Summary: Lucy makes good on her promise to Horologium while Virgo wants the same treatment, and Loke is just jealous.

Pairings: Lucy/Horologium friendship, Lucy/Virgo friendship, implied one-sided Loke/Lucy, and implied Natsu/Lucy.

Author's Note: Warning. All of the new chapters for the next few days will be based on episode 201…because I've been really, really, really inspired.

After a very long and thorough bath Lucy was finally clean. She never wanted to see another speck of mud again ever but knowing her luck Natsu would find a way for her to go flying face first into some soon. Urgh! With a deep sigh, Lucy gathered her strength to face mud once more as she summoned her clock spirit Horologium.

Her poor spirit had been through muddy hell today and she had promised to ensure he would clean once it was over. Time to make do with that promise.

There was a puff of smoke as the bells chimed for her spirit's entrance into the human world. As soon as it cleared Horologium stood before her still completely filthy from the mud, though his face had been wiped clean since then.

"Horologium!" Lucy cried out a little horrified on his behalf. "I am so sorry!" she half whispered as she took in the state of her clock spirit.

Horologium merely smiled in return. "Hello Lucy-san!" he said cheerfully enough with his slow voice.

"Hello," Lucy replied with a small smile. "I've called you for your bath."

"Thank you Lucy-san," Horologium sighed in relief, "I have been covered in mud for quite a while now and it was driving everyone mad. Aquarius was about to douse me before you called me out."

Lucy sweat-dropped she can easily imagine what sort of horrible bath Aquarius would give Horologium. After all she had bathed Lucy more than once she was a child. The horror! Lucy thought as a shudder took over her body.

"Well settle down," Lucy smiled again, "I'll have you clean, polished, and looking brand new once again," she vowed.

It was really hard work, and Lucy was really glad she was just wearing an old pair of jogging trousers and a t-shirt as the mud on Horologium splattered back onto her. She was so going to need another bath after this. Especially once she finished scrubbing Horologium clean and dried him off, she started to polish him up and that stuff not only stank but was just as messy as the mud and made her hands all grimy.

But it had been worth it.

As soon as she was finished, Horologium was shining. Literally. There seemed to be sparkles flying around him….that may just be the exhaustion talking though.

"Thank you, Lucy-san."

"No problem," Lucy shrugged though really she was very proud of how her spirit now looked. Horologium hadn't looked this clean and smart in years. "I owed you a bath, remember?"

Horologium merely smiled a rather mysterious smile and then he shook his head. "Farewell, Lucy-san!" he cried out. "Our time is now up!" he then vanished into another puff of smoke.

Lucy sighed when she saw the state of herself. Although she wasn't completely covered from head to foot like that last time, she was still splattered in mud, some of it smeared on her cheeks, some had gotten into her hair again, and her hands were filthy.

Another bath was needed.

"Hime."

"KYAH!" Lucy jumped. She whirled round to find Virgo standing right behind her. Her bright blue eyes boring into Lucy's very soul. "Virgo!" Lucy cried out as she clutched her chest. Her heart was still beating a little too fast. "You scared me! Huh….Virgo, why are you still covered in mud?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"I was waiting for my turn for a bath," Virgo said flatly. Any other time Lucy would get cross at the presumption but Virgo had then continued speaking, "Unless Hime finds it suitable punishment for me to stay dirty."

"Erm, no," Lucy sweat-dropped, "that's all right. I'll run you bath."

She herded Virgo into the bathroom (and sort of wept inwardly when she spotted the mud all over her floor. Her Landlady was going to kill her for this mess), turned the taps on, and had great difficulty getting Virgo to pick a bubble bath ("Whichever Hime wants," was not the answer Lucy wanted to hear), and then a great shock when Virgo far too eagerly ripped her clothes off and turned her blue eyes insistently on Lucy as she suggested Lucy should join. Having bathed with the other girls (even if it was involuntarily with Cana), Lucy no longer had shyness over that aspect of nakedness, and quickly joined Virgo into the bath tub.

What? She really needed a second bath!

Lucy helped scrub Virgo's back in silence as Virgo washed her own arms and face. She then carefully rubbed shampoo and conditioner in Virgo's hair. She was surprised at how soft it felt, it never occurred to her that Virgo would have soft anything, the spirit was so tough and hard, even if she's prettier and more delicate looking than she had been when they first met, she still didn't give away any softness.

"Let me wash your hair too, Hime."

Lucy's eyes widened as she felt like Virgo literally read her mind, which considering how knowing her spirits were about her needs it wouldn't surprise her if Virgo could, as Virgo spoke in the softest voice that sounded almost tender rather than her dry monotone.

"Okay."

Lucy turned round and sighed blissfully as Virgo gently massaged her head. After the day she had, almost drowning in mud, almost marrying a giant mole, having to clean constantly, Lucy needed the relaxation Virgo's finger tips were bringing her body. She slumped slightly against her spirit and smiled.

She loved her spirits, and most of the time she had a sense they loved her too, but moments like this made her feel truly cherished by them and hoped desperately that they could feel the same in her attempts to care for them.

(Apart from Aquarius who seems too irritable since Lucy's offer to talk to Scorpio on her behalf led to Aquarius screaming in her face.)

Eventually they were done and Virgo dressed them both in matching dressing gowns from the spirit world. The beautiful star patented silk felt amazing against Lucy's skin.

"Thank you Virgo," Lucy said as she snuggled deeper into her dressing gown, "For your help earlier today and for now."

"Anything Hime wishes," came Virgo's dry reply. "I will bid you farewell now, Hime. I have a great deal to do at home."

"Oh. I'm sure," Lucy said a little loss for words, "And sorry for getting you so dirty."

"Next time you can get me dirty another way."

"Virgo!" Lucy cried out horrified at the innuendo that left her spirit's lips.

"Apologises, Hime," Virgo bowed stiffly, "Nii-san said I had to say that when you said sorry."

Lucy felt her eyebrow twitch at that. Trust Loke to instruct her female spirits, at least the naïve ones because her sure hell can't see him instructing Aquarius of all people, into speaking such innuendo. "I'm sure he did," she muttered darkly, swearing revenge on her mischievous spirit.

"Punishment?"

"NO!"

"As you wish. Farewell, Hime, I must really go now," Virgo said, "After all you are in need of a new wedding dress, Master Natsu has now seen you in the first one. It is bad luck, after all, for the groom to see the bride in her wedding gown before the wedding. "

And with that she disappeared back into the spirit world, leaving Lucy feeling very confused.

"EH?!"

What the hell did Virgo mean she needed a new wedding dress?! Wait, come to think of it, why did she have a wedding dress for Lucy in the first place? And what did she mean by now that Natsu had seen her in it – it's bad luck, after all, Virgo's voice echoed in Lucy's mind, for the groom to see the bride in her wedding gown before the wedding.

….

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Natsu was rather concerned when he found Lucy completely white and soulless but when it meant he can have free reign of her awesome bath and then her even more awesome bed, he just shrugged it off and dragged her to join him.

(Loke, however, sulked in a corner of his own home in the spirit world. He had a black eye from Capricorn's swift kick after he loudly complained how unfair it was that Horologium and Virgo of all people got to bathe with Lucy, and how mean Virgo was not to take photos for him.)