You're My Everything

Chapter 17

The Parade of the Guilds was coming around soon in two weeks and the guilds were busy preparing for it. It was a jovial time for all of them, regardless of the competition and the prize hanging over them. Floats were being built and the presentation of it all was undergoing its middle stages of planning. Sabertooth was pouring all of its manpower into building everything and despite the hard labor, the fact that they were able to spend their time together in laughter was more valuable than anything else. For Lucy, it was the first time being in an event like this with Sabertooth and needless to say, she enjoyed every minute of it. The feeling that she spent with them was so much more different than the feeling she got when she was with Fairy Tail. Somehow, she just felt that she was truly beside them.

Meanwhile, Fairy Tail was also trying its hardest with the goal of defeating Sabertooth clear in mind. However, even they seemed to treasure the fact that they were spending time together for once with everyone. All the guilds were in a festive atmosphere and there was not a single frown in sight. It was absolute bliss.

Natsu's House~

After a rough day at the guild from all the carrying and building, Natsu collapsed onto his bed with Happy next to him. Within the next second, they had both drifted into unconsciousness, giving in to their exhaustion. 

"This is...?" Natsu opened his eyes and looked about him.

He was standing in the guild, everyone laughing and smiling around him as a fight was ready to start. Being one of the many people in the guild that enjoyed fights, he, too, felt a burst of energy coursing through him. Maybe it was because of the festival's atmosphere that he felt like this but either way, he didn't care. But, something stopped him from joining in. He looked around and noticed that even though it was the same guild, the atmosphere seemed to be colder and more dreary than it usually was.

Suddenly, he felt a cold dark mist wash around the room and he widened his eyes, petrified at the scene. He was the only one that saw it and he felt his feet glued to the ground. He gazed around the room impatiently, wanting to get out of this gloomy and damp place.

"Ugh...what the hell is this?" he gritted his teeth.

He looked around the room and as his onyx eyes settled upon someone, he stared in shock, a sweat-drop rolling down his face. There, in the corner of the room, was none other than Lucy, staring back at him.

"Lu...cy?"

However, it wasn't the Lucy that he had met several days ago. He could instantly tell that something was off about her. The light in her eyes was dull and faded out, her chocolate eyes not holding the shine that it had before. Her lips were pulled into a faint frown, a frown that no one would've noticed unless they saw her lips trembling with sorrow. Her eyes looked so painful and sad that it made his heart tighten up and ache. He could see tears building up in her eyes as one rolled down her cheek. Natsu felt a lump in his throat as he tried calling out to her but couldn't.

Lucy, he thought.

Why hadn't he seen it earlier? She had gotten thinner and her already perfect features seemed to be more perfect, growing more doll-like by the second. Her face seemed paler and she seemed to no longer be filled with the vibe and energy that he had first come to know her by; she fiddled with the straw of her milkshake as if every movement was aching. How bitter she looked at him with agonizing yet soft eyes and Natsu couldn't help but stare back, his eyes wavering, unsure of what to do. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she opened her mouth to utter the words that he thought he would never hear from her. She looked him in the eye, anger arising and flickering in those previously dull eyes of hers.