Fighting Oblivion

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Lucy was a goddess, no really she was. I can prove it. Rogue and I had finished getting the luggage into the ship when the girls came skipping up to us. I could practically taste their excitement. I wished I could look forward to the voyage half as much as they could.

"Why so glum, chum?" Lucy peered at me.

"Maybe because we're about to spend the next eight days vomiting up stomach acid."

"Ok, first of all, gross." She wrinkled her cute little nose. "Second of all, why?"

"Uh, we're dragon slayers, in case you forgot, Blondie. Remember the train?"

"Yea no duh." Wordsmith this one, can't believe she's a writer.

"But that was before we had...this!" She held up a little brown bag in triumph.

"Oh, right!...and what exactly is...that?" I lifted my brows at her, she probably bought some ginger root or something, like I hadn't tried that.

"This isn't something useless like ginger." I thought for a second she read my mind but, of course, Natsu. She was plenty familiar with dragon slayer motion sickness, she'd probably tried all natural remedies on him.

"Ok, what is it then?"

"It's a troia charm."

"A what?"

"Troia charm!" She exclaimed, like repeating the word a little louder would make me automatically know what it means. "It's basically a lacrima holding the same enchantment Wendy uses to cure Natsu's motion sickness."

And that, my friends, is why Lucy Heartfilia is a goddess. It was now day 5 of our trip, the captain said we'd had a favorable wind and would probably shave off a whole day of travel time but I didn't even care. For once I wasn't begging for the sweet release of death, vomiting my stomach contents over the railing. Rogue and I were able to actually enjoy the ride. You wear the lacrimas on a string around your wrist. They were pure white crystals, one on a black string, one on a white string. Bet you couldn't guess whose was who's? I wonder, if I ate it, would I be permanently cured? Hmmm, better not risk it. The trip had been uneventful so far. No fighting necessary, which was a shame really since it'd be my first time fighting on a boat. But we were in a hurry so I guess it was a good thing.

I came out to the deck to get some fresh air, and ok, maybe I was hoping I'd bump into Lucy. What? I just wanted to thank her for the lacrimas...again. I found her lying on the deck, feet propped up against the railing, probably counting the stars or just searching for Aquarius again. I was just about to walk over to her and ask to join her when I heard Minerva hissing my name.

"Yeah, what is it?"

She stepped out of the shadows, her eyes swept over me and gods if looks could kill I'd be dropping dead right now.

"You're not gonna go bother poor Lucy, are you?"

"Why, you jealous?" Shouldn't have said that. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Alright, fine," she said. "Maybe I am a little jealous." Huh?

"Huh?"

"I don't care that you're into her, Sting. I think both you and I know that ship has sailed for us, so to speak. But I am a little jealous of how close you two are." She'd barely said more than a few words to me since she found me and Lucy in the courtyard. I knew Minerva didn't want a real relationship with me, that was pretty much the whole reason things had been so awkward with us for so long. I thought it was more like she marked her territory or something. If she couldn't have me in whatever way it was she wanted no one could. I didn't have a reply.