Lucy stood, blonde hair half over her face, her big brown eyes wide still, Lokes gate had closed, Virgo flashed out as she was smashed into a wall and Natsu lay unconscious across the hall with a pile of other mages.

A few feet away Hestor was panting, his usually cool blue eyes also saucered like Lucys, Abraxas, one of the spirits of the Hall of Two Truths, a former Demon General who had been bound by the first Starbinder thousands of years ago...weilding a massive claymore in smoldering armor that had once withstood a blast from an Ethereon cannon...was now loosing ground, his eyes widening a moment before he shattered in a shower of stardust, his gate closing.

Lucy whimpered slightly, watching as the massive spirit that had demolished Fairytails seating area folded in its wings after taking out it's final opponent, dangerous eyes sliding around the hall looking to see if there were any others who might stand against it…

"What now?" Lucy whispered to Hestor who didn't blink, eyes locked on the spirit

"I am a vested Priest...I am praying…" He responded and Lucy would have glared at the answer knowing the man had been running from his title since he was child...but, she was inclined to maybe pray herself given those eyes were coming their way.

"I've survived some horrific key trials...but I admit…" Hestor broke off as the spirits gaze slid over them.

Nearby Levy was hiding behind a broken table near Gajeel who had been knocked unconscious at the same time Natsu had been...when Natsu had been the one to start this whole thing.

Lucy had come into the hall with Hestor and Erza...Erza still eating little Christmas cakes that she'd bought at the quaint little shop where they had found the tiny tree in a pretty bright red enameled pot. It was a pear tree...and Lucy had felt it's pull, both she and Hestor blinking in surprise when the strong pull supposedly of a strong spirit had led them to a shop selling Christmas goodies and ornaments and to the little pear tree with it's odd little single ornament, a plump bright gold partridge…

Lucy had bought the little tree while Erza had gushed over the cakes and treats and informed her and Hestor that if this was how key hunts usually went she wanted to never be left out of one again going forward.

Hestor was in Magnolia because Bickslows family was visiting, his father renting out a house by the lake and several of his brothers coming along including Kaleb who was Hestors Guildmaster and...husband. He and Lucy had gotten into a conversation about keys and had been roaming the nearby towns as Lucy had sought something pulling at her while Hestor tried to teach her how to scry for keys and follow her natural magical pull toward keys. This one they had been unable to research first because the pull just didn't bring specific magic to mind.

So, Erza had come along in case there was something that could overpower Lucy...The redheads insistence insulting Lucy and Hestor both but neither had argued much not seeing the point in frustrating themselves.

"It never grew, my uncle raises pears and apples and that tree just...never grew, it came in a shipment with other saplings...had that ornament in it and he and his wife thought it was cute and left it...when it wouldn't grow...he potted it and brought it to me figuring it would sell here in the shop...I'm so glad you like it...but...don't expect it to grow…no refunds…" The shop owner had warned and Lucy had smiled and bought the tree assuring the man it was fine...she'd keep it.

Lucy had brought the tree back to the guild, because no efforts to try and trigger something from it had given them anything to work with. They were going to go into the guild library and Hestor was going to help her and Crux dig through materials to try and find reference to a key related to a ...pear tree.

But...when they came in, Natsu had taken immediate interest and had started laughing.
"It's like the Charlie Brown tree! It looks so...pathetic...that ornaments too big and why a stupid fat bird anyway? We can get it to grow...I bet Droy can help...but get the fat bird out…" He'd said and had tried to pull the ornament off the tree.

Natsu don't! The shop keep said it was like...partly grown into the branch! Natsu!" Lucy had tried to stop him...she really had but Natsu was determined and….the next thing they knew...he was having his ass handed to him by a massive warrior in golden armor that had wings of gold along its arms and a sword made out of sharp golden feathers. Other mages had gotten dragged into the fight and...well...here they were.

¾ of the guild was beaten unconscious and there was a huge golden warrior glaring over them all ready to beat down anyone left that looked like they wanted a piece…

"I...we...won't try to remove you from the tree..ever…" Lucy said and the warrior stared her down until she felt about an inch tall, Hestor inching back...Lucy had chosen to speak...this was on her ass...he had done his part.

"No...you will not...and you will care for my tree and only call upon me one time in a week and only if heavy combat is required...you call me to move furniture I'll bury you." The warrior said coldly and Lucy blinked huge eyes.

"I...no...I would never do that." She nodded rapidly

The warrior put his sword away "Very good...I am highly effective against other celestial combatants and…" He smirked "Demons." with that he suddenly shrank down, becoming the ornament on the tree sitting in the middle of the devastated hall and Lucy squeaked, jerking her hand up in surprise as a beautiful key with a pear and a golden bird at the head appeared in it.

"Well...alright then...so...we need to research a partridge in a pear tree...key, spirit...thing." Hestor said standing up straight and adjusting his rumpled clothing and straightening his silver hair.

Lucy stared at the key in her hand nodding with her mouth still a little open. "A partridge in a pear tree…."