Sweet Starry Shadows

A New World

Sweet Starry Shadows

Chapter 5: A New World

Sitting on the train for roughly three days straight, Lucy sat there in her carriage staring out of the large window beside her. "So where are we heading to?" Loke questioned as he appeared in front of her silently where he was sitting with one leg over the other. 

Sitting on the opposite side of where she was sitting, she looked over to his direction and sighed. She was feeling quite tired from this sitting and the lack of moving around. "Well, the first thing to do is find a new place to call home," she replied.

Loke raising a brow, he looked out of the window and pointed to it. "You want to find a place here in the forests?" he questioned as if it were to be some kind of sick joke that he didn’t understand well of. With his princess not even bothering to give him a sign of her joking, he frowned. "Lucy, there would never be a cabin out here in these types of forests. Even if there is one that’s ready for us to move in, there may be criminals lurking around," he said, hoping that she would understand that it’ll be dangerous to do such a thing.

She forced herself to smile. "Well, we might as well build one and call it our home," she stated where Loke thought about it for a moment. "If we do that... Then you'll have to camp until we're done," he replied where she then sighed.

"You're right."

The male spirit sighed in relief. Like he was thinking before, it was too dangerous for her to be living alone so with a smile, he thought of the best solution to their problem. "That's great. Now let's find a nice little village -"

Before he could finish, Lucy was already thinking ahead of him and in a different direction. "I should ask Sakura to see if there's a place hidden in the forest that's safe to live," she interrupted.

Loke's jaw dropped and Lucy happily pushed it back up again with a positive, beaming smile. "What's wrong with asking for help? She offered her help so why not take advantage of it," she added where Loke faked a cough. “I thought you didn’t want to ask for such help?” he asked.

But seeing how proud she was about her suggestion, he began smiling to her before he nodded. "Are you sure that you're alright?" he insisted.

She nodded before scratching her head. "Now that I think about it... I'm not too sure about that - But being positive is the first step into becoming a new me!" she cheered before pulling out the small lacrima crystal where Loke looked at it.

"Did Sakura give it to you?" he questioned, looking at the small thing as the blonde shook her head. "Master Makarov gave it to me just in case I wanted to contact them. It's the latest type too. All I have to do is input their numbers into it, and..." Explaining while she tapped on the crystal, suddenly a large screen appeared with Sakura right on it.

" - There," she finished off where the crimson was projected on its surface where she slowly opened her eyes to look at them with a small smile.

The girl turning to look at Lucy to give her attention, she nodded her head. "Lucy... Loke... An early good morning to the both of you," she greeted. "Good morning to you too Sakura," Lucy replied where Sakura tipped her head in reply.

"So, what's the problem, Lucy?" Sakura began. “Is there a problem that you need assistance with?”

The blonde biting the bottom of her lips, she looked down to the back of her hand and slowly looked back up to the screen where the crimson was waiting for her reply. Opening her mouth to only shut it, she closed her eyes and gave out a long sigh. "Is there a place where I can stay at Carren Forest?" she questioned, watching the girl's eyes widen in surprise.

Sakura thinking about it, she nodded her head. "Carren Forest should be roughly four days away from Magnolia by train. I've been there before and it's the perfect location to be used as a training ground for many people. Though it is a vast place, so you may have some difficulties in finding the cabin that I used..." she replied before holding her chin in deep thought. "If you want to go there, then you have to be careful. You've been on the train for three days, right?"

She nodded her head where Sakura nodded her head to the reply. "Then you should get there sooner before you know it. Would you like Ace and Yuuto to lead the way once you get there?" she asked.

"Yes please, that'll be great help... Though who are they?" Lucy replied in question.

The crimson nodded. "They're the two wolves who were with you a while ago. I'll ask them to meet you there tomorrow since I'm nowhere near where you are. They should be in their human forms when they meet you, so look for two knightly-looking men and ask them any questions that you need to be answered while they lead the way," Sakura answered before Lucy nodded her head, understanding that those wolves that she'd met a couple of days ago were able to shift.

Sakura giving out a toothy grin, she nodded once again. "Alright, I'll tell them after this. Do you need anything else?" she questioned.

The girl shook her head and looked over to Loke who was beyond relieved to know that she was going to be safe inside of a building which was once used by Sakura, a person which he trusted for having one of the safest locations to reside in. Looking back to the lacrima screen, she smiled. "Thank you... For everything," she thanked.

"There's no need to thank me for anything. You can take advantage of me any time you want," Sakura replied before the screen disappeared.

Smiling, Lucy slid her lacrima crystal back into her pocket where suddenly Virgo appeared beside them. "Hime-sama, I'm here with some change of clothes for you," she said before looking to Loke where he held both of his hands up in surrender. "Well, that's my cue to leave you two by yourself," he said in respect of his princess having her privacy.

Lucy and Virgo nodding, they watched the boy disappear before Virgo turned her full attention to her princess. "Hime, I'll leave your change of clothes here. I heard your conversation with Sakura, so please change into these for now and have a shower later... I'll be outside just in case," she said blankly before heading out of the carriage room.

The blonde thanking the spirit, she stood up and couldn't feel her legs much. Kicking them around just to get her blood pumping, she sighed in relief once she could feel them again.

She bent over and picked up her clothes and began to change into fresh ones. Now wearing some celestial clothes, she walked over to the door and opened it where Virgo turned around.

"I'll collect your dirty clothes and wash them back in our world. Just to let you know, the staff just came to tell you that they're going to be bringing the food around late," she said where the blonde nodded.

Walking back to her spot, she sat and watched Virgo collect her pile of clothes. "Are you ready to train with me?" she asked out of the blue. The spirit looking over her shoulder, she nodded her head. "I'll do my very best. Punishment?" she replied.

With a chuckle, Lucy shook her head. "No, you know me well enough Virgo... I'll never punish you," she stated before looking out of the windows again. "Hey Virgo, do you think that I’ve made the right choice to leave Fairy Tail?"

Virgo looking away, she sighed. "Hime-sama, that is for you to decide. We're always there for you no matter what you may choose to follow in life," she answered.

Words which were filled with honesty and loyalty; The blonde smiled knowing that she wasn't all alone in this world since her parent's passing. No matter which path she chooses to walk, there'll be friends along the way, supporting her every decision in life.

"Thank you. Please tell everyone to get ready to train with me tomorrow..." she said where Virgo turned to nod her head. Disappearing without a further trace left behind, the blonde smiled and rested her head against the rattling glass.

It's been a long journey. Finally, it was almost time to leave this shaking thing.

Her eyes slowly closing, she decided that it was best for her to regain her energy rather than staying up most of the time to see where the train would often stop. There was no need for her to strain herself anymore.

As she slept, she began to hear voices.

"Are you sure that it'll be fine to leave her with you… Actually, is she even the right person?" the voice questioned in a hushed whisper. "Yes, it is. We know her and we've made arrangements to meet her here at this station," another voice replied in a casual tone but sounded like a woman.

The blonde groaning, her eyelids felt heavy as she tried to pull them up. Struggling to adjust herself to find a much more comfortable position, she found herself having some difficulties as something adjusted their grip on her.

"Look what you've done - She's awake now," the voice from before said, sounding gentler than the other voice that she heard from before.

Opening her eyes to wait for them to adjust, she found herself looking up to a boy with black hair. "Good morning Lucy, I'm Ace," the boy greeted before looking over to the other boy that had longer silver-grey hair. "Yuuto, she's awake now," Knight stated where Yuuto turned away from the crimson to look at the two of them with a blank expression worn.

Ace slowly placing her on her feet, he took a few steps back to give her some space. He had been carrying her for some reason.

Yuuto tipping his head in respect, he stood up straight and proud. "My name is Yuuto. We're sorry for not being able to properly introduce ourselves to you before," he said before flashing a smile. "Think of us as your personal knights," he added on, trying to break the awkward tension in the air while the crimson was scolding the train conductor.

"How dare you doubt my words when we've seen each other for three years already. I've been one of your most loyal consumers," she scowled before waving him off.  "Doubt my honesty again and I wouldn't mind burning down your bloody office," she threatened before turning her head to smile at the blonde standing in front of her.

Lucy frowning, she crossed her arms. "You said that you were too far to come," she said where the crimson grinned. "Sorry Lucy, I lied," the girl joked before sticking out her tongue.

"So, we're here again... Carren Forest," Ace sighed as he turned to look out to the forestry waiting for them. Yuuto running his fingers through his hair, he groaned. "Navigating through this was such a hassle last time," he complained where Lucy looked at them in question.

The silver-grey haired boy noticing, he smiled at her. "Sakura wanted to play a game and left us halfway. She commanded us to not go back through our gates to find her," he explained where she nodded. Looking out to the woods that were waiting for her, she shivered at its daunting appearance. Covered in nothing but wild vegetation, she knew that what Yuuto had said was completely true - Indeed this is going to be a hassle.

"Alright, let's go," Sakura cheered before pointing towards a certain tree that was slightly different compared to the rest.

Lucy walking over to the girl, she nodded. "Lead the way," she said where Sakura nodded in amusement. "I won't be leading the way... The trees will," Sakura stated before muttering a few words under her breath.

"Trees that look over Gaia for centuries. Lead the way to where I call home," she chanted as that one certain tree flashed a glowing hue.

Everyone walking towards the tree, stepping down the small flight of stairs, they began to enter the maze-like woods, Carren Forest.