LOVELY MONSTER

Welcome dear readers to my new NaLu story :) Before you start, I have to give credit to two things that inspired me to write this. First there is the awesome show called Kamisama Hajimemashita, secondly David Safiers book called Happy Family. I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I do writing it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This applies to the whole following story :D

Chapter 1 : Runaway Daddy

The bored brunette at the cash register chewed on her pink bubblegum and rolled it up on one of her fingers. I tried to suppress my disgust and concentrated on packing my plastic shopping bag. The better word would be 'stuffing' since the bread alone filled half of the bag and I couldn't afford a second.

Yes, my family wasn't the richest and yes, it was bitter that I couldn't even afford a second bag, but that was only because I tried to be thrifty. Quite the reverse to my dad who threw his money out of the window for alcohol and casino visits. That old jerk.

If mom would still be alive, she might have thrown him out on the streets or would call the divorce lawyer...or that's how I would have liked it. Because she wasn't like me. Presumably, she would have even managed to convince dad to quit the binge-drinking and go to work.

I sighed at the memory. Not a day passed that I did not miss her. Without mom, my family was no longer existing, we were just two strangers in the same tiny apartment.

Cold November air blew in my face and red leaves were dancing on the street. What a beautiful season... Walking along the deserted streets with music in my ears was always the best; especially because it made me forget the world around me.

No annoying neighbors, no stupid dad, no money problems, no dead mother, no bullies or any other people. Only Hayley Williams and some rapper singing about airplanes and shooting stars. I could so use a free wish as well. Just what should I wish for?

I've always wanted to have a dog. They are loyal ... not like my idiotic ex-boyfriend whom I'd love to accidentally shove off a cliff. You heard that Eucliffe? The concept conjured a smile on my lips. Someday, I'll hopefully find someone better than Sting Eucliffe.

So I decided, if I had a wish, I would like to find my one true love.

Finally, I arrived at my block and made my way to the old, rickety elevator which glowing button was pressed by my elbow. Clattering, it arrived and I forced myself plus bags into the tiny space. Then two men in pin-striped suits entered as well and I wondered who they were since they didn't look like residents. In their white hands were black, mysterious cases.

The situation got even stranger when they exited on the same floor. It started to creep me out. I looked at them weirdly and slightly intimidated, but they ignored me and went straight for one of the apartment doors. What the hell? That was my door.

Cautiously and with a bad foreboding feeling, I approached the black duo. The silver keys in my hand collided with each other and jangled, making me mutter some curses because their attention shifted to me.

„By any chance ... are you Miss Heartfilia?" asked the bigger man with a serious face and looked down to me.

"Why do you want to know?" I tried to stay calm, but internally I suffered from a panic attack. What if my idiotic father borrowed money from a mafia psycho again? I was too young to die.

"We are officials from the court and were requested by the housekeeper to visit." The mustache man looked through his glasses with a sad face and gave me his business card. I took it and regrettably - even after a long inspection - it didn't look forged. A court executor. No mafia. "We are looking for someone named Lucy Heartfilia. Do you know her?"

"That's me," I replied, now convinced that I wouldn't die in a few minutes. Should I be happy? No, because court executors were just as cruel. "What's the problem, sir?"

"I'm sorry to tell you, but since your father, Jude Heartfilia, didn't have a fixed income for years we have to resort to certain measures. His debt is about 150.000 Jewel, but don't worry since you're underage you won't have to pay that off."

My jaw dropped to the ground; I must have looked stupid.

"In other words, your apartment will be auctioned and all useful things in there," grumbled the short man as if the matter was painless. For me it was anything but painless. All I could do was to stare the second guy with my mouth hanging open. "Your most treasured things should be packed till evening at the latest."

"Are you serious?" My voice trembled and I was close to tears. "I always thought they only do that when you die..."

"I'm sorry, honestly." The standard statement. He yawned behind his hand while reaching into his bag for semi-important documents, tapping his foot on the ugly linoleum floor impatiently. I had not expected honest sympathy anyway nor did I want it.

"Does my father know about this?" I raised an eyebrow, suspecting that he already knew about this, but ignored it like he does with every problem. Great, I'll have to drag him out of a bar later. The worried glance that the executors exchanged only confirmed my suspicion and one of them got a piece of paper from his case.

"Oh, I almost forgot it. Your father left a letter for you. "

"Left? What's that supposed to mean?"

With trembling hands I unfolded the little scrap that I could hardly call a letter and read.

Lucy,

When you read this I'm already abroad.

Don't search for me.

Cheer up!

Dad

That was it. No 'I'm so sorry my angel' or 'I'll be back soon'. It was just a simple 'cheer up'. Cheer up?! Was my dad insane? Then the tears came and I couldn't stop my sobbing. He couldn't let his seventeen-year-old daughter take care of his crap and just leave her alone to live in the streets.

Newsflash. He could.

That's how I ended up in this crisis. November was suddenly not such a cool season anymore, because at night it's in fact damn cold and I was shaking all over, so I wrapped my cozy scarf tighter around my neck. My new provisional home was a park and it wouldn't be half bad, if it wasn't dark and creepy. Good thing a flickering lantern gave me light. Inwardly, I cursed my father. How he could just run away?

"It can't get worse, right?" Was my pitiful attempt to cheer myself up. And lucky me, it started to drizzle. I thought that only happened in those cliché movies.

I looked at my brown leather satchel which was all that I had left. A few clothes, basic hygiene products, a scrapbook, my IPod and the textbooks for school. Awesome. My new live as bum couldn't start any better.

Rather than continuing to excite myself about my new life, I watched the fireflies that played a peaceful round of tag. If I had one wish for free now, I would want to be one of them. Without sorrow or loneliness.

A small puddle to my feet caught my attention and I inspected my appearance critically. My long blond hair looked disheveled and a few stray strands painted shadows on my pale face. While managing a half-smile I brushed them out of my face and watched how the chocolate-brown eyes of my mirror image followed every movement of my fingers.

Closing my eyes, I thought about what I should do with my life.

"Help me!"

I opened my eyes abruptly. That was a woman's voice, certainly, I just did not know where it came from. Suspiciously, I peered through the thicket. Had I just imagined it?

"Help me! Please! Somebody!"

To the left. I didn't knew what was going on, but I couldn't pretend like I didn't hear it either. So I ran through the trees, pushing away my worries about safety and Magnolia's criminal quota.

After a few steps I saw a figure crouched against a tree. She looked at me with a helpless expression. For a moment I was fascinated by the depth of her green eyes, but tore my head around to find the potential danger.

"The monster is over there, please help me." Panicked, she pointed at something a few inches away from her feet. I moved closer to take a look at it and had to pull myself together so I wouldn't laugh or puke. It was a red spider, not very big, but not small either.

"Please, I can't stand those beasts! Just make it go away."

"Shooo!Come on, move it." I grabbed a stick and tried to stab the spider without killing it. The beast did not particularly like that, but it went back to its web.

"Oh, you don't know how grateful I am," the woman said hoarsely when we arrived at 'my bench'. She was a little weird with her bright red hair, the round rimless glasses and even the hippie clothes, but radiated an aura which I hadn't felt before. Also, I had the feeling that her sharp eyes saw right through me, directly into my soul and that made me a little nervous.

"Arachnophobia?"

"Yes, for decades..." she sighed. Decades? She didn't look that old ... maybe close to thirty? "Oh! I'm so rude, my name is Esmeralda. And your name?"

"I'm Lucy, nice to meet you," I replied smiling and reached my hand out to shake hers. To my shock and surprise, she took it swiftly and turned it around so that my palm was facing up. Esmeralda looked at my hand with a thoughtful gaze and stroked the thin lines on the surface.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I tried to free my hand from her iron grip, but to no avail.

"Your hand is very warm and soft...that's a good sign. The heart line is also very developed, maybe you're the right one..." she mumbled mysteriously.

"Um...sorry, but I'm not a lesbian."

"I'm a fortune-teller and reading from peoples' hands is one of my talents, so shut up and let me do my work."

"That's just mambo jambo."

"There is more to it then it seems at first glance." Grumpily, she finally let go of my hand and looked at me reproachfully. "What are you doing here alone and at this hour? It's dangerous for a young lady like you."

And so I found myself in the weird situation to tell a completely strange – and probably mental – woman my story. Still, it was nice to pour my heart out to someone. When I finished talking, Esmeralda looked at me with tears dwelling up in her lemon eyes.

"You poor, poor child. Surely, you must hate your father now, don't you?"

Hate? Sure, I'm not the biggest fan of my dad and still, the thought of hating him felt like someone stabbed my heart. Even with all his flaws...he was my dad and the man my mom loved once. Moreover, I made nice memories with him, too.

"He's a damn idiot and seriously, he'd win the award for worst dad of the century..." I stopped for a moment, a dreamy smile crept on my lips and Esmeralda looked up in surprise. "...but deep down – you'd really have to dig deep – he is a good person."

"You forgive him?"

"Never ever!" I pumped my fist in the air, suddenly full with energy from my internal rage. "If that old man ever shows his face again, he'll get a piece of my mind and that won't be pretty!"

Esmeralda grinned mischievously before she started to laugh out loud. "Oh dear, now I really pity him. Do you have a plan about what you're gonna do from now on?"

"Ehh..." Shit. That was the first moment it became clear to me that I had a real problem. Where should I go? I didn't have a home, no family and no friends who could help me. Resigned and without an idea, I sunk back on the park bench. I coughed nervously, "Parks are nice in winter, aren't they?"

Esmeralda shook her head and raised an eyebrow. "I have an idea and I think you'd like it. At least … it could be transitional solution and you can always quit if it gets too much for you." She grabbed a yellowed paper from her pocket and handled it to me.

Confused, I stared at the job ad and started to read.

We are looking for a house maid.

Darkwood Ally 13, North Magnolia

With Regards: Mr. Fullbuster, Mr. Leo, Mr. Redfox and Mr. Dragneel

I looked at the small advertisement and brooded. It was a good idea in general, since I could earn some money and have a refuge. Nevertheless, it was missing a few details and I was not so sure if I should just run into an unknown house full of strangers. It was irresponsible, but I had no other option.

"I'll try it out … it can't be worse than living in a deserted park." My relieved laughter echoed through the night. Seriously, being a maid was as boring and stupid as watching the grass grow on stone plates, but it was a start.

"Oh I could imagine things..." Esmeralda replied cryptically and swung her legs back and forth while I watched her with a skeptical face. That woman seemed to love to talk in riddles. "Would you give me your hand one more time?"

Hesitantly, I gave her my hand and wondered what she was up to. Probably talk some rubbish about my future or what fortune tellers do … Esmeralda put a pentagonal pendant on my palm and for I moment, I could swear that it was glowing, but my eyes were tired so I was probably mistaken. My skin started to tingle and I closed my eyes.

"This will protect you. When you arrive at the house, just tell the crazy bunch I send you and they'll understand. Good luck on your way, Lucy."

I took a deep breath and was about to ask what she meant by that, but as soon as I opened my eyes, she was gone. As if the earth swallowed her. Confused, I looked around, but there was really no trace of the woman.

The paper rustled between my fingers and reminded me that I still had something to do. So I made my way to Darkwood Ally and a certain group of men, wondering how they'd be like.

Maybe my wish will get granted...

This is an epic attempt to hypnotize you :D Look at the box below. Find your inner calmness. Your fingers start to itch. They just have to type letters. You'll hop around like a kangaroo if you don't...

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