Lucy and her friends had taken Natsu back to the cottage where they tied him to a chair and tried to break the spell that Minerva had cast over him.
"For the last time I don't know you people! Will you let me go already?! I have to get married!" Natsu demanded.
"Natsu you're under a spell." Erza said. "You don't love Minerva."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't! Levy can you help me out here?"
"Well there are various ways to break a spell." Levy said. "Sometimes water helps."
With that said they started throwing water in his face. When that failed they took him to Makarov who tried to use different medicines and herbs to break the spell but that didn't work. They tried everything. They made loud noises in his air, threw fairy dust on him, they even hit him in the face a couple of times.
"Snap out of it man!" Laxus said before punching him in the face.
"Um...Do you really think this will break the spell." Lucy said.
"I don't know but this kind of fun for me."
"Okay it's obvious we're getting no where with this so does anybody have any other bright ideas?" Erza asked.
"Maybe leeches would work." Loke said. "It did wonders for me when I had rabies."
"Leeches?!" Natsu shouted.
"We're not putting leeches on him." Lucy said. "Now we have to think of a better way to help him otherwise he'll-"
"Lucy! Erza! Levy! Come quick!" They heard Wendy shout.
"What is it?" Erza asked.
"It's Gray and Gajeel! They're back! And Juvia's with them!"
"What?!" Everyone said in disbelief.
"Yes! She's alive! Come see!"
Everyone ran out of the cottage to where Wendy was and they were shocked and amazed to find that the young fairy was telling the truth. There was Juvia alive and well riding horseback with Gray. The snow white maiden smiled and waved to her friends. The group which consisted of her friends immediately ran toward the horse to greet her, showering her with embraces of relief.
"Oh Juvia is it you? Really you?" Lucy asked as the two friends hugged.
"Yes it's me." Juvia assured her.
"But how?" Erza asked. "You were dead. At least we thought you were."
"I honestly don't know."
"True love's kiss." Levy realized.
"What?" Juvia said.
"The black magic used to poison you should have kept you in a death like state forever. There was nothing in this world that could have been strong enough to revive you. Nothing except a kiss from a man who loved you with his whole heart and soul." Levy explained.
"A kiss from a man saved me?"
"A kiss from a man who loved you." Makarov corrected. "True love is the most powerful magic in the world. There is nothing stronger than pure unselfish love."
"So if it was true love's kiss that saved her right?" Erza asked.
"That's right."
"So who kissed her?"
At once all eyes turned to Gajeel.
"Don't look at me." He said. "I didn't do it. I love Juvia but I didn't kiss her. All I did when I got there was leave Gray alone to say goodbye and...Ohhhh."
With that said everyone's gaze quickly switched on to Gray who's face had turned red all over. Juvia's cheeks were more pink than they ever were in her entire life. Her fingers then went to lightly touch her lips.
"Gray? Did you..." She said in a soft voice.
He remained silent for what seemed to be an eternity before he finally answered her.
"It was just a small kiss." He admitted in embarrassment.
"How romantic." Mirajane sighed.
Just then an idea went off in Levy's head.
"I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner." She said. "Lucy why don't you break the spell on Natsu by giving him true love's kiss?"
"What?" Lucy squeaked.
"Your the prince's one true love meaning your kiss should liberate him from the queen's potion."
"Are you sure that will work? And how do you know that I'm his true love?"
"Fairies know this kind of stuff. He loves you Lucy and I know that you love him. Can't hurt to try?"
"Can I think about this? Alone?"
"Sure."
They left Lucy by herself to think. After thinking it over for ten minutes she gulped nervously then entered the room where Natsu was being held.
"Please tell me that you're here to untie me." He told her.
"I will but I need you to do me a favor first."
"Anything! Just get me out of this!"
"Kiss me."
"Kiss you?! But I'm engaged to another woman!"
"Just give me one kiss and I promise I'll untie you."
Natsu huffed.
"Why are you doing this to me? I don't know you."
"Yes you do. You know me very well actually."
"I've never seen you before in my life."
"Yes you did. You danced with me at the Queen's ball. You taught me how to bowl and you said that I was the prettiest girl in the world. You saved me from freezing to death and you helped me find my fairy godmother. But most of all you made fall in love with you."
Natsu looked at her like he didn't have the foggiest idea of what she was talking about then after thinking for a minute he said.
"Just one kiss?"
"Just one."
"Alright let's get this over with."
Natsu closed his eyes and reluctantly puckered his lips. Lucy took a deep breath, sat down next to Natsu, then closed her eyes.
"Please work." She begged in a whisper. "Please work."
At long last her lips met his in a simple kiss. Lucy poured all the love in her heart into that kiss. Hoping and praying that it would be enough to bring back the prince she loved. She wasn't sure if this one simple kiss was strong enough, in fact she was sure that it wouldn't work but she had to have faith. She had to try. That simple kiss soon turned passionate because when Lucy started to pull away, Natsu immediately responded. It was her very first kiss and it was everything that she had imagined it to be. When they finally parted she opened her eyes to find Natsu looking at her dazed and confused.
"Lucy? What's going on?"
"Welcome back your highness." She giggled.
"Where was I exactly?"
Lucy only laughed and laughed.
"Uh Lucy why am I tied up?"
"It's a long story. Here I'll untie you."
After she cut him loose she and the others explained to the young prince everything that had happened.
"Can you imagine this poor guy being married to the queen for the rest of his life?" Gajeel said.
"Me? Married to her?" Natsu said in shock. "I don't even like her."
"Well you almost married her." Gray said.
"Yeah they had the whole ceremony planned." Erza added.
"Oh gross. Thanks for saving me."
"Well I think this calls for a celebration." Romeo said. "We just got two friends back so let's break out the music and food."
"Now you're talking! I'm starving!" Natsu said.
Sure enough they entire group began to celebrate Natsu and Juvia's return. Though they were still very melancholic about what had happened to Elfman. But their hopes were lifted once Erza spoke of their plan to storm the castle and destroy the mirror once and for all. True they didn't have the weapon needed to such a thing but they were determined to at least try to destroy it on their own.
