A/N:I have been really busy with school, so I have been a little slow in updating, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I have decided to reply to all my guest reviews at the bottom of every chapter as I couldn't pm them. Replies are at the bottom!(:
Natsu was clutching his stomach, making off-putting retching sounds as his face contorted in pain. His eyes were bleary and watery from misery, he was sure of it, hell would be on a train. No, on a train without Lucy. Natsu had searched for two days straight, getting off at each station and running around like a madman trying to find Lucy. He caught a whiff of Lucy's scent in Hargeon, but it was already stale. Natsu looked into every nook and cranny in Hargeon, and asked countless passers-by, but had no clue to where Lucy's current destination was. He had no choice but to carry heavy foot steps back to the guild, and he was now sitting on the train, green from nausea, without troia as a cure for his motion sickness.
Magnolia
Unlike his usual loud entrance, Natsu opened the guild doors with his hands for once, stepping into the guild soundlessly. After wolfing down plates of spicy food, he left the guild without saying a word to anyone. The few people at the guild in the morning casted worried glances at Natsu, assuming that he failed to find Lucy from the look on his face. The guild fell into depressing silence as the doors clicked shut behind Natsu.
(Natsu POV)
I laid on my hammock, wanting to get some sleep after two exhausting days of train rides and futile searching. I shut my eyes, at the same time trying to shut out my thoughts, but they only got louder, invading my mind. All I thought about was Lucy, but I don't want to think about her right now, it too painful, between missing her, worrying about her, and most of all, guilt towards her. I should have trusted her. I, of all people should have sided with her. I did not give her enough trust, and I was blinded by Lisanna's act, I assumed that everything was as simple as it was in the past. I really am dense, like Lucy had always said. How could I have not realised what a mistake I was making when I trusted Lisanna over Lucy?
(Kumori POV)
I sat in the empty room alone, looking out of the window as usual, with nothing to do. Erza said she was going on a mission before she left yesterday, but I could tell that she was trying to find Lucy-nee at the same time. Everyone was very regretful about their actions towards Lucy-nee, but I could never fully trust these people, they lose their trust in someone they claimed was important to them so easily, the way they treated Lucy-nee was no better than how the villagers used to treat me. I may never fully forgive Mira for attacking Lucy-nee, but Mira was also one of the only person in the guild I could truly connect with. Lucy-nee was the first person since my parent died to give me hope, she was like a warm ray of sunshine when I first saw her, brightening up my dark world with her kind smile, making me feel warmth and care in the cold night. Even though I had only known her for a day, after she saved my life, I know I will be indebted to her for life. I swear that one day I will leave this place and find Lucy-nee again, whatever it takes.
"Good Morning Kumori! I made some apple pie for breakfast, I saved some for you!" Mira bustled into the room with a basket hooked around her arm energetically, she looked almost a little too cheerful.
Mira placed the basket on the table, setting out a slice of apple pie on a plate, "You should hang out at the guild sometimes, its much more lively there, and you wouldn't be as bored. One day when you are older, you can become a mage of Fairy Tail too!" Mira gushed, excitement illuminating her face as she said the last part.
"Aren't you sad that your sister had been kicked out? Why are you pretending to be so happy?" Kumori asked bluntly, her face carrying an almost innocent, child-like look.
Mira smiled sadly, a flash of pain appearing across her features, "You are very perceptive for a child your age, Kumori. Of course I am sad, but I am more disappointed about what Lisanna had done, more than anything. She isn't the younger sister I used to know and love anymore, and I feel like a sinner for what I had done to Lucy..." her voice broke as tears welled up in her eyes.
Mira sniffled, a broad smile returning to her face, "But right now, everyone in the guild are hurting as much, the least I can do is remain positive and make delicious food for everyone!"
"Thank you, Mira-san." Kumori studied Mira with an unreadable expression, before turning to her apple pie.
Timeskip-3 months later
Meteor Island
"Alright! I have an announcement to make! From today onwards there will be a change in our training schedule, we will be starting our magical training! In the morning, we shall start with magical gathering and meditation, after lunch I want both of you to practice your individual magic types until you have no more magical energy. So for Lucy, you shall try to keep two gates open as long as possible, and Lucas, you can practice your Totem or Disassembly Magic, or anything of your other magic. Afterwards, we will still have hand-to-hand combat, but usage of magic will be allowed from now on! When I see enough improvements, I will start to teach you new magic, Lucy. Any questions?" Helva announced, her hands on her hips as she detailed the new training schedule.
"Finallyyyy!" Lucy sighed in relief, having enough of the monstrous amount of training for the past three months. It had paid off well though, her body was more toned that it had ever been in her life, and she was now much more better in hand-to-hand combat, being able to make Lucas completely out of breath from fighting her. Her magic levels also increased steeply.
"Don't get too happy, this will be as bad, just in a whole other way." Lucas warned, with a sly smile on his face.
"Hearing that does not make me feel better at all." Lucy grumbled, realising that the new training schedule may not be any better.
"I haven't fought anyone with magic for a long time, I am looking forward to using my Disassembly Magic on you!" Lucas said with an evil glint in his eye.
"Wait! You mean disassembly magic as in the same kind of magic as Gildarts?!" Lucy's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in amazement from the new information.
"Yeah, I heard about that guy before, he's a mage of Fairy Tail right? He's pretty strong from what I heard. What's the big deal?" Lucas confirmed nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow at Lucy's overreaction.
"Are you kidding me?! Gildarts is the strongest mage in Fairy Tail!" Lucy explained in agitation.
Lucas perked up upon hearing Lucy's words, "Oh, really? I never knew that...now I wanna fight him!"
Lucy gave him a defeated look, "Sometimes I really don't know what is going on in your mind, we are totally on different wavelengths."
"Alright! Enough talk, we don't have time to waste! We will start on magical gathering right here, right now!" Helva clapped her hands, snapping both of them into attention.
The duo don't need to be told twice, sitting down in cross-legged positions, they closed their eyes, and started gathering magical energy. It was relatively easy for Lucy, considering that she had been consistently training for the past three months, but as seconds ticked by and minutes turned into hours, Lucy began wondering when is Helva going to halt the training segment. Magical gathering require a lot of control and concentration over magical energy, and was definitely not an easy task to maintain over a long period of time, but when done religiously, increases magical levels drastically.
"Stop!" Helva's voice pierced sharply through the silence and the deep concentration of the two.
The swirling dust around Lucy and Lucas from the influx of magical energy settled back on the ground gently as they cracked open their eyes, blinking as they adjusted to the bright morning sun. Lucy stood up, joints cracking as she stretched from the few hours of sitting with a lazy yawn.
They started walking through the forest to the waterfall for their meditation.
Magnolia
Erza entered the guild, reporting about her completed mission to Mira, taking notice of the silence in the guild.
"Mira, Natsu haven't came back from his last search yet?" Erza asked while scanning the guild for a sign of Natsu.
"He came back this morning, but he went out after eating like every other time. I think he is at home right now." Mira replied with a frown.
"It has been three months! When is he going to get that all this searching is futile! Lucy probably don't have any plans of coming back anytime soon! I am going to make him come to his senses right now, he can't keep going on like this!" Erza's voice raised with her anger.
"Erza...give him some time-" Mira advised gently, not wanting any conflict between Natsu and Erza, before being cut off.
"No. As a friend, I wouldn't allow him to act like this, he hasn't taken a single mission for three months now, he spends all his time looking for Lucy, can he even call himself a mage anymore?! I need to wake him from his delusion, we have already informed many guilds to help keep a lookout for Lucy, if no one had spotted her, what makes him think that he could?!" Erza raged, her hand unconsciously gripping tighter onto her sword handle.
Mira knew that no one could stop an angry Erza, "Alright, go have a talk with Natsu, but don't be too hard on him alright?"
"I shall be on my way now!" Erza stormed out of the guild rapidly.
I don't think what I said made a difference...Mira shook her head as she went back to her barmaid duties.
Natsu's Cottage
"Natsu...do you want to have some fish?" Happy shook Natsu's arm gently, trying to get him out of his hammock.
"Sorry Happy, I don't feel like eating, you can have the fish for yourself." Natsu apologized, burying his head deeper into his pillow.
"Aye..." Happy hung his head sadly as he carried his fish, about the leave the cottage to find Charle.
"NATSU!" the door flew open suddenly, catching Happy off-guard, he fell backwards on his butt, his fish flying out of his grasp.
The terrifying Erza was standing outside the door, looking like she was about to kill someone. Happy backed away slowly, rescuing his fish on the way.
Natsu propped himself up in his hammock with a bewildered look on his face, "Erza? Why are you he-" before he could finish his question, Erza had her sword drawn, pointing straight at his throat.
"Woah! Er...Erza please calm down! I don't wanna die yet!" Natsu stuttered as he shrunk back, wanting to distance himself from Erza's sword as far as possible.
"You don't want to die yet?! Think of what you have been doing for the past three months, you call that a life?! Is this how a Fairy Tail mage should act like? Do you think that you are the only one who is sad?! Natsu, you can't go on being like this. We have already tried our best to find Lucy, if she means to come back, she will return one day! All this searching you have been doing is meaningless!" Erza was growing more and more agitated with every word.
"Erza, I am sure I can find Lucy if I keep trying, just give me a few more weeks..." Natsu trailed off, deep down he knew that everything Erza said was right.
"The guild's morale is lower than ever now, and you are the only person who can bring it back. Everyone needs you Natsu, show me that you are worthy of being a Fairy Tail mage." Erza said, hurt now evident on her face, as she stalked out of the house.
Natsu plopped back on his hammock, resting his arm on his forehead, he reflected on Erza's words. His head hurt from all the thinking, it wasn't his style to think too much, but this was exactly what he had been doing for the past three months.
"Maybe Erza was right..." Natsu muttered, staring at the ceiling.
"Aye, Natsu! I don't like it when you are sad all the time, I have no one other than you to spend time with now that Lucy is gone...I miss Lucy and I miss the old Natsu!" Happy exploded in tears.
"Happy, I am sorry! I was being selfish...I promise I will listen to Erza!" Natsu held the bawling bundle of blue comfortingly, realising how much he had neglected the feelings of all his friends around him.
(Erza POV)
I heaved, taking deep breaths as I calmed myself down, trying to stop my running tears and subdue my overflowing emotions. It was so hard for me to hold everything in, even though I had just scolded Natsu for his actions, I had been trying to find Lucy on all my missions too. I always tried to ignore my emotions and keep them to myself, and try to be the sensible one among my impulsive guildmates, trying to keep everything together, but I am at my breaking point now, from coping with everything. The guilt towards Lucy haunts me, like I am sure it does for everyone, but just thinking of how I spoke to Lucy that day...I want to ask to her to hit me, or stab me. Only then may I feel like I have atoned for my mistake.
Meteor Island
Lucy collapsed on the ground, thoroughly worn out and dry of magic after keeping Loke and Virgo's gates open for two hours straight. Lucy was quite proud of keeping them open for such a considerable amount of time, but they weren't in combat after all.
Lucas was doing well, disassembling trees and destroying them with his Totem Magic. The entire training area looked like a war zone after the few hours of training.
Lucy had asked Lucas about his Totem Magic, and apparently it is a form of lost magic where the user can cast magic with attributes of their totem animal, and also summon them in combat. Totem Magic requires a great relationship and also good communication with one's totem animal, and in Lucas case, his totem animal was the fox spirit. The power of an animal spirit is extremely strong, as Lucy had witnessed when Lucas defeated the demon saving her a few months ago. Helva said that she would eventually train Lucy in totem magic.
After taking a break, they prepared for their combat training once their depleted magic levels went back to normal. Something special about Meteor Island was that magical energy can be replenished in a very short amount of time, Helva had said something about increased level of Ethernano on the island.
With a sharp wave of her hand, Helva commenced the fight. Lucy jumped forward first, summoning Taurus, "Open! The gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!"
"Moo~your body is as moooarvalous as ever!" Taurus exclaimed, hearts appearing in his eyes.
"Shut it, Taurus! Attack that guy!" Lucy commanded in irritation.
"Yes Lucy, I shall protect you perfect body!" Taurus shouted his war cry, aiming a criss-cross slash at Lucas, which he easily dodged.
Lucy then summoned Scorpio, "Open! The gate of the Scorpion, Scorpio!"
Scorpio appeared in a puff of smoke, "Scorpio, use Sand Buster!"
Aiming his tail at Lucas, Scorpio attacked Lucas with a sand tornado, however, Lucas broke it with a blast of blue fox flames, scattering the sand and its direction.
Lucy did not give up on an attack, "Taurus, use Scorpio's sand!"
Taurus heeded his master's command, suctioning the sand with his axe until it is completely wrapped in it, he swung his double-sided axe in Lucas' direction, sending multiple sand tornadoes at him, "Sandstorm Axe Aldebaran!" the attack sent Lucas flying up into the air.
Lucas grabbed onto a tree branch, anchoring himself to it, he hoisted himself up onto the tree, "Damn, you spirits are dangerous!" as he summoned two fox spirits, each heading towards Taurus and Scorpio respectively.
The two fox spirits were powerful enough to keep Taurus and Scorpio busy, and Lucy decided against summoning one more spirit to conserve her magic for now.
Equipping herself with Fleuve d'étoiles, Lucy lashed out the whip, "Fleuve d'étoiles!" attempting to knock Lucas off his balance on the tree.
"Not so easy!" Lucas teased with a cocky smirk on his face, catching her whip with one hand.
"Contract!" Lucy shouted, willing for her whip to contract, Lucas was caught unwares, being yanked off from the tree, crashing straight to the ground with his hand still clutching on to the tip on the whip.
"That's what you get for being too arrogant!" Lucy laughed at the sight on her brother falling flat on his face.
Lucas stood up, dusting himself off, "Lucy, you have really improved, looks like I have to get serious with you now..." Lucas had a dangerous grin plastered across his face.
"Disassemble." Lucas held up his hand, lines forming a net in mid-air floated towards Lucy.
Lucy scrutinised it with momentarily confusion, before realising what Lucas was trying to do, but it was to late.
An explosion of mini chibi Lucys were running around, "Ahhh! Lucas you idiot! What have you doneee! Turn me back right now!" a chorus of cute chibi voices shouted as they ran around in circles panicking.
Lucas was howling with laughter and the hilarious sight before him, "And that, is what you get for laughing at me! Don't worry though, you will turned back in a few hours."
"A FEW HOURS?" the arm of mini Lucys were charging at Lucas now.
That evening, a hundred chibi Lucys shared a chunk of meat amongst themselves for dinner.
Guest Reviews:
Review:"Natsu gave up on finding Lucy aweful fast. It's not in his character. Look at how hard they had to restrain him to keep him from going after Lucy during the Grand Magic Games."
My reply:I need to clarify that Natsu did not give up on finding Lucy, he just stopped his obsessive searching for her, initially even Erza could not stop him from finding Lucy. Even though it is in Natsu's character to try find Lucy no matter what, it is also in his character to care a lot about his guildmates. He was searching at every town daily for three months straight, without doing anything, or talking much to anyone, he just realised that he had to put on a brave front for everyone. Also note that the previous times where he was unstoppable from going to Lucy, she was either hurt or in danger, this is different, she left on her own freewill out of anger, and no one in Fairy Tail had the right to ask her to come back if she refuses. I hope this makes sense to you~:3
Review:"I really love it! The plot is great though I don't see the Greek mythology twist yet. Please updates again soon! I cant wait!"
My reply: Thank you for you kind words! I had another review remarking about this, but since I am planning to make this fic quite long, I have to pace the story. Greek mythology elements will start surfacing eventually! Please to any other readers of my story, be patient as I definitely would not put an inaccurate summary!
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story so far, I really appreciate it!^^
