Look Who's Useless Now?

Chapter 12: Back To Sabre Tooth

After telling him about my nightmares, it was morning. "That can't be easy. Do they happen regularly?" He asked, softening up a bit. "Once or twice a month ever since Lizanna died." I pushed the tears off my cheeks. "You should know it isn't your fault. That girl did everything to save you. You should live up to the expectations she had for you." Rogue put his hand on my propped up knee. "Right," I mumbled, nodding.

Staring quietly for a bit, the door opened. "Your Highness, I have brought your breakfast." Madoka walked in with a tray in her hands. When she saw Rogue here as well, she froze. "Oh, I am terribly sorry for interrupting." She quickly bowed as Rogue stood up. "I was just leaving anyway. Lucy, you can trust everyone in the palace. If you ever need an ear, just ask." Rogue told me and I nodded, him walking out.

"Is her Highness feeling fit for an outing today?" Madoka asked as she put my food on the table I have on the balcony. "Are there plans for today?" I asked, putting my napkin on my lap. "Prince Sting requested to bring you to Sabre Tooth for the day. He seemed quite enthusiastic about it." She laughed lightly, pouring my tea. "Then I would love to go out! Hopefully, it'll be a little less exciting than the past couple days?" I raised an eyebrow at her as I sipped my tea. When I was there the time before, everything seemed quite solemn before my identity was revealed. "You can't promise a thing with that guild. They are on the route to greatness with the princes on their side." Madoka commented. "Be sure to prepare a fan with us then," I told her as she went back inside to prepare my outfit for the day.

After breakfast, I changed into the full white gown, which I found too stuffy for this occasion, but now that I was a princess, I would always have to dress like this. And we lived in the capital, where most dress fancy at every chance they get. "M-Madoka, don't you think this is a bit..." I led off, looking at the frilly bits coming off my arms. It looked like a wedding dress. "But her Highness needs to be a good example," Madoka replied as we walked down the corridor to the front door. "Her Highness also needs to keep the fact that she is a princess from the public." I reminded her, making her freeze as I chuckled, getting my keys out. "Don't worry, I can fix this." I got a silver key out. "Spirit of the royal garments! Fusion!" I called the spirit, a wardrobe with a face and lipstick appearing before us. It was one of the keys I received from my mother while I was in the orphanage. I rarely used her, so I kept her in the time capsule for safekeeping. "Oh, my dear, what's the occasion?" Fusion cooed, teasing me about my attire. "You know, please just get me something." I rolled my eyes and she laughed. "One slaying outfit coming right up!" She cheered and pulled me inside the closest, which was basically her body.

I was thrown out again in much more casual clothing. "Much better." I stretched arms up and continued walking down the hall, after saying goodbye to the spirit. "That was very impressive, Your Highness. Do you have any other spirits you could show me?" Madoka asked with complete admiration. "Actually, I have a pet spirit I haven't seen in a while." I got out Plue's key and summoned him. "So cute!" Madoka flew out of character the second she saw him. "Where's Natsu, puunnn?" Plue asked, surprising me greatly. "This happened a couple of days ago. Have you learnt English, Plue?" I crouched down in front of him. "Um, Your Highness, your spirit didn't speak a lick of sense just then." Madoka eyed me to see if I were going insane. "You're magic's increasing, pun!" Plue cheered again. "You didn't understand what he just said?" I asked, picking him up and continuing down the hall. "Not at all, Your Highness. Maybe you can understand him because of your magic?" Madoka suggested an explanation of the thing that was confusing me. "Right, pun! Lucy-pun can speak other languages too! As long as she tries hard enough, pun!" He cheered, shivering as always. "Is that right? How do you know all this, Plue?" I probably looked like an insane person talking to the gibberish-speaking spirit. "It's your fate, pun!" And we continued talking about this until we reached the palace gates.

As we arrived, Plue still in my arms, we saw my brothers in their casual attire, very similar to the clothes I saw them in when we first met. "We're ready!" I ran up to them, putting Plue down when he asked to meet the two exceeds on the ground. "What's that?" Sting asked, earning an elbow in the ribs from Rogue. "One of my spirits, his name is Plue. He's a dog spirit." I told them, looking at Plue trying to communicate. "What's he saying?" Lector asked, inching towards Frosc to hide behind. "I'm Plue, pun. Libra-pun and Pisces-pun have told us a lot about you all!" He cheered, which I translated, leaving out the puns. "Pisces and Libra?.. Do you have any celestial spirit summoners at your guild?" I asked, knowing that those two spirits are Zodiacs I don't have. "Do you remember Yukino? She's a celestial mage." Rogue told me. "And she's super strong!" Sting cheered as we walked down the palace steps with our little friends by our feet, Madoka stalking close behind. "Oh, Yuki? I can't wait to see her again. Maybe I can ask her a bit about her spirits?" I awed to myself as we walked down the streets.

People parted for us, knowing that the boys were princes, but when a little girl ran up to me, that wasn't just the case. "Princess! Can I have your autograph?" She squealed, giving me a pen and paper. "Princess?" I asked the two beside me, them becoming increasingly embarrassed with guilty looks on their faces. I rolled my eyes with a laugh and crouched down to write on my leg. "What's your name?" I asked with a smile to the girls. Being part of the strongest team in Fairy Tail meant I had a certain level of fame. Not as much as the others, but I still had fanboys from my times modelling for Sorcerer's Weekly.

"Milly! How has the castle been since you returned?" The girl asked, me awing to myself at how cute she was. "It's much different from the town I grew up in. Say, Milly? Do you use magic?" I asked, stopping to look at her. "I-I'm practising animal soul take over. My parents run a training grounds near the Domus Flau." She told me. I could tell by the look in her eye that she was proud of her parents. But, I froze at the mention of Lisanna's magic. I always found it so beautiful. 

"Lucy, are you alright?" Sting kneeled down beside me, noticing I was staring into the distance for more than I should have. "Oh, perfect, sorry. I had a friend who used the animal soul. It's amazing magic." I nodded, finishing the signing. "Had? Are you two not friends anymore?" Milly asked, making me jerk when signing my name. I looked at her with a sad smile. "I wish we were, Milly. She was one of the most powerful mages I've ever met. And she was kind to everyone." I told her, looking down at the piece of paper that had a bunny in the corner, Lizanna's favourite animal.

The second I sniffed to stop my tears, I felt arms around me. It was Milly. I laughed to myself and hugged her back. "I'm sorry, Princess. Your friend sounds like a great person." She whispered to me. "Milly, I'll tell you what. If you let me, I'll come down to your parent's training grounds and teach you everything I know. It might not be a lot, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve." I told her, feeling the murderous aura coming from Madoka and pulling out of the hug. "I-I'd love that!" The little girl squealed in shock, frozen in excitement. "Okay, if I have time tomorrow, I'll come down, okay?" I asked and she nodded a lot, taking the signature and running away with a blush on her cheeks.

I chuckled at her embarrassment and stood up. "You're going to be an amazing princess, Lucy. No doubt about that." Sting threw his arm around my neck and rubbed my head roughly. We laughed as we walked the rest of the way to their guild, talking.