When the Games had finished, Fairy Tail returned to the lodge cheering with happiness. Mira entered the bar and began filling drinks to the brim, the yellow liquid spilling from the sides and wetting the countertop.
Minutes later, Juvia and Erza entered, the bluenette limping into the lobby and nearly tumbled over when people started hugging her. The red head stayed behind her, keeping her upright as they moved away from the door and Juvia sank into a couch beside Levy, who had a book in hand.
"Juvia," the petite girl said, closing her book when the bluenette sat next to her. "Glad you're back. Are you feeling okay? No offense but, you look like hell."
"Juvia is okay," she said but when she moved a muscle, she winced. "She watched your match against Lyon. Nice fight, Juvia didn't know who was going to win." Their fight had been something special, since Levy could somewhat use ice as well, it was a perfect match.
Levy seemed less pleased however. "He was way too strong, I couldn't stand a chance against him."
"We're still in first place though," Erza added, arms crossed, standing behind Juvia who's back was too her. "That's something to celebrate about, plus Juvia being back and well. Sort of," she added when Juvia rubbed her neck, rolling her shoulders from exhaustion.
The door had suddenly burst open and Lissa ran through, her head down as she bolted up the stairs, the man named Xavier walking after her. Erza realized he wasn't a running kind of man as he calmly followed the young girl up the stairs. Ruby jumped through the doorway, rolling across the floor and landing perfectly on his knees.
"Dude seriously," Nothing said, entering the lobby with Lucy. "Can you stop acting like a bloody ninja?" But Ruby wasn't listening as he made his way over to Wendy, who began backing up into Natsu.
"Hi Wendy," he said, a little too happily. "Sorry about what I said during the challenge, but you know I had too like I know you had too. Right?!"
Lucy face palmed while Nothing shook his head slowly. Erza felt the vibes of parenting as Lucy yelled at Ruby to go upstairs, which he angrily obeyed, giving a small wave to Wendy as he disappeared up the stairs. "I swear to God, that kid is gonna be the death of me," Lucy said, running a hand through her loose hair.
She wore a grey sweatshirt, that certainly didn't fit her and skinny jeans, white shoes and her face was makeup free, showing her raw skin. Without makeup, her skin didn't shine in the overhead light while Nothing seemed like a God beside her, his hair gelled back and the suit be wore fitting his body perfectly.
Some of the girls in the guild looked at him with an awe expression but he didn't pay any attention as he nudged Lucy in the arm. "I'm going to give Ruby a pep talk about love, since he's completely failing at it." Wendy squealed when she heard him say that, her face lighting with embarrassment as she squeezed beside Levy and the arm of the couch. When Nothing disappeared, Lucy glanced over at Juvia, who stared at her with a blank expression.
"Well looky here, Miss Juvia Lockser is back in the lodge, same as me. I must say that I'm not sorry about what I did to you, just so you know," she said, crossing her arms as she confidently at the bluenette who didn't seem affected.
"It's alright Lucy, I forgive you."
"Say what?"
"I understand why you did it," Juvia said, causing Lucy to blink in confusion. "I'm not mad, just happy I can finally move."
Lucy's face filled with disgust as she said, "I, literally, almost killed you and you forgive me? Are you serious?" Juvia nodded. "You people are seriously insane, and you call me the crazy person." She laughed, turning away to the stairs but stopped and turned, pointing at Natsu who now stood directly in front of her. "Got your message, by the way and I think it's sweet that you believe I'll come back, but it won't happen."
Natsu wasn't affected by her comment. "I meant what I told Lissa and I meant that I promise to succeed. With the help of everyone, I know it'll work." Lucy grinned, biting her lip as she did it. Erza saw something flare in her eyes, but she was sure it wasn't anger. No, it was something else entirely.
"You can stop now," she said. "I will never return to Fairy Tail, so I suggest you stop wasting your time with me and focus on something else because I am getting fed up with all this bullshit."
"What bullshit?" Erza asked.
"Every last one of you trying to convince me that I'm not a horrible person. That I don't mean what I do, like killing that bartender or committing the first crime since Tartarus. Get it through all of your heads already. I am not the Lucy Heartfilia you knew from a year ago." She took a deep breathe when she finished and Erza saw that she was about to burst with whatever flared inside her brown eyes.
"I don't believe that," Natsu said, his face serious while his voice cracked. "You might believe it but I don't. I saw you when you were battling that snake and I saw the Lucy that I invited to Fairy Tail. I saw my best friend."
"Then you also saw the girl you left behind," she said, her voice steady but faltering. "I am not, Lucy Heartfilia to you guys anymore. Just bloody except it."
But Natsu didn't back down and while Erza wanted him to calm down, she saw Lucy about to break, her breathing uneven as the two of them continued to exchange words. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes as Natsu said, "Zeref doesn't care about you, Lucy. Me and everyone here knows it but you can't see it because you love him," his voice dropped when he said the word love.
Lucy's eyes widening, them beginning to red as she bit back tears. "You have no idea what he feels about me or what I feel for him. You have no say in our relationship." Natsu didn't say anything as she turned around, taking steps to the stairs, wanting to get away but Natsu wouldn't let her. The last thing he said broke her.
"Lucy, we understand that you're mad about everything but all we want is for you to come back," his voice was calm and understanding but it's what made Lucy shake and whirl around, tears falling down her face as she screamed.
"You left me! The guild was gone, everyone was gone and you were the only one I had but you left. You left me and didn't even say goodbye to my face, just left a letter and walked into the sunset while I," she pointed an accusing finger at herself, her cheeks reddening from the aggressive tears that flowed down her face. "I couldn't even exit my apartment because I was so upset. I could barely stand and who comes to my rescue. Zeref. He was the only one who came for me, how could I not take his hand? How could I not fall in love? How could I not go crazy?"
When she said the word crazy, her lips trembled, running her hands through her hair as her voice began to croak from the exhaustion of words. "I understand you were upset about Igneel but I had lost Aquarius and you never knew. You never even talked to me after the battle, you just up and left, I hadn't known you'd return. I didn't think Fairy Tail was going to revive, my life was over! It was over and I didn't find a reason to live! If Zeref hadn't come, I would have ended my life because of the misery I lead. I lost my mother who I barely got to know, my father who just began to become a real dad for me. I lost Michelle who I hadn't even known existed and was just getting to know her. I lost all my friends after Tartarus, everyone going their seperate ways and leaving me in the dust, not knowing what to do without Fairy Tail which I spend so much of my life wanting to get into. I lost Aquarius who was my first friend but sacrificed herself for me so I could save all fo you. Worst of all, I lost the man who had taken me in. The man who let me have a family again. The man who I loved and that was you! It was," she faltered.
Lucy placed her trembling hand over her mouth, her entire body shaking as her eyes began to burn from the tears, her breathing becoming hiccups as she tried to calm herself down. "I lost everything," she squeaked, her voice trembling. "And I lost myself with it."
She stopped, her hands covering her eyes as she let the tears flow and Erza just spotted Nothing in the stairwell, leaning against the wall as he watched Lucy cry. Natsu and the others didn't say antyhing, too speechless to speak. Wendy and Levy were crying, but silently, not like Lucy who's cries filled the entire room.
Nothing left the stairwell, showing himself to Fairy Tail as he rested a hand on Lucy's back. It seemed to startle her but she didn't push him away as he turned her around and enveloped her in his arms, twining his hand in her hair as he rubbed her back softly, the gesture comforting.
Erza didn't find any romantic feelings in the hug, he didn't seem like the guy. She saw a friend comforting a friend and it made her believe everything Lucy had said. She had lost everything, and Premonition had replaced them in a way nobody could.
Nothing and Erza made eye contact but he didn't glare, just stared, nothing behind his eyes. Soon they both turned and walked up the stairs, Lucy's cries fading as they disappeared down the hall. Nobody said anything.
Wendy leaned into Levy, who hugged her gladly with the comfort. Erza glanced around and everyone seemed defeated by her outrage, especially Natsu. He looked at the ground, Happy at his feet, leaning against his leg with the purpose of comforting him. She wanted to talk to him but felt like it wasn't the time. Instead Erza turned and walked out of the quiet lobby, entering the cool night air.
She sat down on a bench right outside the door, her leg dangling over the other as she watched the people walk down the streets. She heard the door open and Mira sat down beside her, leaning forward with her hands rubbing together thoughtfully. She didn't speak for a while as they both sat there and when she did speak, Erza hadn't expected it.
"We were enemies a long time ago, now we're friends." It was more of a statement and it made the red head glance her way, eyebrows raised.
"Why bring that up now?" She asked.
Mira sighed, her cheeks becoming rosy from the cold wind, moving her hair to her left side, letting the whiteness warm her arm. "I never thought Lucy was that fragile. I sort of blame myself, to be honest. I'm sure everyone would say that but, I truly think it's my fault."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't go to her apartment and invite her to help rebuild it. I thought she was gone, it never even occured to me that she might be hiding inside." Mira looked Erza in the eyes. "We were enemies and now we're friends. What I mean when I say that, is that it's the samt thing now, but reversed. Lucy was our friend and now she's our enemy."
Erza hadn't thought about it that way, Lucy being their enemy and such. She always just thought they weren't on good terms. Thinking that they were enemies didn't make her feel any better, so she wasn't sure where Mira was trying to get at. She wasn't even sure if this conversation was supposed to be comforting.
"So we have to change it back." Erza watched Mira's expression. "Make Lucy our friend again and not our enemy. It'll be harder then losing her." With that the white haired waitress got up and disappeared back into the lodge, leaving the red head staring after her.