A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back!
I am terribly, terribly sorry for the lengthy delay in my writing for this story and I sincerely apologize for that. For the record, I'm not dead nor was I ever; things on my end of things have been a little hectic even though I am out of school for the summer. Things just got crazy around the begging half of May with my exams and then I was working on other things so that played a part.
And then then things have been picking up at my job so…yeah. You know how it is. I have an active life outside of writing and I apologize when this interferes with whatever stories I intend to work on. It's not that I'm not writing, I just need to find the time to do so.
But on a positive note, for the rest of this month and into the begging of July, I will be working to update this story and "When the END comes" before turning back to "Vendetta." So yay! More updates!
So now that I have voiced my thoughts let's turn our attention back to the reason we're all here; the story. As usual, before we continue, here is a shout to those of you who reviewed!
Mistwing: Hello and welcome back, how are you doing? Yes, I'm still alive, I've just been insanely busy even though I'm off from school. I'm glad you liked the reunion, it was really hard to put that all together. Aw, I'm sure you'll find someone of your own one day; have a little faith. I can assure you, I will be devoting chapter time to both Takeshi and Pegasus as their relationship develops. And speaking of awkward situations…wait until you read this chapter.
Wonderwomanbatmanfan: Hello and welcome to the story, glad you are enjoying it so far!
Ichihime4: Hello, how are you doing!? Long time no see indeed. Sorry for updating late on this, I hope my lateness hasn't turned you away from this story. I'm glad you enjoyed the holidays and if you must know, I passed all my college classes for this year and finished with a 3.5 GPA! I'm glad you enjoyed the reunion scene, that was particularly hard for me to put together but I'm glad it all worked out. Yep, nothing but love for this chapter too but in a different sense so to speak…just kidding, there's good old fashion love here as well. I assure you, you can keep your hopes up for the time being but when something does happen (if the original story is anything to go by) I'll make sure to give you a heads up X). As for the "old friends"…rather than be 99.9% sure, try being 100% sure. They won't appear for a while but when they do…just be ready that's all. I know you know who I'm talking about *Evil laughter*
Serena fullbuster: Hello and welcome back, sorry for the late update. I'm glad you enjoy my writing. Hearing you and other people say that lets me know that all my hard work is paying off in the end. Plue is one of my favorite characters from both FT and Rave Master so I felt the need to give him a little screen time, so to speak.
So, after a lengthy delay, let's continue with the story!
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CHAPTER 4: 365 Crazy Days Later
XXXX
One year after awakening…
X795
CLANG!
CLASH!
CLANG!
The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the Celestial Spirit World.
"Widen your stance, don't bunch yourself up!" Knight said as he parried a strike from Takeshi's staff with his shield before forcing him back with a mighty shove.
The water spirit gritted his teeth as he stumbled back before doing as his father told him. Knight stood calm and composed, his shoulders squared and sword level at his waist. Takeshi shifted his feet and moved once again into an offensive stance.
While Knight and Takeshi silently stared each other down, Katsumi and a few other spirits watched from nearby atop the grassy knoll of the field that the last Paladin loved to frequent. The spirits included-aside from Katsumi-Loke, Aries, Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
"There they go again," Loke said his arms wrapped around Aries as relaxed back into his chest, "starring each other down like that."
"Takeshi is sizing up Knight and thinking as to what he should do next." Katsumi said with a gentle smile.
"Yeah but the squirts going to have to get creative when it comes to Knight." Taurus said.
"After all that time he was away he's still in foooooorm."
"And you never would have guessed that Sir Knight has been back for only a year." Virgo added.
"Still can't believe he let himself get dragged in to helping that stupid girl and her pyromaniac husband." Aquarius said before sighing.
"Oh well, his funeral." Aquarius added, making Scorpio chuckled as he kissed the side of her head.
"Be nice," Scorpio said, "besides, Lucy and Natsu have been taking good care of him. We know you miss Lucy but she is in good hands with Knight."
"I know…but still…" Aquarius mumbled and averted her melancholic gaze.
"Oh, there they go again!" Loke said.
CLANG!
SMASH!
CLANG!
Takeshi had charged Knight, striking out with his polearm in a series of jabs and blows. Takeshi was fast on his feet and keeping up his advance…but Knight however, simply dodged, sidestepped, parried and countered each and every one of Takeshi's attacks.
Takeshi let out a frustrated grunt and struck down with his staff only for Knight to block it with his sword. Knight quickly shifted his stance and began a series of strikes with his own weapon, making Takeshi go on the defensive; dodging and blocking his father's attacks.
"Maintain your stance, don't let me get an opening." Knight calmly said to Takeshi.
CLANG, CLANG, CLANG!
Takeshi continued to block Knight's strikes as he held onto his polearm with a white knuckled grip. However, the stiffness at which he held himself allowed Takeshi to easily be knocked around by Knight.
"You're gripping your staff to hard." Knight said.
Takeshi huffed and once again shifted his stance and grip…only for Knight to smash his shield down on the polearm and knock the weapon out of Takeshi's hands. Before the young spirit could respond, Knight had leveled his sword with Takeshi's neck.
"Now too light." Knight said as he lowered his sword and sheathed it. He then reached down and picked up the polearm.
"You must find a balance not just with your weapon, but within yourself as well. You must find a balance in your fighting style that will allow you to freely roam the battlefield while maintaining an advantage over your enemies. Be more like your element; the water you can control."
Takeshi lowered his head and bit his lip in frustration.
"But dad…I've been fighting ever since you left and I always managed to hold my ground when I was in the human world."
"I know…but how many of those battles did you and your mother lose? How many times did something simple lead to your undoing and force you back here?" Knight said as he crossed his arms.
Takeshi winced slightly and began to nervously rub his neck.
"I…well…uhm…" Takeshi said.
"My point exactly. You've done well for the past few hundred years but sometimes "good" just doesn't cut it. A day will come where you may find yourself fighting an opponent that will require you to stand your ground and fight harder than you've ever fought before. Therefore, there is always room for improvement and continued improvement." Knight said.
"As spirits and guardians of the Celestial Spirit Realm, it is our duty to remain ever vigilant and prepared for any threats that may arise against our master's in the human realm. Therefore, training is paramount. Even if you've mastered a thousand skills, there will always be a need for training…understand?"
Takeshi's shoulders sank but he nodded his head.
"Yes dad."
Takeshi suddenly felt Knight's hand grip his shoulder in a comforting manner. He looked up to see that Knight had removed his mask to reveal his gentle, pride filled smile.
"However, I am proud of all that you've done in my absence. And ever since my return, you have shown remarkable improvement. I am proud of you son…I really am." Knight said, making Takeshi grin.
"Now…I think that's enough for one day. Let's go back to your mother and the others, alright?"
"Yeah." Takeshi said with a nod.
As the two made their way across the field, Takeshi draped his staff across his shoulders and arms dangling from it.
"Still dad, I'm surprised you can still do so much even though you were asleep for so long. Heck, I'm pretty sure everyone is thinking that."
"So, I've heard." Knight said as he let his mind drift back to the events of the past year.
"So I've heard indeed."
XXXX
It had been an adjustment, after being dormant for three hundred plus years, coming back to a world which had changed drastically since he'd left it.
From the formation of nations, the birth of magic guilds, a dragon incursion from the past with interlopers from the future, the defeat of the black dragon Acnologia and the death of the black mage Zeref, Knight had missed much of what was now considered text book history.
So, in order to make up for lost time, Knight had spent the first few months of his return in the Library, catching up on past and current events with the help of Andromeda and her apprentices. When he wasn't studying, Knight made a considerable effort to be with the other spirits; especially his wife and son. He hadn't been a part of their lives for too long and Knight was determined to never let that happen again.
It was a lot to take in…but it was nothing compared to being in service to Natsu and Lucy Dragneel.
To being in service with Fairy Tail.
Knight had quickly come to respect Lucy and Natsu. They were good, honest humans who respected his rank and the power he wielded. It had only been a few times that he had been called into combat to assist against opponents that had been a little too…much, for his masters. Knight, naturally, had mopped the floor with these so called "enemies."
But even then, Natsu and Lucy had called him to assist in remedial tasks such as some heavy lifting, using his magic to clear areas of trees or brush on certain requests and even be featured in a book-correction-a "magazine" called Sorcerer Weekly. It was a fairly odd little thing that consisted of pictures, small chapters and grand exposés. Whenever he went to the human world, Pegasus had a habit of asking if he could bring back the latest issue of the magazine if he had a chance.
According to Andromeda, Pegasus and Hydra had quite the collection going of the magazines.
And then there was the magic guild itself.
Knight, upon being introduced to all the guild members and seeing them interact with each other, was surprised at how easily they accepted Natsu and Lucy owning a new pair of spirit keys and at how easily they welcomed him into the guild. They were a trusting and accepting lot these humans, Knight had mused, and being honest with himself it was…unnerving. Being a warrior meant he always had to be on his guard no matter who he was in the presence of.
But…having spent a considerable amount of time with Fairy Tail, Knight had since come up with two simple conclusions.
One; Fairy Tail was crazy. In every possible meaning of the word. From their random parties, constant brawls, to the magic wielded by its members; insanity seemed to stick to the guild like a leech. A rather large leech in fact.
Being the spirit of order that he was, Knight had tried to avoid said insanity…but failed miserably when Natsu had accidently dragged him into a fight between him and his two friends Gray and Gajeel. After being smacked across the head with a dinner plat, Knight had put his foot down-literally-and used his magic to break up the mass brawl that had ensued.
…The guild master, Makarov Dreyar, was still giving him grief over the damage that had been done to the rafters and floor. Still, people now had a new respect and fear of light magic.
And finally, two; Knight was happy with all of it.
Seeing Fairy Tail act the way they did, reminded Knight of how far humans had come since the Dragon Civil War. Here was a group of mages who used their powers for good; to benefit the common man and purge the world of darkness and evil.
They had formed deep bonds of camaraderie and family; bonds that lasted wherever they went and touched the lives of others.
It made Knight…proud to see Fairy Tail openly express these attributes. It made him proud to be in their company and in service to two of their mages.
XXXX
As Knight drifted out of his musings, he noticed that Takeshi was lagging behind. Looking over his shoulder, Knight noticed that his son had his arms crossed and head bowed slightly in a contemplative manner along with a distracted look in his eyes.
Knight smiled beneath his mask.
He knew that look.
"Something on your mind?" Knight spoke up, making Takeshi blink.
"What?" the water spirt asked, looking at his father.
"I said, is there something on your mind?" Knight reiterated, stopping so as to let Takeshi catch up.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it." Takeshi said, "I'm just thinking about something."
"Well, surely it's something if you're obviously putting a lot of thought into it." Knight said before putting his hands on his hips.
Even with his mask on, Takeshi could practically sense the knowing smirk on Knight's face.
"In fact, it's not something…rather someone, isn't it?"
"W-What!? No, of course not!" Takeshi said quickly, his cheeks coloring in embarrassment.
"There we go." Knight thought.
"Come now Takeshi," Knight said, "I know when you're trying to hide something from me. I am your father after all."
The blush on Takeshi's cheeks only deepened and the young spirit began to rub the back of his neck, averting his gaze.
"…So…so what if I was thinking about someone? It could be anyone you know!"
"…You were thinking about Pegasus weren't you?" Knight said making Takeshi twitch in surprise.
Knight held up his hand, ceasing his son's embarrassed and rather frantic sputtering and babbling.
"Son…it's obvious that you have feelings for her; she is a rather fetching young woman after all. Why not act on these feelings and save yourself the trouble of embarrassment?"
"I don't get embarrassed around her. Yeah she's really nice and all but-"
"Takeshi," Knight said flatly, cutting his son off, "had it not been for Hydra when Pegasus delivered that book you were interested in, you would have turned into a babbling mess."
Knight crossed his arms and cocked his head slightly.
"Honestly, why do you insist on torturing yourself like this?" Knight said.
"It's not that simple!" Takeshi said in heated whisper, noticing how close they had drawn to the others.
"Enlighten me." Knight said.
"You've seen her dad," Takeshi said, "she's beautiful, she's smart-really smart if I might add-and…and there's just something about her. Something that draws me to her that I can't explain."
"…And?" Knight said.
"And what?" Tekeshi replied.
"And what's stopping you from courting her? Takeshi, you feeling like this is no different from when your mother and I went about our courtship."
"Except that unlike mom, Pegasus won't kick me to the other side of the realm if I ask her out." Takeshi said.
"True…in actuality, it would be Andromeda that you'd have to worry about. She's very protective of Pegasus and Hydra. She'd probably find a spell that would banish you to the human realm if she thought you had any misgivings towards her girls."
Takeshi's head slumped forward in a comical manner while a large sweat drop formed.
"You're not helping." Takeshi grumbled.
"Look…" Knight said as he once again placed a comforting hand on Takeshi's shoulder, "I know I've missed a lot of your life…that I wasn't able to be there when you needed me…but I'm trying to make up for it all. And if trying to help you find your own happiness helps make up for our lost time, then I'll do all in my power to do so."
Knight gave Takeshi's shoulder a firm squeeze.
"But you need to take the initiative when it comes to certain things. I can only guide you so far when I know only so much. Opportunities concerning love are few and far between…opportunities in general only come once in a life time. I know this all too well considering the life I've lived."
"What are you saying then?" Takeshi said.
"Take a risk." Knight said, "A chance. A leap of faith. Don't weigh what you stand to lose or gain. As Loke likes to say, "Just go for it.""
Knight let go of Takeshi's shoulder and turned on his heel, resuming his walk while Takeshi bit his lip as he played out his father's words over in his head. Not only did he have to mull over a lesson in strength…but a lesson of the heart as well.
Knight approached his fellow spirits and phased into his casual wear while Takeshi slowly followed behind.
"What did you say to him?" Katsumi asked softly as she pecked her husband on the cheek.
"Just gave him some food for thought, nothing more or less." Knight said with a smile.
"I'll bet." Katsumi said.
"You guys done for the day?" Loke asked as he stood with Aries.
"Because I could go for a spar if you're up for it."
"Tempting but I think I've had enough for one day. Perhaps tomorrow?" Knight replied.
"Unless you don't mind having your ass handed to you again and again."
"Challenge accepted." Loke said, flashing his trademark grin.
Before any further conversation could continue, a melodic chime began to emit throughout the air while a soft glow formed around Knight's body.
"Uh-oh," Scorpio said with a smirk, "looks like Natsu and Lucy are calling you."
"What do those two brats want now?" Aquarius said.
"They're not in danger if that's what you're wondering." Knight said as he prepared for his departure to the human world.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll prove to be interesting."
"With those two, when are things not?" Katsumi said as Knight chuckled before disappearing in a quick flash of light.
XXXX
When the light faded away, Knight was graced with the scent of fresh air and a cool, gentle breeze gracing his skin. It was a bright, sunny day with only a few clouds dotting the open sky. It took Knight a second to realize that he was not in Natsu and Lucy's apartment or at the guild hall, rather he was standing in an open field that overlooked Magnolia town.
And there, standing before him hand in hand, were Natsu and Lucy; both of whom smiling warmly at the spirit.
"Natsu, Lucy," Knight said as he bowed his head in respect, "always good to see you two."
"Likewise Knight." Lucy said.
"What's happening big guy?" Natsu said as he flashed his trademark grin.
"Always so crass in your greetings." Knight said before crossing his arms.
"I must admit, I find it odd being called to meet you two under peaceful circumstances. Usually you two are in a fight or have something else going on that requires my assistance."
"We certainly have kept you busy haven't we?" Lucy said as she used her free hand to rub her shoulder.
"Still hard to believe it's only been a year since I found you in that cave."
"Time certainly has a way of doing that." Knight said.
"So why did you two really summon me? It must be something other than a formal visit if you went through the effort of summoning me."
Natsu and Lucy made no move to answer, apparently finding themselves at a loss for words.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with me projecting myself to you two while you were in the shower together now would it?" Knight said with a rare, embarrassed smile.
Knight had made it a habit to check in on Natsu and Lucy periodically through the usage of the reflecting mirror in the throne room; exactly as he had done the day he had returned home to the Spirit World. The occasional astral projection visit had a tendency of catching his human masters off guard but it hadn't led to Knight dropping in on the two while they were being intimate with one another.
At least…until a week ago, which in actuality had been almost a month for Natsu and Lucy.
Knight hadn't bothered to use the mirror this time around and had figured he'd catch Natsu and Lucy in their kitchen or living room, much like he done through his previous visits.
Instead…Knight had somehow projected himself into the bathroom while Natsu was taking a shower with Lucy…and at the end of what appeared to have been a heavy and heated love making session between the two. It took both parties a minute to realize the situation they were in before Lucy began screaming in shock, Knight slapping both his hands over his eyes while furiously apologizing and Natsu threatening to kill Knight in the most brutal manner possible.
Needless to say, it was not something Knight ever wanted to repeat.
"NO!" Natsu and Lucy cried in unison while waving their free hands in a calming manner.
"N-No! God no Knight, we-we got over that!" Natsu said.
"We're not mad at you if that's what you're wondering." Lucy added.
Knight let out a sigh of relief before rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well…you see…that isn't necessarily true." Natsu said as he looked to Lucy in a giddy, expectant manner.
"Y-Yeah, Natsu's right." Lucy said, "What we're about to say does relate back to the…uhm…the "incident.""
"I beg your pardon?" Knight said, cocking an eyebrow.
Lucy suddenly broke out into a fierce blush as she increased the grip on Natsu's hand.
"Uhm…Knight…we have something important to tell you." Lucy said, her tone uneasy but not in panic or concern.
She sounded excited. Very excited.
"Knight," Lucy said, "I'm…I'm pregnant."
Silence.
Absolute silence, save for the gentle call of the wind, filled the air.
Knight blinked once, twice, and thrice before his hand fell from his neck.
"W-What?" Knight said, his eyes growing wide.
Tears filled Lucy's eyes as she smiled brightly and nodded her head in excitement.
"I'm pregnant Knight!" Lucy all but screamed in joy, "Natsu and I are having a baby!"
"No silly, not baby; babies!" Natsu clarified in equal excitement, "Luce and I are having twins!"
Knight's jaw nearly unhinged itself when it went slack. His body had frozen in shock while a series of thoughts ran rampant in his head.
Babies.
Lucy.
Pregnant.
Twins.
Babies.
Babies!
"Are…are you serious!?" Knight said, regaining his composure.
"I'm almost at the end of my first month." Lucy said with a smile as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"We've already told the guild and all of our other friends; we we're just waiting for the right time to tell you." Natsu said.
"I…I can't believe it." Knight said.
Now that he looked more carefully at Lucy, Knight could see the beginning of a slight bulge forming in Lucy's belly beneath her sundress. He also noticed that her magical signature seemed slightly off kilter as compared to how balanced it usually was. Knight mentally smacked himself for not noticing the difference before but paid it no mind when Lucy stepped forward and gently took his hand.
"When did you two find out?" Knight said as he looked from Lucy to Natsu.
"Well…right around the time you dropped in on us, we were just getting ready to move into our new place. A week after that, we had just finished moving in when Luce started to get tired quickly and began acting a little weird." Natsu said.
"I thought I had come down with a bad bug or the flu so after a day or so of trying to weather it out, Natsu and I went to the doctors to see what was wrong. After running some tests, the doctor told me I wasn't sick but that I was pregnant." Lucy continued.
"So…the day when I…" Knight said.
"Yeah, turns out that was the day the babies were conceived. I mean, Natsu and I had been trying to conceive for over a year now; we just weren't sure if we'd had any success." Lucy added.
"We only found out last week that we'd be having twins." Natsu said before grinning, "I'm really hopping for two boys; oh that'll be so much fun."
"No Natsu, we're having two girls; didn't we talk about this already?" Lucy quipped.
"Do you not know the sex of your twins yet?" Knight asked.
"Uhm…no." Lucy said sheepishly, "The doctor I'm now going to say's it's still too early to tell."
"…Let me try something then." Knight said as he carefully moved his hand over Lucy's stomach.
"May I?"
Realizing Knight wanted to touch her belly, Lucy quickly nodded her consent.
Closing his eyes, Knight gently rested his palm on the slowly growing bulge while his hand began to glow a brilliant shade of white. A sudden warmth filled Lucy's entire being, making her gasp in surprise.
"Knight, what are you…?"Lucy began to say but stopped when she noticed a smile form on Knight's lips.
"I can sense them…your children." Knight said, addressing both Natsu and Lucy, "I can sense their souls. One is a boy. The other is a girl."
Knight opened his eyes and stepped back while Lucy rested her hands on her stomach, tears of joy silently falling from her eyes as she fell to her knees. Natsu was at her side holding her close with one hand while the other rested on her stomach as well.
"A boy and a girl." Lucy whispered, "We'll…we'll have to start thinking of names for them."
"There'll be plenty of time for that later Luce." Natsu said as he gently kissed the side of Lucy's head before looking to Knight.
"How did you do that?" Natsu asked.
"I did the same thing for when my wife was pregnant with our son. As celestial spirits, it is our nature to become uniquely sensitive to the souls of those around us. Whether they be living, unborn or deceased, we spirits have the ability to sense life. I merely focused on the two lives growing in side of Lucy and let them speak to me…in a sense." Knight said.
"Souls have a way of telling you who or what they are before you even know what to ask."
"And what did they say to you?" Lucy said, looking up at Knight, tears still falling down her face.
"…Their souls are just starting to form, but I could sense that the bond they'll share as twins will be strong…that-as I said-one was a boy while the other a girl…and I sensed love. A developing love for each other as brother and sister and for you two, as mother and father." Knight said.
It was Natsu who began to cry this time at Knight's words as he and his wife stood back on their feet.
"Thank you…just…thank you Knight." Natsu said.
"I sense, however, that there is more to this not so little visit that what you're telling me." Knight said.
"You're right." Lucy replied, "I'm not the only one who's pregnant. In fact, some friends of ours just found out that they'll be having children of their own soon enough like us."
"Yeah, it's really funny because we all found out a couple days apart from one another." Natsu said with a slight chuckle.
"And who might these friends be?" Knight asked.
"Well, two couples from our guild and one from the Sabertooth guild." Lucy said.
"Gray and Juvia found out about their second pregnancy a week after we announced ours and the same went for Gajeel and Levy. Rouge and Kagura Cheney are expecting a pair of twins of their own over at Sabertooth; Kagura became pregnant around the same time that I did, and given what I just told you about Juvia and Levy, our due dates should be close to one another."
"You certainly have been a busy bunch haven't you?" Knight said with a teasing smile.
"It's not like we all got together and suddenly decided to plan this!" Lucy said as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "It just sort of happened like that!"
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Knight said, "…I'm so happy for you two, you have no idea. For the short time that I've been in your service, you and Natsu have been two of the best masters I've had in my life so far. And I look forward to serving the little ones when the time comes."
"And we're just happy to have you with us." Natsu said, while Lucy nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, if you hadn't saved us on few close calls Natsu and I wouldn't be here to tell you this good news." Lucy added.
"I'm glad you have told me this…when I return to the Celestial Spirit World, I will tell the others of the good news." Knight said.
"Thank you Knight," Lucy said, "I'd tell everyone in person, but I don't want to use too much of my magic. I've been told that if I do that it'll put strain on the babies."
"…Leave that to me. I'll speak with the King about working something out." Knight added.
"We'd appreciate it if you could." Natsu said.
Knight simply bowed his head and Natsu and Lucy took it as their cue to close Knight's gate.
And just as he had appeared, Knight disappeared in a flash of light.
XXXX
"So," Aquarius said when Knight returned to the spirit realm, "what did they want this time?"
Knight was quiet, his eyes focused on the ground but a gentle smile had formed on his lips.
"Knight?" Katsumi said as she placed her hand on her husband's shoulder, "What is it?"
Knight looked to Katsumi and took her hand in his before looking back to the other spirits.
"I was just told the most wonderful news," Knight said, "something that concerns Natsu and Lucy."
"What is it?" Loke said, his body becoming tense at the way Knight spoke of his beloved friend.
"What's happened to Lucy?" Aquarius said, her own tone becoming defensive.
"…Lucy is with child." Knight said.
A collective, surprised gasp was released by the Celestial Spirits.
"Correction; she's with children." Knight clarified.
"The-the princess is pregnant!?" said Virgo.
"What!?" said Loke, "When did this happen!?"
"The little lady is all grooooown up!" Taurus sobbed in joy.
"With twins none the less!" Scorpio said with a grin.
"Pardon me asking…but are the babies going to be boys or girls?" Aries asked.
"Neither." Knight said, "Lucy is carrying a boy and a girl."
"You hear that Aquarius!?" Scorpio said, "Lucy is…hey, what's wrong?"
Knight turned his head to find that Aquarius was standing stock still, her eyes wide and tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Aquarius?" Knight said.
"I have to see her." Aquarius said, her voice surprisingly firm.
"What?" Knight replied.
"I don't care how," Aquarius said, suddenly crossing Knight's personal space, "I have to see Lucy!"
Knight held his hands up in a calming manner.
"Easy Aquarius…" Knight said, "I'll take you to the throne room. You'll be able to see Lucy from there."
"I'd better be able to see her or I'll toss you to the other side of the realm." Aquarius hissed.
A large, comical sweat drop formed on the back of Knight's head and he gave a nervous smile.
"I…I have no doubt that you will." Knight said, as he gestured to Aquarius and the others, "If you'll follow me and excuse us."
Knight gave a Katsumi a look to which she rolled her eyes with a smile.
With Aquarius at his side, Knight led the water spirit across the realm to the throne room of the Celestial Spirit King.
"Normally we'd have to ask permission for this sort of thing…" Knight said as he looked back to Aquarius.
The spirt simply cracked her knuckles in response.
"…But given the circumstances, I'm sure the King is well aware that we're here." Knight added quickly.
"And I have a feeling he already knows why we're here." He thought.
Ascending the steps and crossing the threshold, the two spirits were greeted by the Spirit King himself who sat at his throne with an expecting and knowing smile on his lips. Even in their haste, Knight and Aquarius bowed in respect to their king.
"My lord, I request your permission to access the reflecting mirror to view into the human realm." Knight said.
"For what purpose?" The King said in a lighthearted tone with a smile still on his face.
Before Knight could answer, Aquarius spoke in his stead.
"It's Lucy sir!" Aquarius all but blurted out, "There's…there's something I have to see!"
Knight looked up to the King with his own knowing look and a small smile. The King let out a hearty laugh and gave a wave of his hand.
"By all means go ahead, go ahead." The King said.
"Thank you my lord." The two spirits said in unison.
Knight guided Aquarius to the large reflecting pool and focused his magic into his hand as he casted it over the water. The water rippled and the once glass like surface changed to that of the human world where the water rippled again and focused onto the Fairy Tail Guild building.
Knight waved his hand again and the water rippled once more to focus through the wood of the guild roof and onto the main hall where all of Fairy Tail was gathered for one of their usual parties. Soon enough, the image panned around-as if of its own accord- and focused on a man with a familiar pink head of hair and the beautiful woman standing at his side…her hand resting on her belly.
"Lucy…" Aquarius whispered, her attention solely devoted to her former master.
It was only when Lucy turned to her side did Aquarius see the slight bulge that was beginning to form.
"How…how far is she along?" Aquarius said, her tone becoming slightly choked while tears formed at the edges of her eyes.
"…A month." Knight said with a smile.
"A month." Aquarius said, mimicking Knight.
"And like I said before, she is carrying two souls within her; a boy and a girl." Knight said.
Aquarius said nothing; she simply starred at the images playing out before her. She reached her hand out and touched it to the surface of the mirror, making it ripple. Knight in turn placed his hand on the water and turned it in a clockwise manner. The images went from vibrant in color to dull in greyscale…save for the brightly glowing blue orbs of light that dotted the mirror.
They were the souls of all who the mirror focused on…and in Lucy's case, her soul burned brightly…along with two smaller orbs burning in her belly. Knight tapped the souls of the two developing babies and the throne room suddenly filled with a rapid, but gently echoing tone.
Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub…
It was the sound of two beating hearts.
The hearts of Lucy's children, yet to be born.
"Oh…" Aquarius whispered as she brought her hand to her mouth while tears streamed down her cheeks. Her body shuddered as she began to cry not in pain but in joy.
"She's all grown up…that stupid little girl…my stupid little girl is all grown up…" Aquarius sobbed.
Knight placed a gentle hand on his fellow spirits shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze. He then looked to the King, giving him an imploring look as his eyes flicked from the mirror and back to the King.
The Spirit King nodded and promptly snapped his fingers. There was a flash of light on the mirrors surface as Natsu and Lucy promptly disappeared from view…
…Only to reappear at the entrance to the throne room with startled cries. Aquarius promptly spun around, her eyes wide in equal surprise while the two humans tried to regain their bearings.
"What…what the hell just happened!?" Natsu yelled, his tone a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"Are we…are we in the Spirit World!?" Lucy said in equal confusion.
"Lucy." Aquarius said aloud, catching the spirit mages attention.
Lucy froze at the sound of a voice she had not heard in over five years. Slowly turning, Lucy's jaw promptly went slack.
"A-Aquarius!?" Lucy said.
Before Lucy or Natsu could react, Aquarius was before the two, crossing their personal boundaries much as she had done for Knight.
"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA ABOUT YOU GETTING PREGNANT?" Aquarius said through clenched teeth, her familiar, menacing aura appearing around her and making Natsu and Lucy slink down in fear.
"Eeep!" Lucy and Natsu squeaked out.
"AND YOU!" Aquarius said, looking to Natsu, "YOU NOT ONLY MARRIED HER, BUT KNOCKED HER UP WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!? WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!?"
"I-I-I…Please don't kill me!" Natsu managed to say.
"Aquarius wait, we can explain!" Lucy said…before Aquarius flung her arms round her and Natsu, pulling them in tightly.
"You stupid girl…you stupid girl…" Aquarius said as she pulled back, tears staining her cheeks and her lips formed in a smile.
"I can't believe it…you're going to be a mother." Aquarius said, "It seems like only yesterday that we were forced to part ways. And now look at you; married and getting ready to start a family of your own. I'm…I'm so proud of you."
"Aquarius…" Lucy said as tears freely fell from her eyes.
Aquarius gently placed her hands on Lucy's stomach, smiling as she sensed the two developing souls.
"I'm so proud…so proud." Aquarius said.
And while all of this transpired, Knight and the Spirit King simply watched the exchange in amusement.
"Thank you for bringing them here," Knight said, "I figured you must have been watching me when I was summoned into the human world by those two."
"You know me, I always watch over my beloved spirits whenever they are called upon." The King said with a chuckle.
"…Did you know Lucy was with children?" Knight asked.
"I had a hunch." The King said, "I first noticed a change in her magic when she summoned Virgo to help with some household duties. It was something I had sensed in the past when previous key bearers were with child."
"You could have told me." Knight said, glancing up at the King.
"That would mean spoiling the surprise." The King quipped.
Knight scoffed in an amused manner with a shake of his head.
"Things are going to get interesting soon enough. I can feel it in my bones." Knight said.
"Indeed." The King said, "And when those children are born, you will not only be responsible for Natsu and Lucy but their little boy and girl as well."
"I know." Knight said, "They are my masters and in turn I am not only bound to them but also to their kin."
"…You did well raising Takeshi, but I wonder; are you ready to help raise two twins?" The King said.
"If they're anything like their parents then I'm sure it will prove to be quite the undertaking." Knight said before looking back to Natsu and Lucy who were being dragged back to the other spirits by Aquarius.
"It is something I am…looking forward to." Knight said as he gave a quick bow to the king before jogging off after his masters.
…
...
...
Eight Months Later…
...
…
…
Knight silently sat in a rocking chair, slowly tittering back and forth on his heels, while the darkened hospital room was partially illuminated by the small bedside lamp that bathed a small portion of the room in a soft glow.
In the bed across from him, Lucy quite literally slept like a log while Natsu lay curled up next to her. It had been a hectic, lengthy day due to the fact that thirty three hours earlier, Lucy had gone into labor. After nine months, the time had come for Lucy to deliver the two lives that had been steadily growing in her.
Lucy had weathered her pregnancy fairly well. Aside from the hormonal imbalance, changing mood swings and bizarre cravings (he would never see the appeal of peanut butter, soy sauce and ham being mixed together) she had pulled through in the end.
Knight himself had been summoned by Natsu-singlehandedly-to the hospital earlier that day and from there, he had waited with the majority of Fairy Tail as Lucy went through the long, tiring process of giving birth. Now, while the new parents slept, Knight cradled two new lives in his arms.
They were Igneel and Lilly Dragneel. Igneel bore the name of Natsu's adoptive father and Lilly was named for her grandmother's favorite flower.
Were it not for the difference in hair color, Igneel's being a dark shade of pink while Lilly's was a russet brown that would steadily change to blonde as time went on, Knight would never be able to tell the difference between the twins.
The two babies were silent as they rested in Knight's arms, occasionally squirming beneath their blankets or opening their eyes-albeit briefly-to curiously look up at Knight.
Knight smiled whenever this happened. It reminded him so much of when Takeshi had been born…an event that now seemed like a life time ago.
The twins hadn't been let out of Natsu or Lucy's sight-and their grip-for a good amount of time and had only been relinquished to Knight when the two parents had been convinced to get some rest. Knight for the most had relegated himself to the sidelines, letting the doctors and the well-wishers get time with the babies. Sitting here in the dark, gently rocking the newborns to sleep, was more preferable to the hustle and bustle.
Igneel squirmed again, his eyes opening to glance up at Knight. However, he did not close his eyes immediately. His dark green eyes-his father's eyes-lingered on Knight in an inquisitive manner that can only be expressed by a baby.
Knight smiled, using his index finger to gently rub the back of Igneel's head. Lulled by the soothing sensation, Igneel's eyes began to flutter close while his mouth opened in a small "O" as he let out a lengthy yawn.
It wasn't long before he was repeating the process with Lilly as he gently lulled her back to sleep.
"I think the three of us are going to get along just fine," Knight muttered beneath his breath, "just fine indeed."
A slight groan caught Knight's attention and he looked up to see Lucy groggily wakening up from her dead sleep.
"How are you feeling?" Knight whispered.
"Sore." Lucy groaned, "Really…really sore. What time is it?"
"Hush," knight said, "I just put them to sleep. And to answer your question is just a little after three in the morning."
He then stood, slowly, and walked on flat feet over to Lucy. Lucy smiled as Knight leaned down so that she could gently run her hand through the strands of her children's hair.
"They're perfect." Lucy whispered, "I can't believe they're finally here. Nine months of carrying them around and now I get to hold them in my arms."
Tears began to silently fall from her eyes and Lucy kissed the tops of Igneel and Lilly's heads.
"I've never been so happy." Lucy said.
"Just wait until you visit the Spirit World again." Knight said, "While you were in labor, before I left I mean, the other spirits were crowding around the reflecting mirror to watch the delivery."
"I'm sure they'll be fighting over who gets to hold the babies first." Lucy chuckled.
"Of that I have no doubt." Knight said as he handed the babies over to Lucy, gently laying them down on the mattress in between their parents.
"Are you leaving?" Lucy asked.
"Aye." Knight said, "Although I can stay in the human world longer than my fellow spirits, even I have my limits."
Knight gently traced his finger over Lucy's hand, creating a glowing glyph on her skin.
"However, if you need me, channel your magic into this glyph and I'll be here at a moment's notice; you won't have to use my keys to summon me." Knight said.
"There is a nurse at the desk down the hall as well and I'm pretty sure Wendy and Porlyusica are camped somewhere out in the hall…along with the rest of the guild I'm sure."
"Thank you." Lucy said, "For everything."
"No need to thank me Lucy. It's both my duty and an honor to serve you." Knight said, "To serve you and your family."
"Family…" Lucy said as she once again kissed her children, "Family…Knight, if it's okay, I'm going to pass out now."
"Get your rest." Knight said, "I'll see you soon."
Lucy mumbled the closing of Knight's gate and before the light took him away, Knight watched as Lucy snuggled closer to her children; a smile on her lips.
XXXX
Knight lay on his back, eyes focused on the star lit sky of the Celestial Spirit Realm above. Beside him, Katsumi lay with her head resting on Knight's chest. Knight slowly rubbed his thumb in a circular motion across his wife's shoulder while Katsumi mimicked the motion with her finger on his chest. Their nude bodies lay intertwined beneath the sheets of their bed and both spirits enjoyed the feeling their warm skin against the other.
The moment Knight had returned to the Spirit World, Knight had been dragged into a celebration in honor of the birth of the twins. The party had dragged on into the early morning hours-well, Spirit World hours to be precise-and just when Knight thought he was ready for bed, Katsumi had treated him to a post celebratory love making session.
"To think that so much has happened after a year…" Katsumi gently muttered.
"Aye." Knight replied, "To think that so much has happened since I was awoken."
"If it weren't for Natsu and Lucy…I'd still be in that cave."
Knight looked down to Katsumi as she looked at him.
"I owe them everything. And I'll do anything to protect them and their children." Knight said.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you…my knight." Katsumi said with a giggle while Knight rolled his eyes at the pun before kissing her softly.
Both husband and wife could feel sleep tugging at the edges of their senses. Prompted by this, Knight pulled the covers even further over him and his wife.
"I love you…Takeshi loves you…Natsu and Lucy love…and I have no doubt those children will come to love you." Katsumi said.
"We're all proud of you Knight…we really are." Katsumi said as sleep overtook her.
"I'm glad." Knight said, "I'm glad to hear that."
And then like his wife, he embraced the veil of sleep.
XXXX
But in the back of Knight's mind, a voice whispered to him in his dreams. When he would awake the next morning, he would not remember the voice.
He would not remember the familiar, sweet and sultry voice laced in amusement.
He would not remember the voice of Fate.
"Igneel and Lilly Dragneel." Fate said, "When the time comes, they will have a large role to play in future events."
Fate giggled her usual giggle.
"And you'll be at their side, sharing in their pain and suffering, their joy and triumph. For you will have your own role to fill Knight…one that I'm excited to see play out."
XXXX
A/N: Well ladies and gentlemen, what do you think? This took me a while to work on but I was finally able to crank it out. Better late than never eh? I once again apologize at how late this chapter was and intend to update this as the month goes on. This chapter was shorter than the previous ones and I apologize if this chapter in particular seemed subpar compared to my previous works. The consequences of writers block and working on this story after such a lengthy period of time.
Still, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter none the less and I'll bring back the action in the next update as we see Knight tackle a new challenge that concerns not himself but…his equipment and his powers as a Paladin.
I am going to work on "When the END comes" next and then bounce on back to this like I stated in the A/N. I'm really excited to getting back into working on these two stories so I hope you guys will tag along with me.
Next time; CHAPTER 5: Refit and Rearm
As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.
Until next time; read, review, happy reading and most importantly; HAPPY READING