Hey to all those readers out there! It's about time that I started working on this story, I have been working on another, and I neglected this one, I'm SO SORRY. Anyhow, here's the next chapter, stay on your toes- there are surprises! Also a quick something, I'm going to have Natsu and Lucy's P.O.V.'s a bit different, just to make it interesting. Also, comment on which pov you might like better, and I will keep that same format throughout the rest of the story. please review!!
In the Last Chapter....
Master looked at us gravely again. "You all must know that Aurora was a weak dragon, and yet her son was able to take down that many. Igneel is the most powerful dragon of all. And Natsu is his son. Imagine how powerful that is."
It took a moment for it to sink in.
Gray spoke through clenched teeth. "So you're saying that we're screwed?"
Master shook his head. "You didn't let me finish. There is one person that can stand up to him."
"Who?" I asked.
Master looked at me."That person is you Lucy."
"M-me?! How?!" I stammered. Me, against Natsu? This HAD to be some sick joke. I didn't stand a chance against him, even if I did, I wouldn't want to hurt him.
"You must gain the two remaining Zodiac Keys." He told me.
Pisces and Libra.
~Chapter Twelve: The New Spirits ~
I swallowed nervously. Pisces and Libra? Master had to be kidding. I had no idea in the slightest of how I would be able to find the last two keys! They could be anywhere in the world! This was hopeless.
I opened my mouth, about to state my thoughts, but Master got to it first. "Lucky for us, I have the last two keys in my posession."
"What? I thought Yukino-"
"Gave them away? Yes, she did. To me."
I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. Was this fate?
"She gave them to me, asking to give them to you when I thought the time was right. She knew you wouldn't accept them, as you already had done so once, and most likely will had again. When Yukino was thrown out of Sabertooth, the master there ordered her to give away all her posessions, which meant her keys, too. She canceled her contracts with the spirits, and then after your refusal came to me."
"Oh Yukino..." I whispered. It must have been heart breaking for her to give away her keys like that. In her honor, I would take the best care of these keys, and love them just as much as my other spirits.
Master dissapeared for a moment and came back with a small case, which he he then handed to me. Everyone stared at me expectantly. It was actually making me quite nervous.
I glanced at Master, and he nodded encouragingly. I took a deep breath of air, and slid my fingers under the lock, which clicked open at my touch. The lid opened slowly, and there sitting on black velvet, were the last two Zodiac Keys.
"Wooaahhh..." I felt warm breath in my ears, and found the whole guild looking over my shoulders.
They expressed my feelings exactly. They were beautiful. The last two keys were now in my hands.
"Alright..." I was not completely clear yet. "How does this exactly help me defeat Natsu?"
Master looked down gravely. "It's not a sure win. You must train, and get stronger." Ge looked at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes "But I have a feeling you can win. After all, you have a secret weapon."
Dozens of ideas popped into my head, but little did I know that none of them were the idea that Master had. "What is it?"
"Ah, now that I cannot tell you."
"But Master..."
The atmoshere in the guild hadn't changed a bit since Natsu had gone, but we were all doing our best to cover it up and not get depressed. After all, where would that take us?
"Alright, time to make some contracts!"
<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>
Somewhere elsewhere...
Natsu Dragneel proceeded up the steps of the manor, feeling accomplished. It had taken him less than a few hours to get to this place, going at full speed. Which was to say, very fast. Those guild people wouldn't find him here; he had made sure to cover his tracks well as a precaution in case there were others like himself. He paused as a guard at the doors held up his hand.
"Halt! Who may you be?"
Natsu smirked, and held out his hands. "What? Your master didn't tell you I was coming?"
The guard immediately started quivering, as realization dawned on him. "You- you're Natsu Dragneel, right?"
Natsu looked at the guard coldly. "You should show more respect when talking to your superiors."
The guard bowed his head. "M-my apologies, Natsu-sama. Shall I take you inside?"
The doors to the mansion swung open, and a voice sounded out. "There will be no need for that. I have come to greet our new comrade myself."
The guard dropped to his knees and bowed low, his nose scraping against the ground. "Zeref-sama!"
Natsu only watched Zeref, seeing what he would do.
"I do not believe we have a need for servants who do not even know the faces of their masters. I assume that commander of yours showed you all a photograph yesterday, am I correct?"
"Yes, Zeref-sama."
"So were you doubting the powers of your master? Did you assume that my powers were not great enough to bring him here, and decide not to pay attention?"
The guard started quivering with apprehension. "N-no you've got it wrong, I-"
"May you float forever with the darkness of the souls from Hell, servant." Zeref waved a hand, and a void opened. Shadowy hands reached out of the gap and seized the guard, beginning to pull him in.
"NO! ZEREF-SAMA, I AM BEGGING YOU!" He screamed. The gap closed with a faint popping sound, and it left behind the disgusting stench of death.
Natsu wrinkled his nose. "Don't you think you overdid it a little? Wasting your magic energy on a guy like that?"
Zeref waved his doubt away. "No bother. I always enjoy making them suffer the most despicable deaths."
"I see."
"Well, come on inside, I shall show you to your quarters, then we can have a little chat."
Natsu and Zeref entered through the castle doors together, acting as if they had known each other forever. The doors shut behind them with a loud BOOM, and everything was silent once more.
~*~*~*~*~*
Natsu sat on the edge of his large bed, staring out the window. Zeref had left him here just moments before, and told him that he would call when he was ready.
Yes, Natsu had arrived at the place his brain had demended that he go to, but he couldn't help but feel a bit put-off. His heart told him there was something missing, he just didn't know what.
Natsu sparked a tiny flame in his hand letting it burn, and watched it do so. His magic. And Zeref. That was all he knew in the world, all he had memories of. He remembered growing up with Zeref as a child, and Zeref the one being his best friend the whole entire way through. Yet there was something odd about those memories. They seemed a bit... How to put it... Fuzzy? Distant? Either way, something was not right. Natsu knew he had a sharp memory, usually remembering things down to even the smell or texture. He had some memories that were like this, yet the ones of Zeref were not. Why? That was all he wanted to know. Why?
A knock at the door shook him from his thoughts. "Natsu, I'm ready now. Let me show you around."
"Alright." Natsu swung open the door, and there stood Zeref quite patiently.
"I had to go check on something."
"What?"
"Oh, you'll know soon enough."
Natsu nodded. That perked up his curiosity quite a bit.
They walked through a giant hallway, white columns going up from the dark marble flooring to support the ceiling above. The ceiling was curved in an arc, complete with paintings of battles, and never ending wars.
They passed a staircase, which led to the walls surrounding the manor, and he had to say that they were quite elegant with the way they spiraled upwards.
At the end of the hallway, they reached a large pair of doors, which Zeref threw open.
"This, is where you and I will be spending most of our time."
There were interesting items everywhere. Books and jars filled with anything and everything lined the shelves on the walls. A two thrones sat side by side at the and of the room directly in front of them, separated by a table with a rather large glass sphere sitting in the middle.
"What's that for?" Natsu pointed at the sphere.
"Ah, that's my crystal ball." Zeref let out a single laugh. "Quite original, I know, but I find it the easiest and most convenient way to have a look around." He motioned towards the chair on the left of the table. "That's yours, right there. And anything in this room is free to use. The chairs are very comfortable."
Natsu only nodded, and headed towards the shelves of books. Maybe he would find an answer there.
<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>
P.O.V. Gray Fullbuster (he's back!)
I sat at the edge of the bench, watching Lucy train. I could see she was putting her all into it. She had already made contracts with the two spirits, and was now working on having them both out at the same time, along with a silver key spirit. It would gradually work it's way up to become a gold key instead of a silver, and the process would start all over, this time with three zodiacs out, and one silver key.
It was a risky business, but very efficient. Already in the past five hours her magical power had gone up quite considerably. But if she overworked herself, she could put herself in a serious state.
"Lucy... I'm sorry." She was going through so much right now, but the most I could do was be by her side. I had already accepted that she would never see me as more than just a friend. Natsu was special to her, I knew.
I tensed as she sent away her silver spirit, which happened to be Horologium, and began to call out the third Zodiac.
She held out the key if front of her. "Open, Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!"
A pink haired girl appeared. She was dressed in a maid's uniform, with chains around her wrists.
"I am ready for my punishment, hime-sama." Virgo bowed to Lucy.
"Ah, no, no, we're gonna train today!"
"As you wish, hime-sama."
And Lucy resumed her training, with her using her whip and the celestial spirits using their magic.
It was quite an impressive sight.
"She's doing well." Said Master, who had snuck up behind me.
I jumped, but regained my composure quickly. "Yeah. She is."
"Let's hope for the best."