nx2U, SailorTardis498, twizt312. I know. The cliff. There wasn't space in the chapter. Longer chapters would mean longer wait times... and now the spirits get their own chapter!
RosesMcKellar. The layers upon layers of anticipation are driving me nuts too. I'm so excited to start giving answers instead of more questions.
Unoyoko94. Aww. I'm glad I could help you feel a little better. Laughter is the best medicine. Don't you worry. The talk is coming.
This is Fan fiction. The celestial spirits introduced in this chapter are creations of my own mind. However all other characters, including the celestial spirits already contracted to one Lucy Heartfilia, are the work of Hiro Mashima and are simply being manipulated by me for the sake of this storyline. (Wow. That makes me sound evil.)
XxXxXxXxX
"Open! Gate of the Hunting Dogs! Canes Venatici!"
A shower of glowing golden sparkles and the ring of a doorbell later and two figured stood in the center of the room. Bickslow sent a reminder to the babies to stay out of Cosplayer's way and blinked as the light faded. They... weren't what he expected. Weird was obviously going to be part of the package, all Cosplayer's spirits were... unique. When she said dogs he had been waiting for something like Plue, maybe doggier, flashier, not... old, broken down, cast off dogs of war. Both spirits were wearing the same brown (or maybe faded red. Who knew.) uniform that had obviously been of military origin at some point in the past. Both appeared to be, more or less, men. That was where their similarities ended.
You noticed the tall one first, because he was just that. Tall. Tall as Bickslow maybe and thin as Redus was without master's increased surface area spell. His lips were thin, and His nose was thin, and sharp red eyes were squinty. His ears had furry pointed tips and twitched as if he was hearing something that annoyed him. His pale washed out blond hair was short and scruffy in the extreme, to the point that Bickslow doubted he ever did anything with it other than hack off chunks when they annoyed him. There was a long rifle slung across his back. His voice, when he spoke was harsh and drawn out, as though his voice box was a rusty wheel that didn't want to turn.
"Lucy Heartfilia. We done heard about you. Princess they calls you. M' name's Carol. Not as anyone cares." The voice that spoke up next drew their eyes down. To the very short, rather fat man, who was literally standing under Carol.
"I'd be Bacon, I would." He sounded happy and chipper. He looked... droopy. His skin was so loose it truely looked as if the big thick glasses giggled he wore were holding his face on, as it attempted to melt off. The red hair on his head was so short it almost wasnt there. It continued down to cover his very long also droopy ears, where they crossed around his neak and were tossed over his opposite shoulders. Bacon had a dozen little shoved in a dozen differens shapes clipped to the straps that crossed his chest. "It be good things we heard about you. Is they truely, truely true, Master?"
"There are no masters here, Bacon." Lucy's smile was so big it threatened to break her face in half. "My spirits are my friends and my family. Some of them call me Princess, yes. Virgo and Leo mostly. Cancer calls me baby. Aquarius calls me brat. Honestly, I prefer to just be Lucy."
"I'd be almighty honored to call you by your name, Princess Lucy!"
"M' gunna be just callin' ya by your proper title, Princess. It'd be steppin' out'a rank t'do anything less. Not that anyone cares." Lucy was beaming. Bickslow decided right then that he would be hunting down more keys for her.
"And it would bring me great pleasure if you would agree to serve under me gentlemen. Would you be willing to make a contract with me? My friends have never seen a contract made so they would like to watch, if that's ok."
"Don't see as there be a problem with that. Not that anyone cares."
"Friends of yours be friends of ours, Princess Lucy!"
"Very well then." Lucy held a notebook and pencil. "What special skills do you have?"
"I can see. I got me the keenest eyes anyone ever saw. This here rifle be for sharp shootin'. Bacon here can't see worth half a rat's ass. Pardon my language, Princess." Lucy giggled and scribbled in her book.
"I be the best at diggin'. Not fast and sloppy like that Maiden. My diggin' be the good stuff. Ya' won't never see one o' my holes fallin' in on it's self. I've got me a pretty good sniffer too! And Carol is good at them fast runnin' sprints."
"Eh. Only the short uns. Only in a strait line. Only with a clear path. Not that anyone cares."
"Wow guys. Sounds like you make a pretty good team." The dogs blushed. "What is your schedule like? When is it ok to call you?"
"We works noon to midnight any old day, Princess Lucy. Youse got the stuffy clock so youse can tell the time good."
"Ya bein' the Princess and us hearin' s'much good stuff 'bout ya... ya can call us out of them hours if'n its a life er death sitchiation. If'n the others can't get the job done."
"I be with Carol on that."
"I appreciate that. You should both know that I will take our contract very seriously. I am not your master. I am your friend and you are my family. I don't hide behind my spirits. If we ever get into a tight spot I will be right beside you every step of the way."
"We 'preciate that, Princess. We'll be goin' now seein' as it's still mornin'."
"Bye, Princess Lucy! We'll be see in ya whenever ya calls us soon!"
"Thank you both!" Lucy waved as they disappeared. "Oh those two are going to be so much fun to work with!" Bickslow just about died of a heart attack when Lucy dropped into his lap and threw her arms around his neak. "I can't believe they are willing to work with me outside their contracts! That's so sweet!"
"Is that unusual Lucy?"
"Well yeah. The contract between a spirit and their wizard is very serious, Ever. There can be all sorts of things in there. For instance, if I call Plue more than once in a week I have to give him candy. I do that any time I call him because I love the little guy, but if I broke my part of that agreement I would lose his contract. I would still hold his key, but I couldn't call him with it, unless he wanted to answer."
"Do yourself a favor, Tits. If you ever get either of the bears, don't call them out with these guys. It will get really nasty."
"Can you tell me why?"
"Let's just call it history..."
"Ok then. Shall we meet my next spirit?" Virgo appeared before Lucy even reached for the second key.
"Princess, I believe the Poison slayer would find it in his best interest to leave before you begin this contract."
"Fuck! Yeah. I'm out. I'll catch you guys before you get to the nuthouse you call a guild." Virgo vanished.
"Cobra where are you going? Should I come too?"
"You stay, Taffy Head. You'll have fun with this. My ears won't. You keep this guy the hell away from me, Tits!"
"Umm... ok? Be careful?"
"Hey, Cyclops! Avoid Natsu! We like Magnolia the way it is. Moron doesn't hold a grudge but he will fight you just for fun and to hell with the consequences."
"Yeah, yeah."
"What was that about?" Evergreen wasn't the only one who was confused.
"Let's find out!" Lucy hopped up and pulled the last key from the box.
"I am connected to the path to the celestial spirit world! Heed my call! Pass through the gate! Open! Gate of the Porpoise! Delphinius!"
Bickslow's jaw dropped. All the flash the Hunting Dogs lacked this guy had apparently stolen to add to his own. If he had ever really wanted to learn to be a disco ball this is where he would have looked for lessons. There was flash, and sparkle, and shine... everywhere. From his green and blue sparkling zebra striped bell bottoms, to the orange shirt covered in sequins, to the purple velvet heeled boots covered in what looked like golden stars. He had gems and beads woven into the countless braids in his silver hair, and even his skin seemed to shimmer when he moved. Lucy would never be able to use this guy discreetly.
"Oh my gosh! It's Aunt Aquee's little Lucy! You are so pretty! Next time Cancer cuts your hair can I have it! It's such a sparkly gold color!" The Dogs hadn't moved a muscle, accept to talk, the whole time they were here. This Dolphin guy had moved every single one. He danced a full circle around Lucy during his little speach, pinched her cheeks, and now had his hands in her hair. Lucy seemed to be frozen in shock. Bickslow's hands twitched to yank the spirit away from her.
"Oh! Where are my manners?! I'm Epsilon! Pleased to meet you, Princess. Oh and these must be your friends!" Epsilon was suddenly leaning far to close to Bickslow's face. He faught the urge to shrink away. "You look familiar! Not a celestial mage, so I must have seen you in the viewing portal. I recognise all of the Princesses teammates, and you aren't one. Was it recent? It must have been. Oh!" He stood up and Bickslow caught a glimpse of Lucy with both hands over her mouth, obviously trying not to laugh. "I remember now! You have been holding my key for days now! It's so nice to finally meet you, Disco Princess!" Bickslow groaned and facepalmed. Epsilon didn't seem to notice as he danced away again.
"That would make you Meredy right?" A wide eyed Meredy gaped at him as he started playing in her hair. "Such a bright color! So pretty! We can be friends right? Oh good! I'm so glad!" Meredy hadn't made a single sound. Epsilon moved on to Evergreen. "I don't know you. You aren't the Poison slayer that's for sure. That man is so grumpy! Oh a baby! So sweet! You must be so happy!" Evergreen passed out. Meredy squeaked and followed her into oblivion. Lucy looked panicked.
"Epsilon! I'm so glad to meet you..."
"Oh I'm so sorry, Princess. I got distracted. I would love to make a contract with you! I use sonic waves. I can see with them using echolocation and I have a couple of sonic attacks I can use. I'm also an extraordinary dancer! You can call me any time the sun is out! Just not at night. It's not personal, it's just that the sun goes down and Poof I fall asleep. Oh and I love pretty things. You want to make me a happy dolphin you just hand me something shiney! Well I'm off! See you soon, Princess! So lovely to meet you, Disco Princess! Bye now!" A shower of sparkles and he was gone.
"Umm... bye?" Lucy just stood there with one hand raised in a half hearted wave.
"Wow. So that happened." The babies started giggling. "You ok, Cosplayer?"
"Sonic waves..." She sounded dazed and still hadn't moved. "Guess that explains Cobra leaving. Magical hearing and all." Bickslow winced at the thought.
"That and he wouldn't shut up." He looked at the two unconscious girls. "Should we do something about them?" Lucy finally moved to check on them.
"I think they are ok. We just wait for them to wake up. You think Evergreen knew she was pregnant before he told her?" Pregnant!
"What!" Lucy laughed at him.
"Did you miss that? He used his magic to see the baby. That's why she fainted. I'm guessing she didn't know."
"Wow. Ok then." He was suddenly exhausted. He let himself pull his Cosplayer back into his lap, and buried his face in her hair. "This is going to be a long day isn't it?" She nodded. Lunch hadn't even happened yet and there had been at least two life changing revelations. Evergreen was apparently going to be a mom. Mira would be thrilled. And he was in love with Lucy Heartfilia. Mira would be thrilled at that too, but he was hoping to keep it to himself for now. "Cosplayer, if we survive lunch at the guild can we one back here and take a nap?"
"Absolutely. We are going to need it."
XxXxXxXxX
To be continued