A week for the Lion and the Mage

Music

It had surprised her when her team had offered to take the job, considering it was rather small compared to their usual affair. Though considering Erza's love of the theatre and the fact she was the one picking their mission this time, perhaps she shouldn't have been.

There was to be a show in Crocus that night. Various famous musicians were travelling from all over Fiore to play stunning classical pieces that would no doubt move the audience and pull at their hearts. However, a dark shadow was currently hovering over the whole thing. The owner of the building, and overseer of the event, was a paranoid man. He was certain he was being targeted for some sort of attack, one that would happen that very night, with the music to distract any potential witnesses.

Regardless of whether it was all in his head or not, it was hard to say no to the desperate man and they had agreed to join his group of guards for the night, sweeping the area and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. She was hoping he was wrong and that it would be a quiet night, but worst case scenario and there is an attacker, she was certain they could handle it.

But first they would need to get a general feel for the area, know the ins and outs of the rooms the best they could with only a few hours to prepare. The fact their client had wanted to surprise their attacker with more guards than expected was a good plan, but it left them out of sorts. They'd split up, trying to figure out where the villains would most likely show up and where they wanted to be positioned to be at their most useful.

It left Lucy Heartfilia all on her own as she walked below the stage, examining the different instruments that were ready for the orchestra to play for the solo singers. It was mainly just the heavy ones, that couldn't be carried off somewhere, that were sat waiting to be played, but she took some time to examine them regardless, who knew if there was a trap placed in one?

She thoroughly examined each before coming across a beautiful grand piano. Nostalgia hit her in a wave as memories of her mother playing for her flooded her to her core. Absentmindedly she sat down on the piano bench, lifting up the keyboard cover to look down at the keys. She ran her fingers over them, enjoying the feel of them under her fingers.

The image of her mother playing song after song came to her, lazy afternoons spent inside listening to her joy being turned into sweet music. The sound played in her mind, stopping her ears from hearing anything else, all she could feel was that warm security that had enveloped her back then. Mission temporarily forgotten, her fingers tapped at the keys, playing a small melody she remembered. It was a simple tune, a child could learn it, but it helped her feel closer to the moment...closer to her mother. In her heart she knew she could stay there way longer than she should, reminiscing about how much fun her family used to have, how much love there used to be...

"I didn't know you played the piano"

She paused, music coming to a stop as her fingers froze above them. She hadn't been expecting company, especially not of this nature. She frowned down at the piano, refusing to look back at him.

"Why are you here Loke?"

"I dunno, I just felt a sense of melancholy from you and wanted to make sure you were alright. I was treated to a nice performance though"

She snorted, not impressed with such empty praise, even if it came from someone as impressive as him.

"Oh please, that wasn't anything special...my mother was much better at it than I ever will be"

"Your mother?...Was she the one who taught you?"

She hummed in the affirmative, turning her head to face him and nod.

"Kind of yeah. When I was young she gave me a few lessons as I listened to her play. When I was older I asked my father if I could have lessons. I think he said yes just to get me to stop asking"