I wonder if I purposely wanted to miss the bus, I think to myself as I slowly walk to the bus station, watching the exhaust of the vehicle as it leaves me behind. I rest my suitcase and large carryon on the bench and sigh. I didn't tell my father goodbye, nor did he send me off in any sort of way, as he was busy trying to get yet another job. Spetto-san packed me a lot of food for my trip, however.

I walk around the new neighborhood, searching for apartments that I would be able to afford, but fail finding any worth staying in. I finally pay for three nights in a hotel at 1,000 jewels a night. I put my stuff down next to the bed and lie down on my back, looking up at the plain ceiling and start talking.

"Tomorrow I start at Magnolia Preparatory for Mages. Tomorrow I will be considered a normal human without any powers of any kind. I will meet all sorts of mages who will have very cool powers. I will be placed in a guild once I get there, and will stay at that guild for the rest of my high school years."

This has become a habit of mine. In order to calm myself, I'll start listing things, information, movies, people. Even addresses.

"Tomorrow is my first day. I'll go to sleep now and when I wake up I'll get ready and leave for school. And I will be considered a human throughout all of this."

---

The next morning I wake up to my alarm in an unfamiliar place. Looking around me, I search for familiar things, my rose colored window curtains, the large mirror above my desk, even the stuffed animals I keep in a chest. None of those are in this room, and it slowly dawns on me. I have to go to school.

I grab a collared white shirt and a blue, pleated skirt. Carefully, I pull up my favorite knee-high socks with two buttons on the top and tall, black boots. I look into the hotel mirror, trying to admire my outfit, but finding it plain as usual. As I reach up to do my hair, I remember what my father said. 

"Lucy Heartfilia, you are to no longer wear your hair down in my presence. No questions asked, no exceptions."

I never needed to ask questions. I know he misses mama. As a compromise to my father, who in no way can see me right now, I pull back only some of my hair, leaving two bangs on the side to frame my face. I tie the half-pony tail to the right side and embellish it with a blue ribbon. Finally looking at my outfit, I throw on a large, gray hoodie as a second thought. It successfully covers my entire body, hiding the outfit I created, since the hoodie doesn't stop until half way down my skirt. Grabbing my backpack, I say goodbye to the unfamiliar room and make my way to another unfamiliar place filled with unfamiliar people.

As I walk down the streets of Magnolia I keep my head down. There's a small canal that follows the same path I'm taking, so I walk alongside it, as close to the edge as I can get.

"Be careful, miss!" A man on a passing boat calls out to me. I flinch at the words, before realizing he was just being nice. So instead, I turn to look at him and smile, showing him that I will be careful. He also looks confused for a second, but gradually smiles back. The minute his boat is out of sight, my eyes are back on the ground and my smile is gone.

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