A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to a new chapter!

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, I only own my OC.

CHAPTER TWENTY: LUCY HEARTFILIA

Fairy Tail is celebrating for their victory over Phantom Lord. "Everyone seems so happy, Lucy!" Happy looks up at Lucy.

"Yeah..." Lucy replied, showing no joy.

Happy gets worried about her. "Lucy?"

Aira and Satsuki lay on the floor, beaten and bruised while staring at the sky. "Hey, can you hear me, Satsuki?"Aira asked.

"I can't hear nothin'..." Satsuki replied.

"Tell me... Where did you learn Dragon Slayer Magic?" Aira sits up.

"I told you, I can't hear you...!" Satsuki said it once more.

"You're not the only one who knows the same type of magic as me. I know a flame head who uses the same magic too." Aira said.

"Flame head?" Satsuki muttered.

"It's a long story... But can you at least tell me!" Aira asks again.

"Shut up..." Satsuki looks away. Aira shouts in annoyance. "Daichi." She finally replies to Aira's question. "The Earth Dragon Daichi."

"What?!" Aira accidently falls off the ledge. "So you were taught by a dragon?!"

"You were too?" Satsuki added.

"Where is she now?!" Aira asked.

"Dunno." Satsuki responded.

"Where is she now?!" Aira shouted.

"I told you, I don't know!" Satsuki shouted back. They clash their foreheads together.

In a split second, they feel the pain throbbing on their foreheads. "Oww...!"

"Man... I feel like my brain's gonna turn to ash, talkin' to you..." Satsuki said.

"What?!" Aira questioned.

"She vanished. Daichi suddenly left one day, without so much as a word." Satsuki looks up at the sky. "Man. Talk about a selfish bitch..."

"H-Hold on! That wasn't seven years ago on July 7th, was it?!" Aira asked.

"What?! You know where Daichi is?!" Satsuki asked, turning around to look at Aira.

"Don't be stupid! I'm trying to find Kaito, a Water Dragon! I got a friend who's looking for a Fire Dragon." Aira replied. "They disappeared on July 7th seven years ago too."

"My guild mate, Gajeel, his dragon disappeared on the same day as well..." Satsuki muttered. "Four dragons disappeared seven years ago... on July 7th, X777...?"

Aira bangs his forehead once more into Satsuki. "What's with all the sevens?!"

"How should I know?!" Satsuki shouted.

"Oww..." They hold their foreheads.

"It doesn't matter to me, anyway." Satsuki said.

"If you're gonna leave, just do it already!" Aira said.

"This is our guild! You're the one who has to leave!" Satsuki stated.

"What a small-minded bitch." Aira sighed as he gets up.

"Get lost!" Satsuki shouted.

"Lemme know if you ever find out anything about dragons." Aira walks away.

"Why should I be nice to you?!" Satsuki asked.

Aira glances at Satsuki. "We're both Dragon Slayers, after all."

"Screw you! Next time I see you, I'll destroy you! I swear it! Just wait and see!" Satsuki warned.

"Man, you're vicious." Aira commented. "I was thinkin' of making up with you now that we're even, too..."

"Who're you calling vicious?! You're the one who did this to our guild!" Satsuki reminded him.

"You guys wrecked our guild too, you know!" Aira spat back. "Argh! Forget it! I'm not making up with you after all!"

"They really went all out on it this time..." Master Makarov sighed.

"U-Umm, Master..." Lucy called out.

Master Makarov turns around to see what Lucy has to say. "You've certainly been through a lot yourself..."

"Don't look so glum, Lu-chan!" A voice said. Lucy turns around to see who's talking. "We're back!" Levy winks at Lucy.

"Levy-chan!" Lucy sees Levy and her team and Reedus.

"We all worked together for this great victory!" Levy said.

"Even if the guild did get ruined!" Droy commented.

"But it's not like we can't rebuild it!" Jet said.

"Oui..." Reedus commented.

"Sorry for worrying you, Lu-chan." Levy said.

"N-No! It was all my...!" Lucy said.

"I heard everything." Levy said. "But no one blames you for this, Lu-chan!"

"In fact, I should apologize for being useless..." Reedus muttered.

"Lucy. Although it doesn't hold true for every bit of happiness or sadness, we still share things to some extent. That's what it means to be a guild. One person's happiness is everyone's happiness... One person's anger is everyone's anger... And one person's tears are everyone's tears. There is no need to feel guilt-ridden. Our hearts have surely reached you." Master Makarov lectures her with kind and inspiring words as everyone smiles at her. Lucy cries with happiness. "Lift your head high! You are a member of Fairy Tail!" Tears drop to the floor as Lucy cries out loud. Everybody smiles at her while Levy comforts Lucy. "That said, perhaps things did get a bit out of hand... The council is going to be pretty angry... No, wait... We could even be talking prison time here!" Master Makarov reduces into tears as well.

"Calmness finally returned to us a week after our battle with Phantom." All the members of Fairy Tail are helping rebuild the guild.

"Let's take a break, everyone!" Mira said, holding a tray of drinks.

"Things actually got really bad right afterward, though. We found ourselves surrounded by the Rune Knights, the council's army."

The Magic Council's Rune Knights found Fairy Tail and surrounded them. "This ain't good...!" Wakaba commented.

"They found out already?!" Macao asked.

Aira hides behind Cana, freaking out again. "Th-They're back for me!"

"Run!" Natsu and Happy attempt to run, but they get caught by the Magic Council.

"Quit it, Natsu. You know there's no escape from the Rune Knights." Mira said. Master Makarov continues to cry out loud.

"Master! Pull yourself together!" Erza tries to console the Master.

"Then we were taken to a military post for questioning. We endured a week of interrogation, and now things finally calmed down. It sounds like the Council is going to hand down Fairy Tail's punishment at a later date."

Lucy is seen writing at her desk in her apartment. "But don't worry, Mom. I don't think the punishment will be that bad. After all, circumstantial evidence and eyewitness testimonies all point to Phantom attacking us." She feels the pain on the side of her stomach. "Yuck, I hope this won't leave a mark..." She sees two birds outside her window, the mother bird feeding the baby bird. "Say, Mom. Do you think maybe he actually perpetrated all this, behind the scenes? Not even he would go that far, would he...?" She remembers about a terrible memory. "I guess he would, huh? Without even a second thought... But why does he suddenly want to drag me back now? He doesn't even care about me..." She turns around to see a small chest sitting on the shelf. "Mom... He'd try it again, wouldn't he? He'd do the same thing, using his money... I refuse to let that happen..."

Natsu carries a large pile of wood over his head, but it falls down on him, squishing him to the ground. Mira and Happy sweat drop at Natsu. "That's what you get for tryin' to carry so much, moron." Aira carries one over his shoulder. Juvia is seen hiding behind a bricked wall.

Natsu bursts the pile of wood off of him. "What'd you call me?!"

"You wanna fight?!" Aira asked.

"Quit carrying 'em like a wimp!" Natsu shouted.

"That's enough!" Erza slams a wooden pillar right at their heads. "Work your bodies, not your mouths! We need to rebuild Fairy Tail as quickly as possible!"

"Aye..." The Dragon Slayers weakly said with a huge bump on their heads.

"Erza's really rarin' to go..." Droy commented.

"She can requip into those clothes too?" Jet asked.

Master Makarov transformed into a larger person with his Titan Magic, easy for him to put the pieces together. He gently places a piece of wood into another. "Master is getting into the spirit too!" Levy said.

"More like into it big-time!" Jet and Droy said in a unison.

"Boss! Where should I put this lumber?" A member asked.

"Oh! Right over there!" Master Makarov replied.

"'Boss'...?!" Jet and Droy questioned.

Natsu and Snow pop their heads out of the ground. "Damn! I can't stand being beaten!"

"Yay! It's whack-a-mole!" Happy commented.

"But, y'know..." Macao stares at the guild.

"Isn't it a little too big?" Wakaba asked.

"We decided to remodel it while we're at it! This is a concept sketch of the finished version!" Mira shows them a sketch of the remodel.

"But it was just fine how it is..." Natsu muttered.

"What's it gonna be like?" Aira asked.

"Wow..." Macao sweat dropped.

"That's... something else..." Wakaba commented.

"I-I don't really understand it..." Natsu looks at it, confused.

"Man, this sketch sucks. What idiot drew this junk?" Aira asked, criticizing the work. Mira innocently smiles at him for a second, then she breaks down into tears, covering her eyes. "O-Oh, it was you, Mira-chan?!" Aira tries to console her.

"You made her cry again." Natsu and the others look at him in disappointment.

"That's Aira for you." Happy commented.

"No, that's not how I am..." Aira muttered.

A couple hours later, everybody is still helping rebuild the guild. Natsu stretches his arms out. "I'm starving!"

"Is it time to eat yet?" Aira asked. Out of nowhere, a splash of water wets all three of them. "What was that?!"

"We're soaking wet!" Natsu stands still as water drips from his hair.

"Boxed lunches!" Happy points to the pink lunch boxes on the ground.

"Boxed lunches?" Aira opens it and sees Gray made out of food and the word "love". "What is Gray doing in here?!"

"Ooh! Looks tasty!" Natsu looks at the food with sparkling eyes.

"I recognize this! This is called a 'character' lunch!" Happy stated.

"I heard my name." Gray walks in and sees them holding the boxed lunches.

"Your face is on here!" Aira hands him the lunch.

Gray freaks out when he sees it. "What kind of freak would do this?!"

"I don't know, but it looks tasty!" Natsu drooled.

"This is insane! I can't eat this!" Gray said, terrified of the food with his face on it. "It's oozing something, too...!"

"Then let me have it!" Natsu said.

"I'm not gonna touch that..." Aira scoots away from the food.

"Juvia is sad! She spent three days making that!" Juvia hides behind a bricked wall, crying to herself. She secretly stalks Gray at the Fairy Tail Guild.

"Who said it was time to eat?!" Erza shouted as she glares at them. She notices the boxed lunches in Gray's hand. "Oh, is that one of those character lunches?" She stabs a fork directly into Gray's face. Gray freaks out as he watches Erza eat it. "Hey, this is pretty good! I'll have some more!"

"Seriously?! I'll have some too!" Gray finally agrees to eat the lunch made by Juvia.

Juvia watches from afar as tears well up. "It's great! Really great! I want this everyday!" She imagines Gray enjoying her food. "So please marry me."

"Yes! We can have thirty babies or so!" Juvia blushed. "Juvia is so touched!" Juvia quickly hides when she hears someone coming.

"Guys..." Loke is seen holding Lucy's keys. "Could you give these to Lucy for me? They are her keys."

"I was wondering why you hadn't been around lately!" Aira said.

"You were looking for these the whole time?" Natsu asked.

"Are you okay? You look really pale..." Happy asked.

"Thanks. I'm fine." Loke replied. "Whew. Being a gentlemen is tough."

"Lucy doesn't seem to be here. Maybe she still hurts too much to be up and about." Happy said.

"We can go pay her a visit then. You should come too, Loke." Natsu offered.

"I'll pass. You know I'm no good around celestial wizards." Loke walks away.

"Really? Even though this is Lucy we're talking about?" Natsu asked.

"Natsu. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Don't pry too much." Erza said.

While walking, Loke gets a terrible feeling. "Karen... There's no need to be in such a rush... I'm already about to..."

At Lucy's Apartment...

Happy flies near her window, checking on Lucy. "Lucy!"

"How ya doin'?!" Natsu asked, appearing at her window.

"Don't go through the window!" Aira crawls out of the chimney.

"There's a door for a reason, you know!" Erza drinks her tea as they sweat drop.

"And just what are you doing?" They asked.

"Huh?" Natsu notices something different.

"Normally..." Aira notices it as well.

"My place!" Happy mimics Lucy.

"...is what would happen, but..." Erza commented.

"The bath, huh?" Aira added. He imagines himself walking in on Lucy while taking a bath. "Aira, you pervert!" He thinks of Lucy in a deeper voice. "...is the cliche waiting for me, so..." He opens the curtains in the bathroom. "I'm sorry, but...!" He sees Natsu in the bath instead.

"She's not here." Natsu said, sitting in the bath.

"That was fast! And don't get in!" Aira exclaimed.

Erza is seen wearing a towel. "It looks like she left."

"And what are you here for?!" Aira asked.

"That griping was lackluster..." Erza commented.

"Not having Lucy around throws everything off." Happy stated.

"What kind of criticism is that? And excuse me for being lackluster." Aira said.

"Lucy!" Happy opens a drawer.

"Where is she?" Natsu asked, freaking out when he sees something in there.

"What are you guys looking in there for?" Aira asked, blushing a bit when he sees it. Erza walks behind them.

"I didn't know there was underwear like this!" Happy commented.

"This... is underwear?!" Aira asked with his heart beating fast.

"Wh-When would one don something like this?" Erza asked.

"Mealtimes?!" Natsu added.

"Nope, defintely not." They all disagree.

"We shouldn't be looking in here anyway! Hurry and shut it!" Aira said as they shut the drawer close.

"Lucy! Come out!" Happy cried out.

"Why do you keep looking in weird places?!" Aira asked. Erza notices a letter on the desk. Happy accidently knocks something down, causing a mess.

"What are these?" Erza asked.

"They're letters..." Aira commented.

"Mom. I finally managed to join Fairy Tail, the guild I really..." Natsu reads one of her letters out loud.

"Hey, now! Don't go reading her stuff!" Aira interrupted him.

"Today I met someone named Erza. She's really cool and pretty." Natsu continues to read the letter. Erza blushes when she hears Natsu read what Lucy wrote about her. "Then Natsu and Aira..."

"Are all of these letters to her mom?" Aira looks at all of the unopened envelopes.

"Looks like it." Happy responded.

"Why haven't they been mailed?" Natsu asked.

"There's a note." Erza said. "Lucy left a note. She says she's going home..." Her hand shakes as she reads the note to them.

"W-Why?!" They all scream in shock.

Elsewhere...

Lucy is on a train returning back home. Lucy returns home to her father, and shows him her resolve to stay on the path she believes in and to live as a Mage of Fairy Tail.

Lucy visits her mother's grave. "Mom..."

"Lucy!" Her teammates shout her name as they run to her. "Lucy!"

"Why are you-?!" Lucy is surprised to see them.

Happy flies into Lucy for a hug. "Lucy!"

Lucy explains to the truth for why she came back home. She smiles at her old home, leaving with her team.

"I'm really sorry I worried you." Lucy apologized.

"Don't sweat it. It was our fault for jumping to conclusions." Erza said.

"Looks like there was nothing to worry about after all." Aira sighed.

"Happy cried the whole time!" Natsu said.

"You were in tears too, Natsu!" Happy counter back.

"Was not!" Natsu looks away, blushing a bit.

"I-I'm really sorry..." Lucy apologizes once more.

"Man, this sure is a spacious town." Aira complimented.

"It's very nice and peaceful." Erza commented.

"Oh, no. This is just our garden." Lucy said. "Everything from here to that mountain is our estate." She looks at them when they don't say anything. "Huh? What's wrong guys?" Natsu and Aira turn pale.

"All hail, Princess Lucy!" Aira saluted.

"Said it like it's nothin'!" Natsu saluted as well.

"Natsu and Aira have been defeated!" Happy saluted while Natsu and Aira wrap their arms over their shoulders, pumping one hand in the air. "Captain Erza, please give your orders!"

Erza cannot find the words to describe it. "Such clear blue skies..."

"Captain Erza is malfunctioning!" Happy yelled. Natsu and Aira shout together.

Lucy looks at them weird, but laughs at them afterwards. "Dear Mom, in Heaven... I'm doing well. You know, Mom... I don't think I can live without the others now. After all... Fairy Tail became a part of me!"

A/N: There you go!

How was everyone's first day back to school?

Mine was eh... It was good seeing my boyfriend and my friends again.

Hope you enjoyed!

~Kyle