A/N: Y'all it feels so good to be back in the writing groove. Thank you so much for everyone who has read/reviewed/followed/favorited COTC, I appreciate all of you immensely! Please feel free to leave any reviews/comments/concerns/questions!
Disclaimer: Don't own Fairy Tail, nuff said.
-Child of the Cosmos-
When Virgo clawed her way to consciousness she was absolutely positive of two thing. One is that she must immediately inform Leo what had happened after she had made a contract with her new Master. Secondly is that the most delectable of punishments awaited her for her transgressions.
Lucy nearly screamed when Virgo rose as if from the dead. Mechanically the Maiden launched herself to her feet, looking down at the blonde, blinking twice and cocking her head.
"Interesting." Monotone as always, Vigo said nothing else but swiveled her head trying to locate Leo in the maze of his chambers. Virgo's eyes found Anna's still form, barely breathing in the cocoon of Leo's bed. Aquarius sat by her bedside, the look on her face daring anyone to come near. Leo materialized from the Portal behind her, an armful of Earthland food.
"Great," the Lion sounded tired and surprisingly nonchalant, "you're conscious. What catastrophe have you brought me to deal with?" Virgo blinked again, temporarily forgetting why she was here in the first place.
"Catastrophe?" She questioned, her mind working furiously. The sight of her unconscious master clouding her thinking.
"Yes well, Aquarius brought me Anna who has done who knows what with the future, and Lucy," Leo shot the spirit a look. She had been surprisingly quiet through the whole ordeal which was one thing he could be thankful for today. "I'm not quite sure what she has done, but I already know it will give me a headache." Lucy had enough in her to look indignant about that comment before she remembered why she was here in the first place and her protest turned into chagrin.
"Anna! Yes, catastrophe. I need to speak with you Big Brother." Her gaze flickered uncertainly to the other two spirits.
"At this point," Leo sighed, "they both know as much as I do. And I'm certain of both of their loyalty." At this he gave a particularly hardened stare to Lucy, who nodded fervently making a small frightened noise when Aquarius joined Leo in administering the silent threat.
"H-h-hey," she stammered nervously. "I've kept the lessons you have been giving me secret for how long?"
"Yes Leo." Aquarius hissed venomously. "How long?" She crossed her arms tightly across her chest, turning her gaze to Leo. The Lion sighed in exasperation.
"Yeah, I know mermaid. I did bad. More important things right now. You can kill me later." He was beginning to wonder just how far the little patience he had left would stretch. "What is going on Virgo?"
"Well we are now all contracted by the same Master, "she began.
*flashback*
"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" Lucy cried, channeling her magic into the gold key. With a bright flash, Virgo sprang forth from the Celestial Spirit Realm, joy sparkling in her eyes. Crossing her manacled hands before her, Virgo bowed to her new master. "Virgo, I am so sorry and I promise I will make it up to you, but I don't really have the time to make a proper contract with you. Is there any way you can help us out?" Anna's bright chocolate eyes shone hopefully. Virgo surveyed her surroundings, noticing the almost tangible tension. Turning cobalt eyes back to the Celestial Wizard, Virgo brought a hand to cover her heart and bowed again.
"Of course Princess, your wish is my command." She straightened in time to catch a flabbergasted look fly across Princess's features.
"P-prin-you know what never mind." Anna shook the weird nickname off gesturing to a crude map she had scribbled on her last page of her journal. "This is the city of Crocus. Here," Anna pointed, "is the Eclipse Gate." Virgo nodded as she peered down at the map. "We need that gate, to be here." Anna winced, realizing it was a huge request for a spirit she didn't have a contract with yet. "I was hoping you could use your Dig Magic to get it here." Virgo cocked her head she wasn't sure what all of this was for, but she could sense the others urgency and she didn't want to disappoint her new master.
"I can do it." She nodded in affirmation.
"Great!" Anna's smile was dazzling. "Now, I'm sorry, but time is of the essence…how long do you think it would take you?"
"Hmmm," Virgo put a finger to her chin in thought. "Crocus is just due south of here?" Anna nodded. "And that gate, it is rather large?" Anna smiled apologetically and nodded again. Virgo tapped her finger, calculating. "It should approximately take me 67 seconds." Anna gave her an astounded stare. "I'm sorry if that is unacceptable for you Princess..." Virgo added hastily.
"No! No, Virgo, that is better than we even imagined!" Anna gushed, hugging the Zodiac happily. Virgo was shocked at the display of physical affection and understood now why Big Brother claimed Anna was the kindest master she would ever have. "Alright guys!" She turned to the Dragons, "we have about a minute! Everyone needs to be ready!" Nods of understanding rippled through all present and Virgo felt a huge surge of magic energy. "Alright Virgo, he definitely noticed that, can you please get going?" Virgo had only a moment to admire the look of hard determination on Anna's pale face before she nodded and got to digging.
Exactly 66 seconds later, she emerged, hoisting the gate above her head and placing it down carefully. It had been a little more difficult than she thought it would be, but she was absolutely determined to make her new master happy. Dusting her uniform off, she looked back expectantly to Anna.
"Is there anything else I can do for you Princess?" Anna looked like she was about to cry and the Dragons were no longer present, though the amount of magic energy in the clearing had stayed the same.
"No Virgo, you did wonderful." Anna's voice was so warm, Virgo couldn't help the joy that blossomed in her chest. An earth rumbling roar sliced through the small moment of happiness between spirit and Wizard causing alarm in the small group of children. The tiny blue haired girl began to cry, while equally loud pink and dark haired boys whirled around to try and find something to fight. A dark and light duo stared solemnly up at the sky at the approach of wingbeats. "Virgo, I'm sorry." Anna was trying desperately to mask her panic. "You have to go, I need all the strength I have left." Virgo wanted to protest, but she knew she must honor her master's wishes.
"Very well Princess." She vaporized into the Spirit Realm as Anna began to chant out a spell, the children screaming as the roar resounded closer than before.
*end*
"When I returned to my constellation, the drain started to hit me. I lost magic power at a desperate rate." The Maiden's brows furrowed slightly. "When it relented I took a moment to try and catch my breath, then Traversed here."
"And using your magic power you used on Earthland, combined with the magic drain from whatever bonehead move Anna and the Dragons pulled caused you to pass out." Leo supplied, not caring for how everything was coming together. Virgo nodded.
"Piri-piri" Gemini chimed in, causing all of the spirits to jump, Lucy instinctively kicking in the direction the disruption came from. To her horror, her foot connected with the jaw of herself.
"AHHH!" She jumped back, pointing in alarm at the mirror image of herself. "What the hell?!" Her voice went up a few octaves and she looked wildly to the other Zodiacs in panic. Virgo was nonplussed while Leo straightened his tie and Aquarius glowered.
"Gemini," Leo's appeared slightly abashed, "I forgot you were here."
"Piri-piri!" Other Lucy chirped once more before being engulfed in a puff of smoke. Gemini took its normal form and stared up at Lucy with bulbous black eyes.
"Euughhh hi?" Lucy offered a hand.
"Piri-piri!" Was the only response.
"Riiight…..okay." Carefully arranging her face into what she hoped was a blank expression, Lucy turned back to the other Zodiacs, who had begun to quietly argue over Anna's motionless form. Lucy could make out nothing except mounting agitation tempering both of their tones. A vein was throbbing dangerously in Aquarius's temple and Leo's face was turning red with the effort of yelling quietly at his fellow Zodiac. The Water Bearer was jabbing a finger rather roughly into the center of Leo's chest when a sudden groan froze the two of them.
Lucy sat up straighter to see the barest of movements disturbing the covers of Leo's bed. Gemini clapped their hands together happily.
"Anna!" All trace of anger was drained from Leo as he smiled down at the Celestial Wizard.
"Leo," Anna's voice was weak and hoarse as she attempted to smile up at him. "And Aquarius," her voice warbled slightly and she moved a frail hand to grasp at Aquarius's arm.
"You're an idiot." Despite her words, the mermaids' tone was soft and caring.
A few minutes later found Anna propped up comfortably and enjoying her first real meal in ages. Gemini and Virgo were positively fawning over her. Endlessly fussing over her blankets and pillows and encouraging her to eat more. She giggled happily and Lucy couldn't help but notice how young she looked. And how similar. Lucy cocked her head to the side, inspecting the blonde mage. They had the same cocoa eyes, even a similar shape. And the face, the face was so much like her own. Lucy shook herself as the chatter died and the four Zodiacs looked expectantly towards their master. Anna nibbled a bit more on a carrot and stared wide-eyed back at each spirit in turn.
"Ah, I guess ya wanna know what I was up to?" She gave an impish smirk followed by borderline maniacal laughter. The spirits raised their eyebrows at each other. "Calm down, I haven't gone crazy," Anna sniggered. "I'm just clean, and full, and in a soft bed for the first time in way too long." She sighed blissfully and stretched, cringing at the knot of sore muscles that made up her entire body. She felt safe and happy, two feelings she had begun to doubt would ever be hers again.
"I could give you a massage Princess," Virgo offered, twirling her fingers through the air.
"No thank you, you have done more than enough for me today Virgo." Anna smiled kindly up at her newest spirit. She sighed look around at the others, making mental note of the quiet spirit in to corner who looked like she was devising an escape plan. "Things were looking desperate." She lowered her eyes to try and spare her spirits the pain that flashed within them. "The Dragon's didn't have enough Ethernano to repair themselves and we knew that Acnologia was just waiting for them to return to Celestial Spirit Realm so he could mount a mass attack." Anna brought lithe fingers up to massage her temples. "The Slayers were not old enough to survive the Spirit Realm anyways, so I sent them to the future." She finished simply. There was a long pause before Aquarius bolted upright.
"You can't just say that like you dropped them off at daycare!" Aquarius snapped, her face mirroring the incredulity of all others present.
"So you're telling me," Leo's voice was too calm, "that sometime in the future, a gate is going to open…and Dragons are just going to fly out." He peered over his steepled fingers at Anna who scooted down in the covers.
"Well…not exactly." Anna desperately tried to bury herself further into the duvet. "The Dragons were all in pretty rough shape, and the Slayer need them to guide them into the Wizards they need to be to defeat Acnologia." Lucy shivered at this, the name once again setting off an alarm in her gut. Anna had buried herself so deep that the only thing visible were her eyes. "So…the Dragons went…um, into the children."
Five pairs of eyes blinked in unison as they processed this.
"Please don't tell me you are trying to say that the Dragons…used Spatial Magic…on human children?" Leo groaned, his brows knitting together. Anna nodded meekly.
Lucy groaned to herself as shouting erupted from all the Zodiacs, Anna sitting in the middle contently nibbling on food. Sighing inwardly, Lucy sat back and closed her eyes. She had a feeling she would be waiting for a while.