Here is my new story. To those who are following from To Claim a Dragon, thanks! To everyone else, thank you too, but you should read TCaD first, or this won't make a lot of sense. TCaD was my take on the Eclipse Plan and Dragon's Claim follows those characters and their interactions. This story will be a little different. Slower, more of a romance adventure than straight action adventure. I hope you all enjoy, and stay for the ride, for it will be a long one! As always, thanks to the wonderful luffy fan for being my beautiful beta reader.
Just a reminder; Fairy Tail is not mine. The plot, for the most part is. And Alduin. He's all mine.
Three days.
It had been three days since Arcadios had kidnapped Lucy and set the royal army upon the mages of Fiore. Three days since Lucy had summoned Alduin. Three days since she was saved by and in return saved the dragon slayers of both Fairy Tail and Sabertooth. Three days since she had passed the judgment of the celestial realm onto Arcadios, stripping him of his magic, his power and his dignity. The magic council was still interrogating soldiers, court advisers, and royal mages to find out who were under the influence of the madman's magic and who were acting in their own best interest to gain power. It was an arduous task made no easier by the urgent need of those individuals to help repair the damage done in the attack and help the civilians injured recover.
So of course Fairy tail was throwing a raucous party.
In all fairness, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate. Since the last stage of the Grand Magic Games had been interrupted, it was determined that all the remaining guilds would split the prize money and work together to help with the damages caused by the attack. Five million jewels would go a long way in paying off Fairy Tail's debts and the guild was no stranger to rebuilding efforts. Having a ten ton dragon helping with the heavy lifting didn't hurt. By the third day, everything was almost complete and the fairies would be making their way home to Magnolia the next afternoon. But tonight, there was a party that no one would soon forget.
Music, laughter, and shouting could be clearly heard outside of the enormous hall where the Fairy Tail members had gathered for their send off. Three figures stood off to the side of the building, one completely dwarfing the other two.
"So Loke, you promise to be nice to Alduin and show him around?" Lucy looked up at her Lion spirit and gave him her best pout. "I want all my spirits to get along and I think Alduin has been alone for way too long." The blonde mage was nervously petting her dragon. There had been some animosity between Alduin and the other spirits, but that had been ages ago.
Loke slid his arm around Lucy's waist and took her hand. "Whatever my beautiful master desires. We spirits have grown fond of our arrangement and there truly aren't any hard feelings. I am glad to see Alduin after such a long time and I'm sure the others will feel the same way."
Lucy twisted out of Loke's grasp only to turn and wrap her arms around his shoulders. A tear slid down her cheek. "Thanks. That means a lot. "
Loke was startled by the sudden hug, but not by Lucy's sincerity. "Maybe you can repay me with a date after you're settled back home?" The mood had been entirely too serious for the silly lion.
Lucy stepped back and sniffled as she smiled. "Maybe." She reached up and rubbed the gleaming scales down Alduin's front. He obliged her and ducked his massive head so that they were at eye level. She moved her hand to scratch behind his eye ridge and the beast purred at her ministrations. "You're just a big ole pussy cat, aren't ya?"
"I just enjoy your touch, little one."
Lucy was still getting used to actually hearing Alduin's booming voice. His language skills were remarkable considering he just learned three days ago. But then, he did know everything that Lucy knew due to their mind link. She was glad that she didn't have to teach him from scratch. Lucy briefly imagined teaching a giant dragon his ABC's. She shook her head and could hear Alduin's rumble-chuckle. Apparently the thought amused him as well.
"I hope you have fun with the other spirits. If they don't treat you well, you can come back. I mean if Loke can open his own gate, surely you can too. Do you think we should try it out? What if you can't make it back? What if I'm not strong enough to open your gate again? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. "
Alduin blinked slowly and nudged his master's chin. "You are stronger than you think Lucy. Arcadios merely augmented your natural powers and sped up your magical development. You will be able to call me whenever you wish. Please do not worry. I will also be able to crossover under my own magic. I do not know if I will still be connected to your mind while I am gone, but I will always be with you. I will miss you though."
Lucy put her arms around as much of his neck as she could. "I'll miss you too. Now, go have fun."
You do the same, little one. Alduin's spoke directly to her mind. His midnight body shimmered into the night as the last word echoed in Lucy's head. She looked to Loke and gave him a watery smile.
"Get in there and party. I'll take good care of him." Lucy nodded. "Call if you need me, for anything."
"Loke you pervert!" Lucy was about to smack her lecherous lion, but he shimmered back to the spirit world with a wink. Lucy grumbled about good for nothing tom cats but her mood was considerably lifted as she entered the hall.
Light, warmth, and the unmistakable smell of alcohol welcomed Lucy into the crowded hall. All around her, people called out greetings and compliments. Lucy didn't dare blush, it would just egg some of them on. She was dressed to impress, after all, in a black mini-dress with a sweetheart neckline and silver pinstripes. There was a sheer black ruffle around the hem at mid thigh and she had matching ruffled bands around her upper arms. Her hair was done in a simple twist and a silver clip. Her black patent shoes gave her an extra three inches in height and the silver heels flashed in the light as she walked. She waved when Max whistled and smiled at Macao as he blew her a kiss. Elfman shouted something about her being womanly and Evergreen smirked and pulled him away. Freed grinned at her and hit his partner in the head when Bixlow drooled. Lucy giggled at that and was startled to see Laxus give her an acknowledging nod. She returned the nod solemnly and hurried over to the table where her team was enthusiastically waving her over.
"Took you long enough to get here Lucy. What kept you?" Lucy wasn't sure, but it almost sounded like Natsu was pouting.
"Well hello to you too," she was determined not to get angry this early in the evening. Natsu had made an effort to dress up in beige pants and a dark red dress shirt, so she would spot him a few social mulligans. "I was just seeing Alduin and Loke off. I wish he could have come, Alduin enjoys seeing everyone."
"There will be time for that when we get back to Magnolia. Tonight we celebrate!" Gray walked up with two drinks and handed one over to Lucy. He was in dark pants and a white shirt that was only half unbuttoned. The looked suited him, in a cool, confident way. "To good friends, and to better friends who really clean up!"
Everyone clinked their glasses and Lucy almost snorted her fruity drink when Gray waggled his eyebrows at her. He must have had a few drinks already. Still, she enjoyed the attention and decided to play along. "Why Gray, I didn't think you noticed?" She twirled around and winked at the ice mage.
Natsu interrupted the flirting pair by waving his hands in Lucy's face. "Hey, hey! I like your... dress thingy too! Yeah! It shows off your dragon mark. Makes you look super tough and scary."
Everyone within hearing distance visibly sweatdropped and Lucy ground her teeth and there was a distinct tic in her eyebrow. Before she could berate her teammate, a blue blur slammed into her side and clamped its arms around her waist.
"Lucy, you look beautiful! Natsu thinks so too, he is just too dense to say it." Lucy looked down to see Wendy release her hold, but not move away. She was adorable in a ruffled tea dress with dainty straps and a huge bow on her hip. The gown was a few shades lighter than her hair and complimented her perfectly.
"You look lovely as well." Lucy gushed. "And so grown up!"
"Well she should," another rough voice said from behind. "Brat and the bookworm spent all afternoon dragging me around."
Levy side-hugged Lucy. "You didn't mind our company one bit. It was the least you could do since we are your dates." Everyone laughed, but Gajeel looked nonplussed as he put his arm around Levy.
"Not my fault we look so good together." And they did. Levy wore a floor length, strapless gold toned gown and Gajeel looked like her dark prince in black slacks and a navy shirt. He reached his fingers over Levy's shoulder and flicked Lucy in the arm. "Bunny, you didn't do so bad yourself. Are you gonna have your boys fight over who gets to take you home?"
Lucy's jaw nearly hit the floor and she stood there gaping between the Iron Dragon Slayer and "her boys."
"Like I would lose to that flame head."
"Hey! Bring it on you icy prick. Not that I could lose, but why would we fight over Lucy? Is it who gets to sleep in her bed? I will never share Lucy's super ultra comfy bed with anybody else!" Natsu yelled his conviction to the guild.
"YOU IDIOT!" Lucy was beyond mortified. She wasn't sure at whom though. Natsu and Gajeel were both on her hit list at the moment.
She was contemplating her revenge when Levy grabbed her hand and pulled her and Wendy a few tables away. Natsu threw a punch at Gray, who ducked, and hit Gajeel. The big man was determined to take out both mages with a swing from his iron arm. He over-extended, however and knocked over the drinks at the next table. Elfman simply couldn't let that slide and jumped on the table to see who spilled beer on his date. Like drunken dominoes everyone in the hall started throwing fists, magic, and glasses at each other. All in good fun, but Lucy hadn't been there thirty minutes when the guild-wide brawl broke out. She sighed in spite of herself and took another sip of her drink. She may as well enjoy the fireworks.
Suddenly, there were three loud knocks on the wooden hall doors that resounded throughout the room. The sound was loud enough to halt the fighting, some even in mid strike. Everyone separated and stared at the entrance,
Makarov's voice rang out from the front of the pack. "This is a private party. Go away." The massive wooden doors flew open just inches from the diminutive master's face. "Especially you," he said through clenched teeth when he saw who it was.
In filed several squadrons of royal guards and the custody enforcement unit. At the forefront stood a cocky man in glasses and a white cape.
"Lucy Heartphilia. We know you're here."
"What do you want with Lucy, Lahar?" Natsu snarled at the man. He had had nothing but bad experiences where the other man was concerned.
"We're here under the joint authority of the Magic Council and the Kingdom of Fiore to take her into custody. Lucy Heartphilia is hereby under arrest!"
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~
So...What did you think?!
Also, Lucy's Dragon Mark is the Avatar for this story.
See you real soon (hopefully)!
-Miss Randi