A/N: I originally was just going to let this be a one-shot but because all the positive interest and all of your nice reviews I decided I'd update it. It does lead itself quite nicely into a story. However I don't know where it is going so this will be a fun organic ride for us all to go on. If in the future I have to bump the rating, so be it.
I can however tell you guys that it will not be a GaLu or a LevGaLu because, and this is no offense to others, I just don't personally like those pairings. Gajeel does nothing for me so while I have enjoyed stories with those pairings...yeah...I'm not the one who could do it justice.
She was nervous.
It had been years since Aquarius sacrificed herself and her key to save Lucy's life. 3 years since Aquarius had told her her key was being reborn on Earthland somewhere. In all of that time there hadn't been a sign or whisper of where it was...until now.
An article from the professors at The Academe Celeste came out recently about an incredibly mysterious find at the impact sight of a meteor shower just around 3 years ago. It was a large meteor that survived its trip through the Earthland atmosphere buried at the center of the crater. Nothing too special if it were just that but what had brought the attention of the famous academe enough to study and write an article about it was that it had a nasty habit of striking out violently at anyone that approached it.
A knot in her stomach twisted at the idea.
Lucy had a fairly reasonable notion why the lump of space rock was so volatile given the timeframe it crash landed here and from where it initially came. If her hunch was right it was her celestial mermaid friend buying her time to get there. She was a very determined and stubborn spirit and there was no way she'd easily let her key just get picked up by anyone who happened to stroll by. Plus the "random release of highly pressurized steam" just screamed "Aquarius!".
It took several specialized high leveled wizards to create a safe zone around the meteor close enough for the academics and scientists to study it and because of that she knew she could not go retrieve her friend alone.
Walking up to the isolated corner of the guild Lucy steeled her nerves and met the single knowing cerulean eye with confidence. He was really her best option of being able to get in and out of the highly secure dig site without a sign of ever being there. His magic, his history, his skills and even his very nature made his the perfect partner to help her commit such a "retrieval".
Lucy knew this was going to cost her dear.
"Tink, as much as I love the idea of helping "The Light of Fairy Tail" commit her first serious infraction against international law you sure as hell bet it's going to cost you." Cobra smirked crookedly flashing a fanged tooth.
Yep, she knew it. Her asshole of a friend was going to extract a serious promise from her and most likely hold it over her head for the rest of her life.
But it was worth it.
"What did you have in mind?" she sighed a little in defeat taking the seat from across him. Erik held all of the cards here and they both knew it so it would be stupid for her to deny that fact. It didn't mean, however, that she wasn't going to still negotiate the hell out of this as much as she could.
Please let me know what you think. - Blas
