So I decided to try my hand at one of these types of fanfics. I've never written romance before so this story may be a little different. Having read quite a few Nalu fanfics recently, and I noticed many of them show a lot hate for Lisanna, she ends up being the jealous girl that tries to steal Natsu away. The stories where she manages to convince everyone to kick Lucy off the team for her come to mind. I always thought while reading those stories that Natsu, Gray, and Erza would never do that to Lucy, but, more importantly, Lisanna would never ask that because she's a good person. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading those stories as much as the others, but I wanted to take a different approach to her character. That's why I came up with the idea for this story. It's definitely a Nalu story, but it's told from Lisanna's perspective. I think any of us that have had any experience with romance can say we've been in her place at least once. I know I have. Watching a person you may have feelings for with another can be hard, and I think it shows how kind Lisanna is that she has only been supportive of Lucy in the manga. So this really long oneshot is for her.
Written in the Stars
"Maybe when we get older… I should be your bride!?" The words echoed in my head as I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling. I smile; he'd had such a funny look on his face when I'd said that.
"Wh…What the heck do you think you're saying?!"
"Well, you know… you're reliable, and you seem like you'd be great with kids…" I wouldn't have imagined it possible, but, after I'd said that, his expression had gotten even funnier. I chuckle to myself and glance at Mira-nee. She's fast asleep after having had such a long day yesterday preparing so I need to be quiet.
"Oh, don't go all red. Obviously I'm only joking." I had laughed.
"Y…you're one of those… what was it- the old man said it once….a masegaki!" He'd accused.
Although I said it as a joke, I realized afterwards that I had been a little bit serious. It's pretty normal to have a crush on your best friend, and I can openly admit to myself that at one point I had liked him like that. He was always so confident and full of energy, and he would just get people to want to be around him. He's still like that, and I don't think he even realizes the effect he has on people. Who wouldn't have been drawn in? Of course, we were children at the time and naïve. So many things have changed since then.
I admit that at times I've wondered what would have happened if I hadn't "died". Would things have turned out differently if I hadn't have been gone for two years? Would I be in Lucy's place now? Even while I asked myself this question, I already knew the answer was 'no'. Those two were just supposed to meet. Perhaps that's why the anima brought me to Edolas, so that I wouldn't be around just long enough for Natsu to meet Lucy in Hargeon port that day. It was fate, and my time in Edolas confirms it.
I can remember when I first showed up in Edolas and found Fairy Tail. Everyone had been so excited to see me, and I hadn't had the heart to tell them I wasn't their Lisanna. I was content to pretend everything was normal, but I always missed everyone in Earthland. He wasn't an exception, so when I saw his Edolas counterpart, I had been so excited. Of course, he wasn't anything like the Natsu I had known. He was scared and cried at almost everything, but, when he was in his car, I could see a little bit of the friend that I missed. I stifle a laugh at the memory of that so I don't bother Mira-nee. Of course Natsu's Edolas counterpart would have a thing for cars; the irony isn't lost on me. Earthland Natsu probably would too if he wasn't a Dragonslayer.
Anyways, despite my personal feelings, I could see right off the bat that he was with Lucy Ashley. It was probably one of the most bizarre relationships I had ever seen, but it was definitely there. She would often terrorize him with all sorts of punishments and wrestling holds (much like Erza does here), but she was also probably at her kindest when she was with him.
Whenever he was gone, she would pace the entrance waiting for him to come back. At least until she caught herself, then she would go start a fight with Levy so nobody would be able to tell how worried she was. One time, while I was cleaning up after hours and everyone was gone for the night, she came up to me and admitted how uncomfortable she was when he wasn't around. He had been late coming home that day. I probably remember this day really well because it was one of the rare occasions that Lucy cried. She told me she was scared that Fairy Hunter Erza had gotten a hold of him.
"Don't be so worried Lucy, he's the fastest wizard in Fairy Tail. There's no way Erza would get him. Besides, he promised he'd be back, and Natsu never goes back on his word." I had said that to console her.
Lucy had smiled and replied, "Thank you Lisanna, I needed someone to talk to. But seriously, if you ever tell ANYONE about this, I will kick your ass!" She'd been scowling by the time she'd finished her sentence and I had assured her I would never tell.
Needless to say, when he had stumbled into the guild the next day, she had thoroughly punished him for being late, but not before she had broken into a huge, relieved grin that she couldn't hide quite fast enough for me to see.
There were other signs too. Whenever she thought nobody was looking, she would often steal a kiss or gently hold his hand. Sometimes, he would be the one to steal a kiss. I never told her I saw them a few times. Actually, I'm pretty sure a lot of people saw, but nobody said anything for Natsu's sake. There were a few times when someone accidentally caught the two of them hugging and Lucy, in her embarrassment, would try and cover up her soft side by immediately pretending she'd been punishing him all along for something or other. Her gentle hug would turn into one of her many torture holds. In a way, it was pretty comical, although I don't think I'll ever be able to understand exactly why they were so close. Perhaps it's because Natsu in both Edolas and Earthland has always been a bit of a masochist. In Edolas, it's Lucy's affectionate torture, and, in Earthland, it's probably the reason he's always challenging Erza or Laxus to fight.
I sigh and glance at my window where the sun can be seen starting to come up. I missed the sunrise in Magnolia. The sun rose and fell in Edolas too, but there's just something about being home, really home, that makes the sunrise that much better. The dark sky turns a rosy pink as the golden sun rays stream over the horizon and it makes me smile. I'll have to get up soon and help Mira-nee. Today's a big day for the guild.
I close my eyes and take in a deep breath. Thinking about today makes me wonder how those two are doing in Edolas. That's probably one of the biggest things that make me sad about leaving. Everyone there was my family for two years, and I'll never see them again. Is everyone doing okay? Not that I regret coming back. Seeing Mira-nee and Elf nii-chan again made me so happy. It's thanks to everyone here that I got to see them again.
I remember when Natsu, Wendy, Charla, and Happy came to the guild in Edolas looking for Fairy Tail. Everyone had thought he was our Natsu at first, even me, but after I saw Happy I had realized the truth. He and Happy looked at me like they'd seen a ghost, and then they tried to hug me with tears in their eyes. I had been confused at first, because it was impossible that they could be there. I just didn't want to accept it.
When they told us how they'd gotten to Edolas, and why they were there, I'll admit I was terrified. After hearing their story I couldn't stay in the room anymore. I ran. It was one of the most emotional moments in my life. He'd been right there, and I could have told him I was alive, but I couldn't because that would have hurt everyone there. I had reasoned that what he didn't know wouldn't kill him, but it hurt all the same.
After he had left, swearing to save everyone, I had regretted my decision a little. I'd wanted to help save everyone, but I knew that Natsu would succeed because he was determined. As children he always came through when it counted, and that time in Edolas was no different.
I remember Lucy had been standing at the bar nervously for a few moments after they'd left. She'd looked worried.
"I'm going to make sure they get to the next town safely…" she'd said with a light coloring in her cheeks before she'd run out the door in hot pursuit.
Mira-nee had smiled knowingly and said, "Even when he's from a different world, Lucy has a soft spot for him." I'd laughed with her, but I'd felt a slight twinge of jealously then.
When Lucy had returned with Natsu to rally everyone in the guild to fight the kingdom, I'd jumped to support her almost immediately. I saw it as my final chance to help my old family, and I didn't want to disappoint. When Levy took us into the middle of a battlefield things had been so chaotic, I didn't have a lot of time to think, but I remember seeing her fighting alongside an orange-haired boy there. Earthland Lucy. She'd been wearing a bizarre belly-dancer like outfit that Edolas Lucy wouldn't have been caught dead in, but she was definitely Lucy. I had briefly hoped that perhaps the orange-haired guy was her boyfriend, but I didn't dwell on it since I was busy fighting soldiers.
After the fight had died down, I had thought that was the end of it, but I was proven wrong as the anima began to pull me away to. I'd cried out to Mira-nee and Elf nii-chan, but they'd told me it was okay and sent me on my way. After two long, lonely years, I was going home.
My first instinct had been to hide, but I was caught almost immediately by Pantherlily. I remember being pulled out in front of everyone. They'd looked so shocked, and I just did the first thing that came to mind. I'd tackled Natsu in a hug and started crying. To cover up any awkwardness, I'd hugged Happy too and greeted everyone else. I told them my story and was finally reunited with my real family and friends. Everyone took me back with open arms because that's how Fairy Tail mages are. The moment was bittersweet in many ways.
Two years had gone by, and people had changed. I smile and glance at Mira-nee as she sits up in bed and rubs her eyes.
"Morning Lisanna. Are you ready?" She asks.
"Yeah, I can't wait." I nod my head and give her a determined look.
"Perfect! Well, I'm going to take a shower. I'll be out real quick so you can shower too. I won't have anyone attending unwashed! Today has to be perfect!" She gives me a sweet but determined look and heads for the bathroom.
Mira-nee had changed a lot, that's for sure. My punk-gothic sister was gone and in her place was the Mira-nee who didn't like to fight. I sigh and sit up to start up some breakfast. She wasn't the only one who changed.
I'll admit, when I first got back, I'd wanted everything to be like it was before, but I knew that wouldn't be the case. I'm ashamed to admit part of me wished I didn't have to meet Earthland Lucy, because the second I was officially introduced (by Natsu) I could tell right away that we'd passed the point of no return long before I got back. I saw the way she looked at him, and it broke my heart, but I smiled and shook her hand anyway because I was happy that he was happy.
Truth be told, I wasn't really surprised. They'd all had two years to cope with my death and accept it so, while they'd missed me, they'd gotten past their grieving. If I really had died, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I wanted everyone to be happy, and I could handle the personal consequences. I was glad to be back, and that's all that mattered.
"The shower's open." Mira-nee says as she comes in dressed in her bathrobe and grabs a plate.
"Alright, thanks. There're eggs in the pan for you and I have some toast going too." I say as I put my plate in the sink. "I'll be out soon so we can head down soon. I'm finishing up the decorations, right?"
"Yes. I wish I could help you, but I have to make sure the food is ready, handle the cake decorating, transport the cake, help Lucy out, manage the list of guests…" Mira-nee continues to list things off as I walk into the bathroom.
I take a quick shower and slip into my dress. It's blue and hugs my figure quite nicely around the bodice and then flows into the skirt where it ends at my knees. The low-cut neckline forms a 'V' as the straps rise to my shoulders. It's simple but classy and I like it very much. I move on to my hair and make-up and Mira-nee joins me. Her dress matches mine.
"Oh I'm so excited! I just can't wait! I've been waiting so long and finally…!" Mira-nee squeals and finishes up her mascara.
"Yeah, I'm excited to Mira-nee." I smile as I put my lipstick on and glance at myself in the mirror.
"Just remember, have the boys help as much as possible! I don't want them to start brawling in the middle of the yard today and keeping them working is the best way to do that."
"I was already making plans Mira-nee." I assure her and smile. "Don't worry about the stuff on my end. You have a lot to take care of and I can handle this. Besides, Erza will be there, and she'll help me. Say 'hi' to Lucy and everyone else for me."
"I will!" Mira-nee grabs her handbag, gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, and rushes out of our room and out the front door.
Giving myself one last look in the mirror, I stand up and walk into the kitchen to grab a clipboard with a list of decorations and a picture (drawn by Mira-nee) of the courtyard at Fairy Tail all decked out and ready to go. I smile. Even with all the things on her plate, she still has time to give me a boost. Mira-nee is such a hopeless romantic. I step out the door and head to Fairy Tail.
While I'm walking, I have more time to think.
The first few weeks back were the hardest. Mira-nee had updated me on all the gossip in the guild, and Lucy and Natsu's relationship was one of her favorite topics. I would have figured it out even if she hadn't said anything though. I saw how well they got along, among other things.
Earthland Lucy was similar to Edolas Lucy in a few ways, the biggest being that she didn't like to show how much she liked Natsu. She didn't beat him up or anything like that, but she tried to hide it in other ways. Like Edolas Lucy, she only thought she was good at that.
When he was off fighting Gray, she would be sitting at her usual spot at the bar and she would shoot occasional shy glances his way before determinedly looking away with a scowl on her face and a slight blush on her cheeks. When they were sitting together in more relaxed settings, she would sometimes fidget and look at her hands a lot to avoid looking him in the eyes. (Can't say I blame her though, his eyes are quite intimidating. It's like they see right through you.) He would watch her curiously when she did that, sometimes asking her if she was okay, and she would glance up to answer. When their eyes would meet, she would blush slightly and mumble something incoherent and pouty before standing up and running over to Levy to chat.
She wasn't the only one who acted that way though. Natsu had his own moments. Most of the time, he was completely clueless (all boys are), but occasionally I would see him watching her too. It was most obvious when a strange boy would approach her and start a conversation. Even if they had happened to be on the other side of the room, he picked up on the intruder extremely fast (probably due to his Dragonslayer senses). He would stop in the middle of what he was doing and put his full attention on the pair, his intense onyx eyes measuring the other male almost aggressively. Then, depending on what he'd been doing before, two different things would happen. If he wasn't in the middle of a brawl, he would tense up before he would run over to Lucy, calling out her name and draping an arm over her shoulders as he greeted the guy she'd been talking to in an almost too friendly manner. Lucy would sometimes act a little annoyed, but she was always completely oblivious to the gesture and included him in the conversation. The new guy would leave shortly after.
If Natsu had been in the middle of fighting, his distraction would be taken advantage of and he'd get launched across the room (usually by Gray) before proceeding to grab a table (or person) and, "missing" Gray, he'd hit the guy talking to Lucy. After the poor guy was knocked out, he'd return to the fight. Lucy would usually get angry at that, but he'd just give her a clueless expression and she'd let it go with an exasperated sigh.
Those two were entertaining to watch, that much was certain. I was a little jealous watching them. They seemed to have fallen into this awkward dance around each other where neither was willing to admit anything to the other. Both were denying their feelings to themselves and to anyone who suggested otherwise. I think they didn't know what to do at that time. Then, we had the S-class trial and things changed quite a bit from then on.
"Lisanna! Where am I supposed to hang up these streamers?" Gajeel trudges over to me carrying a bag full of pink and blue streamers with a scowl on his face.
"Put them around the eaves of the building and small piles of them on the tables. Twist the two colors together to add contrast." I say as I walk into the courtyard and the decorating mess that is the boys in the guild.
He snorts and grumbles "Whatever." As he walks off.
"Elf nii-chan! Line the candles up going down the aisle about three feet apart." I call as I take out my list.
"CANDLES ARE A MAN!" He shouts. I smile and start to look around for a certain ice mage. I find him stripped down do his waist holding a doily with a confused expression. I suppress a grin as I walk up to him.
"Gray, Mira-nee has a very specific task for you, but first, put your suit back on. You're dishonoring your title as Mira-nee would say."
"Huh?" He glances down at his naked chest with a surprised expression. "Dammit!" He grabs his discarded shirt and starts to button it back up.
"After you're done with that, I need you to make some ice sculptures on the platforms set up on the long table. The center one needs to be the Fairy Tail signature. For the one on the far right, Mira-nee wants a dragon. As for the left, she wants a star. Not a lame five pointed one mind, a fancy one."
"Sure thing Lisanna. Coming right up." He says as he pulls on his jacket and grins at me and walks away.
"Lisanna, what can I do to help?" Erza walks up to me in a dress that (like Mira-nee's) also matches mine except hers is embellished with a broach on her left breast.
"Just help me keep everyone in line so we can get this done on time." I say as I look at my notes. We have a lot of preparing to do before two this afternoon.
"Alright," she says before she turns to the others and yells, "HEY EVERYONE! PUT YOUR BACKS INTO IT! WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF TO DO AND YOU GUYS ARE SLACKING!" She requips into a dominatrix outfit with a whip and cracks it. All the men start to sweat and work faster. I can't help but smile.
As I supervise everyone my thoughts drift back to the time we all spent on Tenrou Island. Something changed for the two of them on that island, and I still don't know what it was. I've asked Natsu about it (discreetly of course), but he would refuse to say anything. Lucy was the same way. She would just look at me with a pained expression and say she would rather not talk about it. I respected both of their privacy and didn't pry further, but whatever it was made quite an impact on the two of them. When they came to our little field hospital all beat up and exhausted I'd noticed it right away.
While we were taking care of the wounded, the looks Natsu was sending her way couldn't have been more obvious. He almost looked scared, like she would disappear, but there was a tenderness I'd never seen before too. He'd then looked even more determined as he stood up and told everyone he was going after Hades. He didn't hesitate to call out to Happy and Lucy to come with him. We all divided up at that point and, as the attack team was pulling out, I'd felt impressed to call out to Lucy. I knew exactly what I wanted to say. I close my eyes as I picture that moment the two of us stood in the rain.
"Lucy, wait a second."
"!"
"Make sure you always stay close to Natsu."
"Eh?" She'd blushed a little when I said that.
"When the comrades he trusts are near him…Natsu gets even stronger."
She'd looked at me a moment before comprehension dawned on her face. She then smiled and said, "Okay!" before running to catch up with the others.
That had been my moment of letting go. After that, I wasn't jealous anymore because I knew that's how things were supposed to be, and I'd given Lucy my blessing. I could now be genuinely happy for them. She knew enough of my history with Natsu that she'd realized that had been my intention with those words. She also knew that I'd been suggesting she liked him as more than a friend with what I'd said. The fact that she looked me in the eye and didn't deny anything told me she respected my actions and regarded me as an equal. My opinion of her grew astronomically that day.
I also learned an important lesson through that experience. Love comes in many forms, and, if you really love someone, willingly letting them go when circumstances require such an action is one of the noblest things you can do. Holding onto the past with bitterness, wishing for what could have been, those types of things lead people down dark roads they never return from, and they drag others with them. I loved Natsu, and I respected Lucy so I could never feel justified by feeling angry over their happiness. This realization is why I can genuinely smile on a day like today.
I look around the courtyard and frown. My Strauss female radar is going off and telling me something is amiss. My eyes are drawn to the table where Gray is finishing up the dragon sculpture and I immediately locate the problem. Gray designed the dragon to have a retarded expression and he's intentionally making it look fat. He has a sly grin on his face as he regards his work.
I march up to him and try to look as intimidating as possible. "Gray! What are you doing?!" I exclaim and tap my foot impatiently.
"Just making ice sculptures, I think flame-brain will love this one." He grins and gestures at the deformed dragon.
I narrow my eyes and reply, "You're not doing this today Gray. Fix it or I'll get Juvia over here and have her talk to you. She's unusually determined to make this whole thing perfect and I don't think she'd appreciate you messing around."
Gray's face pales and he looks up. "O….Okay." He chokes out before hastily turning around and fixing his mistake.
I nod my head and turn around to found Erza looming over me fixing Gray with her steely eyes. No wonder he looked ready to pass out.
"Thank you for the backup Erza. We're almost done and we're right on schedule. Mira-nee will be so happy." I say with a smile
She just smiles and nods her head before walking off towards Jet and Droy who are messing around with the confetti. "I WANT EVERY PIECE OF CONFETTI YOU GUYS WERE MESSING WITH PICKED UP OF THE GROUND. IF I FIND ONE PIECE, YOU'LL BOTH BE IN TROUBLE!" she yells at the pair who squeal in terror and start to clean up their mess. What would I do without her here to help out?
I go over my list, running the final check-up. While I'm doing this, my mind wanders back to Tenrou Island.
We'd thought after we beat Hades that the worst of everything was past. How wrong we were. I remember the sheer terror I'd felt when I saw that black dragon for the first time. I'd heard Natsu talk about Igneel, but the image I had of the fire dragon didn't fit with the monster attacking us.
In all the panic of the attack, I was sure we were all going to die. So was Lucy. She'd started to break down in despair. Natsu had been right there to comfort her though. He'd looked terrified at first too, but, as soon as he heard her tearful voice, he seemed to have found an extra reserve of strength. He told her we were all going to survive, and she put on a brave face as he grabbed her hand.
Really, I think his words helped all of us. We all joined hands and faced Acnologia without fear. If we were going to die, we would all do it together, but we knew we wouldn't because we had a power that even the black dragon of the apocalypse couldn't defeat: love. I'd glanced at the two of them right before the blast hit us, and I knew we would survive because there are some cases where reality bends over backwards in order to allow certain things to happen. This was one of those times.
Seven years passed in the world before we returned. For me, it wasn't too big of a deal. I'd already missed two years so the feeling wasn't too new. I also had Mira-nee and Elf nii-chan by my side so I didn't lose anything at all during that time. Lucy on the other hand…
I remember that, after finding out about Cana and Gildarts, Lucy was telling us on the boat back that she wanted to visit her father and make up with him. She looked nervous, so we all encouraged her to go for it, but it wasn't us who pacified her fears. It was Natsu. He looked right at her and, with his signature grin, said he'd go with her if that would help. She blushed and nodded, looking even more determined than before.
Of course, it didn't turn out exactly how she'd been expecting. I had been at the guild at the time talking to Mira-nee about something random. Lucy and Natsu had been gone a few hours, so I was surprised to see Natsu march into the guild with Happy earlier than I'd been expecting. He'd looked worried about something. Gray immediately ran up to him to start a fight, but Natsu uncharacteristically ignored Gray's insults and said he was going to look at the job board. He and Happy didn't look long before they grabbed a job, showed it to Mira-nee and ran out the door.
"This'll cheer Lucy up!" He'd said.
"Aye!"
"My, my. I guess the meeting with Lucy's dad didn't go so well." Mira-nee had said as the doors had closed. It wasn't until later that day that we found out Lucy's dad had died. I was glad that Natsu had been there for her. Of course, none of us imagined his death would trigger troublesome events for the guild.
The topic of the death of Lucy's father came back to the guild during the whole infinity clock fiasco. It started with the arrival of Lucy's "cousin" Michelle Lobster. She was a strange girl, and she brought a bizarre artifact with her. Nobody knew what it was, but, since it was from her father, Lucy became very determined to figure it out. It was funny to watch her and Natsu interact with each other during that time. She would be so focused on some old book, and Natsu would be sitting next to her trying to get her attention. Of course, these simple moments were interrupted by the appearance of Zentopia.
After the Crusaders stole the artifact, we learned about its significance and began to hunt for the other pieces. I went with Mira-nee and Elf nii-chan to get a piece out of a lake. Once we'd retrieved the piece, we all got together and Oracion Seis appeared. We didn't stand a chance as unprepared as we were.
With the new goal of defeating Oracion Seis and real nightmare, we sent some of our strongest members out. Our bad luck hadn't run out though, and most of those groups were defeated. I remember how panicked I had felt when Elf nii-chan came to the guild alone and injured to tell us that Natsu and Lucy had been captured by Oracion Seis, and that Michelle was a member of that dark guild.
We immediately sent out a rescue team. Everyone wanted to go, but, with the dangers of real nightmare affecting the world, it was safer if only a small but skilled team went. I was left behind to help handle things in the guild, but, thanks to Warren, we knew what was going on what whole time.
Somehow, in the middle of all the chaos, Natsu had managed to get out of the prison he'd been stuck in and joined in the rescue effort. Lucy, we found out, had been captured in order to become a sacrifice to the clock. It was a race against time, literally.
Things had started to look up as we started to take down members of the opposing guild one by one. We did everything we could to slow the clock's advancement. Those of us in the guild were providing the intell, and the ground crew was fighting their hardest. Then things got really bad.
We were losing Lucy, and everyone was getting desperate, especially Natsu. His communications were always clear, but there was a slight panic to his words. While he was fighting Midnight in the center of Infinity Castle, he was probably distracted seeing Lucy disappearing in front of him. Midnight took advantage of that, and, for a moment, Natsu completely disappeared from Warren's channel, but we heard Romeo's communication about a Void. I'd panicked because I thought, for a moment, that I would lose two friends that day. Then, something incredible happened. Somehow, Lucy managed to take control of real nightmare and turn it on Midnight just long enough for Natsu to recover and defeat the final member.
Our victory was short-lived though since Lucy had completely merged with the clock. Natsu almost lost it there. I remember hearing him calling her name in desperation over Warren's channel; it had been heart-wrenching. We all thought we'd lost her. Then, she communicated through the clock, and we all grasped onto that small glimmer of hope that she could still be saved.
Like I said earlier, reality has a way of bending over to allow certain things to happen, and, as improbable as it seemed, we were able to find a way to potentially restore her. There were risks, but it was the best we could do. When we shared our discovery with the group at the castle, Natsu hadn't liked it. I honestly can't blame him though; our plan required Lucy to restore the Celestial wizards which would cause the castle to explode and the pieces of the clock to scatter, Lucy included. Natsu had tried to protest and demand we find some other way, but Lucy's determination silenced him, and he supported her decision.
I smile as I look up from my clipboard and examine everyone's handiwork. We're almost ready so I walk into the guild to grab a glass of water my mind still in the past.
That particular incident with the clock showed me a new level of their relationship I hadn't seen before. Many people on the outside would view Lucy as the damsel in distress, and, I suppose sometimes she is, but that's never been a determining factor for them. Natsu's always viewed her as a strong person whether she saw it or not, and, during the events on Infinity Castle, he viewed her as an equal. He was opposed to her taking risks, yes, but he respected her decision to destroy the clock. He never played the over-protective role because he has always respected her value to his team. Her determination to fix what the clock had done he supported despite his reservations. They really were perfect for each other.
I heard what happened next from Erza once everyone came back. With the destruction of the castle, everyone began the search for Lucy. Natsu had been knocked out and was carried on the Zentopia octopus while everyone else was scouring the skies for any sign of Celestial mage. Natsu woke up, and, immediately started to look for Lucy. He was so focused on that, that he didn't notice he was on transportation at the time. Of course, he didn't stay on it for very long because he almost immediately found her scent and ran full speed in the direction it was coming from, leaving everyone else in the dust.
She was spotted by the others falling from the sky and they all watched as Natsu managed to catch her. She fell, unharmed, right on top of him. He hadn't even been fazed by the impact as he just grinned at looked at her in relief. While Erza had been recounting this part, she'd had a knowing smile on her face, but neither of us said anything. We both knew so no words had to be spoken.
After that, things settled down for a little while, but soon we were preparing for the Grand Magic Games. I was super excited as I left to train for three months with Mira-nee and Elf nii-chan. It was quality time I hadn't really had with them in over two years.
The games were amazing, and I loved cheering for both teams from the stands. That first day was a little rough because of Raven Tail. Watching Lucy's fight had been hard for all of us. She was so obviously winning, and then Raven Tail cheated causing her to look like an idiot in front of everyone in the stands. I was angry as I listened to all the laughing and jeering from the crowd as she lay in the middle of the field unable to stand. I'd looked at Natsu briefly before he jumped onto the battlefield, and he'd looked angry at the crowd too, but then his gaze shifted to Lucy and it softened. He walked up to her with a determined look in his eyes, and he'd spoken to her so softly. It was a complete one-eighty change from the anger he'd shown the crowd moments before. Their exchange in front of everyone had been touching.
"Don't cry Lucy…" He'd smiled at her in encouragement.
"But… it's just so frustrating…" She'd been covering her face in shame as she cried.
"Let's save the tears for when we win. You were amazing! Thanks to you, we realized that we could fight in this world. 0 points? That makes things interesting, right? We'll turn the tide now." He'd replied as he reached out for her hand to help her stand up.
"I'm all fired up." She'd sniffled as she took his hand. She'd looked so determined with him next to her.
For the rest of the tournament Fairy Tail returned with a vengeance. It started day two with Chariot. Natsu had volunteered for the event for some reason unbeknownst to most if not all of us. We came in sixth and seventh place during that event, but we had gained more than just points. After a devastating first day, Natsu had showed the whole arena to never look down on Fairy Tail because we always come out strong. We didn't need their approval; we were participating for our family who had suffered while we'd been gone. It was inspirational, and I don't think there were many dry eyes in our guild. While he said that in answer to the Sabertooth boy's question, I think those words were meant in part for Lucy and the rest of us.
Mira-nee and Elf nii-chan were spectacular in their events, and so was everyone else. Lots of things happened both in and out of the arena. Plots within plots within plots raged in the background, and we, although suspicious, were oblivious to the sinister direction things were heading in.
The tournament didn't lighten up on Lucy at all, it became her punishing ground. Naval Battle was even worse than her fight against Raven Tail. Like before, she was doing so well, and then that horrible woman from Sabertooth decided to beat her mercilessly for her determination.
It was horrible to watch; she had stopped moving at one point, but everyone was so stunned by the sheer inhumanity of that woman that it took a while before anyone was recovered enough to stop the match. Natsu had been one of the first. I remember him screaming stop loud enough that it broke the stunned atmosphere and the referee ended the match. That woman from Sabertooth had raised her arms in victory as she's held Lucy by the throat outside of the water bubble and then carelessly dropped her. Natsu and Gray had been on the field the moment the event was stopped and were close enough to catch her thank goodness.
As the medical teams, Wendy, and Chelia were rushing on the field to provide emergency treatment, I had worried that a fight had been about to break out. Gray was holding Lucy trying to get her to respond, and Natsu had stood up to face that woman from Sabertooth with such a dangerous glare I was actually afraid. The other members of Sabertooth must have seen it too because they jumped down to stand between Natsu and their teammate. That hadn't seemed to be much of a deterrent to him though; if Erza hadn't been there and put her arm in front of Natsu, I'm not sure what would have happened.
Personally, I still believe that was Sabertooth's way of getting back at Natsu for the actions he took against them over Yukino. He was definitely the one suffering the most (after Lucy) over the whole event. When it was his turn to fight alongside Gajeel against the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth he didn't have any intention of messing around. Sabertooth had looked down on Fairy Tail, and that was unforgivable, but they'd also injured a precious guild mate, and that was even worse. Lucy's honor was on the line.
The match was absolutely amazing. Natsu almost single-handedly returned Sabertooth's scorn with such an incredible display of raw power that that the somber mood everyone had been in was lifted. Sabertooth was justly humiliated, and we knew they wouldn't forget it.
After the match, Natsu had stayed just long enough to acknowledge the crowd before he ran off the field straight for the hospital. Lucy had recovered quite a bit thanks to the healing efforts of Wendy and Chelia, and the relief on his features had been evident as we all congratulated him in her room. He had refused to leave her side the rest of that day. Even after she was cleared to leave, he stayed right next to her.
At some point during the celebrating of that day's triumphs, Gajeel returned and took Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Wendy and the Exceed with him the next day. He had seemed upset about something, but I didn't pay too much attention.
When they returned later that evening with an unconscious Natsu and no Lucy, I immediately knew something was wrong. When we all found out what had happened, we were all angry, but nobody was as angry as Natsu. When he first woke up, he completely lost it. He didn't want to listen to anyone and tried to go after her so Master had to knock him out again and tie him to a pole. When he came to again, he tried to get away, but we were able to get him to calm down enough to tell him the plan to get her back. He immediately dropped his position on the tournament team in favor of being on the team to bring her back. Master was reluctant at first, but Mira-nee spoke up and managed to convince him it was a good idea so Master consented.
The rest of that evening, he was a nervous wreck. He paced in front of the door like, well I guess like a dragon, waiting to be let out of a cage. Occasionally, he would stop and face the door, fists blazing, and take a step or two forward before Master would call a warning and he would resume pacing. He finally annoyed Erza enough that she opted to knock him out for the rest of the night.
He was still knocked out when we all left for the stadium to keep up appearances. Mira-nee told me about what happened after that. As we were all taking our seats in the stadium, Natsu woke up and, once Mira-nee told him it was time to go, he was out the door and running for the castle.
The events that took place at the castle and the events that took place during the tournament are difficult to describe. So many things happened at once, and I still have a hard time wrapping my head around it. We honestly believed that nothing could slow us down, and, for a time, we were right; until a dangerous reality became known.
The appearance of Future Lucy was something none of us could have imagined. Hearing her story was terrifying, and I had honestly felt horrified at the thought of what she told us coming to pass. Thankfully, we were able to prevent the disaster, but there was much that we lost that day…
"Lisanna! You did an awesome job managing the set up out there! It's looks wonderful!" I hear Mira-nee calling out to me and I glance up to smile. What am I doing thinking about such depressing things on a day like this!? I shake my head and wipe my eyes before I reply.
"I honestly think Erza did most of the work" I laugh.
"Nonsense, it was a team effort" Erza said as she came to stand next to Mira-nee.
"Mira-nee, is Lucy here yet?"
"Yeah, she's in the back with Cancer right now."
"Excellent! I'm going to go see her really fast if that's alright. You don't need me up here for a while right?"
"Go ahead, just make sure you're in your place before we start!" Mira-nee calls to me as I run off.
"I will!" I call back.
I honestly shouldn't have been thinking of such sad things today. Like a phoenix that rises from the ashes, the pain of that day led to the joy we're all experiencing now.
I find myself standing in front of the door to the room Lucy's in. I can hear her and Cancer talking.
"How's this hairstyle-ebi?"
"Hmmmm… I think if it was a bit more curled on the ends…"
"Like this-ebi?
"Now it looks a little too overdone. Maybe if it wasn't so tightly bound. Try it looser…"
"Roger-ebi."
I smile and look at the ground. I decide I'll give them a minute before I come in so I don't interrupt. Today's important, and I know why Lucy wants to look her best. After everything that happened that day, she deserves this. We all do, and I'm glad I get to be a part of it.
I remember that day only a few months ago when Natsu came up to me and asked for my help. He'd been so nervous he was more fidgety than normal, but I was flattered that he'd come to me. It had been a few months after the events at the Grand Magic Games, and most of us had recovered.
"Li….Lisanna! I need your help!" He'd whispered to me anxiously in the guild hall as he looked around nervously as if he was worried someone had heard him.
I'd looked at him curiously. "With what?" I'd asked.
He'd pointed towards the door and inclined his head slightly. "Not here."
I'd followed him out of the guild as subtly as possible and, once, we'd gotten a few blocks away, he'd turned towards me with wide, terrified eyes. I was actually reminded of the expression he'd had when I'd proposed we get married as children.
We stood there for a few moments with him gapping like a fish trying to figure out what to say. Of course, I already knew, I'd just wanted to give him the chance to say it for himself out loud.
During the events of the Dragon King Festival, Natsu and Lucy had become even closer. I was there for most of it, and I can still remember the intense heat from the battlefield, it was terrifying. There was a moment we all thought we were truly going to die, and, in the heat of the moment, Natsu and turned around, grabbed Lucy and given her a brief but tender kiss.
"Lucy Heartfilia, I love you and I promise we'll make it out of this! I'll be back as soon as I can." He'd said to her with that smile of his.
Lucy had started crying as her hands went to her lips. "…Natsu… I…. I'm coming with you!" She said as she struggled to her feet.
"You can't, you're hurt. Besides, I'm a Dragonslayer. There's no way I'm letting that black dragon get away from me twice! Wendy! Gajeel!" We'd watched as our friends, both from our guild and others, who were still able to fight rushed into battle, led by the Dragonslayers.
The battle was tough, but we won that day. One thing is for certain though, both of them would have died, literally or figuratively, if it hadn't have been for her. In fact, many of us would have died if it hadn't been for her.
Afterwards, Lucy and Natsu were even more inseparable. I think that the experience they had that day of almost losing each other had really given them a hint how precious the time we all have is. They'd officially started dating about a week after the events. I'll admit, there were a few times I accidentally walked in on them in the middle of a make-out session. That had been awkward, and I'd just tried to slip out of the room quietly before I was noticed. Not that I could ever be stealthy enough to go unnoticed by Natsu's hearing, but perhaps he'd been distracted enough to not hear me. I liked to think that at least.
Anyways, I digress. There I'd been, standing there with Natsu looking like he'd suddenly rather be anywhere but there.
"I already know what you're going to say Natsu so why don't you just say it?" I'd laughed at the sheepish look he'd given me.
"You…you do?"
"Duh! Mirajane's my sister and all."
He'd blushed a bit when I said that. He'd then taken a deep breath and said, "Ineedyourhelp... figuringouthowt...t...toproposetoLucy. WhatdoIdo!?"
"Say it slower Natsu. I didn't understand that."
"I…I…need your help…figuring out howtoproposetoLucy."
"Close enough I guess." I'd sighed. "Why are you asking me?" I hadn't been able to resist asking him that.
"I can't ask Ice Breath, and Erza would…" He'd paled a bit before going on. "I can't ask Mirajane either because she'd tell everyone. You're definitely the safest to ask for help from." He'd nodded like he'd been thinking about the whole scenario for quite some time.
"Uh huh….well, I can't say no to that."
"So you're going to help me?"
"Of course! Now, here's what you should do…"
We'd spent most of that day coming up with a plan. It was hard to keep everyone in the dark about it, especially Mira-nee. When the time came to execute our plan, I'd like to say it went off without a hitch, but unfortunately that hadn't been the case. Something that involved a blue cat, misplaced strawberry cake, and a chainsaw threw a wrench in our plans, but, as she'd been laughing hysterically at the whole thing gone awry, she'd accepted. Now, we're all standing here today getting ready for the big event.
I knock on the door before entering. There she is, sitting in a chair in an elegant white dress facing a mirror and examining her hair as her loyal celestial spirit stands behind her. I just have to say, I love her dress. She insisted she wanted it to be more of an elegant style than a princess one so, instead of a poufy skirt, the dress hugs her curves up to her waist before dropping down loosely around her legs. Levy told me it was because she's had enough of princess style dresses on the Heartfilia estate and wanted to turn a new chapter on her life. I can respect that.
She looks at my reflection in the mirror and smiles. "Lisanna!" She stands up and gives me a big hug. "I'm so glad to see you! How is everything out there…?" She asks nervously.
"We're almost ready, are you?"
"Y…Yeah." She nods her head and smiles even wider.
"Nervous?"
Her expression instantly changes. Her eyes get wide and she pales a tiny bit. "You have no idea." She confides.
I laugh at her and work the wrinkles out of the front of her dress she got while sitting. "Don't worry about it. You'll be fine, just don't trip in the middle of the isle or you might set the place on fire with all the candles we have decorating it." I add slyly.
She looks even more nervous now so I say, "Hey, it'll be fine. If you get nervous, just watch him and pretend nobody else is there. Okay?"
"Alright." She nods and brings her fists up to her chest to show her determination.
"Besides, even if you do start a fire, we've got a bunch of mages on standby. If he doesn't take care of it, Juvia will." I smile and start laughing.
"Lisanna!" She whines.
Just then, Capricorn manages to summon himself. We both look over to him in surprise.
"Lucy-sama, I won't stay long, but I wanted to say congratulations from all of us. You're mother and father would be very proud of you." He bows and smiles at her.
"Capricorn…" She starts tearing up as she goes over to give her spirit a hug. "You have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you."
"Lucy-sama, don't cry or you'll smudge your make-up. Perhaps we should practice going down the aisle so you don't trip." He looks at her seriously.
She smiles nervously and looks at me for help.
"Don't worry about her Capricorn, she's practiced that a hundred times already. Mira-nee doesn't want any mishaps so I'm sure Lucy will be fine. Master's escorting her down the aisle and Mira-nee already made it clear to him that there better not be any surprises." I say to console the spirit.
He seems to take my words seriously because he nods and, before he disappears, says, "Lucy-sama, if you need anything, just call us."
Lucy sighs in relief. "Thank you Lisanna."
"Don't mention it. I should probably get going so I can take my place before it starts. Congratulations Lucy, I'm so happy for you. Next time we talk you'll be Mrs. Dragneel." I wink at her and she smiles. We give each other one last hug before I leave. On the way down the hall, I pass by Master.
"Is she ready?" He asks me.
I nod and say, "Yeah, now Master, remember what Mira-nee told you." I remind him as he walks by me.
I enter the guild hall and take my place next to Mira-nee and the rest of the bridesmaids. There's me, Levy, Mira-nee, and Juvia. The priest is standing next to us going over his book, and Natsu and Gray are both standing in the corner (quietly for once). Natsu looks a little green, and it looks like Gray's trying to make him feel better.
"Oh! I'm so excited! I just…!" Mira-nee grabs her cheeks and smiles with hearts in her eyes.
The ceremony starts and Natsu, Gray, and the priest leave the room. After a moment of waiting, the rest of us follow them out and take out places at the front of the aisle. The priest rambles on and on about the commitment of marriage, and I can tell everyone is waiting for the main event to happen. Fairy Tail mages aren't very good at staying seated for long speeches. I start to get more and more anxious.
"Get on with it!" Cana shouts from the audience and we all look at Mira-nee nervously. She's still smiling so we all relax and continue with the ceremony. Thankfully, because of Cana's outburst, the priest talks faster and we get to the next part of the ceremony.
The music starts and Wendy and Romeo appear at the front of the aisle. Wendy starts scattering flowers as she walks towards the front, and Romeo walks rigidly by her side carrying a pillow with the rings on it. I smile as I watch them come. They'd better watch out or Mira-nee will try and get them together.
They reach the front of the aisle just as Erza appears at its end. She begins to walk forward with wide-eyes and a dumbstruck expression. As she shakily makes her way towards us, I can't help but chuckle quietly. She never was good in front of an audience. She takes her spot next to us as the Maid of Honor.
Finally, Lucy appears at the end of the aisle. We all glance over at Natsu, who doesn't look nervous at all anymore, he's watching her with a big smile. She meets his eyes and her nervous posture becomes more confident. She walks down the aisle with Master by her side and Happy and Charla trailing behind her to hold the long train of her dress. It really is just like a scene from a fairy tale.
As she gets closer to the front, Natsu steps off the dais and extends his hand towards her. Master takes her hand and passes it to him before taking his seat in the front row. They finish the walk up to the dais together and take their places in front of the priest. I glance away from them for a moment to watch Mira-nee with concern; she looks almost ready to pass out and she has steam coming out of her ears.
The priest quickly goes over the rest of his speech while he casts nervous looks at Cana. Finally we get to the best part.
"Do you, Natsu Dragneel, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do, I'm all fired up!" He exclaims. There's a brief chuckle from the audience and Lucy blushes.
"Do you, Lucy Heartfilia, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do." She smiles at him and Mira-nee swoons.
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride." He says.
As if they needed the encouragement. They share a tender kiss in front of the whole guild before everyone leaps out of their seats cheering and applauding. They turn around to face the audience while holding hands. Natsu's grinning with one arm behind his head, and Lucy's crying and smiling at the same time while waving. I glance over at Mira-nee to find her on the floor with her soul trying to escape.
"All right, now let's party!" Cana shouts as she raises a bottle of wine over her head. Everyone cheers even louder and the priest looks appalled as he quietly slips away. Poor guy.
The party is well underway before I manage to wake Mira-nee up from her romance induced coma. People are eating cake, drinking, dancing, and talking all over the courtyard.
"What did I miss?" She asks.
"Nothing much. We cut the cake, but that's all."
"So we haven't done the garter and bouquet yet?"
"No, but they're about to." I laugh as she sighs in relief. "Let's go enjoy the party."
"Yeah, garter is a MAN!" we hear Elf nii-chan exclaim.
Everyone is gathering around so we follow suit as Lucy sits herself in a chair. She's as red as a tomato and so is Natsu. He kneels down and grabs her leg before sighing in relief when he sees it's around her calf and not any higher.
"That's weak!" Gray shouts from the crowd of guys. Natsu frowns in his direction, but Lucy leans down and whispers something in his ear that causes him to smirk. He grabs the garter and shoots it towards Gray so the ice mage ends up being the one to catch it. He looks terrified and shocked at the same time. Without missing a beat, Lucy stands up and, with a slight smirk makes eye contact with Juvia. She grabs her bouquet of pink roses and turns around.
"Here we go!" She yells as she tosses it behind her into the group of girls. If it had been anywhere else, girls would have scrambled for the flowers, but, since Gray caught the garter, all the girls give the bouquet a wide birth so an anxious Juvia catches it.
"Juvia caught the bouquet! Juvia caught the bouquet! Did you see that Gray-sama! Juvia will marry you!" She'd shouts so everyone can hear. Gray starts blushing and stares at everyone wide-eyed as the water mage drags him away. We all laugh at him as he goes.
The rest of the evening goes off without a hitch much to Mira-nee's relief. Present opening was fun, and the dancing was spectacular. After dancing with Mira-nee, Elf nii-chan, and Evergreen a bit, I leave to grab a glass of water. I feel like I'm dying. I walk over to the table where I find Natsu examining the dragon ice-sculpture with a frown on his face.
"What's up Natsu?" I ask.
"Hmmm. I was looking at this sculpture, and I decided it looks retarded."
I panic for a brief moment as I think about Gray somehow getting his retarded dragon statue passed me after all, but, as I glance at it, I don't see any problems.
"What's wrong with it?" I ask.
"Well, it looks pretty weak, and.."
"What did you say Flame Brain? You have a problem with my ice dragon!?" Gray walks up looking slightly disheveled with lipstick stains on his face.
"Yeah, Stripper, it looks stupid." Natsu says with a smug grin on his face.
"I worked on that! You can't just insult it!"
"Sure I can, it's my wedding." Natsu sticks his tongue out at the ice mage and all hell breaks loose.
Gray sends a punch in Natsu's direction and Natsu goes flying across the courtyard where he lands on the table where Erza had been eating her cake. I watch as her cake falls to the ground and gets stepped on by Elf nii-chan who's dancing with Evergreen. Her eyes go from devastated to angry in a flash and a brawl begins.
Food and people are flying everywhere as everyone starts fighting. I slip under a table and watch.
"You're hiding too?" I hear someone say from my left and I glance over to see Lucy with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, I don't want to get in trouble with Mira-nee…" I say quietly.
Speaking of the devil, Mira-nee walks out of the guild and onto the patio carrying toasting glasses and stops when she sees the chaos.
"Wh…wha…WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING!" She exclaims but nobody notices since they're all busy fighting. She stands there with a look I have rarely seen in her eyes since I got back from Edolas. That's not good.
"Take-over Satan Soul! Sitri!" She exclaims as she turns into a demon and joins the fight to punish the people who are fighting.
"Somehow, I don't see that helping…" Lucy says. I just nod in agreement.
After the fight ends, we are just finishing the clean up when the carriage arrives to take Natsu and Lucy away. We all line up to give them our goodbyes. I'm at the end of the line behind Wendy. As people wish the two of them well and then stand in front of the guild, the line gets shorter and shorter. I look up at the sky while I'm waiting my turn. Is it just my imagination, or are the stars particularly bright tonight? I reach into my pocket and feel the two presents I've saved until now to give them. I don't know why, but I wanted to give them both something special, and now seemed like the best time to do it, so I held off from the normal gift opening during the party.
"Have fun Natsu-san, Lucy-san." I hear Wendy say before she walks up to Natsu and casts Troia. She gives them both a hug.
"Thanks Wendy." They both say. Wendy nods and skips away to stand next to the rest of the guild members. It's my turn now.
I walk up to both of them and give them both a hug. "I'm so happy for you guys. Congratulations!" I say.
"Thank you Lisanna." Lucy says, and, as we exchange glances, I know her thanks is for more than just the congrats.
"I actually have something for both of you." I say as I reach into my pocket and pull out two small boxes. I hand the larger of the two to Natsu and he opens it.
"Cool! A lighter!" he says as he examines the silver tool with a dragon engraved into the side.
"It's not just any lighter. It has a fire lachrima inside it so it won't wear out, and the fire that comes out of it is more concentrated and…" I don't have to finish my explanation because he activates it and a small explosion of fire lights up the evening. They both have wide, surprised eyes at first, but then Natsu adopts an evil grin.
"This thing's awesome!" he says as he lights it again and starts to eat the flames.
"Make sure he doesn't aim it at people when he opens it." I whisper to Lucy and she nods her head seriously. "Now," I continue, "this one is yours. It was a bit of a challenge to find, but I know you're going to love it." I grin at her as I offer the box.
She takes it and opens it before gasping and pulling out a silver key with a dragon coiled around it.
"I've been looking for this one! Where on Earthland did you find it?!" She says.
I smile and reply, "I pulled some strings and got a few favors."
"What's that one Luce?" Natsu asks as he leans over her shoulder to get a better look at the silver key.
"It's Draco, the dragon constellation." She says.
"There's a dragon constellation? That's so cool!" he says as he grins. We both smile back.
"Thank you so much Lisanna…I don't know what to say." Lucy says.
I just laugh and say, "You don't have to say anything, but you'd better hurry or the carriage won't make it to the dock on time and you'll miss your boat."
They both laugh and we share a group hug before I take my place next to everyone else in front of the guild. As the wagon starts to pull away, we all start waving until they're gone before everyone heads to their houses for the night. As I'm walking back to Fairy Hills with Mira-nee by my side, I look up at the night sky again and find Draco. It seems to be the brightest of all the constellations tonight.
Some things are meant to happen. Fate often brings us unexpected twists and turns, but there are some things that will always remain constant, like the stars. There is no doubt in my mind that Natsu and Lucy were destined to meet each other and fall in love. The constellation above my head proves it. It's a point where their two magics meet, and their love has always, been written in the stars.