XIV. Loopholes

Lucy nervously shuffled along busy Magnolia marketplace, clutching Natsu's bag in her hands and jumping every time she accidentally bumped into anyone. How could Natsu expect this of her? It was one thing poking around Magnolia with him at her side, but entirely alone Lucy was a wreck. She felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack. There were so many people here, none of whom she knew nor would consider particularly friendly-looking.

She thought back to their hurried conversation at Fairy Queen Palace, just after Evergreen had left for her protection duty at Raijinshuu Castle. He'd pulled her aside and shoved the purse full of jewels in her hands, much to her astonishment.

"What is this - ?"

"Listen, Lucy, you have to go shopping for Mira," Natsu interrupted her urgently. "I can't go with you since Mira'll be working on my suit. She's working with Elfman's suit today too - since I 'accidentally' ripped it up last night - and I've got Happy on Lisanna duty. But you have to go buy a dress and stuff for Mira so she can go to the ball. Use that money."

"Natsu! I thought we already established that Mirajane can't go to the ball, no matter what we do! Besides, didn't you make Lisanna a promise that you wouldn't interfere anymore?"

"I told her that I wouldn't do anything," Natsu corrected slyly, "but I said absolutely nothing about you. C'mon, if you won't do it for me, at least do it for Mirajane. You know she deserves to go to this ball thing, and I've got it all planned out so nobody ever has to know she went."

Lucy sighed, turning the corner. Natsu surely didn't think that no one would notice Mirajane at the ball, did he? Even if it was a masquerade. And this wasn't nearly enough money to cover all the expenses...Lucy had only purchased shoes and a cute little bracelet she thought Mirajane would like, and already the funds were barely enough to pay for a dress and mask. Who was going to do her makeup? Her hair? And what about transportation?

Screeching to a stop, Lucy looked around the street. With a horrifying sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized that she had no idea where she was. Of course, just another thing for her to worry about!

She spotted a tall blonde man loitering at the barrier that ran along the canal and decided to ask him for directions to the nearest dress shop.

"E-excuse me," she said, tapping on his shoulder. He turned and gave Lucy the most menacing glare she had ever seen, magnified by the jagged scar that ran down his face. Lucy immediately regretted selecting him and was about to dodge out of the conversation, but the man had already taken off his headphones and was looking at her expectantly.

"What do you want?"

"I was just wondering...do you know where I can buy a nice dress? I don't live in Magnolia, so I have absolutely no idea where to go..."

The man snorted. "Good luck finding a place that isn't already cleaned out. You do realize that the ball's tonight, right?"

"Yeah..." Lucy sighed in disappointment. "I was just wondering on the off chance that there was a good dress...you see, mine got ruined so I, um, don't have anything to wear..."

The man considered her for a moment, then shrugged. "Bisca's Boutique is around that corner, if you want something cheap. She's from out West though, so her clothes are pretty strange sometimes. Or," he grinned maliciously, "I'm sure that there's a dress at Raijinshuu Castle that you can have for free. If you'll be my date to the ball."

"Raijinshuu Castle?" Lucy repeated, startled. "Wait, who exactly are you?"

"I'd expect you to know that at least, even if you aren't from Magnolia," the man scoffed. "I'm Laxus Dreyar, or some people know me as the Lightning Dragonslayer."

"Dragonslayer!" Lucy gasped.

"I can see you've heard of them," Laxus grinned cockily, "but back to the matter at hand. What d'you say? Be my girl, and I'll give you a dress."

Lucy contemplated this for a moment, but shook her head. "No, thanks. I'll just stop by Bisca's and see what I can find. I...think I already have a date," she added, her thoughts wandering to Natsu. He'd never officially asked her to the ball, of course, but he'd insinuated that they were going together. Definitely not as a couple, but as...what was that word he'd used? Oh, right - nakama.

"Your loss," Laxus shrugged, turning back to the water and putting on his headphones, which were blaring rock music. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy saw a flash of what looked like green fabric; then she remembered that Evergreen was one of the Raijinshuu, the guard dedicated solely to the purpose of serving Laxus.

Without a backward glance, she sped in the direction that Laxus had indicated and eventually found Bisca's Boutique, a quaint little shop that consisted mainly of cowboy hats, cowboy boots, and colorful bandannas. Lucy didn't feel confident as she walked inside, but Bisca, the owner, was very helpful and eventually found her a dress that Lucy thought was almost identical to the one that Mirajane had been creating. Perhaps she had even based her design on this one?

"You want it fitted, hon?" the green-haired shop owner inquired in her soft Southern drawl as she tenderly removed the dress form the mannequin.

"No, I'm picking it up for a friend," Lucy explained, shaking her head. "We'll do all the fitting when I get home. And, um...do you know where I could get a mask to match this? I don't really know my way around very well..."

Bisca immediately flushed, and at first Lucy thought she'd made her upset. But once the cowgirl's violent blush began to fade and she regained the ability to articulate, she said, "Yes, just go right across the street to Alzack's Accessories and he'll get you all settled 'n such."

Lucy raised her eyebrows and took the box that the gown was neatly folded in. "Thanks so much for all your help, Bisca."

"No problem, please come again," Bisca said. "Oh, a-and Lucy?"

"Yes?"

"When you go to Alzack's, could you...could you mention to him that Bisca sent you?"

Lucy gave the scarlet-faced cowgirl a sideways smile, her prior suspicions confirmed. "Sure, no problem. Have a nice day!"

"Yeah," Bisca muttered, twisting a bit of green hair around her finger. "You too, Lucy."

Alzack's Accessories & Ammunition was much like Bisca's Boutique: merchandise with a Western flair and something to attract both the potential male and female clientele, as Lucy had seen more than one gun on display at Bisca's. Alzack, an quiet cowboy, was equally kind and shy as his neighbor. When Lucy mentioned Bisca's name, she noticed that he became a tad too interested in the pistol he was inspecting.

Lucy made her way around the store until she found a lacy pink mask dotted with glittering garnets in hand. It worked with Mirajane's dress flawlessly; Lucy wouldn't have been surprised to learn that Alzack and Bisca had worked on the designs together. Now all she needed was the pièce de résistance, the final touch that would tie everything together.

After several minutes of aimless meandering, she eventually found it: a teardrop-shaped sapphire on a golden chain. It was so pretty, and even though it didn't match seamlessly with Mirajane's outfit, Lucy had a feeling that it would work somehow.

She was about to reach for it when another necklace beside it caught her eye. It was a thick golden chain supporting a large ornate key that had the appearance of a crustacean and the Zodiac symbol for Cancer.

Lucy gasped, remembering what Jose had said about the golden keys, that they were special and powerful, that you didn't need to be a Celestial mage to use them, that they carried the soul of a cursed person.

That there were only twelve in existence.

Lucy called Alzack over, gesturing to the key. "What is this?" she asked, peering at it more closely through the glass.

"That's a necklace I got a while ago," Alzack said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Some guy gave it to me and told me it was one of a kind, and that it used to belong to Queen Layla Heartphilia of Love and Lucky. I didn't really believe that, but it still looked pretty cool and it turned out to be real gold. So I bought it from him. Why, are you a Cancer?"

"Yeah," Lucy said absently, her heart sinking as she looked at the price. She had enough money to pay for it right now, but it would clean her out entirely. If she bought Cancer's key, then she wouldn't be able to buy the sapphire necklace or pay for Mirajane to get her hair and makeup done. Besides, it wasn't even her money. It was Natsu's, he earned it, and he'd told her what to buy with it.

But...it was a Zodiac key! There were only twelve in existence! And, if Alzack's information was right, it had belonged to her mother. Lucy couldn't bare the thought of it dangling uselessly from somebody's throat. What about that poor soul trapped inside? How long had it been hibernating, waiting for someone to come and release it from it's quarantine? Lucy remembered being trapped in the tower for every day of her life; was Cancer experiencing that right now?

"Alzack, can I get you to hold this key for me?" Lucy inquired.

But Alzack shook his head. "Sorry, Lucy, I ain't holdin' nothin' for no one. It ain't fair for other people who might want that key, in my opinion."

"Right," Lucy sighed. "Well...I guess...I'll get the neck - the key! I'll get the key!"

Alzack gave her a strange look as he went behind the counter and extracted Cancer's key. Lucy almost threw up as she handed him Natsu's money, she felt so guilty. But surely Natsu would understand? And, besides, some of the money did belong to her. Lyra had done a good deal to help Natsu out. Happy had said they'd earned twice as much as they usually did, after all.

She walked out of Alzack's Accessories & Ammunition with a light purse and a heavy heart, desperately hoping that Natsu would see things her way.