•••

The next couple of hours passed without much interaction between Lucy and Vera. Both had busied themselves in work, Lucy serving the tables while Vera helping out in the kitchen. It was around noon when something eventful finally happened.

"Hey Lucy?" Mari called, walking out of the kitchen. "Could you do me a huge favour and maybe make a quick trip to the market? I really need these." She finished, pulling out a piece of paper from her apron pockets.

"Uhh..right now? But.." she trailed off, looking around the busy café. "Wouldn't it cause-"

"Oh don't you worry about that!" she smiled. "Erica and Merida can take care of that for a while. I'll ask Vera to help out if needed. You just focus on that!" she finished off a bit too enthusiastically.

"O..kay?" Lucy replied, a bit suspicious over her over enthusiasm. However, she brushed it off, taking the paper and money from her and getting ready to go out.

She removed her apron and secured the fleuve d'etoile and keys on her waist, debating internally whether to carry extra money or not. Finally deciding to do so, she walked out of the shop, heading towards the market on the outskirts of town.

For some reason, Mari never liked shopping in town. She always said something along the lines of less choices and limited products and what not, but Lucy always suspected that it was her excitement to be amongst so many people and be at such an eventful place that got her to do that. After all, who wouldn't trade a trip to an eventful market full of wizards and non wizards for some lousy, old one in town?

Well, Lucy would.

However, for now, she had no say in that. If she even did shop in town, Mari would just make her go again. So, sighing in annoyance, the blonde wizard made her way to the bustling trade fair market between the two towns of Roosevelt and Harrington.

Harrington was a bustling town with wizard folk and non alike, whereas Roosevelt was more like a rest place for passerbys. It was peaceful and quiet, maybe because barely any wizards resided there and there was not one magic guild.

Lucy liked it that way.

She felt the reassuring presence of her keys against her hip, putting her guard up. The trade market was a place where there was a rush of wizards and non alike, so it was an extremely likely place for brawls and petty crimes. And usually this tends to pull even spectators in.

The various shopkeepers called out to her, trying to attract her with their one of a kind goods. However, she just kept her head straight, and headed for the items listed, not really bothering to involve herself with the shopkeepers.

However, as tough as she might act, she was still a girl after all.

She was looking for a light lacrima, when something caught her eye. It was a magic shop, and a big one that is. It was a flame maker, which immediately reminded her of the one she saw with him in Edolas.

She almost reached out for it, when she came back to her senses.

'He's gone. Nobody is coming back.'

"That thing is great for emergency fire creation and such. Very helpful in household as well as fire magic." the old man said, observing her.

"O-oh.."

"But if you're looking in for household use, I would recommend a lacrima in place of that. And if its for a wizard, well, it's kind of outdated now.."

"Oh no no, I wasn't-"

"I can show you some other wonderful items if you like? Just tell me for who and why!"

"I'm sorry but I'm not really looking for anything like that." Lucy said. The old man's smile dropped, for having just lost a probable customer.

"Oh it's alright then, dear. But if you ever wish to buy magical items, you'll know where to find me!"

"Sure!" Lucy smiled. "Could you set me up for this lacrima?"

While the old man, inspected the lacrima, something shiny at the back of the store caught her eye. It was glowing, whatever it was, with such a fiery light that Lucy couldn't help but be charmed.

She walked over, and nearly lost her breath.

"Is that-?"

"A firestone? Yes."

"It's so beautiful!"

"Not just that." the man smiled. "It is said to increase the magical abilities of the wizard that wields it. And if its a fire wizard by any chance, then that's a whole different story." he chuckled.

"How much for that?"

The man nearly dropped the lacrima, eyeing Lucy and then the stone.

"A-Are you sure? It's quite pricey and you don't really seem like a wizar-"

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure."

"Okay then." he breathed. "That would cost you about 100,000 jewels."

•••

"I'm so stupid.." Lucy whined. "Having have had blown that many jewels on this stone.."

However she smiled at the stone, it's fiery red swirling within.

"You just remind me so much of him..I couldn't help but do it.."

Suddenly, she bumped into someone, stumbling a bit.

"Oh I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going-"

All she caught was a whiff of salmon hair amongst the crowded mass of people before it was lost from her sight.

She stood there, shocked before smiling sadly.

"Looks like you remind me too much of him." she said, addressing the stone. "I'm having those hallucinations again."

She fastened her pace, as if it would prevent the memories from resurfacing. But she knew that it wouldn't, it would never, for she was trapped within that horrific past of her, with no way out.

About an hour and a detour later, Lucy finally reached back, exhausted, both mentally and physically.

But the day wasn't about to end for her then and there now, was it?

The sounds of something trashing inside instinctively made her grab her keys and dash inside. However, little did she know that what awaited her inside was worse than any fight she'd ever faced.

Part of the café was trashed, with wooden splinters scattered on the floor. In the mess lay two men, totally beat. And facing her was the back of the person who did this.

Mari rushed forward to the man and his friends, who had crowded behind him, while Vera comforted a shaken Erica. It was like all the pieces of the puzzle were in front of her, but she had lost the ability to join then.

She felt numb, only feeling the warmth of the firestone in her hand.

All of a sudden, Mari looked over to her, saying something that she couldn't hear. The group turned around as well, and Lucy felt nauseous, something constricting in her chest painfully, robbing her of her ability to breathe.

His onyx eyes bore into hers but they only conveyed confusion. The stone's presence, so comforting moments ago now stung, and Lucy did the only one thing that she could.

She ran.

•••

Okieee.. Well umm I understand if you found it boring. I'm still trying to set the scene y'know.

But yeah, so I think you know who's here but I bet you don't know why she ran huh? Hehe 😉

So yep, this is the second chapter! Let me know how was it and it'd honestly make my day if you'd vote, comment and share this story <3

Until then!
Belle 🌸
🔥❤️🔑