Chapter One.

The sunset shone brightly in Magnolia. It was a calm and quiet day too, Lucy noticed. She walked out of her little bakery and patted her flour clad hands on her apron. Shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight she looked up the street and smiled. It was a perfect day to go for a stroll and find a peaceful spot to sit and relax.

People were walking through the streets as they went to find their friends to chat with or to simply go shopping. Carriages rolled over the cobblestone streets as the wealthy ran their errands. Lucy waved at one passing by when a little girl leaned out the window and smiled at her.

Turning around she raised the apron over her head and hooked it on the coat-rack by the door. She swung the door shut and locked it as she set off down the streets.

"Thank you for the cookies, Ms. Lucy!" A little boy ran by as he bit into a chocolate chip cookie. "You're the best!" He pumped his fist into the air and Lucy had to hide a giggle behind her hand.

Her bakery, The Fairy's Delight, was well known in Magnolia. It was even well known in all of Fiore. People would come from all over to get a taste of her sweet treats. She didn't have an answer as to how or why it grown widely known. It was just a tiny cobblestone building on Main Street.

"How was your day, Ms. Heartfilia?" The flowershop owner, Pierce waved as he walked out of his shop to sweep the porch.

"It was great, thank you!" Lucy waved back and continued walking up the street. The sun was sinking lower and Lucy wanted to hurry to her favorite spot to gaze at the stars.

The clearing was beautiful in the moonlight. The tall grass danced with the breeze that blew through. Lucy sat in the middle of the empty field and leaned back on the palm of her hands. She pushed her hair behind her ears and closed her eyes as another gentle breeze whispered across her skin.

She looked up at the sky and a soft smile graced her lips. She loved to star gaze. Her mother had taught her every constellation she knew when she was little. It was her way of still communicating with her. She had passed away when Lucy was young.

"Hello stars," She spoke softly. She waved up at the night sky and leaned all the way down until she lay flat on her back. Only when she was comfortable did Lucy realize how tired she was. Before she could even think to get up and start walking home, her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

The woods around her were like a lullaby. The breeze rustling the grass and leaves on trees. Fireflies floating through the air, their soft glow seemed as though they were trying to match with the stars above. Lucy shivered in her sleep and curled up in a tight ball. It was cold, the November air.

Off in the distance a lone figure stared in her direction. His dark green eyes glowing in the motionless moonlit field. He looked as if he were going to head towards Lucy, but the woman suddenly sat up, shocked that she had fallen asleep. Startled, the man backtracked into the woods, disappearing from sight before Lucy could notice him.

She sat there shivering from the cold, she felt ridiculous for falling asleep outside! She looked all around her and shuddered, but not from the chilly air this time. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, she felt as though someone had been watching her. She brushed away any grass and dirt that had found it's way into her hair and stood up, brushing any dirt from her dress as well.

Looking up at the sky again, Lucy frowned wistfully. Oh how she wished she could be in her mother's arms again, pointing at the constellations and making up a couple of her own. Holding her hand towards the sky, her finger traced the outline of two hearts. "I miss you, Momma," She whispered and turned to head back to town. She was exhausted.

She found herself to be reluctant to leave though. Just once, she'd like to spend the night out in the field. She gazed back at the empty clearing behind her and froze. In the woods she could see a pair of glowing eyes boring into her. She gasped and turned all the way around, but when she looked a second time, the eyes were gone.

"I thought I saw..." Lucy trailed off and shook her head. "Lucy, you're tired. Just go home and get some sleep before you see something else and scare yourself to death!" With that, the blonde girl trudged up the hill and marched herself home.

Walking the empty night streets of Magnolia, Lucy still found herself surprised by how much quieter the town became. Not as many people walked about, barely any carriages rolled through with horses trotting along.

The houses and shops were much different, too. Instead of light streaming out of the windows, moonlight streamed in. Every normal person would be sound asleep at such a late hour.

She turned onto Strawberry Street and smiled when she saw the apartment she shared with her two best friends. It was a simple two story building, it was old, but it held itself together. The orange painted walls were chipping in places all over and the roof's brown shingles were discolored and old. It was in a desperate need of fixing, because whenever it rained it had a horrible leak.

Fishing her keys from her pocket, Lucy yawned. She was so tired. She wasn't as shocked she had fallen asleep in that clearing anymore. It had been so calm and peaceful there.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside, stepping out of her boots she stretched. She heard footsteps bouncing down the stairs and cringed when she saw Levy walk up to her with an irritated look.

Levy, one of the two friends she shared an apartment with, had blue hair that stuck up and went in every direction. It was a wild hair style, but it suit her so well. She was a petite woman with a quite a big love for books, which was what made Lucy and Levy friends right away. The dresses Levy usually wore were short with leggings underneath. Today she wore a bright orange dress with a bandanna in her hair to match.

"Lu, were you star gazing again?" She asked when Lucy closed the door. When Lucy nodded her head and Levy sighed. "It would be nice if you told me when you go to that clearing. I worry about you when I don't know when you're coming home!" Her friend put her fists on her hips and glared up at her.

"Sorry, Levy," Lucy giggled and hugged her friend. "I'm going to start doing it more frequently, it helps me relax."

"Levy, quit mothering poor Lucy!" Erza laughed as she walked down the stairs and joined their conversation. Erza was a woman with stunning and intimidating beauty. She was terrifying when she was angry. Her hair was startling scarlet red, but it made her beauty stand out even more. She was a woman who was always prepared for anything, and Lucy admired her for that. Her normal attire consisted of a white blouse and short blue skirt.

Erza was the other woman that Lucy shared the apartment with. They all pitched in together to pay for the rent. Levy ran a bookstore and Erza was a blacksmith. Lucy snickered when she spotted a dab of soot Erza had missed on her forehead.

"Levy, did you just let her walk around like this?" Lucy scolded and reached up to rub the soot spot away. Erza blushed and ran to the mirror that hung on the wall by the front door and Levy giggled to herself.

Lucy walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Groaning when she sprawled out on the soft cushions. Hearing something scratching against the wood and running in her direction, Lucy barely had time to prepare herself when her dog Plue launched himself on the couch and directly at Lucy's face. The girl squeaked when he licked her face and she shoved him away gently.

"Plue, calm down! Goodness, boy! You'd think it'd been a million years since I last saw you!" She ruffled the fur along his neck and snickered when he started thumping his back paw in approval. He yipped happily and wagged his tail so quickly his whole body was trembling. "You are hilariously adorable, you know that?" Lucy laughed and scratched behind his ear.

"He wouldn't stop whining when we got home, he really does love you, Lu!" Levy smiled and sat down in the chair across from the couch.

Erza walked in and sat down at the end of the couch, near Lucy's feet. She wore a worried expression and directed it towards Lucy. "Lucy, I'm not sure how I feel about you going to the field every night alone. There's been rumors of some monster lurking in the woods around there."

Maybe those glowing eyes weren't her tired mind playing tricks on her. Lucy felt the air around go frigid. She loved going out there, though, and if Erza knew of what Lucy had seen, she was sure the woman would never let her go out there by herself again.

"Erza, rumors are just rumors, and besides didn't you just scold Levy for mothering me? I'm also going to assume you heard this from Mira?" Lucy raised an eyebrow and rolled her eyes when Erza averted her gaze. "You know Mira is nothing but a big rumor weed!" Lucy laughed and she sat up, careful as to not cause Plue to crash to the hard wood floor. "I know you're worried about me, and I'm glad you care, but if there is something out there, I can assure you I'll be able to protect myself. After all, you're the one who taught me how to handle a sword when I first came to Magnolia three years ago!"

"While that is true, but I still want you to be alert and careful." Erza smiled and reached over to ruffle Plue's fur. "I say we all call it a night. I had a very busy day at Iron Work's and I am exhausted. Oh, and Levy? Gajeel couldn't stop talking about you." Erza winked as she got up and left to go to her room for the night.

Levy's face turned bright pink and she looked down at the ground. "R-Really? Okay..." She trailed off and her hands flew to her face. Lucy smirked at the flustered girl and squealed when her friend threw one of the throw pillows at her. "Don't laugh at me!" Levy puffed her cheeks up in irritation and Lucy snorted. Erza's laughter could be heard from upstairs.

"You're just too cute, how can I not laugh at your flustered face?" Lucy stuck her tongue out and gasped when Levy charged at her. Her friend tackled her on the couch and started tickling her. Lucy screeched in laughter and tried to shove Levy away. "St-stop!" Lucy cried between laughs and rolled so far onto her side that she sent the two of them crashing to the hard wood floors.

Poor Plue had been caught in the middle of the fight. He scrambled out from underneath Levy's stomach and ran across Lucy's face as he bolted upstairs. Lucy blinked at Levy and Levy just stared at Lucy. The two erupted into a fit of laughter and Levy stood up. She helped Lucy to her feet and wiped a tear that had come to her eye from laughing so hard.

"Okay, okay, truce?" Levy wheezed as her giggles were still fading. Lucy nodded as she held her stomach that had started cramping from her snorting laughs.

"Truce," She smiled and a yawn parted from her lips. "Erza has the right idea, though. I'm going to bed, too. You wouldn't believe how busy it was at the bakery today! I swear I get more and more people everyday!"

"That's because you and your treats are super sweet!" Levy winked and began to trot up the red carpeted stairs. "Nobody can get enough of the sweet Lucy Heartfilia and her delicious delights!" She sang and Lucy snorted.

"Yeah, well, if nobody can get enough of me, then why hasn't my prince charming shown?" She followed Levy up the stairs and sighed. "You're lucky, you've found the man of your dreams and that he has found you. Me? I'm still searching, and it's a lonely search at that." Lucy pouted, but forced a smile, "At least I have great friends to keep me company, though."

"Aww, Lu! You'll find someone, I just know it!" Levy gave her friend an encouraging smile and light punch to the shoulder when they reached the top of the stairs. "Well, I'm off to bed, nighty-night Lu!" Levy gave her a goodnight hug and opened her bedroom door.

"Good night, Levy," Lucy smiled and quietly stepped down the hall to her bedroom. Plue was waiting for her by the door and she grinned when he wagged his tail in greeting.

She opened her door and almost tripped over the dash of fluffy white that was Plue bolting to her bed. She closed the door behind her and stretched her arms above her head. She stared at her bed longingly and just about forgot that she was still in her day clothes.

She shook her head at her mistake and moved toward her dresser, pulling out her nightgown. Tugging her dress over her head she huffed when she saw all the flour and batter stains on the fabric. Even with the apron, Lucy never failed to get her dresses all messy. She tugged her nightgown over her head, and let her hair that had been held up in a tight bun fall free. She had to keep her hair up to avoid getting any of it in the food, that would make her loose customers real quick, and the fact that it was disgusting to discover things like that in food made her wrinkle her nose.

Closing her eyes, Lucy imagined that her knight in shining armor was standing right before her. She curtsied and looked up at the empty air. She stood up straight again and held her arms out before her as if she was waltzing. She danced around the room in her daydream and giggled when Plue started racing round her feet. She started humming music for her to dance to and she bent down, picking up the small dog and deciding to dance with him as her prince.

She was so consumed in dancing with her beloved 'prince' that she failed to notice that she was backing up towards her bed. The back of her knees hit the mattress and she fell back onto the soft surface with a quick bounce. Plue was not so fortunate. He sailed all the way to her pillow where he got a muzzle full of feathers.

Reminding herself that the others were asleep, Lucy had to cover her mouth from laughing. She crawled over to Plue and wrapped her arms around him as she scratched him behind his ear as an apology. Leaning back until her head was resting on her soft pillow, Lucy closed her eyes. Plue curled up on her stomach and the two fell asleep just like that.

What Lucy failed to notice was the silhouette of a man sitting on the rooftop of the house next to the apartment. The same dark green eyes glowing brightly. Plue, however; did notice. The dog jumped up and ran to the windowsill above Lucy's bed and barked at the man gazing in. Lucy stirred in her sleep and in one swift move, the man was gone.

All Lucy could hear was the sound of wings hitting the air. She ignored it in her sleepy state and batted her hand at Plue to be quiet. The small dog whimpered and whined. Nervously looking out the window before settling beside his master to try and go back to sleep.

Okay I know I haven't updated Something More yet, but ohmyword this AU was screaming to be written. SCREAMING I SAY! I may be putting Something More on hold, I have a writer's block against it and it is so heavy I have a hard time writing. Everything I've for the next chapter so far has been trash and ugh, I really hate writer's block.

SO AS YOU GUYS WAIT, please! Enjoy this NaLu AU.

It's going to go along the lines of The Swan Princess fairy tale. But this time, Lucy isn't a princess ;)

Guys, please leave reviews. They help me want to write more and they encourage me so much you don't even know. I want to improve and I know that reviews will definitely help that.

Books books and books~

So, I've been rereading PJO and wow, I have missed Percy's POV so much you don't even KNOW! HOO seriously is know match for PJO imo. I like it and all but the last book Blood of Olympus was a bit a disappointment :/ I still love the series but the last book could've been so much better. I feel like Rick may have rushed himself. But ohwell. I'm satisfied... I guess. After I finish The Last Olympian I have a lot of new books to read this summer. A total of... seventeen I think? twelve? I'm not sure. I JUST HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO READ.

So, anyway. Until next to my lovelies, and please, leave a review if you can~

Edit: You know, it really helps to proofread. -shudder- The amount of typos in this was ridiculous!