Quick note: Yes, this was a chapter in Fairy Tail that I really liked. I thought it really showed how Natsu does care about Lucy, and how Lucy deals with things like this. I put my own twist on things to make it fit into the story. I know that things happen differently in the original story (like how this happens after the 7 year gap on Tenroujima), but I'm changing things up a bit. I've taken direct lines out of the manga, and here is where I cite them:
Some lines used in this chapter ARE NOT MINE. All credit for the sentences goes to Hiro Mashima, the creator of Fairy Tail.
Happy reading Fairies!
"Gate of the Southern Cross, I summon thee: Crux!" I said, swinging the silver key through the air. In a cloud of old gray dust, the ancient cross appeared in front of me. "Can you tell me where I can find the key to Pisces?" I asked.
Floating in mid-air, the spirit fell asleep. Natsu sat behind me on my bed and laughed.
"That guy fell asleep! How's he gonna help!" he chuckled. I shook my head.
"He's just thinking," I said. Natsu got up and started poking the bubble Crux made when he breathed out. "Natsu! Stop that!" I scolded. With a pop, Crux woke up. He sat straight and stared right at me.
"Pisces, the fishes. Though they have not been summoned in many years, someone does possess them."
"Who?" Natsu asked eagerly, jumping in front of him.
"I am not permitted to say."
"Oh come on! At least give us a hint!" Natsu pleaded. I rolled my eyes. If he wasn't allowed to say any more for whatever reason, then he wouldn't say any more.
"Natsu, it's ok-," Strangely, it was Crux that cut me off.
"I shall go against my orders and help you just this once. None of us spirits enjoy seeing Lucy in pain, as she is from the curse. This is the only time I will do this. They key is located in the town of Acalypha." With that said, Crux fell back asleep. I fell back onto my bed in my room and started thinking.
After thoroughly beating Natsu for grabbing my chest, he followed me back to my apartment where I could summon Crux and try to get some information on Pisces. My legs were completely fine after Wendy's treatment, but Natsu was either worried about me walking home alone, or worried about his personal health if he was left to face Erza alone again.
Acalypha. Of course, it had to be that town. For some reason, everything that happens in my life always drags me back to the town my father lives in. Was it just a coincidence, or maybe fate telling me I need to make up with him? Is this someone's way of telling me that I should forgive my father? Maybe it was about time. Now that I think about it rationally without anger, I can't really blame my father for everything he did when I was young. He was just so heartbroken; he didn't know how to handle me. I guess I was the same. I probably wasn't the easiest child to be around, especially right after mom died. Maybe I could go talk to him while we're there…
Natsu snapped me out of my thoughts with his giggling like a child. I glanced at him fleetingly, but had to stare in open-mouthed shock when I saw what he'd done.
Crux hadn't disappeared back to the spirit world yet. I cursed myself for leaving a marker on my desk. A moustache, unibrow, and nose hairs were now gracing the spirit's narrow face.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" he said, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet like an overactive nine year old. "Let's pick up Happy from the guild and get moving!"
I took a deep, soothing breath. I won't get angry, I won't get angry, I won't—I let the air go. "We need to pack first," I said, maneuvering my way around the sleeping, vandalized cross. I shoved the first clothes I touched in my suitcase and headed out with Natsu. We rescued Happy from embarrassing himself even more in front of Charle, let Mira know we were leaving for a few days, stopped back at Natsu's house so they could get their things together, and then set out towards Acalypha.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Hello! Is Jude Heartfilia here?" I asked the lady sitting behind the counter of the Love and Lucky building. Now that we were finally here, I'm positive this was the right decision. You can't change the past. You can only keep moving forward.
"Oh, dead. Do you happen to be Mr. Heartfilia's daughter? The lady asked. I nodded. There was something odd about her tone, though.
"Is he not here right now?" I asked. Natsu and Happy grew quiet behind me. They were sensing the same thing I was. Natsu took my hand. "Or maybe he got fired?"
I knew what was coming before she said it. "I'm sorry, dear. Jude Heartfilia passed away a few days ago."
The same stupid smile was plastered on my face. It was as if I couldn't control the bones in my body anymore. I felt like I was about to fall over, and I looked down to see my legs trembling. I looked at my hands and saw them shaking also. The woman stared at me sympathetically. "A letter was going to be put in the mail today to notify you." Slowly, my mouth fell down, forming a little 'o'.
"Luce?" Natsu asked from behind me. I wiped away my tears with the heel of my hand, only to find there were none.
"Thanks," I whispered to the woman. Without turning back, I walked straight out of Love and Lucky for the last time, not checking to see if Natsu was following me or not.
"His grave it right next to your mother's!" the receptionist called after me. He words went through one ear and out the other. I felt nothing inside. It was like my real self was hovering just in front of me, while the empty shell of my body moved forward. I saw Natsu trailing behind me with Happy helplessly. They didn't know how to handle me either, I guess.
With numb feet, I made my way to the only cemetery in Acalypha. I slowly trudged to the tombstone that I'd seen only once before, and the brand new one right next to it. Layla Heartfilia and Jude Heartfilia. Somebody even put flowers on both of them.
I'm an orphan. I have no family. No one-
"Lucy?" Natsu asked, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Are you—?"
I shook my head angrily. "Let's just leave," I whispered. I turned around and walked past him with my bangs covering my face. Not wanting to argue and upset me even more, Natsu followed behind with Happy wordlessly. The only sound was my suitcase bumping over the gravel in the street.
We were walking through the town towards the way we came in when we passed two girls. I didn't look up to see them; I only heard what they were saying.
"My dad smells sooo bad and he never shuts up! Just talk talk talk talk!" one said.
"Like, well,my dad is, like, suuuuper super annoying! Totally, like, y'know?"
"I wish he'd just hurry up and die."
"Right? Like, totally! For sure!"
"HEY, DAMMIT! YOU OVER THERE! CAN'T YOU FEEL THE MOOD HERE?" Natsu yelled at them.
"How could we? We don't even know you."
"JUST KEEP WALKING! HURRY UP!" Happy yelled. The two girls' footsteps faded fast.
"Stop," I said quietly. My friends froze. "Sorry… for making you worry about me."
"Are you okay, Lucy?" Happy asked.
"Yeah… it's just my dad… I was caught off guard…a few months ago, when I came here and tried to save him from those robbers…Back in Acalypha, that was the last time I saw my father. Ever since I was little… I didn't really like my father. On top of that, there was the thing about Phantom. But… after I talked to him, and he told me about my name, my relationship with my father seemed to change."
Natsu and Happy watched me sadly.
"He's the kind of person that would overwork his body into the ground… Why is it…? I'm so sad… and so lonely… But the tears just won't come out. Maybe I really do hate my father…"
"That's not true," Natsu said. "I don't really know how to say this, but whether your tears fall or they don't, I don't think that had anything to do with how you feel right now."
"He's right, you know," a new voice said. I looked over and saw a little old lady carrying a large bag of fruits. She had long silvery hair tied up in a bun. Her back was slightly hunched, but her face was full of laugh lines. "Excuse me for eavesdropping, but what he said is very true."
I nodded, feeling a tiny fraction better.
"Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?" she asked, gazing at the setting sun for a moment. We shook our heads.
"We were just going to find a hotel somewhere on the way back to Magnolia," I said.
"Nonsense. Don't waste the money! Come home with me. I'll make you some food and you can both relax while I get to know you!" she said cheerfully.
"Thank you so much, er, Ms….?" I stammered.
"Oh, dearie! I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Chika. And you are?"
"I'm Lucy. That's Natsu and Happy."
"Well, it's nice to meet you children. Now, young man, how about you take this bag for me, and we can set off to my home!"