A year after Fairy Tail disbanded. Six months after I spotted Natsu destroying a mountain during my first solo tour around Fiore. And everything is finally calming down. I am no longer cursed. Fewer towns have been destroyed during overpowered attacks from the infamous guild. Sabre Tooth has remained the best guild and Rogue and Minerva got married a month ago. Everything is peaceful.
"I am so bored!" I cry out on my balcony, lying on the railings for something to give me adrenaline. "Lucy." Madoka sighed, although she didn't have the energy to get me off. It was the height of summer and the sun as beating down on us. We had just finished one of my magic lessons and the kids are getting more powerful day by day. Things might be peaceful, but they're utterly dull. "That's it! I can't sit around any more! We're going on a trip!" I announced, sitting up and jumping about onto the ground. "What about the Grand Magic Games? The King entrusted the opening to you!" Madoka jumped up. The GMG's were in a month and there was a tonne of prep for them. This was the first year my father won't be able to attend. "I'll have Gemini take my place. This is the only time I can go to Magnolia freely because Fairy Tail is gone. I haven't been back in 10 years, Mado. Please!" I begged, fearful that I'll die of boredom. Madoka took a moment to think but eventually sighed in defeat. I instantly started packing, joyful that I'll finally have something to do
I just got past the palace gates when my brothers called out to me from the grand staircase. "Luce, where are you going?" Sting called out as they ran down the staircase. Madoka reached me with our horses to make our quick getaway. "Fairy Tail is gone! I'm visiting home! Don't worry, Gemini and Virgo will take care of things while I'm away! See you when I get back!" I squealed in joy as I jumped on my horse. I heard Rogue yell something out, but couldn't make sense of it. The only words I heard were "Fairy Tail" and "Back".
"The first thing we'll do is go down to the beach! It's so clear this time of year!" I yelled over to my bodyguard as we sped through the forest surrounding the guild town. "Your Highness, I don't think I've seen you so happy!" Madoka laughed back. "I'm free, Mado! Who wouldn't be?" I started to slow my pace as we trotted through the main road.
The market place was the only road access to the beach and horses weren't allowed through, so we had to leave them in the care of the local horse spot. Breathing in a deep, clearing breath, I smelt the slightly salty air and took in my vibrant surroundings. "How many years has it been?" I beamed, throwing off my cape to display my knee-length, violet waistcoat dress. This was my casual attire now, much different from the small shorts and crop tops I used to wear when I was apart of the guild. I hadn't bothered to cover up my mark, no one from Fairy Tail has been spotted in Magnolia since after the dragon invasion. I excitedly scanned my surroundings as Madoka chased after me, speeding toward the crystal clear sea over the houses.
Kicking my short, violet heels off, I dug my feet into the sugar-fine sand. It was as soft as I remembered. Nothing had changed about this place since the last time I could enjoy it all those years ago. Suddenly, since I had approached the tide line with my eyes closed, I felt a splash of cool water on my face. My eyes flickered open and I expected to see one of my old guild members. And I did, but one I was well acquainted with. "Loke!" I giggled as the suited-up spirit splashed water at me. I returned his attack and we played like this until I noticed a big stone building not that far up the coast. The guildhall had been restored, but there were no flags outside to notion whose it was. "I feel like no time has passed," I announced and Loke stood beside me, us both breathing a little heavily from running and playing around. He didn't say anything, knowing I was just making a comment, and he turned to Madoka who had been sitting under the tree line at the top of the beach. "How about we get something to eat?" He suggested, knowing I was starting to get a little depressed about seeing my childhood aspiration.
I kind of wish we had made up. So many things went unsaid. I thought to myself as we started to make our way back to the market place to buy lunch. Suddenly, a group of footsteps started heading in my direction. I only realised at the last second, but thankfully Loke pushed me out of the way. Although, he did land on top of me. "Pervert," I grumbled as he smirked, quickly helping me up before Madoka noticed the tackling.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" I screamed, after the group, not seeing any identifying features. "Are you okay, Lucy? They didn't clip you, did they?" Madoka suddenly appeared after having walked off ahead. "I'm fine. It seems this town is as lively as ever." I laughed, brushing off my dress. I got up with a flinch on my face, the pain from the burn resurfacing.
As Madoka checked to see if I were okay, one of the runners walked back to us. "Sorry about that. Didn't see you there." He said. I instantly recognised it as Gray's voice. I was lucky I had my hood on. As my back was turned to him, I communicated with my eyes that I knew him. I pointed to where my guild mark to indicate they were from Fairy Tail. My eyes had gone wide. What was he doing here? Hang on, where's Leo? My eyes darted around until I noticed a glow on my key wallet. He had gone back to the Celestial Realm before Gray approached. "I shall take that from you, M'lady." Madoka took the basket of apples my spirit had been carrying for me from the ground beside us.
"Come on, Gray! If we hurry! We can follow the next lead!" Natsu ran over, making me instantly panic. What if he remembers my scent?! Since when did they all come back? Wait, did Rogue say Fairy Tail is back when we left? I thought about my departure from the palace, remembering how I had only partly heard my brother's announcement. "Well, you almost ran these people over, so I'm just apologising," Gray grumbled back. I had my head lowered as I faced them. "Sorry for getting in your way." I curtsied, my voice quiet. "We must go to the orphanage quickly, M'lady or they will start to worry," Madoka informed me, lying to get us out of this stressful situation. "Right. Can you go there before me? I need to go somewhere first." I turned to her. "But, Your Hi-." I cut her off with the rise of my hand marked hand. The marked side wasn't visible to my old friends. "No buts, Mado. I have my keys, remember." I showed her my pouch. She sighed, knowing she won't be able to argue me out of it. "Fine. But if anything happens, press the button and I will come running. Please be safe." She looked really worried as we parted.
I sighed, looking down at the panic button she gave me. "Are you alright, lady?" Gray spoke up again, making me jump because I completely forgot they were there. "Y-Yes. Perfectly. I'm sorry, but I have somewhere to be." I kept my eyes on the ground, the pain in my side still apparent. "If you're going to the orphanage, we were on our way. We'll walk you." Natsu ran up beside me. "Please, don't, I'm not allowed to talk with people on the outside." I pulled my hood further over my face. "I've met you before though, "Natsu speaks his mind as Gray walks to my other side, I almost tripped on a rock and to stop myself I jerked my foot to somewhere else. Doing this made my clothing rub sharply against my burn. I whimpered slightly, pulling the material away. "Do you smell that?" Natsu whipped his head around, walking behind me with Gray. "No, you're a dragon slayer, genius." Gray rolled his eyes. "It smells like burnt flesh." He creased his nose up, signifying how horrible it smelled.
Using this as a distraction, I ran away, them calling after me. Where to go, where to go? My stomach was flipping with nerves and my mind was in complete disarray, I had no idea where to go. So, I just let my feet carry me to wherever I felt safest.
Unfortunately, I found myself in front of the old Fairy Tail guild hall, now with flags and decorations to match. "They're back," I muttered under my breath, my hood falling from my head after my mad sprint. "Hey, what're you doing?" I heard Natsu's voice yell behind me and I instinctively turned my head. When we made eye contact, he froze up. Neither of us dared to move as we stared at each other's unchanged bodies. My hair had grown a significant amount over the year, I hadn't bothered to cut it while on my travels. Natsu was about to utter my name when Gray happened on our encounter and the guildhall doors started to creak open. In fear of being beaten again, although I had grown stronger I couldn't fight off a whole guild, I made a dash for my keys. "Lucy!" Natsu yelled from across the brick pathway between us as I called Aquarius down. I couldn't tell if he was mad, surprised or happy to see me, but I didn't want to wait to find out. "TORRENT!" We both yelled out, collecting water from the sea behind us to propel the approaching mages away.
Once I was sure everyone was disarmed and unable to follow me, I ran past the fallen Gray and Natsu to return to Madoka, waiting by our horses, to make our great escape.
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Look Who's Useless Now?
Fanfiction(Quick note, everybody is at least a few years younger than in the original, like, 14/15.) During a mission in Crocus, Team Natsu were preparing for an expedition in a nearby forest with fearful monsters and deadly beings. Lucy had to buy some equip...
