Lucy sat happily on the train with her guild mates, flipping through the tome, Erza and Carla reading over her shoulder, Natsu and Wendy leaning out the window trying to climb out to escape the death trap, Gray and Happy sitting opposite Lucy. When they arrived back at Magnolia they all went their separate ways and agreed to meet back at the guild to discuss a job they could all take together. Lucy returned to her apartment, put her bags down and placed the tome on her desk for reading later. She stripped herself of her clothing and ran herself a hot bath.
When she returned to the guild Arcadios was standing at the bar in his full suit of armour talking to Makarov. They were talking in hushed tones of importance. Their gaze fell to Lucy when she entered the building and Makarov called her over. Unnerved by the knight's presence she methodically walked over to the guild master and guest. Step by step, almost like a robot.
"Lucy," Makarov said. "Arcadios has something important to discuss with you, please lead him into my office upstairs."
"Of course," She smiled and lead Arcadios up the stairs into the office and closed the door. Lucy was beading sweat on her forehead only able to think oh my god what has Natsu gotten me into this time. "What's this about Arcadios?" The man drew her attention to a familiar looking briefcase. He set it on the desk and spoke.
"It's about this," he pulled out a key, unlocked the case and flicked it open. Lying before Lucy in a velvet case was the 12 celestial banishment keys. "as you know when Hisui was crowned queen she retired celestial spirit magic. Initially, the plan was to keep these keys locked away in a vault. However, Hisui has fallen sick over the past few weeks and has had time to reflect on her actions over the years, and she has decided that it would be best if the keys were handed down to you Lucy. Friend to all spirits, holder of all keys, guest of Celestial Spirit King." Arcadios closed, locked the case, and handed Lucy the key. "These are yours now." Lucy stood staring at the case, not knowing what to say. A million thoughts ticking over in her head.
"I… I can't except these," she said.
"Hisui thought you might say something like that. She is certain that you will do what is right with the keys, and for your spirits." Arcadios still holding the key places it in her hands.
"But what am I meant to do with them?" she said chasing after Arcadios.
"Whatever you deem appropriate." Lucy stood in the doorway of the office looking out to Arcadios as he left the guild. Lucy grabbed the case and began her descent of the stairway, when Erza, Natsu, and Happy entered. Happy came barrelling at Lucy knocking her off the stares and sending her crashing her into the tables below.
"Ow," Lucy cried. "what did you do that for you dumb cat?"
"I just wanted to know what the case you had was for."
"Yeah, it looks really cool, Luce. What's it for?" Natsu said spewing flames. Erza approached to scold Happy for wrecking part of the guild when she too noticed the case.
"Lucy, that case has the Queens crest. Was Arcadios here visiting you?"
"Actually, I'm glad you're here Erza. I wanted to discuss this with you," Lucy clutched the case and groaned as she stood.
They found a place to sit and Lucy opened the case and displayed the false keys.
"Arcadios, no. Hisui gave these to me and I'm not certain with what to do with them. What do you think I should do?" Lucy was genuinely confused as to what to do with them and turned to one of the most mature members of her team.
"you should burn them!" Natsu called jumping up on the table spewing flames from his mouth.
"They're objects of pure celestial magic! They won't just burn!" Lucy hit Natsu and forced him to sit. She turned her attention back to Erza and whilst waiting for her response she fingered her keys on her belt and herd the chimes of the celestial world. Gentle, encapsulating, mind-numbingly beautiful. Mum used to tell me stories of wizards who went mad listening to the pull of the keys Lucy thought.
"Abandon them," Erza said.
"Hm," Lucy snapped out of her trance, eyes blinking she stared at Erza.
"Abandon them somewhere no one will find them. That's what I think."
Erza was right Lucy thought she needed to abandon them, but there was not a place on Earthland that was away from those who could do harm. The Celestial Spirit world she thought.
Lucy stood from the table, packed up the briefcase, and pulled out the key of the Lion.
"Open, gate of the Lion, Leo." Doorbells chimed, but nothing. No sparks of glitter, nothing.
"Is everything ok Lucy?" Erza asked. Lucy just breathed, in and out. Tracing her magic and she knocked. Gold light spluttered and spewed next to Lucy and the lion spirit appeared. Lucy hunched and supported herself on the table breathing heavily refusing to collapse. She stood up sweat beading down her face, and she was fine.
"Please Loke," Lucy was serious. "I know you just wanted to see if I could force a gate open again, and it seems that I can manage to do it fine, but I would rather avoid doing it if I can. It makes me feel dirty."
"Of course. From now on if you call, I will always come." Leo, and all Lucy's spirits loved her. None of them wanted to deliberately cause her distress that could be avoided. "What did you summon me for?"
"I need you to take me to the spirit world. I have something that doesn't belong here," Lucy donned her Leo star dress, and the lion obliged without delay. The gentle chime of the Celestial world called and pulled and Lucy happily fell into its cloud of silver and gold bells.
In a blink of an eye, Lucy was in the celestial spirit world. Clutching the case, she turns to look at Leo and asks
"Is there somewhere I can leave this?" Leo points down the path to a large building. Gentle pillars stood outside the front of the building, they twisted down and shone with a familiar gold. Inside was a gathering of spirits, stalls filled with small trinkets, familiar looking whips and clothing items.
"Just put them anywhere," Leo said. "No one will touch them."
Lucy looked around and found an empty table which she placed the case on. She turned back to face the lion spirit.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"The Hub. It's where all celestial spirits come from far and wide to trade items they have made, tell stories of their time in the human realm."
"I had no idea such a place existed."
"Of course not. There are so many things you don't know about the celestial spirit world. But if you came to visit you would learn more about the way we live," Leo was sounding desperate. He and all the other spirits loved Lucy. They wanted to spend more time with her.
"You know I want to, but I can't afford the time, months go by in a day here…" Leo cut her off.
"Then we will drop you off at the exact time we picked you up, you know we can… the King can. Please just spend the day with me. let me show you around." Leo's eyes begged. They were full and wanting. Lucy hesitated and agreed.
They strolled around the hub. Stopping and looking at stalls, listening to spirits stories of the human realm. Lucy began noticing familia looking items; the celestial equivalent to Earthland magic items, Devises that changed to color of one's outfit that that of celestial colours, elegant rich purples, blues, silvers, and golds. Cards which possessed celestial magic and more. The spirits learned from humans and created their own forms. They passed a case which held a suit of armor. Brilliant purple and gold. Erza she thought, Lucy, approached the vendor and asked for a price.
"For you Lucy, it's free. I'm happy to share my work with the last human." Lucy smiled at the old spirit. She picked up a card which had an image of a shooting star on it.
"And this?"
"The same price. Free for you," hearing that again made Lucy's stomach drop, twist, and turn. It didn't feel right that these spirits held her in such high regard because she was the last practicing celestial wizard. Tears of glitter and gold splashed on the ground.
"I can't let Celestial spirit magic die with me!" Lucy had another goal, not just to enhance her magic, but to revivify her dying art. "Do you have access to your key?" she asked the white feather dressed spirit. The spirit nodded and conjured her key, silver and ornate with gentle bird wings. "If you give me your key, I will find you a wizard. I will bring the joy of Earthland back to the spirit world." The gentle feathered spirit handed her key over to Lucy. Leo stood behind and nodded in approval.
The two-continued roaming around before Lucy felt it was time to return. Leo clapped his hands together and Lucy appeared back in front of her guildmates as if she never left.
"Erza, I have a present for you," She handed over the celestial armor.
"It feels like Jellal's magic," Lucy winked at the knight and searched for the drunken woman. And discovered her sitting at the bar. Lucy pulled up a stool beside her and slid the card over. Canna looked at it, picked it up and spoke.
"What's this for?"
"No particular reason. Call it cultural exchange." Lucy smiled, stood and walked away.
Staring at the job board Lucy's teammates joined her. Five minutes of bickering between Natsu and Gray before a job was chosen. Find the bandits near our town and put an end to our sorrow.
Note: I am so very sorry for how long this took me to write and publish. I'm in my final year of high school so it's a massive push for me to do anything that isn't school related. thanks to everyone how has favorited or followed this story. commenting may or may not encourage me to write and publish more, but please don't expect regular updates. Love to you all