Found & Forgotten

Chapter 19

"These symbols...they're all the way through the book," Lucy noted, flipping to the back of the manual while she waited for Levy's final translation of the contents page. "I wonder what they could possibly mean?"

"You mean, besides the obvious connection to celestial magic and the fact that the golden keys are the strongest spirits around?" Levy pointed out dryly.

"Yes, besides that," Lucy answered, flushing a little.

"I expect they're just for decoration; it's common in old books like this. Anyway, Lu-chan, I've meaning to ask..." Levy turned a couple of pages in her book on kaido-go to refer to another almost untranslatable word.

"Hai, what is it?" Lucy prompted.

"How's it going between you and Natsu?" Levy stopped looking through the book and instead looked at Lucy as she spoke.

"I don't - I mean - I - we - what do you mean?" Lucy spluttered, cheeks turning steadily redder.

"You know exactly what I mean." Levy stated, turning back to the translation.

"I do not. I have no clue what you're talking about." Lucy answered, crossing her arms stubbornly.

Levy raised an eyebrow at her. "I feel sorry for that boy, I really do."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, curiosity overcoming her stubbornness.

"Ah ah, Natsu's got to be the one to tell you." Levy stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Aw, no fair!" Lucy cried, before thinking of the perfect way to retaliate. "And, since we're on this line of conversation, what is going on with you and...what's his name...Gajeel?"

It was now Levy's turn to blush. She pressed her lips together and pretended to be engrossed in the translation as Lucy laughed softly.

"Now I know something's going on." Lucy told her.

"I just don't know," Levy sighed. "I mean, I really like him, but I don't know what he thinks of me. He acts all hot and cold when he's around me; sometimes he's the perfect gentleman, and sometimes he acts like the world's biggest idiot. And let's be honest, who would want me as -"

"Woah, woah, woah, slow down." Lucy put her hand over Levy's mouth. "Don't think you don't deserve him. From what I've seen of you, if anything, it would be Gajeel who doesn't deserve you. You're a lovely person, Levy-chan."

Lucy smiled sweetly at Levy, who returned it tentatively.

"And, that behaviour just means that he likes you, so he doesn't know how to act around you, that's all." Lucy shrugged.

"You really think so?" Levy asked hopefully, perking up at Lucy's words.

"I know so," Lucy winked.

Levy squealed and launched herself at her best friend.

"Arigato Lu-chan! You know, you may have forgotten the guild and everything, but you'll always be part of the guild, one of our nakama, and, most importantly, my best friend!" Levy proclaimed dramatically.

Lucy chuckled and hugged her back. "Arigato. Now, we should get back to this translation."

"Hai. Gomen." Levy pulled the completed page of translation in front of her.

"No need to apologise, Levy-chan. Now, let's see, where best to start?" Lucy pondered over the page.

"How about there?" Levy pointed to a line that read 'activating the SunSphere'.

"It's as good a place as any," Lucy shrugged, turning to the corresponding page in the manual.

Levy sighed as soon as she saw the page crammed full of tiny writing. "This translation is going to be hard work..."

"Well, let's just have a look to start with." Lucy began turning pages.

About five pages in, both girls abruptly gasped and dropped the manual pages as if they'd been stung.

"Is that what I think it is?" Levy whispered.

"H-hai..." Lucy answered hoarsely.

In front of them was a detailed double-page illustration of what looked rather like a golden twelve-spoked sun, but which, upon closer inspection, revealed itself to be the twelve golden keys arranged uniformly around a central circle. The circle had been ornately etched with what was obviously meant to represent an archaic version of Earthland, such as would be found on a globe in a classroom. From what could be deciphered of the instructions, considering neither of them had a very full grasp of the kaido-go language, was that all twelve keys were needed to instigate whatever ritual was being carried out.

"They must not know that they need the golden keys..." Lucy spoke after a while. "Natsu told me that whoever attacked me gave back the keys."

"Either that or we've got two separate groups after the same thing," Levy suggested.

Lucy shivered slightly at the thought of that much evil running freely through the world. "I hope not," she answered softly. "Shin Uchu didn't know about this manual, so it stands to reason that they wouldn't know about the keys either."

"True." Levy had turned her attention back to translating the title at the top of the page. After a few minutes, she turned back to Lucy, white-faced.

"It translates as kasai jozai." She told Lucy.

"Fire purgation?" Lucy asked, confused.

"It's some sort of purification ritual. As far as I can tell, if it is implemented, it would destroy the world as we know it." Levy answered gravely.

"What does it do?" Lucy asked.

"I'm not entirely sure." Levy admitted. "The language isn't overly clear, and some of the words have faded over time."

She ran her fingers over the manual, checking back and forth in her texts on kaido-go. Lucy sat anxiously waiting for Levy's assessment of the ritual.

"It's ceremonial, I think," Levy said at last. "There's something about a deity here, so it could need a sacrifice? It also says something about ruling over a world of darkness...it seems as if it would, ah, here, hang on a sec... 'prevent a single drop of sunlight from reaching the soil', it says."

The two stared at each other for a few moments.

"I supposed we'd better go tell the others." Lucy said after a moment.

"Hai, come on," Levy got up, stowing the manual and her texts on kaido-go in her bag.

The two exited the building and began to make their way back to guild, but they had barely reaching the end of the path before Lucy felt oddly as though she was being watched.

"Hey, Levy-chan, do you feel that?" She asked, rubbing her arms as a chill washed over her. "Levy-chan?" She asked again, having received no reply.

Looking around, she saw Levy was no longer with her. Her bad feeling suddenly reaching maximum level, Lucy began sprinting down towards the guild, but didn't get more than five steps before she felt a pair of arms restrain her round her middle.

Acting more on reflex than rational thought, Lucy opened her mouth and screamed, "NATSUUU-mmph!"

She felt a cloth pressed over her nose and mouth as her sense slowly faded and she was left drifting in a peaceful blackness.

Ohaiyo, minna-san!

So, this really is a big cliffhanger, no? Levy and Lucy have been kidnapped! Dun dun duh! What will happen to them? Not even I know yet!

Will Natsu hear Lucy's cry for help? Will he be able to reach her in time?

Gomenasai for having so much dialogue in this chapter, and in the last chapter, but I felt that the plot needed to move on a bit, and dialogue is the easiest way to do that :3

Please COMMENT and tell me what you think!

Matta ne, minna! :D

AA