I finally got a grasp on how I'm going to write this story that I promised.

This is a prequel to WHERE'S HOME NOW?, you don't have to read that story to understand this one, this fanfiction is just something that popped into my head during that fanfic and I just couldn't resist not adding it.

If you have read 'WHERE'S HOME NOW?' I hope this helps answer any questions that have appeared about Lucy's mom.

If you have not read any of my previous fanfics, "Welcome, Reader! I hope this fanfic satisfies your reading needs. I am also sorry if it does not, I'll be sad but will get over it."

Oh, before I forget, because this story has the characters who are rarely in the anime's it will be a bit different, I am trying to keep them as accurate as possible. Because there's only so much I know and so little shown in both shows I will change and add a few of my own things maybe even just add my own characters, I say this so that if you do notice something different you won't get too upset with me, I'll probably point out major changes at the beginning or the end of each chapter as I go too.

I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR FAIRY TAIL!

Layla's P.O.V.

My parents like to keep up a facade for many to see.

A lot of the noble families, rich-business people and even some royals see them as strict, maybe a bit emotionally unavailable and dare I say it but probably even snobby.

My parents do not show any - as they put it - reason for people to think we are neither strong nor weak.

I don't understand what they really mean yet, but I would bet my keys that it'll hit when I - and a husband - take over the business.

Yes, to the outside world, my parents are the typical rich snobs. To everyone inside our home, like the maids and butlers, they are the most generous people you could ever meet.

Even though I don't fully comprehend why they become completely different people I go along with them.

When they are silent, I am silent.

When they show disgust, I show disgust.

When they laugh, I laugh, whether it's a fake nasally one in front of rich old perverts - who are trying to not-so-subtly look at any exposed skin with powdered sugar still stuck to his mouth and two-sizes-too-small tux - or a full out body shaking bellow at home when a maid tells a joke over some tea.

I don't question them, I just go along with.

Keeping up this facade also means attending any social gathering we are invited to, just so no one starts to question and try to snoop.

Like the one we are going to now.

It's for a noblemans son who just recently became of age, sixteen, to be able to meet and talk to the eligible bachelorette's.

I, unfortunately, am one of those ladies, so I have been invited, ladies eligibility is at fourteen so I have been going to these for two years now.

"Layla, darling," my mother started softly, "all you need to do is dance with him just once if asked. We won't force you into anything else and if you start to get uncomfortable we can gladly fake an illness and leave just say so and we will."

That got a soft hum of agreement from my father, I knew I wasn't going to let them do that, I'd rather tough it out till the end, as I was about to say thank you while also slipping off the painful heels I was wearing the lavish carriage we were in came to a halt - this is the carriage we use for our facade, we have others that are lighter and less extravagant.

I knew something was wrong because we weren't due to the nobles mansion for another few hours, my parents knew it too they were tense and my father was slowly standing up and motioning for us to keep still and be quiet.

The action started as soon as my father stepped off the carriage.

All of the sudden the horses began to freak out as hoots and hollers of men rang around us.

When our gaurds fought them my dad joined but not before he told us, "Stay here, if it looks like they are over powering us, run."

He didn't wait for our answers before joining the fight.

There was a thunk from the top of the carriage and a loud laugh, before the sound of walking on the roof towards the still open carriage door.

"We need to run," Mom said as she opened the door on the other side of us, "NOW, Layla!"

She pushed me out before I could hesitate or remember that I was shoeless, I took off in the fastest run I could manage with the dress I was wearing.

I only found I was a celestial mage a few months ago so I didn't have the instinct to grab the five keys I have from the strap on my thigh to help either fight these guys or with aiding to get away.

I also heard foot steps behind me but didn't want to chance a look and see an attacker, I was praying that it was only mother.

Being a lady who is raised as I am we are not exactly physically fit enough to run long distances so I did notice that I was tiring quickly, which meant I was slowing down, which also meant the sounds of someone running behind me got closer.

My arm was grabbed in a strong grip before I could scream a hand was slapped over my mouth and the hand holding my arm reached around to grab me by my waist and pick me up.

What struck me as a little odd the man carrying me didn't turn back in the direction we came from.

I was trying to kick and squirming in his hold when we walked into a little campsite that surrounded an old rickety house.

The man carried into the house and to a door on the right, he released his hold on my mouth to search his pocket and finally pulled out a key, it looked a bit like a celestial key, as he moved the key closer to the door I saw a keyhole appear under the knob.

I was expecting an old run down room that matched the house to appear but when he opened the door I saw a huge room full of what appeared to many different sized cages and people dressed in all black walking around with poles in their hands.

The next hour went by in a blur of being dragged around the room of cages.

I couldn't help but notice the many different kinds of people and creatures in the cages.

I saw these animals that were pacing around in one of them but what confused me was seeing them with clothes on and walking on two feet. I also saw a really big person, who I can only discribe as a giant. What surprised me the most was seeing a giant bowl that had a metal cover locked on its top filled with water and MERMAIDS!?

But mermaids don't exist, Aquarius is the only mermaid who I know, but she is a spirit, and there can't be more than one aquarius at a time that is impossible. But how? How is there mermaids right there?

The man that had grabbed me handed me off to some one dressed in black, this person then dragged me to a table covered in what looked like collars - metal collars.

Another person in black walked up to me and put a measuring tape around my neck with hum they stepped to the table and pulled out one of the collars.

I tried to fight the grip the other person had on me as the one with the collar got closer.

But they were stronger and managed to get the collar on me, once it clicked shut I instantly felt this unnatural heaviness settle on me.

"Magic-canceling and Seastone." The one who put the collar on said, "Just in case, darling."

I felt sick when called darling.

Next, I was pulled along back through the maze of cages, the person who was pulling me stopped in front of a cage that was big enough to probably hold a horse, there were others of the same size around it too, but a lot of them were empty.

Except for the cage next the one I was then roughly shoved in.

When the person who put me in here locked the cages door and left I backed up until I reached the other end and slowly slid down to curl into a ball.

I sat there silently until the occupant of the cage next to me cleared his throat and said, "Hey, girly, cheer up. When my crew come to get me we can help get you out of here too, in fact I think we'll get everyone here out."

Looking towards the speaker I noticed his hair wasn't exactly brown bt a dirty red that hasn't been washed in a little bit, I was going to ignore him but he continued to talk anyway, "Why are you dressed all nice? Are you a princess or something?"

I was confused as to why he was being so friendly.

He didn't seem bothered that I haven't said anything yet, "What's your name? And how old are you?"

"L-layla. I-I'm sixteen" I stutter quietly.

"Layla? Pretty name you got there, girly." He smiled, "Oh yeah, I'm Shanks, by the way. And I guess I should also say I'm eighteen since you answered that question."

Chapter One is done! Onto chapted two!

So yes, I changed their ages a bit and if I continue I might have to change the timeline to a couple years earlier, I'm not sure by how much so that is gonna be very vague but just go along with me here.

I read that Shanks is like 40 in One Piece currently. And I think Layla would be about 50 - maybe close to 60 - years old now in Fairy Tail - if she was still alive.

And if I did the math right I think that means Layla is probably 10 or 20 years older than Shanks, but I want those two to be in about the same age group for this fanfiction.

I also read that Layla only ever owned three keys in the anime but I kinda wanted her to have more so I went for five.

But don't worry I still plan for Layla to marry Jude, have Lucy and die of sickness, so that doesn't change, sad, I know, but then I'd completely ruin the point lf this being prequel to WHERE'S HOME NOW.

PLEASE, IF AT ANYTIME I GET ANY FACTS WRONG JUST BE LIKE, "HEY, 1234BEAN! THAT'S WRONG IT'S ACTUALLY THIS!" I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO FIX IT WITHOUT COMPLETELY CHANGING THIS FANFIC!