To Any Cost

Chapter 3: Where is Everyone?

Hope this truned out ok!!!!!!! Btw, DISCLAIMER I don't own Fairy Tail... I did all my ships would be canon right now!!! XD

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   Something was off. The atmosphere seemed too calm and quiet than usual. This was not normal. Lucy shook her head, 'Just be glad for it while it lasts.' She towel dried her hair, watching the blond ends slowing stop dripping water droplets. Wrapping a towel about herself, she cracked the door open, peeking out through the crack. Coast clear. Smiling inspite of herself, she couldn't help but thinking, 'This is going to be a great day... No one's barging in and-'

   "Hey, Lucy?" a voice sounded behind her causing her to jump, "Oh, um... Is this a bad time?"

   "KYAAA!" she spun around, facing a familiure small figure of a girl, "Oh, I'm sorry, Wendy! I thought you were Natsu!"

   "No it's fine, I should have knocked," the blue haired mage shifted uncomfortably, "Um... can I have some advice?"

   "Hm? Oh sure!" Lucy lifted her head up from her dresser as she pulled out her blue skirt and white, collared tank top.

   "Well... I wanted to join you guys in the auction but Charle said that I'm too young for that and... I just don't know what to do!" Wendy suddenly dropped onto the couch nearby.

   "Oh! Um..." Lucy frowned, "If you really want to be in the auction, just go to Mira and tell her. She seemed kind of bummed that you weren't going to join us yesterday anyways..."

   "Really?" Wendy jumped to her feet, "Thanks, Lucy! I'll do that right now!" and she was gone.

   "Ok, see you at the guild!" Lucy laughed. Maybe 'guild' was too strong of a word for the temporary building they were using. Not even a year after getting there orginal guild hall back, and they were already back in the torn down one from before the games. Sighing, she returned to the bathroom to finish getting ready. Nothing ever changes, does it.

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   "Hey Lucy!" Mira called as the blond haired mage entered through the door way.

   "Oh, hey, Mira!" Lucy smiled as she sat down at the bar.

   "'Sup, Lucy," Cana was sitting on the bar counter, chugging her regular barrel of alchol. 

   "Hey..." Lucy glanced around the guild hall, "Where is everyone?"

   "Oh," Mira giggled, "They all went on jobs early this morning. Gray was going to be the only guy left until I reminded him that Lamia Scale would be joining us for the auction! He tried to take five jobs at time after that!"

   "Oh?" Lucy laughed, eyebrows raised, "Looks like someone's jealous!"

   "Yes, and Romeo left as soon as he heard Wendy had joined the auction too," Mira smiled, "Aren't they the cutest?"

   "Oh... uh..." Lucy wasn't sure how to answer that. "Hey, Juvia! How's it going!"

   The water mage looked up from whatever it was she was doing with a mildly surprised look on her face. "Love rival is... speaking to Juvia?"

   "I'm not your love rival!" Lucy retorted angrily, "Besides I like-"

   Mira materialised in front of the two of them, "What's that? Who do you like? Answer the question, Lucy!"

   "Oh! Uh..." Lucy laughed nervously, "I-I like... um... Happy! Happy and I are best buds!" she lied. 'What were you going to say?' she thought wildly, 'You don't like anyone, do you?'

   "If only Gray-sama would notice Juvia," Juvia sighed sadly, breaking the ice between the three of them.

   "I'm pretty sure he does, Juvia," Lucy mumbled.

   "I know!" Mira jumped up and down excitedly, "Just ignore him until after the auction when he wins you! And when you have to speak to him don't add 'sama' to the end of his name! He'll go nuts!" she laughed evilly. 

   "Ignore... beloved?" Juvia looked horrified, "How could Juvia stoop that low? No! Juvia won't do that to Gray-sama!"

   Mira's grin widened, "It'll get him to notice you," she coaxed, "And maybe even love y-"

   "Juvia will do it!" Juvia stood up with a wild look in her eyes, "Juvia will not lose to love rival!"

   "I'm not your love rival," Lucy groaned.

   "Anyways, since it's just the two of you, why don't you go buy dresses for the auction?" Mira smiled her classic 'I'm innocent but don't cross me' smile.

   "U-uh," Lucy glanced quickly over at Juvia.

   "Juvia would love to go buy a dress with love rival!" Juvia snatched the blond mage's hand and shot out towards the door.

   "Wha-what?" Lucy sighed in defeat and followed after Juvia.

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   Even though she enjoyed how quiet Magnolia seemed that day, it still felt weird. "It's so quiet," Lucy breathed as she checked the tags on several dresses, "And expensive!"

   "Juvia misses the old guild," the water mage sniffed, pulling out several blue dresses, "It was her first home."

   'Oh that's right,' Lucy thought sadly, 'She didn't really fit in anywhere, even at Phantom Lord... but that's before she met Gray,' she smiled at the thought, 'The sun really did come out for her then...'

   "Why is Lucy smiling like that?" Juvia had a concerned look on her pale face.

   "Oh nothing," Lucy sang as she picked out a couple red dresses to try on.

   "Was Lucy thinking about Gray-sama?" Juvia's eyes were narrowed in supsicion.

   "What? No-" Lucy caught herself, "Actually, yes. I was."

   Juvia opened her mouth to protest but Lucy cut her off.

   "I was thinking about how you guys met... After you joined Fairy Tail, you seemed to really open up," she smiled sadly, "I just was thinking about how hard these past few days must have been now that the guild was destroyed again..."

   To her surprise, Juvia smiled, "Thank you, Lucy. But to Juvia, Fairy Tail's more than just a guild. You all taught Juvia that. Fairy Tail is a family, and we fight for each other."

   Lucy smiled 'She really has changed for the better' she thought happily before grabbing Juvia's hand and pulling her to the changing rooms. "Come on, it's almost dark and we haven't even tried anything on yet!"

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I missed the guys, but I love Juvia and Lucy!!! I feel like they would be really good friends... ;)