My resolve is now up and running. Thank you for all the kind reviews! Super Saiyan your review made me smile and laugh! Thank you for praise. Unfortunately, this chapter has no fighting but it's a filler chapter, but an important chapter. Lucy's trauma will not be wrapped up in this chapter, but we will see one part of it being closed.
A reviewer responded that she thought I would use Fairy Law in the chapter because of the title...I am so sorry! I thought I mentioned this but if I never did, I make the chapters correlate with the episodes of the anime, so we all know where we are at in this story. I am one of those people LOL. I go back and forth writing other things and other stories it helps me know where I am at in this story. Now Chapters that don't correlate with the anime I create myself or rip off from other things, like the next episode title is a Scooby Doo Episode it came out in 1979 lock the door! It's the Minotaur! Another is Bedlam in the Big Top! but you get the idea. Some ive made up like one chapter I was working on in made up its called frightening dance with the moon beam beast. So a lot of the chapters will be the same name as the anime episodes.
the next chapter will be one of my own entirely. Now how yall react to that chapter will determine a large part on how I approach other things in this story. I will be following along with the arcs like the tower of heaven will be done. But some arcs will be scrapped if yall like these kinds of chapters. After that I haven't entirely decided on whether or not I'll be diving straight into Loke arc or maybe another free style chapter. Again yalls reviews and feed back will be determining some of that.
I hope y'all enjoy. I love reading y'alls reviews! This was not edited by anyone but me...
Lights camera action!
Lucy sat at her desk thinking about everything. It had been a week since the fight with Phantom happened. They had even started to rebuild the guild again. Laxus ended up having to leave again very quickly just to go back and save that town. Apparently, that monster was causing a lot more havoc than they had anticipated. Lucy felt slightly guilty for having him leave to come back and save her and the guild; the number and casualties were increasing in the town that he had left. But he reassured her that it was all ok.
Not shortly after he left that's when the council got involved with the entire situation. Lucy, Mira, and Erza were trying to console the Master, the entire time he was afraid he was going to have to face some prison time. Lucy recalled talking to Laxus on the lacrima later on that week about how she had been taken like the rest of the guild to a military outpost outside of town to be questioned. She also relayed that the knights were very unhappy with him for just running off, but when they explained what the circumstances were, that he was saving this town and the casualties. They apparently had decided to get his interview at another date.
Lucy rubbed her head she was thankful she had her friends and Laxus to get through all that. They had coached her through what to say in her interview with the rune knights. It was brutal being questioned daily for a week on just the events of what had happened that only lasted a few days itself.
From what Laxus had told her they had reached out to him via comm to get his side of the situation. He told them to leave him the fuck alone. Lucy laughed when he told them that, she wasn't quite sure if he was allowed to say that; but she didn't question it.
She rubbed her shoulder blade thinking that at least it finally now all had blown over. The magic council had dispersed medical aid to everyone and they'd given her some pretty wicked healing spells and painkillers to help with her recuperation process. Her arm was healing quicker than expected and the cut that Gajeel gave her was healing quite nicely; she was hoping that it wouldn't even scar over.
She had finally broken down and told Sagittarius and Virgo her "story." To say they were upset was putting it mildly. Sagittarius was more comforting about it than Virgo had been. Sagittarius had gotten on one knee right there and then promised that as long as he was her spirit now, nothing would happen to her again. Virgo had been the oddly quiet one. She had expected a larger display of emotions from her. They bid her farewell and she thought that was the end of it. But the next day she read an article on how there was a massive freak earthquake in Magnolia. It strangely only affected the Jaleel family. Lucy nearly spit out her milkshake. Mudslides, craters were scattered all through their land. And the earthquake destroyed the family homes, all their vacation homes as well. The Duke of Sawarr had also been mentioned as being severely injured being trapped under debris. Scientists were baffled along with the police; who had been inquired to ask if magic had been involved. Erza had asked her why she was so interested in the article at the time. "It's the guy who attacked me and I was engaged to, all their family properties and business were destroyed."
"Well that's gotta be satisfying in a way." She smiled.
Lucy smiled weakly, "I guess, in a way yeah." Looking at her keys.
She hadn't asked but she wondered at the time did Virgo have a hand in that debacle. The only thing that really did bother her at this point was that the council had said that they would give Fairy Tails punishment at a later date due to all the circumstances which she thought was a crappy situation because technically Fairy Tail hadn't started it. It was all Phantom's fault and not to mention her father's.
Lucy sat back and stretched and then repositioned herself at her desk. She picked up the pen at her side and continued writing the letter to her mother. She smiled to herself even though her mother could not receive these letters. It always made her feel better just writing to her mother and getting her emotions out on a piece of paper. These days the letters to her mother were a lot longer than they had been in the past, especially now that she had joined Fairy Tail and she had gotten into her first relationship.
Lucy smiled and butterflies in her stomach appeared. Of course the first person to know about her relationship was obviously her mother through letters. She hadn't really broken it to her friends yet it was all still very new and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to bring it up in the chaos that had been going on anyway.
She wished her mom was there to give her advice about what to do. Her last relationship was pretty much arranged and she didn't like the guy. Now she really did like the guy and she had no idea what to do.
I don't think you got to worry about me though mom. I think that the council's going to see that we were wronged and that yeah we went overboard once again. But we were provoked and that Phantom started it all. Eyewitness reports clearly show that Phantom was the one to first start all of this anyway.
A bird chirping outside caught Lucy's attention and she looked up at the sudden movement and that caused her stomach to hurt. She put down the pen.
'Damn when will I finally be healed?'
She winced when she noticed that she had started cussing more and more lately being in the guild. She wasn't proud of that. She looked back down at the letter.
Mom, do you really think that dad was a part of all of this? You don't think he would go that far mom, do you?
Lucy stopped writing her body now tense.
Now that I think about it, he would without even giving it a second thought.
She wrote.
But why now Mom? It's been such a long time. Why is he so desperate for me to come home now all of a sudden? It's not like he ever cared when I was there before. Mom, he would do it again wouldn't he? I'm afraid of him hurting everybody again. He would use his money again to try to control me. I'm not going to let that happen again.
I need to go and settle this once and for all mom.
I love you. I'll write again soon!
Lucy folded up the letter. She slowly got up determined, 'I have to go and see my dad one more time', she thought, 'and this time it will be the last.'
Back at the guild hall Laxus and Bickslow were walking through the former entrance of fairy tail's guild Hall. This was their first time being back since the war with Phantom. After they had left Bickslow and Laxus had gone back to the original mission. Laxus had laid into Bickslow the entire time back up there. The only reason he didn't actually beat him up for losing Lucy to Phantom was for one, he was already beaten to hell, two he needed the Seith mage to heal quickly so he could fight that dark guild. But he had given the man a piece of his mind. He had been useless in keeping Lucy from falling into the hands of Phantom. Laxus had gone back to being civil with the mage since then. Otherwise he was still pretty angry with the Seith mage. They had ridden the train back in silence the whole way.
Laxus rolled his eyes at seeing Natsu being stuck under a pile of lumber. 'Idiots.' He thought. Laxus and Bickslow were back briefly to give their statements to the council. They would then have to go back and meet with the rest of their team. They had defeated the monster. Laxus was impressed that his teammates were able to hold down the fort so well while they were gone. While they were battling Phantom, Evergreen and Freed did a pretty good job at tracking down the lone sorcerer who was controlling the damn thing. By the time Bickslow and him got back, they had already plotted a way to take down the mage once and for all. Now they were just helping the town get back on its feet. Helping with disaster relief. Laxus was powering the generators in town for the hospitals and shelters, while his teammates helped with the search and rescue.
"Wow they sure haven't changed much." Bickslow laughed watching Gray and Natsu bicker. Laxus just grunted. "We should get this over with."
He was already in a foul mood, while Bickslow and him had journeyed back the town after he defeated Phantom, mages and various punks thought they could be bold and start disrespecting his guild. He gave them the shock of their lifetime when they did that. He had to set people in their place, he had seethed, they laughed at him and his team. Calling them pathetic for having their guild hall destroyed. And to rub salt in the wound, it happened also while they had been traveling back to Fiore to give their statements. He could hear their whispers, and outlandish comments. 'My grandfather is running this stupid place into the ground. With his dumb ass decision making, the only good decision he had made was her.' He thought of Lucy. She made him calm, his anger would vanish when she smiled and laughed. It felt good at times, not being angry all the time.
"Why?" Bickslow laughed. "So you can go and hang out with your girlfriend." Bickslow teased, he tried finally, breaking the ice with his boss this time was hard. Laxus stopped, closing his eyes, he smiled as he summoned a lightning bolt to hit his friend.
"Ouch! That hurt! Dude, learn to take a joke!" Bickslow screamed.
Laxus smirked, things were going well between him and the little blonde mage. His dragon was still pushing him to be with her 24/7 but it was better. It seemed to have relaxed a lot. As long as nothing was stressing Lucy, his own emotions and his stupid reptile were not bothering him.
"Hey whoa it's Laxus!" Natsu screamed, noticing the two men, distracting himself from his fight with Gray.
Laxus grunted a hello.
"Enough!" Erza said behind Natsu and Gray she swung a two by four at them knocking them upside the head.
Laxus laughed, motioning to Erza, "Bickslow would you rather me do that?"
"No. I would rather you not hurt me. Wild concept I know. I just want you to learn to take a joke. Again a wild concept." He said, rubbing his head.
"I'll pretend to consider the concept." He smiled at his old friend. Bickslow shook his head laughing. "Looks like your grandfather is hard at work." He said motioning to Makarov.
Laxus grunted in acknowledgment. He rolled his eyes hearing Erza call him boss. Apparently he wasn't the only one feeling that way cause he heard team Shadow Gear utter similar statements.
As he wandered further in he heard the guild chatting amongst themselves. Mira was saying something about the guild hall was going to be larger now. Showing off some plans. He was shocked to see Bickslow had wandered over there to look at them. He saw with his face that he was shocked and appalled. 'How bad were the new plans.' He thought.
He then saw Mira burst out crying, he was taken aback. "You made her cry, Gray." He heard them all say. He watched at how Bickslow was blending in with the guild slightly. They were all on edge around him but still friendly at the same time. Something that never happened before. Maybe him fighting with them and holding up the rest of the building built some sort of fondness now for him. His teammates were the outcasts of the guild? In their eyes they were at least.
Bickslow being the most of all. Most people thought of him as weird. Which he was, but that's besides the point. Laxus quickly turned his head, a sight of blue hair rushing around the ruins caught his attention. 'What was that—' his thought was cut off as he saw a lunch box being propelled over a wall. He was shocked.
Bickslow was soaked from the water. "What the actual fuck!" He screamed. His babies woke up from their pouch and started whizzing around everyone. Everyone took a step back slightly startled by his totems flying crazy around. Laxus sighed, now that was more of what he expected.
"What the hell Gray!"
"I didn't do that!" He screamed. "Get your toys under control man!" Gray said, swatting them away. Bickslow glared. "They were startled by your damn water—"
"Not my water—" he cut off looking at the lunch box.
Bickslow looked disturbed. "Is that your face made up of veggies?" He said dumbfounded. His totems were flying back to him. He knew the guild found them creepy and didn't want them to get hurt by people breaking them.
"Cool! Your face is totally edible!" He heard Happy say drooling.
"I can't eat this, it's totally weird!"
Laxus was confused, 'Whose bawling back there?' he questioned in his head.
"Hey, is that supposed to be your face made out of veggies?" Erza questioned, Erza came behind them and stabbed Gray's face. "This is pretty good! I could eat the whole thing."
"I guess I should try it?" Gray asked more for himself than anyone else.
Bickslow looked disturbed. A figure approaching caught his eye.
"I never got to say thank you for saving me." Loke said.
Bickslow smirked. "No problem. Just don't get beaten to a pulp next time. Might not be here to save all of your asses next time."
Loke laughed at that, while the rest of team Natsu glared unimpressed.
"You ok?" Happy asked, noticing his friend. "You look bad."
"You look paler—are you ok?" Gray said, deciding to ignore Bickslow.
"Yeah, just pretty beat. You know, being a gentleman is pretty draining."
Bickslow snorted, "sure it is."
Team Natsu glared at him. But Loke just laughed. "I guess you know better than anyone, I remember when you would be at the same bars I was at—-I think I picked up the girls you were trying to pick up. Multiple in one night."
Bickslow glared at that comment. But it made Team Natsu laugh. Bickslow bowed his head in defeat laughing. "Well with you and Laxus now being unavailable-him being cuffed and you being beaten up and me saving your ass…we'll see how successful I am now."
Loke just smiled.
"Speaking of Lucy. We haven't seen her."
"Doubt you would not after the beating Cosplayer got." Bickslow added.
"Cosplayer?" Gray asked skeptically.
"It's her nickname." Bickslow said nonchalantly.
Gray frowned, he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of Lucy being close to the Thunder Legion or its leader. He did not trust them at all.
"We can all go see her!" Happy said.
"Nah. I think I'll stay away. You know I'm no good around celestial mages." Bickslow eyed Loke. He alone seemed to know the truth about the mage. That he wasn't really from this world, but was something different. It's why he never trusted the mage to a degree. He didn't know what he was but knew enough to know he wasn't from here.
He watched Loke walk away, as he stared he noticed Laxus was trying to get his attention. He began to walk away from the mages. When he got to him Laxus indicated he wanted to leave. Following him, he asked where they were going first.
"To see Lucy."
Bickslow nodded and followed his best friend toward her house.
When Laxus arrived at Lucy's place he was shocked to see her team got their first.
"I told you we shouldn't have stopped for food." He hissed.
"I was hungry. Sue me." Bickslow retorted. "Seeing that lunch box made of Grays face made me hungry."
Laxus shook his head walking towards the open door.
Laxus almost went ballistic when he heard Gray yell, "she isn't in the bathtub. How the hell did you get there so fast Natsu!"
"Were you just going to walk in on her?" Laxus demanded.
Team Natsu turned to face him. Shock on their faces. "Do any of you know the definition of boundaries!" He seethed as he saw Erza walk around now in a towel.
"We're looking for Lucy!" Gray screamed. How dare this guy judge him for looking for his friend. Bickslow just shook his head.
"Calm down Laxus," Erza said. "We're only here to check on her. It seems to me she's not home. Do you know where she is?"
"Way to state the obvious genius!" Gray yelled at Erza sarcastically.
Bickslow was amazed, Erza was walking around in a towel and her team was just digging through all of her things like it was no issue. Laxus would have fried their asses if they didn't have the common decency to not do that in the first place. He had seen Laxus go ballistic on women just going through his stuff in the bathroom on missions or try and touch his coat. Lucy must have been one laid back chick to let them go on doing this while she was not there.
Laxus stopped, he grit his teeth, annoyed that he himself had no clue where she ran off too. She could have at least said something. He told her he would be back at 11 am. They had agreed he would show up at her place at 11:30 it was now 11:35. "No. But she was supposed to be here. We were going to meet up here when I got into town. I told her when we would be back."
Erza frowned. "It's just not the same without Lucy." She muttered.
"No one can yell like she can." Happy lamented.
Bickslow shook his head. This was a mess, he thought. He thought she seemed decent enough. Not good enough for Laxus but decent. No woman was good enough for his best friend.
"Lucy! Are you here?Whoa!" Happy screamed.
"Yeah like she would fit into a dra—-"
Everyone turned to look at him. Gray and Natsu screamed looking into the drawer. Laxus and Bickslow looked at each other then looked in the drawer. Laxus nearly choked. In the drawer was every piece of lingerie that he could think of. Silk, lace, leather, velvet were all there.
"Where do you even buy underwear like that!?" Happy asked.
"That's underwear?" Gray exclaimed.
"I've never seen anything like this before. She has good taste though—where do you even wear that?"
"Family gatherings?" Natsu asked.
"Definitely not." They all said.
Bickslow laughter brought him out of his daze. "Now I'm beginning to see why you like her boss!" He said, slapping him on the shoulder. Laxus just zapped Bickslow making him pass out on the floor. "Enough!" He screamed. With regret he closed the drawer. 'Damn why hadn't she showed him that yet.' His thoughts are taken over by the images of Lucy wearing them.
"Lucy, where are you hiding!?" Happy screamed.
"Quit looking in weird places!" Gray scolded.
At the same time Laxus and Erza noticed a note on Lucy's desk. They looked at one another and walked towards her desk.
Happy toppling over a box onto Bickslow distracted them all. Laxus watched as hundreds of letters fell out. Bickslow, annoyed now, threw Happy off of him.
"Ouch!" Happy cried.
"So many letters." Erza murmured.
"And all sealed." Gray added.
Laxus was walking over to them when Natsu ripped one open. 'What did I say about boundaries?' He seethed. 'Now I'm more than a little worried.' Lucy wasn't anywhere in the apartment. He knew that by the smell. 'But where did she go?'
"Dear mom, today was a very special day, because I joined the Fairy Tail guild today—" Natsu read aloud.
He listened as Natsu read the letter, he was reading Lucy's account of meeting Erza. Erza blushed at the high praise Lucy had given her.
"All these letters," Bickslow said, passing some to Gray, "they are all unopened."
"And to her mom." Gray said, taking them from the mage.
"Looks that way." Happy said.
"But why didn't she mail them?" Natsu asked.
Laxus remained silent. He knew Lucy's mom was dead. This must have been her way of being close to her, he thought, like a diary of sorts.
Erza's voice caught his attention.
"I found a letter." She said her voice was shaking. "it's to her mom. She wrote here about her pondering if her father would use his money to control her and that she's ending this once and for all!"
"What does that mean?" Happy panicked.
"Did she go home!" Laxus exclaimed!
Laxus panicked, snatching the letter. Bickslow widened his eyes. This wasn't good. He tried to reach his best friend, but electricity was bouncing off of him. "Buddy, we don't know what's going on let's not get hasty-"
"She left! After everything I did for her!" He screamed. Electricity shot from out of him now. It hit the electrical sockets. The electricity in the house shut off.
They all stood in silence. The sun shined through the windows. Birds chirped in the background.
"Maybe something is wrong?" Bickslow said.
Laxus was shaking. The damn reptile in his head was calm at the moment though. 'Why are you so damn calm about her going back home?' He seethed. The reptile snorted. "I—i know—' it started but gave up. It was snorting in frustration. He couldn't communicate with the mage. It didn't know how. It knew Lucy was coming back and she was ok at the moment and not in danger. Therefore, his inner dragon wasn't worried about her. It knew she was coming back. And wasn't leaving them, he could just sense it for whatever reason.
"Come on, let's go searching for her!" Laxus screamed storming out of her apartment, livid at his inner dragon's lack of response to the situation. 'You freak out over everything else she does and responds to everything else she does but you're not responding to this. Fuck you!'
The dragon just snorted in his head. Laxus could feel it resting, not caring about the situation any longer.
Everyone was shocked at Laxus's sudden outburst. Bisklow ran for the door. Team Natsu slowly catching up to them.
Lucy sat on the train. She was lost in her own world. She was reliving a memory she had on a birthday. He was yelling at her about disturbing him and making him angry. He told her not to interrupt him. He made her birthday awful.
She looked down, the tea she bought was getting cold. She slowly took a sip. 'No use wasting this.'
Various scenes played in her head. They played over and over in her head. Like an endless loop. She was stuck as a little girl, her father telling her he had no time for her. Not to disturb him. Throwing her away like he did with that rice ball she made for him. She was a pest. Do her business lessons. That was all he said to her that entire day. And the that day. The day she was assaulted.
"This tragic, but we must fix this!" He explained as he brought her to a clinic. "We'll find out if you're pregnant and go from there. If not I'll pay for someone to restore your purity. Maybe we can salvage this and marry you to someone else." Lucy had been so scared. The smell of the hospital made her sick. The pain she went through regrowing her hymen made her paralyzed and sick. She had told herself it would be fine. That at least this way she deluded herself she could go on and this would never happen again. But her father made it worse. Days later he approached her in the study.
"I can't back out of this marriage. There's to much at stake here. You'll have to go through with this marriage to him."
"But why? Don't you know how messed up this is!" She had screamed at him.
"Because you just don't get it! Everything is on the line riding this union. I'm sorry but it just can't be done! You'll marry him and that is it!"
"I hate you! If mom was still here she would not let this happen!" She screamed through tears.
Her father had slapped her then. "Your mother is not here!" He screamed, tears welled up in his eyes. "If she was maybe I wouldn't be in this mess. But she's not! You're going to have to marry him. And that's final!"
The months that counted to the wedding, the duke had been snidely making comments about how good it would feel to reclaim her. That she was going to be his and there was nothing she could do about it. He would do what he wants and when he wanted to her. She learned more and more about how he took what he wanted. She wasn't the first one he had done that too. It made her so mad that she promised herself that when she was free she would take her revenge on him. And revenge for all the other women he had destroyed. That's when she had learned about Medusa. She paused staring at the ground. Medusa would help her get her revenge she knew it. Just because the Duke was stuck under some debris didn't mean he would stop doing what he was doing. She had heard how one maid had killed herself ashamed for what he had done to her. The rumors of him sending away maids to fix the problems they had from the results of his actions plagued her. Some died some were left heartbroken. But they all ended the same. He robbed them all of something precious. And he couldn't be allowed to keep doing that just because of his power and influence.
Before she knew it she was in front of the gate. She stopped sighing. She took a step, steeling her nerves before opening the gate. It made a loud creaking sound. Laughing to herself, she remembered the one time she did try and run away and that gate was the thing that gave her away. Walking forward she saw a familiar face. She smiled. "Hello miss Sopetto!" Lucy cried, waving.
The old woman looked up. When she saw Lucy she started crying. The old woman ran up to her, giving her a hug. Lucy laughed. "Hello! I've missed you too!"
One by one, more people ran into the court yard swarming her with hugs. Lucy laughed as Miss Sopetto refused to let go. "I really didn't mean to worry you guys honestly!" Lucy laughed feeling guilty. She looked at all the faces, some were hoping she was ready to learn, some told her she looked beautiful like her mother. Her chef made her the most embarrassed when he asked if she had a boyfriend. 'They haven't changed one bit.'
"I've….met someone. Yes." Lucy said shyly. At that they went silent. Lucy blushed harder.
"He's grumpy! But wonderful-I really like him!" She stammered.
They all were casting looks at one another all having similar thoughts. They hadn't actually expected her to meet someone but it made sense. Two years had passed and she had been on her own. Able to make her own decisions. She met someone she really liked and now her father brought her here to marry someone else. A man none of them liked….
"Miss Lucy!" A maid had come out cutting through the silence. "The master requests your presence in the study."
Everyone turned around to see her, and then back at her fathers office. Lucy just stared into the windows. Beyond those windows was her father. A man she hadn't seen in years.
'His runaway daughter finally comes home, and he sends a servant to request my presence. I see he hasn't changed one bit either.'
All the while Lucy was still led to be changed and led to meet her father in his office. Laxus was racing towards that damn mansion. He felt his chest panicking. His dragon was now feeling distressed by the entire situation, sensing now that Lucy was stressed about meeting her father again. It felt Laxus's frustration as well which made him even more annoyed because he couldn't tell the man to calm the fuck down. Everything in Laxus's mind was panicking. The words Jose said to him ringing in his ears, "Dryer men never seem to keep their women. And you're going to lose two….."
Lucy had now entered the study. Ready to face him but was also anxious. Not sure how this would all go but ready to say goodbye and determined to leave after it was said and done.
Meanwhile, Laxus shook his head. He had to make it there before it was too late. Late for what he didn't know. But he had to make sure he got there. This was idiocy. He knew logically he shouldn't be feeling this way over a woman at least this quickly. Sure if they had been together for a few years or even one year yeah he would assume men would feel this panic. But feeling this way over something that was only maybe a month of knowing her. Was ridiculous. But what about their deal, three months! Three months and he expected a full damn three months to prove something to her, that his feelings were real and he wanted her at least.
Bickslow screamed at him when they hit the ground. It was then he realized he had dragged him with him. He had zapped them both to the outskirts of her fathers mansion. It took a moment longer to realize he did it for everyone.
He saw team Natsu lying on the ground woozy.
"Oh shit when did I do this?" He muttered.
"When we told you we weren't letting you leave us—" Natsu barfed hearing with his sensitive ears.
Laxus nodded absentmindedly. He started running to the house.
"Hold on Laxus!" Bickslow screamed, bouncing back quicker than the others. He was used to Laxus doing this to him.
"We gotta think this through! Who knows what security he has!"
Laxus growled.
Bickslow didn't back down though. Not this time.
"I get it. You're freaking out. But we can't just go in guns blazing."
Laxus nodded agreeing with him. Erza was the first to get up out of her team. "God that was awful". She shakily stood up. "Why don't we try sneaking around." There's got to be a way in. If Lucy snuck out, there's gotta be a way to sneak in." She reasoned. Laxus nodded. The minute the rest of her team got back on their feet, they managed to sneak in through a patch of bushes that had no fence.
While they were sneaking along the bushes they heard Lucy's voice. They all looked around and looked at what was a window into what looked like her fathers office.
"There she-" Natsu said excitedly! Bickslow cut him off, silencing him. "Remember this thing called sneaking in. It's called being silent." He hissed. Natsu glared. Bickslow looked back at the window. No one had noticed them. But their voices were raised. Lucy was arguing with someone who he guessed was her father.
"You forced me to go to extremes Lucy!" He screamed. "If you hadn't acted so selfishly I wouldn't have had to lash out at your guild! You're the one who brought so much trouble to your friends!"
Bickslow could feel both Laxus and Natsu start to get heated. One was staticky and the other was just plain heat. A look over at Erza and Gray told him they were losing their cool too. He needed to do something even if it was momentarily. He mentally sent out his energy to hold them all down. Their souls under his command. Erza and Laxus were peeved at what he had the audacity to do to them. Albeit they were the only two he couldn't control for long, and they knew that. "Remember, we're here to get Lucy. If her dad sees us, then we can't get her." He screamed into their brains. Gray, Laxus and Erza brains relaxed, knowing he was right. They stopped fighting him, relaxing. Satisfied he released them. Happy finally stopped as well and he released him. Natsu on the other hand was fighting him. His mind registering what he said but emotions getting the best of him. 'That's my best friend in there!' He screamed at Bickslow.
"Sorry kid, it's for your own good. Lucy's good. That we aren't seen right now." He echoed into the recesses of his soul.
"It's better you don't associate with them anyways." Her father said starting to calm down. "You're a member of the Heartfilia family. You shouldn't be associating with those peasants."
Bickslow glared. Now he was ready to beat the old man.
"I want you to come home. That marriage I arranged for you with the Duke Sawarr is still going."
"Isn't that the guy who—-" Happy could barely choke the last word out. Gray nodded. He held Happy as he was starting to sniffle.
"Yes, I suspected that was the case." Lucy said silently. Only Laxus and Natsu could hear it. Laxus clenched his fist, she came back for this?
Bickslow started to twitch. Natsu was really powerful. His rage was only fueling it. But Bickslow was determined to keep him in check. Not until they had the facts of what was going on here.
"I know this got off on the wrong foot. But think of this like an investment in your future. Once you're married we will have access to their families' vast lands in the south. Allowing us to expand our business."
Erza was shaking.
"And I expect you to give birth to a baby boy."
Laxus was shaking and he tried to control his anger. 'Is this what she really wanted? To go back to being someone's pet! Maybe you're not the woman I thought you were at all! To think I put any ounce of affection and care for you! Just so you could do this!'
Erza placed her hand on his shoulder. The look she gave him let him know she too was angry and sick.
Laxus was shaking so badly. His dragon was howling in rage at the idea of Lucy being married to some pig. And to have his babies.
"Mi—" it screamed.
His thoughts were cut off when he heard Lucy speak though.
"I'm sorry father, that's not going to happen. I didn't come here to make amends. I came here to say my final goodbyes."
Everyone released a breath of relief. Natsu himself seemed to calm down.
Laxus pressed himself up against the window. His heart felt light but his stomach felt like it was being put through hell. He felt confused, happy and delighted. While pain twisted through him for doubting her.
"Leaving without saying goodbye has been a regret that I have had for a long time. Not leaving, but leaving without a goodbye. So now I will be telling you exactly how I feel, before I leave here for good."
Bickslow now was intrigued. He put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. This seemed good.
I learned a long time ago when I was a child that money can't make you happy! And I'm finally happy! I'm not going to let you ruin it for me! You hear? I'm warning you!"
Bickslow watched as she raised her head and hand to her father. "You better not mess with the Fairy Tail guild again!" He watched as she ripped her dress apart in front of her father. "I really have a family! Real friends! They will protect me and love me for who I am! And—" she laughed. "I have a boyfriend! A man who seems to care really deeply for me! And I care about him! And I guarantee that Laxus Dryer will beat you into a bloody pulp. Along with my friends Erza, Gray and Natsu. Heck Happy will smack you around with a fish, if you come after me again!" She ripped the tattered dress off of herself.
Happy beamed at that. He pulled out a fish just in case he had to go in there. The fish slapped softly against his paws.
She threw the rest of the dress in her hands to the ground. "We will crush you like any other enemy. Just because you're my father. Don't think for a second they'll go easy on you."
Bickslow watched as she began to cry though. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. You and I could have talked. Sat down together and worked things. But now I don't trust you." She said turning around. "You've hurt too many people that I love."
Laxus watched through the window, his inner dragon howling. Telling him to go to her, but somewhere deep down. He knew she needed to do this alone. This last final goodbye had to be done by herself alone. And then he would be there for her. She wasn't the damsel here. He recalled telling her that was the woman he wanted all along anyways. She was sticking up for herself and he knew he didn't need to interfere. But damn the instinct to go running through that window ran deep in his bones. He stood there admiring her. She was doing something not even he had the strength to do at her age. He smiled proudly at her.
"I just need to be accepted for who I am."
Lucy's team smiled as she waved her father goodbye.
"I'm Lucy of Fairy Tail. Where people treat me like family. Something you've never done."
Bickslow smiled as he watched her soul wrap around itself. The broken black parts were braiding itself around other pieces turning aqua. Blue green brown and red spiraled around the black tentacles. 'She really is something.' He thought. Bickslow for a moment saw a flash behind her, it looked like a slightly older version of her was smiling behind her. Her hair was in a similar bun. But the dress was something out of a Victorian novel to him. Bright orange and big bow was at the collar. Nodding her head and looking at Lucy then to her father. Sadness was radiating off of her looking at Lucy's father. She moved towards him holding out a hand. A hand he couldn't see but he saw her fathers soul change instantly, wrapping itself around the woman's hand. Black tendrils of Regret, grief, anger and shame giving away to purples and aqua. A red tendril was forming from their connection along with bright flashes of pink. A menagerie of colors were exploding from him to her. Bickslow went to look at Lucy and saw that her soul was exploding too, aquas, reds, murky yellows and purples exploded from her to her father and to the woman standing between them. Strength, healing and determination flooded through her and into her. Bickslow was momentarily stunned. The figure looked at him and smiled. Turning its head back to Lucy watching her as she walked out the door, before fading a bright light flashed behind her and she was gone. Bickslow blinked and then smiled. Closure. That was what that was, he thought. Closure.
Lucy was walking outside when she saw her teammates, Laxus and Bickslow outside waiting for her. Shocked, she screamed and ran to them in excitement.
"What are you doing here!?"
She ran to her friends and they welcomed her with open arms. Lucy was crying tears of happiness. Then she saw Laxus off to the side. He looked rather awkward. Her heart swelled. He had come after her. Feeling a ball of emotions she did the first thing she could think of. The thing had wanted to do for a long time.
She threw herself at him. She kissed him right on the lips. Laxus luckily reacted quickly and caught her. He held her tight. His shock was replaced quickly by a strange feeling overcoming him. He closed his eyes kissing her back. He held her tightly. Lucy felt giddy, her foot popped in the air as she felt something burning inside of her. And overwhelming magnetic pull was drawing them closer together. And she didn't want to run away from it.
Whistles in the background and a cat call brought them both out of their own little world. Lucy looked around sheepishly.
"Glad to see you're back blondie." Laxus said huskily in her ears.
His dragon purred at last feeling her in his arms again.
"It's Lucy." She said into his rib cage.
Laxus laughed.
Bickslow coughed awkwardly. Lucy looked up. She smiled and walked over and gave him a hug. Bickslow was stunned.
"Of all the people I didn't expect to be here. I couldn't have imagined you."
Bickslow blushed. "Well cheerleader, someone had to keep the boss from going off the rails. You left that letter on your desk and none of us knew what happened to you."
Lucy smacked her head. "I just now realized how badly that must have all looked to you guys! I'm sorry! I just knew in that instance when I was writing to my mom that I had to come back here and stand up to my dad."
"I think we can agree. As long as you don't do this again. We will forgive you." Erza smiled.
Lucy laughed. "Of course scouts honor! Before we go though I wanna show you all something."
Everyone looked stunned but nodded. Lucy led them over to a long path made of cobblestone. The path was showered in trees, branches. Flowers dropping from the branches made it look like a curtain of flower petals were around them.
"Wow, this is so pretty." Erza exclaimed.
"I'm glad you think so!" Lucy beamed. They passed by a waterfall and a staircase made of various stones and granite before they arrived at the courtyard where a large statue of an angel sat in the middle.
"Guys this is where my mom is buried." Lucy said sheepishly.
Everyone looked around. Bickslow whistled low. "I know I'm probably not the person you dragged up here to see your mom," he gestured at Team Natsu and Laxus. "But this is pretty. Can we get close to the memorial?"
Lucy nodded.
Bickslow liked sculptures. After carving his own for years he appreciated the craftsmen ship that went into these things, and this clearly was carved from a huge chunk of stone. So he made sure to go around the side of the statue to look at it. Really an impressive feat. It was beautiful and tranquil. If her spirit that he saw was anything like what he saw in her dads office. It was a beautiful dedication to her.
Team Natsu marveled at everything that was around them.
"Luigi, this is by far the coolest cemetery I've seen."
Lucy laughed at that.
"It's not a cemetery. Freak. It's a grave /memorial!" Gray seethed.
"It's a cemetery. It's where dead people are buried." Natsu fired back.
Erza grabbed both of them in a chokehold. "Guys we are here to be shown something precious and priceless to Lucy. Don't screw it up!" She hissed.
"Yes Ma'am." They said, now on edge.
Lucy shook her head. Laxus was staring up at the statue. Lucy stood next to Laxus. Laxus looked at the angel statue towering above him. The garden was amazing. Trees and bushes and winding stone staircases were surrounding it. It was beautiful. "It's a nice statue." He said rather ungracefully. He mentally wanted to smack himself.
Lucy looked at him warily and then laughed. "Don't know what to exactly say?"
Laxus nodded. Not trusting himself to speak. He took a deep breath. "I know it means a lot that you showed me—-and I'm happy that you want to show me. I just don't know what else to say that would be enough justice. It's a nice memorial for your mother. My moms is not nearly as nice as this."
Lucy laughed, laying her head against his arm. "That's ok. Todays been a rough day. And I'm sure your moms is just as beautiful. Maybe you could show me it sometime."
Laxus nodded, Mentally reminding himself he needed to go clean it up, and bring fresh flowers to it. A pang of sadness rushed over him. He didn't go there often, it was too painful for him. He noticed the dates on the statue. July 7 777 and May 6 748. 777 Why did that date seem annoyingly familiar? A secondary thought struck him as well. How young Lucy's mother was when she died. It was tragic in itself. His mother was young as well but she had been in 40s at least. But Layla was in her 20s, dying that young. He was only a couple years younger than her mother when she died. She was 29 and he was 23. With that sobering thought lingering in his head. Lucy squeezed his hand. "Let's go home." She said, trying to gain the others' attention.
Laxus smiled sheepishly at the statue. "I'll try my best and be a good man." He whispered. "I'm a work in progress at the moment." He felt a warm breeze pass his face. A bird landed on a tree branch and began chirping. Something told him she had heard him.
"Come on boss! It's time to leave." Bickslow called.
Laxus nodded and walked towards the rest of the group. Lucy hung back. "Thanks for being here."
"I will always come for you Blondie. Always." He genuinely meant it. Something about her was different; he didn't know what it was but it was true.
Lucy's heart soared hearing that.
As they walked away the rest of the group made idle conversation.
"I gotta say I'm digging your home town Lucy." Gray said looking around.
"Yes, it's so beautiful," Erza added.
Lucy laughed. "Oh this isn't a town. This is just part of our property. These are the sheds and garages. Farther out are the homes for all the servants and workers. And it extends all the way to that mountain."
They all stopped and stared at Lucy.
"Holy crap you're rich. And you're acting like it's nothing!" Natsu screamed in shock.
Lucy was taken aback.
Bickslow laughed. "Boss, you may want to get creative and trap this one down." He laughed again.
Laxus glared at him knowing what he was implying.
"Trap Lucy how?" Happy asked, confused.
"Don't worry about it." Laxus replied. "It's not happening like that." Emphasizing the word that.
Bickslow laughed. "Ok but just a thought." He held his hands up.
"I'm guessing this means he likes me enough." Lucy said to Natsu.
Nastu looked surprised. "I don't know why he wouldn't like you, Luigi. You're pretty awesome."
Lucy smiled. At that moment Bickslow came around and put an arm around her. "Now listen to me Cosplayer. I had my reservations about you. But I gotta admit I saw what you said to your dad. And that was impressive."
"You think?" She was surprised.
"Yeah. And you've won my respect. I'm green lighting the relationship."
Lucy laughed. "I didn't realize you were the decider in this."
"Eh I'm not." He winked. "But you're cool with me for now. For now that is, if you mistreat my man though I will hurt you."
Lucy smiled.
"Come on guys! We gotta get home!" Happy cried flying into the sky.
Lucy was happy. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry guys. I shouldn't have made you worry like that."
"It's all good," Gray said.
"We shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." Laxus said.
"Yes, we should have had more faith in you into not going back to a situation that made you so unhappy." Erza remarked.
"Yeah Luigi, Happy was crying like a baby." Natsu blurted out.
"You cried just as much as I did." Happy replied.
"No I didn't." Natsu said, looking down embarrassed.
Lucy continued to smile.
'Mom, I know you're looking down at me right now. I'm pretty sure you're happy for me. And you're supporting me by following my dreams. My friends mean everything to me. And I couldn't be happier. Fairy tail is my family now.' She thought.
Next time on When lighting and stars collide!
Lucy goes on her first mission with the Thunder Legion and Laxus to an island called Helos. That has been plagued by the creature called the Minotaur. Strange things lurk around every corner as Lucy and the Fairy Tail mages uncover the truth.
The sun was setting over a beautiful island. The sky was a beautiful mixture of purples, oranges, yellows and magenta's. But in this town when the sun set it wasn't a good thing….
A man was running across the street screaming. "Hurry! The sun is setting!"
A man nearby was crying trying to pull his family's beloved donkey along. "This is no time to be stubborn Irene please!" He cried. "We must get off the streets!"
The donkey brayed in response.
"No! We must get out of here before the beast awakens!!!"
The donkey brayed.
In a nearby Temple a creature woke up snarling. His face was awful.
He smelled like rotting flesh and musty fur. He was half man and half bull. His face was like a bulls, with horns on top of his head. They were 10 ft long from one side to another. The monster also stood about the same height. His eyes were blood red. Foam dripped from its mouth.
"I've come to take back this island. The night belongs to me now!" It screamed loudly. His fur shimmered under the setting sun giving his fur a deep blood red look. The bottom half of his body was not nearly covered in as much hair revealing him to look more human. His loud footsteps shook the earth he walked on.
The creature lunged at the man and his donkey, he barely missed them. But grabbed another man. He dragged him into its cave. The man screamed as he was being eaten and torn to shreds...