The Fated Encounter

Lacy

-NATSU-

"What do you mean you went through the wrong gate?" I couldn't breath. This girl, this... Wizard(?) didn't make sense. I know I'm not the smartest man by any stretch of the imagination, but what did she say?

I watched the girl closely. Not only for any sign of danger,  but because my... (Y/n) was so close to someone I never met. "I'm sorry.. I never meant to hurt any of you.." Hurt? "I saw the gate open and... I didn't know..." The girl fell to her knees,  and cried. Cried in the moans of a lost spirit doomed to roam for the sin of crossing the line of life.

Erza placed a hand on my shoulder. "You're dead." From the corners of my eyes, I saw her sadness seep through the windows of her soul. All filled the room was the heart breaking sounds of the ghost. "And you locked our first master in the after life -- and after life that wasn't made for her!" The more the armored fairy lectured, the longer everyone stayed silent. Listening. Deeply thinking.

"Erza.. " I whispered to her. She needed to calm down. "She's just a little girl.." I shock my head. Erza wouldn't listen to me. I know it. She's got one hell of an ego.

Her grip got tighter. "That is an offence punishable by damnation!" The girl screamed. "A damnation of never having the opportunity to exist again!" Her voice boomed through the guild. Without a doubt splintering our hearts to leave scars of selfishness. I watched in numb captivity as the girl sobbed into the her hands which were now pressed into the wood floor.

Erza opened her mouth again, though my reason for living bravely stepped forward. I forgot my empathy as she sat down, and hugged this young spirit. As the second felt like minutes, (Y/n) whispered. "You know there is the law of life. You have broken that law." (Y/n)  spoke gently as if speaking to Komo.

The girl sat up. "I know... I didn't mean to.. I just wanted -"

"That does not matter."

-YOU-

You placed one hand on the girls shoulder. "There will be a punishment. But suppose... If you helped us get our master back, it will not be as sever." You wished to yourself. Wished that she would believe it. Wished that she was kind enough to WANT to help us. Because if she didn't... Who would?

There was a long pause as Lacy sat in thought. But when she spoke, you released a breath that you had no knowledge of holding. "Okay.. " You looked back at Erza, her relief was noticeable from the roof to the floor. "But there's a catch."

You see Natsu's eyes widen. "What?" He stepped forward. It looked as though he were ready for... Whatever it was he was ready for.

You turned calmly to the spirit. Your heart racing, eyes batting uncontrollably. "Are you willing to die for your first master?"

You let your hand fall from her shoulder. Stunned. No.. Stunned didn't begin to describe how... Stunned you were. "D-die?" Were you ready for death? The same man that you've avoided time and time before. "That's a bit freighting.. "

"I'll do it." You watched as Gildarts walked past you. He walked to Freed's enchantment, sliding his foot across the letters that shattered under his step.

Gray opened his mouth. "What happens when you die, Lacy?" It was a very good question. What would happen?

She wiped her eyes,  acknowledging Gray's question. "You play a game of run and go seek with the Pale man."

Your eyebrows furrowed. "Run and go seek?"

"Mmhm." She stared at her hands that were now on her lap. "It's in the song."

'Oh yeah. She sang it just yesterday.'

You whispered. "Run, Run, Run from the man with the chalky face." She smiled a bit, joining you. "Run, Run, Run to the eliminated room. For once you find it, and close the door -- he will stare at the face of his victor." Her eyes were still red from crying. They held a sparkle that made you wonder how she died in the first place. "Run and go seek... The room." Once you said it, it made sense.

Lacy smiled wider at you. "The ones he catches, they will not necessarily have the chance to return to life."

"You didn't find the room, did you?" You felt tears fill your lower eye lids as she shook her head.

There was a silence between you for a long while. You listened to the conversations of the others, picking a choosing who would go. "Then how do you get a door?"

"Those are given to those who deserved a second chance, but was not given it. Like your master. They are the ones who are deemed worthy." Lacy whispered. "One little thing that people don't know is..." She leaned to whisper in your ear. "Whatever you die with, is transferred to the game."

You gasped,  pulling away from the girl to look in her eyes. "Like a teleportation Lacrima?" A smile spread across your face as she laid one finger to the side of her nose.

You leaped up from the floor, trotting toward where Erza and Natsu stood. Hopefully she would approve. "Erza!" You picked up pace when you noticed she had moved further into the guild. She looked up at the paper Gildarts was explaining. When you reached her, your heart raced in anticipation. You laid your hands on Natsu's arm to look around him. "I have a plan!"

xXTo Be ContinuedXx