Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I took a small hiatus from writing and then started to work on my actual book and other stories. I haven't forgot about this story I just run into freezes with my writing. Everything I do runs in fads, but I'm still sorry to keep you waiting. I always get frustrated when authors do that to me when I'm the reader. I just want you to know your favorites and comments do help with the inspiration. I really appreciate all of you for continuing to read! Thanks again! As always... Fairy Tail is Hiro Mashimas.

Chapter 12

Lucy sat alone staring up at the stars on the grassy hill behind Camron's house. She sighed for the umpteenth time and leaned back into Loki who had joined her on sigh number three. She found herself to be a very logical person, and that very logic told her that there was no way she could follow through with her plan. She frowned when that logic in itself meant she no longer could be a celestial mage because she had broken her promise to her spirits and herself.

The thought crushed her heart which protested profusely saying that as a mage she has to pursue this. She risked everything for the mages of Fairy Tail, and now it was only right to risk everything for Aquarius. Her mind of course jumps in saying how incredibly selfish that is. That risking one key for Fairy Tail doesn't even remotely compare to risking the world to regain said key.

"Ughhh…" Lucy groans out resting her forehead on her knees. She'd been going in circles like this for hours and honestly wasn't getting anywhere. The two options seemed to create a choice she could never make: to give up on Aquarius or give up on being a mage.

Loki having been quiet this whole time finally spoke up, "You aren't going to stop being a mage. That's not an option."

Both of them having already had this argument caused her to bite off her reply. However, what did draw her up short was the voice that came from a few steps behind her, "Why'd you stop being a mage?" It was Laxus who startled her out of her thoughts. He was frowning down at her.

Loki glared at her, but got up and looked to Laxus, "Maybe you can talk some sense into her." Laxus took a moment to really look at Loki before he disappeared in a shimmer of gold. No, he never had been close to the obnoxious play boy. He had always seen him as inferior and never bothered to waste time on him. His actions with women didn't bother him because Laxus wasn't a whole lot different just didn't flaunt his conquests quite as much as Loki had. He now seen, however, his dedication and commitment to Lucy, and he did have power. Power he hadn't noticed before. He wasn't sure he could attribute that to Loki, however, it might have something to do with the distressed mage in front of him. More proof that connections and relationships to one another truly did make us stronger.

He shakes his head to clear himself from his reminiscent thoughts and gives his full attention to Lucy. She had turned back away from him not answering his question. He sits down next to her, "Well?" He asks again.

She didn't answer him for so long that he honestly thought she was going to ignore him, but when he was going to push her further she finally started. "As a celestial mage, the promises we make are integral to our power. The more promises you keep the stronger you become. It's why people take me for more word so seriously. I don't go back on my word." Laxus nods not realizing exactly how her magic worked. He used to always think of holder mages as weak, so he had never looked into their abilities. Lucy had shattered that impression when she'd defeated Bixlow in the Fantasia incident. She had backed up her strength countless times later. Lucy continued on after a moments rest, "It's more than that though. The more heart behind a promise. The more power one gets for keeping it, and the more power lost when breaking it."

Laxus nods understanding, "So basically a bunch of random promises won't do as much for you as a mage as an important promise like me promising to get you dinner after this is all over."

Lucy looks over at him shocked, but gives him a small nod. His face was serious, and his statement implied he was serious but she couldn't be sure. If her heart wasn't in so much turmoil she would have blushed. Laxus was hitting on her! She thought, maybe.

"And this has what to do with you quitting mage work?" Laxus asks again still slightly confused.

She sighed again all previous school girl thoughts gone, "I made a promise to my spirits and to myself that I would get Aquarius back. To break a promise that serious, I would lose all control of my magic…" She thinks for a moment more, "If I even had any left. It could mean anything from my spirits running rampant to me not being able to open their gates."

Laxus nodded remembering all of the problems that occurred after the Eclipse gate fiasco. While he was not a part of the direct recovery team, the Ranjishu dealt with the weather phenomenon that were caused by the world being thrown off balance. "Avoiding another eclipse situation should be reason enough to pursue this…"

She looks at him shocked, "I could avoid that. I would give the keys to someone I trust, but with so few of us left, that really only leaves Yukino." Laxus remembered her from the Grand Magic Games and nodded. She didn't have the magical pressure that Lucy had, so he wasn't convinced that would work as well as she thought.

"Fine, you give your keys away. Then what? Work at the bar like Mira does?" Laxus asks.

She thought for a moment disheartened, but realized he was just thinking the whole thing through. She was hoping Laxus would come out here and tell her what to do, but she was sad to say he wasn't doing that. "I might for a while, but inevitably I'd have to leave. I don't think I could stay if I wasn't still a mage."

"So, what would you do?" Laxus prods her further.

"I'd work on my writing. Go back to reporting for Scorer's Weekly. Work on my novel," she decided finally although she herself remembered how a piece for her felt missing then.

Laxus gets up brushing the dirt off of him, "Sounds like you've got it all figured out then."

As he moves to step away Lucy jumps up yelling, "What?! Seriously?! That's all you have to say?" Laxus shrugs at her, but before he can say anything she continues on angrily, "You really think I'm so weak as to just give up? One hiccup, and I'm done. My resolve, no my magic is really so weak that I wouldn't even try?!"

Laxus turns back to her and looks down at her, him being several inches taller, "Why are you acting like you've already failed then? Why all the plans like you've already lost your magic?"

"But you asked…?" Lucy started, but he cuts her off again.

"Aren't you a mage of Fairy Tail? Since when does Fairy Tail let anything get in their way? We go against the council. We go against other guilds. We fought against Acnologia and survived!" His pride in his own guild was immense. He's always been proud of his guild. That misplaced pride caused his past mistakes, but after everything that pride had been reshaped into something much stronger.

Lucy fired back never being the calmest when yelled at, "Of course I am! And I was there! I want more than anything to find the core and force it into Aquarius's key with or without the help of the dragons. But… but…"

"But what?" Laxus asks challenging her. "You're afraid? That's an excuse. With all of us here do you really think anything could happen? Do you think we would let anything happen?" He frowns at her in disgust, "That's insulting. Not only to yourself, but to all of us. To all of Fairy Tail."

Lucy shrinks back not seeing things his way. She ponders his statement for a moment longer afraid to even hope. "Promise me…" she whispers to him finally after a long silence. Without his dragon hearing, he would have missed it, but he raised an eyebrow in question. Lucy swallows hard and starts again, "Promise me you'll stop me. You'll stop me if I take it too far."

Laxus stares at her for a long time. They hadn't spent time with each other very long, but what she was asking of him was immense. He could feel the pressure and tension in the question. He almost wondered if it was her magic behind the question. "You have my word," he finally says.

The tears that slip from her eyes at his words surprise him, but he realizes its just relief from the stress of the decision. To know, she's not in this alone. She wanted to know that someone would be there to keep her in check. He was honestly proud of her to realize her own personality and her own limits. She realized that once she committed to a path there was no shaking her from it even if it meant the worst for everyone else. She needed someone to rely on, someone to keep her accountable. Silly girl, Laxus thinks to himself, since when are Fairy Tail mages ever alone…

They make their way back into the house only to be met by the entire group. They all smile at them Gajeel having heard the whole thing relaying it to them. "We're behind you Lucy," Levy says to affirm the mood. Everyone else nods in agreement.

Camron claps his hands excited, "Excellent, I'm glad you've decided. There's a few more things we should discuss about the core."

Freed jumps in before he could continue, "Yes, I have a few questions. The first being: Why would the Spirit King and Great Dragon allow such a dangerous thing to exist in this realm?"

Camron frowned, "I've been wondering much the same thing."

Lucy shocked at all of the support stays quiet as she feels her keys start to burn. She grabs the keys and wills it to open. Capricorn and Grandpa Crux come through their gates.

"I believe I have an answer for you, Lady Lucy," Capricorn says with a slight bow.

Crux pops his sleep bubble, "The power is for the chosen ones. The wanted to bless the chosen ones." Everyone looks at him waiting for him to elaborate, but it looked like he fell back asleep.

Capricorn continues, "He wanted the power for his chosen to be able to achieve their dreams. He knew the chosen would wish to make the world a better place, and he wanted to give them the power to do so."

Everyone's silent when Lucy speaks up, "So is it really okay for me to use this power, for… for something so selfish?" She seemed really sad. Her resolve seemed to be ebbing away.

"What do you mean, Lucy-sama?" Freed inquires.

"I mean the last noble soul was a man who united kingdoms with Excalibur! How am I to compare with that?" Lucy asks pained.

Capricorn nods at her understanding his masters pain, "Yes, I know. However, keys can take thousands of years to re-appear." Lucy pales at this statement. "The ability to recreate keys by those most devoted, his own celestial mages, was one of his intentions."

Lucy's disbelief rings true, and unintentionally her hand hovers over Loki's key. "Please. Is it true?"

He nods at her, "We really aren't supposed to talk about it," he gives a pointed glare at the other two spirits, "but the cores are a blessing to the celestial spirits and the dragon warriors, or as we know them the dragon slayers." He sighs realizing the cat is already out of the bag and goes on, "One of the intentions of the cores was to re-create keys if a spirit user was able to summon the King himself in a time of need. It has never been done, but the power is there. When the cores were proposed the Dragon King and Spirit King both had uses agreed upon with certain conditions met, of course. One of those uses was to re-forge a key if broken."

"Another use was granting power to the Dragon warriors to vanquish powerful foes…" Capricron adds to include the other side's power.

Gajeel nods picking up on the implication, "Meaning this Arthur fellow was a dragon slayer." Capricorn nods at him.

"So what you're saying is that this was Stache Face's intention all along?" Lucy asks clinging to hope.

Her spirits all nod at her and a tear of relief slips from her eye. "Although we warn you, Miss Lucy," Capricorn adds. "Other will strive for this power for nefarious reasons. Reasons that do not align with the Kings' original goals."

"And this," Loki goes on to say, "could cause catastrophic consequences." Everyone nods in understanding remembering what they said about Saigonoshinpan.

"Alright," Camron says again getting everyone's attention. "A decision has been made, but we should all sleep. Tomorrow we can strategize. Bedrooms are upstairs. There are more than enough for all of you."

Everyone nods in thanks and makes their way upstairs. The last two to leave to room are Gajeel and Laxus. Gajeel smirks at Laxus, "Didn't know you were so good with words Thunder Clap."

"Shut up Bolts for Brains."