Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lucy sat alone on the edge of the lake behind Fairy Tail. The afternoon sun shone above her and reflected the water’s surface. She clutched her knees, legs drawn to her chest and her face hidden in her arms. Her eyes were sore from crying, but they weren’t wet anymore; the tears had dried up long ago. Lucy was lost inside herself again—a place where no one could reach or help.

The rhythmic lap of water against stone lulled her as she wallowed in the depths of her misery. A soft breeze blew across the shoreline, hard enough to dislodge long strands of golden hair that fluttered around her head. Her ribbon was loose and in danger of blowing away itself. To say that Lucy was a mess was an understatement.

Six months had passed since their final altercation against Zeref. A fierce fight against the Dark Lord stretched over weeks, with many casualties. Many guilds suffered losses, and many civilians also lost their lives in the battle between good and evil, and Fairy Tail wasn’t exempt either. Lucy lost her closest and most cherished friend and now faced a long life without him.

Natsu was the one that brought her to Fairy Tail, the one who filled her life with such vivacious joy and light. His infectious grin, so warm and mischievous, always made her smile at his antics, even when he got himself into trouble. He taught her how fun being adventurous can be if you just let go and have fun, and now all that existed of him were memories, and Lucy was heartbroken.

As she wallowed, she imagined Natsu’s face, but it didn’t take long for his sweet face to morph into the demonic visage of END. The red scales, the sharp teeth and claws and the horns on top of its head haunted her dreams and loomed close every time she closed her eyes. With a jerk, Lucy raised her head and rubbed her eyes to wipe away the memory.

Dizzy from the crying, Lucy rested her chin on her arm and stared over the calm lake. Dark, intrusive thoughts plagued her daily, and she stared at the waves that lapped the edge of the cliff where she perched and contemplated her options as much as a heartbroken woman could. She could walk off the edge, her problems and her pain would cease, and she’d be free of the crushing despair.

It would be so easy.

Exhaustion overtook her body; no strength was left in her limbs or mind to move or think anymore. Unable to get a decent night’s sleep and haunted by nightmares often worse than they were good. The terrors of Natsu only fuelled Lucy’s anxieties and misery. It left her frazzled and in a vicious cycle of sadness and depression.

She truly missed him.

The back of her neck fizzled in warning, and Lucy strained to peer over her shoulder wide-eyed before relaxing and smiling as Gray approached her. He didn’t say a word and sat beside her with a slight groan; he lifted one leg and rested his arm over his knee. His free hand ran through his dishevelled and unkempt hair.

Lucy knew what Gray was doing. After the colossal fight they’d endured, Gray developed a nervous tick when he touched his face, then ran his fingers through his hair. She didn’t miss the way Gray traced the wicked scar that adorned the left side of his face. A jagged scar that stretched from his jawline right to his hairline. They’d all come out of the fight with scars, physical and mental. But Gray’s was left by claws and fire. The puckered skin was still black from his devil-slaying magic.

Gray also suffered that day, and from there on, many people judged him by his appearance. His scarred face made it hard for others to see past it, what he’d done and what they’d all lost in the process. They judged and whispered behind his back, and Gray withdrew from most human contact. He hadn’t graced the doorway to Fairy Tail in months.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

Lucy lowered her legs and smoothed out the creases in her skirt. It didn’t take a genius to see her red-rimmed eyes, the rash under her nose from the constant nose-blowing and her dry, chapped lips. “I would say I’m fine,” she said, “But we know it’d be a lie.” She sighed as she stared at the water again; she couldn’t bring herself to look at Gray’s dark gaze. Her voice cracked when she spoke, “To tell the truth, I feel awful. My soul hurts...My heart hurts.”

She rubbed her face wearily, “I can’t sleep because of the nightmares. My mind wanders too much during the day...” Lucy shook her head and sighed.

“I know what you mean,” Gray agreed with her. “I can’t sleep either. I lie awake at night and hate myself for what I did to him and you . I close my eyes and see him, thanking me as he choked on his-...” Gray clenched his fist and his face twisted in anguish. “I’m so sorry, Lucy.”

Lucy watched Gray struggle with his inner burden. She believed she had no more tears left to cry. But her eyes burned regardless. She put a hand on his bare shoulder. “What are you apologising to me for?” Lucy feared she’d burst into tears if she spoke any louder.

“Because you two loved each other,” Gray groaned. He covered his face in shame, and his whole body shook with a new wave of grief that threatened to break through the dam that held it back. He took several deep breaths before lowering his hands from over his mouth and looked up at the sky. “Lucy, I keep hearing your scream in my mind. Your tears and how you stared at me with so much hate.”

Lucy pursed her lips and wrapped her arms around Gray, and pulled him towards her in a tight hug. He stayed stiff as a board under the sudden act of reassurance. She buried her face into the crook of his neck.

“I never blamed you,” she said, her voice muffled.

Gray knew she lied. Lucy was never a good liar.

After several awkward moments, Gray hesitantly lifted his arms, grasped the front of Lucy’s blouse, and clung to her, letting his head drop and connecting his forehead to her shoulder. They clung to each other for support, sharing their grief over their lost friend.

Though Natsu’s death hit everyone in the guild incredibly hard, Happy, Lucy, and Gray took it the hardest. In mere days, everyone was walking on eggshells around them, whispering about Gray and giving the pity talk with Lucy and Happy. 

Then it was as if Natsu never existed. Everyone stopped talking about him as soon as they saw anybody of the grieving three. It angered Lucy more than anything. Natsu had been an integral part of the guild, he was the one that made it feel like home, and now, people acted as if he had never been there.

Part of Lucy knew that her friends and family tried to respect her and her grief. They didn’t want to dredge up the bad memories, but Lucy needed to talk about him. She tried to recall the happy memories they all shared, even if she burst into tears every time they said his name. The weight of her inner burden threatened to crush her. 

Out of the tragedy, Lucy gravitated towards the very person responsible for blowing it to pieces in the first place. Gray was always a close friend, a brother to her. The parts of their friendship came together, fragmented and damaged, but together. Only he understood Lucy’s despair, and she needed him more than ever.

“I need to get out of Magnolia for a little while,” Lucy whispered, raising her head and petting the top of Gray’s messy hair affectionately. She adjusted her arms and let her eyes wander back over the comforting scene of the lake stretching out beyond them. 

“I can’t work,” she explained. “It is suffocating me. I can’t write or even function as a normal human being. Everywhere I go, I see him , and it’s ruining my life. Everyone’s walking on eggshells around me. I know they mean well, but they can’t help me with what I’m carrying. I’m going to leave for a little while.”

Lucy continued to stroke Gray’s hair as he listened. “I’ve decided to take a job, leave the city and maybe do a little travelling. Happy’s coming with me, and we’re going to wander around for a couple of months.”

Gray stiffened at Lucy’s words as he processed them. He jerked away with wide eyes. “I’m coming with you,” he blurted out.

Lucy’s eyes met his, surprised by his outburst. Usually, Gray would blush, avert his eyes and apologise for having forward emotions, but this time was different. His expression was serious, but the sunlight highlighted the tear stains on his face.

“I can’t stay in Magnolia,” he said, “It’s eating me away, and it’s not the first time I’ve considered leaving either. I stayed because I felt like I owed it to you, Lucy. If you’re leaving, then I’m coming. Everyone else abandoned me. I don’t want you leaving as well.”

Gray’s sincere words evoked a feeling of relief that flooded through Lucy. Though Happy showed disgruntlement at the mere mention of Gray’s name, she’d felt guilty if she left and let Gray suffer in his silence and loneliness. She was kind-hearted, and now she admitted that she’d stayed because of him.

“What about Juvia?” Lucy asked; she turned to look over her shoulder, suddenly afraid that an angry rain-woman would leap out from behind a shrub or rock and start shaking her back and forth with unbridled fury. “She hasn’t forgiven me for what I did to you. She finds out you’re coming with me; she’ll try to drown me.”

Lucy’s hesitation highlighted an ugly truth, and her eyes went to the small jagged scar on Gray’s pectoral, right above his heart. Her eyes went down, veiled by guilt. 

“Don’t worry about Juvia,” Gray said, “I’ve made it clear to her that we are and will be nothing but friends. I made her promise me that she won’t hurt you. I hope she understood what I meant and how I felt about it. You understand my pain on another level. I need that for now.”

“I don’t want you coming if you’re going to grovel and apologise to me every step of the way,” Lucy grumbled. “I’ve told you repeatedly that you need to stop with the incessant desire to make it up to me. Stop feeling guilty. There was nothing we could have done. He’d smack us if he found us in this miserable state.”

Gray chuckled, though he didn’t smile. Lucy was right; Natsu was a headstrong idiot and emotional in his own way. But he’d never dwelled on the misery or the pain and found a way to move forward and deal with his problems. Instead, they’d go out on jobs and missions with the team and act as if nothing had ever changed.

Lucy got to her feet and dusted off her skirt, she extended an open hand to Gray who stared at it with an unfathomable expression.

“Do you want to come look for a job with me?” Lucy suggested, “There were several interesting ones on the second floor.” She put a finger to her chin, “Maybe I should choose a decade quest or something.” Then she clapped her hand over her cheek, “I can’t do that; how would I pay my rent-oh” she trailed off with a disappointed sigh.

Gray clapped her hand in his own and got to his feet, and the pair turned to look up the hill where the back door of Fairy Tail sat. The dread-filled them both. Gray hadn’t stepped foot in the guildhall for months, knowing people would stare and whisper when he did. Their scrutinising gaze piercing his soul. 

“It doesn’t matter the job,” he said, “We go in, choose the first one off the board and leave. If we’re lucky, we won’t have to look at anybody, and we can leave this hellhole.”

His words brought no reassurance to Lucy, but she nodded regardless and glanced at their entwined hands between them. They’d held hands for much longer than necessary, and she yanked her hand away with an awkward clear of her throat and pushed her messy hair behind her ear. 

“Let’s do this together?” she suggested and jerked her chin toward Fairy Tail. She forced another smile, and Gray stepped beside her with his hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers. Side by side, they trekked the small trail up the hill and towards the back door, the place that once brought them so much joy but now only filled them with misery.

Lucy put her hand on the door handle and inhaled a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. Then pushed the handle down, and the door slid inwards. The beery warmth and jovial chatter of the guild surrounded them. The amiable talk used to be a source of comfort, but now Lucy wanted to burst into tears again. 

The chatter stopped when they arrived. 

Lucy’s eyes went to the table she and Natsu used to share with the rest of the team when they ate their meals or discussed their next mission. She jumped when her mind played a cruel trick, for the briefest moment, she saw Natsu in the chair drenched in sunlight with a large plate of food in front of him.

She closed her eyes hard for a moment, then reopened them. The chair was empty. Obviously, but a second was all it took. Acutely aware of everyone’s eyes, Lucy and Gray moved through the tables and scattered chairs. Lucy took it in stride, able to ignore most of the looks. Gray, on the other hand, could not.

He heard the whispers amongst the members, some old and some new. People Gray had never met before, ones lucky enough to join after the atrocity Fairy Tail endured with the war against Alvarez. They’d been privy to all the tales, though, and knew what Gray did.

Some gazes were ones of pity; others were of shame and suspicion. Other people were not as lenient as Lucy was. Gray remembered why he’d avoided everyone and never returned in the first place. Maybe it was a bad idea to come back.

“Look at those scars.”

“Natsu really put up a fight, huh?”

“I thought Gray was never coming back after what he did.”

“Did Lucy forgive him?”

At least they had the decency to try and keep their conversations to themselves. Juvia, however, glowered from a table beside Gajeel and Levy. She was not as quiet. 

“Why is my love-rival with my darling Gray?” she cried, her eyes large and filled with fury. She slammed her open hands on the wood of the table. “Gray, my love-” she called, “Why are you with her after what she did?”

“Oh, gods,” Lucy muttered, “I knew this would happen.”

“Just go to the board,” Gray muttered, “Choose a job.”

Lucy sensed Gray’s uneasiness, and with grit teeth, they rushed up the stairs to the second story, where the higher-ranked jobs were on a much smaller board. Many dangerous and exciting prospects stretched out in front of them. Jobs that could take weeks or even months to complete. Just as Lucy wanted.

She scanned the job requests and searched for one that stuck out the most. For once, she barely looked at the jewel reward. Money didn’t bother her. Instead, she studied the titles and the descriptions and so far, none really sang to her. She didn’t want to fight monsters or take out a dark cult of wizards, nor did she want to play bodyguard at a prestigious ball thrown by a wealthy family.

Lucy wanted something exciting .

Gray stood opposite the board and peered at the notices on the other side. He noticed Lucy ignored the jobs that she would have begged to go on once. Nice, easy jobs that were safe, paid a lot of money and something that their old team would have great difficulty screwing up. 

It was unlike her.

Following his gut, Gray searched the higher-ranked jobs, requests that involved monsters or strong mages. Something where he could unleash his anger and misery and turn some unfortunate beast into his emotional punching bag. 

From the windows on the upper level, a ray of sunlight beamed through the windows. It hit the board in various colours, and Gray caught an intriguing job post. He yanked it down from the pin, read the description, and thrust it out towards Lucy for her approval.

She read the paper and smiled. A small excited look etched across her face. It was the sort of job they wanted.

“Sounds good,” she agreed, “Great choice. Let’s hand it in and get our names listed.” She sidestepped Gray and headed towards the stairs, down to the bar where Mira organised the liquor bottles and cleaned the dishes. 

Gray followed, his ears burned with the scathing conversations around him. 

About him .

The pair approached the island bar where Mirajane stood cleaning large mugs with a bright-coloured dishcloth. Her eyes glinted as they approached and tried to judge what happened between Lucy and Gray and if it was something she could potentially gossip about. 

Lucy waved at her in greeting; she turned and waited for Gray, who slammed the paper onto the counter and looked away. Unable to look at the older Strauss sibling and scratched the back of his neck in a pained awkwardness. He couldn’t even look at anybody he had once thought of as friends and teammates.

“Chosen a job, have we?” Mira asked tentatively as she read the flyer. Then, she reached under the counter and pulled out her large red folder, where she signed and listed the names of the mages who undertook the requests. 

Lucy nodded and leaned against the counter, “Thought it would be a nice change of pace to get out of Magnolia for a while. It’s been a little overwhelming these last couple of months. I wanted to clear my head.” She tapped her fingers against her belt, “H-Hey,” she asked, “You haven’t seen Happy around by any chance?”

Mira nodded and gestured the pencil to the table where Happy sat with Wendy, Charle and Romeo as they played cards. Happy sat beside Charle with a large fish hanging from his paws and teeth sunk into the flesh. 

“Understandable, though,” Mira continued the conversation lightly, “I hope this helps clear your head and help you guys feel better. We all miss you and want you to return to us safely.” She snapped the folder shut and returned it under the counter. 

Lucy spun on her heels and tapped Gray on the arm. “Wanna go pack?” she suggested.

“I suppose,” Gray grumbled.

Lucy waved to Mira with a forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Thanks, Mira.” She turned around and held up a hand over her head. “Hey, Happy!” she called, “We’re leaving. Are you coming or not?”

She prayed everyone stayed silent.

“Juvia will not allow this to happen!” Juvia jumped to her feet, her long blue hair bristling out menacingly. “She will hurt my love again! Juvia doesn’t trust her!” The Water Mage threw her arms out in front of her, the water forming around her.

Lucy’s eyes narrowed, and with incredible agility, she threw her arms up in a defensive stance and took the brunt of Juvia’s water nebula attack. Finally, she broke the water and skipped several steps, her face solemn.

“You don’t trust me?” Lucy called out, incredulity forming across her face this time, “What do you think I’m going to do? Seriously, tell me.”

The two females glared at each other, and Juvia prepared another attack. Her hands were trembling as she struggled with the thought of attacking Lucy again. She couldn’t come up with a definitive answer without upsetting half the guild.

“Juvia,” the voice was quiet. Levy got up and placed her hand on Juvia’s arm, “Please. Leave Lucy alone. Nothing is going to happen. They need time to deal with what happened. We’ve discussed this.”

“Juvia will never forgive the love-rival for what she did to Gray. Juvia was the one that had to pull her back from attacking him! She hurt him, and now he is leaving with her. His life is in danger.” It was all Juvia managed to waver out; her voice betrayed his dismay. 

Her intentions were pure and innocent, but this landed them all in hot water. Her expression gave way from tearful to furious, Juvia’s famous mood swings in action for all to see. In a situation that nobody wanted to see or be part of. 

The table skittered back over the wooden floors as Gajeel got to his feet. His shadow was elongating, looming over his teammate. “Sit down!” he growled at Juvia, “You don’t have to fight each other. Levy’s right. We spent hours talking to you about it! Did it go in one ear and out the other?”

“B-But…” Juvia stammered again, “I know Gray killed Natsu, but J-Juvia…” she squeaked in fright when a large spiked arrow formed from the ceiling before cascading into the table, splintering it in two. The air went frigid, and everyone shivered in response. She’d crossed a line, and Gray had enough. 

“Enough!” he roared, the icicles splintered across his arms as he extended his enormous power over the Guild Hall. “This was the reason why I never wanted to come back here! You don’t think I’m suffering enough with what I did? That Lucy is suffering?”

“Gray… Please stop.” Despite the wicked spikes adorning his limbs, Lucy placed her hand on his arms. “I don’t want to fight. I didn’t want this to happen.” She gave him a beseeching look, “Please, can we leave?”

Gray’s eyes were vicious when he looked down at her. There was no sadness or misery, or self-pity. Instead, they were ablaze in anger . It was rare to see Gray get angry, annoyed or irritated. But nothing like this.

“I’m tired of this,” he hissed, “I hate everyone talking about me behind my back. I hate it when everyone wants to make me feel guiltier after what I did! I’m already drowning in guilt. I’m at the point of just walking out and stepping off the cliff!”

Lucy tugged his arm firmer this time, gauging the shock that settled around the Guild Hall. It was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop, and the heaviest sound was the sound of Gray on the verge of hyperventilating. 

Juvia was crying now. She escaped the shattered remains of the table and threw herself at Gray’s feet. Her face was red with shame and humiliation, and she sobbed uncontrollably, “I’m sorry, Gray,” she tried to apologise. “Juvia was foolish in saying what she said.”

She looked back to Lucy, “Juvia will apologise to Lucy-san as well. I’m sorry. We are all hurting after what happened, and Juvia wasn’t considering your feelings, Lucy.”

Lucy knelt at Juvia’s height and gently tapped her shoulder, letting go of Gray’s arm. “I forgive you, Juvia,” she murmured. “I know you are worried. I won’t do anything to Gray. We know he can take care of himself. He’ll come home in one piece, I promise.”

Juvia raised a tear-stained face, “Juvia shouldn’t have said what she said. Juvia feels terrible. I know you are sad. Everyone in the Guild is sad, and Juvia prays for you and Gray every night. I’m just-I’m sorry.”

For once, her voice cracked, and she stopped talking in the third person. Lucy helped her back to her feet as Gray lowered his arms, his face set in a stony, unimpressed look. He didn’t say a word. His eyes left Juvia and scanned the hall, filled with frightened and stern expressions.

Gajeel and Levy approached Juvia, the Iron Dragonslayer wrapping his arms around Juvia and pulling her away with a somewhat grumbled apology. Lucy could do nothing but stand there, smiling like an idiot. She was humiliated, and Juvia’s outburst only made it worse with Gray. 

“Thank you, Gajeel,” Lucy murmured, hitting a wall at what else to say. Everything felt awkward, and for the first time since joining Fairy Tail, Lucy felt uncomfortable in the hall. Scratching her elbow and letting a weak chuckle escape her, Lucy raised her free hand and tugged Gray’s arm. 

“Can we go?” She pleaded with him as Gajeel led Juvia away, scolding her about what she had caused. Sensing her discomfort, Gray withdrew his power and instantly, the frigid air in the hall vanished and prompted Happy to leave his table and fly to Lucy. 

“Lushiiii,” he purred, landing on her head and resting his body along her neck, “Are we going on a job? It’s about time. It’s been ages” Lucy petted him affectionately and affirmed his question as she turned to the doors.

Gray sent a withering glance to everyone staring at them and huffed impatiently. He turned on his heels and, as always, shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers. He followed Lucy and Happy, and they were both gone from sight. 

***

“Are you sure you packed for a few weeks?” Lucy raised a brow as Gray emerged from the recess of his apartment. He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and adjusted his white coat. “I swear I saw you only put like one pair of pants in there.”

“For a person who walks around naked a lot, you have a lot of clothes,” Happy observed from the front doorstep of Gray’s apartment. “You are as messy as Natsu was!”

Gray rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him, locking it and stepped beside Lucy. “You think you guys would know how light I travel after all these years, unlike a certain someone we all know.”

They laughed at the memories of Erza and her wagon of luggage. One time, Lucy counted thirty suitcases. Of course, it was going overboard, but it made Lucy smile whenever she thought about it. She truly missed her old team and their silly antics. 

“I suppose it doesn’t matter with you anyway,” Lucy sighed with a smile as they traversed the road and towards the train station. “You strip naked as soon as you start a fight. The number of times I’ve gone around after you guys, picking up scarves, pants and other clothes, go beyond me.”

Though she smiled at the memory, Lucy didn’t laugh. Her eyes went to her feet as they walked. “Good times,” she whispered as Happy gazed at her sadly. “I hope we can go back to having them soon.”

Gray cleared his throat uncomfortably. Lucy apologised and grinned sheepishly, her cheeks pink with chagrin. “I’m sorry,” she chuckled, “I don’t mean to be a downer. Every time I go quiet, everyone assumes I’m talking about Nat-... him . It really kills the mood.” She shook her head. “It’s been six months, and I still can’t say his name. It sucks, but I can’t let it get in the way of my life. Please don’t let me dwell on it, Gray, don’t stop what you are doing to try and appease me.”

Gray and Happy gazed at each other briefly, then back at Lucy. “I’m the one that caused you two the most pain. Me. I hate seeing you sad, and I can’t think of any way to try and make it up to you. I don’t see why you insist on keeping me around.”

“That’s not true,” Lucy interjected, “As you said, we understand how you feel, and you know us. You’re here in our time of need. That’s all that matters.” Lucy scolded Gray. “If you insist on trying to make this up to me, then just keep being yourself, Gray. Don’t let me drown in this sea of misery surrounding me.” She was silent before she spoke again, “What you said earlier in the Guild…about walking off the cliff?”

Gray blanched, “I know. I shouldn’t have said it.”

“I’m not angry,” Lucy whispered, “I thought about the same thing today. Thinking about how easy it was.”

“Lucy…” Gray began.

“No,” Happy wailed, interrupting them and his eyes growing wide and distressed as the conversation took a dire turn for the worst. “Please don’t say that, Lucy; you are all I have left.”

Hearing the Exceed’s heartbroken voice, Lucy snatched him out of the air beside her and hugged him. “I’m sorry, Happy,” she apologised. “I should have never said that. I’m never going to leave you behind, ok?”

They were just words to comfort Happy, but Gray knew Lucy better than that. She was serious, which made him feel all the worse. He was the one that caused her heartbreak. 

At the outskirts of Magnolia, after walking in silence. Gray stood at the sign that pointed in the direction of the train station. But much to his surprise, Lucy simply strode past it and cradled a morose Happy.

“Don’t bother about the train,” she muttered, her voice void and dull. “The mere thought of riding that thing makes me nauseous. I’d rather walk.”

Chapter Text

“I’ve never heard of Rostary Grove before.”

Happy perched over Lucy’s head and scrutinised the request sheet as she read the details about where they had to go and contact. They sat in front of the fire as Gray set up camp and Lucy made a map.

“Neither have I,” Lucy said, “But that’s the most exciting part, isn’t it? Travelling to places we’ve never been before and going on more adventures?”

“Aye,” Happy agreed, and the two friends shared a warm laugh.

Since Natsu’s death, a distraught Happy sought solace with Lucy. He wasn’t far behind wherever she went, and everyone came to the logical conclusion that he’d stay by Lucy from there on out. Their relationship was always rocky and full of snarky remarks, but over the past months, their love for each other went deeper than ever. 

“I wonder why we have to be there by Tuesday,” Lucy wondered aloud, “It mentions several times that we have to be there by this time. Otherwise, we’ll miss out on the request. Also, a Guide is supposed to meet us there.” Lucy turned the paper over, but the back was blank, showing no other information.

“It must be pretty isolated if they had to stress that on the request sheet,” Gray muttered as he sat down. He grabbed a long forked stick and prodded the fire. “Must be a mercenary or a goods-person that comes down from wherever Rostary Grove is.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Lucy murmured. “Other than that, it doesn’t seem to say much else than Eliminate the evil monsters and rescue the village . I wish they’d be more specific.”

She put the paper down, propped her arm on her knee, and rested her chin on it. She stared into the fire. “Shouldn’t be too hard for us. We can hopefully breeze in and leave within a few days.”

“Compared to what we’ve faced,” Gray stated, staring at the dancing flames of the fire, “A couple of monsters isn’t going to be hard. Like taking a fish from Happy.”

“That’s not very nice,” Happy pouted, “I don’t do anything to you, Gray!” He climbed from Lucy’s head and into her lap.

“That’s kinda mean,” Lucy chuckled. “Why would you take Happy’s fish? He can’t defend himself. I’d feel pretty rotten if I did that myself.”

“I can defend myself better than you can,” Happy glowered nastily from her lap, “Next time we get into trouble, I’ll fly to safety instead of carrying you, you fat cow.”

Lucy’s face ticked, “Shut it, cat,” she growled, warning, “Or you’ll regret it.” 

They started to argue with each other, called each other names and who would leave when they inevitably came across the monsters they were supposed to defeat. As they taunted each other, Gray stared into the fire. 

He shook his head and ran a finger through his hair, nervously tracing the scars. His eyes went from the fire to the moon. It was a clear night, and the stars twinkled over them as the calls of the mountains surrounding them. The trio had a good day, chatting amicably about their plans. It wasn’t like old times, but they made do. 

What surprised Gray the most was the spontaneous water fight Lucy initiated when they arrived at the river. One moment they were on the trail, and the next, a wave of water had overcome him. Lucy stood in the shallows wearing her Aquarius Stardress with guffaws of laughter. Gray enjoyed himself a little at its absurdity. It was such a goofy act, so Natsu .

He glanced back at Lucy, whose cheeks puffed out indignantly as Happy folded his arms across his chest and looked away with his nose in the air. After a minute, he gazed back at Lucy with sad eyes, and she reached out and cuddled him close. Her eyes went distant, and she glanced at the sky and scanned the stars.

Though she tried to hide it, Gray saw the glassiness of her eyes. Shining with unshed tears before she lowered them, blinking several times before looking back to him to ensure he was okay. The fake smile came and stretched involuntarily across his face, and he continued to poke at the fire idly. 

“You okay?” Lucy asked and expertly masked her grief. “You sort of stopped talking there.” Still cuddling Happy. Lucy deftly got to her feet, moved around the campfire and sat on the log beside Gray.

“Yeah, just thinking,” Gray said. “About that stupid water fight you started today.” He smirked at her, and Lucy grinned at him. The corner of her eyes crinkled at the memory of earlier—a genuine smile.

“I don’t know what came over me,” she chuckled, “You are so easy to prank. I couldn’t help myself. Your face was priceless.” She leant back and looked back up to the stars, “We should embrace it, you know. Life is too short to be wallowing away in our misery.”

“Wise words,” Gray snorted, “Right out the pages of your novel.”

Lucy gasped and looked wide-eyed back at him. “You didn’t!?” she exclaimed, horrified.

“Oh,” Happy taunted, “You’ve done it now, Gray.”

“I did,” Gray chuckled as Lucy’s hand connected to the back of his head. “Hey,” he protested, “You let Levy read your novels” he smirked at Lucy’s bright red face. 

“That’s different!” she snapped, “She’s my friend, and you’re a boy!”

Gray raised a brow in question, “I’m a boy? Guys, read as well, or is it because you are embarrassed about the sex scenes? They’re as cheesy as the stories Erza tries to read in secret. She doesn’t do a very good job at it, though.”

Lucy looked like she was about to die of embarrassment, and Gray lifted a hand and patted her knee reassuringly. “I’m just joshing you,” he chuckled, “But seriously, I enjoy your manuscripts, Lucy. Your ideas are original and fresh. Better than the other crap that is out there.”

Lucy hid her face in Happy’s knapsack. She mumbled something, and Gray stared back into the fire. “And just because I’m a boy doesn’t mean squat. I’m your friend, aren’t I?” 

“Of course you are,” Lucy raised her head, “I don’t know. Just the thought of someone other than Levy reading my stories scares me. I’m not sure if anybody else feels that way. Maybe I’m just weird.” She cuddled Happy tighter.

“Never,” Gray disagreed, “You are Lucy, and you are perfect the way you are. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

The trio shared a silent moment, and Lucy was almost sure that Happy would taunt them with his classic purring and rolling of the tongue. ‘He likes you.’ But it never came. Happy stayed silent.

Lucy regained her dignity and swept away some loose strands of hair. “Well, it’s late,” she finally muttered, “We should get some sleep if we’re continuing our way to the mountains tomorrow.”

With a soft groan and several cracks of her knees, Lucy got off the log and towards her designated spot on the grass where she had laid out her bedroll and bag. She set down Happy and began to rummage through it. She sat back on her bedroll as Happy dragged the blanket into her lap, snuggling close. Then, to Gray’s amazement, Lucy pulled out a long white scarf from the depths of her bag. Natsu’s scarf.

He had long believed the scarf disintegrated with the rest of Natsu’s body as he crumbled to dust. It had disappeared during the battle, and even though he searched for it, he had never been able to find it again. 

Lucy had it the entire time.

The Celestial Mage looked towards the Ice Mage and seemingly read his mind. “He dropped the scarf at the start of the fight,” she explained, thumbing over the soft material. “I kept it for safekeeping. In case he came back to me, in the end, it didn’t matter, and I couldn’t let it go.”

She rubbed the scarf along her cheek with a tender look. 

Gray shrugged, “I wouldn’t have wanted the scarf to anyone other than you, Lucy,” he admitted, “It’s just right that you’d have it.” 

Lucy nodded, her eyes drooped as she wrapped the scarf around her neck and lay back. Within minutes, she and Happy fell asleep.

Gray was left alone with his thoughts and inner demons. He stared back into the fire. The dancing flames flickered back and forth. It whispered to him, a dark voice that carried the guilt and sheer devastation he held in himself. The shadows flickered and danced with the flames, negative and intrusive thoughts invaded his mind. 

“This is your fault,” it whispered. “You’re the reason your friends suffer. She didn’t get to say goodbye.”

Gray shifted his weight, and his eyes went to the scarf Lucy had wrapped around herself. He had to touch it; a yearning need that reached out from inside himself. He’s spent hours scouring the devastation of the battleground, days after the fight looking for that scarf. He’d shed tears over it. It never occurred to him that Lucy picked it up.

Gray dropped his stick and got to his feet. He tread carefully through the clearing and to where Lucy and Happy slept together. Then, quietly mustering his courage, Gray crouched beside her, reached out a tentative hand, and traced the soft fabric.

A tear welled at the corner of his eye. The scarf still sported stains and the occasional blood spot. But what got him was the overwhelming stench of cinders and sandalwood. It smelt so Natsu . No wonder Lucy slept with it. 

Gray sniffled and quickly wiped his nose with his hand as his emotions choked him. He ran his hand across the scarf, and the memories stung his soul of all the times Natsu made a start about his beloved scarf.

“Now you are selfish,” the malicious little voice in his head whispered. “What gives you the audacity to take that scarf away from the woman who loved him? You have no right to it. You didn’t even consider Natsu your friend until you murdered him.”

Gray’s fists clenched around the corner of the scarf. He knew what he was about to do was inappropriate, and Gray prayed to the heavens that Lucy wouldn’t smack him in the morning when she found him, but he just wasn’t strong enough to stay away.

He laid down on the grass beside Lucy, gently unwinding the loose half of the scarf and draping it across himself as he scooted as much as he could next to the blonde mage. He shifted ever so slightly, and Lucy muttered an incoherent name before clutching the scarf and moving closer to him.

In the light of the dimming fire, Gray could still see the tear streaks on her cheeks. Did she still cry herself to sleep every night? Alone at night with nobody to comfort her. Gray wiped the remainder of his tears away and together. The pair lay beside each other with the scarf covering them as the stars shone brightly.

***

Lucy woke up with the sun the following day, shifting slightly and then realising that she was unusually close to a solid human being. Her eyes popped wide, and Lucy started awake and saw Gray’s soundly sleeping face opposite her. 

She nearly squealed, preparing her arm to smack him and call him a pervert until she realised why he was so close. He held half of Natsu’s scarf in his hand, holding it to his chest. It was in that mere moment that Lucy forgave him.

Seeing Natsu’s scarf must have been quite a shock. The way he held it, it showed it gave him as much comfort as it did with her. Gray’s eyes flickered open at the slight movement, and he drew back in shock when he saw Lucy staring back at him. He threw the scarf back down at her, his cheeks blooming red and trying to stammer an apology.

“Morning sunshine,” Lucy joked, sitting up in her roll and letting the scarf and her blanket pool at her hips as Happy yawned wide, looking quite disgruntled at the early rise and by Lucy’s scream of alarm. “Did you sleep well?”

“Shit,” Gray stumbled, averting his eyes, “Please forgive me, Lucy. I shouldn’t have invaded your space. I’m sorry.”

“Nonsense,” she smirked, “It’s understandable. You forget that I shared my bed nearly every night for years. You get used to it, I suppose. You don’t have to lie and say it doesn’t make you feel better. It does that for me.”

Gray folded his arms across his chest, his face still red, “Still shouldn’t have done it,” he mumbled, “But you’re right, seeing that scarf, all I wanted to do was touch it before I smelt how bad it was.” 

“Makes me wonder if you think that’s good or bad,” Lucy laughed, “I have been trying to preserve it. I don’t want anything about it to change. That’s all I have left. I’d be devastated if I lost it.”

Happy got to his feet throughout their conversation and wandered to his bag, rummaging through it as if he didn’t want anything to do with Natsu’s scarf talk. He seemed pretty bothered by how close Gray was to Lucy. 

Lucy may not have picked up on it, but Gray certainly did. Happy had never forgiven him.

Lucy cleared her throat awkwardly and then offered the scarf to Gray. “I need to freshen up before breakfast. Here.” She offered the scarf to him. 

Gray stared at the glistening white fabric before gently taking it out of Lucy’s hands as she stumbled out of her bedroll and fumbled for her bag and clothes that Virgo had graciously packed. “I’ll be back,” she stated before prancing off behind the bushes and towards the stream.

Gray went to the log next to the now extinguished campfire, twining the fabric around his hands. He caught Natsu’s overpowering stench on it, which made his heart clench in sadness. He closed his hands around it, gripping it close to his chest and fought the urge to cry again.

“Gods, I miss you, flame-brain,” he whispered, “I thought I’d never say that in my life. I took everything for granted, thinking everything would stay the same. But, it didn’t - you truly were the heart of Fairy Tail.”

His chest ached with grief as he lamented how he’d acted that day, the viciousness of the fight and the subsequent loss right afterwards. Gray didn’t believe he deserved forgiveness, especially from Lucy. He’d never be able to redeem himself or absolve himself of the guilt. His head fell forward. His forehead connected the fabric.

“I didn’t give her your final message,” he muttered, his fingers curled. He couldn’t understand how one could leave such a gaping hole in one’s life and how much it hurt . How dare he go on with his own life and keep living when he was the one that ended Natsu’s. 

With his own hands .

Gray lifted his head, and he’d forgotten about Happy in his haze. He stood by the bedroll, his face pulled up, his eyes wide as the tears rolled down his furry blue face. Gray’s grief was incomparable when it measured up with Happy’s. 

Gray looked at him, heartbroken. “Happy…” he began, “You weren’t supposed….”

“Gray, are you okay?” Lucy interjected as she returned. She stared between Gray and Happy with a concerned expression. 

“Lushiiiii,” Happy sobbed, running towards her on his little paws. He grabbed her leg, “I miss him; I miss him so much!” 

Lucy looked down at Happy, her brows knitted together as she bobbed down to his level and cuddled him closely for the millionth time since they had left Magnolia. “I know you miss him, Happy,” she murmured, “Gray and I miss him very much. 

She looked back to Gray, but he had gotten off the log and strode over to her with the scarf held out. “Just reminiscing,” he lied. “Thanks for letting me hold it. It made the pain a little more bearable.”

He cleared his throat and got to his feet, extending a hand to help Lucy to hers. He didn’t miss Happy’s withering glance from behind Lucy’s leg. Then, with a pained grimace, he smiled back at Lucy, who realised the situation between the two.

“We should get going,” he suggested, “We better get moving if we want to reach the Village by Tuesday.” He withdrew his hand and dusted down his pants as Lucy stepped aside to fold the scarf back into the bag.

“I have a good feeling about this place,” Lucy said, “Rostary Grove. It has a magical lilt to it. I wonder what’s in store for us.”

“Not sure,” Gray shrugged as he filled in the campfire, “Knowing our luck, it’d probably be something so huge that we stumble across that we will need the entire Guild to come out and fight with us. Spriggan twelve and Zeref all over again.”

“Hope not,” Lucy chuckled, rolling up her bedroll and tucking it into the straps of her bag. “For once, I’d like a job to go in our favour. To go smoothly, and we can get the total reward for once? How nice would that be?” 

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Gray scoffed. “I was hardly the destructive one. So don’t go shooting your mouth off saying how I ruined things.”

Lucy raised a brow as she slipped her bag on. “Seriously? You are terrible with your ice. You are hardly innocent at all. Gods, I can imagine the destruction already.” She pretended to press her fingers into her temples, faking a migraine with a laugh.

“You are being dramatic,” Gray drawled at her jokingly. “Typical Lucy and her anxiety and stress over the success of a mission. We’re out here for fun , don’t go ruining it for the three of us.” 

Throughout the joke, Happy stayed silent. He packed his bag and slung it over his small shoulders and summoning his large, feathered wings that extended out either side of him. He refused to look at Gray again before heading over to Lucy and whispering in her ear.

“Sure,” she smiled at him after a second, “If you see any trouble before we reach the village, let us know, okay? We should be there by nightfall. Hopefully, you catch lots of fish, okay?” Happy nuzzled her head before zooming off, and she shook her head. 

“You two seem to have gotten closer,” Gray observed as he filled in the campfire before reaching for his effects, putting on a simple black t-shirt and slinging on his large white coat.

Lucy nodded, “Happy is a lot like him. He likes company, and after the fight blew down. But he couldn’t bear the fact of living alone. So he just intruded on my personal space like he usually did, and I ended up with a cat. A very annoying cat.”

She pranced up to him, swinging her arms from side to side with a sunny smile. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she admitted, “I love having Happy around. Though he’s spending more time with Wendy and Charle, it’s nice when he’s so cuddly.”

Unsure of what to add to the conversation about Happy, Gray looked at the looming image of Mount Hakobe looming over them. They certainly would be reaching the foothill village by nightfall at this rate.

“Let’s go,” he gestured to his blonde companion as they stepped onto the well-worn road. “And hope we don’t get into trouble on the way there. That’s the last thing we need.”

Chapter Text

Gray knew they’d get into trouble sooner or later. They were Fairy Tail wizards; after all, they attracted trouble like a magnet. Fortunately, the problem befell them as soon as they walked through the decorated archway in the foothill village at Mount Hakobe late that night. 

The sun had already set, and the evening lamps already lit when the crooks cornered Gray and Lucy beside an empty building, obscured by shadows and attempting to intimidate them. The two men were the clueless type that mistook Lucy’s blonde hair and big boobs as a sign of an easy target.

Lucy gave Gray a simmering glance and told him to back off when the men advanced on them. He held up his hands and shoved them into his pockets, trusting Lucy that she knew what she was doing. She refused the demands to hand over their money and snatched a Gatekey from her belt. 

“Oh, lookie here,” the larger man drawled, huge and lumbering like a gorilla. He laughed at Lucy’s gold key that glimmered with a dangerous light. “She’s a Lil Celestial Mage; you don’t see them much anymore.” His shadow loomed over Lucy as she glared up at him. “I’ll cut you a deal,” he smiled, “Give me your keys, and I’ll let you and your buddies go, ‘aight?”

“In your dreams,” Lucy scoffed. “What makes you think my buddies and I are afraid of you?” She put one hand on her hip, and the two men stared at her in surprise at her outward defiance and cockiness. 

“Pretty lady with a smart mouth,” the gorilla man grunted in mild surprise. He reached out his beefy arm and tried to grab Lucy by the hair. But she was faster, and she ducked away with a wild smile stretched across her face. A fire lit up her eyes, and the colour returned to her cheeks. 

“Star Dress, Leo!”

Lucy’s outfit changed in a shimmer of golden light. A large gown billowed out around her feet. A long, sleek dress hugged her body like a glove, and the black silk shone in the village lights surrounding them.

Lucy held out her hands and taunted them with a smile. A bright golden light encapsulated her fists, and she hunkered down with a chuckle as she scuffed her stilettos in the dirt. It was the most alive she’d felt in months, and the idea of a fight thrilled her. Her demeanour, her hunkered battle stance and her glowing fists were a mirror of Natsu. 

The gorilla moved first and left his smaller and more mousy companion behind with a scowl. The larger thief moved slowly and moved with large, lumbering steps. He charged towards Lucy; his nostrils flared like an enraged bull. 

Lucy looked like she was dressed for a fancy party and not a fistfight but surprisingly, she moved with surprising agility. She was fast . She ducked to the left and missed the arms that swung towards her; she jumped back up behind the surprised thief, and roundhouse kicked him in the upper quadrant of his back.

He sprawled to the ground, and his tiny companion leapt towards Lucy with his fingers curled inwards like claws. Spittle formed on the sides of his mouth, and his eyes popped wide from anger, intent on hurting Lucy for humiliating them.

Lucy swung around; the light illuminated her fists and manifested into golden lion heads. Gray could almost hear the Lions roaring. He admired Lucy fighting the two thugs; she held her own, but how she moved was reminiscent of how Natsu used to. Gray knew this better than anyone. He fought Natsu more times than anybody in the whole guild. 

Lucy didn’t need his help. Instead, her voice rang out across the village plaza as their fighting drew the attention of the locals. 

“ Regulus Gatling Impact! ”

The skinny man was faster than his lumbering companion. He caught one of Lucy’s fists on his own before her other fist came around and cracked him clean in the jaw and sent him flying into the opposite building. There was a resounding crash as debris flew into the air around them.

“Is this all you have?” Lucy called out as she jumped back on the heels of her stilettos and almost danced with giddiness. “I haven’t had a decent fight in ages. This is making me yawn.”

She skipped to the side and sensed the gorilla man racing up behind her, “Too slow,” she sang as the gorilla grasped at thin air. Lucy smirked as she raised her foot and kicked the poor man right in the delicates. 

Gray and Happy cringed at the resounding crunch.

Much to their surprise, Lucy yawned . In a matter of seconds, she went from excited to bored. Her expression fell, and she pouted. 

The mousy man recovered from his flight and stood beside his buddy. He spat out a globule of blood on the ground beside him. The pair looked murderous and shared a look among themselves. Then, they went back to Lucy.

“ Iron Rock Fist”

Lucy cried out in shock as a large, earthen hand manifested from the ground and bulleted right to Gray. It hit him clean in the chest and crashed into the adjacent building. 

Lucy needn’t have worried, though. Gray’s oversized white coat and shirt flew, and a large pillar of ice erupted from the earth’s hand, shattering it into tiny fragmented pieces.

“Ice-Make: Lance”

The Gorilla man who had taken them by surprise with his Earth Magic was hit by several of Gray’s lances. The ice was piercing his arm and lower leg, crippling him. Gray landed beside Lucy, wiped blood droplets off his cheek and nodded reassuringly at her. 

Only then did the men catch sight of the Fairy Tail insignia on Gray’s pectoral and the back of Lucy’s hand. “You guys are…” the mousey man stammered.

“Enough talk,” Gray shouted as he punched his right hand into his left palm. “You have the gall to attack my friend and me, which is unforgivable in my eyes. Prepare to die .” The words that tumbled from Gray’s lips made Lucy shiver. She recalled flashbacks from the fight between him and Natsu.

She had to do something. “No,” she said, interrupting Gray and flushing out his ice magic with her blazing light. “This ends now.” A large golden circle erupted on the ground beneath her feet, and the magic in the clearing was crushing . He’d never experienced this kind of pressure from Lucy. It made him weak in the knees. How much had she changed in the last several months?

“ Regulus Impact ”    

From the magic circle, a giant lion head manifested from an inferno of golden fire. It was so hot that Gray’s face burned, and he had to take several steps back as Lucy let loose the enormous ball of magic at the attackers. A thunderous roar echoed throughout the small clearing as the lion sped towards its target, and with an ear-piercing scream, the two thieves were hurled right into the air and emblazoned in golden light. 

The tremendous impact of the magical spell shot right through the arch they had just walked through and straight into the forest, decimating every tree or stone that dared lie in its path of fury. There were no thieves when the dust settled, and the entryway arch teetered before collapsing with a resounding thud . 

Lucy dusted her hands and then patted down her perfect black dress. “No fun,” she sighed. “Ever since taking down Zeref, nothing seems as hard anymore.” She grabbed Loke’s key again, and her outfit melted away, and her regular outfit returned.

“I had it all under control, you know,” she informed Gray with a slight raise of her brows. “I didn’t expect those thugs to have magical power. Are you ok?”

Instead of answering, Gray watched the devastation around him and was aware of the whispers of the townsfolk starting to gather at the stairs, staring at Lucy with wide eyes. “I remember you saying that I was the destructive one,” he taunted her, “You are quite the destruction princess here , Miss Heartfilia.”

“Uh oh,” Happy called as he went over the large plume of dust as it descended over the village. “Did you lose your temper again, Lucy?” The Exceed hovered above them with a quirk on his furry face, “And you always said that were the good mage.”

Lucy went red, “Well,” she sounded flustered, “They annoyed me, and I just wanted to kick their butts and prove that I wasn’t some pathetic damsel in distress! I’m a Fairy Tail Mage.” Then, with red cheeks, she stood beside Gray and grabbed her backpack. “Go grab your clothes before someone accuses you of being a pervert,” she growled, “Where did your pants go?” 

“Ah, crap.”

When he collected his clothes, Gray chuckled as the trio walked towards the stairs despite all the curious gazes they received. Lucy puffed her cheeks out indignantly. “Shouldn’t have tried to rob us,” she told herself, “So why am I getting all the looks telling everyone that they shouldn’t trust me? This is so stupid. I hope we can still get our escort in the morning.”

“At least you didn’t destroy half the village,” Gray assured her, “You have the common decency to aim away when you go overboard. We’ll explain to the guards what happened, and all you did was protect yourself and your possessions.”

“Robbed?” Happy enquired with a devious smirk, “Did they think you were an easy target again, Lucy?” 

“Shut it!”

Lucy still grumbled under her breath despite Gray’s assurance. Sure enough, they were met by several of the Village Guards brandishing silver spears in their direction.

“Whoa,” Gray held out his hands to show he wasn’t armed, “Let us explain first before you throw weapons at us?” He came to a standstill, and Lucy stood behind him with an unsure look as Gray tried to simmer the escalating situation.

The guards looked at Gray’s demonic scarred face and held up the spear suspiciously. “What is your business here? Why have you come to destroy village property?” the lead one demanded.

Gray rearranged his coat and shirt in his arms to show his Fairy Tail Insignia, “My name is Gray Fullbuster,” he announced, then gestured to Lucy. “And this is my partner Lucy Heartfilia. We are Mages from Fairy Tail. We are just on our way through. But, unfortunately, we got attacked by thugs trying to rob my companion.”

The guards murmured amongst each other. Then, the leader spoke, taking a step back and lowering their spears. “What is your business?” 

Lucy took the reins then, but Gray made sure she stayed behind him to protect her if need be. “We have undertaken a job,” she explained, “The details outlined that we were supposed to meet a travelling Guide who would escort us to a small village called Rostary Grove?”

A flicker of recognition flashed across the Guards face, and he lowered his spear fully and waved them through. “We should be fine then,” he stated. “The Guide you will seek comes early, around eight AM. He trades goods in the square here. So he is easy to spot.”

Lucy waved. “Thank you,” she grinned. “Sorry about your archway, though. I did try and aim away from the buildings. Just put it on the Fairy Tail repair tab, ok?” She sent a cheery grin to the Guards, and Gray sweatdropped, “I wonder how Master will take it….”

He was about to ask where the nearest hotel was before several teenagers pushed past the thinning crows. The ringleader’s face lit up when he saw the Fairy Tail symbol on Lucy’s hand. 

“Oh cool,” he cried, “Fairy Tail Mages!”

He came dashing up to Lucy, Happy and Gray, looking around eagerly before looking at Gray’s face. “Are you Gray Fullbuster?” he gushed, “You are! You’re the one that took down the demon king, END!” He jumped excitedly, punching the air and mimicking ‘ pow, pow ’ noises. 

“Oh, that would have been so epic” he jumped around, and his friends cheered him on. “Such an epic storyline!” he crossed his fingers, making a rectangle out of them and peering through it at the pair like a camera. 

“To think that Natsu turned out to be the biggest, worst enemy yet! In a fight between good and evil.”

Lucy became uncomfortable with the boy’s enthusiasm, and Gray got angry. The boy might not have realised it, but this was a story that he didn’t like to hear. He was not a hero. He wasn’t caught in a life-and-death struggle between good and evil.

“Good always wins,” the boy said matter-of-factly to his friends, looking back at Gray with stars in his eyes. 

“I never heard the rest of the story, though! I’ve been waiting to see a Fairy Tail mage for months! What happened to END? Did you win, and did Natsu come back?”

His eyes glazed over Happy, and he waved his hand. “Well, of course he did,” he told himself, “Because Happy is here, and wherever he is, Natsu is never far behind.”

There was silence.

“He died,” Gray said.

“W-What?” the boy’s enthusiasm died, his mouth turned down, and a frown creased his forehead. “Died? Natsu…died?”

“Yes.”

Gray put a comforting arm around Lucy before steering her away from the clearing, where people stared at them with wide-eyed surprise. Pity. Gray hated the pitying looks; His fists clenched, and the kids were silent. 

The young boy had single-handedly destroyed their day, unaware of their actions. But now, at least, he knew, and Gray hoped that was the last time he had ever to acquiesce to Natsu’s death again.

“Way to go, Tora,” one of the friends said, “What a great way to kill the mood. But good doesn’t always win, you know. END was evil, so of course, he died.”

“He wasn’t evil,” Happy began to sniffle, “Natsu was Natsu.”

Gray grit his teeth; and scanned the signs atop the buildings. He was trying to escape the town square so he and Lucy could hide. 

Holding a silent Lucy close to his body, he steered her down the road until he came to a small BnB on the adjacent street. “Come on, guys,” he ushered; let’s get out of here.”

It was a welcome relief, Lucy opened the gate, and Gray led them both down the path. They reached the small, dainty wooden door, and Gray pounded on the door harder than he should have. 

After the third resounding thud, there was a movement inside the cottage. A scurry of footsteps and their sound hurrying down a hall to reach them. The door opened, a loud creak following as it rode on the hinges.

A small face peeked out from the house’s shadows; she would have been no older than fourteen or fifteen, with curly brown hair held back in a braid. She looked Gray up and down several times before stepping back and letting the pair into the house.

Gray nodded his thanks and stepped with Lucy in tow, and though he tried to tread, his footfalls sounded like thunder. Following the short hallway, Gray halted at a small desk before the stairs. The frazzled young girl darted around him and looked at her pages before looking back at them with suspicious eyes. 

“Mage’s are ye?” she asked in a foreigner’s lilt, “How many nights you be stayin’?”

“Just the one,” Gray grumbled, reaching down into his coat pocket and drawing out several fifty jewel notes. “We leave early in the morning.” He placed the money on the counter, and the girl pencilled them into the book. She pulled a key from beneath.

“Up the stairs and second door to ye right,” she explained with a light smile, glancing at a tense-looking Gray and a miserable-looking Lucy. “May the light bid ye well” she bade them farewell and waited for Gray to climb the stairs.

“I think that’s the first time we have had to say that….” Lucy muttered as they reached the door. “I still can’t believe it, after all this time and considering how well-known Fairy Tail is. People don’t know he’s gone.”

“It’s a shitty world,” Gray grunted, fumbling with the key to get the door unlocked, “No matter how dear a person you lose, the world keeps turning. As if they never even existed.” He swung the door open and peered into the darkness, reaching an arm and groping for a light switch.

“They do exist,” Lucy muttered, “They live on in your heart and memories. Most of the time, people are consumed by guilt and remorse more than we often forget.” She looked up, blinking several times to adjust as Gray flicked the switch illuminating the room beyond them. Only then he unwound his tight arm from around Lucy and step inside. 

Lucy was several paces behind him when there was a distinct ‘ Crap ’ from the main bedroom. Peering around the wall, Lucy put a hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing when she saw a large queen bed in the middle of the room.

Gray threw his bag down, “I’ll sleep on the floor,” he proposed. “I still like to think of myself as a man with some manners. You can have the bed, Lucy.”

“That is very kind of you, Gray,” Lucy told him as she strode to the bed, placing her bag on the side and opening the flap. “But considering our past few nights, you have made it obvious that you don’t mind sleeping beside me.”

“Oh yeah, don’t mind me,” Happy grouched, “I’ll just sleep up on the shelf here.” He hovered over the single shelf nailed into the wall above the bed. “Your big boobs suffocate me if you have to share the bed,” he said to Lucy. 

“They do not!” Lucy said her face red.

“It’d be better if Natsu were here,” Happy muttered under his breath so no one could hear him, swinging off his small pack and fluffing it up like a pillow. “Then none of this would be happening.”

Gray cocked a brow at her just as he would throw himself on the carpet, “You’re a lady that needs her space,” he grumbled, “Any man can tell you that.”

“I don’t mind if we share the bed, Gray,” Lucy said, catching his eye and holding it. Her voice was so sincere that Gray blushed at the situation. “We are friends, after all,” Lucy whispered. “And besides, the company is nice. I haven’t slept this good in months. So we can still share the scarf.” She smiled at him; a faint shade of pink dusted her cheeks as she pulled the scarf from her pack.

Gray stared at her for a moment, fighting with his inner morals on whether he should take her up on her offer. It hadn’t been the first time he had slept on the floor of a house. He’d slept on a stone cliff face. Not much could faze him.

Except for a large cosy bed with one of his closest friends beside him. Together, under the blanket.

“You want to go ahead and sleep with Lucy now?” 

The small voice came back, sounding smug.

“Maybe I’m getting confused about what the greatest betrayal is. It’s like the plot of some corny romance novel!”

“Lucy, I can’t-” he started to decline the offer, but what Lucy said next surprised him. 

“Please don’t say no,” she pleaded. “I don’t want to sleep alone. It hurts too much.”

Gray often forgot that Natsu spent most nights breaking into Lucy’s apartment and snuggling into her bed. Maybe she had gotten so used to having company that taking it away gave her separation anxiety.

There was silence for several moments.

“Ok,” Gray caved, “I promise I’m not going to try any funny stuff, Lucy. But if this helps you feel better, I’ll do it.”

Lucy sniffled, nodding and pulling her pyjamas from the bag. “I’ll have you turn around first, though,” she muttered, “I need my privacy for a moment.”

Gray turned around as Lucy changed clothes behind him. Of course, having a team as close as Team Natsu was, seeing someone naked in the group was not uncommon. But, funnily enough, as Gray recalled, the only one that was never nude had been Natsu.

He had seen Lucy nude plenty of times, even Erza. Not just because of the perving sessions the boys used to have at the local bathhouse. Seeing Lucy change didn’t phase him in the slightest. But if it’s what she wanted, Gray would obey her orders.

“Ok, I’m d- where did your coat go?” Lucy’s voice sounded incredulous. 

Gray looked down and saw that he had lost his coat and shirt. “Oh crap,” he muttered, looking around the room, “I was just wearing them! Where the hell did they go?” 

“Such a pervert Gray” Happy voice scoffed from the shelf, his large eyes peering down at them. 

Lucy chuckled, “Don’t bother. I’m used to seeing more skin. It’s not unusual.” 

She placed her bag on the side of the bed before pulling back the covers and leaping within. She wiggled her legs in delight, “It’s so soft! It’s so nice to be back in a real bed after sleeping in a roll for several days.”

Gray hesitated for several more moments before inhaling and pulling back the blankets on his designated bedside. Lucy pooled Natsu’s scarf between them and wafted the ashy smell across the room. 

He climbed into the bed beside her, his heart thundering in his chest. He had never done this before, and it terrified him. But they were friends, and that was it. He had no intentions of trying anything with her. 

“She’s just a friend? Yeah, right.”

They settled under the blanket. Lucy looked up to the light, then the switch down the hall. “Damn,” she whispered, throwing the blanket back, “The light.”

“No need,” Gray laughed, “I made a game of this back at home when I couldn’t be bothered to get back out of bed. I’m a pretty good shot. Just watch.” Gray pointed two fingers towards the light switch like a finger gun.

‘Ice-Make Dart’

A small dart manifested from the tips of his fingers and the projectile shot forward with incredible speed, shattering upon impact and flicking the switch off, plunging the room into darkness. 

Lucy laughed, “Wow, that is handy. Good shot” she pulled the blankets back over herself and settled further down the mattress with a tired sigh. “Finally, get to go to Rostary tomorrow,” she mumbled. 

“Mhmm,” Gray muttered, sitting back against the headboard and folding his hands behind his head. “Just these days, travelling here has been a nice distraction. We didn’t even have to go on a job, did we?”

“It gave us a new destination we didn’t know existed,” Lucy suggested, “That’s a new adventure. I’m quite excited about it. I’ve been to nearly every other place in Fiore.” 

She yawned, “We’ll see what Rostary Grove has instore for us tomorrow. Anyway, I’m off to sleep. Thank you for being my bed buddy Gray.”

“No problem, Lucy,” Gray told her, “Goodnight.”

“G’night,” she muttered, “Night Happy. You can come down and sleep with me after you stop sulking.”

“I’m not sulking!”

Lucy rolled over, facing the wall and dragged a decent scarf length with her as she rolled. She adjusted several times, stretching out her legs before lying still. Gray could count no more than five minutes, and she was gone. 

He waited several more seconds before he whispered, “Are you still awake, Happy?” No answer. The Exceed was asleep as well. After Lucy and Happy slept, Gray stayed awake for a long while. Her light snores filled the room, and the Ice Mage stared into the darkness. 

He shouldn’t have agreed to do this. He debated whether he should get back out of bed and sleep on the floor. He knew that’s what Happy wanted. He had a problem with the whole friendship thing with him. He was about to pull the blankets back and move onto the floor before Lucy spoke. 

“Why did you do this to me?” 

It scared the living daylights out of Gray, who cursed and stared back at her still form. “Do what?” he whispered incredulously. He didn’t receive an answer. Lucy was still quiet, talking in her sleep.

“He was still in there,” she sighed before shifting. “I saw it in his eyes. Nat…” she didn’t finish saying his name. Gray felt the guilt churn his heart. He hadn’t given Natsu a chance to fight back against END once he had him subdued.

Maybe, if he had looked into those evil eyes, he would’ve seen a flicker of Natsu fighting before he plunged his ice sword into his heart, ending his life. He’d never forget how Lucy screamed at him once she realised what he’d done.

Natsu’s demonic features melted away and were an ashen husk once the battle ended. He dribbled blood down his chin, gripped Gray’s arm, and thanked him for stopping the rampage. Gray begged Natsu not to die and watched with horror as Natsu turned to ash in his arms as Lucy screamed. 

She’d thrown herself into the dirt, scrabbling through the ash to touch Natsu one last time. But missed out by mere seconds and caught nothing but ash. She screamed with primal rage, lunged at him, dug her nails into his flesh in her anger and grief, and shouted Natsu’s name to the high heavens. 

Gray remembered Juvia; she’d been the one to throw Lucy off in his defence. But what shocked everyone the most was that the usually quiet and placid Lucy fought back. She leapt forward and knocked Juvia to the ground as her heart shattered in her chest, coming out with agonised screams. 

It’d been Gajeel that got to the brawling women first as Gray bellowed his anguish. The Iron Dragonslayer wrapped his burly arms around Lucy and dragged her backwards as Lucy kicked and lashed out in her grief. Everybody in Fairy Tail agreed in private that something snapped in Lucy when she lost Natsu and decided that grief could drastically change a person, even one as kind and gentle as Lucy.

As quick as it came, Gray’s memory melted away, and he gripped his hair with such force that it threatened to pull from his head. He choked on a painful sob and fought with all his might not to break down and wake his slumbering teammates. 

“Gods, I am so sorry,” he choked to the empty room.

“Tell Lucy I love her….”

Chapter Text

Lucy woke with the sun the following morning, blissfully aware of her surroundings but caught in a pleasant state where she dreamed wonderful dreams. A pleasant ashy smell wafted over her, the scent of cinders and sandalwood. She cracked open an eye and focused on the items scattered around her. She was home, her apartment back in Magnolia. 

The sun streamed through a crack in the pink curtains, and with a content hum, Lucy stretched out her legs and cracked several joints. Her arms reached out and met with solid warmth under the blankets with her. 

“Natsu,” she giggled, “You bed-hog.”

Natsu snored in response, and Lucy hummed again. Then, with sleepy determination, Lucy yanked her blankets back towards herself and wiggled forward, spooning Natsu and wrapping her arms around him. It wasn’t often that she felt as cuddly as she did right now, but she lived for the moment. 

She pushed herself against him, snuggling her head in his neck like she had done many times before. Natsu shifted and mumbled at her, but he rolled over and shifted to accommodate Lucy. His arms wrapped around her and nuzzled the top of her hair.

In the years she’d known Natsu, Lucy knew he was rather animated as he dreamt. A few times, she’d found herself at the other end of a fist or a donkey kick to the legs from Natsu’s sudden jerks. The mornings he took her into his arms and cuddled her were the best, so much so that Lucy continued to let him sleep in her bed. 

“I missed you,” she muttered into his chest and relished the blazing warmth he gave off. Her fingers closed against his shirt, and she willed herself to go back to sleep. But her eyes fluttered again as Natsu moved, and his hand gripped her shoulder. 

“You miss me?” he asked, somewhat disgruntled. “Then why are you sleeping in bed with the stripper?”

“Huh?” Lucy’s eyes opened now, and the shock sent a shiver through her body. “I am not!” she exclaimed, “Natsu, I’m with you ? What are you talking about?” 

She pulled away and went to prop herself up onto her elbows but realised that her room started to melt away. The sun dissipated, and the room warped and morphed into something else, darker and more morose. Lucy realised she was waking up. 

“No!” she cried and tried to fling herself back at Natsu lying comfortably in her bed, “No, don’t leave me again.” 

Lucy woke up tangled in Natsu’s scarf and realised with mortification that she spooned Gray, her arms around him in a vice-like grip. Her body pushed up against his, and her face was in his hair. She screamed as she leapt off the bed and shoved Gray away from her. 

Gray fell out of bed, relieved to be out of Lucy’s iron hold, breathing deep as the air returned to him. He hit the floor with a thud, scrambled away, and watched with surprise as Lucy jumped to the other side of the room, shrieking like a harpy, her face tomato-red with humiliation.

Happy, who had taken residence on Lucy’s pillow earlier that morning, shrieked—and extended his wings and swiped his paws in a feeble defence to a threat that was not even there before he fully opened his eyes.

“Gods above!” Gray shouted, putting a hand on his head where it had hit the wall, “I’m so sorry, Lucy. I didn’t do anything, I swear.”

Lucy continued to screech in embarrassment. She knew it was her doing and was the one to cuddle up to Gray, but it had been Natsu in her dream. It had completely thrown her off, and now she looked like some creepy pervert, getting all trussed up with the wrong guy. She jumped to the door and hunkered down in the corner, using Natsu’s scarf to hide her face. She felt like a fool, confident that she’d drive Gray away with her creepy moves.

All she wanted to do was melt into a puddle of Lucy-goo and melt through the floorboards. Unfortunately, she didn’t remember how smoochie she got and how much that relayed back to Gray as she played out her fantasy with Natsu. However, she was confident she’d never gotten that smoochie with him when he was alive. What the hell had gotten into her?

Gray had to tread carefully. He tiptoed down the small corridor to where Lucy was hiding. “Are you ok?” he asked cautiously, “You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?”

“No,” came the slight sniffle in response, “I’m sorry, Gray. I didn’t mean to do that; I had a dream and the scarf….”

“It’s fine,” Gray reassured her as he crouched beside her. He touched her shoulder. “I should have realised what was happening and tried to get out. I’m sorry.” He leant back on his heels as Lucy dragged the scarf away and revealed her red-rimmed eyes. 

“Here you are trying to be all courteous and respectful of my boundaries and comfort zones, and I completely turn all that on its head, and I’m the one going all creepy pervert on you. I should be the one apologising, not you. You didn’t even want to share the bed with me in the first place, and I forced you to.”

“It’s fine,” Gray dismissed it light-heartedly, “Trust me. Though I should commend you on your grip, you had a grip on me so tight it rivalled Gajeel’s iron.” He laughed as Lucy groaned, and he changed the subject with a smile. “We should get ready, though. It’s past seven, and we need to meet the guide before he returns to Rostary.”

“Oh crap” Lucy sprang to her feet and whirled back into the bedroom in a panic to get ready. 

Gray told her it was fine and that her advances didn’t bother him. But in a way, they had. In truth, Lucy’s hold hadn’t been that hard, and he could’ve easily taken her arms off. He woke up the moment she muttered in her sleep. She yanked the scarf around herself, sighing and giggling in her sleep. The only words she said clearly were ‘bed hog’ before she forced herself into Gray and spooned him. 

Her actions terrified him; Gray’d never been social or affectionate. A cold exterior and a gruff attitude tended to drive most people away. He was unused to physical affection, and he’d froze when Lucy nuzzled his neck, her lips against his neck. She was dreaming and acting it out on him.

His gut churned. It was the affection that Lucy and Natsu showed each other, an intimate part of their lives that nobody knew about except for them. He’d been made privy to it, and he believed nobody in Fairy Tail knew how deep Lucy’s affection went with Natsu—and vice versa. They loved one another deeply, more than friends would love one another. And now Gray had seen what happened between those two who shared that bond. He felt like a voyeur, watching something private, but he couldn’t look away.

Gray shuffled into the main area as Lucy pounced into the bathroom to get changed. Happy sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes round and accused of a serious misdemeanour. He didn’t need to say anything. Gray felt rotten about what happened and thought it was his fault anyway. He grabbed his shirt from the bedpost and buttoned it up. 

“Alright, I’m ready” Lucy emerged from the bathroom, her hair ribbon between her teeth. “Let’s pack up and leave.” Her eyes darted over at him nervously. Her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. “Are you ok?” she asked as she slid the blue ribbon between her lips.

“I’m fine.” Gray lied. He got to his feet and adjusted his duffel.

Ensuring they left nothing behind, Gray picked up Lucy’s bag and hurried for the door, trying to avert her surprised expression. He wanted to run away before he did or said something stupid again. The last thing he needed was for Lucy getting upset again because of him. He was a coward, a scared little boy afraid of losing someone he cared about. Gray escaped to the door, yanked it open, and left a sad Lucy and an unimpressed Happy to trail behind.

The door sat ajar, and Gray’s hurried footsteps thumped down the flight of stairs as Lucy ensured everything was in order. She’d officially blown it with Gray with her creepiness. Lucy mentally cursed herself for her stupidity; she now sincerely hoped that the incident didn’t jeopardise the rest of their mission.

“Such an idiot, Lucy,” she berated herself. 

She went red when Happy glanced at her inquiringly before guilt overwhelmed her. She only then realised what Happy must have felt after witnessing what happened between her and Gray. His expression pulled down, unreadable.

“I’m sorry Happy,” she whispered, “I dreamt about him again and made myself look like a fool in front of Gray.” Happy’s next question surprised her. 

“Are you falling in love with Gray?” He scrutinised her.

“Good gods” Lucy felt the breath leave her at the question’s absurdity. “What makes you ask that? We are just friends. I thought everyone knew that I loved him, you of all people should know, Happy. Wait, are you jealous?”

Happy frowned, “You were Natsu’s best friend, Lucy! And no, I am not jealous of Gray. I’m angry because you are getting all cuddly with him like he was Natsu. Don’t you remember what he did?”

Lucy always knew Happy was upset with Gray after the scuffle with Natsu and hadn’t found it in his heart to forgive him just yet. But Lucy hadn’t realised how badly it had escalated, and Happy showed signs of despair and inner turmoil. Happy meant more to her than anybody, and she didn’t want to hurt him further.

“I know what he did,” Lucy said as they descended the stairs. “We have to remember that he’s hurting as well. He didn’t want to fight Natsu, but at that moment, he felt like he had to. To protect Fairy Tail. But don’t worry, he will never take his place. Ever.”

“I don’t believe you,” Happy accused her, his eyes teary, “I’m afraid I’ll turn away for a second and turn back and see you getting all kissy with Gray! That would be like a slap in the face for Natsu. You were supposed to stay with us.”

Lucy knew that Happy was upset, but his accusations were ludicrous. As if Lucy would ever replace Natsu. That was almost disrespectful in her ears, and she didn’t know whether to feel offended. She pursed her lips and nodded at the Hostess on their way out. They met Gray on the road and walked towards the Town Square together. 

The awkward tension was so thick one could cut it with a knife. Lucy didn’t know what to do other than to apologise for her foolish behaviour, but she didn’t want Gray to feel more uncomfortable than he was. They were supposed to head to Rostary Grove together, but she couldn’t do it alone.

They entered the town square, and a semi-circle of people surrounded one area near the feature fountain. There was where they assumed that they’d meet the guide who’d take them to Rostary. Together, Lucy, Gray and Happy waited until the crowd thinned out and inched closer before the next wave arrived. 

A small, gnome-like man stood at the fountain surrounded by magical goods, suspended but shadow magic. Colourful and magical items surrounded him, all sparkling in the sunlight. A slightly older male, the guide’s hair shone a deep shade of green, with a small pointed hat and wore robes made from silky material which shimmered as he moved.

“Ah! Welcome!” said the little guy cheerfully while waving his hands over each item around him. “I am Petrie.” He pointed at himself proudly. His eyes twinkled happily behind round glasses perched on an upturned nose. “Please, if anything catches your eye, then please don’t hesitate to ask me about these wares,” he continued enthusiastically.

“Hey!” Gray interrupted and grabbed the small man’s eyes. “Are you the guide? My friend and I are from Fairy Tail. We need to go to Rostary Grove.”

Gray was never known for using manners very well, but he grabbed attention when needed and got the answers he wanted. Much to Lucy’s relief, who was always far too polite herself.

“Ah yes,” Petrie beamed and held out his hands to welcome Lucy and Gray forward. “You must be the mages I’m expecting. Do not worry; I got your guild’s correspondence. I have anticipated your arrival. Petrie won’t be long. Please, make yourself comfortable. You can look through my stock here or even try something new.” He flourished his arms and turned back to the animated crowd.

Gray grabbed Lucy’s arm and pulled her out of the newly arrived group. They stood on the other side of the fountain as Petrie went about his business and finished selling the rest of his wares. Eventually, the crowd dissipated, and everything Petrie brought with him dwindled to nothing. After packing up, Petrie walked towards them with a smile.

“Ah, two young, strong mages,” he said with delight, “As I said before, I am Petrie, and I am naught but your humble guide today.” He bowed politely before continuing: “I will take you to the mountains, through the glades and to our destination too, the wonderful Rostary Grove. I trust we are all prepared to leave?”

Gray folded his arms, and Lucy bowed slightly to meet Petrie’s gaze smiling. “It’s nice to meet you, Petrie,” she said and shook his hand, “I’m Lucy, and this is Gray and Happy.” She pointed at each one respectively. 

“We’ve looked forward to this for days. We’re more than ready to go.”

Petrie dropped her hand, and his eyes tracked up to Happy, who sat on Lucy’s shoulder. “You hail from that mysterious Exceed race that came to Earthland not so long ago, don’t you?”

“Wait, you know about the Exceeds?” Happy asked incredulously. His voice went through the square in an echoing tone, and everyone nearby turned their heads around to see what was happening. The little man smiled as he nodded with enthusiasm.

“Of course! It was exciting news when they first arrived,” he continued while rubbing his hands together. “In one of my travels, I encountered a peculiar race of winged cats. I may add that I met with the Queen, such a lovely and warm creature.”

“You must travel all around the land then,” Lucy remarked as Petrie turned around and used his magic to stack his empty crates into a small wooden wagon. “I bet you have a ton of stories to tell us!”

The gnome beamed again before answering. “Indeed, it would take me years to recount them all, but some things are better left unsaid if you ask me….” He paused before adding: “But enough talk; we must reach the carriage. I shall show the way to Rostary Grove. Make sure to keep up,” he said with a mischievous smile. “It’s easy to get lost up there.”

Lucy and Gray gave each other sidelong glances and shrugged. They hurried after Petrie, who picked up the handle of his small wagon and trundled out of the village square and into the misty path that led towards the winding mountain trails beyond. The small man moved quite fast, considering his size.

The shadows twisted and moved as Petrie took the lead. The trees grew closer until they eventually walked along narrow paths between thickets, bushes and tall grasses, where only one person could pass at any given time or risk getting whacked by branches, thorns, vines and leaves. Lucy had to duck her head several times to avoid getting hit in her face from above while Happy flew ahead of them.

Tiny lights lined the small trail, hanging in the air as if suspended by invisible strings. Each light was different in shape and colour, from little stars that twinkled brightly to larger balls that glowed softly with a pale blue hue. There seemed no end to these magical lanterns either; they disappeared into the vast expanse of trees. It soon became a blessing because the forest became dark quickly, and the sun vanished through the thick canopy of trees.

It was dark, and it was cold. Lucy shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as she staggered over the rocky path. She cursed herself for wearing light clothes, but she had no way of thinking this far ahead, as stupid as her decision was now. 

Ahead, Petrie’s little cart rolled on without pause despite their slow pace. He didn’t stop once to rest or catch his breath; he just kept going forward relentlessly. He really would leave them behind if they didn’t keep up.

“Are you cold?”

Gray noticed Lucy’s discomfort, and before she answered him, he shrugged off his coat and handed it to her. She gave him a reluctant look.

“You won’t need that?” she asked.

Gray laughed at the question. “Seriously?” he said; he jabbed a thumb against his chest. “Ice mage, remember?”

“Point taken,” Lucy chuckled, took the offered coat, and draped it over her shoulders. It was delightfully warm and a welcomed relief from the chill wind blowing across them from all directions. 

They continued walking along in silence until they reached an area where fewer trees lined both sides of the narrow trail. The trees spaced further apart so they could walk side by side again instead of squeezing past each other every few steps like they had been doing.

They kept as close to Petrie as possible and traversed the path until sunlight finally broke through the trees and lit the ground ahead of them. As the light grew more robust, the grass grew in lush green waves speckled with a wild array of brightly coloured wildflowers and the appearance of many large boulders. Their arrangement showed that Petrie or other travellers used them as navigational markers.

Through the shrubbery and dappled sunlight, the sound of rushing water carried on the wind as the enormous visage of Mt Hakobe loomed above them. Lucy’s last several trips to the mountains always resulted in her trudging through the miserable sheets of ice and snow, caught in blizzards and galeforce winds. But this time was different; there was no sign of any winter weather, not even a hint of white frosting the landscape around them. The mountain’s eastern side was covered in a blanket of thick tundra forest which stretched up its slopes into high clouds that obscured most of it from view. 

“Isn’t this where the Vulcan live?” Happy asked Lucy as they slowed down their trek. “You’re not going to get kidnapped again, are you?” he leered at Lucy.

“Oh, shut it,” Lucy grumbled in retaliation.

“Oh-ho, you won’t find the ice-Vulcans this far down,” Petrie called over his shoulder. “Down here is what we call the Taiga. This far up in Fiore, there isn’t much left but snow forests.” He pointed towards one of the towering peaks of Mount Hakobe, topped with a layer of cloudy grey mist. 

The peak rose from a sea of trees that spread across miles of land before reaching a distant horizon line. “Rostary Grove doesn’t receive many visitors unless they specifically come looking for it. It’s quite a magical place.”

They came to a tall stone face carved into an archway and followed him through an opening between two massive boulders entwined with wild vines and creepers that created a veil of green leaves. As soon as Lucy passed through the gap, the temperature dropped, and the air was heavy and damp. It was a scene from a fantasy book, and Lucy felt the thrum of inspiration in her bones.

Another clearing greeted them, filled with the same wild growth of flowers that grew in the brief reprieve of summer. In front of them, a gaping chasm opened up in the ground like a giant mouth. A river flowed down the steep slope of the mountain’s side into the depths below; the water churned as it tumbled into darkness. Long cable ties hung from steel posts were driven deep into the rock below and high up the forested mountain. 

A wooden gondola sat innocently on the plateau, A wooden gondola sat innocently on the plateau, a wooden basket suspended by thick arms that connected them to the shadowy cables above, waiting to be used by whoever wanted to take advantage of its services. Lucy looked at Petrie questioningly. A nauseous feeling roiled in her stomach.

“Is this safe?” she asked, fearing the worst. She noted how high the cables went up. The mere thought of the cables snapping sent her into an anxious mess. “What if something happens?”

“Nothing will happen,” said Petrie confidently. “The cables are magical. There’s no way we’ll fall.” He trundled towards the enclosed carriage and opened the door. He pushed his small wagon inside and held it open to the gawking trio of Mages, too hesitant to enter themselves. “I’ve ridden this carriage for years, never had a problem. It’s perfectly safe.” He gestured to Lucy with a smile. “Ladies first.”

Lucy took a step forward, but Gray grabbed her arm and pulled her back with a firm grip.

“Are you crazy? You’re not going anywhere near that thing!” he exclaimed.

“Petrie said it’s fine,” Lucy hissed back as she swallowed her fear, “Besides, it’s our only way up the mountain and to Rostary Grove.”

Gray gave the carriage another disgruntled gaze, and Happy shrugged, “At least if we fall, I can fly.”

“That doesn’t help, Happy!” Gray scolded him.

“Come on, guys!” Lucy called from the carriage, “We don’t have time for your arguing.”

They all exchanged glances before reluctantly following Petrie. Once they were seated in their seats, Petrie closed the gate behind them and began winding a crank handle that turned a large wheel in front of them, which started to move them along the cables over the darkness below them. 

The more power he put behind, the smaller wheel began to turn the large one above them. It groaned to life, and as soon as the wheel turned, the carriage started to rock slowly and ascend the cable.

They passed through several tunnels carved out by nature until finally reaching an opening where there was nothing but air beneath them; it felt like flying as far down as they could see stretched an endless blanket of green forested mountains covered by thick clouds. Lucy couldn’t believe how high up they had gone so quickly and how fast her nausea overwhelmed her. She gagged and leant over the edge, trying desperately not to throw up into the abyss below her. Lucy felt sympathy for Natsu’s crippling motion sickness. It was no laughing matter.

Lucy squeezed the sides of the basket they stood in. She would have enjoyed the view if she’d not been so overcome by dizziness. They continued to rise higher as the gondola swayed gently back and forth with each revolution of its wheels. After what seemed to be hours at a snail-like pace, they arrived on top of a plateau that overlooked a vast valley; a magical forest awaited them.

Soon they’d be in Rostary Grove, and it would be there that their real adventure started.

Chapter Text

Lucy wanted to fall and kiss the ground as soon as she made it off the swinging basket gondola. Instead, she staggered off it, hurried to the nearest bush, and hurled her guts. Waves of nausea rolled over her, and gurgled at the sudden onset of motion sickness. She’d never had a transport issue before, so her violent nausea surprised her.

Like any good friend, Gray stood at her side, held her hair in case she gagged again, and rubbed her back in comforting circles with his free hand. Happy hovered nearby, ensuring that Lucy was fine each time she retched into the foliage.

Lucy breathed in deeply several times and willed her wayward senses under control until they settled down enough for her to think. The world spun around her like some sick carnival ride; all colours were too bright or washed out by nauseating waves of colourless light. It took longer than usual, but eventually, everything stopped spinning, and Lucy got up and smiled at Happy and Gray.

“Thanks guys,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“Rest assured,” Petrie laughed as he tugged his wagon off the gondola, “You aren’t the only one to have lost their stomach on the journey up here. Use it frequently enough, and it becomes natural as if you are flying.” He closed the gate and stepped ahead of the trio. “Rostary lies just beyond. Our short journey ends momentarily.”

Hearing that their destination was a mere stone’s throw away perked Lucy’s spirits, who immediately forgot her nausea and held her fists in a triumphant pose. “We’re almost there,” she said with excitement, “I want to see the village.” Gray let go of her hair, and she skipped to Petrie as if she hadn’t been crippled by motion sickness moments before.

Gray wasn’t as enthusiastic as Lucy was. As exciting as a new place was, it was a job. His usual motto was ‘ get in and get out .’ It didn’t sound like Rostary had much to offer them.

They approached a running river, the water rushed from the trees, and a long curved bridge served as their only way into the village, which sat beyond. Lucy’s eyes glimmered as she stepped onto the wooden planks of the old-fashioned structure. She and Happy peered over the railing. “The water’s so clear; it’s like I’m looking into a mirror.” Lucy laughed as she watched Happy’s reflection as he made a face at her. They lifted their gazes at each other and grinned.

When Gray looked over the side, he saw his gnarled, twisted face—scarred with the remnants of his demonic power and old battle wounds. He grimaced and looked back, cursing. There was no way he wanted to look at that. No wonder so many people judged him now.

They stepped off the other side of the bridge, and a small thicket of trees grew so close together that it formed a leafy curved arbour. Lucy held out her hand and ran her fingers through the leaves as she passed through it, and they arrived at the Rostary village. 

Almost immediately, an immense magical pressure emanated through the area. Houses were built upwards on the slope and left a path stretching through the main square towards what appeared to be a shrine atop a hillock in the centre.

More butterfly-shaped lights sat suspended throughout the town. It gave off an ethereal glow, beautiful in how peaceful everything seemed. The buildings weren’t tall or grandiose like those in Magnolia but relatively simple homes with roofs covered with moss and ivy and walls decorated with flowers, vines, and plants of all kinds. Yet, something felt off, and whatever it was had Gray’s hackles raised and ready for action. His instincts told him not to trust this place.

A shiver went up his spine; his gaze shifted through the buildings to the dark trees that closed them in. Another tingle crawled along his skin like a thousand eyes watched him from the darkness. A cruel and malicious feeling, judging the newcomers in Rostary. They were unwelcomed.

Gray hurried to catch up to Lucy, and as he did so, he noticed a small pink sphere on her shoulder. She seemed unaware of it, and Gray felt plagued by the thought of how long the tiny globe was there. An unpleasant feeling festered in his gut, and the further he ventured into the small town, the stronger the urge was to leave.

Something wasn’t right.

Lucy and Happy showed no signs that they sensed anything amiss either—they walked straight ahead without hesitation behind Petrie. The closer they got to the shrine at the top of the hill, the more the pressure increased until it became almost unbearable, and that was when Petrie turned around and bowed to Lucy.

“This is where we must part for now,” he said, “Again, we welcome you to Rostary and here, I hope your troubles will cease and your pain abate. Wishing you well, Mistress Lucy.” Standing straight, Petrie sent Gray a smile and a slight nod “Master Gray,” he acknowledged before gesturing to the small, decorated building to the left. “This is where you will find the Leader of the Village. I wish you well.” The guide turned on his heel with one last smile and all but misted into the trees beyond.

He was gone, and Gray gawked at the sight before him as Lucy gasped, “Did…did he just vanish into thin air?”

“Must be part of his shadow magic,” Gray muttered as he stood beside them. He ushered her towards the door of their destination and scrutinised the little pink orb riding on Lucy’s shoulder. She stepped beside him, Gray put his hand on her shoulder in a friendly gesture and tried to pinch the small sphere, but it ghosted through his hand and remained firmly planted on Lucy. Whatever it was, it connected to her.

Frowning, Gray followed Lucy as she approached the house and pushed open the door. It let out a long, protesting groan and swung on its hinges, and a large plume of dust so potent made the pair choke. Through her coughing, Lucy managed to gasp. “What on earth? It’s almost as if this place has been empty for centuries. I hope this wasn’t some cruel joke or anything.”

Lucy waved her hand in her face and stepped back to catch some fresh air, and stumbled backwards into Gray. They both fell to the cobblestone path and landed heavily on the ground. Gray hacked up several more times and rubbed his stinging eyes from the invading dust. “Definitely in need of a spring clean,” he muttered.

Lucy apologised and tutted with distaste as she tried to wipe away the large brown stain on her white blouse. As she did so, Gray peered around the empty room, and just as Lucy said, it was bare and void of any human habitation. 

He stepped back and gazed around the village with a frown. There was no welcome committee and no sign of life. The town was empty, bar the spherical globes that floated above everything.

“Maybe we can find Petrie,” Lucy muttered, “He’ll know what to do. He took us to the wrong part of the village?” she raised her hand to her mouth, “Where is everyone?” she muttered.

“I don’t think there’s anyone here,” Happy stated, his voice unsure as he looked over the rooftops of the cottages. “I don’t see anybody.”

They both looked at Gray. The Ice Mage frowned again and began striding around the town square. He held his hands around his mouth, “Hello!” he called, “We’re Mages that are on a job! Is there anyone here that can help us?”

Nobody came. The village was empty, utterly devoid of any life.

They exchanged a perturbed glance, and Lucy stepped away from the dusty cottage and searched the immediate area in a vain attempt to find Petrie. “What do you suppose we do?” She called over her shoulder at Gray. 

After a moment of contemplation, Gray shrugged. “Let’s skip the village for now. If we head out there, we may find evidence of these monsters or whatever they need us to take care of.” It was his best suggestion; Gray was at a loss what to do otherwise. 

“Aye, this place is creepy,” Happy muttered.

Lucy agreed and, with pursed lips, pointed to a path that led out the back end of the village opposite where they arrived. The barest hint of a breeze whistled past them. “Down there is our best bet.”

Happy visibly shuddered, and his fur stood on end at the grim outcome. He bulleted to Lucy and hid behind her hair. “I don’t like it here, Lucy,” he wailed, “I want to go home.”

“We can’t go home yet,” Lucy hushed him and patted his head. “These people need our help. We’ll look around first; if there isn’t anything here, we can leave. Though I’m not a fan of that cable basket. She sweatdropped at the idea of getting back in that horrible thing.

“Come on,” Gray ushered his partner forward, “The sooner we investigate, the sooner we can get out here. Happy is right; there’s something wrong with this place.”

Lucy gulped and wrung her hands together. She tottered behind Gray as he led the way into the long line of moaning conifer trees. The air went from damp and heavy to instantly freeing, and Lucy shivered even though she still wore Gray’s coat. 

The sun vanished and plunged them into darkness. Their only source of light proved to be the butterfly-shaped lights amongst the boughs of the trees. Soon enough, Lucy had to concentrate on where she stepped.

Happy clung to her, his tail wrapped around her. His entire body stood on end, and Lucy felt his terror as it raced through his little feline body. She couldn’t blame him, she was steadily getting more frightened the longer they walked, and she huddled behind Gray.

Gray was apprehensive. He could feel an unwelcome presence all around him. His magic danced at the tips of his fingers; he was ready to attack when danger decided to rear its ugly head. He knew that Lucy could take care of herself, but he felt the enormous urge to protect her.

There was a sudden flutter of leaves and wings as a startled bird of some description through the tense and quiet atmosphere. It lurched out at Lucy. In turn, the blonde squealed in fright, and Happy bristled in defence.

Lucy thrashed about frantically, waving her arms around and stumbled back over a cluster of raised tree roots. She fell backwards, and Gray reached out to catch her before she hit the ground.

He missed, and Lucy fell backwards onto the roots, which, upon impact, began churning viciously. Lucy squealed in fright and tried to scramble to her feet. However, one wooden tendril curled upwards, grasping her by the wrist and wrestled her down.

The roots opened up underneath her like the earth had a mouth, and the roots acted as teeth. Lucy sank into them, and she looked up in a panic at Gray. “Help me,” she cried, “The tree is eating me.”

Happy flew up and tried to pull Lucy free by grabbing the back of her clothes. “No, Lucy!” he cried, “We’ll get you out.”

Gray threw off his bag, leapt onto the wriggling branches, grabbed Lucy’s hands, and tried to pull with all his might. But it was no use; his enormous strength was no match for the tree, and Lucy’s legs had disappeared into the earth by this time.

Her cries became more frantic, which kicked Gray into overdrive, trying to save her. Finally, letting go of her, he pummelled his hands together and roared.

‘Ice Make, sword!’

A large icy sword manifested in his hand, and with deadly accuracy, he plunged deep into the thickest, pulsating root of the tree. At the sudden intrusion, the roots curled back as if in pain, and it was just enough of a distraction for Happy to pull Lucy out with a ripping sound.

Lucy fell forward, and Gray caught her, jumping off the roots and back towards the path to where it was safe. He fell backwards as Lucy fell on top of him, her breath was in jagged breaths, and she hid her face as she tried to stop herself from hyperventilating.

Gray clutched her and felt the sheer terror that pulsated through her. She had just been in the throes of being eaten by a tree. What kind of madness was this place?

“Lucy! Lucy!” Happy flew towards one of his dearest friends, barrelling into the back of her head as she struggled, her cheeks flushed with chagrin from her frightening ordeal. She flicked back her hair, taking in a shuddering breath and swallowing before he sent the tiniest flicker of a smile down at Gray as he struggled. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, “You guys saved my life.” Lucy reached back, pulled Happy into one of her arms, and wrapped the other around Gray’s head. She brought them both close to her body and hugged them with relief. “What would I do without you guys?” she whispered, close to tears.

Gray chuckled nervously, patting her golden hair that had fallen from its ribbon. “As if we were going to let you die like that. Not on my watch.”

Lucy pulled her head away and sniffled though she hadn’t shed any tears. She was about to say something before she stiffened, and her large brown eyes darted to the trees.

“What?”

“Lucy?” Happy wavered.

The Celestial Mage let go of Gray and Happy. The Exceed rode atop her head. She got to her feet and peered through the trees. “Do you see that?” she hissed through her teeth to Gray, “I sense something back there.”

Gray focused on the direction she gestured, but he couldn’t feel what she described. He shook his head, and Lucy peered around before walking a few steps down the darkened path.

“There’s something down there,” she told him, “I can feel it. It’s almost as if it’s Celestial Magic. It’s calling out to me.”

“How are we going to get past the line of trees?” Happy asked, disgruntled, looking over her shoulder at the line of cannibalistic tree roots splayed out in front of them. “They’ll eat us if we fall in them again.”

Lucy studied the roots for a moment, her brow furrowed as she tried to think of a way to bypass the trees. It had become abundantly clear that they were her reason, protecting something. Who else had ever heard of anthropophagus trees?

“You,” she finally stated, directing it at Happy. “You can fly us over, and we can avoid them altogether.”

Happy shivered, “What happens if the branches are in on it too?” As absurd as it sounded, it was a plausible situation that Lucy hadn’t considered.

“We’ll be fine,” she dismissed, hoping for the best. “C’mon, Happy. There might be somebody back there who could tell us what is going on.”

The Exceed hesitated for a few more moments before extracting himself from her and grabbing hold of her coat. As he lifted her into the air quite effortlessly, Lucy looked through the dimness to see where the safest drop-off was.

The trees went back for several more metres before Lucy pointed out a tiny clearing. “There, Happy,” she stated, “That looks safe enough. Please put me down here. I’ll be fine.”

Happy descended and placed her upon her feet before hissing into her ear, “Do I have to go get Gray?” he didn’t sound impressed, and Lucy sighed. “I know there’s an issue between you two, Happy, but please . We are in an unfamiliar part of the country, and danger could be lurking anywhere. We need to work as a team.”

Happy sighed once. He shook his head and dusted off his fur with his paws. Lucy reached out and grabbed them and rubbed her thumb over the jagged scars over his toe-beans.

“Please do this, as my closest friend,” she whispered, “We can’t do this without you, Happy. Please don’t turn your back on me now.”

Happy looked conflicted before sighing again in defeat. “Fine.”

Lucy connected her forehead to his, as Natsu used to do. “Thank you,” she whispered gratefully.

“I’m only doing it for you,” Happy grumbled, “Because as much as we fight, I love you, and I don’t want to lose you as I did with Natsu.”

Lucy’s heart melted at Happy’s words, “I love you too, Happy,” her voice choked. She let go of one of his paws and caressed his furry cheek.

Happy let a short purr escape him before he cleared his throat in chagrin and pulled his paws away from Lucy. “I’m sure Gray would be lighter than you,” he stated.

Lucy shooed him away, her heart still warm and gooey from her tender moment with him to take his insult too seriously. “Go get him,” she laughed, “Then we can see what is going on.” Happy nodded and vanished back through the darkness, and Lucy took the small opportunity to walk ahead.

She investigated the trees around her before another small butterfly light illuminated through the branches. It wasn’t very bright, but it proved enough to see the tiniest hint of a wild, overgrown trail that led to something significant.

Lucy held out her arms to brace herself if she fell over again. Another butterfly light glimmered to life as she progressed down the tiny trail. Soon enough, the light was enough to highlight what was in the middle of the track.

It was a gigantic toadstool. It stood as tall as she did. Beside the toadstool was another, and then another. A long line of toadstools acted as a border. Lucy remembered the stories her mother used to read to her about Fairies and how they had a ring of toadstools, and if one were to stand in the centre, they would get spirited away by the Fae.

Although it was just a story, Lucy found herself gulping in anticipation. ‘No need to be afraid, Lucy,’ she assured herself, ‘You are a Fairy yourself. There is nothing to be worried about.’  

She looked down at the Fairy Tail insignia on her hand, and warmth fluttered through her.

“Lucy?”

At her name, Lucy turned to look over her shoulder. Gray emerged from the trees with Happy above him. She turned back and patted the stalk of the toadstool. “I was thinking of a Fairy Ring,” she suggested, “Why else would there be a long line of them?”

“Fairy Ring?” Gray asked with a cocked brow, “That has nothing to do with us?” he asked hesitantly, and Lucy only chuckled, patting the stalk once more. She was about to explain herself before a whisper in the wind caught her attention.

Lucy stood straight, her eyes widening as she peered through the gap between the toadstools. “In there,” she whispered, “There is something in there, and it’s calling to me.”

Gray tried to grab her hand, but Lucy stepped to the side and slipped her hand away from his. She pushed herself through the gap and felt her Spirit lighten and her magical powers amplify. Something about the atmosphere changed dramatically.

She knew Gray and Happy followed behind, but Lucy was stern with them. Her mind was wandering; she was quickly losing herself as her soul seemed to be extending out from her body. She heard voices so soft they felt like feathers brushing against her skin.

Behind the Celestial Mage, Gray saw another scene before him. Again, he felt unwelcome, there were no voices, but he saw Lucy attracting those tiny little balls that he had seen around the abandoned village. She was like a magnet. They were attaching themselves to her.

The darkness fell away, and Gray was unaware of the small lake in front of them. Instead, his eyes zoned in on Lucy’s shoulder, the opposite one where the pink one still resided. This particular Spirit ball was black, and it was manifesting. It was malignant, and Gray sensed the evil pouring from it.

“Lucy, look out,” he warned her, pulling the blonde back from the crystalline water as the ball burst to life and a shadowy form began to form. It only took a few moments, but the shadows dissipated, revealing the shape of the guide that had led them to the village.

It was Petrie.

The smaller man with emerald green hair smirked at them, no longer the cheerful lad they had met back in the village. His eyes were dull, and his mouth was quirked into a malicious smile as he regarded the three with almost crazed looks.

“Finally,” he cackled, “It has taken years to get into this rotten place.” He spun on his heels and shouted over the lake, “Hear that? I’m here, sweetheart. In your precious Wellspring. Your trees and mushrooms can’t keep me out now!”

There was no response to his crazed outburst, but Lucy could feel the barest hint of a breeze come over the water. “What’s going on, Petrie?” Lucy asked, bewildered, “What is this place? Why did you lead us to Rostary? The village is abandoned.”

Petrie landed his dark eyes upon her. “The village is empty because I killed them over a decade ago,” he said. “I have waited over a decade for the perfect mage to stumble upon my request. Lucy, my dear, you have my thanks.”

“Me?” Lucy asked incredulously, “Wait, are you saying this was a trap? A ploy for me to lead you here?”

“You’re a clever cookie,” Petrie smiled, “Catch on quickly, princess. But now, your usefulness has run dry, and I have no use for you and your companions now that I am here.” As quick as lighting, Petrie smacked his hands and drew them apart, forming a large shadow, throwing a knife in his palms and hurling it at Lucy.

Unlucky for Petrie, Gray sprang into action with his incredible reflexes. “Ice-Make: Shield!” he bellowed, forming a wall between Lucy and the knife. The shadow hit the ice with a ‘ting ’ before dissipating, and Gray was on the move, his face dark with anger.

Petrie had used them to get to this particular Grove. It seemed nothing special, but it was evident that his intentions were not pure, and he was very much willing to kill Lucy and everyone else off now that he had claimed his prize.

“Star Dress: Sagittarius!”

Green billowed out from Lucy, and from the light, she brandished an enormous crossbow that Gray recognised long ago. Back when they fought together against the first onslaught of the Spriggan 12.

He followed suit as Petrie misted back into the shadows. Melee attacks would not affect this foe unless they could get him out of the shadows.

“Ice-Make: Bow!”

Standing side by side, Lucy and Gray lifted their vastly different bows drawing back the string and their arrow and waited for Petrie to come from the shadows. 

“I’ll hit him first,” Lucy muttered, her eyes sharp as she searched for Petrie. “I’m using light arrows. If I hit him with it, he won’t be able to go back into the shadows.”

“Alright,” Gray muttered, “On your right, two o’clock!”

Lucy let loose the arrow with a soundless twang , and it raced through the air and missed the moving shadow by a hair’s breadth. “Damn,” Lucy cursed, “I missed him.”

Her hands trembled as she created another arrow and placed it in her bow. 

‘Focus, Lucy,’ she whispered. 

But, despite her assurance, her hands trembled with exertion—a bead of sweat formed on her brow from sheer anxiety.

‘Don’t aim at them, Luce. You gotta shoot where they will go! It’s easy to aim when you can predict them!’

Lucy’s eyes widened as she heard Natsu’s voice fill her ears, a distant memory that surfaced from a mission from long ago with the Dragonslayer. She felt a warmth fill her limbs, she began to burn, and her anxiety melted away, replaced with a burning passion and confidence.

“Aim to where he is going,” she whispered, repeating Natsu’s words, “It’s easy to aim when you predict them!” she caught sight of the moving shadow again. Her aim was true and deadly.

Petrie fell from the shadows with an agonised yell, but Gray didn’t aim his arrow right away. He was shocked at Lucy’s words. They had been words Natsu used to say long ago, back on their missions when he was teaching Lucy to fight.

“Gray! Now!”

Broken from his memory flashback, Gray zoned in on Petrie, struggling to his feet as the light pulsated through his body, nullifying his shadow magic. He drew back the frozen arrow with narrowed eyes and hit Petrie in the opposite shoulder, sending him off his feet again.

He was on the move then. His bow melted away and formed back into a sword as Petrie growled, and like a spring, he was back on his feet with a vicious smile stretching across his face.

“You troublesome little cretin,” he shrieked at Lucy, “You don’t think I know how to combat little wizards like you with Light Magic?” Despite Gray’s arrow protruding from one of his shoulders and his arm trembling with exertion, the adrenaline he must have been running on was enough for him to cast another spell.

“Shadow Make: Void”

Gray halted in front of him, hesitating as liquid blackness began to surround them, engulfing the Grove and sucking them into a shadowed void where Petrie was in complete control.

“Oh no…” Lucy was panicked.

The jingle of her fumbling for her keys was pitch black, and it was like they got deprived of their senses. Gray spun around uselessly, swinging his sword dangerously out from him as if Petrie was coming up behind him, but he only heard a short chuckle surround him.

“Crap,” Lucy muttered, “Gray, we have to play his game. Ugh, I can’t see a thing!” Her keys continued to jingle before she made a noise of satisfaction, “Got it!” Her voice rang clear through the pitch-black. “Star Dress: Gemini!”

“Piri, Piri,” Gemini chirped, “Dark in here.”

“I need your help, Gemini,” Lucy muttered, “I can’t see anything! Gray, are you ok?”

Instead of hearing his voice, she heard a yell of pain and Petrie’s sinister laugh.

“Gray!” she cried.

“I need you to transform into me,” Lucy told Gemini, though she couldn’t see the twins directly. “I need light. I’m going after Petrie.”

“Piri, Piri,” Gemini agreed.

There was a gush of wind, and a bright light flashed around the void within moments. Lucy caught sight of an image of herself and the view of Gray standing there with blood covering one side of his face.

And all Gray saw were two Lucys. One dressed extravagantly in a chequered outfit.

Lucy transformed herself into a copy of Petrie; from there, she could use more of his basic abilities. Like travelling through the darkness. She found it easy and took his powers. She was able to see how Petrie saw them through the inky blackness.

It was almost as if she were seeing the world in infrared, and it didn’t take long for her to seek out Petrie, who was darting back and forth around Gray. He was unaware of her presence, but he would be soon enough.

“Get ready, Gray!” she shrieked through the shadows. She flew through the shadows, her arms outstretched as she collided with Petrie and crushed him in a chokehold.

“Gemini,” she yelled, “NOW!”

The pair fell from the shadows as a bright flash erupted again, and Gray spun around, holding the sword high above him and plunged into Petrie as Lucy rolled away in time. 

The moment the blood flew from his mouth, the void melted away, and Lucy toppled into the water, leaving Gray and Petrie centimetres away from the edge of the spring.

She broke the surface with a gasp, and she saw Happy hovering above her, “What happened?” he cried, “It was like you and Gray got sucked into a black ball! I couldn’t even touch it.”

Lucy sputtered in the water, treading it carefully as Gray twisted the sword in Petrie’s chest, ensuring the man’s life was falling away. 

With a deep breath, Gray unclenched his teeth and withdrew the sword.

He stepped over the body, and under the extra weight, the dirt at the edge of the spring crumbled away, and Petrie’s body splashed into the water, his crimson blood extending from him like an ominous cloud.

“Ew,” Lucy cried, “Gray, get him out. He’ll taint the water.”

The mage swam to the edge of the spring opposite the body and hauled herself out with Happy’s help. She opened her mouth to speak, but the voice that came was not hers. 

Bewildered, the trio looked around in confusion. The shrine at the front of the spring, perched high upon a hill made of flowers and moss, began to glow.

Chapter Text

“You have brought evil to these waters….”

The voice was small yet unimpressed as it drifted through the trees as if it carried on the wind. The water in the pond began to glow as Gray stepped into the water and hauled the lifeless body of Petrie from it, slinging it over his shoulder and sloshed his way out.

Still panting from the scuffle, Lucy took out Gemini’s Gate Key and transformed it into her original outfit with glittering stars. She wiped the blood from her lip as Gray dumped the body on the grass and wiped the sweat from his brow. 

Hooking her pouch back on her belt, she pointed to the front of the pond where a large, triangular shrine was situated, a small glowing shape coming to life from its top. “The voice came from there,” Lucy explained.

Happy hovered over Lucy’s shoulder, watching the shrine glimmer to life as a small figure manifested from the light’s rays. Then, in a small shower of sparkles, a little woman sat with her arms folded across her bright-coloured dress made from flower petals. No bigger than a doll, no bigger than Happy. 

The small woman glowered at them from her seated spot. Her ebony hair coiled up into a bun on top of her head and her large, gossamer wings folded together as she glared at the intruders in the grove with narrowed, indigo eyes.

“A fairy!” Lucy squealed, clapping her ears together and her eyes shining in delight as Happy awed her with shining eyes and his paws held to his mouth. “I have dreamt of meeting Fairies since I was a little girl. But everyone had always told me that they never existed.”

“Yet you live in a world governed by magic and other unexplainable beasts?” the fairy scoffed, giving off a somewhat standoffish aura. “Even with a flying Cat hovering beside you.”

Her eyes landed on Gray; her mouth turned up into a grimace. “Your kind is not welcome here,” she informed him, “You have a dark heart and a tainted soul. You have done incredible wrong.” Gray withered underneath the shrine Fairy, looking away from her scathing glare. But, as always, Lucy came to his defence. 

“You don’t know, Gray,” she snapped, waving her hand at the fairy, “Who are you to tell him that he is tainted? What does that even mean ? We just saved your town and your shrine. Thank you very much!”

“I am the Guardian of the Rostary Wellspring,” The fairy said, “Keeper of Dreams and Secrets.” She thrust a tiny finger at Lucy. “I know all of your heartaches and wishes just by looking at you three, woman of the stars,” she said to Lucy, “I can guarantee that it is all linked by the individual riding on your shoulder!”

Lucy jumped and whirled around at the statement; she expected to see a stranger. But all Gray saw was the tiny pink orb on her shoulder. The shrine Fairy could see it as well.

“What individual?” Happy asked and glanced at Lucy’s shoulders cautiously, “There’s nothing there.”

Sighing at Lucy’s ignorance, the fairy pursed her lips. She closed her eyes and waved at Gray. “Take that awful lump of flesh out of my grove. It is tainting my wellspring, and this is the last thing my souls need.”

Gray looked at the fairy, the audacity she had to be ordering him around after he saved her stupid shrine, before looking back to Lucy, who shrugged. He hooked his hands under the body with a grumble and hauled it with a heavy grunt. He knew what people meant when they referred to Dead Weight , and they were not joking. The fool was heavy .

“Take it well out of the grove,” the fairy called out as Gray heaved the body over his shoulder, grunting in exertion. “Out of my toadstool barrier and place him in the roots of the Oak trees. They shall care for the disgusting being,” the fairy said.

“Whatever,” Gray called back with disdain, lacing his voice as it disappeared through the trees and vanished into the darkness.

“W-What’s on my shoulder?” Lucy asked the fairy. “I don’t see anything.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t see it, child,” the fairy stated, her voice less cold since Gray had left with the body of Petrie. “You have a pure soul, troubled yet clean. You wouldn’t see the souls of the departed. Especially the ones that had suffered a traumatic death.”

Lucy rechecked her shoulders as Happy turned away, unsure what to do—only making the situation worse and feeding Lucy’s anxiety. 

“Do not fear,” the fairy stated, unfurling her arms and legs and lifting her head, regarding Lucy with her dark eyes. “The soul is good, though it is quite withered. It had been out in the elements of the harsh world for far too long. Poor thing.”

An unexpected rush of hope filled her. She looked at Happy, and Happy looked back at her with disbelief. The fairy got up from her shrine and flew right to Lucy, putting her tiny hand on her lips before Lucy spoke.

“I can see you two suffering,” she told her, her purple eyes serious as she gazed back and forth between Lucy and Happy. “Your eyes show a story of love and heartbreak. You have a family that loves you, yet you are bothered by a recent tragedy. One you have not been able to move on from.”

Lucy nodded, her eyes growing sad as she stared at the fairy. “I didn’t get to say goodbye,” she whispered. The fairy pulled back, staring at Lucy’s shoulder before Lucy. 

“I will tell you the Magic of Rostary Wellspring, Lucy. Are you prepared to listen while I make this one last gesture?” 

Lucy nodded, and the fairy began to coax whatever was on her shoulder out towards her, waving her hands towards herself with soft crooning as she glided back towards the pond’s water.

“What is she doing?” Happy whispered, “She’s weird.”

“Shh, Happy,” Lucy hushed him, “I think she’s trying to help us. Don’t insult her.”

Then, the fairy spoke in a hushed voice. Either she hadn’t heard Happy’s minor insult or ignored him. “The wellspring holds magical properties,” she explained, “This grove is filled with the pure souls of those who have left us. But the spring can resurrect the soul into a celestial body for only a certain time. Most souls that die here can last for several months, but this soul is old. So I’ll only give it at least a week.”

She led the invisible soul into the water, and the water began to glow a silver colour before a body formed from the rays of light escaping the canopy. “They must have had strong feelings for you to have lasted this long,” the fairy sounded impressed. “However, your timer starts now.”

Lucy waited with bated breath as the fairy floated back as the figure walked from the surface of the wellspring and towards the grass. Still enveloped with silver light, Lucy could distinguish who it was.

Still, her heart surged with anticipation, and as soon as the astral body hit the grass, the light dissipated . Lucy covered her mouth with her hands, a sharp gasp escaped her as her eyes welled over and tears dripped down her face as Happy wavered beside her with tears and snot messing his fur.

“Oh, Natsu,” Lucy cried through her fingers, saying his name for the first time in six months.

“Natssuuuuuu,” Happy wailed.

The two raced towards the figure that appeared before them. Natsu had a brief flicker of pain race across his face before looking around the grove in bewilderment. “Where am I?” he muttered before his eyes settled on Lucy and Happy running towards him. The fairy didn’t miss the rush of emotions and the adoration across this man’s face when his eyes fixed on the blonde woman. 

They must have loved each other very much, but what bothered the fairy was that she knew this young man had a pure soul and a kind heart. But there was also lingering darkness within him. Undoubtedly, she knew that he had died a painful and traumatic death. 

She didn’t want to delve any deeper than knowing it was the other companion that had killed him—the one with the demon scars on his face. Lucy and Happy barricaded into Natsu, expecting to fall through his body and sprawl into the wellspring. But when she connected with a solid body, she cried in happiness. 

They knocked Natsu clean off his feet, and he fell into the grass close to the wellspring. She squeezed him as tight as she could. Her fingers gripped his chest as she sobbed into his shoulder. His scent, the familiar shape of his arms, and his ridiculous pink hair were Natsu . Lucy had cried over him for months, realising she couldn’t live without him. He was here with her by the saving grace of the gods. Through her haze of tears, she had a sudden bolt of realisation. 

A chance to say goodbye.

Lucy squeezed him again. She was going to lose him all over again. The fairy said he had no more than a week because his soul had stayed with her after he died. 

Sniffling, Lucy traced his chest as Happy smeared snot all over him. Then she realised that Natsu’s chest was bare, he was completely naked, and she lay on top of him. Burning red, Lucy got up with wide eyes and averted her eyes as Natsu sat up, plonking Happy in his lap and clutching his head with a groan of confusion and pain. 

He finally spoke, his voice a little husky from months of misuse. “Lucy…” he sounded unsure, “Did I die? Where am I?”

Lucy didn’t have the heart to answer him; instead, she leaned forward and placed her head against his chest. As if she wanted to affirm something, and as she expected, Natsu didn’t breathe like a normal, living human being. He didn’t have a heartbeat. He wasn’t truly alive.

“Let’s have enough of that” the fairy landed on Natsu’s head, crossing her legs and staring down at him. “What matters is that you have been given a chance to spend your last week with someone who loved you.”

“So I did,” Natsu muttered, “I can’t remember, though. Is that normal?” he tried to look up at the voice but to no avail. 

“Maybe it’s better that you don’t remember,” Lucy whispered as Happy wailed. “That’s the last thing you would want to remember. Can we enjoy the fact that you’re here? And maybe get you some clothes.”

“Oh,” Natsu looked at her clueless before realising that he was in his birthday suit. He looked back to Lucy, “So?” he seemed unabashed about the fact, and Lucy blushed further as she fumbled for her Celestial Keys.

“Here,” she offered, summoning Virgo in a shower of light. 

“You called ‘Hime?” Virgo put her hand to her breast and bowed, “Ready for punishment?” she stood straight, and her void eyes widened when her sight fell on Natsu. She didn’t say anything, though.

“E-erm,” Lucy glanced at Natsu, then back to Virgo, “Can you possibly get him some clothes , Virgo? We can’t have him walking around like this.”

“Of course, Hime,” Virgo said, and in the same fashion she arrived in, she left in a show of sparkles and glitter.

“Are you embarrassed, Lucy?” Natsu asked with a fanged smile.

She blushed, and Happy turned his head and raised a paw to his mouth with a purr. “She looovvess him,” he taunted. There it was—Happy hadn’t said it in months. 

But this time, Lucy didn’t object, and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed by her beloved Dragonslayer. Virgo interrupted their moment with a pile of folded clothes in her hands, extending them out and handing them to Natsu. Then, she stared at him and turned to Lucy, “Do you need anything else, Hime?”

“No,” Lucy murmured, “Thank you, Virgo.”

With one last nod, the maid vanished again, and Lucy sighed, looking towards the fairy as she flew over from Natsu to sit on her shoulder as Natsu fingered the clothing with a scrutinising eye. 

“Thank you,” she whispered to the fairy, “You have done me the world in doing this for me. I missed him so much.”

“I’m Erytheia,” the fairy informed her, “In case we were already on a first-name basis. I felt like we already were,” she shrugged nonchalantly.

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity,” Lucy whispered, “It feels like the world has suddenly become a lot less dark if only the others were here to see this.”

“It is rare magic,” Erytheia told her, “One that must be protected, especially from horrid people like Petrie. I had originally thought Rostary Grove was well hidden and protected. But I was wrong.” She smiled at Lucy, but the smile wasn’t genuine. “Part of me is glad that I have brought ease to at least three troubled souls this day. But a word of caution.”

Lucy looked at her with a brow raised, “Caution?” she questioned. She couldn’t help but panic. “Is it bad? Please don’t tell me it’s bad,” she pleaded, glancing over her shoulder as Natsu got changed.

Erytheia shook her head, “Just warning you that if you leave the Grove before Natsu’s time is up. He will vanish and not come back. He is connected to you, and the wellspring is powering his Astral self.”

“I won’t leave then,” Lucy said, “I’m not wasting this; if I have to stay in the Grove to keep Natsu here with me, I’ll do whatever it takes; I could stay here for the rest of my days if it meant having Natsu close to me again.”

Erytheia gazed at her curiously, and her eyes flickered to the trees. “Here comes your companion, back from his misdeeds and…things.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust, “If he weren’t here with you, I would have had him tossed out of my Grove, out of the vicinity of Rostary, in a heartbeat.”

Lucy pulled back and strained her eyes as Gray emerged from the trees and wiped blood away from the cut on his cheekbone. His eyes fell on Lucy and Natsu. The Dragonslayer pulled up his pants as Gray stared at him.

“H-Holy shit,” Gray stammered, his eyes widened in shock and surprise. “Natsu? Is that you? How the hell are you here?” He jerked his gaze back to Erytheia seated on Lucy’s shoulder and his face twisted in irritation, “YOU,” he roared, his face reddening in anger. “What did you do!? Is this some sick joke to upset us? That can’t be Natsu! He died six months ago!”

As much as he yelled, his voice broke, and tears fell down his cheeks. He fell to his knees and saw Natsu’s solemn face regarding him. Natsu, his best friend, stood beside an ecstatic looking Happy.

“It can’t be,” he sobbed, “Oh gods.” He fell forward, hammering the grass with closed fists. “Why must everyone continue to torment me?” He let his face fall into the grass to obscure the sight of Natsu, “We shouldn’t have come here,” he whispered. 

After a moment, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He lifted his tear-stained face; he came face to face with Natsu. The Dragonslayer had no hint of a smile on his face, the laugh lines that had once adorned his face were non-existent, which made Gray feel worse. 

“It’s not a joke, Gray,” Lucy whispered as she stepped beside Natsu and gave him an adoring smile, placing her hand on his arm as if she was afraid he’d vanish from right beneath her. 

“Erytheia here,” she gestured to the fairy on her shoulder, “Explained the magic of the Rostary Wellspring. They can manifest the souls of the dead, so we can say goodbye for real.”

“It was you riding on her shoulder,” Gray whispered to Natsu, “You never left her… shit… I’m so sorry, Natsu. Y-Your face, we’ve all missed you so much, and the guild is in tatters after you went and….”

The pain was too much for the Ice Mage, and he choked on his words. The guilt gnawed on every part of his body. He tried to speak but stuttered. Coming out as choked sobs, Gray had to hide his eyes in shame.

Finally, Natsu spoke, and it all sounded so familiar to Gray. As if he had never left. “What did you do to your face, Ice-stripper” he taunted, “You’ve become even uglier last I saw you. You’d make the children cry.”

The reaction was so ingrained in Gray’s psyche that he didn’t even realise his scathing remark, “What did you say, Flame-Brain?” he shouted, scrabbling to his feet and clashing his head against Natsu’s, “Say that again! I’ll kick your ass.”

Erytheia looked at the pair in disdain, an indignant look on her face as the two clashed on the grass.

“How uncouth,” she scoffed, “Are they always like this?”

Lucy laughed, feeling the happiness bloom to life in her chest, a pleasant warm feeling that made her fingers and toes tingle. “They always were,” she chuckled, “I haven’t seen Gray this alive since…Natsu died. He took it hard when it happened.”

“Lucy!” Natsu bellowed, “Tell me I’m right, and Gray has gotten uglier!” 

Then, as Lucy approached the squabbling pair to settle them down, Gray suddenly shouted, “I can’t help the scars! I got them from you, you idiot….” There was a stunned silence, and Lucy stared at Gray with horror. Gray tried to regain his composure and think of an excuse.

“You know…” he tried to rectify himself without skipping a beat, “We fought so much growing up and even as adults, you know, maybe you just never noticed them?”

Natsu studied Gray’s nervous face, placing his finger on his chin and nodding several times. “Maybe you’re right,” he agreed, “I never tried to make a habit of looking at your slimeball face.”

“Feeling’s mutual,” Gray muttered, breathing with relief that Natsu seemed to buy his lame excuse. 

Natsu got to his feet and dusted the grass off his pants, letting the infamous Natsu-Esque smile across his face revealing his fanged teeth. He held his hand to Gray and helped him to his feet before looking back to Lucy, smirking. 

The Celestial mage’s heart melted when she saw Natsu’s familiar, cheeky smile, and she couldn’t help but let a couple more tears ooze out from the corner of her eyes. Then, Natsu looked surprised, and his eyes popped wide as he pointed at Erytheia, perched on Lucy’s shoulder. 

“Lucy!” he cried out, shocked, “There’s a Leprechaun on your shoulder!”

“I am not a Leprechaun!” Erytheia cried, “How dare you compare me to those beasts! Treasure laundering thieves,” she seethed. Her wings flickered in protest, and the fairy took flight and she flew back to her shrine with red cheeks.

“She isn’t a Leprechaun Natsu,” Lucy told Natsu, fighting back a smile so she wouldn’t offend the fairy further. “You have to be nicer to Erytheia. You’ll have to apologise to her. Her shrine is over there.” Lucy pointed at the opposite end of the spring, and Natsu cocked a brow.

“Shrine?” he asked, “Wait… does that mean that she can grant me three wishes?” 

“That’s a Genie, moron” Gray slapped Natsu up the back of the head as he came to stand next to him, “And Genies live in lamps, not shrines. She’s a Fairy. Besides, what the hell would you wish for, dumbass?”

“Food!” Natsu crowed, “And to fight .”

Gray rolled his eyes at Lucy, who grinned back at him. It was so typical of Natsu to come up with those responses. It was as if he had never left. Then came the following answers that became harder to answer. 

“So, where’s Erza?” Natsu asked, looking around the grove. “And Wendy?”

“E-Erm,” Lucy fumbled for her answer before Happy blurted out, patting Natsu’s leg, “Everyone was sad when you died. Erza comes by sometimes to say hello, but she goes travelling with Jellal and the rest of Crime Sorciere now. They got married last month.”

Natsu’s face became serious when Lucy explained how much everyone had suffered, and Lucy began to stutter, trying her hardest so she wouldn’t say something stupid and offend him. Lucy gave a tentative glance to Gray, who folded his arms across his bare chest and closed his eyes, looking to his feet. 

“Because of what happened and how you died, Natsu, which we do not need to reiterate, the Guild closed off from us, and we have been pretty much alone.”

Natsu frowned, “What about Juvia?” he asked, “Didn’t she love you or something gross like that?”

Gray lifted his gaze back to the Dragonslayer, “Some things are better off left unsaid,” he said. “Certain things happened, and I’ve been trying to deal with my emotions rather than work towards something serious.”

Natsu glanced back and forth between an awkward Lucy and a disgruntled-looking Gray before Lucy muttered, “You didn’t have to break your friendship with her because we fought.”

“You and Juvia had a fight,” Natsu asked, amused. “Did she snap over the whole love rival thing”

“No,” Lucy was abrupt, turning her face away with reddening cheeks, “We fought because I attacked Gray. I was out for blood that day, and Gray suffered. I’m sorry.” She held back a cry and strode towards the other end of the grove, leaving Natsu bewildered. 

“Look, Natsu,” Gray hesitated before putting his hand on the Dragonslayer’s shoulder, “Please, Lucy has been hurting, and this is her last chance to be with you. Sit with her and talk about happy times. Make her the Lucy we used to know and love”

“What about you” Natsu looked at Gray, “I may have only been a soul these months, but I’ m not stupid. You have been there for her, not to mention the whole bed incident. I haven’t forgotten that.”

Gray bit back a remark and felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment, “It’s nothing.” He dismissed the comment, “But, stay with her. I don’t deserve her forgiveness or yours.” He rubbed his tired eyes, turned around, and pulled away as Natsu grabbed his shoulder. “Natsu,” he warned. “Go be with Lucy. I mean it.” 

“Gray,” Natsu tried to reason, but the Ice Mage shrugged him away, and as fast as he could, Gray escaped the line of trees and into the shadows beyond. Leaving Natsu standing there frowning as he tried to figure out what had caused Gray to act like this.

With a sigh, the Dragonslayer strode around the wellspring, watching the crystal clear water with Happy watching him with concern on his face.” Are you ok, Natsu” the Exceed asked, “We didn’t make you sad. Did we?” Natsu looked at the woeful face of Happy and realised just how much the Exceed and the others must have suffered when he had died. 

How much they missed him. With a smile, Natsu put his hand on Happy’s head. “No, little buddy,” he assured him, “I’m fine. Let’s go sit with Lucy, yeah?”

“Aye,” Happy agreed, “Lushi missed you, I’ve been living with her, and she cries a lot. I don’t like seeing her so sad” Natsu’s smile wavered, but it stayed on his face as they strode towards Lucy, who sat at the edge of the wellspring.

“We’ll make sure we’ll make her happy again, ok, buddy?”

“Aye, sir.”

Lucy plucked at the grass beside her after Gray’s hasty retreat. She looked up when Natsu and Happy came towards her. She should have been ecstatic at having Natsu back with her and should be using every available minute with him.

Instead, she stressed over Gray’s unhappiness with the situation. She worried about how he was feeling and was concerned when Natsu regained his memories. What would happen if END came back? Would she lose the ability to say goodbye to him so soon?

Natsu threw himself on the ground beside Lucy and surprised her when he slung his arms around her and drew her close. She gazed up at Natsu, gaping like a fish, scrambling for an explanation.

“You don’t have to be sad, Lucy,” Natsu held her close. “That’s not the Lucy I knew when we were both in Fairy Tail. So where’s your smile, huh?”

Although Lucy didn’t smile, tears filled her eyes, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m lonely, Natsu. Yet, I have the entire guild, people who love me, surrounding me and waiting for me to return. So why do I feel so alone?”

 Natsu’s brow creased in worry, and he rested his cheek on her head. “You aren’t alone,” he whispered. You just said that. Come on, Luce. I don’t want you to cry.”

 “I miss you, Natsu,” Lucy said, her voice catching her throat, fighting her tears. “I miss our adventures together; I miss going to the lake where you and Happy used to fish. I miss you breaking into my apartment and lying in bed beside me. Why did you have to leave me?”

Natsu’s smile dissipated, and he wrapped both arms around Lucy and clutched her to his chest, nuzzling her long golden hair and his eyes misting over with unshed tears.

“Shh,” he tried to comfort her, rocking back and forth, “C’ mon Luce, please don’t cry.”

Lucy sniffled despite his soft plea, grasped Natsu’s shirt and held it with a death grip. Happy crawled into her lap and hugged her, and the three huddled together as Lucy cried in the middle. 

Erytheia opened one eye from her shrine and regarded the scene with emotionless eyes. She could read souls and had read Natsu’s before she manifested him. She knew how much this young man loved Lucy, how vibrant and passionate he was. Unfortunately, he had been a ball of blazing light snuffed out too soon, and Erytheia almost felt pity for him.

Her senses tingled, and the fairy closed her eyes on the trio before her and opened the other to see Lucy’s other companion standing in the line of trees watching. His face was pulled down in sorrow, his eyes burning with sadness and an overwhelming sense of guilt that made Erytheia uncomfortable. Though she could read souls, Erytheia couldn’t read the souls of the living, but from what she had experienced, she knew Gray’s problems stemmed from Natsu.

Or possibly even the fact that he had grown close to Lucy in the months dealing with their grief. Seeing her with Natsu made him think he’d done the wrong thing, moving on to the girl who still pined for the man he had killed. There was a movement from the right side of the wellspring, and Lucy pulled back and grabbed hold of her pack, pulling it close, rustling through it.

“I have something for you, Natsu,” she said. She found what she was looking for and pulled out Natsu’s scarf from her bag, bundling it up against her chest before handing it to Natsu.

He grinned, but it was fake, hiding his sadness as he took it from her. “You kept it?”

 “Of course I did,” Lucy said, “Why would I ever get rid of it?” 

“Lucy slept with it every night,” Happy blurted out, “She said it smelt like you.”

Lucy went red at Happy’s admission, and she fumbled with the scarf as Natsu reached for it, taking it out of her hands and wrapping it around his neck. Having the scarf where it belonged, it felt right. And Natsu…was Natsu again.

“I felt like I was in a dream,” he said, musing over the scarf’s fabric. “My memories, they’re quick, like waking up, and you start forgetting it the more you try to remember. I always saw you in your bed, Lucy, with the sun coming in through the window.”

 “Yeah,” Lucy breathed, leaning back into him with a blissful look as she recalled the memories. “That’s how I like to remember Natsu. How could I ever forget that? Even though you are such a clown, breaking into my apartment was disrespectful.”

Several more tears dropped onto her cheek, and Natsu retracted one arm and brushed them away with his thumb. Lucy looked up at him with puffy eyes, and their tender moment began to leave a tense aura in the wellspring. 

Natsu cupped the side of her face and began to lean forward, and as they did so, Happy’s tail began to flick around in anticipation. A sly smile stretched across his face, turning him into a mischievous Cheshire cat. 

Finally, the pair kissed, and Erytheia shifted with unease at the intense heat that radiated through her grove. A fierce power flared within Natsu. It was their first kiss, and there was no doubt in the fairy’s mind that the pair shared an intense and powerful bond. Far stronger than she anticipated.

She looked back to Gray, who had seen the entire scene before he skulked back into the shadows. He had no right to interfere in these two shared pure and untainted love. Erytheia had made it clear that she didn’t like him and didn’t want him stepping into her grove.

Lucy pulled away from Natsu, a breathless chuckle on her lips as Natsu continued to caress her cheek with his thumb. “Did you just kiss me, Natsu Dragneel?” she joked. “When have you ever been this affectionate? It’s so unlike your rambunctious personality. 

“What?” Natsu’s eyes narrowed, and his cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, “I-Is that a bad thing? I thought that’s what people were supposed to do when-” he trailed off in an embarrassed mutter.

 Lucy reached up, clasping his face. “No,” she said, “It’s not bad at all; it just took me by surprise because…when you were alive, this sort of thing seemed to be the last thing on your mind. I’m surprised you knew how to kiss, to be honest.”

 “I may be a little dense, Lucy” Natsu reached up and grabbed her hands. He brought them to his chest. “But I’m not stupid. I saw people kiss each other all the time. I even saw Levy and Gajeel kissing in the storeroom back in the guild.” 

“Oh really,” Lucy raised a brow as Happy roared with laughter, “I will have a word with her when I get back.”

Natsu didn’t share her smile. He cocked his head. “I figured maybe it was our turn to kiss. It’s not weird, is it?” Then, Natsu said, his demeanour changed, and he seemed unsure.

 Lucy fell forward into his embrace again and squeezed him. “No,” she whispered, closing her eyes and smiling, “It’s not weird at all.”

Chapter Text

Lucy’s heart thundered so loud that it sounded like someone was beating a drum. It got louder and louder, rhythmic pounding then, there was silence. Natsu stood a small distance before her; they were together and alone on a barren battleground. The earth was stained red with blood, and torn flags of guilds scattered around them, fluttering in the wind. 

Blood covered him, his clothes saturated, and droplets dripped around his feet. He breathed rapidly and so deep that it rumbled in his chest. He turned his head up, his eyes locking with Lucy’s, filled with unbridled rage. The fire was intense, burning so hot that Lucy felt the sweltering waves on her face. She began to sweat, but she could not move, rooted to the spot and watched Natsu as he turned towards her. 

His hands hung at his sides, red scales ran down his arms, and his fingers curled into large claws. He was monstrous, and Lucy barely recognised him, his face obscured by a shadow and blood-encrusted hair. There were several beats, and Lucy counted three heartbeats moving in slow motion. Then Natsu opened his mouth, revealing a line of sharp teeth. He roared an ear-splitting noise that rattled Lucy to her bones. She raised her hands and clamped them over her ears, terrified.

The heat was intense, and a burning fire erupted from Natsu in a fiery vortex. His jacket ripped when enormous red wings burst from his spine. There was another fierce blood splatter, and Natsu’s teeth elongated, and a tail whipped back and forth from behind him. He stepped forward again, dragging his feet in the dirt. Black horns spiralled from his skull, marred his head and parted his hair. The fire grew hotter and brighter; his attention fixed on her. 

“ Lucy! ” he said, his voice a bellowing roar that sent out an intense soundwave that engulfed Lucy as she staggered. The sheer power sent her off balance. “You’re mine ,” he said, stepping forward again. His wings were dripping with blood, and his teeth dripped with saliva. Then, Natsu lunged.

***

Lucy woke with a start; her heart was thundering in her chest, and sweat drenched her clothes. The dream was so real. She could still feel the flames on her face. She sat forward and flailed out her arms, crying out with shock as she threw the blanket aside.

“No, Natsu!” she screamed. 

“Lucy?”

The celestial mage continued the thrash, unable to shake the heat and the sweat that encapsulated her. The nightmare was still burning behind her eyes, the sight of Natsu’s teeth and narrowed red eyes. The demon, END.

Through the blackened haze, the heat began to die down. A cool breeze caressed her skin, and Lucy was aware of someone calling her name. Someone pinned her arms, holding her close, and she was in someone’s arms. Lucy woke up, dazed and confused. Her view cleared, and green grass surrounded her. The sound of running water and wind through the trees and someone called her name. 

“Nat-su?”

Lucy looked up, and her heart continued to thunder in her ears. Natsu’s face cleared, but it wasn’t the demonic face she’d seen in her dream. Instead, Natsu’s sweet face framed by swaying pink locks. His expression was one of concern over her outburst. 

“Why can’t I wake up?” she said, whimpering as she fought with overwhelming emotion. “No, no, it’s not real. Why? Why? ” Lucy raised her hand and clutched the side of her head.

“Luce, you are awake,” Natsu said, “It’s not a dream. I’m right here. Well-sorta, but anyway, I’m here, which matters.” He shook her, trying to get some sense into Lucy’s incoherence, still bewildered and confused with sleep.

“Lusshiiii?”

Happy’s small voice broke through to Lucy. The small Exceed pawed her face and hugged her as tight as he could like he did when Lucy often woke up with nightmares. “It’s not a dream; wake up.”

“Happy?” Lucy murmured, looking down and lowering her hand to hug Happy closer. The mind fog cleared, and Lucy looked up and exchanged glances with Happy, then to Natsu. Her eyes widened with surprise and then softened with relief. 

“I’m so glad,” she said, tears filled her eyes. “I was afraid that everything that happened yesterday wasn’t real. You weren’t here, and it was just some terrible-...” Natsu pulled Lucy close, and she bumped her head against his chest.

Natsu wrapped his arms around her and clutched her close, and Lucy curled her fingers in the soft white fabric of his shirt. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Lucy closed her eyes, relishing the man’s closeness she loved so much. His presence quietened the ache in her heart.

“She gets nightmares a lot,” Happy said, stepping back from Lucy and balancing in her lap. Then, his eyes turned to Natsu, “Lushi doesn’t tell me what’s in them. But she always wakes up crying. It must be scary.”

Natsu pressed his lips to Lucy’s hair, mimicking what he’d seen so many of the mages do back in Fairy Tail when comforting another. He stroked up and down her back in a soothing repetitive manner and hugged her close. He couldn’t think of what else to do to comfort the distraught woman. How many mornings had she woken up? Reliving that day, dealing with it alone.

A ray of light broke through the trees and shone on them. The couple lit up in golden light as the sun rose. Lucy stretched out with the welcoming warmth. She pulled her head away from Natsu’s chest and looked back at him. 

“I’m sorry that you had to see that,” she said, mustering nothing higher than a whisper. “It was hard to deal with at first. But it’s getting better, just a little bit. I had to learn to move on, to keep living my life.” Lucy sat up and adjusted her pyjama shirt, clearing her throat with a faint blush tickling her cheeks.

Lucy unwound herself from Natsu. She wrapped her arms around Happy and cuddled him on her lap as Natsu sat back, splaying his hands behind him and leaning on his hands. “They’re dreams,” he said, “They’re not real, the bad ones anyway.” Natsu smiled a crooked, fanged smile that made Lucy’s heart flutter.

“Tell me what you’ve been doing,” Natsu said, changing the subject and taking Lucy off guard with the simple uncharacteristic question. “I want to know everything.”

Lucy lifted a hand and tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks still warm. She hugged Happy a fraction tighter, the Exceed purring with affection. “Well-” she said, with a shrug. “Can’t say I’ve done too much. Nothing worthwhile anyway. Missions aren’t fun, although the pay is nice when I don’t have to take a cut from damages.”

“Oh yeah?” Natsu cocked his head, “What jobs have you gone on? Anything fun, exciting?” He promoted Lucy to keep speaking, to keep her out of the pit of misery she was teetering on the edge of.

“I hope they’re not those boring ones you choose all the time.”

“Aye,” Happy agreed, his big furry cheeks turning up as he grinned. “I think Lushi just liked dressing up and playing make-pretend.”

“It wasn’t make-pretend,” Lucy squawked with indignation. “Those were reputable requests we got paid for; thank you very much. Even as awful as Erza’s acting skills were, people still came to watch us perform.”

Lucy reached out and squished Happy’s face, “I don’t play make pretend ,” she said, scolding the cat. Happy protested the unfairness and called Lucy mean, sticking out his tongue when she relinquished his face. 

It was all done in good humour, and Lucy looked back at Natsu with a smile. His face was still alight with the morning sun, smiling with a Cheshire grin. The light bounced off him, giving him an ethereal look.

A stark reminder that he wasn’t alive. It seriously dampened Lucy’s mood, the growing anxiety of how much time she had left, a constant reminder that ticked in the back of her mind. 

“I like dangerous missions,” Lucy shrugged, looking down at Happy as Natsu’s smile changed, regarding her with curiosity. “Vanquishing magical pests, chasing bad guys and exploring parts of the country I’d never seen before. It’s exciting and the only way to feel something other than this sadness.”

Natsu noticed the subtle change, throwing back his head and rocking back. “They’re good, aren’t they?” He asked her, “It gets your blood pounding, the magic racing in your veins as you get to punch a bad guy.”

His voice rose and had an excited growl, making Lucy shiver. “What changed?” Natsu asked, “you were never like that before. You played it safe.”

“You.”

Natsu’s laughter died in his throat, and he cleared it. He reached down and petted Happy’s head. Averting his eyes away from Lucy, he felt a flare of embarrassment grow inside his chest. 

“I spent all these years honing in on my skills and learning to fight,” Lucy explained, “It was such a waste and insult to all my spirit’s hard work to sit around Magnolia and accept all the easy jobs. The fights where I fought side by side with you, Natsu. I felt like part of the team and a partner worthy of fighting with Magnolia’s strongest Dragonslayer.”

“You were pretty whiny,” Natsu agreed, the truthful admission stumping Lucy. “But I could see how much you were trying, I chose you to be my partner for a reason, and you never disappointed me. Not once. I was always proud of you, Luce.”

The genuine sincerity in his voice was enough to bring tears back to Lucy’s eyes. But not sad tears, tears of pride at being praised by her best friend. She smiled back at him even though his attention was on Happy.

“You didn’t know how much I needed to hear that,” she said, “All I wanted was to prove myself to you. It doesn’t matter much now, but I’m happy with myself.” They sat silently for a couple of minutes before Natsu changed the topic. It was so unlike him to have such an interest in Lucy’s hobbies. Especially her writing. 

“Erm, it’s going good,” Lucy said with an awkward laugh. She raised a hand and twirled a finger in her hair. “I’ve gotten some more chapters out. Unfortunately, between work and stuff, I don’t have much time. But Levy loves it, and Gray likes it too. So I was pretty mortified when I found out that he’d read it.”

She returned to petting Happy, who was content lying in her lap, enjoying the scratches. “I used to be so afraid to let Gray even see one sentence of my writing, but I don’t care as much now. Having someone other than Levy read it made me feel a little better about it.”

“Gray, huh…” Natsu’s eyes wandered into the line of dark trees that lined the grove. “What’s that slush-bucket been doing other than taking my job in invading your privacy?”

“We’ve spent a lot of time together,” Lucy admitted, “He’s been my anchor in this sea of misery. I wouldn’t know what I would have done without him. I feel like he was the only one that understood me. Our pain was a little different from everyone else’s.”

Natsu looked back at her with a crinkle on his nose; he didn’t like the answer. His gaze wandered down, and he began to pull at individual blades of grass, trying to fight the surge of pain and jealousy of having to share Lucy. 

“He’s taken it very hard, Natsu,” Lucy said, “He’s never forgiven himself, and he has this stupid obsession in trying to make it up to me. I told him to be my friend, but he could do nothing to make up for what he did. Of course, he knows that as well.”

“He cries just as much as Lushi,” Happy purred, “But he’s a lot meaner to everyone in the guild because they all judge him.”

“He can’t help that,” Lucy whispered, admonishing Happy’s content sigh. “Don’t you think he feels rotten enough already?” But, she continued to pet Happy, “I didn’t understand at the time why he even wanted to hang around and comfort me after what I did to him.”

“You were quite vague on that,” Natsu muttered, “You were never violent, Luce, well, not as much as I was.”

“Couldn’t help it,” Lucy said and shrugged, “I was so angry . There was this haze, and I didn’t know what I was doing. When it lifted, I was sitting on Gray’s chest about to plunge Aquarius’ key into his heart.”

She looked defeated, “How else would you expect someone to act? I’m not proud that I came close to killing him that day. I never will be. But Natsu, watching you disappear the way you did that day was just as painful, even more than watching my mother waste away before my very eyes.”

Lucy’s eyes gleamed as she pleaded with Natsu, the desperate thought of him hating her at the forefront of her mind. “I didn’t get to say goodbye to you, Natsu. It was-...pulling the plug after the years we had spent together. All of a sudden, I didn’t have my best friend anymore. To say it left a hole was the understatement of the century. It hurt .”

She gripped Happy, lowering her eyes to the Exceed, who still sat in her lap. “Fate played some pretty hefty cards that day, and it still ruins my life,” she whispered.

“Fate is a cruel deity child.”

Erytheia manifested out of a glistening ray of sunshine and sat cross-legged upon her shrine; her wings flickered as she came into existence. Arms folded across her tiny chest, and her eyes closed. “She pulls many strings; we often do not want her to pull. But it’s the way of life, and we cannot stop that. We can pause it, but in the end, it is inevitable.” Then, the fairy opened her eyes, her indigo irises focusing on Natsu, “Just as it would be with you.”

Under her hard stare, Natsu began to fluster; his cheeks were turning a shade of red. He lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his head. “I don’t know why you looked at me when you said that,” he murmured, “What’s it got to do with me?”

“Because I have listened to you ponder every scenario, you think you have to stay here,” Erytheia said, irritated. “I can hear all the souls in my spring. I know you hurt, but I am no god. I can’t prolong your borrowed time any more than I already have.”

Natsu lowered his hand, huffing and jerking his gaze over his shoulder. He was embarrassed to look back at Lucy. But, instead, he felt her gaze penetrate his soul, burning with questions. He even felt Erytheia’s scathing glance, the wicked little fairy.

“I heard that,” she said. She regarded Natsu and sighed. “You can deny it all you want, Natsu Dragneel, but if Lucy and her companion Gray can accept that you are gone, the easier it will be for you to move on to the next life. I hate to sound wicked , but I cannot state false truths. As much as you would want to hear them.”

Erytheia’s word had a ring of truth, and one with common sense would understand and accept that Fate. Luckily, Natsu had never been one known for possessing a menial thing such as sense. Nevertheless, he grew angry with the fairy’s words. 

“Then why go through all the trouble to bring me back if it’s only going to make things worse?” he shouted at her. Lucy drew back in surprise, and Erytheia gazed at him with a lethal glance. 

“Natsu…” Lucy reached for his arm, but the Dragonslayer yanked it away and rose to his feet, his gaze fixated on the fairy who remained stoic on her shrine.

“You sit there like a pompous little bitch and dictate to me what will happen? What happens if I don’t want to die? Maybe I’ll tell Fate to stick her decision up her arse. I want to stay here with Lucy!” The finality, the confidence in his voice made him sound so much like his old self. It was nostalgic.

“Don’t blame the fairy, flame-brain.”

Gray emerged from the trees, halting when all four gazes settled on him. He folded his arms across his bare chest. The sunlight highlighted the ugly, twisted scars that canvassed his body. Inky remains of his devil-slaying magic crept across his skin. An eerie look made worse by the shadows.

“You’re dead,” he said, the words stung, but Gray wasn’t pussyfooting around the issue. His expression was stoic, and his eyes flat. He and Natsu stared at each other, Gray looked hurt, and Natsu was angry. “I know that because I watched you choke to death, sitting in a pool of blood before you vanished in the wind. So don’t blame the fairy for what’s already happened. She can’t change it.”

“You wanna go?” Natsu challenged him, “If you want to fight, I’ll give you one. I’ll show you dead, asshole. How about I make it so you can’t leave this damned place, and I get to go home with Lucy? How would you like it?”

Gray stepped forward, presenting his body and holding his arms wide, accepting the invitation for Natsu to attack him. “Go on then!” he called out. “I welcome it! It’s better off dead than drowning in my guilt and sorrow every day. Everyone wished me dead instead of you, you idiot.”

“ Hey, ” Lucy shouted over them, getting Natsu and Gray’s attention on her. Her face was red and livid with anger, glancing back and forth between the arguing men. “I do not want you fighting! It was a special moment given to us, and you guys are ruining it. As always .”

“No,” Gray dared to snap back, interjecting his thoughts and feelings into the rising argument. “This was a moment given to you . It never had anything to do with me. You can be as mad as you want at the way things went. You can curse the fates, but you have to let go when it comes to an end. I don’t want to take that away from you.”

He dropped his arms and waved his hand at Natsu. “Go back to snogging her Natsu. It was plain as day that she would always choose you. I was always the one picking up the slack. Lagging on behind.”

“Gray!” Lucy shouted his name. She got to her feet and held Happy in her arms. Her face was red, and her eyes filled with angry tears. “Look at me,” she said, scolding Gray. He refused, but Lucy continued, shaking Happy around. “Have these months meant nothing to you? I looked to you for help! For comfort, and this is what you say? That this never mattered?”

Gray looked at her, his face expressionless, but his fist held at his side trembled. Giving away the enormous amount of pain he fought. “It was a mistake coming here,” he said, “Lucy, I’m leaving. When you go back to Magnolia, don’t expect to find me there.” 

“Gray!” Lucy shouted, “No, stop.”

He turned on his heels, and the ice-mage stepped back into the trees, the sounds of his footfalls getting quieter. Lucy relinquished Happy and dashed off to the trees, calling out to her friend. She had every intention of running after him, but as she reached the shadows, a ripple of power washed through the Rostary Wellspring. 

If you leave the Grove before Natsu’s time is up, he will vanish and not come back.”

Erytheia’s words came back to her, the warning and Lucy stopped, her toes scraped the boundary of the forest and the grove. Her heart tore at whether she should run after Gray or stay. Lucy glanced back over her shoulder, back to a solemn-looking Natsu. She stepped back into the grove and yelled out the darkness beyond. “Get back here so I can talk to you, Gray. Are you going to abandon me here and make me get back to Magnolia by myself? I thought we were friends.”

Her statement elicited a reaction. Gray stomped back over the forest debris, coming out of the shadows like an ominous beast, standing over Lucy, his eyes slicing through her with vicious savagery. 

“We were friends, Lucy,” Gray said, shouting in Lucy’s face. “All these years, travelling with you, working with the team. I cared about you so much, and then with Natsu- you stayed with me. While everyone else pushed me away.”

He and Lucy stared at each other; his hands trembled more. The air around them was colder. His magic burned the palms of his hands, and tears rolled down Lucy’s cheeks, betrayed by Gray’s outburst. “I respected your wishes when you chose Natsu, and I backed off. Just like friends should be, and you know what?” Gray began to twist the knife in Lucy’s heart, “Natsu’s last words before he died were asking me to tell you that he loved you !” 

Lucy gasped, her hands clenched at her breast, and tears streamed down her face. Natsu stepped forward, distressed by Lucy’s tears. He put his arms around her and pulled her away from Gray, shuddering with anger. 

“There,” Gray snarled at Natsu, “I told her. Are you happy? Your dying wish. I hope you enjoy it.”

He waited for no response. Even if he did get one, he chose to ignore it. He strode back into the trees, and as soon as he heard Lucy’s quiet sniffles, his anger dissipated, and the feeling of regret quickly tugged on his insides.

As he left, Lucy stumbled on her toes and heard a growl rumble deep in Natsu’s chest. “I can’t leave,” she said to Natsu, pulling his shirt. “If I leave, you’ll disappear, but if Gray-... I don’t-”

“Luce,” Natsu put a hand on her head and hugged her. “I won’t judge you if you decide to leave. All that matters is that I got to see you again. Go after him-” Lucy looked up; conflicting emotions pulled her insides apart. 

“No!” Happy interjected, his voice frantic. “Natsu, please don’t go. I will miss you all over again.” The cat’s reaction broke Lucy’s heart, and she burst into tears again, her chest heaving with shuddering sobs. 

Natsu hugged her, wrapping her in a cocoon of warmth and comfort. Lucy’s devastation weighed on the Dragonslayer, and he wanted nothing more than to be able to stay with her indefinitely. 

Natsu rocked Lucy and Happy back and forth, his eyes rising to meet the eyes of Erytheia. The fairy sat rigid atop the shrine; her eyes glinted at the scene she’d just witnessed. He believed that the fairy knew a lot more than what she alluded to, and if anyone was going to divulge the secrets of Rostary Wellspring and its powers, it was her.

Chapter Text

Gray pushed his way through the trees and away from the hidden wellspring. Part of him hoped that Lucy would run after him, but it was pointless. She’d never come, not with Natsu at stake. He stood at the line of cannibalistic trees, the same ones that had tried to eat Lucy a couple of days earlier. Gray watched the churning roots sinking and rhythmically rising from the earth. 

All he had to do was step into them. It would be over so quickly. All this pain and misery gone, sinking into a never-ending abyss, floating forever. It was tempting. Gray closed his eyes and inhaled one deep breath. An image of Lucy flashed behind his eyes, Erza and Wendy. His family at Fairy Tail were still there no matter how hard they all judged him. Would they miss him?

‘Ice-make: Bridge.’

Fighting back against the dark thoughts that plagued him, Gray formed the small moon bridge, similar to the one arching into the abandoned Rostary village. It arched high enough to avoid the roots below and long enough to reach the other side safely. 

Gray knew Lucy wouldn’t come after him, but he took slow, deliberate steps. Just in case. The further he walked away, the more reluctant he was to leave her behind, but seeing her with Natsu was too painful. Seeing the dragonslayer brought up too many bad memories and burning guilt.

He reached the end of the bridge, and Gray stopped and slammed his hands over the icy railing. It cracked under the force of his punch, and he slumped over the bar, resting his forehead on the cold. “I’m sorry, Lucy,” he whispered, “I can’t-”

Gray tried to push back the overwhelming feelings of despair, his hands clenching over the railing, looking up when there was a noise from the trees behind him. The hairs at the back of his neck prickled, and Gray lifted his head.

A shiver raced down his spine, and not because of his magic, when a shadowy figure moved through the trees, leaving a thick viscous trail behind it. It moved along the roots, unable to pass the magical barriers protecting the wellspring. 

The sludge moved further up the trees and away from Gray, although he was wary. He decided to move forward; Erytheia had said that no darkness could get inside her domain until Petrie followed them in. It could be a bad sign.

With his intention to leave Rostary momentarily forgotten, Gray left the bridge and hurried back through the emerald forest, pushing past the flower bushes, wincing as thorns cut him on his way past. Everything dangerous and ugly was lashing out at him because that’s what he was. 

Evil .

The reaching archways to the village came back into view. Gray stumbled over the overgrown cobblestone path and looked around in bewilderment. The hanging fairy lights suspended around the deserted streets were gone; instead, tiny black specks floated past Gray and towards the wellspring. 

Rostary village was noticeably darker, the magic seeping from it. The houses were now noticeably deserted. The windows cracked, and doors were hanging open on broken hinges. The plants had wilted, dried and died over the path. It was a drastic change to the whimsical place. 

Gray stepped forward and stepped in something sticky. He looked down with disgust and saw another black trail creeping through the tiny village. It trailed in and out through the houses and small nooks, leaving steaming tracks of black. It left an atmosphere of malevolence, and Gray had a deep feeling of dread start proliferating in his gut. 

Lucy and Happy could be in danger, and they’d have no idea since they were deep inside the wellspring. He was the only one that could help them; he had to try. Gray followed the trail, his shoes crushing over the path as he followed the globule of darkness slinking along with the trees. 

It moved slowly, so catching up wasn’t hard, but Gray caught up and watched the writing mess of blackness with trepidation. It pushed against the magical barrier, sending ripples of light across the wall as the dark mass went up against it. The ripples washed across the border, sending light waves back down towards Gray. He froze on the path and smacked his clenched fist into the palm of his other hand as the darkness turned around. He backed up one step, his eyes widening before twisting his shoes into the earth, determined to stay.

The black mass looked up, a drooping face seemingly melted off the mound that acted as its head. It groaned, opening a mouth full of wriggling black tendrils and slowly began to make its way towards Gray, drawn to his presence.

‘Ice make Lance.’

Gray manifested his first magical projectile and launched it towards the mass. It connected with precision. A part of the lump froze under Gray’s magic and, consequently, froze on the path. Gray lowered his hands a fraction, watching in anticipation.

After several moments, the wiggling black glob broke away the thin ice shell and continued its path towards Gray. Only this time, the groan turned to a malicious growl, racing towards Gray with considerable speed, its maw opened wide.

***

Erytheia opened her eyes and flicked out her wings. She searched the wellspring before standing up on her shrine. The action caught the attention of Lucy, who sat on the rolling slope just a ways from the glittering wellspring. 

Besides Lucy, Natsu lifted his gaze and together, they watched as Erytheia took to the air. A golden light surrounded her as she floated towards the line of trees that shielded them from the rest of the Rostary village. The fairy was searching, inspecting the magical walls surrounding them, but whatever troubled her, Erytheia didn’t deem it necessary to tell the trio sitting in her meadow.

A prickling, anxious feeling crawled up Lucy’s neck, watching as Erytheia continued her stringent entrance search. The awful feeling that something happened to Gray was a festering thought burgeoned in Lucy’s mind. She’d let him go.

“You can still go,” Natsu said, turning down as he gazed at Lucy sitting beside him. “Gray’s our friend. I’d never hold it against you if you went to stop him from leaving.”

He was so kind and understanding, and Lucy’s heart seized in her chest at the words; more tears threatened to form in the corners of her eyes. Her face was swollen and red from her earlier session; she didn’t want to cry anymore. 

“No!” Happy exclaimed from Natsu’s lap, the blue exceed still holding Natsu’s clothes in his paws. “I can’t let you go,” he said, his voice rising several octaves in distress. “I can’t lose you again, Natsu. I miss you so much.”

“Aww, buddy” Natsu put a large, tanned hand on Happy’s head and smiled down at him. “I’ll be fine. You know that, right? I’m not going to be going anywhere bad.” Natsu’s words were no consolation to Happy, who continued to wipe his tears and snot over his vest and coat. 

Lucy watched the pair guiltily. There was a very brief moment when she had considered leaving the wellspring to search for Gray. But Happy’s pleading and sheer desperation made her stop. She couldn’t break Happy’s heart again; he was already suffering even more than she was.

Lucy looked back to Natsu, smiling sadly as the sunlight broke through the leafy canopy. Shining rays of sunlight through Natsu’s hair and the slight transparency of his body. It was a time Lucy knew she should treasure, but she only felt pain and more sadness. Her time was running out.

Natsu looked back up at Lucy; his eyes shone with ethereal power. He smiled at her, the grin so uniquely his, his fangs gleaming. One of Lucy’s favourite things about the dragonslayer was the infectious smile that would affect everyone around him. Her expression softened, and she returned the smile, albeit hers was smaller and didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“I thought you’d be banging against that wall, screaming at Gray to come back,” she said, her voice weak and catching in her throat. “Demanding that he come back and fight you like a man like you used to do.”

Natsu’s grin faltered only a fraction, but his eyes opened and slid back to the trees as if he were expecting Gray’s magical reappearance. “I wanted to,” he said, shrugging and rubbing his fingers through Happy’s fur. “Tell him that he was a bastard, and he should come back and prove that he could beat me. You know I was always the stronger one. But I dunno-...”

Natsu shrugged, much unlike him, and it sent another glimmer of worry through Lucy, who realised the subtle change in her best friend. “It feels like the fire is out in my belly,” he said. He lifted a hand and held it in front of him and Lucy. He wiggled his fingers, but nothing happened. There were no flames that leapt to the palm of his hand.

“I don’t want to,” he admitted, gazing back at Lucy as he lowered his hand back to the grass, “My head feels like it’s slowed down as well. I can think of things that I’d never, you know-...” Natsu’s smile lowered further, “And I can see how much you guys are hurting, and I don’t like it. Because there’s nothing I can do to fix it.”

Lucy lowered her head and rested it against Natsu’s padded shoulder. “We’ll be fine,” she said, mimicking his words. “You being here is helping, for now at least.” None dared to speak of what would happen in a few days. Instead, the three of them sat together in silence. Watching the water lap at their feet as the magic swirled inside the wellspring.

Natsu didn’t like the silence or the sadness that clouded his best friends. Happy curled up in his lap, the exceed held him so tightly, scared that if he let go, Natsu would vanish. And Lucy had her head on his shoulder, her hair lucent in the sun’s rays that shone on them. 

He loved Happy and Lucy deeper than anything Natsu had ever experienced before. Sure he loved his family, the guild and everyone in Fairy Tail. But when it came to the two people in front of him, it was more profound than anything he’d felt since losing Igneel. They were his family and his alone.

Off-put by the sadness exuded by the pair, Natsu looked back and forth between his loved ones and back to anything in the meadow. Then his devious smile crept back on his face, pleased with what he was about to do.

“Wait! What are you doing?” Lucy said, lifting her head and squawking with surprise as Natsu leapt to his feet and swept her off her feet. “Natsu, what? Stop. Natsu!” Lucy’s voice grew louder and more frantic as Natsu splashed into the water, intending to pull her in.

Happy floated above them, giggling as Natsu threw himself backwards, and he and Lucy disappeared into the vast blue depths of the water. A stream of bubbles popped at the surface before Lucy emerged with a loud gasp, her hair in her eyes and her clothes soaked and sodden.

“You jerk!” she shouted, smacking Natsu’s shoulder as he popped beside her. “What were you thinking? Throwing me in here like that?” She splashed him again as Natsu’s broad grin reappeared on his face, not caring that Lucy was splashing him in her throes of anger. 

He surged forward, splashing the water around Lucy and despite both being in soaking wet clothes, he wrapped his arms around her and held Lucy close. Their faces were so close that their noses were almost touching, and Lucy’s cheeks went pink. 

“Er?” she stammered, growing redder by the moment, “Natsu, what are-...” 

Lucy stopped as Natsu went in for a kiss; their lips connected and silenced her. She relaxed against him and returned it earnestly; her hands rested on his shoulders as his hands tightened around her.

Happy hovered above them, and paws clamped over his mouth as his friends shared the tender moment. “She loves him,” Happy sang his words, chuckling and laughing.

Lucy and Natsu pulled their faces apart, and she smiled at him, her cheeks still pink, and he grinned at her. “Yes,” she said, laughing as she flung her arms around Natsu’s neck. “I do.”

Natsu laughed again as Happy flew around with a long ooohhh coming from behind his paws. They rested their foreheads together, and Natsu kissed her again. “I like doing that,” he said, giddy with the flood of emotion overwhelming them both. They tread the water locked in each other’s embrace, and Lucy laughed, agreeing with Natsu’s statement. 

The water around them glowed more intently, ripples of blue washing across the wellspring as the sunlight radiated around them. Lucy interlocked her hands around Natsu’s neck and breathed in deeply, relishing the closeness. She truly did love him more than anything in the world.

“Don’t you two go desecrating my spring!” Erytheia scolded them, coming back from the trees and hovering beside Happy. Glitter came down from her dress and glared at Lucy and Natsu floating in the water. “Young people, always enthralled with each other,” she scoffed.

Lucy kissed Natsu again and admired his tanned face, her eyes traced the nasty scar down his right cheek. She adjusted herself against him, keeping her head above the water. Her clothes were heavy and dragged her down. “My clothes are wet,” she said, laughing against Natsu’s forehead. “They’re getting heavy. I need to get back to the grass.” She unwound her hands, and Natsu waded back to the water’s edge. 

Lucy scrambled up the ledge, the water streamed down her sodden clothes, and her hair hung limply down her face and shoulders. She laughed as Natsu staggered out after her, and together they laughed at their soaked appearance. The sadness that loomed around them minutes before was gone, left by warm feelings of love and happiness. Even Erytheia cracked a rare smile as Lucy twisted her shirt, trying to wring out the water. 

Natsu shook his head rapidly, shaking his hair and spraying droplets over Lucy as she protested with a laugh. He stumbled against her, unwound his scarf and wrung it out as Happy landed on his shoulder. 

“I need to change my clothes,” Lucy said, her voice breathless from laughing. “I’m soaked.” Lucy escaped to the edge of the water and strode up the slope. Walking past the small thicket and to where she was keeping her belongings. 

As she knelt to her bag, another glimmer of sunlight caught the corner of Lucy’s eye. A trail past the thick brush of brightly coloured bushes lit up in the sudden onset of the sun into the wellspring. Lucy hadn’t noticed it before, and she stood straight, not caring that water drenched her clothes and her hair clumped over her shoulder. Magic surrounded the area, and it was a feeling that Lucy was familiar with. But, now that she noticed, it piqued her interest. 

The power was similar to the celestial magic that Lucy used. She’d been so carried away with the issues with Gray and Natsu that she hadn’t spent any time inspecting just what was around her, and there was no barrier blocking the path upwards, so there was no danger of Natsu disappearing.

“You ok?” Natsu stopped beside Lucy as she gazed up at the path, “What did you find?” he gazed up the same trail Lucy turned towards, and then Erytheia shimmered in front of them. 

“It’s only natural that a mage like Lucy can sense the magic in a place such as this,” she said, “Rostary is bathed in the essence of the Celestial World. Many aspects of it touch the very earth we stand on.” Erytheia shimmered again, losing her shape for the barest moment. She hovered forward and landed on Lucy’s shoulder, sighing with weariness. “I am not going to stop you,” she said to Lucy, “If it calls to you, you must go.”

Unsure of what the fairy told her, Lucy and Natsu stepped forward. Their footsteps were leaving prints of gold as they traversed the trail. They were leading up a slope almost vertical and high above the wellspring. 

“I wonder what’s up here,” Natsu said, searching the area as the wind swept around the canopy, drying their hair and chilling them both. “It’s not dangerous, is it?” his green eyes connected with Erytheia, but she waved her hand, admonishing him.

“Of course not,” she said, “Rostary is a magical place, full of converted magic that many desire for themselves. Selfish mages such as Petrie defile my water and my power. Such evilness and darkness taints the purity of Rostary, hence why the village is deserted. Pain and misery reside there.”

“Pain and misery?” Natsu asked with a cocked brow, “The place was empty. It looked like it had been for years. What happened?” 

Erytheia sighed, the memory expressing pain to her small, alabaster face. “That is what happens when you let the darkness in your heart. Once, a small gathering was there, a group of mages sworn to protect Rostary and its secrets. But the leader let mistrust and deceit cloud his heart- you know what comes after that.”

“He killed them all,” Natsu guessed, looking back to Lucy as she faltered on the path. The revelation surprised her after the village had been quaint and beautiful when she passed through it. To think such a horrible carnage resided there was a chilling revelation.

“Is that why you didn’t like Gray?” Happy asked Erytheia, cocking his head at the fairy as she rode along on Lucy’s shoulder. It was an obvious question and not one Erytheia had to answer for everyone to get the gist. 

Gray’s devil-slaying magic was a darkness and a burden he’d taken on himself to fight against END. It was his burden to shoulder, and although everyone wanted to help, it was something Gray was adamant about doing alone, a vow he’d made to his father. 

“I am left to guard the wellspring on my own,” Erytheia said, revealing more about the place. Then, the topic of Gray dropped. “I uphold my vow to protect it against the darkness and find those pure hearts and souls.” Erytheia was troubled at her own words, “It is hard now,” she admitted, “The village is empty, lacking guardians true of heart. Because of that, Rostary is lost to the ages. Nobody knows of the stories so rich and unique to this place. It saddens me deeply.”

“That’s so sad,” Lucy murmured, climbing the vine-entwined stairs above the canopy above the wellspring, “To be alone for all this time. It must have been hard for you, Erytheia.”

“It is lonely,” Erytheia said, “But I will still protect Rostary with all my being until this place, or I no longer exist. I will stay. Our land, our kingdom of Fiore, needs us.” The fairy folded her arms across her chest, and the sun shone across her face as Lucy and Natsu stepped up the last stair, gasping at what they saw.

An apple tree was above the wellspring, surrounded by glitter. Vine entwined pines. Its trunk was broad and shining with light. Its branches stretched out with enormous green leaves, and nestled amongst it were golden apples.

“Oh my-...” Lucy’s eyes opened wide, and her hands went to her mouth as the light exuded by the tree fell on them, giving tremendous waves of warmth that immediately dried their hair and clothes. 

“Apples?” Natsu questioned, “Why are you here protecting apples?”

“It’s just not apples, silly dragon,” Erytheia said, “Protecting balance and protecting the link between our worlds.” The fairy pointed up, and the sky darkened above them, the trees rustled in response to the power. The sunlight dimmed, the golden light turning to soft waves of silver and a glittering night sky formed above them all. Stars and constellations lit up the coppice, and a large river flowed directly from the heavens, spilling between Lucy and Natsu and right into the wellspring below them. 

The magic surrounded them, and Lucy’s hair flowed around her head like a halo as she fought to keep her skirt from flying upwards. She looked up at the river in the sky, glittering with masses of stars and emotion clogged her chest. 

“This is the Eridanus,” Erytheia said, “The River of Stars connects the Celestial realm to our own. So many spirits live amongst the waters and give Rostary the strength to protect the balance. It powers my wellspring and protects the apple tree from the festering darkness. But, if one apple is to get taken, a terrible calamity will befall Fiore, plunging us into wars filled with hatred.”

“Huh?” Natsu folded his arms and gave Erytheia a dead-panned expression. “I don’t get it.”

“Of course you don’t,” Lucy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Erytheia’s talking of old stories and magic. I don’t think you’ve ever willingly read a book in your entire life, Natsu.”

“Aye, sir!” Happy cried, taking the answer for himself. 

Lucy lowered her hand and looked back to Erytheia, the fairy lifting herself from Lucy’s shoulder and floating forward. She hovered before the tree and lifted a tiny hand, brushing against the smooth trunk. 

“I have tended this garden for as long as I can remember,” she said, her voice becoming breathless with each word. “Protecting these apples and the wellspring with my life, as instructed.” 

“I understand what you are now,” Lucy said, her eyes wide with the realisation. “This form, the fairy, it’s a cover you’ve taken on. Are you-...” she hesitated with the words, looking back and forth between Natsu and Erytheia. 

“My name is Erytheia,” the fairy said, much to Natsu and Happy’s evident confusion. “And I am the only Hespi-...” before she could finish her words, the fairy collapsed, and the light from her body went out. 

“No!” Lucy cried. She rushed forward and knelt, picking up the tiny body in her hands. “No, no,” she said again, “You’ll be ok. Come on, stay awake.” The magic and the colour were draining from Erytheia’s body, and below, the wellspring became noticeably darker.

“Uh, Lucy?” Happy said, floating above them, “I think we have a problem.”

Lucy cradled Erytheia’s body close to her chest to get to her feet. She and Natsu strode to the edge, looking down, and Lucy dreaded what she would see.

The colour drained from her face as the crystal clear water below stained black. A pool of viscous fluid grew and overwhelmed the wellspring. The grass, the flowers and the trees began to lose their power, and Lucy stepped back in horror as someone emerged from the water.

“Oh no,” she whispered, reaching out and grabbing Natsu with one hand. “This is bad,” she said, trembling with fright. 

“Who’s that?” Natsu asked, watching as the figure dripping with black fluid emerged from the wellspring. So far, he hadn’t seen the trio above, but the grove continued to die, and Lucy clenched her fingers in Natsu’s arm. 

“That’s Petrie,” she said, “Gray and I fought him. Natsu, he’s going to destroy the wellspring. We need to stop him.” The sheer desperation came off Lucy in waves. Natsu looked at her and then at the small man, Petrie, below.

“Well?” he questioned, looking back at Lucy and smacking a fist into his other hand, “What are we waiting for? I’ll turn this guy into a pile of ashes.”

“Aye,” Happy said, holding up a paw, and Lucy only nodded, feeling sick to her gut.

Chapter Text

Lucy came to a quick conclusion when her eyes rested on Petrie as he emerged from the edge. She clutched Erytheia’s tiny body in her fear and swallowed back her fear as she dared to peek over the edge again. 

Petrie pulled himself away from the water, his green hair wet and sodden over his pasty white face. He raised his arms, and glittering green magic flecked around him as clothes manifested to his body. His magically manifested shoes squelched as he moved forward and, in his wake, left blackened footprints in the grass. 

Rostary Grove was cold, and an ominous wind broke through the trees, it sounded close to a long, drawn-out moan, and it sent a thrill of fear right through Lucy, who reached out and clutched at Natsu with her free hand. In response, Natsu’s calloused hand clamped around hers, and he turned his head to look over his shoulder at her. His lips parted over his teeth, and he smiled at her with reassurance. 

He jostled her hand in a comforting manner, then looked back down. His smile dropped, and a frown knitted his forehead as he assessed the danger and how close the exit line of trees was to them. With one hand clamped around Lucy’s, Natsu lifted his other and held it up. He tried to gather his magical power, and they both expected to see flames burst forth from his palms. But nothing happened, much to their dismay. Natsu wiggled his fingers with no energy or warmth, then looked back at Lucy. They shared a look of concern.

Happy hovered above them and at Natsu’s lack of magical power. He lowered himself between the pair. His soft, feathery wings brushed against them, his eyes wide with concern, and his paws clutched at his chest as he fought another incoming feeling of fright.

“What do we do?” Happy asked, his voice timid.

Lucy looked up to Happy, unable to give him the answer they all wanted to hear. She opened her mouth, then hesitated. She looked back at Natsu and worried about his vulnerability without his magic. He couldn’t protect her or himself like in the old days. Lucy concluded that defending him, Happy and Rostary Grove fell to her. 

“I’ll protect Rostary,” she said as she squeezed Natsu’s hand, somewhat spooked by the amount of courage in her words. After all, she hadn’t trained for all these months to sit back on the sidelines now; she wanted to prove herself and show that she was no longer the meek Celestial Mage. 

She looked back to Natsu with a flaming smile. 

“And I’ll protect you,” she declared.

Natsu’s eyes gleamed in the sunlight at Lucy’s earnestness. But when she gazed at him, Lucy’s heart leapt into her chest when overcome by the visage that was not Natsu. Instead, END flashed before her; his shadowed and scaled face, his slitted eyes and the curling horns from his hair. Off guard, Lucy gasped, and she yanked her hand from Natsu’s and staggered back, on the edge of hyperventilating.

Baffled by her extreme and sudden action, Natsu stepped away and looked down at his hand, expecting something to have happened to it. It was his regular hand, perfectly normal, and he held it up and turned its palm upwards. His gaze went back to Lucy, whose eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry”, she whispered. She covered her mouth as she cracked with emotion. 

A dark, ominous feeling coiled deep inside her stomach, and Lucy struggled to banish the dark images of the demon who had haunted her dreams for the past six months. She had other things to worry about, and END was not one of them. Lucy lowered her hand and wiped it on her shorts. Then, after several long moments, she swallowed her fear and extended it back towards Natsu. He was hesitant to take it at first, but when he did, Lucy squeezed the hand that held hers tight. 

Adjusting Erytheia again, she dared peek over the high ledge and see if there was a way to escape the high cliff. Her heart stuttered in her chest as the scene before her worsened. Trees and plants wilted under the vile, black magic in Petrie’s wake. The grass withered, and small tufts of dry leaves poked upwards like straw. Everything in the once vibrant green grove was brown—withered and dead. Even the tree branches drooped like the heads of wilting flowers. Lucy felt sick and turned her face away. She didn’t want to look anymore. 

“You know what will happen if we don’t stop him, right?” Natsu said in a quiet voice. His tone was solemn.

Lucy’s hand clenched his tighter in response. The rush of blood to her head made her dizzy; her heart thudded in her chest at the confronting statement. Petrie was a dark and dangerous wizard, a monster. Without intervention, the grove would die, and its magical power and abilities right alongside it. Lucy knew her time with Natsu was already short as it was. She’d lose him only that much faster if they let this continue. 

Natsu’s expression told her he understood what she was trying to say. His face was stoic, and his eyebrows had knotted into a stern scowl. Natsu nodded, and Lucy inhaled a deep, shuddering breath. 

“It will only end one way,” she murmured. 

Natsu glanced downward to look at their clasped hands, and then his gaze went straight ahead towards Petrie. The tiny wizard approached the base of the hillside. He moved towards the edge, and the ground sank and withered beneath his feet with every step he made. The sky grew dark and heavy above their heads as darkness surrounded the world.

Natsu could feel Lucy shaking as the air grew frigid and the breeze harsh. He looked around, and his cheek brushed Happy’s blue fur as the Exceed huddled and crouched on his shoulder.

“Erytheia!” Petrie called out, his voice husky and ominous. “I know you’re here, sweetheart.” He paused and waited. Finally, silence descended upon the grove; only the sound of wind blew past their ears. “Where are you, my dear?” Petrie taunted, “I bet you’re hiding from me.” He walked forward at a leisurely pace.

“Come out; I don’t know how long I can keep this up”, Petrie called out as he continued to approach. His head bobbed in anticipation for Erytheia to reveal herself.

Natsu looked around. Their options were limited, and they had no choice but to fight. With Erytheia gone, they were in an insurmountable amount of danger. He pulled Lucy along the narrow cliff and away from Petrie and the large tree that bore the golden apples. They climbed down the opposite side, and Lucy kept her arm around the unconscious fairy.

They slipped down the rock wall in relative silence, with only the sounds of falling dirt and pebbles. The grove was eerily silent, and the pair slid down, their footsteps landing in the lush green grass that muffled their fall. They stood by the bushes, and their breath caught in their throats. Petrie reached the centre of the grove opposite them on the lake. He turned his gaze over his shoulder. His dark green eyes met theirs with a sneer etched across his pale face.

“I know you are there,” he growled. A sinister smile formed on his lips.

The duo froze, and Natsu inadvertently found that his muscles tensed in preparation for what was to come after their reveal. Lucy held his hand and looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes.

Petrie turned around and began to walk towards them. His head tilted upwards, and his hands clasped together in front of him. His smile turned evil, and he licked his lips in anticipation of Lucy.

“Where’s your dark-haired friend?” he asked, taunting them. “Did he get swallowed up by our dear Erytheia’s spell as well? Too evil for her tastes? Don’t worry. I’ve gotten that treatment for years.” Petrie chuckled and gazed at Lucy with agrin. “He is certainly something,” he added.

Lucy tensed up and felt uneasy at the words. She felt Petrie threaten Natsu; sweat beaded on her forehead. Natsu’s face darkened in response. He glared at Petrie with murderous intent, and the dark wizard turned his attention to him.

“You’ve lost your powers,” Petrie sneered. He stared at him with narrowed, slitted pupils. His lips curled into a smirk. “You aren’t going to put up much of a fight without magic,” he cackled. He tilted his head to the side.

Natsu bristled at the insult and glared at Petrie as his teeth bared in a snarl. His anger boiled deep inside. The filthy sorcerer mocked him, and his presence devastated Lucy, whose entire demeanour had changed. Natsu wanted to take revenge and kill the threat before him.

The desire welled inside Natsu. He wanted to strike Petrie where it hurt and to make him bleed. He tried to wipe away his smug expression and see his malicious smirk vanish from the wizard’s twisted face. Instead, the bloodlust rose from an unknown part of him, and Natsu fought to get the foreign feeling under control. He couldn’t allow his rage to ruin all he fought for. 

But a deep, foreboding feeling in his gut was a warning not to get angry. Or something terrible would happen. He knew it. He breathed to ease the boiling rage in his chest. He didn’t need to go all out on Petrie just yet. Not until he knew what he wanted to do.

“Don’t try to fight me,” Petrie laughed. He licked his lips again. His gaze flickered between the couple, and his smile broadened. His eyes glittered with greed, cruelty, malice, and bloodlust. “Because once I’m done with you….”

He trailed off, but his intentions were obvious. Petrie would use his powers on them to get rid of them and claim Rostary for his own. “… You’ll be nothing but bones.”

Petrie finished his sentence with another wicked grin. He stepped closer towards Natsu; his eyes gleamed red. “And I won’t hold back.”

You won’t be able to touch him, you bastard.” Lucy interjected, spitting at him in disgust.

She shook with anger. Her breathing hitched, and tears gathered in her eyes. She hated that she felt so helpless. Natsu depended on her to protect him. She couldn’t go and screw it up now. Lucy yanked her hand from Natsu’s and, in a bold move, dashed towards the edge of the crystal lake. Her keys jingled as she tugged them from her belt, and with practised ease, she thrust the tip of a Golden Key into the water.

“Aquarius!” she cried, “Please help us.”

The water rippled around Lucy’s hands. The waves crashed against the shore. She felt power swell within her; energy surged into her veins through her fingers. The lake erupted with power. A brilliant light shot out from the centre and slammed on the ground.

The water exploded in a geyser that sent shockwaves throughout the grove. A giant wave engulfed the treetops and crashed back onto the shoreline. Water swirled above them, and Aquarius appeared in a shower of golden light; the rainbows reflected across her body. Her tail glowed a blinding gold.

Aquarius turned, and her gaze landed on the drenched Lucy as she staggered up on the side of the lake. Her sharp blue eyes took in the scene, the unfamiliar, glittering cove. A haggard Lucy with a tiny fairy in her arms and Natsu stood behind her.

It took Aquarius several seconds to remember that Natsu was supposed to be dead. And if this was real, how had he got there? The man was a ghost, like a mirage. It seemed like he could pass through things and disappear at any second. Aquarius looked at Natsu again, and he glared at her in response. Then Lucy broke the zodiac spirit out of her stupor as the mage lifted her hand and pointed to someone standing behind them.

“We have to stop him,” she pleaded.

“You have explaining to do,” Aquarius shouted as she hoisted her urn up out of the crook of her arm.

“I’ll tell you everything after we’ve put an end to this,” Lucy called out as she stepped back towards Natsu. Aquarius turned around, and her fierce eyes met with Petrie. The much smaller mage rubbed his hands together at seeing another beautiful spirit.

He grinned with wickedness. “It looks like you’re going to need your powers now,” he laughed as he lifted his hands. Black tendrils proliferated around his hands, and the atmosphere noticeably depressed.

Aquarius’ eyes flashed with anger, and with one swipe of her arm, a beam of glowing water erupted from the mouth of her urn and hurtled towards Petrie. The tendrils of black smoke that surrounded the man dissipated as the water collided with him, and the unexpected power sent Petrie flying back into the tree trunk. The bark ripped away as the black mist continued to expand in the air, and to their collective horror, Petrie pulled himself out on a cloud of dark magic.

They all watched in wide-eyed alarm as Petrie turned around. His face contorted into an ugly scowl, his lips stretched over his teeth in a grotesque grimace. It looked like someone had taken a large piece of rotten meat and twisted it into a mockery of a smile.

“My turn,” he said.

He raised his hands in the air, and with a powerful blast of dark energy, his fists shot forward at Aquarius. His magic hit her square in the chest. She dropped her urn and collapsed into the lake with a splash. She broke the surface a second later and gasped several times before she heaved herself back out of the water. Her urn glowed once again as she picked it up.

“I’ll drown you,” she roared.

Petrie looked hellishly amused with Aquarius’ anger. He floated over to the edge and peered at her as if she were nothing more than an amusing insect crawling across the lake’s surface. “I’ll like to see you try,” he challenged with a sneer.

With a powerful wave of energy, he lifted his hands again and blasted the water, and Aquarius crashed down again. She came up spitting and sputtering. Aquarius rose from the water and floated up. Water dripped off her scales, dripping down her chin. On the other side of the lake, Lucy turned back to Natsu and thrust Erytheia against his chest and into his arms.

“I have to help her,” Lucy declared. 

Her hands trembled as they exchanged the fairy. Lucy’s hand trembled with what she was about to do, and she fought with her better self to keep calm. But unfortunately, her lapse didn’t go unnoticed. Natsu stepped back and looked down at her with concern.

“I know, but-” he began, but Lucy cut him off and didn’t let him speak.

“You stay here,” Lucy said, “Stay out of danger and keep her safe.”

Her eyes flickered down to the fairy nestled in his arms. Natsu opened his mouth to protest, but Lucy put a hand over his mouth and stared at him until he closed his mouth and nodded. With that, Lucy jumped from the shore and splashed into the lake. She surfaced, gasping for breath. Her heart hammered in her chest, and the water around her rippled in waves and swirled into white foam. She could feel its power even though the current wasn’t as strong.

Petrie floated above the water’s edge as if he were waiting for her reappearance. He wore the same expression when hurling his spells only moments before. Cold, cruel. 

“What are you doing? Fool!” 

Aquarius yelled at Lucy. The water swelled beneath them as the spirits’ anger rose. Her face was enraged at Lucy’s stupid decision to get into the water and right into harm’s way. But the Celestial mage had other ideas, and she held her keys over her head.

“Star Dress: Aquarius!” she shouted.

Golden light encapsulated her body. She transformed into her celestial star dress. Then, with a determined shout, Lucy floated above the water and stood on the water’s surface as Aquarius’ turbulent water magic swirled inside her. The water of the lake was so cold it numbed her bones. But she pushed herself up and settled her gaze on the dark sorcerer in front of her. Then she held a hand and sent a torrent of water towards him, fuelled by her frustration, anger and sadness.

The water swirled around Petrie, swirling and lashing his legs and torso in a fury. He growled at the water and tried to fight through it, to break free from whatever force bound him. His eyes rose, and he gazed at Lucy, who stood in the middle of the lake with a triumphant look. She didn’t have to say anything as she and Aquarius powered the magic to the point where they could wipe Petrie from the grove. 

However, she faltered when he began to laugh at her instead. It wasn’t just one chuckle but a cacophony. He laughed and laughed until he had no breath left, and still, he laughed, confusing the two women in front of him with his bizarre actions. 

Lucy turned to the side and saw Aquarius with questioning looks. She then looked back to see Petrie’s laughter die off before stopping. “It’s not over yet”, he said, “You little girls have barely put a dent in my plans.” 

He stood there and stared at them like an animal observing its prey. A feeling of doom fell on Lucy as the grove darkened. The sun vanished behind a thick cloud of black fog, and the air grew humid and heavy. 

Petrie stood still; the water had ceased its assault upon him. His eyes were closed, his head tilted towards the sky, and he smiled. His body was relaxed and unguarded.

There wasn’t a hint of fear or panic in his expression as the ground shook and the earth began to shift beneath him. Petrie suddenly opened his mouth and spoke. 

“Here it comes.”

There was another roar from the trees, and Lucy spun around on the water in response. Her eyes were wide when she saw Gray stumble back into Rostary, shirtless and looking like he’d just run a marathon. 

Blood dripped from his nose and ran down his face and chest, soaking into his pants. Besides that injury, he seemed uninjured, but he was shaken by something he had seen. 

“Gray!” Lucy cried, “What happened to you?”

He stared at her blankly before comprehending what Lucy had cried to him. His eyes narrowed and focused on the trees. To Lucy’s horror, a writhing black mass melted through the trees. 

It stank like rotting carcasses, and its drooping face bared its dripping mouth at Gray. Spears and projectiles made of ice stuck all over its body, and it moved toward him. He stepped backwards without breaking eye contact with the demon. Lucy couldn’t take her eyes away from the monster coming at her friend and was terrified for his life. 

Their fight wasn’t over, and Lucy turned back to see Petrie lift a hand above his head and summon another wave of dark energy. Something about his stance, posture, and the tone of his voice sent shivers down her spine.

“Now,” he cackled, “You’ll all die.”

Chapter Text

They had to do something and fast; with two threats against Rostary Grove, Lucy and Gray had their work cut out for them. As Gray continued to pummel the unusual and terrifying mucous creature, Lucy focused on Petrie. 

However, Petrie proved to be wily and slippery as a snake, and she had difficulty trying to pin him down with an attack. Using his shadow-make magic, the small green-haired man eluded both Lucy and Aquarius with peals of gleeful laughs. Their desperation delighted him, and there was no doubt in Lucy’s mind that he intended to snatch the Groves’ mystical power for himself. 

Lucy lost sight of the dark wizard, momentarily distracted by Gray and worrying for his safety. She grunted as Petrie extended a large shadowy tendril from the trees; a giant bulbous fist at the end of the tendril hit Lucy in the chest; she fell backwards, and the sheer impact knocked the breath from her body. Air rushed painfully past her inevitable bruised ribs, but she forced herself up onto one knee and managed to roll to the side successfully and avoided Petrie’s second attack.

“Lucy!” Natsu bellowed from behind her, his voice wild with worry. “Don’t worry. I’m coming.”

His voice broke Lucy from her dizzying stupor, and she got to her feet, thrust her arm out behind her, and halted Natsu with a sharp exclamation that froze him to his bones. 

“No!” she shouted, “Stop, Natsu. There’s nothing you can do to help me.”

Natsu’s eyes widened in shock and surprise at her words. His hands clenched at his sides, and agony tore through him. Never in his life had Natsu been rendered so useless without his magic. He was helpless and had to resort to his friends to protect him against a powerful adversary. He hated it. 

The dark feeling returned in a blaze of black as anger consumed Natsu. It wasn’t anger directed at Lucy but at himself. If either Lucy or Gray got hurt because of him, he wouldn’t ever forgive himself; it’d kill him. The pain in his heart was a painful reminder of Lucy’s suffering, and he briefly wondered if this was the same pain she harboured when he perished. It only made his intense emotions worse. 

Natsu wasn’t always the most intelligent, but he understood how much heartache both his friends experienced with his death. Black dots began to appear in the corner of his vision, and he fell to his knees, unbeknownst to his friend still fighting. His hands clenched the sides of his head, and his fingers curled in his hair.

“Lucy!” Aquarius shouted from the centre of the wellspring, “Duck.”

Lucy obeyed right away and dropped to her stomach as a whirling blast of water hurtled towards Petrie. He tried to slip away again in a cloud of black shadows, but Aquarius yanked her urn upwards and changed the direction of the water. It hit Petrie in the chest and splashed over his body. He gargled in pain as the water boiled his skin. Large blisters welted over his face as his flesh sizzled. 

Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise. Her magical water never burned those she hit in all her years with Aquarius. Astonished by the change, Lucy glanced down where Aquarius hovered and witnessed the glowing vortex of water beneath her. The power surged through Rostary Grove, and it turned electric in Lucy’s veins like the roar of a rushing river. 

Petrie tainted the waiter with his arrival and subsequent death, but when Aquarius used the water, it passed through her magical urn and purified it. The water regained its magical properties, and that was Petrie’s weakness. Lucy found her key to his defeat.

“Stop tainting my waters!” Aquarius roared with irritation, “You’re desecrating my home.”

It made sense; the Eridanus was the magical river that spiralled through the Celestial Realm. Many water-bound spirits lived amongst its gentle waves, Aquarius included. It was her home’s water, and she controlled it much easier than Earthland water. 

Petrie whimpered, fled for the trees, and disappeared into the shadows again.

“Now you’re pissing me off,” Aquarius shouted, “Get back here, you annoying little runt of a man.” Her voice echoed throughout the trees, “I’ll find your sorry ass.”

Across the grove, Gray’s strangled cry grabbed Lucy’s attention. He flipped over and landed on his back. He groaned and rolled over as the bulbous glob opened its mouth and growled at Gray. Its putrid breath descended over him and turned his face green. 

Gray staggered to his feet and gripped the elbow of his left arm. Long lines of blood dripped from the scrape the length of his forearm and ran down his fingers in wet, dense trails. His exhaustion shone in his eyes, and patches of black crept across his chest and soon obscured his Fairy Tail guild mark and marred the scars on his face. His demon-slaying magic burned through him. Gray clenched his fists and spat a glob of blood onto the grass. No matter what he did, he couldn’t slow down the relentless creature, immune to his magic.

“Gray, look out!”

At Lucy’s piercing warning, Gray narrowly dodged Petrie as the wizard emerged from the trees. He held a large shadow sword in his hands, and Gray barely managed to avoid his attack but tumbled into the water instead. 

Lucy didn’t hesitate as she held her arms before her and dived into the water after Gray. Blood tainted the once crystal waters, and several moments passed before their heads broke the surface and gasped for breath. 

They watched with mortification as Petrie manifested before the large black lump. The creature stopped its onslaught through Rostary and stared at Petrie with an unseeing gaze. The wizard held out his arms, and his fingers barely brushed the oozing muck. Dark energy jumped between the two, and the glob made a strained sound before it opened its mouth and brought itself down on Petrie.

Lucy gagged as she tread the water, and Gray stared in shock at where Petrie stood. “It just ate him!” He stated the obvious. 

“He’s merged with it,” Lucy muttered and helped Gray to the water’s edge. “Gray, he’s going to corrupt the entire grove. We must stop him before he ruins everything. We can’t let him win.”

“He won’t,” Gray said and hoisted himself out of the water. “We can do this, Lucy. Just the two of us.”

Lucy faltered as he held out his hand. “Y-Yeah,” she muttered, “The two of us.” 

“I’m here too, you dolts!” Aquarius scolded them.

Gray helped Lucy out, and they stepped back as the ooze creature turned its attention to them. The black much bubbled and popped, but its eyes glowed green. Petrie controlled it from within, his laugh cackling from inside.

The sky darkened overhead, thunder cracked through the air; lightning flashed through the clouds above, illuminating the grove. A loud boom followed, and a deafening roar shook the earth beneath their feet. A dark, sinister sensation crawled up Lucy’s back, a cold dread she recognised.

“Oh no,” she breathed and spun around.

“Natsu?” A battered Happy stood before Natsu, his paws reaching out and shaking him. “Natsu, what’s wrong?”

Natsu didn’t answer his best friend. His head hung low, and shadows cascaded down from his back. The smoke glistened with embers and magic far more potent than even Petrie assaulted them. So much so that even the dark wizards faltered, his eyes on Natsu. 

“Shit,” Gray swore, “Lucy, we’re going to need-...”

Lucy instinctively grabbed her Celestial Keys before Natsu hunched forward and roared. The sudden noise startled Happy, who leapt into the sky and fled right for Lucy, hiding behind her with tears in his eyes. “What’s happening to Natsu?” he cried. 

Smoke and flames erupted around Natsu. His roar turned primal and more bestial. Heat and fire poured off him like molten magma, and his features twisted and changed.

“Oh gods,” Lucy whispered in terror, “He’s back.”

Something dark and evil burst out of Natsu. It wasn’t the flames of a Dragon but the magic of the sinister being that sat at his core. His irises went red as the dark magic curbed to life inside him. When Erytheia breathed life into his weary soul, his other half rose alongside him. 

END.

The dark creature within screamed as the flames consumed him. Natsu clawed at the sides of his head as claws elongated from the tips of his fingers, scales burst under his skin, and the horns arched upwards from his skull. Large red wings erupted from his back, ripping his clothes, and he staggered to his feet.

“Natsu!” Lucy’s voice all but ripped from her throat. 

Aquarius realised the danger; she dropped her urn in a sparkle of golden sparks and lunged towards Lucy. She grabbed her around the waist in such a violent manner Lucy cried out in pain and dropped her keys as Aquarius threw her under the water, as fire erupted over their heads. It burned so hotly that Lucy felt her flesh burn even under the water.

“Gray!” Natsu’s voice boomed with a terrifying, guttural roar.

They surfaced, and Aquarius dragged Lucy back as END and Gray clashed in his full-demon slayer form. Happy coughed and sputtered on Lucy’s shoulder as Aquarius pulled them away from the clash of volatile magic. 

“We have to get out of here; it’s not safe,” Aquarius said, “Lucy, you need to leave. Take the cat with you. This place is as good as gone.”

Lucy shook from the adrenaline that coursed through her body, but that wasn’t what mattered. She crawled out onto the grass and turned back to face Aquarius. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as the adrenaline wore off, and a soft cry of dismay escaped as she staggered to her feet. She knew her only chance was gone, and she hadn’t said goodbye. 

Again. 

Her chest constricted at the realisation of her loss, and all her fears and worries came true again. It was only yesterday that she stood there with a new sense of comfort and joy. Now it just didn’t seem real. She didn’t know how much longer she could bear it or how much more of this she could take. 

Aquarius’ voice broke Lucy from her thoughts. The spirit was grim, and her hands clutched Lucy’s shoulder as they looked back towards the fighting, now exacerbated and dangerous with END’S arrival. 

“Did you hear me, Lucy?” Aquarius demanded.

Lucy stared at Gray, who struggled against the fire that surrounded him. She barely heard Aquarius’ angry voice. The flames roared around Gray like a raging inferno, but he held his ground despite his best efforts to dodge the fiery attacks. He gritted his teeth in determination to keep his distance from Natsu. He didn’t want to do this again.

The dark magic within Natsu had taken over, lost to the fury of END. His wings beat as he avoided Gray’s demon-slaying ice, and when Natsu lashed out with claws and fangs, Gray dodged them with ease and continued circling for an opening.

Lucy came back to her senses when Aquarius slapped her across the cheek. “We need to leave,” she demanded, “Between that,” her eyes went from the black Petrie blob, “And that.” She hesitated when her gaze fell on Natsu as he roared, and the flames burned hotter than hell. 

“No, I’m not leaving,” Lucy cried. Her eyes lingered on Natsu as his vicious, slit eyes zeroed in on the dark manifestation that polluted the grove. “It’s Natsu-... I don’t want to leave him again. Not without saying goodbye.” 

“Are you crazy?” Aquarius hissed, “Lucy, I hate to say it. But he’s dead. Whatever crazy magic brought him back will run out regardless of what we do. You had your second chance, and now you’re torturing yourself.” 

Lucy shook her head and closed her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath, “But I can’t live knowing that I haven’t...” She let the words trail off, then reopened her eyes. “If I can’t save Natsu, I can be at peace knowing that I fought to save Rostary Grove. This place, and its magic, needs to be protected.” 

Gray eyes remained locked on Natsu, who writhed and howled with fury. At his worst, he’d seen what his brother looked like, and it was more painful than he remembered. He shuddered at Natsu’s state. The black smoke burned him alive. Gray felt the malevolence crawling up his arms’ skin—choking the air. The emotional pain he felt was too much to bear and overwhelming to process. 

It tore at him and made his heart ache. Gray knew what Lucy meant. He understood how she felt about Natsu’s death. The pain of losing him again and losing the magical wonder that was Rostary was going to haunt him for the rest of his life if he didn’t try to step in now and save it.

“You take Petrie, and I’ll take him,” Gray shouted at Lucy as the roar of flames consumed their senses. “We are the only ones that can save Rostary, alright?”

Lucy and Gray shared a devastating look; Lucy nodded, sodden and wet, her bedraggled hair slung and swept across her face. Her eyes showed her deep sadness, but she nodded, agreeing with Gray’s statement. 

“You guys are crazy!” Aquarius shrieked as Lucy and Gray separated and ran in opposite directions to each other. 

Gray raced to the lake’s edge as the waves crashed into the shore and splattered across the border in angry pummels. He leapt from the edge, and floors of ice were a temporary relief as Gray activated his Demon-Slaying powers and made his deliberate way towards END. 

The demon looked up; flames licked the corners of his lips with a menacing growl. His red pupils narrowed into slits; he was almost reptilian with his glowing eyes and red scales that continued to grow and overtake his face. 

Gray’s heart stuttered in his chest; he paused as a vicious memory flashed behind his eyes as deja-vu swept through him. It was the exact image he’d seen when he last fought END, the day Natsu died. The same day, and just in a slightly different place. And just like then, he felt that same feeling of utter helplessness and desperation. 

END charged at Gray with the speed of an arrow and launched a fireball that Gray easily dodged. END was fast and deadly when he was enraged, and Gray could also feel that emotion boiling beneath his skin. He lashed out with a wave of ice which the demon swiftly deflected with scarlet fire. 

The energy clash rippled across the earth like wildfire and caused a shuddering boom that echoed throughout the woods. Both creatures stood still and watched as the shockwave faded into the distance. Their eyes followed the destruction they had wrought, and after a few minutes, they moved back into the middle of the forest and resumed battling. 

END’s flaming fists struck Gray while he tried to dodge and counterattack. Their movements flowed effortlessly together. Gray blocked one blow after another, but his strikes would never connect as the fiery blast would always evade him and land directly behind him instead. Each impact would jolt pain up his back and legs, and each strike left a small scorch mark. 

They fought with ferocity and strength, but neither side seemed to gain any ground. The battle raged between their forces. It was brutal, destructive, and deadly. Their opponents fought for dominance and victory, and neither side was willing to yield to the other. 

They were equally matched, and neither side appeared to be giving ground until one side managed to catch the other off guard. Both parties froze in place and stared intently at the opposing forces as their breaths quickened with anticipation. 

With a single motion, both enemies charged at the other once more.

END’s crimson fist smashed against Gray’s hardened ice, sending a shockwave of frigid frost into the air and shattering nearby tree branches. The impact sent shards flying and sent ice and debris flying in every direction. Both combatants were knocked back and fell to the cold ground beneath them.

As the two young men brawled, Lucy raced to where she’d dropped her keys. She fell to her knees and scrambled through the grass, only to shriek in pain as a sticky muck projectile hit her hand and immediately began to burn. Her fingers sizzled as it clung tightly onto her skin, and she desperately tried to claw it off as she jerked back against a panicking Happy.

“I just need to take you out,” Petrie’s voice cackled, “I’ll let those two morons take themselves out of the battle.”

“You’re not going to win this,” Lucy shouted.

Petrie’s green eyes moved around the large eye sockets. “I already have.”

Large projectiles formed over his head, and with lightning speed, they shot towards Aquarius and hit her multiple times. The first one shattered on contact and sprayed across her body like glass shrapnel, while others stuck fast and burned into her flesh. She screamed in agony, and Lucy shrieked for Aquarius as her gate abruptly shut, and the screaming stopped.

With a savage growl, magic surged through Lucy, and the water twisted and turned with the magical influence given to her by the Stardress’ power. A wave rushed toward Petrie, who was still standing there watching everything unfold before him with a smug grin plastered on his face. He was too slow, though; caught off guard when an enormous wall of water slammed down from above and crushed him under its weight.

“I’m not some little princess you think you can toy with!” Lucy shouted, her anguish evident in her voice. She felt herself losing control of her emotions, but she didn’t care anymore. She had lost Natsu; she couldn’t lose anyone else. END roared behind her, and Lucy rushed forward, intent on taking Petrie down.

For a moment, the briefest second, Lucy didn’t care that she could lose her life against the wizard. Saving Rostary was all that mattered.

Water rushed around Lucy in a furious vortex. With savagery that matched Natsu’s, she launched it at Petrie and prepared to throw herself at the grimy creature to rip it apart. The water whipped and swirled so dangerously that it cut Lucy’s cheek in multiple places, and her blood splattered across the ground as she fought the current of her creation. Her eyes were wide and wild. She wanted nothing more than revenge.

“Lucy, no!” Happy screamed from the grass, “I can’t lose you too!”

The two forces on either side of the wellspring collided violently with a deafening roar. Gray and Natsu fought with a flurry of ice and fire, and Lucy fought with the might of stars. Glowing gold, Lucy launched her entire being into her attack with the same reckless abandon Natsu used to do. It was all or nothing.

The snarling and the fighting between Gray and Natsu stopped. Happy screamed again in a soul-racking sob, and Lucy’s shriek pierced the heavens so loud that it ripped the sky open and began to rain.

***

“Lucy!”

Gray’s fixation on END ended and broke a fundamental rule of battle. He turned his back to the enemy as he dashed towards Lucy as she launched an all-out attack on Petrie. Golden light blinded them all, and Lucy’s scream diminished, and as the intense light burned away, they saw what had happened.

The muck monster Petrie merged with had half burned away and didn’t regenerate. In the centre of the writhing mass, a battered and burned Petrie sat inside the oozing waves from his stomach. His arms gripped Lucy, one around her throat and the other tangled in her hair. Slowly, she started to sink inside the sticky mess while Petrie laughed maniacally. Lucy’s face was red and swollen from where he had hit her, but she was still alive.

“Hang on, Lucy,” Happy shrieked, “We’ll get you out.”

“Come any closer, and the girl dies,” Petrie warned. Then, to prove his point, he tightened his arm, and Lucy choked in response and whimpered in agony.

“I’m sorry,” she cried.

Lucy’s effort wasn’t in vain; however, the muck monster didn’t regenerate, and most of its top half was vanquished by her attack. It’d been impervious to Gray’s ice magic but not immune to Lucy’s fiery light. It had a weakness. Gray needed to formulate a plan to save Lucy from Petrie’s grasp.

“You’re a pretty little Celestial Mage,” Petrie smirked. He rubbed his grimy nose over Lucy’s ear. “This body I’ve inhabited is old and quite outdated. I did intend to snatch Erytheia’s body, but I think you’ll do much better.” He chuckled darkly at this thought and squeezed harder on Lucy’s neck until she choked and gurgled. “I can use your body to access the Celestial Realm and its magic.”

Lucy struggled for air as tears streamed down her cheeks; it took everything she had left to breathe. Her vision blurred as she tried desperately to stay conscious as she watched the shadowy tendrils snake and coil up her arms and over her torso. She felt them moving through her veins, the pain was unbearable, but Lucy refused to give in. She writhed against him. Her tears rolled down her cheeks as Gray and Happy tried to find a way to get her out of Petrie’s grasp.

Behind them, the demonic Natsu’s stunned form stepped forward and immediately fell to his knees. Clawed hands went to his hair and tugged hard. Lucy’s cries affected him, and somewhere deep inside himself, Natsu fought back with vicious intent, determined to wrestle his body back from the demon side of himself. The battle between good and evil raged on inside his body.

Shadowy tendrils curled their way up Lucy’s chin and tried to pry open her mouth. She writhed and cried in pain, and one word fell from her lips.

“Natsu!”

Natsu’s eyes snapped open as Lucy called to him, his monstrous scaled hands lowered from his hair, and his wings thrust out behind him. He leapt forward with all his might, and his enormous hand connected with Petrie’s face. Flames burst around them, and the sudden force of the attack threw Petrie off balance, and he lost hold of Lucy. Natsu grabbed her and pulled her from the ooze. His flames burned and turned everything around him to a crisp, except Lucy.

She cracked open an eye and shivered with fear as Natsu’s scaled face turned down to her as he placed her on the grass. He retained his demonic features, but the eyes that stared back were Natsu’s. He touched his scaled forehead to Lucy’s.

“I’m never out of the fight, Luce,” he assured her. “Now it’s my turn.”

He stood up straight again and looked at Petrie, who was still trying to extricate himself from what was left of the muck monster. His tail swept back and forth in anticipation, his wings held out behind him, and the fire blazed around him in a fiery vortex. “Now there’s a fire in my belly.”

Natsu growled low in his throat before charging towards him, his claws extended for a killing blow. The two collided in mid-air; sparks flew everywhere as they grappled each other like a pair of wild beasts fighting over territory. Natsu’s scales protected him against most attacks, while Petrie used what was left of the muck to try and save his human body.

Fire burned the grass and the surrounding trees, and the ethereal magic of the wellspring vanished as the two fought furiously to gain control. The more Natsu used his monstrous flames, the more they burned away the ooze, and Petrie fought like a cornered animal, realising he couldn’t beat this new opponent without using some trickery or deceit, even that was too far gone.

“Lucy, we need to get away from the fire” Gray slid beside Lucy and offered his shoulder to help her stand up; she took hold gratefully and rose unsteadily onto her feet. “The idiot will destroy the entire forest if he keeps this up.”

“But it’s working,” Happy argued as he lifted Lucy’s other arm and helped steady her against Gray. “Petrie can’t use the mud as a shield. Thanks to Lucy’s attack, he doesn’t have enough to save himself against Natsu.” Happy told the truth, and sure enough, Petrie’s screams echoed through the grove.

“We have to get Erytheia,” Lucy rasped and grimaced as pain lanced through her throat. “I have to make sure she’s ok.”

As they moved away, Natsu continued his fiery attacks against Petrie. Thunder rumbled above them, and torrential rain fell heavily through the canopy. Rain poured over everyone and drenched everyone but didn’t put out any fires that burned through the grove. Everything Petrie tossed at Natsu burned to a crisp, and soon enough, nothing of the slime monster remained; a battered, little man covered in wounds stood in scraps of clothing and panted as Natsu’s glowing form loomed over him.

“You’re not getting away with this!” Natsu growled as he raised his hands and summoned another fireball between his palms. “You hurt my friends, and that is unforgivable. You will pay for what you’ve done!” 

He roared before throwing it forward towards Petrie, who couldn’t move anymore. It hit home right on target, engulfing everything around it, and only then did the fires start to go out as it thundered over Rostary Grove.

Chapter Text

The rain’s patter extinguished the ferocious fire’s remains, and Petrie’s remains smouldered in a small pile. Natsu staggered and fell back; as the last fire died inside his body, his demonic form melted away in small cinders. Tendrils of smoke curled from the grass, and acrid smoke permeated the once pleasant wellspring.

“No, no, no.”

Lucy left Gray and ran across the meadow, her boots squelched in the soggy mess, and she skidded to her knees beside Natsu. She grabbed him by both shoulders before he could fall over completely, and she held on tight until some semblance of strength finally returned. Her eyes widened as tiny wisps started to fleck from his cheek, the sheer power he’d used snatched away what little magic powered his astral self.

Panic seized Lucy’s heart as she sat him up, put her hand against his face and forced him to look at her. But he had a faraway look in them and barely focused on her. More specks peeled away and floated away in small cinders as the last of END dissipated.

“No, Natsu,” Lucy said, her voice hitched. “Please, not now. I can’t. Don’t leave me behind again.” She tapped her fingers against his cheek and tried to rouse Natsu from his daze. Her vision blurred, spilled over, and tears rolled down her cheeks. The pain was too much, and she fought the urge to wail her grief.

Several gentle taps later, Natsu groaned and blinked several times. The glimmer faded and focused on Lucy’s distraught face in front of him, her cheeks smeared with mud, blood and tears. “Lucy?” he asked, blinking again. His voice was slurred and heavy, as if he had just woken from a deep sleep.

“I’m here,” Lucy said as she fought back the emotion. Her voice was breathless as she fought the tears. “So’s Happy and Gray, we’re all here. Please, don’t go. Our time isn’t up yet.”

Pleading got nowhere, but Lucy had nothing left. The grief threatened to overwhelm her again. She’d gotten nowhere near the time Erytheia had promised her. She lifted one hand from Natsu’s face to his hair and raked her fingers through the snarls and knots. She lowered her forehead to his as he continued to stare ahead. He was already mentally checking out, and Lucy would lose him again.

Natsu looked into her tear-stained eyes with a sad and lost expression filled with love and longing. He reached out towards her and brushed aside stray locks of hair that fell around her face. But he no longer had the strength; his hand fell back into his lap. He wheezed again, trying to speak, but he struggled to breathe, gasping for air to talk.

“Natsuuuu,” Happy’s voice wailed. His heartbroken voice echoed through the trees, and he ran forward. He tripped over his feet and flung himself forward into Natsu’s lap. He smacked his scarred paws against Natsu’s leg.

“Don’t leave,” he begged, his eyes enormous and wavered with tears. They rolled down his puffy blue cheeks, and Happy rubbed his face back and forth, rubbing snot across his face in desperation. 

“Happy?” Natsu spoke again, his voice faint. He finally reached his hand out and placed it gently on Happy’s head. “Don’t cry, buddy?” he said, turning his face into a bright but tired smile. “We made a deal, didn’t we? You’re supposed to be strong for Lucy and me.”

“No, I’m not strong!” Happy said, his voice increasingly frantic. “Please, Natsu, please .”

Lucy lowered her hand and covered her mouth as she fought another wave of tears and choked back her emotion as she watched Happy. She made a strangled noise behind her hand, and Natsu raised his eyes back at her.

He lifted his hand away from Happy and raised it to Lucy’s cheek. He caressed it with extreme gentleness, and more flakes broke away at a steady pace. He wouldn’t last much longer; his body grew more translucent with each passing minute.

“I love you, Natsu,” she whispered and lowered her hand to her lap. “I have for a long time. I was just so naive. I can’t go through this pain again. I could hardly do it the first time.” Lucy was so lost, and her face pulled down in defeat; the tears streamed down her face and dripped off the edge of her chin.

“You have Happy,” Natsu said, his lips pulled back far enough to show the gleam of his sharp teeth. His eyes raised from her face, and he gazed at the figure of Gray, who stood behind them, pale and distraught. 

“And you have Gray,” he said, “They were with you the first time, right? They’ll be there this time as well. Don’t cry, Lucy. I hate seeing you sad.”

Lucy sat back and realised with dawning horror that Natsu’s hand, the one he had on her cheek, was gone, slowly fading in soft, golden light. They had to say goodbye now, and she could drag it out any longer. No amount of pleading or begging would stop this, not anymore.

“I can’t sit here and do nothing ,” she said, “I have to try and save you. Just like you’ve done with me, to Gray. To everyone in Fairy Tail. I can’t - ...” Emotion choked Lucy’s voice, and she could barely speak. Her voice lurched every time she went to talk and came out as a sob or a snort.

“We live in a world full of bloody magic,” she said, “And I can’t even save the one person I love the most! It’s so unfair. What can I….” Lucy heaved in a sob and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, “If I could halve my life, just make you stay….”

Natsu’s face finally broke, his mouth turned down at the corners of his mouth, and the tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. He leant forward slightly and covered her lips in a tender kiss. It was either an attempt to silence Lucy or to comfort her.

“You have already done so much for me, Luce,” he whispered as he pulled free. He rested his forehead against hers once again. “I’m so proud of you and happy that I got to call you one of my best friends. You made everything so much brighter . You too, Happy,” he tacked on at the end. “My best friends.”

Happy only sobbed louder, his paws curled in Natsu’s clothes. He was a mess, inconsolable.

“No,” Lucy interjected, trying to talk over Happy’s sobs. “It was the other way around, Natsu. You brought me into Fairy Tail, believed in me when nobody else did and made me confident in my abilities to where I am. It was all you!” 

Lucy tried to laugh, but it came out as a quiet moan. “You’re such an idiot, Natsu, but it didn’t stop me from loving you any less.”

Behind the grieving trio, Gray took one step back and folded his arms. He fought with all his might to hold back his tears, to the point of cooling his body so that any liquid froze. He felt with every fibre of his being that he didn’t deserve to be there with his friends. He’d been the one to do this, after all.

It was a moment that Lucy and Happy had always been given. However, this time, there was a horrible, underlying feeling that Lucy won’t forgive him this time. Her wounds tore anew, bleeding once more.

Lucy’s celestial keys sat in the grass at Gray’s feet in response to the golden light that filled the grove. He gazed down and lowered his arms, hesitant to reach down and pick them up. Then, slowly, each key began to light up with magical energy. A power so immense that it began to permeate the aura of the grove.

Glittering stars began to wash down from the rocks above, and crystalline water spilled over, creating a large waterfall splashing down into the wellspring and washing away the goopy darkness left behind by Petrie. 

Stars splashed out of the water and suspended around them as Lucy and Happy sobbed over Natsu as he faded. The magical pressure came off Lucy in waves, and the Rostary Grove reacted to her, the atmosphere depressed around them with crushing force.

Natsu urged Lucy closer and kissed her, “I’m glad that I’m able to tell you that I love you this time,” he said, sitting back and smiling at Lucy with his infectious, loving smile that she had grown to love so much. 

He ruffled Happy’s fur with his remaining hand before it vanished. Happy sniffled and snorted, watching him with a devastated expression. Natsu chuckled, seemingly not afraid of what awaited him. His face continued to crack. His skin resembled dragon scales.

“I’ll see you on the other side,” Lucy!” Natsu declared, his voice exuberant to hide his pain. “Happy-...” Then his eyes connected with Gray, Natsu’s face softened, and his smile turned down the slightest part. “Look after them, Gray,” he said, “Please-...”

Gray visibly flinched at the remark, his sad face connected with Natsu’s. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, and as Natsu broke apart, one tear fell from his eye, and he had vanished before it hit the grass.

Almost simultaneously, Lucy and Happy let a keening wail escape them both. Lucy cried into the canopy of trees, and Happy staggered to his feet, racing back to Lucy and flung himself into her stomach. He wrapped his paws around her, and Lucy clutched him tightly, sniffling and crying into Happy’s blue fur. 

“Why?” Lucy cried, “ Why ?”

Gray gathered his wits and courage to step over the grass. He approached Lucy and dared to sit beside her. Gray fully expected to be pushed away as he knelt beside the celestial mage but was surprised when Lucy leant against him and cried into his shoulder.

Momentarily shocked by the action, Gray fell back on the grass and put his arm around Lucy, pulled her close and hugged her with one arm as she cuddled Happy, trying to console each other over the second loss of Natsu. They all hurt.

Lucy’s sniffling stopped, and she noticeably tensed under Gray’s arm. She raised her face away from Happy, and golden magic shone through her eyes. The stars surrounding them began to glow in response to her emotion.

Her grief solidified into a rage. It was a boiling feeling that started in the pit of her stomach and continued to burn right through her veins and limbs in response to what had just happened.

“ Why ?” she said again, but this time, her voice was nothing short of a growl.

Seeing red, Lucy relinquished her hold on Happy and pulled away from Gray. She staggered to her feet, her hair hung in her face and obscured the loathing expression on her pale face.

“I can’t let this happen again,” she said, shouting to the stars over them. “I refuse to let him go.”

Lucy’s rage bubbled over, and an intense wave of magic washed through the grove and froze everything in place. More substantial than what Gray had ever pulled off with his ice magic. The trees, the plants, each blade of grass frozen in time.

Golden light filled the meadow, and Lucy staggered forward. A fierce golden aura surrounded her. So strong that it manipulated the energy force in the wellspring and moved the very stars around her. She’d never displayed energy as powerful as this before. It was similar and just as intense as Natsu had been.

“Lucy?” Gray said, shifting back as he watched Lucy’s back. The celestial mage staggered forward; her feet pulled and ripped the grass as she moved on. He didn’t get a response; he and Happy shared an anxious glance.

“I wouldn’t have expected any less of you, Miss Heartfilia,” an unfamiliar voice came from the trees. It was a smooth, dark voice, and it moved as a figure manifested in the trees and moved forward into the light of the grove. 

“Your spirits and the king himself have all informed me of your power, the fierceness and compassion you hold in your heart. Today was my lucky day to witness it for myself,” he continued, moving through the trees like a shadow. 

Lucy didn’t respond to the new presence in the meadow, and she’d come to a standstill, her face lowered to the grass, and her hair created a golden veil over her face. 

Gray leapt to his feet to defend Lucy and the grove. He was tired, drained of magical energy and grief gnawing at his heart. He jumped forward and took an unresponsive Lucy into his arms to pull her away from the stranger. The further he moved; however, he realised that holding Lucy against him caused him pain. Her skin burned with intense heat and reacted with Gray’s skin and magic, smoke bouncing between them. Even that didn’t elicit a response from the celestial mage.

“What’s going on?” Gray demanded, holding his arms out in front of Lucy, “What have you done to her? Lucy!” The stranger finally cast off the shadows obscuring him and stepped into the golden light. The stars caressed his perfect outfit, sitting comfortably in his perfectly styled black hair and illuminating his face; his cheeks shone like reptile scales.

“Please forgive me,” the stranger said, his voice holding a hint of amusement at Gray’s and Happy’s evident distress. A tall, dark man approached them, dressed in a black suit, and a red dress shirt peeked from underneath his lapel jacket.

Striking, golden eyes narrowed into slits as he regarded Gray. The stranger came closer. He came to stand beside Lucy, spooked Happy to fly away from the grass and hide behind Gray, and watched the man warily. 

However, the most striking feature about the man was the giant black python draped across his neck. It wrapped around the back of his shoulders, twined and curled around the entire length of his left arm. It stayed motionless, and there was a brief wonderment if it were alive. “My name is Ophiuchus,” the stranger said, holding out his arms as he introduced himself to the wary and suspicious Fairy Tail mages. “I am also known as the physician celestial spirit. You know my master, Lady Yukino of Sabertooth.”

A flashing memory of the gigantic black snake that had consumed the stadium at the grand magic games resonated between Gray and Happy as they shared a brief look. With a hesitant chuckle, they turned their gaze back to the prim and proper man who stood in front of them, a stark difference in appearance.

“What are you doing here?” Gray asked, still suspicious of the spirits’ arrival. “Lucy doesn’t have your key. I thought not all spirits could cross the gates from your realm to ours?”

“Rostary Grove is a spot where the Eridanus meets your realm,” Ophiuchus explained, “Celestial magic flows through here as naturally as the blood does in your veins. Miss Heartfilia called to me, stopping time and ripping the veils that connect my home to yours.”

There was a rumble in the sky above them, so strong that the earth rumbled, making Gray stagger and fight to keep his balance. The trees themselves seemed to bend away. The canopy of leaves separated and revealed the starry sky above. 

Gray shielded Lucy, and Happy cowered close. They looked up as the sky burst to life with colour. The river of stars washed down into the grove, and the magnificent globules of magic and colours hung above them. The Celestial Spirit realm was as glorious as it ever was.

“Right on schedule,” Ophiuchus said; he gazed up unperturbed about the scene above them. He looked back to Gray; his eyes narrowed at the arms wrapped around Lucy. He stepped forward to her, shooed Gray to step back and relinquish his hold.

Gray was hesitant, reluctant to let go of his friend, but he stepped back as Ophiuchus moved forward. The moment the spirit grabbed Lucy’s hand, the burning golden aura vanished, and she fell to the grass at his feet.

“Up now” Ophiuchus knelt beside her and held out two pale fingers. He touched Lucy’s forehead gently and sent a ripple of power through her body, “We can’t have you breaking the link already.”

The stony expression on Lucy’s face vanished, the haze disappeared from her irises, and she gasped. She sat up and breathed rapidly; she lifted her hand, pressed her palm to her forehead, swayed back and forth on the grass, and flickered her eyes up at Ophiuchus with evident confusion.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Ophiuchus at your service, madam,” the snake spirit introduced himself as humbly as he did the first time. “You called out to me, needing my aid. So I came to honour the call. However, it seems that your magical call summoned more than me.”

Lucy took the outstretched hand, her expression a mixture of confusion and amazement at the polite celestial spirit. Ophiuchus kept a gentle hold of Lucy’s hand and pointed to the sky glittering above them. Lucy gasped with surprise.

There was another rumble, and the pressurising atmosphere rose tenfold. Then, from the stars, the gargantuan form of the Celestial Spirit King appeared above them in all of his majestic glory. Rostary Grove burst with magical power at his arrival. 

“‘Stache face?” Lucy asked incredulously, “What is going on here? Have I done something wrong?” She was genuinely frightened. Looking back over her shoulder, trying to seek comfort from Gray and Happy. Both of them were just as clueless as she was.

“Wipe your eyes, my dear friend” The king’s voice filled the grove, “You have done nothing wrong. On the contrary, your grief and pain summoned your friends’ concern and our physician’s.”

Lucy hastily wiped her tear-stained face, sniffling quickly and stood straight. “I’m sorry,” she said, needing to apologise. “I’ve lost my best friend. I didn’t know what I was doing. I’m sorry .”

“The loss of young Master Dragneel,” the king said, his voice boomed through the cosmos. “I know a heavy loss, especially to those who loved him most. But first…business.” He looked down at Ophiuchus, “Can you collect her, please? She has done her job admirably. It is time to put her back with her sisters.”

Ophiuchus nodded and wordlessly strode to the shrine where Erytheia’s lifeless body sat after the merciless assault she endured. But as he picked up the tiny fairy, her body glistened, and she grew larger. 

Within moments, a young woman dressed in golden garments with long flowing hair lay in his arms. Her long ears pointed out from the long hair tresses, and the sunlight seemed to move beneath her skin.

“Dear Erytheia,” he explained to a mournful and guilty-looking Lucy. “She did tell you who she was and what she was protecting?”

Lucy nodded soundlessly, and Gray looked confused until she finally filled him in. “They were Nymphs of the Evening,” she said, “Erytheia told Natsu and I that the golden apples granted immortality. It’s an old mythology tale I read back when I was a little girl.”

“That wellspring before you is one of the spots where Celestial River Eridanus connects with Earthland,” The King explained, “You know of its power already. I had placed Erytheia here millennia ago to watch over the secrets of the grove. She did her job well.”

Ophiuchus placed the nymph into the water of the wellspring; the water glowed an intense gold as her body sunk beneath the depths. “She shall travel the waters of the Eridanus back to the stars,” he explained, “She will be happy to rejoin her sisters after all this time.”

“Who’s going to look after Rostary now?” The bold question came from Happy; the exceed was genuinely concerned and curious. “Erytheia said she had to protect its secrets from bad people like Petrie.”

“She was correct on that part,” the king acquiesced. “I will choose a new guardian. Someone passionate and will take their duties seriously about protecting the grove and those who happen to arrive here. A constellation which is brave and fierce.”

“I think I have the one person you need, your majesty,” Ophiuchus said, relinquishing Lucy and stepping towards the celestial king. The snake entwined around Ophiuchus’ arm twitched and coiled to life for the first time since arriving. Its large bulbous head moved towards the man’s outstretched hand and regurgitated a golden sphere into his palm.

“I happened across the soul of one Natsu Dragneel,” he said, holding up the sphere and showing it to the king, Lucy, and her comrades. “Thanks to your unbelievable love given by you and his friends, coupled with your passionate plea to the stars. I was able to perform an act that I very rarely perform.”

“You’ve got to be joking, right?” Gray said, his eyes wide and incredulous at the glowing sphere in the spirit’s hand. 

“That’s Natsu?” Lucy asked, bringing her hand up to her chest and curling it at her breast, not quite daring herself to believe what was about to happen. “How- how did you-...?”

“Can you bring him back!?” Happy exclaimed, punching onto Lucy’s shoulder and gazing at Ophiuchus with hope gleaming his eyes.

“I can bring him back,” Ophiuchus said, “But not as complete as you all would like. But I believe he will be the perfect candidate to take on the empty constellation and become the guardian of Rostary grove.”

“Constellation?” Gray asked; he stepped forward and stood beside Lucy, who began to cry again, but they were tears of relief and happiness. “You want the flame-brain to become a celestial spirit?”

“Draco!” Lucy said as she bounced on her heels, “Natsu will take on the role of the dragon constellation? Can you do this? Really?”

“How else do you think I fill my constellations?” the king answered, “Throughout mythos across Earthland, the gods would choose souls who are worthy to walk among them. Of course, I do not make this decision lightly, but Ophiuchus made a compelling argument, and I have met Mr Dragneel, and I happen to agree.”

“Seriously?” Gray was sceptical, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. 

“Natsu is going to become a Spirit?” Happy sounded almost ecstatic. He bounced on Lucy’s shoulder and smacked his paws against her collarbone. “Will Lushi be his master? Can she call on him whenever she wants?” Happy looked at Lucy with a sly glance, covering his mouth with one paw.

Lucy went red, and she was flustered, “You can’t ask something like that,” she said, scolding the Exceed as he continued to smirk and laugh at his statement. The sorrow and grief were melting away from the cat, who was daring to believe.

Ophiuchus let the sphere hover above him and let it rise to the king. “Natsu will be a special kind of guardian,” he said, “Not like the combat spirits like the Zodiac council are or some of the others that Miss Heartfilia has in her possession. Draco has a specific duty, one that resides above all else. That is why the constellation has remained empty for so long.”

“It’s going to be like the original Hesperides story, isn’t it?” Lucy asked softly, tears beginning to roll down her face gently. “The Draconid constellation with a hundred heads to guard the garden and the apples?”

“Natsu is going to have a hundred heads?” Happy squawked anxiously. 

“Gods, I hope not,” Gray muttered, “He’s enough with one.”

“That would be rather inconvenient,” Ophiuchus muttered, “Do not get your hopes up too far yet. We will wait and see if Natsu takes to the stars above us. This part is up to his majesty.”

The Celestial Spirit King picked through the numerous constellations of stars. Tiny glowing orbs danced in front of him. The shape and magical pressure of the constellations changed as he flicked through them, turned them over like the pages of a book.

Finally, he reached one that blazed with a fiery aura. The Draco constellation glowed above them. The king placed Natsu’s soul amongst the cluster, and as if it were a missing piece to the puzzle, dazzling light and the sound of a roaring dragon filled the still grove. He let the stars move back into their respective place above them, they clicked together, and the golden sphere finished the rest of the shape.

Lucy, Gray and Happy all simultaneously held their collective breath, and Lucy reached for Gray’s hand for comfort. She clutched it so hard that Gray could feel several of his knuckles pop in protest, but he didn’t have the heart to pull away. The hope welled in his chest. He couldn’t imagine how Lucy felt.

There was a long silence before a flicker of golden light and a figure manifested from a sparkle of stars. Then, a whirlwind of fire erupted from the light confines. Fists ablaze, and a wave of intense heat rushed around everyone, and Natsu’s voice bellowed, “What the hell is going on?”

Lucy began to laugh, and Happy cheered as Natsu stood in front of them, bewildered. He looked normal. Give or take the fist-sized, flaming Draconid heads that floated around his body. 

“Whoa, this is bizarre,” he murmured, staggering, disorientated with all the new fields of vision that the magical heads fed him. He covered his eyes with his hands. “I can see what these heads are seeing,” he said in wonderment.

In response to his statement, a dragon head floated forwards and looked Lucy up and down several times. “I can see you, Lucy,” Natsu crowed, “This is awesome! It’s like x-ray vision!”

“H-Hey!” Lucy squawked, her face blooming red and slapping the head away, eliciting a grunt of pain from Natsu. “This is supposed to be a reunion, you pervert!”

Natsu uncovered his eyes, and Happy ran towards him and threw his paws around his neck. “Lushi asked the snake-man and the king to save you!” he shouted, his voice wild with happiness, “She was able to stop time and bring the Spirit King because she loved you!”

“Saved me?” Natsu looked down at Happy, bewildered, Lucy and Gray, then to the Spirit King standing above them. “Am I alive? Like real living?”

“You’re the Celestial Spirit of Draco, Natsu,” Lucy whispered, “The king needed someone special to fill the constellation. You fit the bill perfectly.”

“So does that mean I get to be like Loke?” Natsu asked suddenly, his eyes widening with worry. “Or do I have to stay up in the stars and not be able to help Lucy?”

“You have a special spot right here,” the king stated, “You are to be the new Guardian of Rostary Grove since its previous guardian is no more. However, you have a unique ability in your constellation, which gives you the power to control up to one hundred Draconid heads. As you can see, only five are present now.”

“So I can leave for brief periods and leave the heads to watch the Grove,” Natsu stated, “I don’t care if that is draining or what. I want to help Lucy! I want to be one of her spirits, as well.”

“If you think you can handle the strain,” the Spirit King said, not fighting Natsu’s stubbornness. “You are not a Zodiac Key. You are a Guardian. Not very many Guardians give out Keys to summon them. You will be part of the very few who have.”

“I don’t care,” Natsu interjected, “I will only serve Lucy. Only she can wield my key. Everyone else be damned.” He smiled confidently at Lucy, who only sniffled in response to him. 

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Our time grows thin old friend,” the king boomed, “Hold out your hand.” Lucy did as told, and in a small splash of light, a sparkling platinum key appeared in her palm adorned with a flame as the identifier.

“You know your duties, Natsu Dragneel,” The Celestial Spirit King boomed. “Do not fail your Constellation or your fellow Spirits. And thank Miss Heartfilia for her persistence in trying to keep you here. Without her, you would no longer be.”

Ophiuchus bowed, “Pleasure to meet your acquaintance Miss Heartfilia. I sincerely hope we cross paths again. Farewell.” Then in a shower of stars, the pressure was lifted off the grove, and the trees snapped back into place with a noisy rustle, and the Spirits were gone, leaving Natsu in their wake as the new guardian.

Lucy instantly fell to her knees in exhaustion, and almost dragged Gray down with her. Natsu leapt forward and caught her, his long arms wrapped around her, and as Gray pulled away awkwardly, Natsu unabashedly kissed Lucy on the lips. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, “For keeping me with you.”

Lucy chuckled against his lips, “Don’t think you can leave me again, Mr Dragneel. I mean it this time.” 

Then she kissed him once more.

Chapter Text

The following week after Natsu’s shock resurrection as a Celestial Spirit, to say the least, was absolute chaos.

Natsu was already destructive enough as a human, but now as a spirit, it increased tenfold. He’d been given an enormous amount of power and had no idea how he should use that strength or what his limits were, and no amount of guidance from Lucy could help him with those questions—not when she didn’t know either. She did her best to explain things while also trying not to get too close for fear of being burned by one of his destructive flames.

Following the flow of magic that returned to the wellspring and the burning light of the new dragon guardian, breathed new life back into the empty Rostary Village. Natsu’s light and flames chased away the shadows wrought upon by Petrie’s vile wickedness and drove out all evil spirits who might have lingered there since.

The village began to return to its former glory: houses rebuilt themselves, trees grew again, and flowers bloomed once more on their branches. It was a beautiful sight, like something straight out of fairy tales and for the first time in months, Lucy felt at peace.

“Rise and shine!”

Sunlight streamed through the window as Lucy sat up in bed. She stretched out her arms with a yawn, then slumped back down in the comfy pillows and blankets. Lucy opted to stay in one of the empty houses in the village, which cleaned up rather nicely once the colour and the magic returned. Natsu remained in the grove as he proved too unstable to keep his human form for long periods. Snuggling into a person who suddenly turned into a gigantic dragon proved rattling for Lucy, who insisted that Natsu learn to control himself before returning home.

“I said get up!”

A weight jackhammered into Lucy’s stomach and knocked the breath from her. She scrambled up with a wheeze and swung her arms around with irritation. “You’re such a jerk, Natsu!” she scolded, “There are better ways to wake me up, you know.”

She pouted and folded her arms, her heated gaze simmered on a draconid head that floated in the centre of her room. No larger than a fist, the draconid heads that Natsu controlled blazed with orange and red fire. The flames didn’t burn but were solid enough to knock someone unconscious if Natsu willed it, and as expected from someone as childish as Natsu was, used the draconids to pester the ever-living heck out of Lucy and Gray.

“I know there are other ways to wake you” Natsu’s voice came from the draconid. “But since you aren’t in the grove, this is the next best way, and I am not sorry!” The head poked out a forked tongue as Lucy got out of bed with an irritated groan. It followed Lucy around the room as she gathered her clothes.

“Dammit, Natsu!” Gray’s voice burst from the room opposite Lucy’s. “Go annoy Lucy, you irritating flame-brain.”

“I already am, droopy-eyed ice princess” Natsu’s voice also came from Gray’s bedroom, “Come fight me.”

A resounding crash came from the bedroom, and the thunder of footsteps as Gray and Natsu shouted at each other. “Whose great idea was it to give you these things?” Gray yelled, “You’re more of a pain in the arse now than you ever were!” The doors burst open, and Lucy sighed as two draconid heads floated around her room.

“Stop messing around with the draconids and focus on keeping your human form” Lucy held out a finger and scolded them. “You want to leave the grove, then that’s your assignment. Gray and I have other things to do around here than to sit around and baby you because you’re bored.”

“But I’m lonely,” Natsu’s double voice whined, “I need someone to fight. I want to try out my new power. Where’s Gray? Send him over so I can kick his butt!”

“Get real!” Gray shouted from the doorway of his room as he buttoned a shirt. “Do what she says, you idiot.”

Lucy raised a hand and flicked the closest draconid as it followed her to the bathroom. “Don’t even think about it,” she warned as Natsu griped. “Let me get changed in peace. Take your heads back to the grove. I’ll come see you later.” She slammed the door shut, and both heads breathed a small, irritated flame.

Once Lucy finished, she tossed her pyjamas back on the bed and headed downstairs to where a kettle whistled on the stove, high and sharp. With a hair tie between her teeth, Lucy groaned when five Draconid heads floated around the kitchen. They orbited around Gray, whose visible tick mark showed prominently on his forehead. “What are you doing? You moron?” he asked.

“I’m keeping an eye on you!” Natsu’s voice reverberated through the kitchen. “I need to make sure you don’t do anything funny to Lucy.”

“And you need ten eyeballs for that?” Gray asked.

“Yeah you’re right,” Natsu agreed, “I’ll send more.”

“Please, guys” Lucy hurried into the kitchen and waved her hands to alleviate the situation. “Natsu, we don’t need more draconids. You’re still getting used to your new powers. I don’t want you hurting yourself. And please stop bothering Gray! He’s got enough work as it is without having you pestering him all day.”

The five dragon heads hovered in place, listening intently, then shook side to side. “I don’t like being cooped up by myself. I want to go on an adventure; there are people to fight and stuff to burn. What’s the point of having all this power if I don’t get to use it? I don’t know how the leprechaun did it.”

“Erytheia was a fairy,” Lucy scolded as she poured herself and Gray a mug of coffee. “And she did the best she could given the circumstances. You’re the new Guardian Natsu, you need to take this seriously. The Celestial Spirit King trusted you.”

The five heads thumped onto the table one by one as Lucy prepared the mugs and brought them over as Gray heaped some fruit and berries onto the table. 

“I’d still like to go home sometime,” Natsu grumbled, “And go back to the guild and see everyone again.”

Lucy and Gray exchanged a look, and she knew she’d be the one to soften the blow. The last thing she needed was the draconids to flame out of control and set everything on fire.

“We can’t go home yet,” she said, “You need to learn how to control yourself first, and secondly, I’d like to keep you a secret for a little while longer. I want to have you to myself before everyone else takes you away from me.”

“Like that’s ever going to happen,” Gray muttered.

“What you say?” One of the draconids purposefully kicked Gray’s mug and sent hot coffee into his lap, and almost immediately the pair descended into a mess of bickering and resorted to more infantile insults. 

As they fought, however, Lucy tapped her fingers over her mug and stared into the steaming liquid, lost in thought. Not only did Natsu have to learn how to control himself before he rejoined human civilisation, Lucy stood at a crossroads in her life where she had to make a decision moving forward. 

She didn’t want to be without Natsu anymore, and even though he had the draconids, it wasn’t the same as having them there in person.

Travelling back and forth between Rostary and Magnolia would be arduous, but her heart hurt at the mere thought of leaving Natsu behind. She needed to make a decision, which wasn’t easy. 

***

A month passed since Gray, Lucy and Happy arrived in Rostary Grove. Many days were spent cleaning out the village with the help of numerous celestial spirits and repairing the damage left by the darkness.

On her off days, Lucy spent a great deal of her time in the wellspring. Natsu worked increasingly hard to shrink himself into a more manageable size but couldn’t hold a human form for longer than a couple of hours. Anger exacerbated the transformation into a hulking dragon, and Lucy deemed it necessary to separate Natsu and Gray until he worked on his patience and magical levels.

When Natsu managed to cap his influx of magical energy, he would explore the forest and the village with Lucy—messing around and playing pranks with his numerous draconids. Soon enough, it was like he’d never left and the six months of heartache and anguish were a distant memory. 

After a month and a half, Natsu held his human form to a satisfactory degree. Even when he got into heated arguments with Gray, when he did that, he was allowed to sneak into Lucy’s room and hide away with her. Though it wasn’t a secret that the pair grew closer and closer as they explored their new relationship together. Gray and Happy were the unfortunate ones who had to put up with constant teasing and tension from both sides.

“Hey, I got a call from Erza this morning!”

Gray entered the grove waving the communication lacrima over his head, “She’s back in Magnolia and wants to see us.” He lowered his hand and scratched the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle. “Guess she found out that we upped and disappeared without telling anyone where we went. We’ve been gone for over a month already.”

“What! You’re leaving?”

Natsu sat on the opposite side of the glittering wellspring in a meditative position, but his eyes flew open at Gray’s remark and immediately lost his handle on his transformation. Lucy cried out in surprise as a large tail and wings sprouted from Natsu. A dragon fell back to the grass, and the draconids scattered into the air. He crawled forward on his belly, his red scales shone, and his dark eyes narrowed. His mouth opened to reveal his pointed teeth. The draconids buzzed around him like angry wasps.

“We can’t stay here forever, flame-brain” Gray sighed, stood beside Lucy, and helped her to her feet. “We have a life in Magnolia as well. Lucy has rent to pay.”

“Oh crap,” Lucy lowered her head with a dark expression, “Don’t remind me.”

“We’ll have to start packing up now,” Gray muttered, “After all the work we put into the village as well. It’s going to take days to get back to Magnolia.”

“Don’t forget the gondola” Happy smirked from behind his paws.

Both Lucy and Natsu went green at the memory. He shuddered, and she put her hand over her mouth at the thought of getting back on the swinging gondola. A death trap that waited to happen. She’d rather walk barefoot across hot coals than ride that thing again.

“How about I take you back?” Natsu suggested, “Lucy can ride on my back. Happy, and I can fly back to Magnolia and be there way quicker.” He grinned, though, from a dragon. It looked terrifying.

“Hey, what about me?” Gray shouted, and Natsu shrugged, clearly not thinking that far ahead.

Lucy sighed as they started bickering again. Gray headbutted Natsu’s nose as they shouted at each other in their usual fashion. She’d have it no other way, and part of her felt guilty that she’d prevented Natsu from seeing his friends. They deserved to know that he was back, just not in the sense they all wanted. She gazed at him, and Natsu paused long enough for his draconic features to soften. 

At that moment, Lucy knew everything would be ok.

***

“You need to get a better hand on flying, you idiot.”

Gray rubbed his butt as Lucy slid down Natsu’s leg; he helped her steady herself before transforming himself back into himself with a shower of golden stars. He chuckled and put both hands behind his head as they arrived at the outskirts of Magnolia.

Thanks to Natsu, what was several days’ travel to Mt Hakobe turned into a trip of merely an hour of flying. Natsu wasn’t the greatest at flying yet, but he assured them with enough practice, he’d be faster and stronger when they needed him. The idea of soaring through the skies had him giddy like a child, and his infectious joy leached into Gray and Lucy.

“Now remember, don’t go overboard,” Lucy warned as they entered the city, “I don’t want you destroying everything; otherwise, I won’t be allowed to bring you back. It’s already bad enough that you’ve left the grove unguarded.”

Natsu scoffed and pointed his nose away from her, “There are ninety-nine draconid heads guarding the whole place” he complained, “I’ll see if something looks weird, and I’ll go back and blast them off the mountain. It’s not my fault it took me this long to find someone who could fly!” Lucy rolled her eyes in exasperation while she watched Natsu’s antics, he still couldn’t comprehend his given task as a Guardian.

“The Grove isn’t the only thing I’ve sworn to protect Luce,” Natsu broke her from her concerns, his eyes sharp as he regarded her. “I’ll protect you as well. No matter where you are. You’re mine now, too, right?” His voice was soft but firm; there were no questions or doubts about what he meant by ‘mine’. She nodded slowly before turning towards the town ahead of them. Her cheeks flamed red.

The Fairy Tail guild hall sat at the end of the street, and a wave of emotion coursed through Lucy as they neared. So many memories and feelings of nostalgia washed through her. She’d spent months drowning in misery and lost sight of the light. Now here she stood again, surrounded by friends and family once more. Yet, so much changed since then.

She looked up to Natsu with an expression full of hope for their future. Happy leapt off her shoulder and flew ahead as the quartet arrived at the doors.

“You guys go ahead,” Natsu said, “I’ll let you soften the blow.”

Lucy nodded, and together, she, Gray and Happy opened the doors, and the warm aura of Fairy Tail swept around them, as did the raucous chatter from within. They walked inside into the main hall, which bustled with activity like always: people rushing between desks, talking excitedly to one another over cups filled to the brim with beer.

As expected, the chatter dimmed, and their expressions turned to Lucy and Gray as they strode side by side and headed to the bar where Mirajane and Kinana worked and served. Mira watched from the counter, her expression guarded as they approached. She smiled at them. Her eyes flickered to their hands, then to their faces. 

“Lucy, Gray?” she greeted them warmly, “Welcome home. How was your mission? You were gone for a while.”

The tension grew thick around the guild hall; they all remembered Gray’s outburst weeks earlier. 

Lucy smiled brightly, and the sunlight shone through the doors and windows, illuminating her in a fantastic array of colours. She pushed the old crumpled job request across the table as confirmation. “It went great,” she said, “The job was a dud.”

Mira sighed with relief and grabbed the paper. She didn’t give it a second glance and went around the counter and embraced Lucy with a relieved cry. The two women hugged, the tension melted away, and other Fairy Tail members welcomed the trio home. 

“I see you’ve got a new little friend,” Lisanna leant over the table at the front from beside Wendy. She gestured to the small draconid orbiting around the pair, and Lucy waved it away with a chuckle, “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be seeing a lot more of it.”

“It’s a little dragon head,” Wendy giggled. 

“So, how are you feeling, Gray?” Mira asked as more Fairy Tail members called out to them from their tables. “You seem to be in better spirits.”

Gray glowered at her, then swept his gaze over their friends. “It went great,” he smiled, “Seriously, you guys look like I’m going to bite your heads off. It’s fine. I’m feeling good. I think it’s what we needed, wasn’t it, Lucy?”

Gray rolled his gaze back to Lucy as she nodded in agreement. “It sure was. One of the best trips I’ve been on” She and Gray gazed back at each other and smiled. Somewhere in the background, several people whispered amongst themselves and exchanged money. Others smirked with glee. 

The flaming draconid flamed in annoyance over her shoulder and shot forward and jabbed Gray in the eye. He grunted and stepped back, his eye watered from the sudden attack. “Knock it off, moron,” he hissed at it.

‘You owe me a hundred bucks.’

‘No, it’s two, now.’

Mira hid her smile behind her hand, and Gray wiped the water from his eye and turned around to address everyone and their rumours. He felt a cold shiver crawl up his spine when he senses Juvia’s seething anger from behind a pillar.

“No one owes anyone any money,” he called, “Nothing happened between us guys. Get your heads out of the damned gutter. I can’t believe you thought we’d do something like that.”

Besides Gray, Lucy’s cheeks went pink with humiliation. But she appreciated Gray’s willingness to step forward and defend her honour. She stared at the bewildered faces of her friends, and Happy landed on her shoulder.

“Are we going to spill the beans?” he asked with a muffled giggle. His round face was alight with happiness. His smile stretched ear to ear.

“I suppose we should,” she smiled and leaned back against the counter, she stared out the doors, and everyone turned to watch what she did. 

A silhouette framed the door, followed by loud footsteps. A warm fiery aura sweltered the hall, and everyone stared in absolute shock as the sun went behind a veil of clouds. 

“Hey, guys!” Natsu grinned and held up a hand, “I’m home.”

“Holy shit!”

“Salamander?!”

“It’s Natsu !”

Chair’s flung back, and tables scraped across the wood as everyone moved at once. Wendy and Gajeel were the first ones to reach Natsu. Wendy threw her arms around Natsu with joyous tears, and all decency aside, Gajeel approached them both and enveloped both the Dragonslayers up in a comical bear-hug. 

“You’re back!” they cried, “How’d you do it?”

Natsu vanished amongst the crowd of delighted friends and family, and Lucy stood back and wiped a tear from her eye, genuinely happy to see the outpouring of love for someone they’d all believed they’d lost. 

Mira let her tears roll down her face, her hands clasped together in front of her. “You brought him home,” she sobbed to Lucy, “Where did you go?”

Gray smiled and leaned beside her, “It’s a long story,” he offered, “Let’s just say this place we went to is just insane with Celestial Magic.”

Above the happy reunion, on the second story of Fairy Tail. Erza leaned against the railing and sniffled back several tears as everyone surrounded Natsu. 

“I can’t believe it worked,” she muttered as a shadow moved from behind the S-Class request board. “How did you know?” She gazed over her shoulder, and Jellal pulled down another request and examined it. 

“The moment I found out about Rostary Grove, and what kind of magic it had, I knew it wasn’t a job for us anymore” he explained, “I crafted that request and hoped that they’d pick it up. By the looks of it-” he gestured to the railing, “They did a much better job than I ever hoped to do.”

“You’ve done them the world,” Erza said, “Gray would never admit it, but those three were lost without Natsu.” she smiled, “Things might finally start going back to normal.” 

Erza and Jellal watched the scene below them as Natsu and Gajeel started yelling at each other, daring each other to throw the first punch. Soon enough, the hall erupted into a cacophony of shouting and whistling projectiles as Natsu and Gajeel brawled. 

Things looked promising indeed.