New Bartender

Chapter 14

"Business, with me?" asked Lucy.

We were now inside the hotel room that Team Natsu was sharing. Both Lucy and Yukino were sitting across from each other. Natsu had a sower expression and was standing, with Wendy, behind the chair. Wendy was curious, looking at Yukino but trying not to be too obvious. I stood between Mary and Natsu. I was a bit more relaxed since Mary was sitting near Yukino. I trusted Mary's judgment, so I wasn't worried. The tension between them was obvious, but it wasn't like they were going to kill each other. They had a lot to catch up on, but that would have to wait.

"Yes. I have important business with you Lucy-sama." Yukino still had that lifeless expression like earlier.

Natsu was still being suspicious. "What's Saber trying to pull?"

I simply slap him behind the head. "Shut up, Natsu." Wendy had looked at Natsu nervously and gently said. "Natsu-san… Why don't we at least listen to what she has to say?"

Yukino had started putting something on the table. "This may be a bold request, but… These… The Key of the Paired Fish and the Key of the Heavenly Scales… I'd like for you to take the two of these, Lucy-sama."

Two gold keys laid there. One with to fish surrounding the Pisces sigil with and anchor for the teeth. The other had a framed handle with pearl like deigns having an omega as the teeth. I had never looked at Celestial Gate keys before, so seeing them was rather impressive.

Of course everybody else looked shocked. Lucy was a bit more nervous. "Eh!?"

"Yukino, you can't!" said Mary.

"I agree with Mary. I can't take them."

"When I saw you on the first day, I decided… That after the games had ended, I would give you these keys."

"The games haven't ended yet, have they?" He was looking as if he was trying to remember. I simply slapped him behind the head again. "Hey!"

"My games have ended." Said Yukino solemnly. "Minerva-sama will probably be added in my place. With this, the 'Strongest 5' that changed Sabertooth have been gathered."

"So then…" started Happy. "You weren't part of them…?" continued Carla.

"I had just entered… I was nothing more than a substitute for Minerva-sama, who was in the middle of a job." Yukino's statement egged me a little. She was being depressing, saying that she was a substitute. I wonder what had happened with their guild.

"But why? These are your precious Stellar Spirits, aren't they?" asked Wendy.

"Precisely for that reason… These Stellar Spirits will be happier, as well, if they're entrusted to Lucy-sama, who's a far more outstanding Stellar Spirit mage than me."

Lucy was still being nervous and raised her hands. "That's quite a happy request but… I mean for me-"

"You've already gathered 10 of the 12 Golden Keys of the Zodiac." Interupted Yukino having a lot more conviction in her voice. "With these two added, The 12 Keys will have all been gathered. The gateway that changes the world will open."

That doesn't sound good…

"The gateway that changes the world?" asked Lucy.

"It's just an old legend." She started looking down again. "I don't understand the meaning of it either. You might have already noticed this, but over the past several years, the number of Stellar Spirit mages has dropped precipitously. There was that Zentopia incident some time ago, as well."

"Eh?" asked Natsu.

"There was a scandal with the Zentopia church, two years ago. A Bishop had been controlling the Pope, and was trying to resurrect an ancient magic. Stellar mages literally had their contracts cut off and couldn't use celestial keys again. What's worse, is that all who can use Stellar Spirits were descended of him."

"Oh my." said Wendy.

"We were lucky that some of the church noticed the corruption and stopped the scheme knowing what would happen if the plan succeeded."

"We might be the only Stella Spirit mages left, now." Agreed Yukino ten looked back at Lucy. "You're one that loves and is loved by Stellar Spirits. You should carry the 12 keys and walk together with the spirits."

There was a moment of silence between Lucy and Yukino. Yukino was looking down waiting for her expected answer. Lucy was also looking down with a guilty but thoughtful expression. Yukino and I were looking at each other. We both knew the implications have having all 12 of the zodiac, but we also thought of Yukino. She was quite literally giving up her magic to someone she didn't even know and looked resigned to it.

Then Lucy came to a decision. "I can't accept them, after all…" This had surprised Yukino. "Stellar Spirit magic is a magic of bonds and trust. There's no way that owners can be switched quite so easily." Explained Lucy. Yukino then mumbled something I couldn't make out.

"Eh?"

"No… I figured you would say that." Yukino got out of her seat with a small smile. "When the time comes, the 12 keys will naturally be reunited again." Her smile disappeared when she and turned around and headed to the door. Yukino only stopped to look back at Mary, then me, then back at Mary again. That's when she looked down again. "…It was nice to see you again Mary-sama." And dashed out the room door.

"Yuki…" Mary called out. She had started getting out of her seat, but then sat back down, still looking at the door. Realizing she was already gone, Mary lowered her head. I moved closer and put a hand over her shoulder.

"Well, I'm going to have a bath" Said Carla, heading to the shower.

"OK!" said Happy.

"NOT WITH YOU!" And Carla scratched Happy's face. I wince in sympathy for the cat.

"Wait for me Carla!" Wendy ran after her. Lucy followed them.

"Now just wait a second!"

That left Me, Mary, Natsu, and a sulking Happy around the table.

"Hey Mary, you okay?" asked Natsu. He had only started noticing Mary now that Yukino had gone.

"Would you like a fish…?" asked Happy. How he got a hold that: I had no idea.

Mary gave no response so I answered for her. "She's fine Happy… It's just that Yukino used to be a close friend of hers.

"Really?" asked Happy surprised. Natsu had a similar expression.

"Yeah… Mary actually used to be a part of Sabertooth."

…

…

…

"WHAT!?" exclaimed Natsu and Happy, their jaws hanging low.

"You just caught on to this!?"

"Christopher!"

"…You know Yukino was actually being rather nice…" This seemed to make Natsu go into thought. Frankly I never thought Natsu had the brain capacity to do so, but there he was: thinking. And he actually came up with something. "That's it, I've decided." Natsu said with a happy grin.

"Decided what?"

"I'm going to go apologize." And started running out the door.

"Ai sir!" exclaimed Happy following him out. Then immediately came back and shouted toward the bathroom. "Carla! Me and Natsu are going to go apologize to Yukino!" Then went back out again.

I figured we should follow them. Mary needed to talk to Yukino, and I wasn't sure Natsu wouldn't get into trouble. "Come on Mary, you two need to talk as well…" Mary wouldn't budge curling up in the chair. "Mary, come on…" I shake her shoulder.

"Leave me alone…"

I sigh and do something which she'll probably get back at me for.

"W- Wah!? CHRIS PUT ME DOWN!"

"OI! WAIT UP!" "WAIT!" Called Happy and Natsu seeing Yukino down the street.

"US TOO!"

"CHRIS, PUT ME DOWN!"

Yukino had turned around to see us. "Natsu… Happy… Mary… Sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Name's Chris." Then Mary bonked me on the head. "Ow, Mary!" I was clutching my head and looking at her.

"Don't you ever use telekinesis on me again!" She was downright angry for being carried like that.

"Natsu…" Happy urged.

"Ah… Sorry, sorry. You're not a bad person." He was rubbing the back of his head and had a large smiling mouth. Yukino looked rather shocked to see Natsu apologize.

"You see, Natsu has made up his mind that you were a bad person just because you were in Sabertooth. That's why he came here to like this to apologize." Explained Happy

"Apologize?"

"My bad."

"So lightly!" exclaimed Happy "Sorry. But even with this, Natsu's grown up a little bit."

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

Yukino mumbled "All this trouble of chasing me for that…?"

"Hey! Don't forget about us!" I found this as a good time to join in. Honestly Natsu was acting like an idiot and we needed to have a word in. Mary needed to say something. Her guilt was starting to get depressing, and I wanted to help. This wasn't the sort of thing you just get over and forget.

I turned back to Mary, took her closer to Yukino, and gave some encouragement "…Okay Mary, you can do this."

"Y-Yuki… I also want to apologize…" stated Mary "If Chris hadn't taken me to see you… I would have regretted it." Her speech was stating to go faster. "I left you there in that… guild… and… I have no excuse… That night I was selfish… I wanted to escape… and I didn't take you with me…" Tears were beginning to flow from her beautiful face. "I was your best friend and I abandoned you… I-I-"

That's where Yukino interrupted her. "No… I'm sorry." I looked at Natsu. He looked as confused as I was.

Yukino was crying and fell on her knees. Mary looked at her former friend with red eyes. "I can't… I can't take it anymore. Mary you were right! You were right about everything! The guild was a horrible place! I had always looked up to Sabertooth, and I'm not allowed in anymore."

"Huh?" said Natsu. Mary ran to hug her tight and Yukino embrassed her just as tight crying on her shoulder.

"Just from that one loss… I was forced out. I was forced to be naked in front of the whole guild… And I had to erase the guild stamp with my own hand…" This gave me and Natsu a shocked expression.

Her voice crescendo, "IT WAS SO HUMILIATEING…! MY SELF RESPECT AND MEMORIES OF THE GUILD WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED…! EVERTHING OF SABERTOOTH I THAT THOGUHT WAS GOOD… SHATTERED… AND DESPITE ALL OF THAT, I DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO RETURN TO…" Mary just hugged her tighter as she cried.

Anger… That was all Natsu and I felt in that moment. Natsu was the only one able to have words. "Sorry, I don't know how things are at other guilds, but…" His hands were clentched and shakeing at Yukino's injustice. "Though it may be another guild, if you say that 'we're both mages' then I understand. I understand the bitterness of being humiliated and you guild stamp erased. A GUILD THAT WOULD MAKE ITS NAKAMA CRY… THAT'S NOT A GUILD AT ALL."

Yukino looked at Natsu for a moment hearing the word 'nakama.' She was still red from crying. That's when Natsu turned around and started walking off. I knew exactly where he was going. I knew exactly why he was going. And I knew I exactly what he was going to do.

"…Wait up. I'm coming too." I called and turned to follow.

"Chris?" called Mary. I couldn't see her but I knew she was looking at me.

"Mary. Take Yukino back to the hotel. I'll take the floor tonight."

"Chris… Where are you going?" she asked. I could hear the fear in her voice. She knew exactly what I was doing. "Wait- Chris no!"

I spun around, righteous fury boiled like a cauldron over a bonfire, and yelled. "IT WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE THE ONE'S THAT MADE YOU RUN AWAY! IT'S EVEN WORSE THAT YOUR FRIEND WAS STRIPPED AND KICKED OUT! I'M NOT GOING TO STAND FOR THIS AND I'M GONNA GIVE 'EM A PIECE OF MY MIND!"

"DON'T! CHRIS HE'LL KILL YOU!" Unfortunately I knew exactly who she was talking about.

"Please… Mary… Let me do this." I felt ashamed. This was the first time I ever yelled at Mary. But I have to do this. There was no way I'm just going to let it go.

She didn't move. She bowed her head, her entire body shivered. Yukino was the one comforting her now. She also knew Mary's heritage and was glaring at me. Her gaze didn't hold she was focusing more on Mary.

I turn around and follow Natsu who had stopped to watch my little spas attack. His brows were crunched, focusing on me. I walked pass him.

"…Your eyes… They're green again." stated Natsu.

I stopped and looked in a window. You know when you look through a window you see a faded reflection of yourself. Well I could see my silhouette in the darkened glass but there was an oddity. I could see my eyes, the iris' glowing a malevolent green. They were distinctive from my shadowy figure. I didn't even flinch.

"Later. We have ass to kick."

"Now where's Sabertooth staying?"

…

…

…

I'm glad I still have the brochure on me.

(Author's Note)

Hey everyone sorry for not updating in so long, I was busy with other things. I'm sorry to say updates won't be as fast now, and I'm thinking of doing another story. Think I should do it? Let me know I'll have a poll on my profile. Until next time.