A Slightly Different Adventure

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or Fairy Tail.

This story is a different take of A Different Journey, if I changed the beginning, the magic, and the experiences that Lucy dove into. For the most part some instances will connected with ADJ, but the magic and development Lucy goes through, along with the build up to the adventure, shall be different. I know people like the original story, so I will be writing these two alongside one another. Mainly because I love Lucy's magic, and I wanted to try it out. Without making her too powerful, as is the case in ADJ.

I felt like she never really struggled or grew properly because I gave her such powerful magic, and yet I never got to do much with it because the magic already existed. And already felt too fleshed out to do anything of my own. Yes I created a system that correlated and followed the path of Luffy's gears, but even those ideas seemed unoriginal.

This will take place Post-Tartarus, just as the Guild Disbands. And Lucy is left alone, to deal with more than she ever knew existed within her.

I hope you all enjoy it! So let's get started with this Adventure!

Chapter 1: The True Future

In the aftermath of Tartarus, of demons and Zeref, and dragons that fought in the sky the land shook. In the aftermath of the Faces that popped up all over Magnolia, which ruptured the ground and decimated cities and homes the people lost much. It only seemed natural that everyone lost, even after so much ended up lost. The victory against Tartarus felt cheap, and as Lucy picked up another block from her old apartment building that ended up decimated like the rest, it felt fake.

Brushing a hand over the broken gold key that dangled on a chain around her neck, and dipped near her breasts, Lucy unearthed a box, pulled it from the rubble. Small cracks in the wood formed and revealed slips of white paper within. It ended up pushed into the pile of other junk unearthed, sat between a keep and trash pile. The latter contained more. The home she lived in since she entered Fairy Tail at fifteen being one of those things, lost in everything. The others lost things as well, like the key around her neck.

In the end, Juvia lost a part of herself when she killed the necromancer, and therefore Silver, to save them all. That burden weighed down on the water mage, who pulled into herself like an empty shell. Racked with grief and self-hate, Juvia made the skies rain down for days, shed the tears her eyes no longer had the capability to produce.

And then Gray found his father, but Silver ended up in death's grip, and accepted it. Helped stop Face and Tartarus in the end, and held his son one last time. It became enough for Silver. Both efforts seemed in vain when it turned out another demon controlled bodies, but they did their best, and everyone saw that. Even if Juvia and Gray did not, blinded by the understandable pain.

They turned away from comfort from others. But found something of peace in one another, something that dulled the pain and misery they went through. Those two already left, headed off somewhere together. A few days ago Lucy saw them walk out of town together. Watched from the distance as they did, gave space that only increased with each moment in time that beat.

Then the Dragon Slayers, minus Laxus, lost their parents. Discovered their parents lived, inside them no less, and ended up dead. Worst of all, Natsu lost his chance to talk to his father. And in light of that, Natsu and Happy disappeared. Headed for somewhere, and only left her a note. Pulling out some clothes that laid in a heap where her closet used to lay, she wondered how they would react to the Guild disband. Pulled at shredded clothes, and unraveled a once nice dress that laid in tatters; whenever they decided to come back.

In the case of the other Dragon Slayers, Rogue and Sting returned back to Saber with Minerva. With their Lady, who escorted off with large grins and cheery calls. And in light of everything, Lucy felt it was the only good thing in everything that happened. After all, even if one family fell apart, at least another came back together.

Then Gajeel left, with Pantherlily in tow as usual. But most surprisingly, a small blue haired script mage headed off with them as well. Packed up a myriad of books she forced onto the large iron dragon slayer and exceed, and left. Sent the rest of her books to storage, most likely, so the library she accumulated stayed complete. And left her team behind, who wailed and cried but acquiesced, and went with the Dragon of her dreams.

Finally of their group, Carla and Wendy headed off. And like with all the other cases of Fairy Tail, Lucy never asked where they intended to go. Never said goodbye, and watched from a distance while they left on the road that travelled from Magnolia.

For the rest of Fairy Tail, Lucy knew they decided to go off, pout about the guild, but in the end move onward. Erza went off with Jellal and his group of many ex-criminals, who ended up a help during Tartarus. The Knight finally got her prince, in a slightly backwards but fitting manner. Lisanna, Mira, and Elfman walked away together, like always. Heck, even Gildarts came and dragged Cana off. Though they hit every bar in town on the way out, and Lucy wondered how the card mage intended to keep up her relations with a black haired Cerberus mage. Especially when it seemed like the protective crash mage of a father remained close by. Somehow they would work it out, Lucy believed.

And Lucy found herself alone in the middle of rubble, waited for a blonde man who requested her patience. Her own need to tell him something kept her in Magnolia. The process of rubble clean up took way longer that it should have.

Thought of the work that sat in front of her, sorted through the remnants of her life in Magnolia. A single bag for keeps, and a number for the trash and donations. The box she found earlier laid between the two. But knew where it needed to go, and shuffled around the contents to keep. Moved the box to the bottom and resettled the other things on top. It made a strong base for other things, settled them evenly in the cramped back.

Falling back onto some of the stones, Lucy looked out onto Strawberry Street. Stones from the walkways bulged up from the ground, peaked like small mountains for ants. In other areas stones disappeared completely, and revealed the dirt and cement mix underneath. The lining of the canal looked broken off, and no doubt she would fall off if she walked along it like in the past. And the waterways of Magnolia, once romantic and iconic of the city, sat filled to the brim with debris. Saw it across from her street, where the old men used to fish and carry packages around for the town.

The old men worked on cleaning them out then, heard their calls from farther down the road. Joked and laughed with one another, but all of the jokes and laughed sounded forced and fake. Too high pitched, too elaborate from their modest and humble demeanors.

The smell of sawdust and kicked up dirt swirled around, common at that point. Even a few days after the fight, the town needed a lot of work, and at the moment the teams focused on the Cathedral. It served as a hub of soup kitchens and aid relief, both of which the town needed in light of all that happened. Resting her elbows on her knees, Lucy cupped her face. Looked out into the nothingness.

Waited. Sat there for roughly an hour by herself. No one passed on the streets, and nothing but the destruction of the town surrounded her. But, finally, the man she waited for arrived. In a flash, of course, lightning fell from the clear skies and crashed in front of her. Out of it came Laxus, the man walked quickly towards her. The man, that attractive and handsome face, and quiet thunder personality always placed a smile and blush on her face before, even then she fidgeted on her legs and smiled up. Happy to see him. Those butterflies, from every time she looked at him, came back with full force. And while it warmed her, the truth also sickened the mood.

A determined look on his face, which froze into a flat line. Quickly she stood, opened her mouth, the paper Natsu wrote her in one hand, readied to hand it over to the Lightning mage. But he stopped her, and kissed her. Wove his arms around her body and captured her. In slight brutality he kissed her, hard and she felt her teeth rattle. Not Laxus's smoothest moment as her boyfriend, as he usually kissed her with great care that it shook her body with emotion. And he noticed the roughness of which he attacked her, pulled back and gripped her shoulders tightly instead.

Panting slightly, he opened his mouth and told her, "Lucy, I'm going off to train. I plan on being gone for a year, most likely." When she opened her mouth to respond, he covered her mouth with his hand, it smelt of pine, and shook his head. Silently pleaded with her to stay quiet and listen. Given what she needed to say, she allowed it. Pushed his hand from her mouth. "My team is headed for Blue Pegasus, already left yesterday. You should catch up with them, I'll check in at times there. But most of all, you have to wait for me. When I'm finished training I won't let anything happen to you ever again. I promise. So," Laxus trailed of and searched his jacket, pulled out a small box inside. Suddenly, what she planned to say choked at the back of her throat, suffocated her.

"Laxus," she whispered, and bit her lower lip when he continued. At the time when he first brought it up, prior to Tartarus, Lucy felt on the same page as Laxus. Agreed that she thought they would match each other forever. But in light of all the information she received, in such a short period of time, it slipped her mind. Forgot that she told him 'yes', before he got sick and the whole Tartarus fight went down.

The box ended up pressed into her hand, and another kiss pressed into her mouth. Slowly worked their lips together, responded on an instinctual level in his presence, but a tear slipped from her eyes that fluttered shut after a moment. He must have tasted it and pulled back, then placed one to her forehead, lingered slightly. Cupped her face, her jaw opened and closed. His form, so close to hers, moved ever closer. Left no space between them, so that he ingrained every detail of her into his mind. And she remembered him, felt the hard lines of his muscles he groomed for years, the calluses on his fingers and giant hands that engulfed, the scent of a storm on his skin. The rumble in his chest as his draconic instinct took over.

More tears fell down. Knew that every second he could give, he gave to them. Each breath brushed into one another, designed words neither knew how to say. Slowly going mad from the touch that scorched and iced her skin, Lucy opened her mouth a final time to tell him, gripped the edge of the bandage. "Laxus, I love you, I truly do." And ended up cut off again, his mouth covered hers, strangled those last words that she hesitated over.

"I love you too. After I get back we'll get married, and then I'll make you my mate, Lucy." In a bolt of lightning as quickly as he came, Laxus left. Left her with a jewelry box and a mouth that hung open on the first word. Cursing loudly, she felt grateful no one entered the street with the colorful words that ended up thrown about. Finally stopped and looked down at the simple black box with gold trim. The velvet cover pricked her hand a bit with the softness.

Slowly opened the top, and closed it immediately when the white gold band and stone appeared. Not even all the way open and the rock on the ring spanned wider than her thumbnail. Opening it again, the engagement ring glared at her. Literally caught rays of light from the sun, and shot them into her eyes.

Of course, right like usual, the diamond that sat nestled in the back spanned thicker and shinier than her nails after being done. The perfect princess cut, surrounded by yellow diamonds. It looked perfect, and her lips pursed together, and the hand that laid empty came up and itched towards the right.

"But I'm leaving, I have somewhere to go, and you won't be able to live with me. And I'm not willing to give up my dream and family for you. I have a place to go that I know will bring me happiness, and it would make you sick. It won't work. I still love you more than this land, but not the one I intend to go to. Nothing more will come of us so please try and understand," Lucy said finally, the words she wanted to tell Laxus. Cursed once more under her breath and collapsed to the ground, legs crisscrossed. Closed the jewelry box and clutched it closer to her body, brought it in as close as possible. It smelt strongly of him, he carried it for a while. Perhaps even before Tartarus.

Wondered how to contact them, when she made no plans of joining another guild. When, tracing the back of her right hand, the mark of Fairy Tail no longer existed on flesh. A mere memory in the rear view mirror. A happy memory.

Also wondered how Laxus never noticed the disappearance of the mark when everyone else kept theirs. Or, even more obvious, the change in her eyes. Both seemed like things that would knock him in the face. Of course the lug missed them when in such a hurry, the one time she needed him to slow down.

But Lucy never intended to wait for him to slow down, and did not intend to wait that long just to return the ring. "And I can't keep it," Lucy said to herself, sighed and threw it into the bag for keeps. Mystified by the rock, but knew it belonged to Laxus and whatever girl he chose in the future. Some bile formed in her throat, she swallowed it down.

Wondered if taking it to the Blue Pegasus sounded like the best idea where he said he's visit, then shook her head. With the Raijinshuu there to see, it seemed like an opportunity for them to kill. Especially in Freed's case.

A much more wonderful life awaited her, and Lucy packed up the rest of her belongings. Slung a cloak over her shoulders and then pulled on the small pack she carried, placed the trash and donations on the sidewalk with written labels. Left behind the old apartment and the waterways. Headed down the street and through the twisted rubble, looked for the way out of Magnolia. On the way there she passed many relics, torn down.

The sweet shop right down the street, an entire wall missing, passed by on her way out. Erza and she always ate cake at, and the pastry chefs used to let Lucy take home all the extras she wanted, packed little cookies in small bags, and brownies wrapped in paper. Cupcakes and cakes tucked into white boxes, wrapped with strings and ribbons of varying colors. The knight always pouted and wondered aloud why Lucy received such gifts. Never understood that during those times Lucy held Erza back from an idiot who destroyed her cake, that the pastry chefs watched on it gratitude.

The old library, about a road down from the Cathedral, looked mostly intact. Most of the resonances from attacks busted windows out, but the stones and gargoyles, wooden window frames, and the few iron ones, stood complete. It once acted as Lucy's and Levy's small little book club center, one of many since they moved around a lot. After the first book club, Mira declared the books held too little romance. And Erza agreed, though blushed. They all knew the romance that the red head spoke off. And Cana got too dunk and never read, while Juvia read and cried a storm about books that related to Gray. They decided only the two of them needed be part of the club.

Passed the bar towards the front of town, only a block from the station, the first place Cana got her drunk. The only place Cana got Lucy drunk, ever, in the course of their friendship. The place where they danced on the balcony that overlooked the streets, and Cana acted looser than usual so guys bought her drinks. On those night Laxus, sometimes with a visiting Bacchus, watched over them, and Lucy never felt anything wrong about it. Knew how she got, and felt relieved someone watched out for her. And didn't make her into a spectacle, like Cana.

The train, down and out of commission for an indefinite period, sat right before the town exit. And finally, on her march out of town, Lucy turned and faced the train. Most of the compartments tilted over, sat destroyed from the battle above ground. The station, tiles and columns and ticket booths and benches, all laid destroyed. The train always acted as the start of each adventure in Fairy Tail. It felt sort of fitting that it laid in pieces, the end of the adventures in Fairy Tail. As she would never again need a train again, most likely.

Finished looking, Lucy walked up the path out of Magnolia, the large town slowly dipped beneath her with each step. Climbed the steep hill and crossed under the still strong marker of Magnolia. Turned around and looked over the city lit by candles and magic. High on the hill, it looked so small and distant, a small gathering of building around a large cathedral. Though that was the point. Lucy raised a hand, and knocked it against the stone wrapped, iron sign. Meant it as a final goodbye to the town, but the structure crumbled and fell apart. Pieces at her feet.

"Got to remember to train this strength. After getting it back, after all these years, it would be bad not to control it and destroy things at random," Lucy commented, pulled her hand back and hurried away from the scene. She headed west for Sabertooth. By walking, she estimated it would take a week before she reached Sabertooth.

On the fourth day, a cemetery appeared in the distance. Hills of tomb stones and flowers littered under sparse trees, and laid helpless while barraged by rain. It fell in heaps and mounds, bathed the road and coalesced into puddles of mud she stepped through. The forest and town surrounded the cemetery, protected lost loved ones. The cemeteries all throughout Fiore also grew to importance in the last week.

After all, the appearances of that many Faces tore the ground while they ruptured up from below, and then ended up destroyed by dragons. Those attacks left fragments that fell to the ground and crushed the land. From the whispers that passed around the roads, a lot of people ended up in hospitals and temporary medical stations. And it seemed over fifty people died being crushed by the rubble, surprised and unable to reach safety in time.

The flowers around the cemetery looked fresh, piled around new mounds that protruded up from the ground. And offered flowers to the grave's neighbors. The petals bloomed in fullness, spread out and touched the others in the arrangement, full of color under the gray sky. Even the grass looked gray and ugly, while the flowers gave temporary life to the space. Fleetingly temporary, the heavy rain knocked loose petal, which fluttered from their center and stuck to the graves. At that moment, from the ceremonies that carried on at different ends of the lot, two people died in the happenings. Dressed in black their loved ones surrounded their caskets, pressed flowers on to the top of the coffins. Then spread other flowers to the graves around them.

But Lucy carried not flowers, but a box filled with feelings and memories. On her way in, a procession passed on the way out, wished them her condolences and walked on to the back of the yard. The haggard people nodded, but never spoke back. Their hoods, which covered them from the rain and dipped around their faces from the weight, allowed the distinct lines of tears to streak down, accentuated the hollow and vacant looks on their faces. On the other hand, Lucy wore no hood and felt rain splatter down across her skin, fall from the top of her face and dripped from her chin and nose.

Passed them, towards the back of the cemetery, two stones lied next to one another. So innocent and lonely, only dead flowers from her last visit remained. When she brought Laxus to meet them, her parents. They sat and delivered white peonies, her mother's favorites. And a bottle of wine for her father. Spent the day with memories and laughter, talked about family. The bottle disappeared, but the flowers still remained in the holder for them. All withered and frail, browned from age. The flowers, as she touched them, felt frail and weak in her hands. Petals not knocked off by the rain, fell with her touch.

Crouched down in front of it, Lucy placed the box of letters on her mother's grave. The ones written over years and hours after the woman's death, those written with care and love and adoration. All of them in the box that pushed open a little from the abundance of papers. Written moment and stories Lucy shared with her mother. Peeked out and revealed cared for handwritten addresses and names.

Two bells chimed through the air, and the way the magic tugged made her tremble and moan. The pain from the transfer of power and memories Aquarius face back still remained, but Lucy lived and faced the two spirits behind her: Cancer and Capricorn. The latter held an umbrella over all three of them. Their drawn faces said exactly what she thought they would, what they prepared for the revelation she went through. The return of her memories, all of them, from those years with her mother, and before.

The umbrella tipped more to her, their backs rained on and wet within seconds.

"How is Aquarius?" She asked first, wiped the hot and angry tears she felt, those that fell down her face and scorched angry lines everywhere. In light of the umbrella, they no longer looked like rain that fell across her face. The two spirits remained quiet, looked down at the ground in shame, even Capricorn's ears turned down. A scolded house pet look on a proud warrior. Then the goat-man opened his mouth, took the initiative and spoke for the two of them.

"She is…dealing with things. Scorpio is with her," Capricorn told her, still looked down and away. His voice trembled while he spoke, whispered harshly and held back his own tears. If his hands carried skin and not fur, they would have turned white from the grip on the umbrella's handle. The object shook within his grasp. Despite the sunglasses both spirits wore, she knew what they felt. Sadness, fear, regret. It piled over them like weights, pushed along the line of their contract.

"That's good, I'm sure she'll be happy to have no more interruptions on her dates anymore. And she no longer needs to watch over me, I want her to live and forget me. And my mother," Lucy rasped out the last part, looked down upon the box of letters. Stomach churned nauseatingly, and Lucy breathed in through her nose and out her mouth. The grave labelled 'Layla Heartfilia' caused a different pain than usual. Not the loneliness and longing Lucy grew accustomed to over the years. Instead felt betrayed and angry. Two emotions that spiraled together and formed a migraine not helped by the cold air.

"Lucy-sama…we are very sorry for keeping the truth from you, for all these years. You always had the right to know. We did not know how things would turn out if we brought it up. So we made a pact, the three of your mother's spirits, and vowed to never tell you. Layla-sama always made it seem like if you remembered something, it would do permanent damage to your psyche. The only way we knew to break the spell was to break Aquarius's bond with the human world. The only safe way, at least," Capricorn explained, and Lucy turned from the grave, watched both spirits tremble and shake. Pulling out a pair of matches from her pocket, which she prepared, Lucy lit one. Held it above the letters, and dropped it in. The letters ignited and blazed in their box. Pieces of paper flutter up, burnt and unreadable, gone forever.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Lucy said, watched the flames that ate away all the feelings placed within them for years. All the hours spent writing those letters to a woman she missed and loved, only to end up stabbed in the back.

"But we never did anything-ebi," Cancer cut in, his hands and attached legs shook and rattled, empty of all styling tools. "We delivered her to you, and to that man-ebi. We pressured him into it, when he pleaded with us not to take your memories-ebi. Even used a child to blackmail him."

"Nor does he have any fault in this, my mother blackmailed him. Forced him to quiet all my memories. And when his power failed, and I regained my real self, she took it away again. I remember it vividly." Shivering with cold that came not from the rain that chilled the air, Lucy hugged herself. More tears pulled forth from her eyes, unsure how anger existed and didn't exist toward her mother. Confused by her reasons.

Flashback

The doll's string's broke, and the toy fell to the ground. The performance for her mother stopped, the happy little song grated and halted. From a child singing happily, to pain and despair. Grasping her head, Lucy screamed out in pain. "Mama!" Lucy shouted to the woman who sat across from her, panicked and in pain. Slowly the image of the beautiful blonde woman disappeared, replaced by other images of people and moments before. Images of a man with red hair and her life, of things before her mother, and of her mother.

"Lucy, what's the matter? Lucy," Layla shook Lucy, picked her up and rocked them both. Shushed her softly and yelled for one of the maids at the large mansion. But they sat in the play yards in the garden, far from the main house. No one heard, so far away. Only the fallen string doll crumpled next to her.

The pain ebbed away, and left Lucy in shock in a woman's arms she wished to escape from. Struggling, Lucy broke free and ran away from Layla. "Stay away from me, evil lady! You aren't my mother. Ace! Sabo!" Lucy backed away. Knew not where she ended up, or where her two brother's went. Remembered the man who her mother blackmailed into taking her memories. He hadn't been very far from home, she slept and awoke only once when the goat took her. Lucy reasoned they must be close to home, near Fuusha or the bandits. Ace and Sabo.

"Lucy…I see, he's dead. Most likely that man," Layla said, an angry and sad look on her face while tears fell. Almost similar to crystal in their clarity, and dripped down her face. Those same brown eyes they shared turned slight red. Yet she stood, brought out a key and placed it into a cup of water. Aquarius came from the sky, and Layla stood and approached Lucy. Another step back from the blonde woman who approached.

"Stay away from me! You aren't my mother! Evil lady," Lucy said, fell to the ground and looked for something. A large stick by the side of the road, grabbed it up and defended herself. Neither of her brothers came, so Lucy needed to defend herself. Her trusty pole taken, but a stick worked. Seeing the weapon, Layla sighed and held tighter to the key in hand. Knuckles turned white, and one cracked from the tightness. The strain on her hand.

"And this is why I must take them away once more. You have the will I lost so long ago, and in this land, it will get you killed. If you retain those memories, then I will lose you to the government here. And even if they didn't find out the truth of where you've been, your will and name would end up taking you to sea. And he would find you, it is cruel of me, Lucy, but your safety is my only desire. And to teach you all I know of magic," Layla said, and pointed the tip of the key towards Lucy, aimed at the head. Growling, Lucy lunged and struck out for the formally dressed woman. Surprised when she ducked under and grabbed the stick, threw it far from Lucy's reach.

"I'm going home! My brothers are there! Shanks and I made a promise! No one tells me what to do! I'm going to become the Pirate Queen" Lucy shouted, held up her small fists and narrowed her eyes as best she could. Looked between the mermaid and summoner.

"If you go out there, the things that happened to me that man will do to you. I am a horrible person for doing this, but if it keeps you safe and far from him, then I will do this. And I promise, as a Celestial Spirit Mage, I will spend the rest of my life teaching you to love. That true magic comes from love, even if in this case, my love is twisted and cruel. Just like his. I will live with that sin, to keep even a vestige of your will alive. Of our real and secret names, Lucy," Layla said, and pointed the key to Lucy once more. A string of magic flew from it, and connected with Lucy's forehead.

"Layla, don't do this!" Aquarius shouted, and a string connected to her forehead as well. The mermaid dropped her urn and fell to the ground, no longer floated and remained prone on the ground. Walking to Lucy, Layla pressed the key into her tiny hand, wrapped even smaller fingers around it.

"I do love you, and I am your mother, Lucy. I know how powerful you are, how strong you are, and could be from both your father's and mine's names. You most likely would have become the Pirate Queen, wrangled a crew that adored you and that took care of you. And that you took care of in return. I'm sure this Shanks would have been proud. But you look like me, and that will that makes you strong, also makes you naïve at times. When you're older, I'm sure you'll look like me. No…you'll be much more beautiful, so beautiful the stars will hide behind clouds in shame. And for those reasons he would hunt you down, and place strings around you. Caught in a spider's web, he'd kill you the way he did me," Layla said, pressed a kiss to Lucy's forehead. Tears hit, big and warm, and one right after another.

"I know that with this, I will not have much more time with you at all. So every day, I will spend with you. Try and atone for this sin and evil I have done with this act. And for what I did to my dear little horse."

Slowly the warmth faded, and Lucy closed her eyes. Wanted to stay awake and fight whatever the witch did, but lost the fight. The string doll crumpled beside her.

Flashback End

"The reason Aquarius suffered was because every time she looked at me, she knew who I was meant to be. Held it inside of her with no way of returning it, dealt with the knowledge of what I really liked and disliked, my dreams and power. Hated who I was without those things. But my mother bound Aquarius and you two to me, increased the power of her magic's hold on me. Trapped me in a hell I never knew I lived in.

"I know she loved me, in her own way, but stopped me from returning to the outside. Wanted my safety so badly she took away my choice, caused fear of the Outer World to grow in me. Died because of that choice. Left me with her husband, not even my real father like I believed. But he knew, and hated me for the fact that my mother killed herself to hide the truth from me," Lucy's voice cracked and fell apart, remembered every agonizing moment after Aquarius sacrificed herself so Lucy could summon the Spirit King. During that time she spent prone of the ground, after the key shattered, the loss of Aquarius wasn't why she cried. But because of the memories of her real mother that poured in through her head.

The memoires of the Outer World, her home with Makino and the Mayor in Fuusha. Of Dadan and the bandits that dealt with her. Of her grandfather, Garp, and the unusual way that he expressed love. Of her brothers, Ace and Sabo, who lover her so much to the point where they nearly suffocated her in it. Of the fights the three of them fought together in. Got stronger and proved themselves the proverbial Kings and a Queen of the mountain they lived on. The days spent training in preparation when they intended to set sail. Of a straw hat and pirates that partied from dawn to dawn. Of Shanks, and their promise.

The promise that she intended to become the Pirate Queen and find the One Piece.

"Your mother truly did all of that, and took your strength. But the truth is we bound ourselves to you. Because we brought you back to Layla-sama, you lost all the fighting ability you developed as a child. To make up for it, we decided to fight for you," Capricorn explained.

"Your mother feared the Outer World, feared you in it more than herself. Unable to disobey her, we followed through with her plan-ebi," Cancer whispered, his usual loud and energetic self gone. In places his many crab like attachments drooped from his spine and touched the ground, his hair also drooped.

"I can understand that, but it doesn't make it okay!" Fists balled tight, they shook and rattled against her sides, and then threw herself at her two spirits. Brought them both into a hug, the umbrella clattered down to the ground and the rain fell over them; the box that burned slowly went out from the heavy rain that fell onto it, and smoke filled the air. "She taught me to love Spirits, and I always will. And taught me that magic comes from love. There are things she taught me I am thankful for, but then I am also angry for what she did.

"How she used that knowledge within herself against me and you. You are my friends, and she called you all her friends. It is wrong to hurt friends like that, to make them feel guilt and take all freedom away. And for the pain she caused by taking me from my family, I do not know if I can let go of this anger towards her. My family lost me for so long, and you all suffered as well, with the knowledge of the real me."

"You were a child, Lucy-sama. And we tricked you under her orders, took you from your brothers. I still remember the crying young girl I found on that island in the East Blue, where your real father left you, a man named Dragon. I wanted to tell you the truth, but had no way too," Capricorn hugged her back, head over her own and his arms around her shoulders. Cancer rested at her shoulder, and arms around her waist.

"My mother used Dark Magic on you, her keys. I would never hold any of you accountable for those actions, when they were never your own," Lucy replied, pulled away and picked up the umbrella. Shielded them all from the rain, stood close to them both. The box stopped burning. Smiling, Lucy held one of her hands to both of them. "From now on, I'm going be relying on you all a lot more. In order to return to where I belong."

Before either spirits could reply, more light filled the air, surrounded Lucy in warmth she felt numb to in days past. A small dog, Plue, toppled over to her, and Loke took the Umbrella from her hand. Settled and arm around her waist while the dog scurried into her arms, buried himself into her.

"You can always rely on us, Lucy," Loke said, rested his head on her shoulder and pressed a kiss to the closest cheek.

"We are," Scorpio added, nodded his head and stepped forward. One of his hands rose up and settled on top of her head, ruffled the blonde locks that flew about, derelict in appearance. Mud and dirt still littered the locks, dirtied from the fact that she hadn't washed in the days before. "We are, I'll look out for you too. We are, for Aquarius."

"I'm sorry, Scorpio," Lucy said, lowered her head while Loke released her. The sand spirit stepped forward, brought her into a hug while his tail wrapped around her. Poor Plue squished between them. Shoulders shaking, the scorpion pet her head. The warmth of a morning desert radiated from his skin tanned skin, warmed her chilled and cold body.

"We are, Aquarius chose this, and everyone knows what happened and the circumstance. We are all aware of things, even the King, about your condition. We are, her choice meant that we could give you back something, so I'm not upset. Our sand will rock the world with you one day. We are, just allow us to fight with you," Scorpio finished, but her shoulder still shook for a minute, so he held her in his warmth. Comforted her, despite the fact that she took away his girlfriend's freedom.

"Princess, we have but one request," Virgo began, and Scorpio stood back. The whip she lost during the fight of Tartarus in hand. Accepting it, Lucy clipped it back onto her belt where her keys resided. All besides Aquarius's one, which hung around her neck. The cold metal right above her heart. "We wish for you to wait, before heading out. Punishment?"

"No, Virgo, but…what do you mean?" Lucy asked, looked around to see all of them smiling at Lucy, even Virgo who rarely showed emotion.

"It means we're going to train Lucy-san's nice body, so it's even moo-re nice," Taurus cried out, and raised his large arms above his head where they pumped up and down, and his tail also swayed back and forth. At a very fast rate. The excitement he radiated made the grin's on all those around grow. Looking around, Lucy realized they all intended to train her. Intended to make her stronger.

"The King has given us permission, to train you to become the greatest Celestial Wizard since the first. You practically were already, but the shift in your eyes decrees your readiness," Gemi and Mini stated, changed the speaker for every word. Their tiny forms floated around her head and pointed at her eyes, which remained hidden by sunglasses.

"That is correct, so you may fight your own battles on the high seas," Sagittarius agreed, his horse costume bobbed around his head, the large snout of it dipped and bounced. The quiver on his back rattled with the arrows that sloshed around, and the bow in his arm twirled his hand. The spirit tossed it, caught the string, and then it flipped and he held the curved bow.

"We will begin once you have reached a secluded area. I'm sorry." Aries's quiet voice also broke, and the others parted their crowd so Lucy saw her standing at the back. The other spirits with her, besides Plue who shook in her arms. Knowing that she held her friends close by, even if she lost one, warmed Lucy in a way that Scorpio's heat missed. The heat came from her own body, pulled Plue closer with the desire to share it. And tears, those that never stopped, fell onto his white head. Slipped down his round and smooth head.

"Everyone, thank you." Bowing, Lucy conveyed her gratitude. All but Plue disappeared, left her with the white umbrella that protected her from the rain. But their presence still remained in her mind and heart, felt them across the distance of the stars.

Looked back once more at the grave, and walked down to entrance of the cemetery left her parents behind. Left the burnt letters, and wilted flowers that sat and grew cold in the rain. Left behind the two cold stones, and the cage they made around her being. In her arms Plue made cute little noises, made her laugh as she walked away. Left the anger and feelings for her mother behind, as it no longer mattered. Knowing the truth now, and not able to do anything about the past, she walked forward.

On the fifth day, Lucy caught up to a woman. One that through numerous grapevines of terrified people, situated themselves in a new forest to the East of the central mountain range in Fiore. The range itself also sat surrounded by Crocus in the South, and Sabertooth in the North. And while the mountains situated themselves in the middle of the country, they rarely ended up treaded through. Mainly because of Wyverns and Vulcans and other such creatures that homed there.

Thankfully Porlyusica only travelled a few miles in, enough distance for an entire herd of Vulcan to spot Lucy and go gaga. But she defeated them and made it to the small cottage that Porlyusica used as a new hide out. Since Fairy Tail disbanded, she moved and headed off for an even more secluded area, no longer employed by Makarov as their personal healer. And it allowed the woman the distance from society she craved. Pushing up the sunglasses that covered her eyes, Lucy walked up to the large tree house, knocked on the door and waited.

"I moved here to get away from humans!" The woman screamed, heard through the door. Along with the way she stomped across to the door, tore it open and glared down at Lucy. Then slammed it closed, not a single word. Sighing, Lucy stepped back from the house and stayed on the yard, called out her request from there.

"Porlyusica-san! I need to ask you to make something for me, I don't have anything for you, except information. I know where Wendy and Carla went." Another thing discovered through the grapevine around the area's leading out of Magnolia. Some farmers housed the little girl and exceed for a night, told Lucy when she explained herself as an old member of Fairy Tail. Of course they asked for an autograph for her gravure shots.

"What is it that you want?" Porlyusica called from the other side of the door, but it still remained closed.

"Pain relievers for bone and muscle, I need something specific, and some first aid kits. I know you'll say I can get some from the stores, but yours are the best," Lucy commented, crossed her arms under her chest and stared at the door. Imagined it as the pink haired woman. The door peaked open, and the old woman peered out and looked Lucy over. Her cold eyes appraised Lucy, scoffed and opened the door fully.

"I don't see anything wrong with you, girl. Is it for that idiot pink-haired partner of yours, or has Laxus done something during his recovery?" In the doorframe that brushed Porlyusica's head, an angry look crossed over her face. And Lucy took a step back, feared the broom the lady most likely had in place by the door. That fear seemed well founded from the arm that the old woman stretched to her left, toward something by her door. Enough times running from the woman assured Lucy, despite age, the woman held a mighty swing.

Almost like her grandfather, in a way. Though no one terrified Lucy more than him, though she still loved him.

"Actually it's for me. I guess you could say I have growing pains, in a sense. I'd rather not get into the specifics of it. I don't want people to know, unless it's pertinent to what you need to give me," Lucy explained, brought one foot forward, and rocked on the back foot, stretched out in motion. The muscles in her screamed at the action, and it showed on her face. The older woman removed her hand from within the door. Stepped down from her house and moved across the yard to three stumps that sat some paces from the tree.

"Come here girl, I'll take a look," Porlyusica said, and Lucy moved quickly to the seat and sat down. Still as a rock, Porlyusica felt over her body. Started around her feet, worked up her legs where her calves and thighs developed muscle they lacked over a week ago. From there Porlyusica poked and prodded many different areas, ended up at Lucy's head where she massaged Lucy's ears that also hurt, for some reason. It seemed that every place resonated pain, so Lucy ignored it.

Once done with the examination, Porlyusica sat back and pulled out antibacterial wipes and washed her hands and arms down. "I can tell what you mean now. Your body must be in agony. I don't know how you even travelled here with all the trains down, and didn't fall apart. You said you didn't want to share and I want you gone, so I'll leave it a mystery. I'll give you what you need, and you give me the information."

"Understood," Lucy nodded, the other woman stood and crossed the clearing back to the tree house. The door opened and let the woman in, and closed so Lucy ended up unable to see inside. Lounging back onto her palms, Lucy stared up at the cloud filled sky, and waited for the woman. Everything tinted a slightly darker color than normal from the sunglasses dark grey tint. The pack she discarded during the examination laid besides the stump, covered by the travel cloak.

A small group of bunnies hopped into the clearing and passed Lucy, never looked at her and kept going. Their small fluffy bodies looked adorable, so much so that Lucy wanted to pick them up. But they looked to at peace, so she just stared instead. And also feared Porlyusica, who exited the door and came back with the things. Dropped them roughly onto the opposite tree stump, broom in hand. "Where?"

"Wendy and Carla decided to head for Lamia Scale, to join Chelia and them," Lucy said, scooped everything into her back, but stopped at the bottles of pain medicine that sat there. Five bottles, filled to the brim with little tablets of white.

"You take them twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed. No more, no less. Take one now, and then tonight when you go to sleep. They'll also help ease the body into its new state of development. Each case holds thirty pills. So one hundred and fifty pills, and seventy five days worth of medicine. Two and a half months roughly. It's about the estimate of time it will take your body to develop and stop hurting you." Popping four of the canisters into her bag, Lucy held the last one and popped the cap off. Poured a single small pill into her hand and tossed it into her mouth, swallowed it down. The water on the side of her back aided her relief, and used it to get the slight chalk taste and texture off her tongue.

"Thank you," Lucy said, placed the last canister into her back and tied it shut. Next pulled on the travel cloak, and then the pack.

"Now, get off my property! Smelly human!" That became the cue to run, and Lucy bolted for her life, chased by an elderly lady with a broom.

Two days later, and the large guild of Sabertooth came into focus. On the exact day Lucy estimated to arrive. Days spent on back roads and winding through the hills finally brought the city into view. The large and mountain like guild, decorated with statues of Sabertooth tigers, sat toward the back of the city. Pressed towards the mountains like a singled out castle. Not much of a guild just by the looks of it. The only thing that differed it as a guild, not a castle, were the large Sabertooth banners that decorated it. And the town, strung from lamps and shops.

In complete contrast to Magnolia and the rest of the country, from what life on the road showed off, the town stood in completion. Not a single thing looked out of place or disturbed. Like Face or dragons never appeared and everything remained in a bubbly. Inclined to believe that at first, Lucy walked down the streets and discovered a near ghost town. Quite and no one walked on the streets, besides how empty the town sounded, and ended up. Most shops stood closed and dark, shuttered from the rest of the world. Even the library closed down, and all with the same thing read on them:

Closed for next few days, off to help in towns across Fiore.

We're sorry for the inconvenience, have a happy day.

Smiling, Lucy accepted the reason. If Magnolia weren't such a wreck, and looked as good as Saber's town, the people would head off to help. But the case stood that of all Fiore, besides maybe Crocus, this town stood as one of the best at the time. So passing shops, a few open here and there, including a few chain clothing stores and magic shops, Lucy made it to the doors of Sabertooth.

Opened the doors of the guild hall, Lucy peaked in and then stepped through the doors. They fell loudly back into place, and echoed through the empty space. Much quieter than she expected of a guild lead by Sting, but most of the guild members probably received work for aid. No one really seemed to rest at the guild, most seats empty and bare. So, it surprised her that the few heads that turned towards her, all ended up familiar.

"Lucy-sama!" Yukino closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, hugged Lucy, and then quickly released her. Stepped away and bashfully apologized under her breath. But Lucy took Yukino into her own arms, lifted the woman from the ground and swung her around, much like a child. Then placed her back on the ground, both dizzied from the spin. Thankfully, due to the medication she took a few hours prior, the lift orchestrated no symphony of pain through her body.

"Yukino, it's good to see you. I wasn't sure who would be here when I arrived," Lucy stated, eyes swam behind sunglasses, and pushed them back up her nose when they fell slightly. Other from around the guild, those she knew from the games, gathered around. Though Minerva hung at the back, looked to the ground.

"Yo, Lucy-san." On the other end of the spectrum from Yukino, Sting came up and wrapped Lucy in a big hug, excitedly lifted her off the ground and then deposited her once more. "It's nice to see such a lovely lady. Did you come with Natsu-san? Or Laxus-san?" In reference to the latter, Orga came forward and grinned down at her. The large Lightning God Slayer grinned, black lightning sparked around him, armor and a weapon all at once he utilized and prepared. The lightning also came around Lucy, produced and electric heat that set her hair on end.

"Ah, where is the puny Lightning Dragon Slayer?" Meant as mocking, Orga ended up stupid when they all laughed. The hulk of a lightning dragon slayer anything but puny, and garnered much amusement that Orga thought he could say it even as a joke. "We all know he ain't got nothing on me." Sting fell to the ground, peeled apart in laughter, almost cried from the way it looked.

"Orga, you are very powerful, but Laxus beat Jura, the man who took you out with one blow and defeated your lightning. Yes, God Slaying Magic is powerful, but don't get too intense," Lucy said, patted his muscled bicep and then turned the rest of the mass. "As for your other questions, I came alone. But those two are why I came here."

"Something wrong with Fairy Tail?" Rogue asked, brought himself into the conversation and Frosch also came, collided with Lucy's legs. Bent down, Lucy deposited Plue to the ground, where the two started a strange game of tag around everyone's legs. Straightened out once more, Lucy smiled and shook her head.

"Fairy Tail disbanded, did you not hear?" Around her, silence sat and shocked all of the mages who stared at her in incredulity. Even Minerva, who stared at the ground in the background, looked up with a shocked face. Followed immediately by Sting, who rolled around on the ground and pouted like a child, sad that Saber's rival guild no longer existed. And that in the next games they would not participate.

"Did Lucy-sama wish to join then?" Yukino asked, an excited smile came to her face, mimicked by Sting who shot up.

"And Natsu-san? What about Laxus-san? Is all of Fairy Tail coming here?" The master of Sabertooth jumped around like an excited child, stopped by Rogue who took hold of both his shoulders. Laughing, Lucy covered her mouth and smiled at the group of nice people.

"No, I don't know where any of them are, actually. And I won't be joining another guild. But I knew Sting loved Fairy Tail," said man spluttered but did not interrupt anymore, "so I wanted you to keep an eye out for those two. Natsu left before the guild disbanded, losing Igneel like that…and so he doesn't know that Fairy Tail no longer is a guild of Fiore. If you hear anything about him, or if you encounter him on a job, then I ask that you tell him."

Pausing, Lucy pulled off her pack and rummaged through it, thankful all her salvaged underwear and pills sank to the bottom. But so did the box that contained a letter and the ring. Once she grabbed it, noticed by the gold bow she wrapped around them both, she pulled it free. Everyone around looked at it, and raised their eyebrows. Thankfully the ring and letter sat inside the box she held, they may have been even more surprised if they saw. Handed the box over to Sting. "I need you to deliver this to Laxus, he's left for a year, but I need to leave. He left before I could tell him, the overcharged idiot. So I have no way of telling him somethings."

"Things like you're breaking up with him?" Rufus asked, and she tuned to him and nodded her head.

"Wait, I thought you guys were serious. Like, he talked about marrying you and making you his mate, serious. Hell, he started the first ritual!" Sting cried out, eyes wide and finger pointed at her neck were a small lightning bolt design laid. And also hung his mouth, attracted flies for the added affect. Lucy rubbed that place on her neck, and jumped from leg to leg. Shifted the balance from one to the other.

"That's correct, and I still love him. I will forever, he's my first love after all. But…something happened, and I can't see us together anymore. I don't want that with him. Thankfully the first ritual is where we stopped, so we aren't bonded for eternity to one another. Eventually the connection will fade." Raising her chin, Lucy hoisted the pack onto her back. Delivered what she needed, and readied to go. They all sensed it and threw their hands out to catch her arm, at the same time Plue crashed into her leg with Frosch. Both held on, matched the others.

"Wait, Lucy…why don't you stay for the rest of the day and night?" Rogue asked for them all, took back his arm and looked at the wall. Slowly the others chuckled and took steps back as well. "You look terrible. I mean you must've been traveling all this time. And you should rest. Do you even know where you're going?"

"Some place secluded, so I can train and get stronger. After that…well, that's a little vague. But I think I'll take you up on your offer. I've been travelling with barely any rest," Lucy stated, and found herself being stripped of bag and cloak, and then pushed towards the back of the guild, Yukino pulled her along.

"Alright, Minerva, you're in charge of buying her clothes!" Sting announced, and Lucy turned and tried to pull from Yukino, but enough common sense remained not to pull the other's arm off. But Minerva already arrived at the door, Orga and Rufus behind her. "Don't think too much about it, Lucy-san. Just accept our hospitality!" Stopping her struggle, Lucy's shoulders dropped and she laughed, watched three mages leave.

"Do as you please." Lucy turned away from him when Yukino opened the door to a washroom, they pushed inside the empty room and set to work. And while Lucy stripped down, Yukino worked with the water. Set it to a wonderful temperature where it fogged the room in moments, scalded the tiles. Just from how it fogged the room she shivered, tore clothes from her body and piled them up in a small basket. In a repulsed manner actually sniffed herself, horrified by the body odor and mud scent. And something else equally disgusting.

"Actually, Lucy-sama, I wanted to talk with you in private." Back still turned, Lucy heard the others clothes rustle in restlessness.

"Yes, Yukino?" Lucy asked, and placed her keys into the small tub for her clothes. Allowed Aquarius's to remain around her neck, and fiddled with the sunglasses she wore. Then took them off, the mirror image of herself stared back. Saw the eyes she wished to keep hidden. Turning to the mage, Lucy saw three keys held back to her, Yukino's three keys. "Why are you holding those?"

"Pisces, Libra, and Ophiuchus asked me to deliver copies of their keys to you. And that I should wait at the guild, since you were coming our way. That's why the others are here as well, they know as well as both of us do that only one golden key exists on this earth. And yet they made duplicates for you," Yukino trailed off, the keys still outstretched to Lucy from behind. Moving forward, Lucy took the keys and then looked to see the ones Yukino wore around her waist.

"Did they say anything else?"

"Just that the Spirit King wanted you to have them, because of you're ready. I don't know what it means though. I was curious if you knew." Grabbing Yukino's shoulders, she tilted the other woman to face her, easily turned her. Their eyes met, and the other spirit mage gasped and covered her mouth. Saw the eyes Lucy kept covered for a reason, her pupils turned to the shape of a star, from which lights blipped in and out of life, raced across the black. It was similar to the night sky during a shower. And the iris, normally brown, changed to a cosmic swirl of sparkled gold, brown around the outer edge. On the skin around her eyes, golden lines drew from tear duct to outer corner. Drew away attention from the scar below her left eye.

"My eyes turned after Tartarus…after." Her hand trailed down to the key she wore, broken. The other's eyes followed as well, grew ever wider with the implication that a star left their world completely. And never held the ability to return again. "After Aquarius sacrificed herself so I could summon the Spirit King and destroy the spell Mard Geer used to kill everyone. As the only way to save them…Aquarius offered herself up. Since it needed to be a spirit that great trust existed with. As my first spirit…she knew that it would work."

Not sure what to expect, a slap or anger, the hug surprised. So did the tears that flowed down Lucy's face, shared by Yukino who held onto her. "I'm so sorry, Lucy-sama. I'm so sorry." The arms that wound around her bare body, arms of another who loved spirits as much as she did, cured some of the pain. Gave some forgiveness for her deeds, it did not cure the pain. But it helped for then, until she moved into tomorrow when it stopped hurting just a little bit.

"Thank you," Lucy said, held on just as tight to the other. Releasing one another, they wiped their eyes, and Yukino left. Blushed the entire way after she realized again that Lucy was naked. When the door opened, two bodies fell through, crashed against the ground with blushes that burned through the steam like beacons. But four in total stood behind it. All the males. And Yukino made quick work of kicking Sting in the face, and yelled at the others. Put them in their place for their actions. Plue snuck inside with Frosch, passed the noisy bunch who loitered in the hallways. Even after the door closed their voices echoed around the corridor.

Amused, Lucy chuckled and finally stepped into the spray of the water of the shower. Alone in the bathroom for the first time in over two years. Found it odd and uncomfortable how Yukino gave her privacy. Thoughts of Gray, Cana, Natsu, and practically the rest of Fairy Tail as they followed her into the bath, bed, or just home in general. No matter how much she scolded them, or Laxus did. Mostly the male did it for the guys, because enough time at a public bath with the girls made their skin ship complete and unbreakable to Laxus. Not that he minded the girls, though Cana's obsession with her boobs wore on him for a while.

Eventually got over it when the card mage claimed him jealous, and grabbed his pecs. Smooshed them together on multiple occasions and made cleavage. From then on, he never complained again, and pushed Lucy into a bath with the drunk woman.

A small smile that did not reach her eyes developed, her last bath with one of Fairy Tail had been before Tartarus. Erza and Mira snuck into her tiny bath where they all piled on top of one another. Ended up with a few bottles of wine and talked about men and relationship, and dirty books. Until Laxus came and walked both girls home, dealt with a drunk Lucy and company as they all fell into drunken routines. He fended off Erza and Mira, and gave Lucy all the attention she desired. The smile spread wider, and her eyes burned at the thought of them all.

Of Laxus especially, the mark on her neck sparked a bit and her earrings tingled.

That night, as the Sabers insisted she stay till the morning, and perhaps afternoon the next day, Lucy worked around the kitchen with Minerva. Dressed in a black floor length dress with slits up both legs, they bustled around the kitchen. It fit the other woman to pick a long dress, but thankfully most of the other clothes she chose fit a more aggressive and action filled lifestyle.

Not all of them though, as Minerva understood the need for fashion. Something Lucy never noticed before about the woman. The two bustled around the large guild kitchen, prepared food for the souls outside, and it felt comfortable to Lucy. No pressure or ill will, at least on her end of things. The other woman fumbled all over the place and just awkwardly moved. And Lucy lost count of how many times a pan dropped, or she burnt her fingers just a tiny bit.

So different from the woman who held such confidence in the Grand Magic Games, and Tartarus. The next time Minerva dropped something Lucy finished the work of placing steaks on a platter, along with the prepared salads and rolls and every other little thing like pasta and figs. The other woman, crouched down for the pot on the floor, remained turned from Lucy. Crossing the distance Lucy helped her stand and brought the pot up with Minerva.

The other said nothing.

"Minerva, stop!" Lucy yelled and took a hold of her shoulders, and Minerva flinched away. Looking her dead in the eyes, Lucy's own eyes narrowed. "You are better than this, face your problem with me like the woman I know you are! Say what you want to say!" While the other still toed their feet against the ground, Lucy waited.

"I'm sorry, for everything that I've done. To Fairy Tail…and for at the Grand Magic Games," She finally got out, swallowed on some large ball of saliva that must have lived at the back of her throat. Sighing, Lucy tapped her forehead against Minerva's and finally laughed and smiled.

"If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I did beat you there, after all," Lucy said back and moved away. Remembered watching the video of that game, and the one with Flare, where she beat both women. Not that she remembered, it all seemed blank to Lucy. Yet somehow, Lucy leaned towards unconscious release of old memories shared between her and Aquarius, she won. While Minerva beat her, Lucy passed out, and thought she lost upon waking. Only to find out that somehow she won, turned out a brutal fight of fists, and impervious to all of Minerva's attacks on her body.

Same with Flare, after Urano Metoria failed, she ended up with nothing but black. Woke and found out that she won the fight with her fists.

"And also, in the end you never hurt any of my nakama past a point. Never killed any of them, so I don't care. Besides, you're really great at cooking, and that's always a sign of goodness. Someone once told me that good food comes from good people, because a bad person will try and make you sick or die from food," Lucy admonished, wagged her finger in Minerva's face and then walked away. Back to the plates of food she picked up and stacked over her arms. "So let's go eat, Minerva."

"Right," the other woman said, took some plates from Lucy's arms and led out the doors to the Guild Hall. There Sting sat at the head of the table, Rogue at his right and the other men down that side. Plue, Lector, and Frosch danced on the table top and enjoyed the candy Minerva picked up for the spirit dog, and the fish that also sat there. Placing the food down at each setting, they too sat down. Though Minerva slapped the boys as they passed, stopped them from digging in till everyone sat down properly.

Once they sat, Sting and Orga dug into their feasts. Plates piled high with food, and yet they started to put it away within seconds. And Lucy knew how such men got with food, she fed Laxus and Natsu most of her time at Fairy Tail. And even though Rufus and Rogue put things away at a nicer and neater pace, not with bits that flew around like the two idiots, they still outshined the women. Lucy, Yukino, and Minerva ate with perfect table manners, and slowly discussed things while they did so.

And since Fairy Tail disbanded, Lucy admitted she would miss her time away from guilds and Fiore. Even if the future promised something so much better, she admitted that she missed her friends. But also felt that she made the right decision, not saying goodbye. Because even after a day with Sabertooth, Lucy ached with the desire to stay with them. So she enjoyed the night. Talked and made merry with those around her, and just lived and enjoyed life in that moment. The way Shanks and his crew taught her too.

After the night wore out, somewhere around midnight Lucy dragged Yukino and Minerva into a little sleepover. Held at the latter's home, as she lived alone it came out. In the middle of the living room, sleeping bags surrounded food, magazines, and nail polish. A variety of colors and articles ended up passed around and discussed.

"So when did you join Fairy Tail?" Minerva asked, painted one of her filed and primed nails a dark midnight blue. The last one and she dunked the hand into ice water, then flipped a page in Sorcerer Weekly on her and Team Natsu. Opposite her, Yukino worked on the hand Lucy sucked with, a simple manicure.

"I turned sixteen and left my home, a month later Natsu dragged me to Fairy Tail." Felt Yukino scrape along the outer dips of her nails. Scraped up some polish, and wiped it on a hand towel available.

"You always hear the crazy stories about it, I mean Oracion Seis, Grimoire Heart, and all of that. Was it strange?" Yukino asked, finished with the top coat of her nails and allowed Lucy to dip her hand in the freed bowl of ice water. Pulled it out after ten seconds and allowed them to dry on a towel. Minerva flipped another page in the magazine, taunted Lucy with a gravure shot of hers with Mira. But ended up making Yukino embarrassed.

"I expected a little more quiet time when I began. But I really got lucky, dragged into everything. But it made me happy, if not a little frustrated at times. Do you understand how much debt the guild had? Or how many simple missions I took solo on, just for them to come along and destroy things? I considered it a miracle every time I paid my rent before the end of the month. I'm also surprised the land lady didn't hate me with how my teammates snuck in through the windows or the chimney…and I never knew how Erza got in," Lucy muttered, screwed up her eyebrows and thought back on it all.

"Umm, Lucy-sama?" Yukino asked, stopped the application of white polish to her own nails and stared at Lucy.

"But besides those things, everything really happened quickly, a few months down the road and then there was the Tenrou incident where we ended up trapped for seven months. And then the Grand Magic Games came along too. Then a few weeks later Tartarus." Lifting a finger with each event and the ones she knew of between in those months.

"I know…I mean…Laxus-sama left your guild about a month and half after you joined, right? So, how in such a short amount of time, did you get together?" Yukino asked, a pillow snapped into her face, courtesy of the black haired mage. Laughing, Lucy placed both hands on their shoulders. Took a deep breath and let out all the feelings that filled her lungs and heart and mind. Tried to act happy, when even then she missed him. Felt him across the distance from the first ritual. Not really sure where he was, but knew he occupied a place far from her.

"Yes. After Laxus left…I met up with him on a job I secretly went solo on, one my team didn't find out about. Changed from the events he was really nice. After that we met up regularly, I kept him informed on the guild and his team. I only ever knew where he went. I grew very…comfortable with him, and we shared something. And moments. Sometimes, after I shared everything I could, he'd tell me of his journey and training. And then we just talked. I found out he's really socially awkward, despite his badass appearance. And it was really adorable and charming in a way, to know he tried with me. When he joined us on Tenrou we already shared a first date. The Master seemed most surprised when I told him," Lucy chuckled, remembered how the old man cried and Mira screamed in joy. And how happy his team seemed to know their leader wondered about them during his absence.

"A whirlwind romance?" Minerva asked, a sly smile on her face. Traced the cap of nail polish with the set nail.

"Very much so, with everything going on we needed to spend every moment we could with each other. We moved fast because we always knew how dangerous the next fight was. The GMG at the beginning, became a very well deserved down period for us. And then, you know, escalated with all the dragons and my imprisonment with Yukino and the others. After then it sped up again, and I already loved him, so he made the first mark." The mark placed on the junction of her neck and shoulder flared up at bit when she touched it, felt the crackle of lightning that lived within. It ruptured and rippled across her fingers, which jolted and held on tight. Then slowly released it.

Blinking rapidly, Lucy stopped the tears and burn that built in her eyes. The other two girls noticed, and changed the subject quickly.

"You should contract your new spirits now, Lucy-sama," Yukino voted and pulled her hands from the ice water, stood up onto all fours, pushed up, and then walked to the back door through the kitchen. Pulled it open and lights came on, illuminated a lush garden and training field that took up a large backyard.

"Yeah, c'mon Minerva," Lucy said, stood and pulled the other mage with her, looped their arms. Out the door they moved to about the middle of the field. As Lucy saw Ophiuchus only once, but knew he took up a lot of space. The other two hung back and watched, silently commented on the duplication of gold keys. Lucy also brought with her the small notebook in which she wrote down contract information, knew this one needed specifics or threatened to fall apart.

"Lucy-sama, I would suggest Pisces first, they're the most…friendly." Yukino called out, and Lucy drew all three keys. Took in Pisces's key first, and held it up to the sky. While pointed up, Lucy found the constellation with her eyes.

"I am linked to the path to the world of the Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate! Open! Gate of the Paired Fish! Pisces!" Lucy called out, brought the key down, and almost swung it too hard, when the gate opened with the ring of the bell. Instead of in the two fish form, they appeared as mother and son. Both smiled and lowered themselves onto a knee before Lucy. "Uh?"

"Hello, Princess, your other spirits have told us of your preferences of names," the mother said, looked up at Lucy and stood, a content smile on her face. The son remained down, trident flat before him.

"Yeah mom, we know all about you and what happened from the other spirits. So the King made an exception. Told us three of mom's to make copies of our own keys, and have them given to you. We'll also be in your care now, mom," the son said, rose and tapped the bottom of his trident to the ground. The metal rattled and settled into the ground, the smile that covered his face reminded her of Natsu in a boyish way.

"I'm not your mom," Yukino said in the back, not that the boy spirit noticed. Though his real mother looked exasperated and amused by the happenings.

"Please tell the King I am grateful, and I know that this isn't usually how a contract is made, but I must ask something of you both first," Lucy began, serious and turned the attention towards her completely. When the two spirits nodded and listened, Lucy made her request. "As both Yukino and I can summon you now, I wish for you to always attend to her calls first. Even if you're with me, leave and return to her side. She made the contract first, and I find it only fair, with both of us being spirit mages, that she comes first in this matter. I wish to ask the same of Libra and Ophiuchus as well."

"That can be arranged, Princess," the mother said, crossed her arms under her chest and nodded. "In fact, I approve of your thought. Thank you for taking in Yukino's safety first."

"Ah, that's really cool of you mom!" The son rose his arms into the air and nodded his head, looked straight into Lucy's eyes. "Anyway, now that that's agreed upon, we thought that you can summon us anytime you want. Like mom, but maybe try not to summon us on Wednesday, unless it's an emergency."

"In which case, unless we are with Yukino, we will come to your aid," the mother finished, smiled kindly down upon Lucy.

"I am more than happy to agree with those terms, thank you for this," Lucy said, and the two spirits nodded and disappeared into gold light, shimmered back to their home. Turning back to Yukino, she asked, "Whose key is next, Yukino?"

"Lucy-sama…go with Ophiuchus next. Despite his appearance and label as a dark key, he is very agreeable." Nodding along, Lucy agreed with the other mage, trusted her judgement, and formally summoned the large snake. It appeared in a deep and black fog, that which blended in with the night itself. From that darkness the head of the large snake appeared, hovered over Lucy.

Not saying a word, the snake merely touched his snout to her stomach and breathed her in. Drew back his large head after a minute, and leaned the length of his upper half on lower coils. "Yukino comes first. Summon whenever. Contract complete." The snake said, sent a black haze towards her and then wrapped around her. Squeezed till she gasped for air, nearly choked, and then left.

When the weary feeling of being choked dispersed, Lucy took up the last key. And formally called the spirit, though the sound of two feet pulling back crunched against the gravel that surrounded the training field. Still, Lucy refused to hesitate and moved forward, called upon a formal contract with Libra. The spirit appeared, balanced on one leg, and scale pans that dangled from each hand. Yet they remained still, held steady towards the ground.

"You are Lucy Heartfilia?" The spirit asked, looked directly into Lucy's eyes.

"Yes, I am," Lucy responded, taken back when the spirit's eyes narrowed and a gravity pressure fell over Lucy. Enough to that her legs shook and wobbled in the calf area, nothing more though.

"You do not believe that. What is your real name?" More pressure fell on Lucy, and her legs wobbled more, knees turned inward and rocked back more onto her heels. Faced the spirit through gritted drive and teeth.

"Monkey D. Lucy," she responded, and the gravity fell away.

"Our contract is complete. I am aware of your desires, and you may summon me and I shall remain by your side, unless Yukino calls me." Like Ophiuchus, Libra disappeared on her own. Clasping the three new keys to her belt, Lucy turned and headed back for the two girls. Both looked her up and down curiously.

"Monkey D.?" Minerva asked, one eyebrow raised in confusion, while Yukino tipped her head to the side.

"It's my paternal last name."

"But I thought your mother married Jude Heartfilia-sama?" Yukino asked, but turned and followed Lucy, who headed back for the house. Already took the pain medicine in the bathroom when she changed into sleepwear. Pushed open the door and headed back for her designated sleeping back on the farthest end from where she stood then.

"But I never said he was my biological father." Walked to her sleeping bag, and pulled back and end, the other two followed after and did the same.

"Then who is your father?" Minerva asked, turned up one end of her sleeping bag and shimmied down into it. Yukino took the time to pick up the food and bowls, returned them to the kitchen. One back she followed suit with Lucy, climbed into their bags.

"Capricorn told me his name is Dragon. Don't know anything else about him. I met my grandfather on that side a few times though. He's crazy." Shuddered at the thought of her grandfather, and rested her head on the pillow. Faced the ceiling as she laid down. Minerva's magic shot out and touched the light switch, cast the room into darkness. "Goodnight."

Lucy rolled over and looked at the stars through the window, slowly closed her eyes as her earrings sparked with magic. The gold, star studs relaxed Lucy's mind and body, till she fell asleep. Dreamed of one thing that washed across her mind, the sea and its endless horizon. A flag at her back and faceless people behind her.

So, I hope everyone enjoys this alternative version of ADJ. For those of you who are knew I am already writing a story called A Different Journey, and it centers around Lucy on the Quest to become the Pirate Queen as well. But the powers and fighting capabilities Lucy has, and some key parts of the stories will differ from one another. But Lucy gaining her memory back and journeying to become the Pirate Queen are the central ideas that propel the story.

I hope everyone enjoy this, and stay tuned for the next chapter. I am still writing re-writes for ADJ at this time, so it will be two different projects at once. So please be patient.

Lucy will go into training next chapter and meet up with someone there too. I won't be setting her out to sea until the third chapter, for pace and build up. So please be patient. It'll really be a training and build up chapter in the next one, as long as some more Sabertooth at the beginning.

Please Review!

~Stay Free