Training... has made me lazy

Somewhere in FairyTail shortly after the boat left...

5 pairs of spying eyes just stood there watching the girl sail away on the boat. The figures ran into the shadows towards FairyTail's main base, which was currently being rebuilt. The redhead ran towards a short old man and dragged him to the others.

"Master, what did you give Yume?" Lucy asked.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Gramps stuttered. He had made a promise to her not to tell anyone and he wasn't about to break it.

"Please, Master," Lucy begged, looking up at him with puppy eyes.

"I'm sorry. I can't. I promised" was the only response the group got.

They watched as the old man went back to drinking, but they could notice that he wasn't acting like he usually did.

"Well, the plus-side is that we don't have to pay for her smoothies anymore- Ow!" Gray said, earning a wack on the head from Erza. The red-haired girl motioned towards the blonde, who was on the floor silently crying.

"Maybe she left something inside the house," Happy said, breaking the very awkward silence.

"Well then, what're we waiting for?! Let's go!" Natsu shouted, pumping his fist in the air before dragging his whole team to Lucy's house.

They searched every inch of the house: the basement, the attic, the bathroom. But their efforts were for nothing. Lucy was devastated. As days passed, she locked herself in her room. Weeks passed before she went on a mission again, not like she needed the money. Months passed and everyone but 7 people in the guild forgot about her. It wasn't until the S-class trial that they met her again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...And that's how the prince saved the princess," I said, finishing up my story.

"Oh my Mavis. That is so romantic," Mavis swooned, putting a hand on her forehead. She pretended to faint, filling the quiet forest with laughter.

"It's only about a girl that trusts a stranger. Nothing new. Now go to sleep," I scolded, putting out the fire.

"Fine fine," Mavis pouted.

She rolled over into her pile of leaves and I sat down gently on mine. We laid down and stared at the stars above us.

"Can you believe it? It's been a month since you came," Mavis said quietly.

I turned my head to look at her and smiled.

"We made a lot of progress though," I joked, making her smile.

"Yeah, like training your magic, being lazy, being lazy, being lazy."

"It's like I'm trying to train you to be lazy now," Mavis sighed, a smirk on her face.

"What can I say? Hard work comes with rest," I shrugged, looking back up at the sky.

A white dot streaked across the sky. Mavis gasped and immediately sat up in a prayer position. I giggled silently. Who could've imaged a ghost like FairyTail's master was just a playful person at heart?

A few minutes passed and I could hear the quiet snores coming from Mavis. I looked up at the empty sky, all its stars twinkling together as one.

"When we are all together as one, as one twinkling star, we can defeat anything," I whispered, reaching up to the sky. I hummed silently to myself before dozing off under the nice canopy of the Tenroujima Tree.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...That should be all for today's lesson, brat," Aquarius said, putting her pitcher aside.

"Thanks, Aquarius!" I smiled.

She disappeared immediately but I could've sworn I saw a faint smile on her face.

"Having fun with the spirits?" a voice called from the tree above.

"Haha," I said dryly. "I can't keep them here forever in case Lucy needs them."

"You're still the same as I remember," Mavis chuckled, then her smile faded away upon seeing my confused face.

"It's... nothing."

These awkward moments happened pretty frequently between Mavis and I ever since I told her about my situation.

"So uh... let's go back to the tree," I said awkwardly.

"Yeah. Let's go!" Mavis cheered, running off without me.

"Mavis!" I called out, reaching out to her. She faltered but kept running. My hand slowly fell down. My nose started stinging and I took off running in the opposite direction.

My feet kept running, jumping over familiar tree roots, digging into the ground. I stopped in front of a big tree and let out a scream. My tears welled out as I cried into the open sky. I punched the tree with my fist over and over, scraping my knuckles until they bled.

"Why?!"

"This is all my fault!"

"Only if-"

...I remembered.

I sobbed, kneeling down at the base of the tree. Why did I just explode like that? Usually, I would've been able to hold it back. But every once in a while, I needed to let it out.

But... it haunts me. Every time I cry, these thoughts enter my head, scaring me, driving me crazy.

What if... I wasn't able to control my powers in time. Hurting everyone I love and care about. Becoming... a monster.

Worst of all, what if... I can't remember? How much would that hurt Mavis and everyone who knew me?

I've already hurt FairyTail by running away and Mavis by not remembering. I... I'm a failure.

"You're not," a voice said.

I turned around to see the very girl I hurt standing there, clenching her fists.

"Mavis? How long were you-?"

"YOU IDIOT!" she screamed.

I fell back in surprise as she walked up and grabbed me by my shirt.

"Why would you think such a thing?" she trembled. "It was my fault that I thought you would be the same despite forgetting everything. I just had high hopes."

"Mavis..." Tears started welling up in my eyes again but I brushed them aside with the back of my bloody hand.

"I'm sorry for putting such high expectations on you. It's all my fault. I-"

Mavis stopped midsentence, looking up at me. She let out a giggle between her tears.

"Your face," she giggled.

"My face?" I summoned a mirror out of water. Or rather, attempted. I still can't perfect the new trick Aquarius taught.

I burst out laughing upon seeing myself.

When I tried wiping away my tears, I had blood dripping all over the back of my hand. It made a cross-shape on my face, stopping mid-cheek.

"I look ridiculous!"

"You do!"

Mavis and I laughed for the rest of the afternoon until night fell.

We were laying down on our beds when Mavis spoke up.

"Hey. I'm really sorry though," she said, crisscrossed on her bed.

"It's fine. I really shouldn't have tried to be my past," I said, looking up at the sky.

My hand reached out to the sky, my thumb horizontal and my pointer finger reaching for the sky.

"My future is more important than that. It's the only way I can stand by my friends' side, right?"

Mavis looked at me surprised, then smiled.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, you can."