May 23rd, X524 (9 AM)
Lamia Beverage and Teashop
"Hey Boss, congratulations on your victory," Bickslow grinned, as he entered the VIP room, and sat on one of the chairs. "So much good news arrived to me this week. It's very satisfying."
"Long time no see, Boss," Evergreen said happily, following her boyfriend. She sat beside him.
"Bicks, Ever, how's Magnolia in these days?"
"Magnolia is peaceful," the fairy magic user replied, "No abnormalities, no spies, and no troubles."
"How's Strauss Clan? Any moves?" Laxus asked, tapping the table while thinking.
"No, they're training in their clan base... but," Evergreen grinned, "Bicks has big news for you, Laxus-sama."
"What's that?"
"Lisanna Strauss used transformation magic to take another appearance. She had a new identity 'Lisa Ellis' to fool our southern gate guards. I tracked her identity. The information was tight though. I learned that 'Lisa Ellis' is an important customer of 'Heaven restaurant'. Guess what did she buy from 'Heaven?' High-level enchantment potions made by the relative of the restaurant owner. I managed to get one and had already sent it to Madam Porlyusica to examine it. As for the boss of 'Heaven', don't worry, I cast a spell to erase his memory encounter with me."
"Good job, Bicks."
The seith mage grinned wider, repeatedly rubbing his thumb over the tip of his middle finger, "How about a reward for my hard work, Boss?"
Laxus smirked, taking out a single banknote worth 100 Jewels from his pocket and handed it to his fellow. This made the seith mage frown at a very few amount of cash. Evergreen laughed uncontrollably, "100 Jewels!!"
"At least, I can buy some snacks at the street stall," Bickslow put the cash in his trouser pocket.
"Laxus-sama, where is Sparky?" Evergreen asked, "And how is your situation with Lucelia-sama?" she raised her eyebrows twice, teasingly.
"I visited Gramps before I came here. I left Sparky at his manor, I'll pick him up this evening," Laxus replied, "Lucelia is still in my manor." Of course, he knew it wasn't what Evergreen asked. What she asked was about his relationship with Blondie... and it was what he couldn't answer exactly... No, even he didn't know the answer.
"You know what I mean, Laxus-sama. Do you have any feelings for her... like romantic feelings?"
"We're... as usual," Laxus replied quickly, and his quick response made the brunette frown at him.
"Laxus-sama, you've Lucelia-sama now. Stop holding on to your old love."
A look of displeasure flitted across his handsome face. Why did Ever bring 'Mirajane into this topic? It was clearly unrelated. He couldn't help but feel annoyed.
"Ever, drink some water," Bickslow gave a glass of water, trying to break the cold atmosphere. He was afraid that his girlfriend would make the blond prince angry. The whole five years, they didn't talk about 'Love' or 'Mirajane' in front of Laxus... but now... he thought Ever went beyond further.
"I'm not thirsty," Evergreen rejected as she continued, "Laxus-sama, this is the first and last time I'm saying this. You should value what you have before it's too late."
"Do you think that my actions are not kind enough for Lucelia?" Laxus glared at the brunette.
"We're not talking about kindness," she retorted. How can this stony princess not notice Luelia-sama's affection? They obviously meant for each other.
"Guys, stop," Bickslow put his arms in front of them with a 'stop' hand gesture. He knew that Laxus didn't like when his actions were questioned. "I've something important to tell you. I saw Lisanna with a guy," he said reluctantly.
"Who?" Laxus said as he calmed down a little. He didn't want to get angry but Evergreen was just.. so troublesome.
"The guards told me that he is Lisa Ellis's cousin who came to Magnolia for the first time," Bickslow answered quickly, feeling satisfied that he was finally able to change the upcoming misfortune, "But Lisanna is lying. I think that strange guy is also fooled by her."
"Do you check his identity?" Evergreen asked, "Is he suspicious?" Her boyfriend was an investigator working in the detective department. If he found something suspicious, then his guess was right.
"My priority is to investigate Lisanna. So I just.."
"Say.. you neglected this strange guy." A low sigh escaped from her.
"But it's funny... you know... he has pink hair," Bickslow answered vaguely, now he regretted why he started this topic. He simply bragged about him because he wanted to change th. At this moment, what he could think was Lisanna and that guy, "And a blue cat is with them."
"What did you just say? A pink-haired guy with a blue cat?" Laxus questioned, with a dark expression. "A pink-haired guy with a blue cat? Is he eighteen or nineteen years old?"
"Yeah, I think so."
'What is he doing here?' Laxus thought, and the realization hit him. "I've to go." He stood up quickly and went to the ground floor. Magic started flowing around him, electricity became engulfing him, as he transformed into his lightning body then flew back to his manor.
• • • • •
8 AM
Prince Laxus's manor
"Time for my training," Lucy in a comfortable short-sleeved long causal dress, whispered cheerfully, as she walked slowly to the garden and chose a safe spot to train. She felt refreshed after taking a bath, thus she wanted to meditate to increase her magic power. In the case of finding places, she preferred outdoor training rather than indoor mediating.
They arrived Magnolia last night, and the group separated their ways. Ju went to the City Guard department with her subgroup to settle the Oracion Seis members in the city guard prison. Since it was very late at night, the bluenette was staying in her office room with Meredy instead of coming back. His Highness and Sparky went out to visit Jiichan since the early morning. Freed was still on his mission. So, the point was that the manor was quiet.
When she was in the middle of meditation, she saw a familiar voice calling her... That voice said... "Lushii." It sounded so real.
"Happy?" She opened her eyes then stood up immediately, turned around to see the familiar blue exceed carrying her best friend flying in her direction.
"Happy! Natsu!" She called them with delight. After the previous battle, she passed out due to exhaustion, which led her not to reunite with her friends. 'Now, Natsu and Happy are here to meet me.'
"Happy, land inside there," she said quickly.
His Highness's manor was not as heavily guarded as the Crown Prince Manor, and with all of them going out for respective missions, this manor was more defenseless. Before they left Magnolia, the green-haired knight drew many runes in the yard and around the main house to trap the intruders. The safest place in the garden was inside the gazebo. She walked to the sheltered area, careful not to trigger the runes.
"Lushi," Happy rushed towards her and hugged her after he put Natsu on the land. The blonde girl hugged the blue cat back. "Happy, I miss you so much." She looked at Natsu who was facing her, "Natsu, what are you doing here?"
"I want to see you, Luce."
Lucy sat down on the seat, "I miss you too Natsu. Sorry, I was passed out last time. I wasn't able to see you and Happy," she smiled, "I'm very happy that you guys come to meet me." She touched the exceed's head gently, "I'll cook a big fish for you, Happy."
"Where are Gajeel-san and Lily?"
"They're not here," Natsu gave a short answer.
"If that is so," Lucy nodded, "Ju is not here now, but I think she will come back soon."
"Luce, come back with me," Natsu stared at her eyes.
Lucy was so shocked that she didn't know how to reply. She didn't expect that it was Natsu's true intention.
"Natsu, you told me that you just wanted to greet Lushi," Happy said in his little voice.
"I can't... Natsu... I can't." She was the one who looked away first.
"Why? Why do you want to stay in Fairy Tail, Luce? Is Laxus Dreyar threatening you? You don't like battles. But he dragged you into his family affairs and ordered you to battle. Why do you help him obediently? Can't you see he is using you?" He spoke without pausing, with anxiety... knowing that Luce was facing those ruthless battles in Fairy Tail. In his point of view, Laxus Dreyar was the one who put her in danger. He shouldn't have let her go since the beginning.
Little did he know, Lucy's expression changed to a slight sadness. 'Yeah, I know,' her mind screamed silently. His Highness Laxus did admit that he was using her since the beginning... but- "Because I like him," she replied wholeheartedly, looking down at the space in front of her.
"What?" Natsu could only exclaim what. Did he hear it wrong? 'No, it can't be true.'
Lucy stoop up again, facing her best friend, "I said I like Laxus Dreyar. I'm sorry, Natsu. I know you want to help me, but I chose to stay here... in Fairy Tail... in this manor... because I'm willing to stay here... because of His Highness."
"No. Luce... You're lying." The young man whispered with disbelief, refusing to accept what he heard.
'It isn't a lie. I like Laxus Dreyar very much.' Lucy wanted to answer like that, but she couldn't say it aloud.
Happy was standing on the seat, looking at them with teary eyes...
A short time of quietness seemed like millions of seconds...
"Ha ha ha ha!" he looked strangely terrifying as he let out a mocking laugh, but a miserable look appeared on his face. His laughter gave chills to Lucy. Even Happy, who wasn't afraid of Natsu before, started shivering at his laughter.
"I'm such a fool to regret every day how I failed to protect you, yet you're enjoying your life here. Isn't it funny?" He whispered like a man who lost his way in the dark forest. All he felt was a complete loss of hope... and painful heartache.
Lucy closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the broken Natsu.
"Do you think Laxus will forgive you when he found out that you are a fake?" At this brief moment, his despair was dominated by his sudden anger.
Hearing these words, Lucy was shocked. She opened her eyes to see Natsu who was extremely angry. After all those years, Natsu never raised his voice to her.
Taking her silence, Natsu continued, "Don't forget who you are, Lucy. Besides, a nobility like him won't love a servant girl like you." His voice was as cold as ice, showing unfriendliness. He didn't mean to hurt her, he just wanted to tell her that the only one in the world who didn't care about her status was him... only him.
Lucy couldn't say anything. All Natsu said was true... and every single word is too harsh to her... like a dagger piercing her heart. Worst of all, the guy who said those were her best friend of ten years.
Tears... silently rolled down her cheeks, "You're right. I'm not the one he likes. I'm not worth him. I'm not a noble princess," she forced herself to smile, her smile was the same as hers that she smiled at their last goodbye. She was covering her sadness with a sad smile, "I just want to stay beside him while hiding my feelings," she stared at him, "Thank you for reminding me, Natsu. I don't think we can continue chatting like this. Please go, I won't say goodbye."
"SHUT UP!" Natsu glared at her as he grabbed her right wrist very firmly.
"Natsu, let go of me," Lucy whispered in a softer tone. She blamed herself for why she confessed that she liked His Highness in front of Natsu. She did ignore his feelings.
"Natsu, stop please!" the blue exceed begged, with tears gathering at the corner of his round eyes. He didn't expect that things would turn out like this. He just wanted a happy reunion.
However, the guy didn't let the girl go. His grip was too tight that she could feel the heat and pain. "Natsu, my wrist hurts," she let out a cry, withstanding her skin being burnt.
Although Natsu didn't use his fire dragon slaying magic, his burning anger and the emerging fire magic did hurt her.
A furry animal quickly jumped onto Natsu's arm, as he scratched the latter with his claws before jumping down.
"Ahh!" Natsu screamed.
Lucy twisted her arm to escape from Natsu's hold. "Teddy!" She caught her lesser panda in a swift motion and moved a few steps back. She stood outside the tent-like building, "Natsu, please stop."
The fire dragon slayer was now covered in flames. His gentle eyes were no longer present... he was staring at her with his red angry eyes. The temperature around them kept raising.
"Natsu, stop!" Happy begged again from afar. He wished to hug his master, but he couldn't, because of the flames.
She retreated three more steps, fearing this angry Natsu. One more step backward, she would end up in a rune trap... She stopped moving, "Natsu, please calm down," she requested in a weak tone.
"Fire Dragon's roar!" a powerful fire blast was launched at the target. At that time, Natsu was only scaring her. He purposely aimed that the attack would miss her, and pass beside her. Unfortunately, the fire attack enhanced by his angry emotion was not like his previous fire dragon's roars. It was stronger... the blast was getting bigger in diameter.
"Lushi, Watch out!" Happy's legs were trembling he couldn't do anything except yell... And it was when Natsu realized that he did a mistake... a very big mistake.
Everything occurred very fast. Lucy, frozen solid by the thought that Natsu attacked her, wasn't able to move aside.
"Blondie!" Just before the blast almost hit, she was grabbed by someone and was dragged to the left side. At the same time, a yellow lightning blast descended from the sky to strike the fire blast, as they collided.
Both Laxus and Lucy saw a light-blue glitter barrier in front of them to protect them from the violent collided force. Lucy held his arm to seek secure from him. No one could see that the little red pet in Lucy's arm was raising his hands, pointing them upward, to activate the barrier.
Seeing the burn mark on her arm, the blond prince glared at the fire dragon slayer with anger, as he stood in front of her protectively.
Natsu stood like a statue... without moving...
He could only stare at the girl whom he loved for many years... The thought of him almost killing her caused him unable to forgive himself... At the same time, what pained him the most was that she was relying on another man instead of him. His eyes changed back to normal as tears streamed down from the eyes.
Lucy looked at Natsu with sadness tinted in her eyes.
"Natsu," Happy whispered.
Natsu didn't say a word... he neither apologized to her nor said a goodbye. He turned around to look at Happy. "Let's go!" he breathed deeply.
Happy carried the dragon slayer and flew away from the sight of the blond couple. When they were away from the manor, Natsu told his exceed that he wanted to be alone for a while.
Duncan Laurence - Arcade ft FLETCHER
A broken heart is all that's left, I'm still fixing all the cracks, Lost a couple of pieces when I carried it, carried it, carried it home.
I'm afraid of all I am, My mind feels like a foreign land, Silence ringing inside my head.
Please carry me, carry me, carry me home.
I've spent all of the love I saved, We were always a losing game, Small town boy in a big arcade, I got addicted to a losing game.
Oh... Oh... All I know, all I know... Loving you is a losing game!!
P.S. This is a Lalu story. I'm sorry, Natsu, for placing you as a second lead.
