The funeral was a grand affair.

To be honest, Lucy was shocked that Lord Heartfilia even bothered to have one. However, Miss Layla had many friends so Lord Heartfilia likely didn't have much choice. Lucy wasn't sure what scared her more; the sheer number of grieving well-wishers that swarmed the manor, or seeing Lord Heartfilia act so sad. She almost believed that he really did love Miss Layla, that he really would miss her.

Lucy knew better though.

She peeked beyond the door, to the room where the majority of Miss Layla's friends were. There were so many people. She'd never been around so many strangers without Miss Layla there with her. She'd have to get used to it though. Lucy bit her lip and plucked at her pretty black dress. Part of her wanted to enter, to listen to the ones who knew Miss Layla, to get to know the Miss Layla that wasn't her caretaker.

The rest of her was too scared to move. What if she messed up? What if she said something Lord Heartfilia wouldn't approve of? Even hearing what little she could from her spot by the door made her want to burst into tears. She couldn't do that in public again; Lord Heartfilia wouldn't like it. He said it was unseemly, whatever that meant.

Lucy ducked away from the door when a green haired lady glanced at her. She couldn't do it. It was too much too soon without Miss Layla's soothing presence. She should be grateful, that she could be out mourning Miss Layla in public. Instead she just wanted to curl up in a corner and cry.

She wished one of the other Lucys were out here instead. At least then she could, perhaps, learn about how everything went without being out in public. The Lucys of the 56th generation weren't allowed out at all; Lord Heartfilia didn't trust any of them to keep his secrets. Lucy didn't mind about that, she didn't want to see any of them disposed of because they were too young to know what could and couldn't be said in public. They wouldn't remember Miss Layla or her funeral anyway.

As it was, the other two of her generation and the Lucys of the 56th generation were locked away in the room that the younger Lucys now slept in. A large part of her wished she was hidden away with them.

The little girl wandered the hallways, ducking behind corners and the odd curtain whenever she would run across someone. A few tried to talk to her, but she could only squeak and hide. She didn't know how long everyone would be there for. They were all to leave before Lord Heartfilia had Miss Layla "buried." However that was only because she knew he wouldn't want anyone to know that Miss Layla wouldn't actually be buried in the cemetery. Only truly irreplaceable people could be buried there. Instead everyone Miss Layla knew was invited to come and stare at her body as it rested in a nice box.

Lucy knew that it was so Miss Layla's friends could see her one last time and to say goodbye, but it was still kind of strange to her.

Before she realized it, Lucy had somehow wandered to the corridor near Lord Heartfilia's office. She couldn't help but tense as she neared it. It had been nearly two weeks since Miss Layla completed the mission, and three days since she died. Though she watched carefully, Lucy couldn't see any signs of Lord Heartfilia getting ready to dispose of them yet. Lucy didn't even know if there would be signs.

Still, it would have been less suspicious if he'd disposed of them when Miss Layla was dying, to play it off as an accident she and her "daughters" had gotten into. It would also make sense to get rid of them sometime after the funeral. Most of the mourners had already seen her wandering around in a pretty dress looking sad, she didn't think it would take much for Lord Heartfilia to spin a tale to explain her sudden and abrupt disappearance or death.

While she really hoped Miss Layla was correct when she'd said Lord Heartfilia wouldn't likely dispose of them all, she couldn't see a reason why he'd want to keep them around. Not with Lady Leanna's mission complete. Lucy would just have to remain vigilant and keep a watch to see what Lord Heartfilia would do. At least for few years or so. If he wasn't going to dispose of them by then, then he wasn't likely to.

If he decided to create the 57th generation, then she knew she'd only live to 21. Miss Layla had said that Lord Heartfilia only allowed three generations to be around at any given time.

She was shaken from her thoughts at the sound of a door opening. She hid behind a potted plant and watched Lord Heartfilia exit his office alongside a man with curly dark brown hair. The man was clutching a golden key.

"…Sure about this, Mr. Heartfilia? I…Layla…"

"I am well aware of my wife's wishes. However, unfortunately in her grief, Lucy has decided not to pursue her studies in magic." He didn't glance at her hiding spot, though Lucy knew that Lord Heartfilia knew she was there. It was useless to hide from him.

Lucy twitched from her hiding spot. That was news to her. Even though he didn't tell them directly, Lucy knew Lord Heartfilia would keep to his word. They wouldn't be doing any magic anymore. At least, not Celestial Summoning magic.

Although she hadn't been able to see Cancer recently, due to Miss Layla's health, she could still remember him running his fingers through her hair and telling her stories as his scissors snipped at her locks. The thought that she'd never see him again hurt. There were other, vaguer memories as well, of other Zodiac spirits, of her splashing in a fountain with a mermaid, of her running around with a white haired Uncle.

Then there was the history lessons with Grandpa Crux and being taught how to sing by Lyra. Though Crux was long winded and tended to fall asleep, and Lyra was only available two days a month, the thought of never seeing either of them again brought new tears of grief to Lucy's eyes.

Wasn't it bad enough that Miss Layla was gone?

The conversation had moved on while she was still reeling in shock, however, surprisingly the two men did not. They stayed in the middle of the hall.

"…Others?"

"No, no sir…I…The key of Capricornus is more than enough…" He licked his lips and clenched the key tighter. "If I may ask…what will happen to the others?"

"They will be kept here for the time being. As for the rest…" Lord Heartfilia paused, as if he needed to think about it. "Their owners have already reclaimed them." That sounded right, Lucy recalled that Miss Layla had had to borrow the rest of the Zodiac Keys.

"I see."

Lord Heartfilia gave a sharp nod. "If that is all, I must see to the other guests." With that he turned sharply and stalked down the hall, past where Lucy was hiding. Lord Heartfilia still didn't acknowledge her presence, but she knew he'd likely scold her for lurking around later.

The man with the golden key didn't move. Lucy didn't mind, she didn't feel like moving either. If he wasn't going to have them practice magic, then why would Lord Heartfilia keep Cancer's key? It seemed like it'd be pointless to do so if Cancer wasn't to be summoned and while Lord Heartfilia did many things, he never did anything that was pointless. She couldn't help but feel worried for Cancer and the other spirits.

A small sob took her attention back to the man. He was clutching the key to his chest as tears rolled down his face. Lucy had never seen anyone look so pained before. It hurt just watching him as he whimpered out Miss Layla's name. She had the sudden feeling that she shouldn't be witnessing this, that the man should have his moment of mourning alone. However, it wasn't like she could leave, not without interrupting the man's pain.

So instead she curled up behind the plant, stifling any sounds she wanted to make and letting her own tears run down her face. Her own crying fueled by the grief of Miss Layla's passing and the worry she had for her spirit friends. She didn't know how long the two of them stayed like that, both lost in their own little worlds of pain and sadness. The man must have recovered though because the next thing she was aware of was how close his voice was to her.

"Oh." She glanced up. He was standing over her and Lucy could now clearly see the scars he had on his cheeks going from the corner of his lips. He made an attempt to smile at her, but quickly gave up. "You… you're Layla's daughter, aren't you?"

She didn't feel like lying, not to him at least, so she only sniffed and looked away.

"You look a lot like her, you know, I'm sure you'll grow up to be as beautiful as she …as she was…" He inhaled sharply, it looked like he was going to start sobbing again. The scars on his face accentuated his expression; it looked like his entire face was frowning. He gathered himself and gently placed the hand not clutching Capricorn onto her head. "She was a wonderful woman." Lucy looked into his glassy tear filled eyes, however she stayed silent. The man sighed and he removed his hand before turning to walk away. "I only wish she didn't have to leave so soon…"

Lucy stared at his retreating back. Part of her wanted to hug him, to tell him that she missed Miss Layla too. However, the look she'd seen in his dark eyes kept her rooted in place. It was a bad look, one that was too much like what lingered in Lord Heartfilia's own eyes when he looked at her, or at the others. One she knew he wore whenever he looked at the portraits of his long dead wife and daughter.

It was a warm summer's day, all the same, she shivered before picking herself up and going in the opposite direction of the man. Lucy didn't know what to call that look only that it didn't mean anything good for anyone. She hoped she'd never run into him again.