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Chapter Text

The asphalt road stained with crimson as blood spread through my wounds. My head was bleeding as well as my chest which was crushed beneath the tires of the truck. The pain didn't register yet, I guess my mind was still in shock. One moment I was crossing the road in a hurry after checking the traffic lights –what? Did you really think I am the kind of moron who would die because of his carelessness? Tch, I will have you know I am the most paranoid and careful person whom you'll ever meet, until the situation has anything to do with chocolate cookies. All bets are off when it comes down to Chocolate cookies, especially when Sarah bakes them.

Wait… what the hell am I thinking? I am lying on the road, bleeding heavily with my rib cage crushed and I'm thinking about bloody cookies? What the hell is wrong with me?

Anyways, I was just minding my own business, and rushing towards the hospital just on the next street when a truck rounded from the corner, and seeing how recklessly the driver was driving the damn vehicle –as well as shouting in hysterics something about brakes not working…..?- every pedestrian was screaming and panicking I hadn't paid it much mind, since I was in a hurry and had to reach the hospital ASAP, but then some idiot tripped me in panic, and next thing I know, I was being sandwiched between the ground and the truck's tires.

Thinking about everything that had happened seemed to do the trick as I registered painpainpainpainpainpain shooting through my body, making me want to scream in agony, but my vocal cords didn't want to work properly, since all that came out was a gurgle, with lots and lots of blood. Oh wow, I hadn't known my body has this much blood.

With all the control I could muster, I tilted my head to the side, and my dulling eyes showed the blurry view of the package I had been holding that now laid on the road thrown haphazardly. The syringe had snapped in half –it must've come under those tires, poor thing, I know how you feel- and some glass vials and bottles were broken and their contents spilled on the road.

'No…' I moaned internally ignoring the pain and willed my hand to inch towards the medicines, but to no avail. Stupid hands.

People were now started gathering and shouting. Someone even called 911. Well at least I'm nearer to the hospital. If I survive at least half an hour I'm sure they'll patch me up. Or at least, try to patch me up to the best of their abilities.

Pain flared from my head, making me give out another scream that ended up in a gurgle of blood. The pain was so intense that I can't actually feel anything except the splitting headache. My limbs refused to respond and I could distantly feel them going numb. My vision was becoming blurrier, and the chatter of the crowd around me, screaming me to keep breathing and to not close your eyes goddammit! were getting muffled in my ears.

Tears gathered at the corner of my eyes. I don't want to die. At least, not until Sarah is better. All I had to do was to bring Sarah's medicine to her doctor as requested for the surgery. God dammit, why the hell did I end up here, dying -of all the things? Who will take care of Sarah now? Who will tell that little rascal to get well soon because I miss you? Who will tell her that I don't want to leave her like this?

I'm so sorry Sarah… I'm such a horrible brother…

A lone tear dropped down my left eye and my world was plunged into eternal darkness as death swept me in it's arms.

~O~

She turned the pages of a manga restlessly, her eyes darted quickly and never registered on a single image. She didn't know why, but she felt uneasy. It was as if something bad is gonna happen… She shook her head. Bad Sarah….. you shouldn't think about unlucky things!

Her fingers clenched the white sheets of the hospital bed as she wondered where her brother was. He has been gone for some time now. Even though the surgery on her legs had to be done today, there are still some hours left. He didn't have to rush out to deal with payment as well as other things. Tch, what a worrywart…..

She winced as prickling pain erupted from her –useless- legs. Her pretty brown eyes glared at her unmoving legs that were covered by snow white blankets as she muttered, "Useless things….. You only know how to cause pain, and nothing else."

The pain didn't lessen. Instead, it kept increasing, little by little.

Flinching, she scoffed angrily as she ignored the pain in her legs –they always start hurting during these cold months- and flickered through the pages of the manga in her hand, which she belatedly realized was her favorite one- Fairy Tail. Before she could even focus on which page she had turned over in her minor temper tantrum, she heard the door knob being twisted and turned.

Thinking it is her brother that has finally come, she let out a whine as she said in a pampered tone, "Big brother, you're la-" She paused when she saw it wasn't him. "Oh." She mumbled. "I thought Big Brother has come back."

It was a nurse she wasn't familiar with. She frowned and asked, "Um, can I help you?"

The nurse gave her an uneasy look as she asked, "Um, the doctor has moved up the time for your surgery."

She frowned and asked in an annoyed tone, "Why?"

A person emerged from behind the nurse, and gave Sarah a stern look, "Because I told them to."

"Oh, it's you." She mumbled flatly, ignoring the man with strawberry blonde hair. She dismissed his presence and glanced back at the manga in her hand and continued flipping it's pages. "What brings you here, Mr Grumpy-pants?" she asked in a bored tone, a hint of scorn in her voice. She truly hated him for the pain he had made her brother go through. Her warm, kind-hearted brother had thought of him as a friend, and this bastard betrayed him.

(She still remembered the sad look in her brother's eyes –even though he was smiling as if everything was alright and he wasn't lying on a hospital bed with bandages covering most part of his body that had been beaten to almost death for something so stupid- as he patted her head and said softly, "I'm fine, Sarah. Big brother is fine, okay? so don't cry… please?" He had then pause, and continued on with conviction, "besides, I'm sure he hadn't meant that. Truly."

Since when did you start lying to me, Big Brother? )

"Are you looking for big brother?" She asked flippantly, without even deigning him a glance. "What do you want this time? Money? Or just someone to push your problems on to?"

the man didn't answer. Instead, he walked nearer to her bed, and sat on the comfy chair next to her. His green eyes fell on the manga in her hands and he whispered, "I remember that one." he mumbled, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia and barely hidden pain. "He had dragged me to go out at two at night to buy you that copy for you since you were being an utter pain-in-the-ass that time."

Her ears turned red in embarrassment and she huffed. "Well, yeah, periods do that to you. But then again, not like you'd know, considering you're not a woman." she snarked at him.

He chuckled hoarsely –it sounded so fake as if he was forcing himself to be cheerful. "Never change, Sarah."

She slammed her book shut and shot him a glare. "Okay spill, why the hell are you moping around in my room? I'm not a therapist, you know. If you're depressed, go find a psychiatrist." she said with narrowed eyes.

He didn't speak. instead, he pursued his lips in a straight line, and for some reason, something inside her coiled- in anger? no, it's more like….. fear.

"What is it?" She whispered as she unconsciously clenched her fists. The silence was stifling, and fear clawed inside her the longer he stayed quiet.

"Your brother got into an accident," He said as he stared at her sadly, "he didn't make it."

When his words registered in her mind, her world shattered.

And then she screamed.

~O~

… Well, it's not eternal darkness, I guess. Sure, it had been dark for a while but then I could feel. It was warm and comforting, and sometimes I could hear a soothing heartbeat. There were times when a voice cooed something. I liked that voice. It was nice…. And warm. The cozy warmth always lulled me into sleep.

The space was so constricted around here. There wasn't much to do except toss or turn around a bit. However, sometimes, doing the turns become quite frustrating and I accidentally kick the wall around me. The first few times it earned a sharp gasp of pain from the warm voice, as well as some cooing, but I didn't like causing any pain to the warm voice so I tried to keep my movements to a minimum.

And then the horrible day came when suddenly, the walls around me constricted, making me panic. It was made me feel claustrophobic for some reason. What was happening? What's going on? I could not understand.

After dealing with that nightmare for hours, I was finally squeezed out of the warm place, and gasped as soon as cold air entered my lungs. I can breathe! I screamed bloody murder, however to my surprise it came out as a high pitched wail. Not that I actually cared at that moment. What? I was scared, okay?

Some giant pairs of hands passed me to one another, and finally I was handed to a pair of arms that held me closer to their chest, and I could hear the familiar heartbeat of the warmth I had been residing in some time ago. My wails turned into sobs and whimpers, and soon even they quieted down as I was lulled to sleep.

I couldn't hear properly what was being said by the other people surrounding us, but I sure could make out some words though I couldn't really understand what those words actually mean.

"Congratulations… born…..pretty boy… name?"

The one whose giant arms were holding me spoke up next, and I only heard it clearly because of the close proximity.

"He is Lucas, my little miracle."

I opened my eyes, and even though my vision was shit, since I couldn't make any head or tail of the blurry blobs surrounding me, I could definitely make out a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes, and a tired, but warm smile of the blonde blob holding me.

"Thank you for being born, Lucas Heartfilia."

Heartfilia?

Isn't that the last name of the protagonist of Fairy Tail?

Well…... shit.

It took a while for me to believe that yes, I am a baby once again, and yes, I have been reborn in Fairy Tail universe. I was skeptical at first, because honestly being reborn in a Manga story is quiet a far-fetched thought; however, I had to come in terms to it. How I knew that I have been reborn in Fairy Tail verse, you may ask? Well readers, how many kids do you know have parents named Jude and Layla Heartfilia, who own Heartfilia Corporations and live in the Kingdom of Fiore? I can think of only one, and I sure as hell know that the child was supposed to be a girl, and not a boy.

Oh well, shit happens.

I had freaked out actually, when I realized that I have been born as the son of Layla and Jude Heartfilia, and I was scared because either I was going to be the older brother of Lucy, or I had completely replaced her in this Universe. And isn't that a scary thought in itself? So many things can change with just a simple thing like my gender. In anime, the reason Jude was so controlling of Lucy was because she was a girl, and according to the old traditions, usually males are supposed to lead a business. That is why he has always pressured Lucy to an arranged marriage. And now Jude actually got a male heir instead of female, no wonder he will act different than he had in anime -but he will still be a jerk, that I don't doubt in the least. And this is just one of the many changes I could actually figure out that can impact the plot just because of a change in gender. Who knows what more will change since I know many key events of the future –all thanks to the knowledge I got from my previous life.

Actually, I would never have known what Fairy Tail is if not for Sarah. She loved watching animes and begged me to buy their mangas for her, and I always relented because damn her puppy dog eyes are effective. Besides, I loved seeing the smile on her face whenever I brought any mange back for her, and then she would insist me to sit down next to her and we would read together.

*sigh* I miss her. I miss her a lot. I wonder if she has gotten better or not? Who is taking care of her? Our parents had died in a car crash some years ago, leaving her paralyzed from legs down from the accident, so I had been the one taking care of her. Who is taking care of her now? Was she sent to an orphanage or has someone taken custody of her? I hope one of my friends have taken her in…..

Thinking about Sarah always left me in a somber mood. I would cry, whimper and throw a tantrum, making my new parents worry. I know they both love me in their own way, but it hurts to be ripped away from my little sister. I constantly worry about her well-being, and wonder if she is crying herself to sleep like she used to after our parents death. I wished I had lived longer, at least until her surgery was complete. Ever since she had been paralysed, I did various odd jobs and saved money for her surgery, so that one day she can walk. I just hope the surgery had been successful.

I wanted to see that beaming smile of hers when she takes her first wobbly steps after almost a decade of living as a cripple.

Oh well, what can I do other than move on? Sure I will miss the little rascal, but I can't mope about it forever. Especially if I have to mentally prepare myself for all the shit that's gonna happen in future.

It took me some months to let the situation sink in. The first five months had been horrible- I was always wailing and crying and usually cried myself to sleep. I knew I worried Jude and Layla with my behavior, but at that moment, I hadn't cared. They weren't the ones who had been ripped out of their world and thrust into a world that is supposed to be a story. How could they understand what I was going through?

It took time, but I calmed down. Jude actually threw a banquet the first time I smiled at him. Tch, silly rich people. Though I was truly dazzled when Layla gave me a beaming smile when I giggled at her as she held her gold keys just above the reach of my short hands and jingled them together. That was the first time I noticed that Layla is truly beautiful, from inside and out, and no one can convince me otherwise.

Slowly, Jude and Layla wormed into my heart, and before I knew it I had accepted them as my parents.

There were nights when I couldn't sleep. No, I didn't wake up because of nightmares –if I did, I swear I won't let anyone in the Heartfilia manor able to sleep- but most likely, it's because of my strange sleeping schedule –which is next to none. All I do as a five months old baby is eat, dirty my diapers, and sleep.

The nights when I woke up due to sleeplessness, I usually didn't wake my parents up with my crying –god knows they've suffered my moodiness enough in the first few months- and would pass my time on my own. I would try –and fail- to have a conversation my toy bunny –that looks strangely like Plue….? Or I would try to coordinate my limbs to gain a better control of my body.

However, most of the time, I would wonder about the strange warmth I sense from my surroundings. It usually felt pleasantly warm- just like the rays of sunlight at dawn. I loved that feeling. The first few times, I would wave my hands and try to catch it with my hands –what? I thought it was something tangible, okay?!- but to no avail. When the physical efforts failed, I was very dejected.

Well, since physical efforts are useless, I turned my attention to meditation. I would empty my mind, and focus on my breathing. I failed the first few times –I somehow always ended up asleep. Turns out, babies have a very short attention span. However, I stubbornly tried a few more times. In the end, I was successful in meditation.

During my meditation, I realized the pleasant warmth gathering in my dantian at a slow rate. The pool of energy had a warm feeling, and whenever I interacted with this energy, it made me want to curl my toes in pleasure. I absolutely loved messing with it –mostly poking it around and moving it in a cycle all around my body.

It took me a long time –weeks- to realize that the thing I'm messing with is Magic.

I knew Lucy's parents were filthy rich. I knew it, okay? But knowing and seeing itself with my own eyes is something entirely different. For the first five months of my new life, I had been confined to a little crib in a little room filled with toys and whatnot –along with a nanny and three maidservants (I never understood why would a baby like me would even need this many servants to serve?)- so I truly did not know how wealthy my parents exactly are.

Now, the five months old me is truly gobsmacked seeing the extent of wealth my parents have. The walls of the banquet hall were a pretty peach color- with tones of cream and white in the background. The pillars supporting the wall was plated with gold, and carved with intricate patterns that looked truly beautiful. The huge crystal chandelier that hung in the ceiling was embedded with light lacrima that glowed and shrouded the room with it's pretty light. Even the floor was covered with exquisite jade –and not the cheap marble tiles I was used to from my previous life.

And as if that wasn't enough to dazzle me, I realized every person attending this banquet wore clothes that looked quite lavish and expensive, embedded with precious jewels. The women wore exquisite jewelry made of pearls, diamonds, emeralds etc.

Not to talk about others, even my own baby clothes were a soft, silky material, colored a beautiful sky blue and white –Layla says they complement my wide brown eyes- with little diamonds embedded as buttons, and a little crown of sapphires and diamonds of my head.

I felt overwhelmed just looking at all these expensive things. My heart twitched as I thought of how different this life of mine is than my previous one. I was piss poor in my previous life –I had to take on many odd jobs to maintain my daily expenses as well as Sarah's hospital bills- and now, I am so filthy rich.

I'm like a Pauper turned Prince…..

I took in a deep breath. I think I need some time to take this all in.

I turned and clung tighter to my mother's generous bosom. Her hand patted my blonde hair as she hummed soothingly and glanced at me in concern.

"Is he okay?" A lady that had been talking with my mother for a while now stared at me worriedly as I clung tighter to my mother and hid my face between her neck and shoulder.

My mother laughed. "Oh yes, he's fine. I think he is just shy." She then patted my back and cooed, "Aren't you, Lucas?"

Shy, my foot! I'm just bewildered that you are even richer than I imagined!

The lady laughed and took a sip of red wine from her crystal glass. "That's fine." She said, "After all, it would be a disaster if the star of the show is unwell."

Oh yes, I haven't told you, have I? This luxurious banquet has been started under my name –something about introducing the newborn Heartfilia heir to the rest of aristocratic society….? I think my parents just needed another excuse to throw a party and show me off, and nothing else.

"Un." My mother nodded and the two resumed chatting.

Bored, my little eyes darted around in hope of finding something interesting. No such luck. All I could see were adults dressed in expensive clothing, drinking wine and chatting quietly, while maids and butlers served them. There was a stage at the corner where the musicians were playing classical music, and some couples were dancing on the dance floor. Who would actually believe this banquet has been held for a five months old baby? Aren't children supposed to be there for a baby's party? Why is everyone treating it like a business gathering?

Puffing my cheeks in annoyance, I decided that I didn't like this type of gathering at all. This is way too boring. There is nothing thrilling to do! If I can help it, I don't want to attend this kind of party ever again!

Well, since this party is for me, and the main host does not like this anyways, it's time to end this sham. Smirking, I let my little hand hit my leg so that the sense of pain could make me teary eyed, but turns out I overestimated my motor control –which, I forgot was next to none. So, instead of hitting my chubby leg, my little fist hit my cheek- nearer to my left eye.

Hence, tears that rolled down my cheeks were genuine, and the cry of pain and the ear splitting wail that followed was also not an act. I am ashamed to admit that I truly had genuinely cried non-stop for hours. I can feel my dignity as a 'gentleman-that-has-everything-under-control' go down the drain.

Well… at least my crying got my parents to send off the guests early- that's a plus point in my book.

So, you guys know that Heartfilias are filthy rich, right? I mean, not millionaire or billionaire type rich dudes, but the Nobility types. Yup, imagine my surprise when I got to know that the Heartfilia family is one of the five noble families of Fiore –excluding the Fiore Royal Family, of course.

I was sort of ….stumped –you can say- when I heard that, but I overcame it soon. And well, if my coping methods included throwing a huge temper tantrum in the middle of the night –making my parents cooing and begging me to calm down the whole night, well, no one said I can't hold a grudge, because I so can. Because dude, being a rich brat is okay…. I have some past experience with being a nouvea rich –sorta? well, my previous parents had a good business but all the money they had collected had been squandered by my hateful relatives after they died, leaving nothing for me and my sister - but nobility?! That's a mess I won't even point with a ten feet pole. Nope. Zip. Nada.

Being a noble is a headache and a half on it's own. Not only you have to be uphold what the usual "noblesse oblige" –like honorable behavior, customary services, leadership roles or positions, blah, blah, blah- but you have to keep your head down and do everything as you are told like a good little "noble", for the sake of the masses. I could believe cannon!Lucy being a part of a filthy rich family, but being a noble on top of being rich? That's….. nerve-wracking.

Though that does explain a lot of things. Like how the hell the Heartfilia name was well recognizable even after four hundred years… I mean, come on, if Heartfilia family were just a family of some random reach person, they wouldn't have survived centuries ….. Money isn't a stable thing after all…. But Nobility….. it's hereditary. It definitely explains how Heartfilia name survived even after Anna went through the Eclipse Gate in the past. A noble can lose their fortune, but they would still have their Noble status –although they would be mocked by their fellow nobles as 'poor nobleman'.

It also explained the fact why in cannon during Phantom Lord arc Lucy was forced to come back for an arranged marriage even after she had cut ties with her father –you can't just quit being a noble. After all, a run-away noble heiress is still a noble after all, especially if she hasn't revoked her ties to nobility.

Ah, this is giving me a headache. So, let's get back on the topic. So, Heartfilias are fucking rich, a nobility to boot –and I am the only heir.

How fun.

And that means assassination attempts on my life by petty people who have nothing better to do in their life than give orders to murder a toddler of not even one–there are those who want to get revenge on my parents for some reason; or those are rivals of Heartfilia Corps and find it better to nip the budding rival in buds before he could turn into a successful heir when he grows up – or, meh, those who scorn nobles in general.

So yes, I hadn't even turned one yet, and I have to fend off murder attempts on my life. Usually, it is dealt by my nannies –and by gods Mrs Spetto hooks a mean punch; or the bodyguards specifically tasked to keep me safe –those idiots think that they've hidden well away from me with their stealth tricks, but the thrumming magic in their cores always alert me of their presence. I swear, being hypersensitive to magic (or etharnanoes in general) is a headache and a half on it's own!- and sometimes, even Daddy's secretary sometimes take care of the idiots who think barging in my playroom during our "Father-son" time is a good idea.

Usually, these attempts on my life are foiled before those idiots could even touch my hair. And how would I know that? Well, when you are an adorable, clueless, innocent baby people –usually the guards and some maids- tend to let their guard down around you and speak about things that they normally shouldn't around influential people.

But sometimes, sometimes there are those who bypass all the security details my parents have painstakingly worked on. And when something like this happens, well, there's only one thing –or we should say person, actually- that can prevent me turning from a helpless baby to helpless-dead-baby. And that person happens to be-

"How dare you touch my son?" A seething Layla hissed as she glared at someone who's supposed to be my Nanny, but isn't -Oh the joys of Transformation Magic. Her usual chocolate brown eyes glowed golden, as brilliant sparks danced on her skin- and even if I was a few meters away from her, I could literally sense the ethernanoes around her sparking to life as they reacted to her magic.

-my mother, of course.

The not-Nanny paled as soon as she saw my mother. "L-Layla-sama, this is not what you think it is-" she insisted.

"Oh?" My mother cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing on the metallic weapon that was inches from my face, "then why are you holding a knife right before my son's neck?!"

The not-nanny gasped and hastily dropped the glinting knife on the marble floor. "No, I-"

"Oh, what the hell-" A male voice snapped in annoyance, and the shadows in the room darkened as a man stepped out from them. His dark eyes shot the not-Nanny an irritated look as he said, "Why the hell are you so intimidated by her, Joy? She's not actually that scary, you know." He then stared at my mother and shot her an unimpressed look. "Honestly, she's not that impressive."

I shot that man a disbelieving look. Honestly, was he stupid? How can he not see the very air around my mother crackling with magic?!

The not-Nanny whisper-hissed at him. "Ryan! Don't speak nonsense! Don't you know who she actually is?!"

The one with shadow Magic- Ryan snorted, "Just some snobby rich lady, I bet."

"No, she is-"

My mother replied dully, "Capricorn, I am fed up with their useless chattering. Make that man shut up."

"Yes, Layla-sama." A voice whispered, and soon enough, the assassin –Ryan- was sent flying straight through a wall by a well-aimed punch from the celestial spirit of the Sea Goat- Capricorn.

The not-Nanny paled even further as she stared at my mother with a gaze filled with terror and reverence as she whispered fearfully, "-The Celestial Priestess….."

Ryan groaned as he slid out from a Ryan-sized hole in the wall and he hissed at his partner, "What the hell are you standing there in a daze for? Kill that brat and complete the mission, goddammit!"

His words seemed to have snapped her out of her trance as she soon picked up the knife that she had dropped a while ago, and I paled when I realized that if my mother somehow doesn't stop them, I will soon be dead.

My mother's eyes widened and she pulled out a very familiar whip –that seemed to crackle in beautiful golden sparks as she reinforced it with her magic- and whipped it towards the not-Nanny, who dodged her attack. My mother lashed out her whip in a fierce way, and made the disguised assassin back off from me.

I stared at the commotion from behind the bars of my crib with wide eyes, as I watched in awe how my mother and her Celestial Spirit Capricorn fought together like companionsfriendspartners-

My mother would use her whip –that was reinforced with her magic- to disperse the shadows Ryan used, while Capricorn would come from the side and hit him when he was distracted. The not-Nanny was being chased away from my crib by random golden sparks that my mother shot at her from her whip. The fight was turning to a stalemate, with neither side willing to back down. It wasn't until the man with Shadow Magic –Ryan- shot a stray shadow ball at me, that something interesting occurred-

Before the magic ball could reach me –I had already pissed my pants in terror by then, and was sobbing helplessly (what? I'm a helpless, innocent baby, okay? Give me some break! It's not like I can defend myself in this useless, baby body)- the golden keys hanging on my mother's belt glinted, and something –more like someone- appeared before me and stopped the shadow ball from reaching me.

A magnificent blue tail shimmered in the moonlight as a beautiful mermaid appeared before me, scowling furiously at the puny Shadow Mage who dared to glare at her for popping out of nowhere and destroying his shadow ball.

"Because of you two idiots, I had to skip on my date." Aquarius hissed as she gripped her urn tightly and glared at the two assassins. "For that, you. will. pay." Saying this, she violently threw churning water from her urn at them, making them choke and drown as they were literally thrown out of the window of the room by the violently churning water.

Capricorn –who had grabbed my mother and dodged the onslaught of water- chuckled sheepishly as he gently placed my mother on the now damp ground and bowed to her. "Layla-sama, I will look for those assassins and get them imprisoned with magical cuffs right away."

Layla smiled at the literal goat-in-suit. "Make sure you do."

The Sea Goat bowed once again, and went out to look for the drowned assassins. My mother then turned to the Water Bearer sighed.

"Aquarius, you're late." My mother accused the ill-tempered spirit good-naturedly, who –by the way the vein twitched violently on her forehead- didn't seem to appreciate her accusation.

"Well, if some idiot had remembered to summon me earlier, then I wouldn't have had to skip my date for this stupid thing." Aquarius scowled at my mother, who just chuckled sheepishly.

"Ah, there was no water around here. Thank goodness you appeared on your own through the gate, Aquarius."

"Don't expect something like this from me ever again!"

"Hai, hai!"

I stared at my mother interact with her spirits as if they were friends. I had known from the Manga that Layla was a good Celestial Spirit Mage who treated her Spirits much, much better than most Celestial mages are expected to- I mean, canon!Lucy was always singing praises of her mother and Aquarius too always agreed how amazing Layla was. So, I had known that my mother was an amazing celestial mage. But knowing something and seeing it with my own eyes are two very different things.

The way my mother fought alongside Capricorn as if it were a pre-mediated dance and not a fierce fight….. the way Aquarius passed through the gate on her own –without needing water to get herself summoned- just 'coz she felt my mother's distress through her key…. The way Capricorn handled the situation without my mother having to say anything….. the way Aquarius bickered with my mother as if they were best of friends….

'I want that too….' I thought as I stared at my mother as she argued with Aquarius about silly things.

I had known canon!Lucy was an amazing Celestial Spirit mage –after all, I had read all about how she had turned from a novice Celestial mage to an amazing one who mastered Star-dress, which is really amazing- but for some reason, I think I can understand why Aquarius always said that Lucy wasn't like Layla. Sure, Lucy always treated her Celestial spirits kindly, as if they were friends…. But she could never fight back-to-back with them as if they were equals –well, at least not until she unlocked Star-Dress.

My mother didn't have Star-Dress, but she still managed to make her Spirits trust her, make them realize that she was strong and worthy enough to fight alongside them.

Canon! Lucy had made her Spirts trust her with her kind feelings and warm heart, and won their hearts with her forgiving nature, but Layla Heartfilia made them acknowledge her as their worthy partner.

….. My mother is one terrifying woman, isn't she?

'I want to be just like her…..' I thought as a small smile bloomed on my lips, 'I want to be a Celestial Spirit Mage just like her….'

OMAKE-

"Lucas, No!" My mother glared at me as she watched me drooling and chewing on her golden keys that I had somehow managed to get my hands on –it's her fault for leaving them next to me and actually expecting me to not use them as my chew toy.

I gave her a puppy dog eyed look as I kept on chewing on her keys. It's not like I like chewing on them, but gods do teething hurt, and the cold metal of the keys is very soothing for my gums –especially the warm feeling that I get every time I touch the celestial keys resonated with the magic pool in my dantian.

My mother tried –and failed- to give me a stern look as she said in a hard tone, "Lucas, give me the keys." I pouted at her, unwilling to give them to her. They just feel so good against my gums! "Now." She said sternly, making my lips quiver. Why should I give them to her?! Did she know how much my teeth hurt? What's wrong with using these keys as a chew toy for the time being? It's not like I will accidentally swallow them or something.

Why is she being so stingy?

My eyes watered, and fat tears rolled down my soft cheeks. My magic reacted with my unstable emotions as they whirled uneasily in my dantian-

Suddenly, the key in my hand reacted to my distress and agitated magic, and it started glowing. When I noticed the symbol itched on the key, I blanched as all I could think was, 'Uh-oh, I'm so dead.'

The warm magic of the key formed a link with my agitated magic, and a beautiful magic circle appeared beneath me. There was a shower of golden sparks, and a moment later, I found myself staring at a scowling mermaid that looked way too familiar to me.

Her light blue hair reached her hips, and contrasted perfectly with her pale skin. Her slender body, with perfect curves –that was barely restricted by a blue, shimmering top- seemed to glow, while her magnificent blue tail swished lazily.

Looking at her otherworldly beauty, my mind blanked and all I could think of was, "holy shit, she's smokin' hot!'

The Mermaid switched the urn she was holding, and scowled at my mother –who was doing a great impression of a goldfish, what with her mouth opening and closing in bewilderment as she stared to and fro between me and the mermaid- and she hissed out, "Layla! It's Saturday! You should know better than to summon me on a Saturday! I was on a date, you know!"

"I- I wasn't the one who summoned you." Mom said uneasily.

"Oh?" Aquarius asked, unconvinced. "Then who did?" She asked dryly, as if humoring my mother.

My mom didn't seem to have noticed me shaking my head frantically, since she dazedly pointed at me, signing my death warrant. The Celestial spirit turned her head in exasperation to glance at me-

-only to freeze when she saw the key –her key- in my hand that was drenched in drool.

The temperature seemed to drop at an alarming rate as the ill-tempered Spirit of the Water Bearer's beautiful eyes seemed to spit fire as she glared at me –and I swear I could actually vision my death by getting strangled by Aquarius.

"You little brat," Aquarius hissed in fury, "You dare summon me with your spit?!"

Oh shit. I'm doomed, aren't I?

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