The Alvarez war had just ended three days ago, and Fairy Tail as well as the other guilds who had participated in the Alvarez war were currently celebrating in the guild hall for everyone able to make it out safely. However, if anyone were to look closely enough, they would see that a certain blonde-haired celestial mage was missing from the current celebration finally able to take in the news about her mother that she had found about from Aquarius.
It was the third day Lucy lay in bed crying, trying to take in what she was told about her mother from Aquarius. She knew deep, deep down she might've been being a little unreasonable about it as she laid there, but after ten years of finding out what truly happened to her mother and the cause of her death a small bit of resentment formed.
As it turns out her mother's death wasn't some abnormality, no instead it was from her having to use her life force to open the Eclipse gate for the dragon slayers to come on the year of x777. She couldn't help but think that Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel, Sting, and even Rogue had indirectly killed her mother.
It's not their fault Miss Lucy, your mother was just doing her duty as a Heartfilia, Capricorn soothes.
"Why?! Why did it have to be a Heartfilia, Capricorn?!" Lucy yells, before going back to sobbing into her bed.
Flashes of light appear before the younger girl, the feeling of several pairs of arms surrounding her. She realizes after a few minutes, Virgo, Loke, Capricorn and Cancer were out and hugging her trying to ease her pain. Yet for some horrible reason, the pain she felt only intensified as the one spirit she wanted, no needed right now couldn't be there for her and it was all because of them.
Seeing his master's tears only come out faster, Capricorn tried to explain to Lucy why Layla was the only Celestial mage who could open the eclipse gate. He only hoped that by explaining the reasoning behind her mother sacrificing herself she would be able to get some closure. How wrong he was.
"The time to open the gate was passed down through the Heartfilia clan on x777. This was when your mother would open it for your ancestor Anna Heartfilia and the dragon slayers to defeat Acnologia. However, as Aquarius told you because she did not have her key, she was forced to substitute her life force in order to open it. This in turn was the cause for her Magic Deficiency Disease" taking Lucy's hand the sea goat apologizes, "I'm sorry Miss Lucy. I know it hurts and you feel betrayed but as Aquarius already showed you, your mother was happy that you were free of the duty that was bestowed of the Heartfilia clan."
Lucy stared at the spirit void of any emotion, whispering brokenly "In the end- it always has to do with the stupid dragons though."
"Lucy, you don't mean that" Loke says reaching out to his master, who he can see is hurting so much.
"Oh really, who got me frozen in time for seven years, missing the death of my father?"
Wincing, Loke tries to refute, but stops because she is technically right, a dragon caused that fate.
"A dragon, Loke. It was a dragon. The same dragon that killed mama." Lucy says blankly.
"Well, that's-." Loke could honestly not think of anything to say to that. That was a horrible coincident.
"Who was the reason I got arrested by the stupid princess, had my keys stolen by her, my future self-killed and all because they were told that I was needed to open the Eclipse gate" Lucy says to her spirits, "Oh which then led to the release of all those dragons."
"Now Miss Lucy," Capricorn says trying to calm his master down.
"Dragons! It's always the dragons that get me in all these dire situations." Lucy says angry. Getting up from her bed pacing.
"Lucy ebi, we understand how you feel, Layla was our master too and a wonderful one at that. We miss her just as much as you do" Cancers says trying to ease Lucy's anger.
This seems to be the right thing to say as Lucy's eyes soften and her anger lessens.
"I-I just don't understand why it had to be mama." Lucy whimpers, hugging her spirits., "If she didn't need to bring over Natsu and the others then she'd still be alive, right?"
"That is true Lucy, but Acnologia would also still be alive." Loke says.
Lucy sits on her bed, wiping her tears and thinking over everything she's been told. She knows that her spirits are right, her mother was just doing her duty and she shouldn't be mad at the dragon slayers, but there's still some anger at them for her mother having to die because of the need to bring them over.
Shouldn't you be mad at Grammi for not giving Aquarius's key in time thus leaving mama to use her life as a substitution, Lucy tries to reason with herself.
"Shut up! I'm mad at everyone for killing mama" Lucy yells.
Frowning Loke turns to Virgo and the others saddened that Lucy is angry at Natsu and the others.
"What do you think this will do to her friendship with the dragon slayers big brother?" Virgo asks.
"I honestly don't know" Loke answers for once at a lost.
Disappearing, the celestial spirits decide to give their master some time to think hoping that she'll be more reasonable in the morning. They couldn't be more wrong.
The next morning Loke pops up to check on his master hoping she has a clearer mind, only to see her packing up some things with Virgo.
"Princess, what are you doing?" Loke says, worried.
"I need to leave" Lucy says, looking around to see what she wants to take and what she can leave.
Shocked at her words, the lion spirit waits for her to say she's kidding and stop packing with Virgo who was alongside her helping. However, when he sees her continue what she's doing, the maid spirit as well looking worried as she continues to help her princess, Loke realizes that for once this won't be something Lucy will easily forgive like she usually does.
"But princess you love Fairy Tail, how can you just leave after everything you've been through?" he asks.
"Loke, I've taken everything you and the other spirits have said and I don't want to be mad at Natsu and the others" breathing she continues "but I know if I go in that guild right now, I'm going to let out a slew of words that I'll probably regret" Lucy says.
"I sacrificed Aquarius for them during Tartarus, and what do I get in return, the guild disbanding, being abandoned by my best friend who promised to never leave me alone, my friends leaving me alone for a year, and now I find out mama died for the dragon slayers to come here" sitting down for a break, Lucy looks to one of her most trusted spirits " I need a break Loke, I can't take it anymore."
Speechless, Loke goes to hug Lucy, not realizing how broken his master was all this time. He nods accepting that a break from the guild is probably the best thing and agrees to telling the master she'll be taking leave from the guild for an indefinite amount of time for personal reasons.
"I'm so sorry I never noticed Lucy" Loke says choked up.
"It's not your fault, I just need time away from this place" Lucy says finishing up her packing. "Ever since I've joined Fairy Tail it just seems that more bad than good has happened to me" she chokes out.
"Lucy" Loke whispers.
"The only good thing to have come from joining seems to have been finding you, Virgo and the others."
Realizing she has nothing more to say, he disappears to tell the master of the news, unbeknownst to the two that Team Natsu were right outside her door listening to everything she was saying, in tears having finally noticed her absence from the festivities at the guild. Natsu and Wendy were in tears after finding out they were the cause for Lucy's mothers' death as well as leaving her after Tartarus. Gray and Erza were crying because they never thought to make sure Lucy had someone to go with after the guild disbanded after Tartarus and finding out about her sacrifice of Aquarius for them.
"We, we caused Lucy's mom to die Natsu?" Wendy cried looking up to the boy she considered her big brother.
Tears streaming down his face Natsu shrugs confused. "I didn't know. I never even knew she felt like this."
"We abandoned her, and after she sacrificed the closest thing she had to her mom" Gray chokes out.
"How dare I even consider myself her friend" Erza cries thinking of all the times when she noticed Lucy eyes look so empty but then a moment later change back to that joyful shine.
"I should've known better and asked what was wrong".
"We need to stop her from leaving guys" Natsu says looking to the others for help, but only seeing regret, sadness, and guilt in their eyes.
"No Natsu, we can't" Erza says. "You heard Lucy, if we kept her from leaving, she would only say or do something she would regret to those she is mad at and from what we heard that's-
"Pretty much everyone" a new voice answers scaring the four eavesdropping.
"Ahh" the four screams.
"Lucy's already mad at you for enough things, do you really want to add listening in on conversations to one of them" Loke says.
"No, but we need to tell Lu-chan how sorry we are!" Wendy cries.
Frowning at the little girl Loke sighs. "I'm sorry Wendy but Lucy's very emotional right now at the news she's found out, seeing you and Natsu would not be good for her. Her spirits have barely calmed her down enough to accept that you're not entirely at fault."
"Really" Natsu says eye glistening with tears.
"Yes", Loke says.
"That's gre- "
"However- cutting off Natsu, "That does not excuse you and the others abandoning my master for a year after the selfless action she did during Tartarus." Loke says glaring at the others.
"But we didn't know" Gray yells.
"Whether or not you knew does not get you off", poking the bare man's chest, "Did you ever think to ask Lucy how the hell you got out of the Alegria? Did you ever thank her for doing the impossible?" Loke questions.
"Well, no but we were fighting- "Erza tries to protest weakly.
"What about after the fighting, when all was said and done hmm."
None of them could answer the lion spirit.
"No, you didn't. Natsu was the worst, leaving a damn note that you called a stupid will! Lucy was hurt but you know what, she never gave up looking for you all, I don't know why though, you don't deserve her." Loke spits out.
Wincing all four look down in shame not denying the truth. When they look up, they see the lion spirit gone and decide that heading back to the guild is probably the best choice of action where they will learn that the light of Fairy Tail has officially left the guild.
"Well Lucy, what are your plans now?" Loke asked.
Lucy sighed as she waited for her train. "After Aquarius told me about mama, she revealed to me some news about her key" smiling a real Lucy smile for the first time since the war had ended, Lucy looks to Loke, "She's told me that it's been reforged Loke. I don't know where, she wouldn't tell me, but she didn't have to. She's my spirit Loke and no matter how long it takes, I'll find her and get her back, and when I do, I'll apologize for breaking her key" Lucy finished with tears down her face.
Loke looked at his master with a smile on his face. "Very well Princess, where should we look first?"
Lucy smirked, "Aquarius said it was reforged in another continent. Already she gave me a big clue. Obviously, we look-
"Lu-chan quit the guild! But why!" Levy cried.
Wendy and Natsu were silent as Gray and Erza had a faraway look. Master was the one to announce the departure of the light of Fairy Tail.
"My children, Lucy's departure was her own choice, Loke gave vague details, but she needed time for her-
"We killed her mom" Natsu blurted out, eyes devoid of emotion.
"What?" the guild shouted.
"Gajeel did too, so did Wendy and Sting and Rogue. We all killed her mom" Natsu said tears streaming down his face.
"She also sacrificed Aquarius for our ungrateful asses" Gray added.
"And we never even thanked her for it" Erza whispered.
"I'm sorry, but what the hell do you mean I killed her mom" Gajeel spit out.
Wendy the only one able to speak now surprisingly answered, tears running down her face. "Lucy-chan, h-her mom was the one to open the eclipse gate to bring us over Gajeel-san. Since she was a celestial mage, she had the power to, but since she didn't have all the keys, she had to sacrifice her life force to open it."
"WE KILLED LUCY'S MOM!" Natsu yelled sobbing. The guild looked on in sympathy as the dragon slayer fell to the floor crying.
"Natsu, my child you did no such thing, Lucy's mother knew what she was doing when she went to open the gate for you five" Makarov tried to reason.
"What's your excuse for Lucy having to sacrifice Aquarius for our ungrateful asses, eh gramps!" Gray growled.
Makarov sighed, not having a reason. "Lucy has a heart of gold. As much as it probably pained her to break a key, she would probably rather have a broken key on her conscious over hundreds of lives."
"We've never deserved Lucy" Erza whispered.
"Hold on, you want to go to Giltena and start your search from there?" Loke asked. "Just straight there?"
"Well of course we'll search the towns we pass through, but Loke I have the strangest feeling Aquarius's key is somewhere west." Lucy asked.
"Well, I hope you're prepared for the journey, because it'll be your longest yet." Loke sighed, revealing a small smile at his princess. Then with a more serious look took his princess hands, "Lucy searching for Aquarius key won't be easy, if anything this will be harder than an SS-class quest and as long as a 10-year quest."
Lucy held a determined look in her eye as she grabbed her bags upon seeing her train nearing the platform. "As much as I'd love to cheat and go straight to having Aquarius just hand me her key…I can't do that. What I can do is show Aquarius that no matter how dangerous the journey is, or even how long, I will get her key and make another contract with her. She at least deserves that much after what'd I done."
Turning back to Loke, the lion saw a smile on his masters face he hadn't ever seen before. One that told him Lucy was prepared for the upcoming journey.
"Well then, what are we waiting for. We have a long's way to go princess" Loke smirked, proud of his masters' determination.
From afar another Celestial mage stood frowning, a sad look in her eyes at their descendant leaving such a lovely place. Making up their mind they followed behind and got in a nearby car, planning on following the celestial mage and see to their safety until their quest was finished.
"Allow me to watch over Lucy while she completes her quest and repay the debt I owe for my and Zeref's selfish request." Anna whispered.
"First Lucy, now Anna. Anyone else gonna leave us?" Gajeel asked.
"That's not fair metal face. Anna is Lucy's ancestor before your stupid guardian alright, so it only makes sense that she goes and watches over Lucy. We at least, no we actually owe her way more than that." Gray hissed.
Gajeel had the decency to look embarrassed at his words. Even Levy frowned at the dragon slayer, still hurt over her best friend leaving. "Lu-chan needs Anna more than you do Gajeel. Now more than ever."
"Anna's the only family Lucy has left, even if it means never seeing her again as long as Lucy has her by her side, I'm fine with that." Natsu said emotionless.
"Good bye, Lucy." Erza whispered.
"I'm sorry Lucy." Wendy cried.
"Lushie" Happy cried.
And with that the light of Fairy Tail had officially left.
Authors note: I got a request for just an angsty Lucy story and thought what about a Lucy leaves the guild for some "soul searching", i.e goes off on her own adventure, because she's hurt over finding out her mom basically sacrificed her life for the dragon slayers to come over. Unrealistic I know but it was a fun prompt given. Like comment let me know what you think.