Decades Gone By Series: Insanity Takes All - Book 1 (Fairy Tail)

Chapter 3 - An Entire Year & She's Gone

         The door to the guild flew open suddenly, making all heads turn as Levy, Gajeel and Lily entered, heaving with breath. Wendy noticed that in her hands, there was a gigantic folder that was so heavy, Levy had a hard time walking over to her table and slamming it down on the desk. She collapsed onto a chair while Gajeel remained standing and Lily jumped onto the table.

         Team Natsu peered at the folder along with Juvia, looking at the big, bold red letters that spelt Lucy's name. Then they all looked at Levy who was beginning to regain her breath. "We basically ran all the way here to get that to you guys. There wasn't anything on master, at least about the past year except that he is missing. But this," she tapped the folder with her finger. "Is all about what Lucy has been doing."

         Erza flipped the folder open, revealing a bunch of text. "Did you read all of it?" But Levy shook her head and began going through it.

        "No, I couldn't. The stuff I was seeing was, just not her." She dug deep through it until she found something that made Levy freeze for half a second. "Like this." She flipped the paper over and moved it to the middle of the table. It was a picture, a mug-shot.

          Juvia leaned forward, placing the tip of her finger at the edge of the picture. It was of Lucy, two months after Fairy Tail disbanded. The slate was hung around her neck but she held it up, her name sprawled on it with the name of a prison. Her face had no expression and she looked like she always had. "Why would Lucy-san need a mug-shot?"

          Levy placed another photo beside that picture however and it was around the same type, except there was a tiny hint of a smile on her face and her blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail. "When I found these, they came with this." She moved two papers to Gray, who took one and handed the other to Natsu who shared it with Happy. "The first time Lucy was arrested was two months after Fairy Tail disbanded for stealing jewelry. But she was let off two days later by an unknown baler. The second time which took place two weeks after that one was because she threatened an innocent family. Nobody got hurt but, she had a gun apparently. She was let off a week later by the same baler."

           Natsu shook his head lightly, passing the paper to Erza. "Why would she do such a thing? This isn't like Lucy at all." Levy took the papers back and froze. It caught Natsu's attention. "There something else, Levy?"

            She closed her eyes for a minute and when she opened them, they were shaking with fear. "Lucy joined a dark guild called Premonition." Everyone in the room, even people not in the conversation, froze. "It consists of her and five other people, including the master but no one knows he or she's identity."

         "Did the disbandment do this to her?" Wendy asked, looking at Levy when she said it. "Or was it.." but she stopped herself, looking at Natsu out of the corner of her eye. By the look on his face, he was thinking the same thing. "But, she didn't hurt anyone, right? Stealing and threatening is horrible, but no one actually got hurt."

           Levy searched through the folder again and pulled out another photo. Since Gajeel was behind her, he got the first glimpse. His eyes widened and he leaned forward. "You mean that's her? I know I did horrible stuff but even I never ended up in that place."

          "What?" Gray asked.

           Gajeel returned to standing. "There's this prison for the criminally insane a few towns over. Only the worst end up in there and I never did. I have done horrible things but not horrible enough to end up there. Which is very surprising" He took a hold of the picture and glared at it, studying it carefully. Wendy wondered if he ever thought that hard, other than about beating somebody up. He cast a glance at Levy who nodded and he placed the picture on top of the other two.

           It was another mug-shot from three months ago and it was Lucy, at least Wendy thought it was. Her name was written on the slate with 'Serenity Asylum' written below it. Her hair was longer than in the previous photos and were in French braids. This time she had expression, for her mouth was wide open in laughter and her brown eyes shined with pure insanity. Her skin shined like porcelain in the light and she wasn't facing the camera right on. Her body was shifted to the left, showing her bare shoulder that bore a guild mark. It was a dark purple in the shape of an eye, with the letter Z as the pupil. She wore a black tank top, showing a tattoo around her wrist that seemed like a ring of flowers but were actually skulls. And on her hand was a burn mark where her Fairy Tail guild mark used to be.

            Wendy covered her mouth when she noticed the burn mark while Natsu trembled with rage and Juvia's eyes saddened. Around Lucy's eyes were black eye shadow and eyeliner, making her eyes seem darker. Another tattoo was on her cheek that was written in small cursive writing, which said 'insanity.' By the looks of it, it seemed that she drew that one on herself or someone that wasn't a professional did it.

           "That time she was arrested and hauled to Serenity Asylum for killing and torturing millions of people with two other members of Premonition. She was there for two weeks until the exact same baler got her out." Levy sighed, leaning back in exhaustion for talking so much.

           Natsu took a hold of the third mug-shot, putting it so close to his face, Wendy was afraid he'd eat it. The look on his face showed that he truly did care for Lucy, so much that he could get angry at the picture. "Does it say anything about where this guild is located?" But Levy shook his head and Wendy's shoulders fell. 

         They were all silent for quite awhile until Levy stated she had to return the file. She told Natsu he could keep the photo and he gladly accepted. She left with Gajeel and Lily soon after, leaving Wendy alone with Carla for Erza and Gray followed Natsu and Happy to the bar. 

        Wendy felt Carla's paw on her arm and she glanced over at her, her eyes shaking with tears she kept from falling. "Carla, what are we supposed to do? We can't just leave Lucy out there running around like that."

       "There's nothing we can truly do," Carla stated. "Lucy became like this on her own free will, at least I think so. But if I ever have a premonition about her, I'll tell you. I think right now, we should worry about Makarov, since we actually don't know anything going on with him." Wendy nodded in understanding and rested her head on the table. "Wendy, you okay?"

       She closed her eyes. "An entire year and she's gone," was all she said and she felt Carla curl up beside her as she laid there, thinking about nothing but her comrade. Her former comrade.