Chapter 14: The Guild's Restless Heart

Two months had passed since Lucy made the difficult decision to stay in Alvarez, protected by Yajeel and the others. The Fairy Tail guild in Fiore had been anything but its usual self during this time. The once vibrant guild hall was now filled with a tense silence, as every member felt the void Lucy had left behind. The search for her had been relentless, but fruitless.

Natsu was a storm barely contained, pacing the guild hall with a fury that threatened to explode at any moment. His hands were clenched into tight fists, his eyes blazing with frustration. Gray and Laxus watched him with concern, trying to find a way to soothe the seething dragon slayer.

["We've searched every inch of Fiore,"] Gray said, his voice edged with concern as he tried to reason with Natsu. ["There's no sign of her. Maybe we need to take a different approach."]

["Different approach?"] Natsu snapped, his anger flaring. ["Lucy's out there somewhere, and we haven't found a single clue! We should be doing more!"]

["Natsu,"] Laxus said, stepping forward with a stern expression, ["raging around isn't going to help us find her. We need to stay focused, use our heads, and think this through."]

Before the argument could escalate further, the guild doors swung open, and the Sabertooth guild members entered—Yukino, Sting, Rogue, Minerva, Frosch, and Lector. The tension in the room shifted slightly as all eyes turned toward them.

["Yukino?"] Erza's voice carried a mix of surprise and hope as she greeted the group. ["What brings you all here?"]

Yukino, her expression serious, stepped forward. ["I have news about Lucy. I've been communicating with the Celestial Spirits, and they've given me some information, though it's… incomplete."]

Natsu's head whipped around at the mention of Lucy, his earlier anger replaced with desperate hope. He rushed over to Yukino, his voice filled with urgency. ["What do you know? Where is she? Is she okay?"]

Yukino hesitated before speaking. ["The Spirits were instructed not to reveal too much. They were told by the Celestial King himself to keep certain details hidden, especially about the threat that's involved. But they did tell me one thing—Lucy is safe. She passed on a message, saying the threat is too great for her to stay in the guild, and that she's decided to live a new life elsewhere, away from the fight."]

The words hit Natsu like a punch to the gut. ["She's leaving us? She's… giving up?"] His voice cracked, revealing the depth of his pain.

Yukino looked torn as she continued, ["She's not giving up, Natsu. Maybe she just needs time to find a way to deal with this on her own. She's gone to find a solution, and she'll come back when she's ready."]

Erza, who had been silently listening, suddenly stepped forward, her eyes blazing with fury. ["If she wanted to find a solution, she should have told us! We could've helped her! But instead, she ran away!"] Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and hurt.

The guild fell silent, the weight of Erza's words settling heavily over them. Even Happy, who usually tried to lighten the mood, was at a loss for words. The silence was broken by a sudden burst of light that filled the guild hall.

When the light faded, Loki, the Celestial Spirit Leo, stood before them, his usually confident demeanor replaced with an air of urgency.

["Loki?"] Natsu exclaimed, stepping forward. ["What are you doing here? What's going on with Lucy? Is she okay?"]

Loki's gaze swept across the room, noting the desperate hope in the eyes of his friends. But his expression remained somber, almost sorrowful. ["I'm here alone. Lucy is not with me, and she's not coming back… not yet. Just as Yukino said, she's somewhere far away and safe. She asked me to tell you all to stop searching for her. She said you're wasting your time and effort. She wants you to focus on the threat and live your lives as usual. And Natsu…"] Loki hesitated, knowing his next words would cause pain. ["She asked you to forget about her."]

Natsu's eyes widened in shock, and then his fury exploded. ["Forget her? How can you say that?! How can she ask that of me?!"] His voice shook with a mixture of rage and heartbreak.

Gray clenched his fists, his own anger boiling over. ["This is ridiculous! We should be out there looking for her, not sitting around doing nothing!"]

Juvia, trying to calm him, placed a hand on his arm, but her own face was etched with sorrow. ["Gray-sama… we're all hurting, but Loki said Lucy wants us to focus on the threat. We have to trust her."]

Gajeel's voice cut through the tension, rough and angry. ["This ain't right! Lucy wouldn't just abandon us like this!"]

Natsu, unable to contain his emotions any longer, lashed out. He punched the nearest table, shattering it into pieces. ["I don't care what she wants! We need to find her!"]

Loki stepped forward, his tone firm but filled with sadness. ["Natsu, you need to have faith in Lucy. She's doing this for a reason, even if we don't understand it right now."]

Natsu, however, was beyond reasoning. His emotions were too raw, too overwhelming. ["Faith? How can I have faith when she's gone? How can I just sit here and do nothing?"]

Even Master Makarov, who had been silently observing, couldn't hide his frustration. But he also believed in Lucy's decision, trusting that she must have had a good reason for leaving. ["Natsu, I know this is hard, but we have to believe in Lucy. She's strong. She wouldn't do this without a reason."]

Mira, with tears in her eyes, nodded in agreement. ["Lucy has always cared about everyone in this guild. If she's doing this, it's because she thinks it's the best way to protect us."]

But Natsu, his heart torn apart, couldn't accept it. ["No! If she doesn't want to come back, then fine! From now on, she's no longer a part of Fairy Tail! She can live her life however she wants!"]

Gray, shocked and furious, grabbed Natsu by the collar, pulling him close. ["What the hell are you talking about, Natsu?! How can you just abandon her like that?!"]

Natsu shoved him away, his voice shaking with pain. ["She wanted me to forget her, right? Fine! From now on, she means nothing to me!"]

Erza and the others were stunned by Natsu's outburst. Even Master Makarov, usually calm and collected, raised his voice. ["Natsu, you need to calm down and think about what you're saying!"]

But Natsu, his heart shattered, was resolute. ["I've made up my mind. If she thinks she'll be happier away from us, then so be it."]

Yukino, tears welling in her eyes, looked around at the tearful faces of Happy, Wendy, Levy, and the others. Little Emma, confused and sad, clung to Cana, who hugged her tightly, trying to hold back her own tears.

That day, the guild was filled with sorrow. Jellal, in a last-ditch effort, asked Loki, ["Please, at least tell us where Lucy is."]

But Loki shook his head, his expression apologetic. ["I can't. That's not information we can share. The Celestial King has ordered us to keep it secret. Lucy is considered the Princess of the Stars now, with both light and celestial magic. That's all I can say."]

With those words, Loki disappeared, leaving the guild in a deep, painful silence.

Natsu, overwhelmed by his emotions, ran out of the guild. Gajeel started to follow him, but Levy stopped him, shaking her head, tears streaming down her face. Happy, equally heartbroken, flew after Natsu, desperate to comfort his friend.

Laxus, trying to regain control of the situation, said, ["For now, we need to calm down and not mention Lucy in front of Natsu. He's too sensitive right now."]

Gray, still seething with anger, snapped back, ["Are you seriously suggesting we abandon Lucy? We can't just leave her out there!"]

Master Makarov, his voice heavy with sorrow, replied, ["Gray, it's not about abandoning her. Lucy is safe, and there's nothing we can do to find her right now. We need to trust her decision, as hard as that is."]

Juvia managed to calm Gray down, though she herself was trembling with anger and sadness. Erza, on the brink of losing control, was held back by Jellal, who whispered comforting words to her, trying to soothe her rage.

The once vibrant guild was now steeped in despair and confusion. The bonds that had held them together felt strained, fractured by Lucy's absence and Natsu's harsh words. The guild was left to grapple with the harsh reality that their family was not as whole as it once was, and the road ahead was filled with uncertainty and pain.

In the days that followed, the members of Fairy Tail tried to go about their usual routines, but the absence of Lucy and the weight of Natsu's declaration hung over them like a dark cloud. The once lively and joyful guild was now a shadow of its former self, and every member struggled with their own feelings of loss and confusion.

But despite the pain, deep down, they all held onto the hope that one day, Lucy would return, and their family would be whole once again. Until then, they would have to endure the pain and continue to fight, for the sake of their guild and the bonds they had forged through countless battles and shared memories.

And somewhere, far away, Lucy also held onto that hope, even as she faced the unknown dangers that lay ahead. She knew that the road she had chosen was fraught with peril, but she was determined to protect those she loved and her unborn child, no matter the cost she would protect her baby and the family she loved, even if it meant staying away from them for a little while longer.