Chapter 1


Lucy Heartfilia is many things; Fairy Tail's one and only Celestial Mage, a runaway heiress, best friends with Natsu Dragneel, maybe a bit narcissistic, but most importantly she's recently become the guild's Yes-Man.

After the Grand Magic Games she felt as if she wasn't a big contribution to the Guild, like they could replace her with snap of their fingers. So she thought the solution would be easy; to say yes and be as helpful as possible.

If Mira-Jane asked her to take an unconscious Natsu home after he picked a fight with Erza or help out behind the bar while she was out, she was on it 3 seconds flat.

If Happy asked her to buy one of those rare and expensive 3 tailed Parrot fish in Hargeon Town she is already buying a train ticket.

If Natsu asked her to go on their 5th dangerous mission this week she agreed with an enthusiastic "Sure!"

But now she was so sick and tired how everyone was using her as a door-mat, but she would never tell anyone that besides Plue.

"Can you believe the nerve of them?" She angrily asked her celestial dog who was running to catch up to her fast stomps toward her apartment.

"I mean we're nakama! They wouldn't ask Levy-Chan or Lisanna for these kinds of favors" she angrily huffed. He just responded with a quick "Plue-Plue!" which sounded like an agreement in her mind.

"Sorry you have to take all the heat for them Plue." Lucy said and patted her Celestial Spirit on the head.

"Plue-Plue!" The dog exclaimed while giving her what seemed like a thumbs up. Well what other response was she hoping for?

"Oh, and thank you for keeping me company!" She yelled quickly as he turned into the shining orb that any Celestial Mage would have recognized.

Lucy smiled softly at the spot where her friend was standing- well wobbling.

Lucy walked on, no more than 30 seconds later and came across her cozy maroon colored apartment. She open the door then sighed.

What's the point of locking her door? Who would dare try to steal from a member of fairy tail? More importantly who would dare try to steal from the infamous Salamander's partner?

Natsu isn't the best partner in the world but in her mind he is. He might be a destructive, dense pyromaniac but he's got some good qualities! Like loyal, caring, good intentions, and he's always there to protect a fellow guild mate when they're in trouble.

Lucy sighed for the second time. She's exhausted from helping Levy-Chan organize the Fairy Hill's library today. Lucy just couldn't say no.

The blonde Mage shuffled up into her pink room and through herself onto her bed. She's so tired and sore that she refuses to shower or change clothes.

Suddenly she felt something stab into her back.

With much effort and struggle, Lucy forced herself into a sitting position on her bed. She through back the pink colored covers to reveal an elegant looking jewelry box with a note tied to the top. Lucy swiped the note away in a swift movement and scanned through.

Dear, Lucy Heartfilia

Here in the Celestial world we are in the middle of a depression.

Everything is chaotic and disordered because of the "Oshōgatsu Spirits" have rebelled. They have been demanding new masters for their keys, specifically wanting Celestial Mages. Oshōgatsu Mages are all very cruel and abusive. Whenever the Spirit's Mages try to summon them, they use all their magic up, trying to stay in the Oshōgatsu Haven. It's getting dangerous for their mages and for themselves.

I've sent you all 13 of their keys, judging from how you treat your Celestial Spirits you will treat them kindly and with equality. But be careful; they're a handful, especially one in general. You are the only one we can count on.

Sincerely,
The Celestial Spirit Council

"That damned stache face! He only asked me because I'm everyone's new Yes-Man!" Lucy huffed

"What's a Yes-Man?" came a gruff voice behind her. She let out a little
"Eep!" and fell onto the floor next to the bed. The mysterious man let out a loud laugh.

A flying blue cat floated by, yelling in a high-pitched voice "Luuuucy! What are you doing on the floor?"

"Natsu! Happy! What are you doing in my house?" Lucy screeched. Natsu simply ignored the question and asked stupidly "Hey what's this letter say? I can't understand it, it's so weird and curvy and fancy looking. And it smells kind of like Loke's perfume." he started sniffing the letter until Lucy snatched it out of his hands.

"First of all it's not perfume it's cologne" she said in defense of her lion spirit but Natsu retorted with a snort and an "it's perfume" even though Lucy quickly continued.

"Secondly it looks weird because it's a letter from the Celestial Spirit World." Natsu looked at her wide eyes and replied with "Read it to me! Read it to me, Luce!" Lucy smiled softly at the childish behavior of her pink-haired best friend. Lucy placed the box on the table next to her bed and sat down in the chair next to it. She slowly reread over the letter to Natsu, making sure he understood.

"What's an Oshōgatsu Spirit?" The Dragon Slayer asked as I finished reading.

"I honestly don't know but I think I saw a book about it when I was organizing the Fairy Hill's library with Levy-Chan. I think it has something to do with the New Years." Lucy said as if she was in deep thought.

"Well that's easy! Let's just go get the book!" Natsu grinned and began to run off but Lucy pulled him back by his collar.
"Are you insane? It's Fairy Hill's! You know, the all girls dorm?!" Lucy shouted in frenzy.
"Then how about we summon the old cross guy!" Natsu grinned once again as if declaring he was a genius. Lucy hesitated a bit because she was working with Levy-Chan all day and her magic feels like it was all drained out but then obliged to the idea.

"Open Gate of the Southern Cross; Crux!" She yelled with a whirl of her key. Crux came out in a pool of smoke.
"Hello Crux!" She said with a small wave and smile "What can you tell me about the Oshōgatsu Spirits?"
Crux fell asleep and for a minute or two of waiting and woke up with a shout and began his story.

"Long ago, in China, the Jade Emperor decided there should be a way of measuring time. On his birthday he told the animals that there was to be a swimming race. The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them.

"All the animals lined up along the river bank. The rat and the cat, who were good friends, were worried because they were poor swimmers. Being clever they asked the strong ox if he would carry them across the river.

"'Of course' said the kind ox.'just climb on my back and I will take you across.'

"The rat and the cat quickly jumped up and were very excited when the ox soon took the lead in the race. They had almost reached the other bank when the rat pushed the cat into the river leaving him to struggle in the water. Then just before the ox was about to win the race the rat leapt on his head and on to the bank to finish first.

"'Well done,' said the Jade Emperor to the proud rat.'The first year of the zodiac will be named after you.'

"The poor ox had been tricked into second place and the second year of the zodiac was named after him.

"Shortly after the exhausted tiger clawed his way to the river bank to claim third place. Swimming across the river had been an enormous struggle for him against the strong currents. The Emperor was so delighted with his efforts that he named the third year after him.

"Next to arrive was the rabbit, who hadn't swum across at all. He hopped across on some stepping stones and then found a floating log which carried him to the shore.

"'I shall be very happy to call the fourth year after you,' the surprised Jade Emperor explained.

"Just then a kind dragon swooped down to take fifth place.

"'Why didn't you win the race, as you can fly as well as swim?' the Jade Emperor asked.

"'I was held up because some people and animals needed water to drink. I needed to make some rain,' the dragon explained. 'Then when I was nearly here I saw a poor little rabbit on a log in the water and I blew a puff of wind so that the log would float to the river bank.'

"'Well that was very kind of you and now you are here you will have the fifth year of the zodiac named after you.'

"The next thing the Jade Emperor heard was the sound of the horse's hooves. Just as he was thinking the horse would be the next animal to arrive, a sneaky snake wriggled out from around one of the horse's hooves. The horse was so surprised that he jumped backwards giving the snake a chance to take the sixth place in the race. The poor horse had to be satisfied with seventh place.

"Not long afterwards a raft arrived carrying the goat, the monkey and the rooster. They explained to the Emperor how they had shared the raft that the rooster had found. The goat and monkey had cleared weeds and pushed the raft to the shore. The Emperor was very pleased that the animals had worked together. He said the goat would be the eighth zodiac animal, the monkey the ninth and the rooster the tenth.

"The next animal to finish was the dog.

"'Why are you so late when you are one of the best swimmers?' asked the Jade Emperor.

"'The water in the river was so clean that I had to have a bath on the way,' explained the dog.

"His reward was to have the eleventh year named after him.

"Now there was one place left in the zodiac and the Emperor wondered when the last winner would come. He had nearly given up when he heard a grunt from the boar.

"'You took a long time to cross the river,' said the Emperor to the boar.

"'I was hungry and stopped to eat,' explained the boar.'After the meal I felt so tired that I fell asleep.'

"'You have still done well,' said the Jade Emperor. 'The last year of the zodiac will be named after you.'

"As for the cat who had been pushed into the water by the rat, he finally crawled out of the water but was too late to have a year named after him. He felt very cross with the rat and since then cats have never been friends with rats.

"From that day to this the Chinese Zodiac has followed this cycle of years named after these twelve animals."

Natsu immediately brightened up after that story saying "Lucy! Did you hear that! There's a dragon! He might know where the dragon went on x777!" Meanwhile happy was crying into Lucy's chest saying things like "The Poor Cat!" or "That stupid rat! I hate him! He cheated!" While she patted him comfortingly.

"Well we will never be able to actually ask him because the chest is locked!" She said annoyed, pointing an accusing finger at the jewelry box. At the same moment she said that Crux had fall asleep; or so she thought.

Natsu at first looked a bit deflated but then flashed a sharp grin "Let's just burn the box!" He declared while simultaneously lighting his fist on fire. Happy brightened up and started chanting "Burn the Box! Burn the Box! Burn the Box!"

Lucy wrapped the chest protectively against her stomach "What! Are you insane?! You might damage the keys!" She yelled. Natsu tried pulling the jewelry box from her but to avail. After a few more minutes of bickering, Crux let out a terrifying scream, scaring both the mages until they dropped the box.

"You simply must unlock a Celestial Chest with the leader of the Zodiac's key" The Southern Cross implied. Lucy sweat-dropped, 'why did I think of that?' She then forced his gate closed with a "Thank You!"

Lucy picked of the Celestial Chest and place on her comforter. She and Natsu sat facing each other with the box in the middle. The Blonde Mage then unclipped Leo the Lion's key off her belt and placed into the key hole. It fit like a charm. She twisted the golden key a little and the chest made a "click". Natsu and Lucy leaned over to look into the box. There was all... 12? Wait, what? In the note it said 13? I looked at Natsu he didn't seem to notice because he and Happy where too busy waving around the Dragon's Key, pretending to summon him. Lucy shrugged it off. Maybe the key was too dangerous or it was expelled like how Loke was.

"Luce! Let's summon em'!" Natsu exclaimed cheerfully.

Lucy took a deep breath before replying a calm "No" which made her feel better about ditching the Yes-Man title.

"Aw! Why not?" Natsu pouted.

"Because Natsu, I'm completely wiped out and how am I supposed to summon a dragon in here?" She said while grabbing Natsu's favorite spirit key and putting it back in the chest.

"Now, get out of my house, Natsu" the Celestial Spirit Mage grabbed Happy and him by the collars and kicked them out the window; where they came from she might add.

"Just so you know I let you kick me out! Also you and your Spirit Pal's better be at the Guild tomorrow!" he yelled while walking away with a thumbs up thrown in the air.

Lucy sighed and fell onto her bed. She mentally agreed before falling into a deep sleep, not knowing what would await her in the future.