This is just a one-shot.
No pairings. No relationship. Nothing like that.
Just a random one-shot.
The city of Veronica was in ruin. The buildings turned to rubble and ash. Fires blazed all around. The city was burning because of an overzealous King. His mistake was thinking that the Phoenix could grant his wish for immortality. He couldn't have been more wrong.
The mages of Fairy Tail were fighting and trying to keep the giant mechanical beast at bay. But the beast was draining all their magic. They weren't sure if they could beat this thing. But they had to try.
Lucy sat on the ground holding a weak Éclair in her arms as she watched her friends and guild mates fight. Her tears streamed down her face as she felt the life slowly leave her newfound friend.
Lucy gasped as she felt something zing through her. She knew the feeling well. It meant a key was nearby. The pull to the key was great. It was trying to pull her toward the mechanical beast. But she wouldn't move, not when her friend needed more.
"Hang on, Éclair! Please, hang on!" Lucy cried.
The world around her was crumbling, but she didn't care. She wouldn't leave Éclair to fend for herself. She would never leave a friend behind.
Lucy vaguely heard the words spoken by Éclair and Master Makarov, but she did catch some of the conversation.
Whoever has consumed the blood of the phoenix will die once the phoenix is destroyed. On my signal, Erza will fire the arrow that will destroy it.
Éclair had consumed the blood of the phoenix Four hundred years ago. She would die once the phoenix was destroyed.
Lucy's eyes widened. "No! Master! You can't! Erza would never do that!" Lucy cried.
Makarov closed his eyes. "I didn't disclose that part to her. This is my sin to bear." Makarov said.
"It's okay. You have my blessing." Éclair said with a nod.
"NO! You can't! We'll find another way! There has to be another way!" Lucy continued to cry.
"It's okay, Lucy. I'm not afraid. It's my time." Éclair said with a sad smile.
"NO! Please!" Lucy cried as she hugged Éclair.
Lucy felt Éclair nod. She knew why. She knew Éclair was telling Master Makarov to give the signal. She hugged Éclair tighter, not wanting to let go.
Makarov raised his hand above him, signaling Erza to fire. He looked sadly at Lucy, who continued to cry. It hurt to see her cry. But it had to be done, or all of Earthland would be destroyed.
The pulse of magic that shot through Lucy came again. It was calling to her and urging her forward. But she couldn't bring herself to leave Éclair. She wouldn't risk the life of a friend just to get a key.
Please help me.
Lucy heard the words echo through her head. She clenched her eyes shut to try and block them out.
Set me free.
Lucy didn't want to listen to it. She wanted to stay by Éclair's side. She heard the beast's roar indicating the impact of the arrow that Erza shot. But it wasn't enough. The beast still stood and rampaged. The arrow was stuck in what would be its eye.
Lucy only had a few seconds left before losing her friend for good. She felt Éclair's hand on the back of her head. She took comfort in that touch.
"Everything will be okay, Lucy. You don't have to worry. I'm going to see Momon again." Éclair said with a smile evident in her tone.
Lucy shook her head. She didn't want to let go. She wanted Éclair to live. But that's when she heard Natsu's yell and felt the life drain from Éclair. It was time. She was out of time. She lifted her head and looked at her friend with teary eyes. The smile on Éclair's face only made her cry more.
"Goodbye, Lucy..." Éclair said as she began to fade.
"NO!" Lucy cried as she reached up to grab her friend's ghost-like hand.
Éclair smiled as her hand slipped right through Lucy's. She floated into the air, where she was met by her friend Momon. She hugged the bird-like creature before flying off into the air.
The crash of the giant mechanical beast shook the ground beneath it. The beast slowly turned to ash.
That's when she felt the pulse of magic again. The key was calling her again. She pushed up onto wobbly legs and slowly stepped toward the rusting beast.
"Lucy! Where are you going?" Makarov shouted when he saw the girl wobble by him. But he didn't get an answer. "Lucy, child! Stop!" Makarov warned.
Lucy continued to put one foot in front of the other toward the slowly deteriorating beast.
Help me.
The voice continued to call to her. She didn't know how to save whoever was calling her, but she'd try even though she felt like she just wanted to collapse. She passed by others who watched her worriedly.
"Lucy?" Cana called out but got no answer.
"Lu?" Levy yelled, thinking maybe she just didn't hear them.
But still no answer. Others tried calling out to her, but still, she didn't answer. It was like she was in a trance. She finally stopped when she got to the deteriorating metal skeleton of the beast. She reached her hand out and touched the cool metal.
That's it—just a bit more.
The voice echoed in her mind.
The others stood behind her, itching to grab her and hightail it out of there.
She felt the cool metal warm under her touch. She closed her eyes at the feeling. It was a feeling she knew all too well. It felt the same as when her keys would warm against her touch.
A red magic circle appeared under Lucy's feet, causing the others to yell and shout. She heard something like someone banging on glass, but she ignored it.
Call me!
The voice said.
Lucy choked on a sob as the words flew from her mouth. "Open! Gate of The Mystical Fire Bird!" Lucy chanted as the tears continued to slide down her face. The others stood with their mouths agape. "Come Forth! Phoenix!" Lucy finished as a red crystal key appeared in front of her.
The magic circle grew larger as the rest of the mechanical beast disappeared. In its place was a large bird made of orange and red fire. It flapped its giant wings before it landed in front of Lucy. It pulled in its wings, wrapping them around itself.
The flames grew until they disappeared altogether, and in its place stood a girl with long orange hair that faded into red at the end of her ponytail. She had crystal blue eyes. She wore an off the shoulders long sleeve red crop top. The sleeves flared out and were made of red and dark orange feathers. Flames decorate her top and the bottom of her pants. Her pants looked like Genie-like pants that were red. She wore a belt that had feathers hanging from it. The feathers start small at her left hip and get longer as they go to her rip hip. She didn't wear shoes and was barefoot except for the small thin gold chains and jewels that decorated her feet, making her look like she was wearing sandals.
Everyone gasped as they took in the site in front of them. They couldn't believe their eyes. They couldn't believe that a key was inside that beast.
The girl smiled at the blonde that stood in front of her. "Hello, Master. I am Phoenix. I am here to serve your every wish." Phoenix said with a slight bow.
Lucy sniffled a sob. "Phoenix..." Lucy mumbled questioningly.
Phoenix smiled. "Yes. I am the soul of the phoenix that was trapped inside that mechanical beast. You and your friend freed me. And I am forever in your debt." Phoenix explained.
"You were trapped?" Lucy asked, confused.
Phoenix nodded. "Yes. Many years ago, my key was found, and I was summoned only for those who summoned me to drain me of my blood. Then they trapped me in those stones. The stones themselves were the prison that you freed me from. I didn't have enough strength to escape on my own. I needed a Celestial Wizard to summon me to be free." Phoenix explained.
"Éclair drank your blood..." Lucy muttered.
Phoenix nodded. "I know. My blood was linked to that prison. Once that thing was defeated and destroyed, whoever had drunk my blood would die. I'm truly sorry for everything." Phoenix said sullenly. "Would you do me the honor of being my master?" Phoenix asked.
Lucy's eyes filled with tears. Could she befriend the one who inadvertently took her friend's life? But the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't hold it against the spirit. It wasn't her fault. She didn't ask for this to happen.
So, there was only one answer that Lucy could think of giving.
Lucy nodded. "Yes. Yes, I will."
There we go.
Oh, and you may have noticed the writing style.
It's changed a bit.
It only changed because I got used to writing differently from the book I'm writing.
So yes, you will see a difference from here on out.
I may go back through and change all the chapters to the same writing style so it doesn't seem like it's been written by two different people.
But anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little dabble of a One-Shot!
Thank you!