Lucy hummed happily as she opened her cousin's letter. It was heavy and sparkled with gold filigree, a deep burgundy seal pressed with her initials. Squealing, she jumped up and twirled around. Michelle was having a Samhain Masquerade ball! Reading through the rest of the letter, excitement coursing through her. Exquisite delicacies would be served, dancing would commence and it would be a night to remember for years to come. Her joy was quickly squashed though when she got to the bottom where her cousin left her a note.

Hello Lucy! I'm turning 30! Can you believe it? I'm so excited! I know it's a lot to ask, but please, please, please bring a date! We are doing a special sendoff ceremony that requires an even number of people and there's no one else I want more to be there to do so than you.

I can't wait to see you! 3

Michelle Lobster

"Oh no," she groaned, plopping back down on her bed, "Why would she make me bring a date? She knows I don't have anyone to bring." Frowning down at the letter, she was startled by a soft pop to her right.

"What's wrong Lucy? You seemed so happy a moment ago." Loke, one of her strongest celestial spirits, stood before her with concern etched over his face.

"Hi Loke." she said softly, giving him a warm smile. "I'm okay. I was just excited because Michelle is having this awesome Samhain Ball, but she is requiring dates, and I have no one to go with me." She sighed and plopped her arms in her lap.

"Don't fret princess, you can take me!" He grinned brightly, plopping down beside her and pulling her into a side hug.

"Thank you Loke, that's really sweet, but you can't. The place they are having it at is owned by a very paranoid man and except for very specific things, his manor and grounds are completely warded against magic. You would go poof!" She giggled, making a bursting effect with her hands.

"Oh, that's a bummer! It sounds like a great time, with lots of pretty ladies." He winked, grinning salaciously as he gestured towards her. She pushed him back and stood.

"You're insatiable, you naughty lion." she glared at him, hand on hip and wagging her finger, the amusement in her eyes belaying any annoyance.

Completely unrepentant, he sniggered and watched as she paced, sighing as she poured over the letter, hoping it would reveal the answer. He couldn't help but be reminded of a bird in a gilded cage. She was surrounded by luxury, the finest furniture adorned her room while her closet was filled with the finest tailored clothes. Her balcony opened up to a vast garden, stretching out to a small lake at the end of their property. The rest of the manor was no exception, steeped in extravagance, her mother's family had spared no expense as they built it, but all the love and warmth they had passed down had frozen solid once her father had taken over. Now, the aristocratic superiority suffocated her, drowning her in traditional values as she futilely fought to escape.

"Mmm," Loke hummed, stroking his chin," There must be something we can figure out. You need a break from this place." Snapping his fingers he gave her a bright smile. "Maybe Virgo will have an idea!" At his words another soft pop revealed Lucy's other celestial spirit, Virgo. She had short pink hair and was dressed in a maid outfit, with chains hanging from her wrists.

"Hello Princess, Loke." Virgo gave a short bow in greeting. "How can I be of help?"

As Loke filled her in, she grew quiet in thought. "Would one of your previous suitors be tolerable?"

"Ugh, no," Lucy's nose scrunched in disgust. "Those were marriage interviews and I hated all of them. All they wanted was my father's money and none of them were interested in anything I had to say. They also spent way too much time looking down my dress or trying to cop a feel." She huffed. "Thankfully though, I haven't had to deal with any of those recently, so that has been a small reprieve."

"That's awful Lucy. I'm sorry you had to deal with that." Loke said, frowning. She waved him off.

"I've gotten used to it at this point, and nothing I have ever said against it ever mattered to him." Deeping her voice, she mimicked him. "Lucy, it is your responsibility to act as you have been taught and be a gracious hostess. Lucy, you are upset over nothing, they aren't harming you in any way. Lucy, this will help our family prosper." Pouting, she plopped back down on her bed. "It's hopeless, I can't go."

Squeezing her hand, he sighed. "I'm sorry princess. He can be such a jerk and you deserve so much better than that. As soon as you find your keys, you can go anywhere you want and we will help you however you can."

"Thanks Loke." she squeezed his hand back and gave him a sad smile.

"There is one thing I think could work." Virgo said thoughtfully. "You would need to summon someone from this plane so they could deal with the magic restriction. It would be difficult with your magic inhibitors, but it is possible."

Glaring at the little gold bracelets around her wrists, Lucy took a deep breath to quell the rage that flared up at their reminder. "Possible? Really? How? I can't even summon little Plue."

"If I recall correctly, Your mother had a book on other types of summoning that explains it, but basically you could use a magic container and a summoning circle instead of a magic item."

Tapping her lip, she contemplated the suggestion. "Hmm, that could work, but I would only be able to put a tiny bit of magic in it everyday. I wonder if it will be enough." Despite the bracelets inhibiting most of her magic, she still received a small trickle as otherwise the lack of magic would make her ill.

"That is the difficult part, but the benefit of it being on Samhain is that the veil between our worlds is a bit thinner so there is more atmospheric magic you could use."

"It's definitely worth looking into, thank you Virgo!"

"You are very welcome Princess." Virgo bowed again, her hand over her heart.

"Good luck Lucy, We'll visit again soon!"

Lucy waved goodbye as they disappeared in a shower of sparkles

Wondering over to her jewelry box, she couldn't help but admire the intricate vines and flowers that had been painstakingly carved into the lovely box. It had been a gift to her mother on her wedding day and Lucy had claimed it as her own after her mother passed years ago. She had been devastated when her father had informed her that her mother wasn't coming home and it was the last time she could remember receiving any comfort from him. After that, he had grown cold and threw himself into his business, leaving Lucy to grieve on her own.

Opening the box, she quickly spotted the necklace she was looking for. Despite its simplicity, it was an extraordinarily beautiful piece. A simple teardrop sapphire, ringed with tiny diamonds hung on a long white gold chain. It glittered brilliantly and the sapphire warmed in her hand from the remnants of her mothers magic that still lingered.

Slipping it around her neck, she made her way to the family library. Pushing open the big heavy doors she smiled. Its floor to ceiling shelves towered over her, heavy with books from generations of Heartfilias.A huge marble fireplace graced the far wall, bathing the room in a warm glow.Several comfortable chairs surrounded it, making it one of Lucy's favorite places to read or study. This had been her refuge many times after fights with her father. One of the worst being when he caught her studying her mother's magic books. He had taken all he could find and had locked them away, telling her she was forbidden from practicing magic. Lucy couldn't fathom why he would do that, but he refused to explain or give in to her begging for them back. Lucy had locked herself in her room and cried for days, being a celestial wizard was one of the few things that still tied her to her mother.

Finally, when she had no more tears to shed, she decided to return to the library. He couldn't take all the books away and there must still be books that could help her. In the end, there were far more reference books and fiction stories than magic books, but she did find a spare few still scattered about that taught about her type of magic, and she made a point to hide them carefully when she finished. Grabbing several books, she settled into her favorite chair next to the fire and dug in.

Hours later found her head bobbing, a soft snore startling her to refocus. Her eyes widened as they read and read the last sentence.

"It is possible to do a same-plane summoning with a magic container. The most common of which is summoning a demon. Despite people's fears, many demons are hospitable and can be worked with. The Galuna Demons are an excellent example of this as they are well liked for their intelligence and strength. As contracts are the standard with celestial summoning, the same can be said for same-plane summoning. A large contract is not necessary but it is important to be clear and concise in what is desired. They hold fervently to their word, but are in no way above exploiting loopholes."

Lucy eagerly read the summoning details and what she would need, her mind churning to figure out how she would get what was needed.

"First things first." Clasping her hand around the gem, there was a brief glow as she pushed what little magic she could into it. A wave of dizziness washed over her. "Oh man, I should really have done that in bed."

Staggering back to her room, the silence was deafening. It had been this way since a year ago when she had tried to run away. She had been caught and cuffed and her father had taken the few celestial keys Lucy had managed to get her hands on. He had threatened to melt them if she ever did something like that again. She was fortunate that Virgo and Loke could come and go as they pleased, but it took a great toll on their magic, so they were never able to stay for long. The staff that raised her had all been fired for helping her, and a new group had come in. She always thought of them as "The Ghosts" because she never saw them. To say she was lonely was an understatement. The few times she was allowed out was for family events he couldn't attend because he was away on business, which was thankfully often, but the only family they had was her cousin and she could only have events so often.

Weeks passed and Lucy faithfully collected her magic. It wasn't much, but she could tell that each day closer to Samhain, she was able to do a bit more. Before she knew it, the night of the ball had arrived, and she was ready. Donning her favorite dress, she prepared her summoning. The navy blue A-line accentuated her curvy figure while soft chiffon sleeves fell from off her shoulders and gathered into delicate white gold bands at her wrists. Tiny white gems were scattered all over, imitating the night sky she loved so much. Virgo had pinned her hair up in an elegant bun and fastened it with a white gold headpiece decorated with little diamond feathers and sapphires.

Fluttering about the dim room, she triple checked the large circle. It took up nearly half of her bedroom and many pieces of furniture had been strewn about to accommodate it. Several fragrant candles burned, casting long shadows and making her slightly light headed. Confirming everything was indeed correct, Lucy grabbed her necklace in one hand and held her hand out to the magic circle in the other and began. The drain on her and the gem's magic was immediate. Sweat gathered on her brow as she carefully repeated the necessary mantra.

"This is so much harder than I expected." gritting her teeth as every last drop of magic leached into the circle.

Finally, the pull snapped, filling the room with a brilliant light. Blinking, she could see the shape of a man take form. The longer she observed him, the wider her eyes got and her mouth dropped open. Lightly tanned muscles stretched over a lithe body, flexing as he crossed his arms. Bright green eyes danced with interest under spiky coral hair as he took in his new surroundings. He wore nothing but white harem pants, with a sash at his waist and black sandals.

"Oh my Mavis he's hot!" Lucy absentmindedly letting her gaze linger.

"Like what you see?" He teased, giving her a sharp grin.

"Huh?" Lucy snapped her mouth closed as she realized she had been staring. "No! I mean…uh." She stammered, shaking her head to clear the haze.

"Cat got your tongue?" Amusement danced in his eyes as he unabashedly looked her over. The dress she wore hugged her generous curves, contrasting beautifully against her pale skin. The candlelight danced around her, illuminating her hair like molten gold and reflecting in her bright brown eyes. He had seen many beautiful women before, but none quite like her.

"No!" She puffed indignantly. Taking a deep breath, she introduced herself. "My name is Lucy Heartfilia and I am a Celestial Mage. I have summoned you to request a short term contract." She seized the contract she had painstakingly created off her cluttered desk and held it out to him, careful not to get too close.

Raising an eyebrow, he accepted it. "You're smart not putting yourself in the circle before we've struck a deal."

Lucy gulped, but stood firm. "I've done a lot of research and while I understand that demons treat their word seriously, it doesn't mean they aren't dangerous."

Chuckling he read the contract over. "So basically you want me to be your date for the night and I can request a similar favor from you within your own reason and ability?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, and I can end the contract at any time if I don't feel safe or feel as though you have broken your word." Lucy was doing everything she could to focus on what was happening, but her eyes kept straying to look at him, enjoying the way the candlelight played off his physique.

"Alright," he shrugged. "I'm agreeable to this." Placing his thumb against the bottom, it came away as a bloody thumbprint. Handing it back, Lucy did the same and winced slightly as the small wound healed itself. Floating out of her hand the contract wrapped itself up and along with the magic circle, disappeared in a flash of light.

"Great!" Lucy exclaimed, reaching over and flipping the lights on. "We just need to get you ready and we can go! By the way, what's your name?" She asked, holding out her hand.

Taking her hand, he gently kissed it, relishing the flush that blossomed over her cheeks. "My name is Natsu, my lady." He held her gaze, the earnestness and innocence was refreshing after the last several years.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Natsu." She replied softly, her heart nearly beating out of her chest at his intense stare. Clearing her throat, she grabbed a pile of clothes off her desk and held them out to him. "Here is an outfit for you to wear. We are going to a masquerade ball, so I'll give you a mask as well."

"Thanks." Reaching down, Natsu began loosening the tie at his pants.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Lucy shrieked, covering her face with the pile of clothes.

"What's the matter? You told me to get changed?" Natsu watched her, entertained as she refused to look at him, her face bright red.

"Not with me here!" Shoving the clothes at him, she covered her face with her hands, peeking through to make sure he had stopped.

Natsu laughed as he watched her. "Alright, alright. I'll wait." he placated.

"Thank you." She said, heading for the door, "I'll be downstairs when you are ready and there is a bathroom behind that door if you need it." she said, pointing to a door on the left.

Lucy paced around her foyer, fanning herself, her thoughts racing. She had hoped she would be able to get someone acceptable if the process even worked, but she was not expecting someone like Natsu…He was completely different from anyone she had met and oh my Mavis was he hot.

Footsteps on the stairs distracted her thoughts and a small gasp left her lips. The outfit she had picked was lovely, but was outright stunning on him. He wore a long navy blue vest made of the same material as her dress. It crossed together at the neck with a silver clasp, but the rest of it fell open, revealing his tanned torso. On one arm, he wore a fitted blue sleeve with silver bands at his bicep and wrist. Lastly, he wore his black pants and blue leather boots decorated with silver trim, ending just below his knees. Where some of her previous suitors would have strutted around, like the pretentious peacocks they were, he prowled. His movements were smooth, but she could see the power that lurked just beneath the surface. She was caught in his gaze as he descended, the predatory look he wore leaving her breathless and flushed.

Stopping a handbreadth away, he took her hand and kissed it. "I hope I'm not showing too much skin." He teased, voice low and rumbling.

"No, you look … fine." she said coyly, fluttering her fan. A thrill of excitement rushed through her as his grin grew sharp.

"Why hello Princess!" a shimmer of sparkles revealed Loke, startling them both. Bowing deeply he exclaims, "You are looking absolutely ravishing!"

"Hi Loke," Lucy giggled, "Thank you. It used to be one of my mother's" spinning around to show him all the sparkles. "I love it."

"It's as lovely as the stars themselves." He smiled warmly and turned to look for her date. "So, tell me, were you succe– Natsu! What the hell are you doing here?" Loke exclaimed, reaching out his hand.

"Leo! Hey man, long time no see. No idea how I got here, but I'm taking her to a ball." clasping arms, they greeted each other happily.

"Wait, you summoned him Lucy?" Turning to the blonde, his eyes widened, "Do you know who he is?" He asked, pointing his thumb at him.

"Yes I did." She answered, glancing back at Natsu, an easy grin on his face, all the intensity from earlier gone. "And no, I don't. He just told me his name." she answered, quirking an eyebrow at Loke.

"Do you want to tell her or should I?" Natsu shrugged so Loke continued. "Natsu is the Demon Lord and Fire Dragon King."

"Really?" her mouth gaping, she looked between Natsu and Loke, "How in the hell?" Her manners kicked in and she dropped into a curtsy. "Thank you for taking my contract, your majesty."

Rolling his eyes, Natsu grabbed her elbow and lifted her up. "None of that, I'm just Natsu."

"Yeah, don't pump up his ego anymore than it already is." Loke laughed, poking Natsu with his thumb.

"You wanna go furball?!" Natsu challenged, smacking his fist into his hand.

"Maybe later, you two have a party to get to! Your carriage awaits." Loke grinned mischievously as Natsu's face turned a bit green, his hand going to his stomach.

"Carriage?" he asked, panic filling his eyes.

"Yup!" Loke grasped Natsu's shoulder, "And it's an hour's ride!"

Shoving the cackling lion off him he turned to Lucy and grasped her hands dropping to his knees. "Please tell me that's a lie?"

Taken aback, Lucy looks at him confused "No? How else are we supposed to get there? Is there a problem with the carriage?" Lucy looked at Loke questioningly.

"Flame Brain here gets motion sickness on vehicles." Loke wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Please tell me there's another way, Luigiiiiiiiii." Natsu begged.

"My name is Lucy." Gently taking her hands back, she sighs and turns to Loke. "So you're telling me, that I somehow managed to summon a Demon Lord-Fire Dragon King and he has motion sickness?"

"Yep! Gotta go, good luck and have fun! Catch you later Natsu!" Smacking Natsu on his back, Loke gives a little wave and disappears in a cloud of golden sparkles.

"What? Loke!" giving a little growl of frustration, she takes a deep breath to calm herself and turns to Natsu offering him a hand up. "I'm sorry we don't have another way to get there. I'll ask them to try and get there as quickly as possible, but we do need to go."

"Fiiiiiiiine." He says glumly, standing up.

Following Lucy into the carriage, he plopped down opposite her, crossing his arms and leaning his head against the window. Silence filled the space as the cart jars to a start. Night had already fallen at that point, but Lucy kept watch out the window, occasionally catching a moonlit view. A moan caught her attention and she was shocked to see how pale Natsu had grown. His arms were coiled tightly around his stomach and the side of his face was pressed against the window, trying to leech as much coolness from the outside as possible.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Lucy asks softly. Shaking his head he closes his eyes, wincing at a particularly big bump.

"Here." Lucy says, a short time later, moving to sit next to him. "Why don't you lay down and I can rub your head? My mother used to do that for me when I had stomach aches and it always seemed to help."

Blearly looking at her, he nods his head once and leans over. Running her hands through his hair, she is surprised at how soft it is and ponders its peculiar color. A few moments later she hears a soft snore and chuckles quietly.

"Hopefully he can rest until we get there." Lucy continued her ministrations and found herself dozing off to the sway of the carriage.

A while later Lucy is awakened to the change in sound as the carriage is pulled over a gravel driveway. Excitement floods her as they arrive. Nudging Natsu lightly, she calls his name.

"Natsu, it's time to get up. We're here." Panicking a bit when he doesn't wake up, she shakes him a bit harder. "Natsu! Come on now, wake up." Wrapping his arms around her waist, he nuzzles her. "5 more minutes."

Blushing furiously at the intimate contact and the audacity of his request, Lucy tries to push him off, but he won't budge. "Alright, I've tried to be nice." Standing up, she finally manages to dislodge him on the floor and he awakes with a start.

"Shit!" Natsu exclaims, righting himself to look up at Lucy. "What was that for Luigi?"

"My. Name. Is. Lucy. Not Luigi!" She corrected, "And you wouldn't wake up. In fact you asked for 5 more minutes!"

Rubbing his head he smiled up at her sheepishly. "Sorry, I was really comfy!" Huffing, she rolled her eyes and helped him up. "Come on, we've arrived."

"Awesome!" Natsu shouted and hopped out of the carriage, completely dodging the stairs that had been set out. He took a deep breath and let it out as he stretched.

"Well I'm glad to see you're feeling better," Lucy comments, smiling at his relief "Could you help me out?"

"Sure" he replies, holding out his hand for her. His hand is warm and doesn't move when she puts her weight on it to get out. Any of her previous suitors, even her father, always ended up dipping their hands a bit to keep her steady. "He must be very strong." she thinks, observing him curiously. When she arrives at the bottom he twirls her around, earning a startled laugh.

"What was that for? She giggles, as he tucks her hand in his arm.

"We're here to have fun, so lets!" Beaming at her, he led them to the entrance.