Mermaid Tail {A NaLu AU}

Chapter 8: Your Beauty

Mermaid Tail by Cryptic_Eyes, All Rights Reserved, © 2015

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Disclaimer: These characters will be as close to the personalities of the original characters, but some moments will be OOC, to fit the story. I hope you enjoy!

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I am seriously on a roll. :p I actually finished this chapter awhile ago, but I wanted to wait a little longer to let people read chapter eight! So, the song is "Colorful" by Virginia to Vegas! I hope you guys think it's pretty cute! Also, I have a feeling you guys are gonna like this chapter. ;) Speaking of which, I dedicate this chapter to my best friend roadtotheskies! I miss him here on wattpad, though we do talk off of it! Hope you get back into the site soon! <3 Please, as always, comment and vote to give me some feedback, thanks! Until the next chapter, my friends~

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The next day, Lucy finished changing in the morning in Natsu's bathroom, long after he had left. She exited his quarters and went back out onto the deck, heading for the stairs that led further down into the ship.

The sky was gorgeous this morning, the night gone and a bright sun illuminating a cloudless baby blue sky. The wind was light, just enough for the ship's sails and not too hard on people's faces. Lucy spotted a few seagulls flying high up in the air, and Plue instantly shapeshifted, flying up after them to play.

As she moved forward, Levy walked by her, smiling brightly. "Morning, Lu-chan!"

"Oh," Lucy replied, her voice monotone. "Yeah...morning."

As the blonde headed down the steps, her expression somber, Levy watched her enter the door into the lower part of the ship, her expression confused.

Lucy headed down the steps, smelling the fresh bread being taken out of packaging as she entered the kitchen. Mira was cleaning the long table where everyone sat for meals, and she looked up as the blonde entered, smiling.

"Lucy! How are your legs?"

"Fine, thanks," she replied, smiling slightly. "Do you have any apples?"

"Over there, in that basket on the crates."

Lucy went where the white-haired maiden indicated, and she snatched an apple from the basket and took a few slices of bread as well. As she left, saying her thanks over her shoulder, she past by Gajeel, who was heading to the bottom of the ship.

"Oh, excuse me," Lucy exclaimed, having run into him.

Gajeel simply grunted, walking on. Lucy looked at him in surprise as he kept walking, right until he disappeared around the corner.

Her expression sobered slightly.

She spent the rest of the morning and noon on the deck, her mind buried in her thoughts as she looked out over the water.

"You are such a stupid child!"

"Your mother would be disappointed in you."

"Going outside is forbidden, understand?"

Lucy had wrapped her arms around her legs, and she clutched her forearms tightly.

She really didn't want to go home. The closer they got, the more dread she felt. Sure, there were people there that she missed, but she knew once she went in, she'd never get out. Lucy kept imagining herself being locked up in her room as punishment for leaving, and her privilege to walk on land being taken away. If she knew someone else who could remove the curse, she'd go to them instead. But there wasn't, and the blonde couldn't wait much longer. She needed the curse removed.