First confrontation

"Your relatives probably were just unlucky. No one could suspect that in this forgotten by the world village lived daughter and grandchildren of actual the strongest Celestial Spirit Mage."

At a bar, Layla was talking to Hayako. She really meant it. Before giving up on being a wizard Layla had all golden keys, making her the strongest Celestial Spirit Mage. Without the keys, the strongest is Hayako who attained her power without depending on golden keys.

"I know it. Why are you saying this?"

"Because that's how you're thinking. You're the strongest in your field, yet no one tried to use your relatives to blackmail you. You were waiting hoping that if your relatives are alive their real value would be noticed. However, that hope betrayed you and now you're teaching Lucy."

"Shouldn't you be happy? Upon different circumstances, I wouldn't agree and now Lucy has the best teacher."

Hayako pretended to be whimsical as an effect of getting older like sometimes people are trying to be while showing they don't have anything to lose so anything else doesn't matter.

"No, I refuse to be happy with my master's loss. That's not the way things should be! At least not if there's hope. Someone could survive. No, it's clear that someone survived because that's the only way so many people could be considered as missing and it's your duty to look for it."

"What do you expect from me?"

"To use some of your old connections to track down the victims lucky enough to survive. That's something you can do while staying here in Era. Start by making a list of people you would look for. With some help, you can even get copies of vital records from civil registries. You should promise a reward for finding Yukino and Sorano. I can even fund it for you. My money can't save the world, but sure can help to find your family."

"Right..."

Hayako didn't believe Layla's narration. She said something interesting. However, being interesting is far from being right.

"By the way, I think I found some clues to check for you."

...

"I can't meditate! I'm just too stressed to do this."

Lucy exhausted her reserves of magic power which in turn left her without other possibilities of training magic than meditation or rather without any possibilities if you really consider a possibility as something which one can just do with something that actually exists. Meditation is a way to fill in a pool of magic. How does it work? It's hard to clearly say. It's a fact that everything alive is somehow involved with magic.

Ethernano flows almost literally through everything and wizards are a group of people that have more ethernano flowing into their bodies. That refers the problem of the source of magic to something external but that's not the right approach. If we don't know the real source of magic how can we even know it is fully external? We cannot. Let's take magic slayers as an example. They are an unusual example but their unusual constitution probably reveals something that wizards and magic creatures have in common. Yes they use ethernano particles that come from external sources like ordinary human wizards but on top of that they have one another ability: They are able to turn their respective elements into ethernano particles. It's nonsense, right? Something not-magical turns into something magical without casting any spells on it! Someone right on his mind would say that it shouldn't be possible! However, it is so it's right to have some theories for that. The theory is: Bodies of magical creatures produce ethernano particles on their own and all slayers of these kinds of creatures got this characteristic from them. Because every slayer has this strange property probably the species of a creature doesn't matter and it's only a difference of degree. Meditation works by turning external sources of ethernano into a wizard's own magic reserves. Why do they turn ethernanos into ethernanos? It's like this because this is the easiest way to turn something into ethernanos but it's not necessary. Only much more effective. Meditation is a way to control state of the spirit and a properly controlled spirit uses the excess of spiritual energy to generate ethernano particles instead of... thoughts. Lucy for now is just thinking too much. It leaves the question, how is that wizards can regenerate magic power without meditation, free for interpretations, but now it doesn't matter.

Beating Brain isn't something that can be taken without worries. The longer you think about something so hard that it required the cooperation of multiple guilds the greater tension you feel. Lucy isn't someone who can just ignore dangers like those battle maniacs

"Hey."

Another voice from a different plane of existence brought her to reality. Quite thin and soft so to speak.

"Huh?"

"You must be Lucy right?"

The voice happened to belong to a girl in her age. She had a modest appearance. Her clothes dressed her fully. There was no bare breast or naked breast. In the first impression, she looked rather like a young version of granny. Woolen dress, red-rimmed glasses, hair tied in a bun. Someone could look at her and say that she's destined to become important but doing a good job in being ordinary or in the best case some kind of old hag important only to determine one aspect of children's lives. She remembered her.

"Nonny?"

"So you know my name."

"What are you doing here?"

"Eehh... I just saw you a few times and..."

"Got curious?"

"Yes."

"I trained but already exhausted my magic. Because of that, I'm unable to continue."

"Want to go somewhere? For a tea I guess?"

"No... or actually yes, but I feel bad about it. I have to take my time even if I can't."

"I think you should stop for a moment and relax. When did you relax last time?"

"... Two weeks ago."

"That's too much Lucy. Rest a little. One or two days should be good for you."

"What can you know about me by the way?"

"I can't but... I don't know anyone who would be able to stand hard work for more than a few days. Usually, something stands in our way to do that."

"And is it not a sign that we're slacking off?"

"It's not slacking off. Working is not the only thing that's right to do."

For Lucy that was not the first time, someone's criticized her determination to make a progress. Some girls even laughed at her because working hard to improve magic is like admitting she's weak in magic. Lucy didn't care to socialize with them because it was not worth it. Talking about boys was out of question. She didn't know why but she knew subcutaneously she don't want boyfriends. Talking about literature also was out of question because only some girls care here about books and they weren't too advanced in those. As she aspires to be rather a combat mage she needs someone to spar with but again. There's no kid strong enough to intentionally make her break a sweat and no one wants to get bruises despite having some admiration for strong wizards. It doesn't mean that Lucy wouldn't welcome them as friends but they wouldn't want to keep up with her.

"Okay. Let's go."

...

"Two earl grays with cloves and orange please."

"Something else?"

"And some ginger cookies."

While waiting for their request two girls talked a bit about things they do. Nonny was interested in simple things like baking cookies, organizing social life, and good manufactured clothes. What was interesting is that it's not about buying expensive clothes. She can't show off with having a lot of money but she can make her own dresses. In short, Nonny has a real hobby which makes her interesting enough to talk about something. Lucy of course read a lot about cannons of fashion in magazines as she was a journalist in her past life. But cannons of fashion in magazines are sometimes just interesting facts for their intellectuals and celebrities. Nonny on the other hand was more interested in the process of making clothes according to what she knows that makes things beautiful and comfortable. It was a strange cognitive dissonance to talk with Nonny, but if she will keep up with that, she can become someone really helpful to manage some problems. The most interesting thing about Nonny, for now, was her magic. Her woolen creations come mostly from the ability to create and manipulate wool. Something she thought that is reserved mostly for beings like Aries was possible for this little girl.

"Did you learn to do this all by yourself?"

"No, I found some tips here and there. Mostly it's just about being patient and strict to keep your knitting right."

"Right... How much do you want for one dress?"

"I think 4 000 jewels will be alright."

"For something like this? Nonny you should take more. At least 10 000 jewels."

"This is..."

"Yes, you probably think that's a lot but I assure you it would be worth that much. A mere swimsuit for adults costs 10 000 jewels or more if it's a fashionable swimsuit much more. I'll give 15 000 if a dress is at least as good as yours. "

"I... okay. I'll do it."

It was a nice afternoon. It reminded Lucy that if not for the fact she wanted to be in Fairy Tail so hard after running from her father she would be a writer and that in turn made her sad about her fate. It's fine to be a wizard. Furthermore being one gave her an incredible insight into what a great story should be. However, that kind of insight was also her enemy because novels have to be written to not represent reality directly. Lucy always used her adventures only as a source of inspiration. Otherwise, her friends while reading her notes wouldn't cry as they did because that would be just an experience they worked through. That makes another matter to be dealt with. Lucy already knows what her novel is going to be. She wrote most of it once so she can do this twice while doing this much faster.

While returning to their dorms together they encountered two tall adult men.

"Little girls, you look like you're lost. I think we'll help you."

"Pardon but we know, where we're going. Right, Nonny?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I guess it won't hurt if you agree."

He touched Lucy's shoulder keeping a friendly expression. One of those wanting to inform the receiver about having to follow all courtesies while being robbed as the condition of not being more robbed and more beaten up on top of that.

"No, I..."

And then Lucy realized the old trick she fell for. She couldn't move. Back in Oshibana Town, she was attacked by thugs that had the unique ability to paralyze someone. The spell was one of those that can be implemented only by touching the target. Otherwise, the effect would be insignificant or depend on expending vast amounts of magic power.

"Be ready, Nonny!"

Said Lucy using the last moment of her free movement.

"Lucy!"

Nonny cried after seeing through the situation.

In fact, it was the worst possible situation excluding being kidnapped by someone of Brain's caliber or being a victim of political conspiracies. For now, Zeref won't do any moves against Heartphilias because he needs Layla or her descendants to send in time warriors tasked to defeat Acnologia. This is something she heard from her mother after talking with her about what she knows about the future from Aquarius. Summing up: They're probably no one important enough to bow head in fear of retaliation. She need only to escape to be able to tell the story and then perhaps everything will be okay if only she will crack the spell or be saved by someone. So the next moments were later described in newspapers as the most unlucky known attack on a person in the last three years. Not more because it didn't overshadow the guy who got burned by Acnologia which coincidentally appeared shortly after being insulted by the victim in a spontaneous joke.

How to crack up that blasted spell without being able to move your body? The only thing that can nullify magic is another magic or breaking up the medium of magic. Magic is an act of ethernano particles so being a bit speculative the paralyzing magic should invade her body: Nerves or brain to be precise. If that's true she can disrupt that movement with her magic by breaking up touch contact or suppressing that magic with her magic. The first is kind of impossible due to being paralyzed. The second... can be a bit painful but should work. The problem is that if the thugs will notice her moving they're going to suppress her suppression of their magic which can result in her being even more helpless than before.

"Take care about the second girl."

The thug holding Lucy said to his partner. The partner started to go slowly in Nonny's direction.

What to do? Suppress the spell on her face and throat? No, she will be able only to shout and nothing more. Maybe leg? She would perform Lucy kick with a critical hit. It would work but if it won't make the thug break touch contact, she would just waste the opportunity only to bring some pain. The last thing she can do is to free her hands and use one of her spells like hardened up whip or summoning Taurus which she promised to not use.

'I guess there's only one way, huh?'

She shocked her hand with her star element. She cried inwardly as with her lack of practice it was quite equal to scalding your own hand. Her facial expression was still frozen so she didn't even scream. No one even noticed because the thugs were so concentrated on claiming Nonny. Nonny, on the other hand, panicked and almost wanted to run which meant not running away too far and without Lucy so she started preparing her own magic with a scarred face.

'Now or never! I'll fulfill my promise, Natsu.'

She quickly took her silver key and silently summoned Dixie! Dixie appeared with a little flash of light behind the thug. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Seconds are important. Without them, Dixie would be confused.

"Dixie. Dixie."

Thug realized something is wrong. Lucy then used the same trick to free her face and...

"Dixie, attack the guy before you!"

The summon heard the command and started running toward the man holding Lucy. And run faster. An then jumped.

"Mike! Careful!"

"Huh?"

He turned his head around to see what is coming and was hit with the sharp carrot-like nose of Dixie.

"Arghhh!"

The thug instinctively closed his eyes but didn't matter. He was hit! The pain was enough to make him hold his face which means he didn't hold Lucy anymore.

"Lucy kick!"

The only she was able to kick hard enough was his eggs. The thug expression froze in dull smile to heavens and...

*bang*

He fell to the ground. Dixie was unsummoned as summoning spirits like Dixie wasn't really cost-effective. She finally got the hand she needed so it's time to switch into something more harmful than a Nikora.

"Don't come closer! I..."

The second thug saw everything and tried the best option he had: To capture Nonny.

"Wool magic: Woolen gloves!"

Nonny shot out some kind of spell from her hands. Two little balls of wool then hit his hands and turned into white woolen gloves right before Nonny got touched by him. He stopped chasing her thinking he got a new card to play the situation. Instead, Nonny ran away! The spell didn't work at all.

"Damn! It was supposed to be easy! Why you little... Unimportant. You lost your chance! Now we won't be nice."

The thug clenched his hands into fists. Fluffy fist contrasted with his enraged expression. Lucy decided it's time to say something rather audacious. After all, the enemy just lost his self-confidence and the last phrase was just a bluff.

"Oh shut up! You're not in a position to threaten me! If I was so weak how would I dare to be Fairy Tail wizard? I'm stronger than this!"

"You're a Fairy Tail wizard!"

The thug was perplexed. How is this even possible that this little girl they decided to kidnap was a Fairy Tail wizard? He was so damned!

"You're lying! Fuck!"

"Language, you brute!"

Then she used her whip enchanted with inactive hardening. The glowing whip hit him making the second thug bleed lightly. An uncontrolled scream of pain woke up the first thug and turned on survival mode. Both started running away. Lucy didn't want to chase them so she and Nonny were just watching the duo fleeing in the way of life. They were about to disappear behind the corner of the buildings when...

"Layla Punch! Layla Punch!"

...they fell unconscious. Layla happened to be around cause she wanted to talk with Lucy about the plans for Brain. The thugs just surprised Layla and that triggered her impulse of punching people demonstrating their glaringly irrational behaviors. In her opinion, it often works. A random portion of bearable pain can make people reflect on their actions if performed without giving a feeling of malevolence.

"Mom, you got them!"

"Lucy? What's the meaning of this?"

"?"

Then Layla started showing her fist to Lucy. Lucy started to answer in fear.

"I... they tried to rob us and used strange paralyzing magic working through touch!"

*sigh*

"So can I assume I punched right people?"

"Yes. Without you, they would just run away."

What happened later was just a mix of introducing Nonny, praising Nonny, praising Dixie for achieving something amazing on the standards of Nikoras, praising praises, and taking the beaten duo to authorities. They escorted Nonny to her dorm and Lucy and Layla had occasion to talk.

"Do you know you were quite lucky?"

Started Layla.

"Why do you think so?"

"If not for Nonny being there, you would just be outnumbered, performing something once or twice to fail miserably a moment later."

"You're right. Nonny saved me. What's the point?"

"I think you're not ready to fight against Brain."

"Am I so weak?"

"You're strong enough to sometimes turn tables if your luck gives you an opportunity. However your opportunities probably usually come from your companions or partners. It's a very uncertain characteristic of you."

Lucy thought a bit about those words. A minute of silence ended with an expression of resolution in the answer.

"I know that alone I'm weak, but almost everyone is weak on their own, so it's not unacceptable for me if I'm able to be strong in some ways. It's not like I'm going alone anyway, so it's okay to take me."

"Let's say I'm convinced. How do you do with our family technique?"

"Rather well. My spirit is still weak but it grows significantly almost every day. Only today I'm not able to properly concentrate on cultivating. Mom, can I ask something?"

"Sure."

"What do you think about star attribute?"