I shook Cana awake as I was putting my hair in a side ponytail. "Wake up. We gotta get to the ship. '' I told her as I continued to shake her. She snorted and rolled off the bed, onto the floor. She glared at me and said, "ugh. Why so early?!"
I glared back, "I didn't set the time, Cana."
She sighed as she went to the bathroom to get ready. I made us omelettes for breakfast. When she joined me I gazed at her before saying, "can you keep me and Natsu a secret?"
She scoffed. " Of course I will but when the trials are over, you two need to come clean. It's cruel to let Lisanna continue to love Natsu with no hope that he'll return her feelings."
I blinked. I hadn't thought of that. I then began to feel a little guilty.
"Let's go." We grabbed our backpacks and made our way to the harbor.
Everyone except Juvia, Lisanna, Gray, Loke, Natsu and Happy were here. Wendy inhaled slightly, looked toward me, blushed and avoided my eyes. Then I remembered how sharp Natsu's nose was. I glanced at Gajeel and he and Levy were talking in low voices. I couldn't hear them but I knew he was telling her about me and Natsu. She gasped, blushed and turned to me, then turned to say something to him. So much for keeping it a secret. I thought to myself.
"No! I'm not getting on that demon contraption!" Natsu yelled as
Happy pulled him along.
"You gotta do this if you wanna be S-Class!" Happy retorted in annoyance.
Lisanna giggled as she walked behind Loke and Gray with Juvia. "I Love You Gray Darling but right now, you are my rival so our love is forbidden." Juvia proclaimed. Gray stiffened and moved away from her and said, "why do you always say weird shit?!" Loke laughed and spotted me. He grabbed my hand, lifted it to his lips. "Are you sure about this?" He asked me. I nodded and assured him, "You can't always protect me. I've got this. I promise." I pulled away from him and turned my head to Natsu. He was glaring at Loke. Was he jealous? I smiled to myself. Cana pushed me toward Natsu. "You're going down!" She shouted. "Tell him Lu." I smiled apologetically as he looked at me. His hands open and close at his side. I think he's trying not to hug me… I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. "Relax, it's just for a few days." He wrapped his arms around my waist and whimpered. I released him and stepped back. "Prepare to lose." I said as I walked back to Cana. He pouted, turned to the ship and turned green.
"Everyone aboard! " The captain shouted. This was going to be a long few days.
I sat on the deck in my bikini with my head thrown back. The feel of the morning sun feels incredible. I feel my magic reserves expand past their limit as I absorb the power. Unknown to Cana, I was also sending some of the power I was collecting to Loke. I wanted him at full power so Gray would blame his contract to me as the reason they would fail.
"What do you think you're doing?" Loke said to me in enochian, the language of celestials.
"I want you at full power so Gray doesn't blame me for sabotage when you guys fail." I responded in the same language. He rolled his eyes and said in the language everyone spoke, "You're sparkling, Princess."
I looked down and realized he was right. I always forget that when I pull from the heavens, my skin can look like I was doused in silver glitter. I blushed as Cana laughed. "No wonder Natsu wants to keep you as a partner. You are gorgeous!" Gildarts howled in laughter. Natsu, in his motion sick glory tried to punch him in response. Unfortunately, he wasn't feeling well so Gildarts just punched him to send him toward the other side of the ship.
"How are you not melting Lu?" Levy whimpered out.
"Natsu is a fire dragon slayer." I answered.
"Oh yeah." The collective hum of realization.
"Listen up. Right now, the trial begins. Your first trial is to get to the island and pick a path. One path is an easy path that takes you to the center of the island without an obstacle. Two paths cross each other so whoever is on that path will have to fight. The winner advances to the next phase. Three paths cross Fairy Tail's three S-Class members, MiraJane, Erza, and Gildarts. Two paths lead to nowhere, so you might have to circle back. Remember, you have until sunset to get to the center of the island. Good luck." Makarov boomed. I looked at the sun. It was about 1030am. I thought to myself as I locked eyes with Cana. I transformed into my Aries Star Dress and released a torrent of cotton to trap everyone in place before jumping into the ocean. I switched to Aquarius form as I grabbed Cana and used the first of the water control to propel us toward the island. I felt the sand on my bare feet as I leaned to put my hands on my knees to catch my breath.
"Thanks, Lu." Cana said as she grabbed my hand. "This one." She picked. She was an incredible fortune teller so I trusted her. It felt like we were walking for hours until we hit a dead end. "Shit" she muttered to herself. "looks like we hit a dead end." We turned to go back where we came when the wall closed suddenly. We panicked as we realized we were trapped.
Another wall opened a moment later and Freed and Bickslow walked through.
"So we get to fight." Bickslow noted with excitement.
"Let's end this quickly, And proceed forward. "Freed said as he unsheathed his rapier. Cana threw a card in front of her. Light expelled from it as it pushed back Freed. I turned to Bickslow. I knew exactly how to defeat him quickly. I locked my eyes at him in hopes he would lift his face protector. He did just as I thought he would.
"Zodiac Shimmer." I shout as I hold up Virgos key, A brilliant light expelled. It wasn't as bright as Loke's but it did the trick as Bickslow dropped to his knees, shouted and clutched his eyes in pain.
"Bickslow!" Freed shouted, distracted. "Ha!" I heard Cana shout as I knocked out Bickslow.
The corridor opened up ahead of us as I stepped over the unconscious Freed to catch up with Cana. That was uneventful.
We walked forward until we made it to the center. Levy and Gajeel were already here. Cana turned to me and said, "Let's set up our tents, I'm beat."
"What happened, Levy?" I questioned as I expertly set up my tent. Levy sheepishly said, "We got the easy path."
I giggled as I heard Gajeel growl in his tent. He shouted, "I wanted to kick the salamander's ass once and for all. Just because he claimed his mate before me doesn't mean he's better than me!"
I blushed and chortled. Levy blushed and turned to me.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She wailed.
I said, "We've been busy so I haven't had time. I'm sorry Lev…"
"She was too busy getting her brains fucked out." Cana snickered.
Levy blushed and she shouted, "She knows!"
"I had to tell her." I blushed as Gajeel shouted, "I do not wanna hear about you and Salamander's sex life! Choose another topic!"
Cana laughed and called out to him, "No need to be a prude, Gajeel. You are just jealous you aren't getting any!"
"Didn't you say you were tired?! Go to sleep!" Gajeel and I shouted.
"We will finish this conversation later!" Levy whisper-yelled toward me.
I layed on my stomach in my tent with the flap on the top opened so I could feel the sun and the zipper pulled back so I could interact with my guildmates. I felt my magic replenish as I sighed. I was so bored.I pulled my hair in a high ponytail on the top of my head.
We all lounged around in silence, waiting for the next phase. It was about four hours till sunset. Juvia and Lisanna bust through the forest with a smiling Erza behind them a few Hours ago.
"What happened?" Levy hesitantly asked.
"We lost. " Juvia whimpered out as she collapsed on the ground. Lisanna sank to her knees. " I'm sorry," she whispered.
"You guys fought Erza. I think you guys did your best. " I praised gently. As I said that, Elfman broke through the trees carrying Mira. Evergreen trailing behind him.
"Is she ok?" Erza asked.
"Yeah, we just overloaded her inner matchmaker. But we passed." Evergreen stated boldly. Master showed up a moment later with Bickslow and Freed. The first thing Bickslow did was glare at me.
"What?" I asked innocently.
"You blinded me!" He stomped to hover over me. "I got my vision back a few minutes ago." He yelled.
"Oh." I didn't really know what to say. Was I supposed to apologize?
A low growl entered the clearing as a body slammed into Bickslow.
I sat up urgently and pulled Natsu off him.
"Natsu, this is the relaxing area. Calm down!" Master demanded.
Natsu growled at Bickslow and I pulled him away and toward my tent. I sat down near the opening and pulled him down to sit by me. He sits behind me, I'm sitting on his lap to keep from attacking Bickslow again as his arms are wrapped around my waist. His face is buried in my neck. His sigh made the mark on my neck tingle pleasantly. I resist the urge to close my eyes as I pray my face isn't as red as I feel it might be. Gildarts bellowed out, "Don't mind him. I gave him a run for his money."
He lost. My heart sympathized.
" I almost won but the brat has more energy than me. " Gildarts chortled out as he walked to sit in the center of the camp.
I turn slightly to look at him. "You won. Why are you so pissy?"
Happy teased, "Cause Gildarts put the fear of the Gods in him."
I flinched as I realized just how awful that fear is. I leaned back against him and patted his arms.
"Wait till you fight me. I'm gonna send you to heaven." I say.
Cana snorts, "You'll probably do that as soon as you two get some time alone."
I blushed as I grabbed my sandel and threw it at her. It hit her in the head as she glared at me. I smirked back. "Now you know how good my aim is. I don't miss."
I felt Natsu's lips lift into a smile against me as lifted his head to gaze at the back of my head for a moment before resting his chin on one shoulder. I think he was looking at that mark.
Gray and Loke emerged a few moments later looking victorious. Wendy and Mest looked worse for wear though.
Master stands up and says, "That's everyone. Tomorrow is phase two. The teams to pass are Levy and Gajeel; Cana and Lucy; Elfman and Evergreen; Natsu and Happy; Gray and Loke. When we wake tomorrow I will let you know what the trial is. Everyone eat and be Merry. The ones that didn't win this round, congratulate the ones who did. Fairy Tail is a guild based on not only strength but integrity and compassion. We encourage each other to be stronger, not wish for Each other to be weaker."
Everyone looked around and smiled at each other before laughing in contentment. "Dinners ready." Mira announced. The table that was at the edge of the campsite filled with many different foods as the sun settled over the horizon. I looked up towards the stars. I see Aquarius and Capricorn in their constellation form. I frown as I recalled he had been missing from the celestial realm for years. Why could I feel…
"Luce. I'm hungry." Natsu whined as his stomach rumbled. I blushed as I realized I was still sitting on him. I opened my mouth to apologize when a figure stood over us. Natsu stiffened as he let out a growl.
"I'm sorry Lucy. I didn't mean to… well… I mean… you knocked me out in a minute, I didn't even get to counter..." Bickslow… apologized.. I guess… I stood up, making sure to keep a still growling Natsu behind me.
"It's fine, I guess I could have turned down the wattage." I responded back. I Then quipped, "You are honestly lucky I can't use Leo right now. Your temporary blindness would have probably lasted for a few days."
"Pfft!" Loke walked up. "I'm at full power now since the last time we fought. If she had used my key, you would be permanently blind." He smirked arrogantly. He was absolutely lucky I couldn't force close his gate. He was insufferable sometimes.
"Water under the bridge." I say to Bickslow and shake his hand. Behind me, Natsu relaxes slightly as he puts his hands on my shoulders ready to steer me to food.
"I need to talk to you." He glanced between Natsu, me and Bickslow. "Alone."
I turn to Natsu and say, "Go eat, I'll be back." I leave no room for argument as I walk away with Loke. We walk until I can't see the campfire. "You feel him, don't you." I say after a moment.
"Yeah and I also feel a foreboding feeling in my gut. " He responds back urgently. "I don't care about this deal you and I have right now, if you run into any kind of trouble, call me." He demanded. "Gray will understand my duty to you as my celestial princess comes first."
I sigh and say, "Leo, what could go wrong? We are on an island that no one outside of Fairy Tail knows about." In my gut though, my instincts were on alert. I glanced at the sky and gasped, angry I didn't notice before. "Does Capricorn look different to you?" I point out.
Leo tilts his head back, his eyes wide, "How is that possible?"
I truly had no clue. We stared at the Capricorn constellation, still beautiful, but backwards.
"Luce?" I jumped at the sound of Natsu's voice. Loke glared, "what part of alone did you not understand?" He growled. I snapped to Natsu's defense. "Hey, cool it. He's being protective like always."
"Is that an order?" Loke asked.
"Of course not." I said to him, " Natsu and I are good now. " I say in enochian.
"I know that. You don't know what he did." Loke growls out.
"What did I do?" Natsu's demands.
"You claimed Lucy as your mate." He explained.
Both Natsu and I blink at him. We knew that. Loke rolled his eyes and turned to expose the base of his neck to us. I gasped as I recognized the mark. I reached back to press my hand on mine. I turned to Natsu who was blushing but looking just as confused as I was.
"Because Lucy is a celestial wizard, when you marked her, every spirit she is contracted to now and until she dies belongs to you just as she does." He growls out as if disgusted by the notion. My eyes widen as a realization comes to me.
"You can feel him just as you can me." I softly clarify. Loke growls again before glaring at Natsu.
"I can feel when his emotions are intense. Unfortunately, that means we can feel when you two fuck. I was happy pretending that she was with someone who wasn't a part of a guild. Someone who I hadn't met before. But instead she's mated to you."
Natsu flinched before asking, "What's wrong with me?"
"I respect you Natsu. I know you. I have fought you and by you for three years. I typically don't think too fondly of people but you and Fairy Tail.." he stops to gather his thoughts. "When you hurt her, the one mistress I've had in years who treats me and my comrades like friends, like family and not puppets, I have to hate you. One of the few decent humans I've encountered in my hundreds of years of life."
Natsu blinked as I stared at Loke. That's why he's been so angry with Natsu. Before I could respond, Natsu dropped to his knees and bowed toward Loke. We both turned to look at him. "I worship her. I'd do my fucking best to never hurt her but IF I did, I would move heaven and earth to make it better. Her heart is my treasure and I pledge my life to protect it. On Dragon's honor."
I was bright red as I turned to Loke. He rolled his eyes and said to Natsu. "Get up. I thought I'd enjoy you groveling at my feet but it's pathetic to watch." Natsu got to his feet, his face a little red as he gazed at me for a moment before turning to Loke. "What do you want then?"
Loke took a few steps toward Natsu and held out his hand. Natsu grabbed it.
"Nothing at the moment. But I expect you to take care of my mistress. She's stubborn and rash but her heart is pure gold." Loke turns to me and says in enochian, "your pussy must be heavenly for him to bow at me like that." He laughs at his joke and then walks back toward camp leaving me alone with Natsu.
I stare at Natsu for a moment before wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips to his. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me back with so much passion, it made my head spin. I pulled back a little breathless as he pressed his forehead against mine.
"I love the guild and my spirits with all my heart, but you, Natsu Dragneel, are my soulmate." I said to him, He tightened his grip around me and buried his face in my neck.
"Fuck, I love you so damn much." He whispered before taking a step back. He pulls me toward camp. "You need to eat." He reminded me. I smile at him. He is always taking care of me. I thought to myself.
As we walked back to camp, Natsu asked, "what did you guys have to talk about that you couldn't do in front of everyone?" I flinched as I realized if I tried to explain it to a non celestial wizard, it wouldn't make much sense. I opened my mouth to tell him just as we returned to camp. I glanced around. Cana, Juvia, Levy and Gray were asleep. I could see them in their tents. Happy was in my tent asleep as I saw Natsu's bedroll in there too. Gildarts and Gajeel were arm wrestling with Elfman shouting, "this is manly," Beside them. Erza, Wendy, Lisanna and Mira were talking before they stopped and turned to me. I tried not to blush as Natsu, Who was still holding my hand, tugged me toward the food table. Wendy wouldn't tell them, right? Unless Gajeel did. I sigh before turning to Natsu. I had a more urgent problem to maybe deal with. I stopped to pull him toward me. He looked at me questioningly. I tilt my head toward the sky as I trace the backwards constellation with my finger a few times. "Do you see the formation of stars right there?" I ask him. He stares for a moment before nodding. "I think so." He says after a moment.
"It's backwards." I said to him, Erza stood near me and asked "which one Lucy?"
Erza, Lisanna, Mira, Wendy, Master, and Freed were surrounding us as they wanted to know so I traced the constellation again and again.
"Why is it backwards? What does it mean?" Freed asked, genuinely curious.
I bit my lip as I gazed at Capricorn. The longer I gazed the more I saw a magic tether that is invisible to non-celestial mages that was causing the inversion. I followed the line of magic until it disappeared In the tree line. That looks close.
"I don't know." I quietly stated, My gut is churning in concern. The hair at the back of my neck standing at attention and goosebumps cover my arms. Whoever can invert a zodiac in constellation form is powerful. If they are here to challenge me for my keys...
"Lucy?" Master said to gain my attention. I turned to him. "Is that an ominous sign for celestial wizards?"
"Yes." I responded to him before continuing, "The power you would need to manipulate the zodiac in their natural forms is... I have eight of the 12 Zodiac keys. If this person has one, and wants more I am a target."
Loke piped up, "Lucy can manipulate us in our natural forms too but it takes a tremendous amount of power and concentration. We've been working on her holding us for more than three minutes. Capricorn has been missing from the heavens for about seven years. But now he's in the sky but backwards. I don't like it."
"Before you get all panicky, let me ask Grandpa Crux." I try to calm him. He needs to stay Loke for Gray for two more days. "I'll figure this out. Get some rest Leo." I say as I exit the circle to finally get something to eat.
I'm eating in front of my tent with Grandpa Crux In front of me and Natsu lying on his back with his head in my lap as he listens. One of his arms is resting on his stomach. And the other one is caressing up and down my back. Master is sitting near us as Mira, Lisanna, and Wendy are sitting in a circle around Grandpa.
"No Miss Lucy, Capricorn hasn't returned to us. No one's seen him for seven years. You know that." Grandpa informed me. I pointed to the sky wordlessly. He double takes as he returns his gaze to me. In enochian he asked, "how long has that been there?"
I replied back in the same language, "for about two hours."
He warned me so everyone could understand, "you need to watch your back Miss Lucy. That is an old way to challenge other zodiac key holders." He bowed and returned to the celestial world. I wish he had told me that in enochian as I felt Natsu stiffen and open his eyes to look at me. Protective fury in his eyes and he stood up.
"Natsu stop. Ok. It's tomorrow's problem. Let's focus on the trials and if this guy comes for me, we will handle it when it comes." He glanced at Loke as if to say, "really". When I looked at Loke his face screamed, "told you."
"I'm going to sleep." Mira softly said after a moment. "Lisanna are you coming."
I turn to look at Lisanna and she is watching Natsu crawl into my tent. She meets my eyes with accusing questions in her eyes.
"He forgot his tent." I explain softly not wanting to wake the others. Mira tugs her sister and waves to me. "Good night everyone."
I sigh and turn to climb inside behind Natsu when Master's voice whispers quietly enough not to wake the others but loud enough for me to hear, "You know we will protect you right Lucy?" I smile and nod. "Goodnight Master."
I zip the tent closed as I don't want to look at the constellations anymore. I lied on my side and Natsu spooned me as he tangled our legs together. I smiled as I recalled his confession just a few hours earlier. He kissed the mate mark and relaxed as he passed out.