asked standing up. "Where is she?!"
"I-I don't know! I just got here! I just thought that she went to the bathroo—" Carol finally caught on with the horrid look on Lucy's face. Shoyuu…she never goes to do her business by herself. Shock and worry etching across his face he slowly said, "D-Don't…don't tell me she—!"
"F**K!" Violently letting go of Carol's collar Lucy kicked down her chair and paced around, ignoring the strange looks sent at her and runs a hand through her hair almost grabbing it, "Where could that little brat have gone off to?! Ah sh*t," she swore walking towards the exit, "I shouldn't have dozed off. Now who f**king knows where she could have gone off to…"
Hair all around her body started to stand up. This can't be happening, this is a really bad time for her to be lost! Lucy's mind flashed back to how the red streaks on her hair were only starting to grow. The month just started, she's basically defenseless and vulnerable and who f**king knows what might happen to her without her magic?!
"F**k. F**k, f**k, f**k…" Lucy repeatedly swore as she pulled out a key from her belt. That key shaped like an arrow with a little mustache in the holder. The blonde sighed and thrusted it forward.
'If only Na was here…'
"Gate of the One Thousand Directions!" She shouted as she ran forward, the key glowing in bright blue rays. Finally, she yelled, "I open thee!"
'That kid better be safe.'
"Master, that's enough booze for one day don't you think?" Mirajane inquired, laughing nervously at the old man as he gulped another barrel. Savoring the taste of it in his mouth, he takes a minute before replying.
"Call it Cana's influence."
"More like she got the influence from you Master," Levy pointed out, sliding in next to him at the bar giggling. Makarov only replied with a grunted smirk, a greeting he had grown accustomed to giving her, before diving his head into a new barrel of drunk heaven. The little bluenette looked up at the one who gave him said barrel and smiled. "Good morning Mira!"
"Good morning Levy, welcome back." Mirajane answered politely, preparing the orange juice Levy usually orders in the morning. Glancing her way the barmaid wiggled her eyebrows and cooed, "How's things going with a certain, oh, I don't know, iron dragon slayer perhaps?"
"Mira!" Levy scolded at the matchmaker blushing slightly, the latter nodding and answering with a short reply of 'Fine, fine.' Sighing, Levy said, "I haven't actually been seeing him a lot lately. I haven't been here a lot recently, it's been a busy year for me."
"You've been busy alright."
"Gajeel!" Levy said in surprise as the heavily pierced man sat beside her sighing. His presence wasn't what shocked her, it was his hair. It had been cut up until his neck. It must have been over the month, since the last time she saw him.
"Maybe if bunny girl were still here you probably would have hung around more huh shrimp?"
At that, the entire guild hall went silent.
The bluenette stammered. "G-Gajeel?"
"It's true isn't it?" Gajeel once again asked, Mira's now slightly sullen face catching his glance as she handed him his usual drink. Gulping it down, he continued, "You haven't been around much ever since she suddenly disappeared. You were usually gone for only a few days, then weeks, and now, at least one to two months. Yes, we were all aware, now quit giving me that shocked look of years."
Levy wasn't able to find the words to answer to him, so she stayed quiet. The guild mates glanced around at each other sadly, sighing, then going about their usual business. The bluenette gripped her juice, furiously fighting off tears.
"Cheer up Levy-chan! Guess what? So you'll cheer up, I promise to try and finish my novel twice as fast now. So you'll finally be the first one to read it!"
"What's with the sad face little one~?" Levy jolted a bit in her seat when an arm suddenly slung over her shoulder, nearly pushing her off her seat. Her nose catching the familiar scent of patronizing alcohol, she looked up and gasped.
"Cana?!"
"I'm back you bastards!" Cana cheers, the guild cheering along with her and her return. "So a little birdie told me you're back! Good to see you again shrimp!" The booze-addicted woman said, ruffling the poor girl's hair.
"Only I call her that…" Gajeel quietly protested but was ignored by the drunk.
"At least your hair looks decent…" She remarked at the dragon slayer before turning her attention back to the script mage. "Missed ya last time, now I'm never gonna stop hugging you~!"
"Please, don't stay true to that." Levy rolled her eyes, then she tried to glance behind her shoulder, "Isn't Alzack with you?"
"Bisca too, and Asuka. Don't know where the hell they went."
"Apparently this is hell," A twelve year old girl with short hair cut up to her shoulders emerged from behind the card mage, scoffing, "Seriously, quit running around. It's like I'm not the child around here."
"Asuka!" Levy exclaimed, the pre-teen smiling when she saw the bluenette.
"Welcome back Aunty Levy."
"Levy! You're here!" Alzack shouts, bursting through the guild doors. "Haven't seen you in forever!"
"A month, actually…"
"Well then you're just gonna have to get used to exaggerations because it really did felt like you were gone in forever." Bisca said, coming inside after him.
Levy looked around confused. "Um, why is everybody cutting their hair all of a sudden?" She asked when she noticed that Bisca's hair was also cut short, only hers was cut into the hairstyle she first had back when she first entered Fairy Tail.
Bisca giggled and shook it off, "I was the one who cut Gajeel and Asuka's hair, they asked for it. I just figured that maybe I'd cut mine too,"
"Ah…" Levy nodded in understanding.
"Don't worry," Cana assured, "I got confused too."
"Mom, can I get a mango juice?"
"Sure hon." Bisca walked up to the bar beside Gajeel, Asuka in tow. Raising a hand up to Mira she called out, "Mira! One mango juice and a whiskey please?"
The barmaid nodded and smiled, "Coming right u—"
"UNCLE CAROL!"
Everybody's heads turned to the guild doors as suddenly, a little girl flew inside, diving into the hardwood floors with a thump and a whimper. Everyone glanced at each other questioningly. Suddenly, their attention went back to the little girl who looked like she was just at about the age of four or five as she stood up, dusting herself off.
"Who's the kid?" Cana asked no one in particular, whispering.
"Don't know," everyone at the bar replied whispering as well.
They watched the little girl as her strangely colored hair flail around as she looked around the hall, unaware of all the attention that was being sent at here. They watched as she glanced around until her eyes locked with…Bisca.
By this point some already lost interest and went back to their usual business, but a few who lingered their stare for a while got to see how her shoulders slumped when a dawn of what looked like realization hit her.
Makarov slipped himself out of the seat beside Levy and walked towards the little girl. She didn't seem to be aware of his presence nearing, disappointment still seeming to be clouding her. At this point Bisca was staring at her strangely, wondering what that was about. By the time Makarov was already in front of her was when she finally had the urge to look up.
"Are you lost child?"
"U-Um, u-u-uh…erm…n-no…"
"What brings you here then little one?" He asked, putting a hand on her at first hesitant shoulder.
"I-I… " She faced Bisca again. "I-I-I, I w-was looking…for…s-somebody…I g-got the w-wrong idea I-I-I'm sorry!" Attention settled on her again once more as she started to cry. "M-Mommy's p-p-probably mad a-at me…"
"Why would she be mad at you?"
"B-Because I-I-I ran off without a-asking a-a-and—" she didn't get to finish as she sniffled and sobbed. Makarov pulled her in for a hug and patted her back. Mirajane quickly came next to him and offered the child a small smile, holding a glass of water on one hand and a glass of milk on the other.
"Which one would you like?" She asked gently.
The little girl seemed enchanted by the beautiful woman, because she almost immediately calmed down, sniffling, "T-The milk…please…" Mira smiled once again and handed her the milk before running back to bar and putting the glass down.
Levy stared from Cana's grasp as Makarov continued to console the kid. "What exactly is going on?"
"Seemed like she thought Bisca was the one she was looking for." Everyone glanced at the dragon slayer and he raised a brow. "What? I heard it from here and she seemed to be looking at her a lot."
"Well, I'm confused. Why would she think I'm the one she's looking for?"
"You must have had something in common with the one she was looking for. The best reason I could think of," Alzack said, standing next to her.
"Dad might be right…" Asuka says, but she seemed to be staring at the kid rather intensely.
Bisca noticed this and asked, "What's wrong Asuka?"
"Um, guys?" She suddenly asks, still staring then faces them, "Don't you think she looks…pretty familiar?"
Levy frowns at this and tries to take a closer look at the silently weeping child, untangling herself from Cana's arms. Strangely enough she let her. The little girl notices her approaching and tries to hide into Makarov's chest, the latter asking her what's wrong. The girl just shook her head a bit stiff as she watched Levy go closer a bit more, until…
"Who…are you?" Levy asked.
Makarov turned his head to glance at her, noticing her presence. The little girl hesitated and looked at the Master, who gave a reassuring nod. She then faced Levy, and said.
"M-M…m-my name is—!"
"SHOOOYUUU!"
Levy jerked up at the familiar voice, and so did the rest of the guildmates. "Is that…?"
Suddenly, the guild doors bursts open to reveal a young blonde woman who had a panicked scowl on her face. She glanced around with fierce speed until finally, her eyes locked into the little girl in Makarov's arms. "There you are you little brat! I've been looking everywhere for you!" She yelled mad, stomping towards the five year old. "Don't do that again you hear me?! I was worried sick and I almost killed Duffrey because of you!"
"No kidding Seniorita." A walking dog suddenly entered the guild as well, a mustache right under its nose with it's thumb and pointer finger rubbing one tip of it. "She nearly killed Duffrey, making him pressured under tracking you,"
"Shut your fancy mouth Duffrey!" The dog with the heavy French accent quieted down in a second. Attention turning back to the girl, the woman yelled, "What do you have to say for yourself young lady?!"
"I-I—"
"Lu…chan?"
It was then realization hit the blonde when her eyes widened at the voice.
Looking up, she saw Levy, looking at her with great shock and a dropped jaw. She looked around and sure enough, the whole guild was in the same state as well.
"Oh boy…" Lucy muttered under her breath.
"Is that really you Lucy?!"
"I-I can't believe it."
"Lucy's back!"
"Lucy?!" The blonde whipped her head to the bar and saw Cana jaw dropping, walking towards her at great speed. "Is that really you?!"
Bisca brought a hand up to her mouth. "Lucy-san…"
"Lucy…" Lucy looked down at the little man behind her daughter who was looking up at her with great relief. "You're alright…you're…you're back."
"Master…"
"Lu-chan…" She looked up again to see Levy walking towards her, eyes streaming down her face as she threw herself into her, sobbing loudly. "Lu-chan! Lu-chan, Lu-chan, Lu-chan!"
Without knowing what to do Lucy just slowly raised her hands and hugged her back, but without knowing it, she was beginning to hug her back with just as much force. "Levy-chan…"
"Lu-chan!" Levy sobbed into her shoulder like a baby. "I MISSED YOU SO MUCH! LU-CHAN! WAAAAAH!"
Cana grinned at the two old best friends and raised her glass.
"LUCY'S BACK EVERYBODY!"
Everyone erupted into cheers.
All the while, the two girls just continued to hug each other as Levy resumed sobbing and wailing her heart out.
When the cheers died down a little, Lucy started to let go of the bluenette. The latter refused the first few times, but eventually let go as well. The blonde brought up a hand to her shoulder. "Levy-chan…"
"Lu-chan…you had no idea how much we missed you! You-you were always there, even when you weren't and—and, that's what made it hurt!" she whimpered out. "You were always there, even when you weren't and that scared me! T-That you might never actually be there again a-a-at, at all!" Levy looked down for a moment, then leaned her face against Lucy's chest. "I…I was afraid that I'd never see you again…"
Lucy gripped both of her shoulders and made her raise her head. "Levy-chan…I…I'm—!"
"Mommy?"
Lucy looked down at her daughter who was looking back at her in confusion. "Shoyuu…" she nearly forgot about her.
"Mommy…?" Levy piped in, Lucy stiffening as she faced back to the script mage, her eyes meeting with wide ones. "Lu-chan…don't tell me…"
Levy was cut off as a familiar voice called out, freezing Lucy down to her core.
"Lucy?"
Slowly, she turned around, and saw him.
"…"
…she smiled.
"Hey Natsu."
RR:
Guest(1): Updated :) A bit late but thanks for reviewing :3
alexis100: *shields myself with a non-suspecting Natsu* U-Um w-w-we'll have to wait and see ^^; Thanks for reviewing and hope you enjoy this late chappy :)
FANFIC lover: This one's a bit late but I'll try my best on the next one ^_^ Thanks for reviewing!
taboadayvonne: Updated :D
Guest(2): Thank you ^w^ Thanks for reviewing.
Re-ReNerdyGurl: Glad to hear it :3 Thanks for reviewing~
Once again thank you to all those who bothered to review to this story or favourite and followed. I shall now leave…because I get to write a featured article on our school newspaper! YOSH!
Enthusiasm in an A/N…who the hell am I? -_-
Please leave a review :3
-K-