Hello, there, readers who probably waited more than a week for this update. I am sorry, but I went on Holidays to another country. Life keeps moving on, ya know? Anyways, I'll be writing this during that 'free' week and I do not know when this will be out. It depends on how much time I have and if I get an adrenaline rush (for writing, okay? I weird, so bare with me, please.)

Sorry in advance if this is late. Yup. That's all. On with the next chapter!

Previously...

Her heart skipped a beat.

Lucy's PoV. (Limited-Third person)

"What do you mean by that?! I- I do not recall my mother forming any sort of seal on me. And she would tell me of it!" Lucy's voice was octave higher than normal, and she was too panicked to care or notice Natsu and Gajeel wincing and covering their ears.

"Calm down, Lu-chan!" Levy grabbed Lucy by her shoulders and steadied the frantic blonde. "The Heart family's seals are of the most powerful in existence; Their seals jobs are so amazing that they last more than a life-time. If my theory is correct," Levy's grip loosened along with the softening of her eyes. "Then your mother made the seal on you when you were a young girl. No wonder your parents didn't say anything about mages."

"But I know my mother. She would have taught me how to control my magic, she would have taught me how to make seals." Lucy countered, refusing to accept Levy's idea.

Levy sighed. Lucy sure had a strong opinion, and didn't seem to want to give up on it. Levy leaned in to whisper to Lucy, and it was so quiet that even the Dragon Slayers had trouble comprehending what the bluenette said.

"Do you really think the king would allow a person to learn magic? It would give that person the ability to take the throne. Why would letting a woman use it be any different? I suspect he didn't know what your mother was capable of, Lucy."

A shiver ran up her spine. Lucy couldn't help but agree with Levy, she remembered her earliest memory, and even then it was not much of a pleasant one. Only at times, like when she was alone with her mother, were they happy and joyful. Lucy knew that her mother was alive, and she would bet her life that she grew even wiser than she already was.

A six year old Lucy was knocking on the door of her fathers study, a big and heavy book clutched tightly in a circular form on her right arm. She waited for the usual 'come in' from her father as she re-adjusted the book so that it wouldn't hurt her tiny body. When the permission was granted, she pushed the door open with her free arm, trembling slightly at the effort.

After standing in the middle of the room and bowing, she asked her stoic faced father a question,

"Hey, papa? Does magic exist in this world?"

Her fathers head snapped up, a dangerous expression on his face that told her to back down and pretend she never read a book about mages and magic.

"What are you talking about!? There is no such thing! Little girl, if I hear one more word of magic out of you, then-" The threat suddenly stopped as a pale, delicate hand came down on the shoulder of said king.

"I'll take care of this, your Majesty." Layla Heartfilia's voice was soft, kind and melodious. The scared and tensed little blonde girl that bore an identical resemblance to her mother immediately relaxed at the feeling of calm and peace that followed her mother everywhere she went. Lucy almost sighed in relief.

Jude wore an extremely rare facial expression of love or admiration; one that he only wore when Layla was around. Once in a while, Lucy would get the same look from her father, but it had a hint of pride in it. She never seemed to notice it.

~.~.~.~.~

"Don't mind your father, the work of a king is tough, and it tends to get stressing. My little Angel, if you believe that magic does exist, then so be it. It is not our choice to chose who you are, you must find yourself and do what your heart tells you to. Although, it is not bad to use your brain," Layla poked Lucy's temples with both her index fingers at the same time. As Lucy went cross eyed, Layla laughed at the funny face, "Once in a while."

"Hey mama," Lucy looked up at her mother with wide, chocolate brown eyes from her place in between Layla's legs. "what would I do if I found out that I had magic? Papa seemed angry at the mention of it.."

Layla looked at her daughter with a worry-some expression, "My Angel. We must hope that you find it out in a way that your father won't know, and it will happen so, because hope goes hand in hand with Love. And Love surpasses all. You must remember this, Lucy. And know that no matter what happens, I will always love you. That is what makes me strong and gives me the will to keep moving forward."

The young girl didn't know it then, but she certainly felt that there was something wrong, so she gave her mother a tight hug, and clung onto her until she fell asleep to the melody that her dear mother sang.

Layla Heart, the direct descendant of the Heart family, knew that soon she would have to leave her daughter. and just a month before the young Princess turned eight, Layla departed from the Palace, forever lurking in the forest where she will meet a curious creature...

"Hey! Luigi! What the Hell are you and Levy whisperin' about?" Natsu's loud voice broke her stream of thoughts, and she frowned, not wanting to leave the sanctuary that was her mind, the place full of the last bits and pieces of her mother.

"It's Lucy! And you don't need to know!" Lucy felt bad for shouting at the guy, but she felt loose, free. No need to be all stiff and formal around here, she thought to herself.

"Finally, the puppet shows some emotion! Okay, Luce! Let's go get you settled!" The dense idiot just turned around and started heading for the guild.

"Hey! I'm no puppet! and I never said that I'd be joining!" Lucy was a little annoyed, the guy had no care in anything she said.

Ants stopped mid step. "Well, you'll be staying here until you decide, right?" He threw her a questioning look.

Lucy sighed, defeated. "Yes, I suppose. Is there any services I can do to repay the stay?" She directed the question to either Erza or Levy, knowing that she would get no response from Gajeel and Natsu would be too distracted to answer her.

"You can help Mira as a barmaid? You could serve drinks? I guess you can talk to Master Makarov." Levy was quicker to answer, but Erza looked like she was planning to offer the same thing, as she nodded at the suggestions.

Lucy nodded satisfied. But there was one more thing troubling her.

"Levy-chan, knowing you," She gave a pointed look at the short teen. "you'll be in the library in the next 10 minutes, tops, looking for a way to unseal the heart on my hand. Since this is my fault in the first place, and you have to investigate, I want you to promise me that you'll only look for the solution in the guild library-" Lucy guessed that there was a library in the huge structure. "-in the afternoon, and you have to call me to search with you. These are my terms."

Levy pouted. "But Lu~chan. How could yo-"

"No buts. You will not do this alone, day and night." Lucy said sternly.

Levy sweat-dropped, "A-aye, ma'am..."

Lucy was happy, she would be spending time with a friend, in the library, reading on magic. Wow, I never thought my life would change... It's just like you said, mama. Lucy thought with a small smile.

Lucy was about to enter the guild and follow an impatient Natsu to go to the Master of Fairy Tail's office, when a hand grabbed her arm in a- literally -armor-like grip. Lucy yelped at the sudden gust of wind that made her hair go swish and the cold, iron covered hand that wrapped around her hand tightly. She knew who it was without looking at the person.

"Erza-san? What is it?"

Said red-head sighed and released Lucy. "I'm sorry. Please, just call me Erza. I wanted to help you train. I can see the will to fight and protect Levy and any survivors of your city from harm in your eyes. And- I don't know why I could feel what ever magic you have inside of you, but I am a more curious person than you can imagine. I also want to take the opportunity to make a new friend. Will you let me be your sensei?" The normally proud and brave warrior was fidgeting and was blushing. Lucy then realized that Erza wasn't the type of person to just offer something as big as that out of the blue. It must be very important for her. Lucy, with the inherited sympathy and empathy from her kind and gracious mother, accepted without a doubt. I'll be making a new friend and training. It would be like killing two birds with one stone. Lucy was looking forward to it, and it was easy to tell with the gin on her face. She swore that Natsu's attitude was contagious.

"Of course, Erza. I would be honored. Please train me, and lets become the best of friends."

Erza smiled in relief. She was going to do her best to make a strong friendship with this mysterious magic girl. And prepare her for the outside world. She wouldn't want Lucy to end up like her...

~.~.~.~.~

Just a few hours ago, Lucy was suspicious of every person. She never thought that she could find a place where she was just another member of the boisterous crowd. It made her giddy and she felt like giggling until her stomach hurt so much it would be hard to breathe.

And now, being dragged by a Natsu that was making sure that Erza wasn't looking to snatch Lucy away and take her to the Master, Lucy had second thoughts of not joining the guild. Maybe, just maybe she would finally become just Lucy, and not Lucy Heartfilia, Princess of Crocus.

~.~.~.~.~

But then she realized that she had been in a short, almost see-through hospital gown this whole time, she decided to blame it on the pink-haired boy for not warning her, because she might as well have been in underwear, with the small rips from running in it when it fit her body a little too much. It was obvious that this guild was full of pedophiles and perverts.

"NATSU! GIVE ME YOUR TUNIC NOW!"

I had to put the little humor in the end... It just isn't Fairy Tail without it.

See~? This chapter came super fast! The inspiration just flew through me! I literally wrote this in three hours. lol, I thought it was going to take three days. Whelp, Imma go try and write the Fourth chapter now. C ya~!

~The Muncher 101, Out~!