ELLO

if you were unaware I said recently i was taking a bit of a break! writing had just gotten to a weird point for me and I wasn't feeling like myself, so i took some time to read and chill a bit more

i feel like it helped!

The guild was silent in the days following Lucy's encounter with the pirate's squad. It was hard to be happy, hard to enjoy a drink without it tasting bitter, hard to eat a meal without letting out a heavy sigh.

Lucy was in the infirmary for two days, yet to show any signs of waking up.

Natsu brought her back to the guild, holding her close in his arms, refusing to let anyone else get near her before he felt his emotions settle.

She was limp, cold, her light dim, and his pain growing. Even more so with the memory of Laxus having to aid her, his lips on hers pulling out the remnants of the lightning coursing throughout her body. He couldn't help the jealous squeeze clenching his heart, the sinking feeling in his stomach making him near sick.

But Natsu wouldn't blame anyone but himself, confident that it was his fault she was hurt. He knew he should have gone after her that day, to make sure she was alright. The safest place in the world was by his side.

She wasn't supposed to be exposed to the hard truth of their world so soon, she wasn't ready to face anyone or anything beyond the city limits. Lucy wasn't ready to experience just how ruthless the Belserion pirates could be. They tortured her for fun, and for hurting her, they would pay a thousand times over.

Erza and Mirajane rotated out of the empty seat at her side, watching carefully over the blonde they couldn't protect either.

Wendy came in each following afternoon to make sure she was okay, scared that her magic wasn't doing enough to wake her up. But she knew enough to tell that Lucy's body was leeching mana, the air dragon unsure of what might be causing such a phenomenon.

"We won't know what to expect, she used her magic for the first time and was injured beyond a point her body has ever experienced. We just need to give her time." Porlyuscia shared through a lacrima call, giving Wendy the instructions for an elixir she hoped would help.

It would be a week's time, turmoil for the members of Fairy Tail, for the dragon too immersed in self-loathing to rush to her side.

Though Lucy did find herself waking up, the odd pale green of an unfamiliar ceiling met her eyes as they blinked open.

She shot up with a gasp, hand rushing to measure the pace of her heart, recalling the painful sting of the enemy's magic coursing through her veins. Had the pirates taken her? There wasn't much she could remember before passing out, unsure if anyone had come to her rescue.

She looked down to see her clothes were no longer the casual set she'd been excited to pick out, instead a familiar over-the-top ball gown her father would often order for her without consent.

Panic settled within her even more as she jumped out of bed, rushing to the window across the room to make sure it hadn't all been a dream.

Her nerve failed to calm, but her heart settled somewhat as she was not met with the familiar Edolas skyline. But nor was it Fiore's, a mysterious dark purple and glittered sky hanging above her. Looking down, she was familiar with the well tailored garden of a manicured estate, the exterior building made out of an expensive looking pearled mineral.

If she were with the pirates, surely she'd find herself out on the open sea, though the dreaded pirate Belserion was a master enchanter. Lucy could be locked in a spell-casted prison for all she knew.

She turned to the wooden door adjacent from her, wondering if its golden knob would turn if she attempted to leave. She hesitated, knowing either way, she wasn't in the guild right now. She wondered if Natsu knew where she was, if he was out looking for her right now. A small smile graced her lips at the thought, of course he was looking for her. Surely he'd be there any second to whisk her out of harm's way.

The door creaked open before she could make a decision, her body stilling with fear as she waited for the person to enter the room.

Her eyes drew closer to the floor as a small drink cart was pushed in first, a small, white…dog? Following behind it. He turned to look at her, a wide smile spreading underneath his carrot shaped nose.

"Pun pun! Pun pun pun!" He waved to her, changing the direction of his cart to push it toward her.

"U-Um, tea? For me?" She asked as he nodded, moving to pour her a cup with the kettle he brought in.

"Pun pun pun!"

"For you, yup! Everyone was worried, Loke said you were really hurt!"

"Loke?" Her head quirked at the familiar name, kneeling slightly to take the cup from his shaky hands, not wanting it to spill.

"Pun, pun pun pun."

"Yeah, he's waiting with the others right now, if you're feeling better, would you like to go see them?"

Taking a slow sip from the drink he offered, Lucy nodded gently, mulling over her thoughts as he waved for her to follow him out. Surely if she were in a dangerous place, more warning bells would be going off in her head. It was odd that she found herself understanding the dog walking her down the hallway, but some small part of her felt minimally aware that she met him somewhere before.

She couldn't help but notice that the tea, too, carried the delicate flavor of honeysuckle, a cherished favorite shared between her and her mother.

Through the extravagant corridors of the unfamiliar mansion, Lucy strolled with an air of curious wonder, as if each step led them deeper into the pages of a cherished novel, maybe even one she'd heard from her mother before. Soft illumination spilled from gilded sconces, casting a warm, amber glow that caressed the walls adorned with paintings of strange and unknown faces.

More of the odd scenery filtered in through grand windows, Lucy staring more at the purple sky that lacked a sun or moon, but held a soft sparkle that continued to illuminate the outside world. It danced upon the polished marble floor, creating a shimmering path that seemed to invite exploration. Lucy's fingers brushed delicately against the exquisite tapestries that lined the corridor, the blonde internally questioning who this home belonged to.

As they moved forward, the gentle rustle of draperies and the distant melodies of a hidden harp lent an almost magical quality to the air. Two large wooden doors were set ahead of them, the small dog turning with a smile as they opened without hesitation.

Her steps slowed as her eyes cast on the backs of strangers, the dog jumping to get their attention.

"Oh, Plue," The orange-haired man was first to break their conversation circle, turning around with a gentle smile, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Lucy, you're awake!"

He strode toward her with purpose, taking her teacup before unceremoniously throwing it over his shoulder before embracing her in a constricting hug.

Despite the initial comfort in their closeness, the intensity of his grip began to feel stifling, like the air had grown heavy around her. As her breath quickened, Lucy felt the need to struggle out of his grip, the individual unaware of her growing discomfort.

"Ease up, you'll make her pass out all over again! It wasn't easy getting her here in the first place," The scolding tone of an older woman startled Lucy as he was torn away from her person, tossed across the room similarly to her cup. "Just because her body isn't here, doesn't mean you can manhandle an injured person."

"My body?" Lucy questioned, her eyes drifting away from her pursed scowl, widening when instead of legs she was faced with a thick blue, scaled mermaid tail.

"Do you feel like you were electrocuted recently? Most people would be sore after something like that, don't you think?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"There's no need to be so rude, Lucy-sama just woke up, she doesn't know where she is," Another man approached them, his suit-clad body topped oddly with a goat's head and sunglasses. "Come, sit, Lucy-sama, there's a lot we wanted to talk to you about."

She nodded meekly, following after the two as they led her toward the others, all now sat in an array of sectionals across the room. It reminded her of home, the wide library-like space reminding her of how Layla chose to decorate her old office back home. With beige walls and a dark carpet, a swirling staircase in the opposite corner leading to an upper floor. There were bookcases and a desk to the left, its surface scattered with papers where an old cross sat, taking a nap. Beside the sitting area was the source of the harpsichord melody, a kind-looking brunette gently strumming the instrument.

Loke was already sitting down, patting the seat at his side where she reluctantly placed herself.

Lucy looked around at the others, curious, but not scared of their strange appearances, something within her knowing she was safe.

"Where should we start?" A man in a horse costume, setting an archery bow at his feet. "We shouldn't overload the princess with too much at once."

"Princess?" Her throat felt dry; it sounded much more serious than a nickname coming out of his mouth.

"Do you remember summoning me before you passed out?" Loke asked, taking her hand gently in his.

Lucy blinked, thinking back to her last moments in town, wanting to cry out for Natsu. Instead, his name was the one to roll off her tongue.

"I summoned you?" She asked, as those around her nodded adamantly. "Is that what I can do? My power?"

"Your powers are much more than being able to summon us to your side," The goat said before continuing. "You're very powerful, Lucy-sama, and it's our job to help you unlock that potential."

"Me?"

"Didn't Layla tell you anything?" The mermaid asked with another huff, a shirtless man with red and silver hair attempting to calm her attitude.

"Mom? You knew my mom?" There was a flutter in her chest as Loke nodded, something in her head clicking as she stared at the eleven sitting around her. "Loke…?"

"We talked most every night," He nodded, preening with admiration as he was indeed the one constellation she spoke to whenever she had the chance, aside from Aquarius and Virgo. "I'm your favorite, you don't have to hide it from the others."

"Moo-ron! Lucy-san talked to all of us! You're only saying that because she liked cats when she was little!" The bull, obviously Taurus growled at the smirking lion who could only shrug her shoulders.

"What can I say? As a prince, the princess knows who's best for her,"

Lucy shrunk back in her seat as an argument broke out between them, others jumping in, wanting to wipe the smug smirk from Loke's features. Wanting to break up their growing fight, she tried to stand, feeling herself become a bit dizzy.

"U-Um, guys…" She stumbled forward, Loke surprisingly quick to return to her side before she fell.

"What did I tell you, huh? I knew we were going to run out of time before…" Aquarius' voice grew quieter as Lucy felt herself slip away, her eyes fluttering closed without warning.

~000~

Levy mulled over one of the many books set out in front of her, eyes straining behind red-rimmed glasses, hoping that the answer she was looking for would be hidden within the current tome.

"No luck," She mumbled to herself with a sigh, stretching her back as she readjusted herself in an oversized armchair. "Twenty-fifth times the charm."

She set the book onto a stack of others she'd already read through, continuing her search into finding out more on Lucy.

There weren't many summoner-type beings that existed in Fiore, and it was rare to be able to do so in the first place without a tool of sorts like Cana used. Though, the seer was only able to pull items from enchanted cards. Cana could trap and release people with her cards as well, but that was much different than what they'd witness Lucy accomplish.

Even as great a sorcerer as the dreaded pirate couldn't summon people; enchanting personalities into a given object was the most she could do, which said a lot to Master Makarov.

Lucy was something different, something they'd never seen before. It spoke volumes to why the pirates were suddenly in Magnolia; they knew something Fairy Tail didn't.

So Levy was tasked with finding anything she could on summoner-type magic. And as extensive as the library was, there weren't many books on the subject. Compared to the more common make-type mages with over five-hundred books and counting, there were only thirty on summoners. Levy wasn't liking the odds, especially as she set down the twenty-sixth book.

The pixie ignored the eyes of her dragon boring into her as he sat across from her, his hands occupied with petting the small exceed in his lap.

"I didn't think you were gonna find anything anyways," Gajeel shrugged as Levy picked up the twenty-ninth in her collection. "Sounds like a myth, books on glowing girls who summon people from the sky."

"...A myth?" His words made her pause for a moment, pushing up the magical glasses she wore as they slipped slightly on her nose bridge.

"Well yeah, have you ever seen anyone that looks like Lucy?" He hummed with a raised brow, moving his fingers to scratch behind Pantherlily's ear. "If there's a book written on her kind then I don't think it'll be some research mumbo jumbo, probably just some kids book that no one paid any attention to."

"Why didn't you say something sooner? That makes so much sense!" Levy exasperated, quickly jumping to her feet as she ran to the virtual directory.

"Genius takes time," He scoffed playfully, carefully getting up to join her at the center of the room. Lily still slept in his hands, the two of them behind Levy as she hurriedly typed into the holographic searcher.

"Excluding pixies, mermaids, sirens, nymphs…anything on glowing beings…light underneath skin? I don't know how to phrase it, something more than a glittered aura, Lucy has a genuine light glowing from beneath her skin…golden light? Illuminated…" She mulled to herself the few keywords that came to mind, punching in anything with a slight resemblance to light.

The directory navigated through the rows of towering bookcases, pulling out and flying down its available options in a uniform stack.

"Myths, Tales, and Legends. Secrets of Fiore, What Lurks in the Woods?" A skeptical pout formed its way onto Levy's lips.

"Where better to hide the important information, hm?" Gajeel said, looking over her shoulder. "No one would take it seriously, nothing better than hiding it in plain sight."

She sighed, returning to her armchair, the muscular man in tow. His idea was far fetched, but there had to be an answer somewhere.

"Oh, missed one," Gajeel reached out his hand to grab the straggler floating toward them, carefully sitting down with Lily to go through it himself. Levy left him to his devices, sucking in a deep breath as she began to read.

It took no time at all for her to speed through the books; his idea was a long shot. Maybe she could ask Hikari from Blue Pegasus if he had any information that could help.

"Find something?" Levy asked as Gajeel lifted his gaze.

"You're going to want to read this right now," He nodded, quickly handing it over. I've never heard of a Golden Child."

The blunette quickly adjusted her glasses, the pages flipping in rapid sync as she read.

Gajeel had been right. The answer they were looking for was hidden in a children's book, something no one in their right mind would believe is true.

The book was thin and old, much more comparable to a leaflet rather than a novel. It was told from the author's perspective, though the name of who had written it was scratched off the cover. Inside it detailed a magnificent sighting of a meteor shower some odd hundred years ago. One meteor broke off from the others and fell not too far from the hill where the author was watching. Approaching it in the hopes to bring some space rock home, the author was surprised to instead find a girl sleeping carefully in the center of the pit. Her skin shore with a subtle golden light, matching the brightness of her blonde hair.

Too nervous to leave the girl all on her own, the author brought her home, leaving her in the care of their head maid. It had taken a couple of days, but finally came the one that the girl finally awoke. Her memories were fuzzy but she recalled her name; Anna.

The author kept her in the care of their manor, hoping that she would soon remember who she was. They were certain she had fallen out of the sky, but how? Anna herself surely was unable to answer.

It took a week or so before the author was able to get their answer, Anna looking out toward the night sky when she called to it with a bright and wide smile.

"Loke!"

A loud chime of a grandfather clock and a quick burst of wind followed her call, the light from a heavenly body falling as it came to settle just before her person.

A man dressed in a sharp suit with wild orange hair ran straight into her arms, the two reuniting in a heartfelt moment. Not wanting to intrude, the author tried not to listen much to their conversation. But from what they could gather, Anna had fallen out of the sky on her journey, though they weren't sure where she was going. Loke and whomever else were searching for her high and low, unable to find her until she called.

Anna thanked the author for watching over her while she dealt with her memory loss, hoping one day they might run into each other again. And away she flew back into the sky, leaving behind a trail of glittering light as she vanished.

It was years before Anna returned to thank the author again, the ink darker on the last couple of pages where they inserted an update. Spots were unfortunately damaged by water, erasing some of the more important paragraphs. All Levy could make out was a note about other universes and travel, but not much else to connect them.

"I think…I think Lucy is a fallen star." She said, meeting Gajeel's slightly smug expression. "Really? Is now the time for gloating?"

"I just like being right," He shrugged playfully, snickering as Levy swatted at his bicep. "Let's go tell the master, already."

Nodding to follow beside him, the pair only took a couple of steps before they felt the room shake.

"That can't be good…" Gajeel's nose twitched at the scent of slightly burned oak and the static electricity hanging in the air. "Let's go through the back, there's trouble out there."

~000~

Laxus felt an odd sense of giddy excitement, something stewing in his blood every time he got close to Lucy and saw an angry expression on Natsu's features begin to grow.

He was only messing with the fire dragon, which he made too easy to continue doing. Lucy was naïve and fun to tease herself as a new member of the guild, and someone who didn't have much of an outward defense system.

Her incident with the pirates provoked a rightful anger within him; those shitty pirates had no right stepping into his town, shooting around some half-assed lightning to injure one of his guildmates. There would be hell to pay once he caught those damned swords.

Laxus could remember the way he felt Natsu's gaze burn into his back as he drank the residual lighting coursing through Lucy's veins. The magic tasted foul, of course, and he didn't enjoy a second of it. His only pleasure came from the extremely pissed off dragon.

Real anger meant a real fight. One where Natsu wouldn't hold back because of their guildmate status. Even if he put all of his strength into one of their sparring matches, there was something unconscious keeping him from truly giving his all. Sending Natsu into a borderline murderous rage would have its benefits, Laxus couldn't help thinking to himself.

He wanted a real match with the fire dragon, and he could get it.

His goal was only made easier by the torrid emotions Natsu couldn't help putting himself through. The blame he felt by not getting there for Lucy in enough time was something felt by them all, but it was a thousand times worse for him.

Laxus could tell that his instincts were running wild and exposed, and of course Natsu had no idea he was on the brink of a meltdown over his potential mate. It surely wasn't his fault that Natsu was making himself such an easy target. And who better to get a raw reaction from than an over-protective dragon?

Natsu sat in a dark corner of the bar, as far as he could get from the door of the infirmary but still close enough to be within his line of sight. He couldn't bring himself to, god knows why. His pain kept him from going to her side, trapping him in a broody mood that no one wanted to tamper with. Laxus had never seen an easier target.

Freed was anxious, knowing just what his best friend was thinking as he drank a stein of beer with his eyes fixed on Natsu. But the green-haired mage was too loyal, knowing that even if it was a bad idea, he wouldn't get in Laxus' way. If things truly got out of hand, Mira or Erza would no doubt step in. Though they were currently preoccupied watching over Lucy.

Four more days of a somber atmosphere passed, Lucy still showing no signs of waking. Her body continued to leak mana at a slow rate, Wendy replenishing as much as she could before Porlyuscia had to be called in. First time magic users were always a special case if they went too far; Lucy had surely overdone…whatever it was she had done.

He swallowed as Laxus finally got up from their bench, Evergreen and Bickslow too wrapped up in their own conversation to notice. Freed drew his lips into a line, his eyes darting around to see if anyone else was paying attention. But not many people were left idling the guild, most out making sure there weren't any more pirates trying to weasel their way into town.

This was not going to end well…

"You couldn't save her, must suck, hm?" Natsu's cold eyes drew a straight line toward the smirking lightning dragon, Laxus tapping a finger against his lips.

"Think I should go in there and make sure she's alright? At least I can do something for her," He sighed wickedly as Natsu's eyes tightened, heat subtly nipping at the air. "What do you think? Beats sitting around here like a good-for-nothing loser."

He stood up with a chilling, blank expression, his jaw and fists tightened. Laxus felt his heart swim with excitement, knowing the feral beast was about to be unleashed. He was making this too easy.

I hope yall have been well!

Tbh I was going to make this chap a lil bit longer but I decided to post sooner since I'm getting sleepy and want to share something with you asap ;-; I need to work on my personal statement for my grad application tomorrow too so i wouldn't have time to get where I'm tryna goooo

lowkey didn't take my meds today because I forgot but idk why i feel like it put me in the headspace that made it easier to write...ive been wanting to change them for a while now so i think this might be a sign lolol

will def include some much needed NaLu in the next chap so please stay tuned!