I'm really sorry about not updating in like a year! A year! Really sorry about that y'all, I've been so busy with my life. And now I'm going to start updating more on this story because of your support and applause for my ideas. Thank you for being a great reader and thank you for still being a follower and fan of this story. Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL

ALL CHARACTERS AND STORY ARCS BELONG TO MASHIMA HIRO

The walk to Gai's and Misaki's home was supposedly a long one, but it really didn't feel like one. Misaki loved to talk about random things like her day, her likes and her dislikes, her village and its qualities.

The time passed by so quick by chatting, I was amazed when Gai said we had finally arrived. We stopped at a white brick wall with a wood gate conneted to it, blocking anyone 's path to their home, which was a cottage.

Their cottage was beautiful. It wasn't too big, but not too small either. In fact, it was the perfect size. It was a two-story white home with stained glass windows with iron bars across them in a diamond pattern. The second story walls were white and the first story walls had beige and brown bricks. There was blue wood bordering each of the windows and had a blue oak door. The roof was a nice gray-blackish color with two red brick chimneys coming out of it.

There was beautiful flowers surrounding the cottage as well. Yellow sunflowers, purple daisies, white roses, red tulips, and bluebells were the eye-catching attraction to anybody and everybody who passed this wonderful home.

I watched as Gai reached into his right pocket and pulled out a bronze key. Then, he pushed it into the lock on the gate door and I heard a click after he turned it. He then pulled the key out of the lock and pushed the doors open, causing Misaki to slipped pass and run to the front door of the cottage.

"After you," Gai said with a smile and a hand politely extended out to gesture to go inside the gate.

I smiled and thanked the old man as I walked pass him and into the gates to look at the surroundings of the home.

It really was such a beautiful cottage. I hoped to get one like this someday for my family. Maybe Natsu will like...Stop it, Lucy.

I mentally shook off my thoughts when suddenly the world arounds me goes black. Literally. I looked up to see some white, fluffy hair above me; next thing I knew, I'm on the ground, gasping for air, with something extremely heavy on me

"Madison! No, don't do that to guests!" Gai scolded. "Daddy! Don't yell at Maddie!" Misaki yelled.

I breathed in the air back into my lungs as the thing was ripped off of me. I slowly stood up and rubbed my back to relieve the cramping pain. Then, I put my hands on my lower back, pushed with medium strength, and sighed in relief as I felt my spine go back into place.

"Maddie's very sorry, Lucy-neechan!" I heard Misaki said.

I looked to see what in the world knocked the wind out of me, and it was a giant brown, black, and white Saint Bernard, panting with its long pink tongue out.

"Misaki, I told you to tied her up in the backyard," Gai said with his hands on his hips and a frown on his face. "But Daddy, she doesn't like that!" Misaki said with tiny tears in the corners of her big eyes.

Gai sighed in defeat and turned to me. "I'm very sorry about that, Miss Heartfilia," he said. I laughed as I waved my hand back and forth. "It's really not a problem, Gai," I said.

I looked over at the tiny girl and giant beast. I walked over to the beast and squatted down to its eye level. "No problem here, right Maddie?" I said with a smile, but then it turn to a frown of disgust as I felt something wet and slimy on the majority of my face. The beast licked my face.

"No! Madison!"

After that little meeting, we settled inside their cottage and now was having some cocoa in their living room.

The inside was as beautiful as the outside. In their living room, a big, beige floral rug with brown, red, and green flowers of various sizes cover the entire floor.

There were two red fabric love seats with a paisley pattern located on the west side of the living room. In between them, there was a small darkwood coffee table with a decorative iron bar lamp and a couple of black coasters.

On the south side of the room, there was a brown leather couch with red pillows with the same pattern as the love seats. On the right of the couch, there was a cabinet table with the same iron bar lamp and more black coasters.

And finally, on the north side of the room, there was a small flat screen television and a red brick fireplace with a fire currently burned.

The rest of the room had decorative furnishings and decorative artwork and family photographs on the walls.

I sat on the couch with Misaki while Gai sat in one of the love seats. Maddie was lying down in front of the fireplace, sleeping. "So, Miss Heartfilia, tell us about yourself," Gai said with a smile on his face.

I laughed nervously. "Well, what can I say?" I asked with a blush as I rubbed the back of my head.

"Anything! What kind of magic do you use? How long have you been in your guild? What kind of adventures do you have?" Gai said.

I pondered for a moment. "Well, I use celestial magic. I can summon spirits," I started.

"Spirits?" Misaki chimed in. "Yep, I have fourteen keys," I stated proudly. "Amazing! Not very common to see a celestial Mage nowadays. Do you have any of the Zodiac?" Gai asked.

"Yes, I do. In fact, the majority of my keys are Zodiac," I said.

"Really?! How many?" Misaki asked, but I can sort of tell that she has no idea what's going on. "Nine," I said. "Wow! Not only a celestial Mage, but one with almost every Zodiac key!" Gai said as he picked up our coffee mugs to put them in the sink in the kitchen.

He turned a corner and I heard a bit of clanking from the mugs. Then he came back from the corner and sat back down. "I have another question," he said. "Shoot," I replied. "Why did you take this mission solo?" He asked.

I froze at the question as soon as it came out. "W-Well...Umm...My team is always destroying stuff on mission, so I can't get my rent money. So, I thought that I needed to go a mission solo this time," I lied as I laugh nervously.

"I see," Gai said believing it. But, what I didn't notice was Misaki looking at me with an intense look in her eyes.

For those who are will probably question about Lucy only having nine keys, remember that after Edolas, the manga went into the Tenrou arc and Grimrose Heart attack. Capricorn was part of the guild before Loke saved him. In my story, they haven't had the exam yet.