Decades Gone By Series: Insanity Takes All - Book 1 (Fairy Tail)

Chapter 7 - Morning Star

He didn't look her in the eyes as he answered. "Fine, she fell asleep after her third bottle and then I went to sleep. Simple as that, nothing happened."

"In the same bed? That's bold."

"I didn't say that and no, in separates." She shrugged, walking past him as she continued down the hall. "Where are you going?"

"To help clean up," she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "She made a gigantic mess." Gray just realized that Erza's hair was pulled into a ponytail, it swinging back and forth as she walked. She wore her usual armor with a skirt and as she rounded the corner, he caught a glimpse of her expression. She was angry.

He glanced up and down the hall, wondering what room Lucy was even in. Wendy and Juvia hadn't made it that far before they met her, so it was most likely close to the stairs. He was hoping she'd be out of the building before the entire guild made it too the lobby, since you'd have to pass her room.

Gray bit his lip lightly as he leaned against the door, his head falling back as he looked up at the ceiling. He got lost in thought, so he didn't notice the door open behind him, making him fall backwards. He grabbed onto the doorway before he could fall however, pushing himself into the hallway and turn around.

Juvia watched him in surprise, holding back a laugh. She was in her usual outfit, her hat in her hands as she shut the door behind her. "What were you doing, Gray-sama?"

A blush appeared on his cheeks as he looked away embarrassed. "Just thinking," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked down the hall. He heard her footsteps behind him as she came up beside him.

"Um Gray-sama, your shirt." He frowned, glancing down to find he wasn't wearing one and that it was in her hand that hovered in front of him, her hat in the other. He quickly took it, throwing it on as she giggled. "Juvia is happy Gray-sama returned."

He froze, his hands halfway in his pockets as he turned to her. He didn't say anything though, afraid of what her answer would be. Instead he tore his gaze away and continued down the hall, the bluenette following closely behind him.

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The bar was utterly destroyed. Small pieces of glass shattered all over the ground, wood that used to be the countertop scattered everywhere. The bartender's body was nowhere in sight, Elfman and Laxus having been the ones to bury him in the back. However, the blood was still everywhere and when Erza came down the stairs the first thing she saw was Mirajane trying desperately to clean the mirror.

Lisanna was swiping the glass pieces into a dust pan when she noticed the red head standing by the stairs. "Erza-san, have you come to help?" She nodded, making her way over as she grabbed bent down and began gathering the broken counter. She threw them in a garbage bag beside her as she slithered across the ground, picking up every piece of wood she could find.

She was angry. Angry that Lucy would leave them to clean up her mess, angry that she would even do such a thing. The red head had thought up three possibilities on why the blonde would act the way she had, since she hadn't been able to sleep after the event.

One, Lucy was being controlled. By Zeref or someone else, she was committing these crimes against her will and saying things she didn't mean.

Two, Lucy had fallen in love with the Black Wizard. She did these things because he ordered them and she couldn't help but do the things the person she loved ordered her to do.

Three, Lucy had completely lost her mind. Erza knew she had gone through tough times when she was young, from losing her mother to her hardcore father. Maybe all the lost she had felt got to her and broke her mentally.

Something told Erza that all of them except for number one were correct.

When she finished cleaning up the wood, she got back on her feet and tied the black bag up when Gray came down the stairs, Juvia following closely behind him. They both looked at the scene as they walked past, revealing Natsu and Happy behind them.

The requip mage watched Natsu part with his best friend as the blue cat went up to Carla and Wendy, who were sitting on a couch across the room. The pinkette stayed by the stairs, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. She sighed, walking over to him. "How was your night?" She didn't want to ask him straight up about what had gone down, since she could see the haunting look in his eyes.

He didn't look at her as he spoke. "Rough. I didn't really sleep."

"I didn't either, if it makes you feel better," she said. He glanced over at her and smiled. "I guess you've seen through my facade on trying to make the situation better." She moved to the other side of him and leaned against the wall beside him, watching the white haired sisters work.

"That wasn't Lucy," he stated firmly. "It was someone completely different. The real Lucy is still in there and we're gonna get her back." Erza watched his face grow into determination, a Natsu smiling spreading across his face. "I can assure you that."

She nodded. "Then I'm defiantly in. I'd like to see the real Lucy smile, if I do say so myself. Now how about we all leave this place and get breakfast in a non-destroyed place?" Natsu jumped off the wall, his eyes shining with glee.

"Defiantly! Happy, we're gonna go get some food!" The blue cat jumped into the sky and sprouted wings, flying over to the pinkette with his face drooling.

"Yes, I need fish," his drooling smile slowly dispersed from his face as his eyes fell upon something behind Natsu and Erza. The two mages turned to find the large man from the night before looming over the, the one that had almost choked Lucy to death.

He scanned the room as everyone tensed, Erza moving her hand behind her back as a sword appeared in her grasp. His eyes fell upon the damaged bar and sighed, his eyes growing sad. "I'm terribly sorry for the trouble, Fairy Tail. Heartfilia has a bad temper and it gets out of hand sometimes."

Erza frowned, the sword disappearing as she straightened from her fighting stance. No one spoke as he moved away from the stairwell, revealing the little girl from before as well. Erza recalled her name being Lissa, the ladybug girl. Except today she wore a dress that was black and blue.

Lissa bowed gently, her tiny voice barely heard from the back. "I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience," and she scurried to the man's side.

"My name is Xavier Tachibana," the man said, nodding his head. "It is a pleasure too meet you all. This is Lissa Alexander, she's a bit shy but also has a rather bad temper."

"Is Lucy here?" Erza asked, the question hanging in the air as Xavier looked over to her. He stared into her eyes for a while, making the requip mage somewhat uncomfortable before he answered.

"No. She and the last two members left early this morning, so you don't have to deal with her until the Games start later on in the afternoon." Everyone seemed to sigh with relief as the two Premonition members made their way to the doors, Lissa exiting before he did. He didn't look back at them as he said, "you all better hope you don't face Lucy in the Games. You'd defiantly be killed."

His comment swirled through the lobby as the door was left open behind them.