This story is just flowing so nicely now, that I just want to get this chapter posted and get started on the next one. Enjoy...

Disclaimer... I do not own Fairy Tail.


Chapter 7


Later At Minerva's Place...

Lucy's POV

As I let go of Minerva I stepped back a little from her and held out my staff and said "Grow" and my staff returned to it's original size.

"Now let me show you something really cool, you're gonna love this," I said as I released my staff and it hovered off the floor. "Release," I commanded with a smile.

Upon my command my staff glowed a light golden color and started to crack. First it was a small crack at the bottom, but then the crack quickly grew and moved all the way up to the top of the staff, releasing a bright white light along the crack. Then my staff shattered into pieces, seventeen in total. Each piece glowed a different color, creating a rainbow effect in Minerva's living room. When the pieces finished glowing, they each piece took the shape of ten golden keys, five silver keys, a pink pendant and a large sword in it's scabbard.

"That's it! You'll have to do better than that to impress me," Minerva said with a smile.

"Okay... I promise it gets better," I said as I looked at Minerva and playfully stuck out my tongue. "Come forth my friends," I said with a big grin.

All fifteen of my keys glowed different colors and the room became blindingly bright for a few seconds, when the light died down, standing before us were all my spirits with big smiles and grins on their faces.

"How's that Onee-chan," I said with a laugh as Minerva's jaw hit the floor. "Impressed yet... if not there's more a whole lot more."

"Okay, maybe I'm a little impressed, but it's not possible for any human to summon so many spirits as once. How are you doing it?" Minerva said as looked at all the spirits in front of her.

"Ah that's easy... we modified our contracts to allow me to summon them at will without activating my keys. So in other words they give up a little freedom and in exchange they gain more power and they also have the ability to move freely now without being summoned. They can even call each other out if they feel the need. That was the only way to get Aquarius to agree," I laughed.

"You may be wondering how I can do that. Well, all Celestial mages use their own power to summon and keep a spirit in this world. So it's a Hugh drain on the mage's magic to keep a spirit out for any length of time. To keep out several spirits at once is extremely difficult and very few mages can do it, but I realized something when I was training with Master Jiemma and that is, that I don't have to use my own power to summon and keep my spirits with me. I can use the magic that's all around us to give them the power that they need to stay here," I said happily.

"There is a catch though, the more spirits I bring forth the weaker they become. But they are still stronger than they used to be because of this new power source. Thanks to this new source of power, I can now use my original power freely, cool huh! I can now fight along side my spirits without hurting them or relying on them to protect them. Now I can protect them," I said as I smiled and walked over to my spirits. "Hi everyone, sorry about the wait."

"Mushi-Mushi"

"Punishment Princess!"

"We!"

"My Lady"

"Princess"

"Hi," everyone said.

"So my Lady you look very happy. Must be thanks to Lady Minerva there," Capricorn said with a small smile and a bow to Minerva. "Thank you my Lady."

"Lucy! why do they all keep thanking me and bowing to me," Minerva said.

"Let me answer that," said Capricorn as he looked at Minerva. "Because you hold a special place in your heart for our Lucy and we in turn hold you in ours. Also some of us know you very well, am I right Aquarius?"

"Yes, Minerva-chan is precious to us too," Aquarius said as she moved past Lucy, pushing her to the floor. "Out of my way or I'll drown you," she said as she hugged Minerva.

"Aquarius stop that this instant and get back here now," roared Loki. "Save that for another day. By the way, if you harm Lucy you will answer to me."

"Fine, but I'll never respect that cry baby," Aquarius said as she released Minerva and returned to her companions.

"What the hell was that all about?" asked Minerva as she looked to me for answers. I shrugged my shoulders... I had none.

"Aquarius, someday you will have to explain why you hate me so much, but for now I have a favor to ask of you all," I said as I walked up to my friends and pulled them into a huddle.

Minerva's POV

'What was that all about? It felt really familiar, almost like I've met that fish before... very weird,' I thought to myself. I stared at Lucy and her spirits who seem to be deep in discussion about something. Time seems to have stood still and I'm starting to feel a little left out...

"How much longer is this going to take?" I asked as I was starting to get frustrated with all this waiting.

"Sorry about that Onee-chan," Lucy said as she looked back at me. "So are we all in agreement then?" she said to her friends.

"YES!" they all said in unison.

"Thank you my friends... you may leave now," she said as she walked back to me.

"We'll see you both very soon," said Loki as they all disappeared in a blinding flash of light.

Lucy held out her hand and said "Reform," and all of the pieces of her staff glowed a brilliant yet bright gold color for a few moments and when the light died down her staff was whole again. It then floated into her hand and she rested it on the floor. She then looked at me with a big smile, "So how was that?... Impressed yet?" she said with a grin.

"Okay! that wasn't to bad at all, but what was up with that fish she doesn't seem to like you very much?" I said.

"Hmmm! Aquarius! I have no idea why she hates me. I know she was my Mother's spirit along with Cancer and Capricorn... perhaps I did something to her when I was little. I don't know what it is, but she seems to like you though," Lucy said with a confused look on her face as she handed me her staff.

"What's this for?" I said. Now I was confused.

"Let's try an experiment shall we. I want you to close your eyes and focus your mind on a single thought... that thought, is to gather your magic in one place and let it build up," Lucy said as I concentrated. "Can you feel it gathering?"

"Yes!" I said. "What am I supposed to do with this gathered magic."

"Repeat after me... "Open the gate of the water bearer! Aquarius!"" she said.

"Open the gate of the water bearer! Aquarius!" I said not quite knowing what would happen or even why I was doing this. At that moment I felt a large drain on my magic. It was as if I had been fighting all out for an hour. The strain on my body was immense and I felt like I would soon pass out. Then I heard a door bell ring and saw a flash of light and there before me stood Aquarius.

"AHHH! Finally, I'm where I belong," Aquarius said as she quickly caught me as I slowly fell to the floor from the strain of the summon. "Master, I have you."

"It worked, I knew it would," Lucy said with a big smile. "Minerva, even though it was faint, the moment I bought out my friends, I could sense Celestial Magic emanating from you. Even my friends could feel it. So we tried our little experiment and it worked."

"What are you saying Lucy, I'm not a Celestial mage... and you, get your slimy paws of me," I said as I pushed the big fish of me. "What the hell is going on here Lucy?"

"I don't know Minerva, but I've felt it ever since I showed up at Sabertooth earlier today... we have some sort of connection and I think your father knows something. I remember one day early in my training with him. He beat me up pretty bad and Loki and Virgo came out to protect me from him. He got really mad at me because of that and said, "your weak just like your sister." I didn't pay any attention to it then but now I think there may be something to what he said... it's just a gut feeling, perhaps it's nothing," Lucy said as she helped me to my feet.

I was about to say something to her when the room glowed again and a goat like creature appeared before us.

"Capricorn, what are you doing here again?" Lucy asked.

"Sorry my Lady, but I have a story to tell you. When Lady Minerva summoned Aquarius, I knew for sure who she was then. Lucy-sama... Minerva-sama is your older sister," Capricorn said.

"WHAT!" we both said.

"How is that possible? I hate my father, but I know he's my father," I said as I held unto Lucy for support.

"Minerva, please close your gate. Sorry Aquarius, it's stressing her body to much. Minerva say "Close Gate"" Lucy said with concern in her voice.

"Close Gate!" I said and Aquarius disappeared. It felt like a weight had been lifted of my shoulders. "Wow! that was intense!"

"Isn't it... we'll work on your stamina during training. Just a second, what were you saying Capricorn?" Lucy said.

"Lucy, not long after your Mother and Father came to Earthland, about twenty-seven years ago, they had a beautiful daughter. I believe Layla-sama said they came here so that they could raise their child in peace and away from the prying eyes on their world. She never spoke about who they were or where they were from, just that they wanted to get things right this time. I don't know what she meant by that, but they were so happy and Jude-sama named his daughter Layla after her mother. Anyway about three years later there was a fire at their old house and several staff died, along with Layla and Jude-sama's daughter Layla. Four years later they were both still pretty devastated and probably about to give up on life when they found out that Layla was pregnant again," Capricorn said as he looked at the two girls holding on to one another.

The room was silent, not a sound could be heard except for the clock on the wall, ticking it's hypnotic beat, when Lucy spoke up, "Please continue Capricorn."

"Very well Lucy-sama. At this time both Jude and Layla-sama were broke and working jobs that neither liked. So they decided to join a guild to make money and the guild they joined was Love & Lucky, the merchant's guild. There, they made money and they also made many contacts that Jude-sama later used to build his empire. They also met Jiemma Orlando and he and Jude-sama became friends when Jiemma saved Layla-sama from a sneak attack one day. A few months later Jude and Layla-sama left the guild and started their business... a few months later, Lucy-sama, you were born. They became very over protective of you Lucy-sama, almost to the point of suffocating you. But Lucy-sama, your parents loved you so much, that's why they were like that. They didn't want to loose you, they didn't want to loose another child. The rest of the story you already know," Capricorn said with a smile as he looked at both girls holding one another.

"So are you saying that Lucy and I may really be sisters.. I mean for real," I said as I looked at Lucy who had a tear in her eye and then back to Capricorn.

"Yes, I really feel that you may be Layla-sama. I don't how this is possible but I beleive that is the case," Capricorn said.

"But she my sister died in a fire, how can she be here now?" Lucy said as she wiped her eyes.

"Well, when young Layla-sama died we never found her body. The house was so badly destroyed we thought that her body was just destroyed in the fire. The weird thing is, Layla-sama for four years refused to believe her daughter was gone and now that I look at you Minerva-chan I believe she was right. I wonder if maybe you were taken and the fire set on purpose. Minerva-chan, what do you remember from your youth, what about your mother?" Capricorn asked.

"Nothing really. My earliest memory is of me and my father when I was four. I don't know who my mother was or what she looked like. My father said that my Mother died giving birth to me and when I asked to see a picture of her, he said, "all our belongings, along with our family photos were destroyed in a fire." Other than my father I never had any contact with any one untill I met Lucy, so I don't know anything about me or my family," I said as I just realized. "That sweet woman in that bed that day, who couldn't move and lovingly smiled at me, might have been my mother!"

"I remember that night now, Layla-sama slipped into a coma later that night and over the next few years she would slip in and out of it until she died in x777. When she would wake up, she would cry and ask for Lucy and Layla. We thought that she just missed her daughter so much, perhaps she was trying to tell us something," Capricorn said as he smiled at us. "Perhaps Layla-sama recognized you Minerva-chan."

"I remember Mother calling for me and Layla and dad said that she was have problems with her memory and to smile for her. So she was actually calling for my sister! HMMM! Okay, let's just say for arguments sake that Minerva is my older sister... how do we prove it," Lucy said as she leaned in and hugged Minerva.

"That would be easy. Young Layla-sama always wore a string of red pearls. She would not take them off for anyone. Not even her mother could get her to remove them, even at bath time. Layla-sama eventually gave up and let young Layla-sama have her way. I asked young Layla-sama one day why she wouldn't take them off and she said..." Capricorn said as he was interrupted by me.

"Because Grandma gave them to me," I looked at Lucy and I felt my chest tighten and my eyes start to tear up. I started to cry.

"Yes! that's exactly what young Layla-sama said. She said that her Grandma said to keep it a secret from everyone, even her mother," Capricorn said as a hint of a tear left his eyes.

"G-Grand-ma s-said, "d-don't te-ll m-momma, s-s-she w-as t-there," I said as I started to cry uncontrollably. I turned to Lucy who was now crying as well and I buried my face in her chest. "Y-you're my b-baby sister... I'm n-not a-alone any-more."

"Is this a-all true C-Capricorn, is Onee-chan-n re-ealy my real Onee-chan?" Lucy said as she patted Minerva's head and cryed with her.

"Yes! I'm sure of it now and the reason I'm sure of it, is because Aquarius said that Minerva-chan is our young Layla-sama. They were playmates as children and were inseparable. Where one went the other followed. When young Layla-sama died Aquarius was devastated, more so than anyone else, except her parents. That maybe why she hates you Lucy. I think Aquarius felt like you were a replacement for her friend or perhaps she was afraid of getting close to you and loosing another friend. Either way if Aquarius says that you are young Layla-sama, then that is who you are," Capricorn said with a smile.

"sniff... that c-creepy fish i-is my friend. I'm having sushi next t-time I see her," I said as I looked up and tried to smile.

"HAHAHA Lucy-sama that's where Aquarius got her nasty personality... Blame your older sister for that," Capricorn laughed. "I need to leave soon and speak with the Spirit King about this situation. But before I go I need you two and that blonde headed peeping tom outside your window, to keep what we have just discussed about you two being sisters, until we can figure out what happened."

I focused on Sting and teleported him inside. A moment later Sting was standing in the room by the side of Capricorn.

"You heard him right Sting. If you breath a word of what you saw here tonight I will kill you," I said as I got up to my feet and helped Lucy up as well.

"Sting-kun, we've known that you were out there the moment you showed up about two hours ago. We've been ready to pull you in here the moment we knew you were about to leave or cause a problem," Lucy said as she dried here eyes.

"How did you know?" Sting said.

"Easy, you kept looking in the window you perv... we could see your head," I said as we both laughed. "Keep this a secret... keep all of our secrets, OKAY!"

"I will, I promise," Sting said as he looked at me with concern. "Minerva what are we going to do about Master, he's obviously behind all of this."

"Don't do anything about it until I speak with the Spirit King. Just act normal around him... Understood!" Capricorn said as he looked as us for our nod of agreement.

"Agreed!" we all said in unison.

"Then I shall be going. Lucy-sama, Layla-sama..." Capricorn said as I interrupted him.

"Please! No matter what happens, call me Minerva. It's the name I've used all my life," I said.

"Very well Minerva-sama, anyway please get some rest and I'll come back tomorrow. And you young man, you better protect them both," Capricorn said as he disappeared in a flash of light.

"I will," Sting said.

"We have a lot to talk about Lucy, but I think Capricorn is right we should get some sleep. We can discuss this in the morning," I said as I smiled at Lucy.

"You're right Minerva, but what do we do with all those boxes and where will I sleep?" Lucy nervously said.

"We'll take care of that stuff in the morning. You can sleep with me for tonight," I said as I lead Lucy towards the stairs. "By the way Lucy, where did your staff go."

"Oh! I just reduced it's size and now it's hanging around my neck," Lucy said with a smirk.

"Nice trick, you gotta teach me that one," I laughed. "Sting, you're on the couch tonight... Move from there and die." I teleported him to the couch along with a pillow and blanket.

"Okay! no need to get bitchy," he said with a snarl.

"Goodnight!" we all said as we called it a night.


That was a weird chapter, I almost cried at one point there. To me... that was just weird. I think I got to involved. LoL. I hope you enjoyed it. More coming soon.