Awaken the Stars Song

Chapter 14

A/N: I thought about doing a 2 person POV, but decided against it so this chapter is a tad shorter than the others. Won't have much longer to enjoy this delightful break from real world responsibilities so I can type out and post chapters so often. Enjoy. Please let me know how this is progressing in the reader's eyes. I appreciate every fave, follow, and review a great deal. Such input inspires me to continue when I feel less than motivated due to being tired at the end of the day.

CHAPTER 14

As Loke vanished in a flash of gold, Makarov turned his eyes to stare at Lucy's face. Of all Makarov's guild adopted children, Lucy was the one who brought everyone joy, and yet was harmed the most often. Yet again the kindhearted woman was being hurt and treated poorly simply for existing, or so it felt to Makarov. Disgusted with fate's cruel whims and abuses which plagued the young woman, Makarov wished he could do something for Lucy that would change how fate treated her. Sometimes Makarov found himself wondering if life itself held a blood vendetta against Lucy Heartfilia for no valid reason. Today was certainly shaping up to be such a day. The only good thing that Makarov could see happening was that long held secrets were going to get revealed before this crisis was behind the trio on the beds.

When it came to secrets coming to light, Makarov was almost pleased by the crazy spell that was cast on his stubborn grandson. If anyone was capable of softening Laxus hard wired mistrust of everyone, Makarov suspected it was Lucy. In fact, from the time Lucy joined the guild, Makarov had seen Laxus reactions to the younger woman which had given him reason to suspect his grandson was flat rejecting his heart's desires. The way Laxus treated the younger woman was the main reason Makarov could not be upset by some parts of fate's obnoxious intervention. If even a handful of the side effects promised by the Ancients went into effect, Laxus would no longer be able to avoid admitting his attraction to Lucy.

As much as Makarov adored the idea of Laxus being forced to release all of his locked away emotions, he detested the pain this spell was going to cause Lucy. It was the worst blight of what had happened during the heat of battle. Knowing that Lucy would get hurt because of the unexplained consequences of the spell bothered Makarov more than he cared to admit. If only his grandson had enough sense to speak out earlier, Lucy could have made a choice that would have brought her happiness. Now, all Lucy could do was accept yet another unforseen happenstance with her trademark, regal grace under pressure.

Natsu's part within the crisis upset Makarov far more than the inevitable changes Laxus would cause Lucy to make. Makarov had no delusions about Natsu causing acute friction with Laxus. As rigid and unyielding as Laxus could become in his obsession with controlling everything around him, Natsu was the extreme opposite. Immaturity aside, Natsu was the densest of the Dragon Slayers at Fairy Tail. However, Makarov had noticed how driven the younger Slayer was from their first meeting. Natsu was impulsive to the point of self destructive. It had not escaped Makarov's notice that Lucy naturally curbed Natsu's more dangerous and always reckless habits. It was Lucy's compassion that influenced Natsu's slightly better behavior.

Despite Lucy's ability to accept and adapt to so much, Makarov feared that Natsu's soul shard would place the most strain on Lucy's sense of honor, and truly shatter her heart. Natsu was the first to proclaim Lucy was his best friend. Knowing that there was a possibility of new truths rising, Makarov feared Lucy getting torn apart by trying to accommodate such extremely different men's unbalanced emotions. Being caught between two powerful Dragon Slayers was not an ideal situation at the best of times, much less when the known Slayer Lore might be proven correct. If only the Fairies had not added Natsu to the mix, Makarov would have far brighter hopes for the trio's future. Such situations as this one convinced Makarov that fate hated Lucy as it had never hated another human being.