Hello, everyone. Lynx is back from the dead. Yaay! Seriously it's been years since I've really written anything, so this is really just me getting back into the swing of things. Thought I'd give this a shot. So here ya go, even though it's a day late and probably a few dollars short. Drop a review if you don't mind. And now... Something a little different.

Summon

The gardens of the royal city of Crocus were always an impressive sight. Year round, the capital was covered in an array of colorful blooms and sweet, heady scents. The gardens were a beautiful attraction that had tourists flocking in from all over the kingdom. However, the appeal of the large, bright blooms and colorful blossoms was lost on one Lucy Heartfillia. She sat quietly on a bench, clutching a broken key in her hands and staring sightlessly at the ground in front of her. It had been just over a month since the guild had disbanded. Just over a month since her world had shattered in every way possible. It was all gone. Her home, her family... And Aquarius. Her small hand tightened around the shattered key as she took a shaky breath.

"Come on, Lucy," She chided herself, "You didn't come all this way to cry more."

The first two weeks had been unbearable for the blond. Her nights were plagued by nightmares, and her waking hours weren't much better as she watched her family slowly dissolve around her. To be completely honest, she was surprised that she even had any tears left. The decision to leave Magnolia had been made about a week ago. Lucy had finally accepted that the guild was gone, and that she would have to move on as well. She'd cried then, too. And so, she'd spent the week packing her things and having Virgo store them for her in the Celestial Realm. Choosing a destination was another difficult thing. She wanted somewhere she could get a fresh start, but she and her team had been all over Fiore during their adventures, so finding a place that didn't have memories attached to it was next to impossible. In the end, Lucy had pulled out a map of the kingdom and asked Plue to blindly choose a spot. Wherever his little paw landed would be her destination.

And so here she was, in the blooming capital of the kingdom. She'd arrived earlier in the afternoon, and had decided to walk around a bit before looking for a more permanent place to stay. The Honeybone Inn had been more than accommodating when she'd made reservations there, agreeing to simply put her on a per-night tab rather than have her try to guess how long it would take to settle into an apartment. Another sigh was pulled from the blond as she pondered her next task. It all seemed so arduous. She still wasn't sleeping well, and the fatigue had long shown in her appearance. Her eyes were dull, dark bags standing out against too-pale skin. Her appetite had suffered as well, and while that wasn't as apparent as her sleeplessness, it did cause her to tire more easily. Her eyelids drooped a bit, and she shook herself. Yes, she was exhausted, but she did need to at least make an attempt to get things in order. She needed an appropriate place to live, and a job to support herself. Joining another guild was out of the question. To Lucy, it felt like a betrayal to her family, and she couldn't stand the thought of removing the Fairy Tail insignia from her hand, anyway. She stood, stretching and tucking the broken key back into her pocket before heading back into the town. She figured there would be a place to peruse local real estate listings somewhere around...

A frustrated groan escaped her. Why were apartments here so expensive? She knew her place in Magnolia had been a steal, but looking at the prices here was giving her a new sense of adoration for her old landlady. She took another sip of her coffee and looked at another page of listings.

"You're looking too close to the main city," a voice observed from behind.

Lucy looked up at the woman who often took her order at the cafe. She was a tall woman a little older than Lucy, with charcoal grey hair and calm, lavender eyes. The woman took Lucy's confusion as a cue to continue, "The closer you are to the hustle and bustle of the city, the more expensive housing is going to be. You should look for something a little farther away; Crocus has an extremely affordable trolley system, so it wouldn't cause too much of a problem for you to head into town... Besides, you look like you could use some peace and quiet... And a refill on your coffee. Three sugars and two creams, right?"

"Uh... Yeah," Lucy replied slowly, only now noticing that her cup was another small sip away from empty, "Thanks."

"Hey, no problem," the woman chirped as she set down a fresh cup and a plate with a large cinnamon bun on it. Lucy was about to protest, but the woman held up a hand, "This one's on me, kiddo. You look like you could use some food in you, and a nice, warm sweet roll will do you some good. Maybe get some color back into that pretty face. Ciao, kid."

The blond was left staring dumbly after the waitress before shaking herself and tearing off a small piece of the roll. She hummed happily; it was still warm and gooey and just generally delicious, even as she turned her real estate search outward from the center of the city.

"Princess, are you sure this is the place?" Virgo asked her master skeptically as they both stared at the small cottage Lucy had decided to look at that morning.

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded as she double checked the address.

It was a modest little building situated at the top of a small hill overlooking the main city. It was a three bedroom, two and a half bathroom home that was listed at a surprisingly low cost. It was the price that had piqued Lucy's interest, but now she could see why it was so inexpensive. The creepy vibe in this place was strong. But at five thousand jewel per month, including utilities, Lucy was willing to overlook the less than charming aesthetic.

"Shall we?" She asked nervously as she slid the skeleton key into the lock. Virgo nodded, though her eyes still scanned the area cautiously. Virgo had been a wonderful aid in househunting, using her skills to find any potential problems and keeping Lucy positive during their search. However, she held her breath alongside her master as the door swung open on creaky hinges. The outside of the cottage was a grey and black pattern of stonework, with creeping ivy almost obscuring it completely. The door was heavy wood with an iron knocker that looked like a gargoyle's head, and the darkened windows seemed to have iron bars across them. The spirit of the maiden heaved a sigh as she took in the living area of the house. Peeling paint, moth eaten furniture, and windows so grimy she doubted light would filter through even if it hadn't been a misty, grey sort of morning. The rest of the house was much the same, although the appliances were in good working order and the structure was sound. The tilework in the kitchen and bathrooms, while filthy, was also in good condition, and Lucy had fallen in love with the iron clawfoot bathtub in the master bathroom.

"What did you think, Virgo?"

"The structure is in good condition, Princess. The only problems I could note were aesthetic."

"I thought so... I think I'll go for it. With a little soap and some paint... And maybe some more soap, I think this place will clean up nicely."

Another week saw Lucy fully moved into the newly polished cottage. Aries had created new cushions and recovered the furniture and Taurus had sanded down and re-stained the wood work in the home. Virgo and Loke had helped clean and paint, while Cancer had been more than happy to tame the creeping Ivy that threatened to strangle the small home. He'd even managed to make window boxes out of the iron bars that had been on the windows, which now sported brightly colored flowers. A wreath of flowers now decorated the door in place of the sinister door knocker. Overall, Lucy was quite pleased with how the house had transformed. She'd painted the place in pale shades of blue and green, opting for bright pops of pink and purple on the furniture, contrasting with the naturally dark hardwood floors and tiles. It felt nicer now, and her first night snuggling under her pink comforter in her new bed was also the first decent night's sleep she'd had since the Tartarus incident.

Unfortunately, the peace was not to last.

Lucy had been earning money by doing some off and on modeling for Sorcerer Weekly to pay rent and cover her other expenses, but as it turned out, she actually kind of hated it. It was awkward for her, as she wasn't nearly as confident in her looks as she claimed to be, so the thought of finding another job was a tempting one. Especially when her current job had her in the middle of nowhere... Or more accurately, the cliffs well away from the city. Lucy had opted to walk back rather than take the carriage with the others. As much as she appreciated the opportunities Jason had provided her, his hyperactive nature had been especially draining on her today. Lucy stretched slightly as she pulled a jacket over her shoulders. Though the capital was mild, up here in the rocky cliffs was a good deal cooler, and Lucy was again thankful for the foresight her maid spirit possessed when she had packed Lucy's bag. Currently, the blond stood on one of the higher outcroppings, looking over the bright, sprawling city that she now called home. It was nice, to sink into some sense of normalcy, she thought, a small but genuine smile on her face.

"Well, well, well..."

The smile evaporated at the voice, along with all the color in her face. Lucy jumped, spinning around with a hand at her keys. Warm brown eyes met a single, narrowed gold orb.

"Y-you... You're dead. I-"

"Nah," Jackal shot her a fanged grin, "I can't die as long as this," he held up a book, "is intact."

"Open! Gate of the-"

"Calm down, blondie," Jackal snapped, "As much as I'd like to get you back for what you did to me, I'm still feeling like shit from the last time, so chill the fuck out."

Lucy gaped at him, and he merely shrugged in response, "Takes a lot to pop out of my book, especially so soon after recovering."

"Then why bother?" Lucy asked warily, hand still at her keys.

"I was bored. Why are you out here all on your own? Aren't you usually with that fire-eater?"

Lucy flinched as her eyes hardened a bit, "He's not here. The guild disbanded after the war with Tartarus."

Jackal burst out laughing, "Oh, that's rich. After everything you did to save them, only to have them bail on you!"

Lucy let out a slow breath, refusing to let his taunting get to her, no matter how much it hurt, "And what about you? Tartarus is no more, so you're alone too."

"Like I give a damn."

"You're not sad?"

"What the hell does that even mean?

Lucy frowned at him, "You've never been sad? What about happy or angry or-"

"Look, chick, I'm a demon. I don't do human emotions and all that feelings garbage. That's what makes us so much stronger."

"Does it?" Lucy asked, more to herself than the demon before her.

"Yeah, obviously," Jackal answered anyway, "You do stupid shit because that little human heart "feels" like it."

"So what's your excuse, then?" In hindsight, it was probably a really bad idea to say that, but it had slipped out before she could stop it. Seeing the shocked, almost affronted expression on Jackal's face before he blew her up just about made it worth it... Except he didn't. Instead, another howl of laughter escaped him, "You've got fire, blondie, insulting me like that when I could blow up your pretty head."

"Why didn't you?"

His laughter stopped abruptly, turning into a scowl, "Why've you gotta ask so many damned questions?"

"You can't, can you? Use your curse power, I mean."

"That's right. Because I summoned myself, my power is greatly decreased. It's a strain to even stay out here."

"Then why didn't you just stay in your book?"

"Do you know what it's like to be trapped in a place with no idea what to do with yourself, no one to talk to?"

"Yes," Lucy nodded, "So you would rather be defenseless than stay in that book..."

Jackal moved faster than she'd been prepared for, pinning her roughly to the cliffside by the neck, "Oh, I'm defenseless, am I? I don't need my curse power to crush you, but it would have made it a lot more fun."

"Your grip isn't as strong as it was," Lucy whispered.

He released her suddenly with a curse, frustration rolling off of him in waves. Lucy rubbed her throat slightly, before looking at the book clutched in his other clawed hand.

"What if I summon you?"

"That would take a colossal amount of power; you'd probably pass out or some shit- wait what?"

"If I summoned you," Lucy said slowly, "would you be at full power?"

"Yes?" Jackal answered slowly, "But why the hell would you-"

"You can't hurt your summoner, correct?"

"Ehhh, technically I just can't kill you. But if you summoned me to give me my strength back, I guess I could play nice."

Lucy gazed at him thoughtfully for a few moments, weighing the pros and cons of such an arrangement.

"I don't know how long I could hold your gate open," she admitted quietly.

"Gate? I dont' have a gate. Summoning a demon is a one-time thing until we "die" or are banished back into the book," Jackal explained, "But because of that, summoning me would take way more magic than one of those puny spirit key things."

Lucy bit the inside of her cheek, "Alright. I'll do it. I'll summon you. But I have conditions."

"Let me guess: Don't kill anyone."

"Or blow anything up without reason. Good reason. Don't hurt people, and don't get into trouble."

Jackal rolled his eyes, "Tch, how boring. So I'll be little more than a house pet."

"That's not true. I'm sure we can find a more productive outlet for your curse power, and you might find that there are plenty of other fun things to do than hurt people and destroy things," Lucy scolded, "Now then... I assume the proper protocol for summoning you will be in the book?"

"Ah... Yeah. Right here," Jackal flipped the book open to a page, but hesitated in handing it over, narrowing his eyes at her, "Why are you doing this, though?"

Lucy shrugged, "I just feel like it. You don't feel, so you wouldn't understand."

"How do I know you won't kill me once I hand over my book?"

"You could have killed me just a moment ago, but you didn't. I said I'd summon you, and I don't go back on my word. That said, I'll probably be weakened after I summon you-"

"You will absolutely pass out."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him, "Well then we'd better head home first. Good thing I have that extra room," She added, more to herself.

"Wait, you want me to live with you, too?"

"I'm the one summoning you; you'll be my responsibility. Since you won't return to your book, you'll need somewhere to stay. I'm not going to summon you, then put you out on the streets."

"I... You... Humans are so bizarre."

"Says the guy with the puppy ears."

"Hey! Not my fault, one; and two, I'm kind of fond of my ears, thank you!"

Lucy found herself laughing for the first time since the guild had disbanded. It occurred to her that the whole thing was odd. The one who had caused her all kinds of pain and more than a few nightmares, was now chasing away the shadows in her heart. She shook her head of the thoughts and started back down the path, waving for the demon to follow.

"How much further?" Jackal complained, even though he hadn't broken a sweat.

"Another five or so miles, I think," Lucy guessed.

"Seriously?! What the fuck were you doing so far from your home, you idiot?"

Lucy shrugged, "I had a modeling job at the cliffs. A carriage brought us there from the city, but I opted to walk back instead."

"Why?"

"Just wanted to be alone, I guess. Not that I mind the company, of course."

"You should mind my company."

Lucy paused in her stride, "Maybe. But it wouldn't change anything. Holding a grudge against you wouldn't do anyone any good."

He was quiet after that, up until Lucy unlocked the door to the cottage and gestured for him to enter first.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Jackal asked as he handed her the book.

"I can help you, so I will," Lucy nodded, "Besides, this lets me keep an eye on you and make sure you don't cause trouble," She added with a small smile.

"Yeah, yeah... Fucking killjoy," he groused as he disappeared back into his book.

Lucy took a deep, steadying breath before beginning the incantation. Loke had been screaming protests at her through their link from the moment she'd suggested it, but she'd ignored him pointedly. It wasn't in Lucy's nature to turn her back on someone she could help, even if that someone was Jackal. Almost immediately, she felt a sharp tug on her magic. Still, she continued to channel a steady flow of her magic into the summoning, watching as the glowing red and orange circle appeared on her area rug. As she finished the incantation, there was an alarming drain on her magic, but she managed to stay standing as Jackal re-emerged from the book.

"That wasn't so bad," She panted, giving him a triumphant grin. Jackal, for his part, seemed appropriately impressed. He dropped to a knee, bowing, "So then, Master. What do you ask of me?"

Lucy shook her head, "Lucy."

"What?"

"My name is Lucy. I'm not your master. That wasn't part of our agreement. All I ask is that you adhere to the conditions we agreed on. Other than that, I don't intend to boss you around or force you into anything. If I need or want your help, I'll ask, just as I do with my spirits," The summoner explained as she gestured for him to stand and offered her hand to shake. He eyed it warily, "Wha-"

"Give me your hand."

"...Okaay?" Perplexed, he grasped her hand in his, growing more confused when she gripped back and gave it a few shakes before letting go.

"That's a handshake. You do that when you meet someone," Lucy explained.

"You already met me, idiot," Jackal mumbled, flexing his hand experimentally.

"Not officially, really. We were just enemies," Lucy argued, before sinking into the couch with a small groan, "Okay, now it sucks."

Jackal chuckled at her, "But you're still conscious. More than I was expecting for such a small human."

"Did you just call me short?"

"You are short. C'mere blondie, you need to rest or you're gonna be sick as hell." He ignored Lucy's small squeak of protest as he lifted her into his arms, "Where's your den?"

"Bedroom," Lucy corrected, despite the way her head was spinning, "Down the hall, door on the right. Yours is across from mine, next to it is a bathroom."

"That's the same goddamn thing!" Jackal whined slightly, heading in the correct direction, "Fucking humans and their fancy vocabularies..." He dropped her on the bed rather roughly, smirking at her small "oof" before leaning over her.

"Uh... Jackal? What are you doing?" Lucy asked slowly as he rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Scent marking you. It'll make it easier for me to find you if you call for me."

"If I call for you?"

"Yeah. You know, if you're, like, in danger or whatever. I'll come."

"You just wanna blow people up," Lucy teased quietly as her eyelids drooped.

Jackal grinned slightly, tugging the comforter up to her chin, "Can't fool you, can I blondie?"

"Didn't know you cared so much."

"I don't. But if you die, then it's back to that damn book for me. So it's in my best interest to keep you alive," Jackal answered quickly, "Now go to sleep already."

"Goodnight, Jackal."

"Yeah, whatever," He huffed, leaving the room and snapping the door shut behind him. Lucy sighed as she let her eyes close, "Oh, Lucy... What have you got yourself into now?"