Welcome to chapter 2! I don't have anything to say except thanks for your guys' comments! I'm glad you're intrigued! Have fun

It's been months since she last saw Natsu and Lucy was beginning to lose hope. Nothing was going as she planned. Her papa still didn't pay attention to her even after a whole year went by since her momma's death, he didn't even remember her birthday and threw the plate of food she worked so hard on, to the floor. Lucy tries hard to make her key work, but she just can't get it right. No matter how much effort she puts in, she cannot get the key to glow again, and it was like it didn't work. One a positive note, Lucy did feel something change inside her. It's like her veins had some… some magic inside her and she felt like she was glowing! Whenever she tries to make they key work, she feels something… a breeze ruffles her hair even if she's inside and, and it almost feels like her eyes are glowing. She focuses hard. Lucy thought she should try to get the key that glowed the day Natsu left to summon because she knows it works. But it's like it's broken now and it's just a key. It still felt special to Lucy. She could always tell that they weren't normal keys, but… she never got the same reaction as before.

Sighing, Lucy sat back against the old oak tree in the woods on a Friday afternoon. She hoped Natsu would come and Lucy did feel disappointed whenever he didn't, but she's grown to like her time here because Lucy used this time to practice summoning her key now. There was no one around them, her father wouldn't get made at her for playing with them, and she just found herself getting in the routine to practice whenever she came here to her and Natsu's tree.

She studied both her golden keys like Lucy always did before she practiced. Don't ask her how she knew this, but she felt a kind of bond… or Lucy would like to have a bond with her keys. She doesn't even know what they look like or what they do, but Lucy just really wants to be friends with them. She doesn't have any friends, so it would be nice to get to know them. She just tries her hardest to understand them by studying the gold metal that almost hummed in her fingers.

The first one had a 6 and a 9 at the handle in red with carvings that looked like a pretty mask to Lucy. If she had a mask as pretty as this key, she would would run around town and give people presents! Then maybe she could make some friends. The bottom of the key, the part that you put in a door, was oddly shaped like a crab, which is why she named him Sir Crab. Lucy made sure to look around her home to look for any crab shaped keyholes, but she didn't see any. She was silly for looking because Lucy just knew that they didn't go to a door really. It was magic! She just knew it was magic!

The other keys base looked almost like a fancy vase to her with big handles. There were two blue shapes on the key which looked like fancy U's. This was the key that glowed before so she's been working hard at making it glow again, but she's never been able to make it happen.

Sighing, Lucy tied her hair back in a elegant looking bun with her bangs hanging down and some baby strands by her ears. Papa always makes her push them back for nice photo shoots. He says a ladys hair should never blow around in the wind, but Lucy rather liked how it felt when the wind whipped around her with her hair batting all over the place.

Slowly, Lucy unhook the key in the shape of a vase and held it out in front of her. She focused hard, the wind starting to pick up around her as Lucy let her eyes feather shut. She could feel her veins start to pulse with this tingling sensation that made Lucy want to giggle. She felt something in her heart start to build. Like she could see a gate, and she was putting the key in turning it. Her lips suddenly opened and words she didn't know were on the verge of tumbling out of her throat. She could just feel it! It was going to work this time! She was going to finally meet her friend! The words left her lips before she even know it, igniting a feeling of power around her skin.

"Open the Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"

Then… everything fell flat and the wind suddenly stopped. She felt a little tired and opened her eyes to look at the key in disappointment. Lucy found herself groaning, and leaning back against the hard tree. "I do not understand what I am doing wrong. It all felt so right." With another sigh, Lucy closed her eyes again and hummed in deep thought. After a moment, she opened them again and looked down at the vase key. Or is it's name Aquarius? That's what she called it… Lucy doesn't know why she said all that stuff but she just had a hunch that it's name was Aquarius. She remembers her mom mentioned that name before, but that's all she can really recall.

She groaned rather unladylike, and glared at the golden key, which practically buzzed at her scowl. "I do not understand. Do you not like me? I am doing everything I can to meet you, but you have to fulfill your end of the bargain! Momma left you in my care! I am supposed to keep you safe, but you do not want to meet me."

Lucy put the Aquarius key back on the ring, then pulled Sir Crab off. "I just do not know what is wrong with her, Sir Crab. She needs to learn some manners. How did momma put up with her when she has all this attitude." Lucy set Sir Crab on the grass and crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe she does not like me because I am too much of a lady for her. Momma taught me how to be proper, so I would think the Aquarius would be used to it." She sighed with a shake of her head, then looked back up at the sky. "Sir Crab… I would like to meet you. You seem very nice and you are easy to talk with. I suppose I should give up trying for the Aquarius, but I am a stubborn lady and will not stand for her insubordination." She leaned back against the tree with a thoughtful expression. "Sir Crab, I think I am in need of setting some ground rules."

She unhooked the Aquarius key again and pointed at her sternly. "Now listen young lady. I would very much appreciate if we could meet. I would like to be your friend, but it seems you do not wish to meet me." Lucy hmphed and turned her head away with her nose up. "You are acting very childish. I do not understand why you hate me so much."

Lucy set the Aquarius key next to Sir Crab and rummaged through her school bag to find something that could be useful to her. She eyed the candy she always brings just in case Natsu showed up, but Lucy does not know if he'll be coming today. She hesitantly pulled the paper bag out and removed a piece of fudge. Lucy let the candy linger by the Aquarius before pulling it back and up to her lips. "Does it not smell nice, the Aquarius? If you come out, I will be sure to give you a piece. It is actually for Natsu, but I bought him plenty more so I think he would not mind sharing some with you."

"Luce, who are you talkin to? And I would mind, thank you!" Lucy's heart nearly flew out of her chest and she held a hand to her heart while searching around for her friend. She spotted Natsu leaning against a tree a very pleased expression. Lucy fumed and ate the fudge just to spite him. "N-no! That was mine…"

Lucy hmphed at his approaching figure, then swallowed down the bite of chocolate. "That is what you get for scaring me. You need to stop doing that, Natsu. I do not appreciate it."

He sat down next to her with a frown and crossed his arms over his chest grumpily. Natsu was not nearly as dirty as he used to be. He looked almost clean besides his hands and forearms, and he hair wasn't very dirty as well. He eyed her expectantly and set his hands on his lap with his fingers twitching. All Lucy did was keep her scowl directed at him.

"Did you steal? Are you taking enough baths? Did you make any knew friends? You are eating properly, correct?"

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but his fingers still tugged at his clothes like he was stopping himself from doing something. "I only stole 3 times. Yeh, I'm clean, right Luce? I wouldn't call them friends, but I made a family, and I eat very well there."

She looked at him long and hard for a moment longer before Lucy smiled genuinely and scooted in closer to him to lean against his side a bit. Natsu sighed in relief, but kept his hands to himself, and just let her get cozy next to him. "I missed how warm you are."

"Is that all you missed?"

Lucy tilted her head to look up at him and shook her head. "Of course not. Can you tell me about your family?" Natsu seemed disappointed, but nodded.

He told her all about the place he calls his home. It was called Fairy Tail, and had lots of children like him who didn't have any parents. He said he can eat there everyday and he picks fights with the other children. Especially an "icy bastard" named Gray. He told her that there's a scary lady who's older than him who taught him how to read, but he was mostly traveling around and looking for his dad these days. He apparently finds jobs to do and they pay him money for his work, then he goes out and searches for his dad once he saves up enough for food.

"What kind of jobs do you do?"

Natsu stiffened for a moment before he scratched a hand behind his head a bit awkwardly. "Just small stuff that people need help with. I always tag along with older members of the guild."

"What is a guild?"

Natsu popped his head up to look at her. "Yah, that's what they call places like Fairy Tail. A guild."

Lucy nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like a very fun place."

"It is!" Natsu grinned at her, then leaned over a bit so he was closer to her. Lucy found herself blushing a bit, but didn't back down. "So how's your dad? Has he been better?"

She sighed. "No, he has only gotten worse." Lucy took a moment to look down at the Aquarius and Sir Crab, but she didn't think she should tell Natsu about her two friends. He probably wouldn't believe that they keys can understand her and are trying to come out. He may think she's crazy, actually. "Papa is very busy with work and he does not have time for me." She had a faraway look in her eyes, but just shuffled around in her school bag until she found her bag of candy. She pulled out a piece of fudge and smiled at him. "Candy?"

Natsu looked hesitant for a moment, but leaned in and ate from her fingers like the last time he saw her. He felt his heart start to float with an extra patter between each beat. "T-thanks."

"You are very welcome." She smiled at him, but it almost seemed fake. Like she was hiding her real feelings behind it. Natsu was only planning on passing through here to see her for a day to go visit another town, but maybe he should stay a little longer to make sure she's okay. Natsu did miss her a lot and he planned on hugging and squeezing her to death the moment he saw her, but he suddenly got very nervous once he sat down next to her. Lucy was really pretty. She grew a little… and he could tell she was a bit more mature. She probably has to be if she's hiding all her real problems inside of her. She only lost her mom a year ago and her dad basically ignores her. It's obvious she's sad, and that made Natsu really sad.

"Hey, Luce… you wanna meet here tomorrow?"

She brightened up a bit. "Will you be staying in town?"

"For a little. I missed my best friend and now I can buy you something special." He grinned at her when Lucy nodded happily, then cozied up into his side a bit. He felt himself relax, and move a bold hand over to graze his finger against hers. She looked over at him and smiled.

They spent the rest of the day together until Lucy had to go home.

Aquarius is gonna be mad~