Lucy sat staring up at the dark sky above her. How long has it been?
A year? More?
She could just make out dark clouds, heavy with rain, as they rolled through the air above her. The wind rippling through the tall grass around her had her heart clenching in heartache.
The landscape of Fiore spanned out before her, deadly in it’s beauty. In the far distance, she could make out the distinct outline of lightning as it struck the earth below, filling the air with that fresh scent of ozone.
Closing her eyes, she fought against the tears that threatened to fall, deciding to rather concentrate on the feel of the wind through her hair. The blond strands were picked up and caressed as the wind surrounded her.
The cold seeped into her bones. Shivering, she hugged her legs closer to her chest. In a sense, she thought that she could keep both the cold and the memories out like that.
“Luce. . .”
Her eyes flew open as the memory of his voice drifted past her ears. Lucy looked up, blinking away her tears. The lightning flashed once more, thunder rumbling through the mountains. For the first time in a while, she wished she could see them.
“Want to go on a job, Lucy?”
“Things are always more fun when we are together.”
“Fairy tail members are family.”
“Lisanna!”
Soon, the tears couldn’t be kept at bay anymore. They rolled down her cheeks, stinging her eyes as she cried again. How many times does this make? She’s lost count. At this point, she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to stop crying.
Her vision of the rain clouds above her swam through the tears that gathered in her eyes while even more memories bombarded her.
“Hey, want to do this job with me?”
“Sorry Luce, I’ve already promised Lisanna.”
“Lucy are you drunk?” “He he, I guess so.”
“Sorry Lucy, we’d booked this last month already.” “It’s alright, Erza, I understand.”
“Lucy! Dammit, stop stealing my barrels! What has gotten into you?”
“Please not you too, Levy?” “Sorry Lucy. I promised.”
Sorry. It was all she had heard anymore. Sorry Luce, Lisanna came back. Sorry Lucy, we’d forgotten to let you know about the get-together. Sorry Lucy, I’d already promised to go shopping with Lisanna. Sorry, Lucy.
The first drops of rain fell, hitting her upturned face. Her fingers enclosed on the book laying beside her, bringing it up to her chest. She was afraid it might get ruined. She fingered the edge of the largest of the papers trapped within the pages of the book and traced the image of the flyer of the first job she had ever done in her minds eye. The paper was worn from handling, and she’d had to restore it with magic a time or two over the past few months. The flyer was still one of her fondest memories. At one point in time, it had been one of Natsu’s favorite memories, too.
Until Lisanna.
“Here Lucy. Natsu thought you might like to have these.”
“They’re all the things that –“
She couldn’t finish her sentence, choking on the pain in her chest. Happy didn’t look at her as he gently dropped all of their memories into her hands.
“Sorry Lucy.”
A silent hiccup escaped her as her chest ached all over again. The rain came down stronger now. Lucy hunched over, trying to ease the pain, trying to keep her memories safe.
“Your first solo mission? Lucy, are you sure? Is everything alright?”
Her wail echoed through the valley as she cried, drowned out by the thunder overhead.
“I’ll be fine, Mira.”
It was pouring down.
The white-haired beauty looked at her, and her eyebrows creased in worry.
The rain soaked Lucy through to the bone. Not that she could feel anything past the pain in her chest ripping through her again.
“I’ll be fine, Mira, I promise.”
It’s been months, and yet it still cut as deeply as the first time.
“Come back safe, Lucy.”
Her wails mimicked the sound of the wind whistling through the trees behind her.
With one last wave, she silently bid the guild farewell before disappearing out the doors.
She hadn’t been back at the guild in months, couldn’t face the harsh reality of Lisanna’s return.
“Sorry everyone.”
