Hello my dear readers! I'm sorry I disappeared off the face of the earth, but I had my family come over for a while then school started, But now I finally have time to write! I love you all for reviewing! Please do enjoy this chapter, from yours truly.

Aquarius was last.

Rei had to get the most important things done first. This included taking one drop from the small vial and putting it onto each key Lucy had. Rei couldn't have the spirits roaming around.

In the spirit world, when each spirit's key was covered with the contents in the vial, each spirit stopped.

They just stopped.

They all felt their legs go out from under them and that was it, they were all comatose.

Aquarius knew something was up when Leo fell. Oh, excuse her, Loke. She never understood him. He was Leo, and always had been Leo.

Anyways, she knew something was up. When someone grabbed her key, Aquarius knew it wasn't Lucy. Lucy used her left hand to summon her spirits.

At that moment, Aquarius came out of the spirit world. She saw who was picking up her key. She felt anger inside of her for the girl in the lab coat and thick black glasses.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY KEY?!" she yelled. The girl jumped and dropped the key, spinning around to see Aquarius, pure shock on her face. The key fell to the floor with a clang.

"YOU DID NOT JUST DO WHAT I THINK YOU DID!" Aquarius yelled. "YOU DID NOT JUST DROP MY KEY!" she fell her anger surge. "THAT'S IT!" she yelled. She grabbed her pot and called upon the water.

"W-wait!" the girl exclaimed to Aquarius. "If you fill the room with water, we'll both drown!" Aquarius rolled her eyes. "I can't drown you-." She stopped cold. The girl was pointing at Lucy.

Dammit! She was right. "I don't care about the girl." She said, bluffing.

"Oh, I think you do." The girl said, grinning wickedly. "You made a promise to a certain someone. You don't want to betray her, now would you?" Aquarius was stunned.

"H-h-how did you know about that!?" the girl rolled her eyes. "Not important right now. I just know. You have to protect her, don't you?"

Aquarius felt her anger weaken. She was right. Her mind drifted back to so many years ago.

"Aquarius, I need to talk with you." Layla said. Aquarius gladly appeared. "Yes?" she asked. Layla made a pained face. "I need to entrust you to a new owner."

"What?! You can't do that! I'm your spirit! I'm only yours!" she exclaimed, distraught.

"I know, Aquarius. I've had you since I was young, but times are changing. Celestial Mages are now rare. Keys even more. I don't have the power to protect you, or myself. I expect to be killed."

"B-bu-but! I can protect you! I need to!" Aquarius sniffed.

"Aquarius, I would rather have you safely given to someone then have you stolen and sold on the black market. People treat spirits like tools there."

"But, Layla!" Aquarius cried.

"Listen. If you are so fit on protect me, you can do me one more. Will you agree to do it?" Aquarius nodded quickly. "Anything!"

"My daughter, Lucy. She needs your help. Once I'm gone, she'll leave the manor. I've told my friend that as soon as Lucy plans to leave, she is to give you key to her. I need you to protect Lucy. Do you promise?"

"Giving up your life for hers? But-."

"Do you promise?" Layla asked her, more sharply this time.

"I-I… I promise Layla. I will protect Lucy."

Layla smiled and wiped the tears that were trickling down her cheek.

"Thank you Aquarius. I entrust Lucy to you." She hugged Aquarius. And whispered in her ear…

"I trust you."

"I trust you would know that." The girl was saying.

"Uh, what?" Aquarius muttered dumbly. The girl slapped a hand to her forehead. 'Why do people doze off when I talk? Am I that boring?"

"Yes." agreed Aquarius. "Very."

"Not helping! As I was saying, I trust that you know that the girl is special. Her genes give us a clue to the true magic power. The One Magic! I just need those genes."

"If you take the genes, will you leave Lucy alone? Just take them and leave?"

"I won't bother her. In fact, nothing will bother her. Because she'd be dead."

Aquarius stared at the girl in shock for a moment. Then it hit her.

"YOU'RE GOING TO KILL LUCY FOR YOUR PERSONAL GAIN!?"

"Not my personal gain. The worlds." The girl said, as if that cleared everything up. Aquarius felt her anger rising again. Even though Lucy might get hurt, I would be better than her dying. She looked at Lucy lying on a padded table, pale and unmoving.

"You know what? I think I'd rather let her drown." Aquarius said. "And "the girl" has a name. It's Lucy."

And with that, the room swelled with water.

Sorry it was so short! I'm trying to get back into it. What do you think? Love it? Hate it? What did you think about the promise Aquarius made Layla? Let me know! Thanks for waiting my darling readers!

Peace and Mist,

rlb190