Another question: Can Aizen, Gin, or Tosen be summoned. I've said this before, no one, and I mean NO ONE is safe from my crack summonings.

This chapter is VERY DIFFERENT from all my others. But I needed to breach on it at some point, nobody can go through what Lucy is without some feelings. Especially a character like Lucy who tends to undermine herself.

Also, I received A LOT of requests for this character. Not just in comments, but a few PM's were thrown my way - I have to say I've had more requests for this character than any other (even Ichigo). So I was actually very relieved because I had something special planned for this - especially since it is my all time favorite Bleach character.

Enjoy~

Lucy was making her way back to her apartment – their team couldn't decide on a mission.. And she was way too tired to argue with anyone and decided to just pick one out tomorrow. She was eager to get as many done as possible, but she needed a break every now and then as well; so she decided to just take the next day off and pick the mission then. She was leaning towards the Mt. Hakobe request since Makarov hadn't heard from the Strauss' in the last day or so; but all the other teams had taken a day or two for some much-needed vacation time before heading back to the guild to report their findings – everyone assumed Mira's team was doing the same. The GMG's hadn't just resulted in Fairy Tail's business, but the other guilds as well – everyone deserved somewhat of a break.

Lucy considered calling Plue out but was relishing in the quiet – it had been a few weeks since she'd had any alone time, she almost missed the days where she just lounged at the bar with Mira and patiently waited for her friends to come back from their missions. Everything was much simpler then..

"Careful now Lucy! You're going to fall into the water one of these days!" Lucy was waving at the fisherman who greeted her regularly; it was nice to be back in Magnolia.

She slowly opened the door to her apartment, asking herself if she should eat first or take a bath; had she ever appreciated alone time this much before?

"Hey Luce! What took ya so long?" Lucy's eyes snapped to the refrigerator. Happy was sitting on her counter eating a raw fish while Natsu was digging in her fridge.

"Oh there you are, we were about to go looking for you." Gray came walking out of her bathroom – clad in only a towel and brushing his teeth. Was that her toothbrush…?

"Lucy! We've come to stay with you. We don't think you should be alone from this point out." Erza had just requipped into her pajama's and was walking out of Lucy's bedroom; saving her place in the erotic novel she wasn't even attempting to hide.

Lucy was about to say something when a knock sounded at her door. She slowly turned around and debated whether to even open it – unfortunately she didn't get the choice as it swung open on itself a second later.

"Lu-chan! We've all decided it was best to stay with you!" Levy was walking into her apartment now, arms full with ice cream, snacks, books, magazines, pillows, and a sleeping backpack slung over her shoulder. Was she moving in..?

"Oi Bunny girl – I call the couch." A grumpy Gajeel came strutting in with Lily close behind – looking as though Levy forced him to come with.

"I already called dibs on the couch!" Gray had swiftly removed his towel, ready to fight Gajeel for couch rights.

"Holy shi- Dammit Gray! Put your fuckin' towel back on!" Gajeel was now covering Levy's eyes as Erza side-kicked the Ice Mage back into the bathroom. Lucy had yet to move from her spot at the doorway entry – tears were trying to fight their way through.

"I call Lucy's bed! Come on Happy!" Natsu was running full force into Lucy's bedroom, Happy tossing the remnants of his fish onto the floor, "Aye!" following after the Dragon Slayer.

"Hey no fair! I'm sleeping with Lu-chan!" Levy was bum-rushing towards Lucy's room, ready to challenge Natsu for bed rights.

"I prefer to sleep with Lucy as well. I'll only feel comfortable having her safe within my bosom at night." Erza was following closely behind Levy as Gray came rushing out of the bathroom, "We had the option of sleeping in Lucy's bed?!" Then ran into her bedroom as well.

Lucy had still yet to move from her spot on the floor. The tears were free-falling now.

Gajeel and Lily were watching the Celestial Mage from the corner of their eyes as she was still attempting to take the situation into comprehension. Gajeel snickered a little as Lily shook his head – feeling a little sorry for the blonde.

"Hope you don't miss your privacy too much, gihi." Gajeel had dropped himself onto her couch, removing his boots and clearly making himself comfortable while Lily propped himself on one of the arm rests.

"Oi, got anything to eat?" Lucy slouched to the floor in defeat. Might as well accept it – they weren't leaving and it was only going to get worse once Wendy and Carla, heck even Juvia, were back.. God forbid Gray be in her apartment without Juvia around..

After a light meal, a quick bath, and refusing to change; Lucy found herself lying awake in her bed. How in the hell could anyone sleep with their face smashed into Erza's chest and Levy spooning them from behind? Natsu was curled up at the foot of her bed with Happy like some sort of dog and Gray was half on the bed – half on the floor. But of course the only portion of himself, his legs, that were on the bed had to be draped over Lucy. She could even hear Gajeel's snoring from her couch.. If that wasn't enough she couldn't stop the million different thoughts racing through her mind. Everything was so sudden, happening so fast.. She couldn't keep up with all the events with these keys and the demons after her. Their discussion earlier at the guild definitely didn't help her already stressed state, she couldn't help but wonder "why me?" She internally sighed and attempted to turn but Erza's vice grip made that impossible; anytime she felt her mind slow down and sleep ready to take over Gajeel would either snap her awake with a particularly loud snore or Gray would fidget.. This was going to be a long night..

"Pick a mission yet chick? Woah.. What happened to you?" Laxus had jumped back at the horribly unkempt sight of the Celestial Mage. She had bags under her eyes that rivaled the oldest of hags, they looked like they were getting darker and darker by the second..

"Don't ask." Lucy had placed her head in her arms on the counter – she was definitely taking today off.. Maybe sneak away from the group that was still hovering close by and get in a little siesta..

"Lucy, are you alright?" Makarov was approaching the girl, was she attacked the night before? She looked like hell.

"Yeah.. Never better Master.. Never better.." A yawn escaped as she lazily turned her head to peek at her Master. He shared a curious glance with Laxus as they both shrugged. The rest of her team looked well rested..

"Well my child, I think its best that you take the day off." Makarov was giving Lucy a pitying smile as she shook her head from her place on the counter, still wrapped in her arms. "I know your team hadn't decided on a mission yet but I'm going to go ahead and send you to Mt. Hakobe, I haven't heard from Mira yet and she hasn't answered her Lacrima.."

Lucy perked up and was looking at Makarov, both she and Laxus had somewhat worried looks. "Come on! It's Mira we're talkin' about, she's fine." Cana came walking up, draping an arm around Laxus and stumbling a little. "Besides, I'm likin' all this self-service!" Cana hiccuped as she reached over the bar, attempting to refill her mug before Laxus grabbed her and took her cup away. "You're cut off."

"Whaaaaa?!" She was desperately reaching for the cup well above her head as Makarov watched the display with little interest, still lost in thought about Mira and her team.

"Master.." It was Lucy's turn to provide some comfort to the old man. She was patting his hand as he briefly smiled at her. "Go take a day Lucy, you've earned it." Makarov patted her hand back as he jumped from the bar counter top, walking back to his office as Laxus followed – cup still in hand.

"Jerk.." Cana was watching him walk away with distaste as she pulled her back-up cup from her bag.

Lucy slowly stood and made her way to the door, "I'm gonna go take a walk Cana, I'll see ya around." She was smiling and waving to her tipsy friend as Cana watched in confusion, still filling her mug. Hadn't Lucy just gotten there?

"Luce! Where ya going?" Natsu was chasing after Lucy with Happy hovering over head as the rest of her team stood to follow.

"Just a little walk guys.. I just need to think a little bit.." She waved their concerns off as she slowly walked through the doors. Her team all shared an awkward glance as they watched their friend disappear.

She was making her way to the grass hill she and Capricorn had trained on over a week or so ago now. She was taking in her difference in ability, how much she'd changed in just over a few weeks. She sat down cross-legged as she remembered Capricorn's instructions – and instantly created a sphere of magic. Holding it for as long as she could.

She'd lost track of time, truthfully she'd lost track of everything at that moment - she hadn't felt this relaxed in what seemed like ages. She let the weight of bearing the keys and taking responsibility of the demons temporarily disappear as she concentrated on her magic. She hadn't even noticed the presence that had been keeping an eye on her for some time now. She slowly allowed her sphere to vanish as she finally took notice of her company.

"That was excellent Lucy. Do you have any idea how long you held your magic like that for?" Capricorn was now looking down at Lucy as a light blush dusted her cheeks; she was embarrassed she'd completely missed him passing through his gateway. She must have been tired.. She shook her head no as he removed his sunglasses.

"Lucy you were in your trance for almost two hours. That's four times longer than what you managed not two weeks ago. The rate of which your magic is increasing is astounding – those keys have exponentially improved your endurance." Capricorn was putting his sunglasses back on as Lucy was standing, brushing any dirt and grass off her shorts.

"I felt like I could hold it longer.." She was taking in the sight of Magnolia now, it was quiet from her spot – she wasn't quite ready to head back to the guild and stared at the city lights for a few minutes in silence

"What's troubling you Lucy? You usually don't stray from your friends like this, especially knowing how worried they are about you." Capricorn was now standing next to Lucy, arms behind his back taking in the sight with her.

"It's just a lot going on Capricorn. And all so fast.. It's hard to keep up with everything. I mean, a month ago I was the little blonde mage in Team Natsu that barely lifted a finger, and now I'm the Celestial Mage every demon in Earthland wants to get a piece of.. It's just different." She was looking at Capricorn through the corner of her eye, waiting for him to respond.

"You know Lucy, you were never just a 'little blonde on Team Natsu', you've always been great, and always had the ability to become greater. You've long since surpassed your mother and any other Celestial Mage; the only thing holding you back is your own self-doubt. It's always been your greatest weakness and will continue to be as long as you allow it. Just remember Lucy, we're only ever given what we can handle and nothing more. You, my dear, were meant to have those keys and face this challenge, at times you may feel alone, but have courage. We are all behind you no matter how far ahead of us you may walk, and your friends at the guild are as well."

Lucy smiled as she took his words in, then suddenly turned to hug him. She was relishing that she didn't just have her family at the guild, but her Celestial Spirit family as well. She was never alone, never would be alone, she just needed to remember that and work on her own courage - kick herself into first gear. She did doubt herself, more than anybody else. She really needed to work on that.

"Thanks Capricorn.. You reminded me of my mother a little bit, I feel like that was something she would have said." She was rubbing her eyes and smiling as she thought back on memories of her mother as Capricorn began patting her head, successfully snapping her from her thoughts.

"It's time I headed back now Lucy, you should also head back to the guild; you wouldn't want your friends to worry too much now would you?"

Lucy smiled again as she nodded and started to lightly jog down the grass hill, turning to wave at her spirit but he'd already vanished. She was feeling surprisingly refreshed, a little meditation went a long way, and she wasn't feeling drained at all after holding her magic. She replayed Capricorn's words in her head as she thought back on last night's events with her friends – they really were worried about her, and truly did care.. She slowed her jog to a walk after entering the city. A few of the people waved and greeted her, she'd become pretty well known after the games, and then she spotted Gray running a few yards away.

"Gray!" She was waving her arms trying to catch his attention; he immediately stopped and ran the distance between them.

"Luce! Where have you been?!" He was bending over trying to catch his breath, was he running all over Magnolia?

"Sorry Gray.. I was up in the hills outside Magnolia again.." She was scratching the back of her head, feeling a little bad about his clearly distressed state, was she really making him worry so much?

"No time to explain, let's go." He was grabbing her hand and running full speed towards the guild, not allowing her to ask any questions even after their arrival as he slammed the doors open.

"Found her!" Gray was pushing through the gathered crowd at the bar, every guild member had arrived and even a few members from the other guilds were there – must have just gotten back from their missions, err, vacations..

Makarov was standing on top of the bar counter with his Communication Lacrima from his office. He was giving a deadly look to whoever's face was presently there.

"Lucy.. This call.. Is for you.." Makarov gave Lucy a pained look; he clearly didn't want to give her the Lacrima, but for some reason he had to. She slowly walked towards her Master with Natsu coming up right beside her, Erza and Gray flanking her other side with Happy flying overhead. Makarov turned so she could see the face in the Lacrima – it was a demon with its face completely covered. But how..?

"Is this the little Celestial Wizard runnin' around killin' all my friends?" He was most likely smiling under his bandanna, ignoring the glares from the four mages next to her and the exceed; all his focus was on Lucy - she flinched a little at the realization.

"Well – since you've killed, mmmm, lemme see.. Daemon.. Gladius.. Oh and Ignem. Well, this should just about even things up, eh?" The demon stepped to the side to show Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman tied crucifix style to three separate pillars in the background; all three a bloody mess and completely unconscious.

Lucy blanched at the sight.

"Wha?! H-How did you?! How could you?! Let them go! Let them go right now or I swear on my life you'll be sorry!" Tears were pricking at Lucy's eyes – she was becoming overwhelmed with a frenzy of emotions.

"Actually doll.. You've killed some lesser demons as well.. You're lucky I don't give two-shits 'bout 'em. I should just kill these three right now." And to emphasize his point he shot a needle-like structure from his arm, right into Mira's thigh as she flinched but remained unconscious. Lucy could feel the bile burning at the back of her throat as a sudden wave of nausea hit her.

"YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Gray and Erza were holding Natsu back as he attempted to grab the Lacrima. Everyone in the guild varied in emotions at the sudden image. Mira was S-class, Elfman and Lisanna weren't push overs either.. How could a single S-class demon manage this? Was this maybe the demon that created the giant redwood? But that doesn't make sense.. Why would he become so desperate now?

"What do you want." Lucy had her hands clenching down on the bar as she cast her eyes to the floor, she couldn't look into the Lacrima any longer – it was too much to bear. Makarov was fighting tears as his eyes became blood-shot and his face red.

"You." Everyone looked to Lucy. Some shocked, but the others who were in on the latest developments expected it.

"Alone. No one is to come with you. Bring the keys. Only then will I let these three go."

"How do I know you'll keep your word." Lucy was now looking back to the demon, glaring daggers. If only looks could kill..

"Lucy.. No.. You can't.." Levy had tears in her eyes as Cana was holding her shoulders. She wanted to be the voice of reason, let Lucy run off to a demon for some deal with no guarantee the demon would keep his side of the bargain? Bad idea. Cana was shaking her head no, pleading for Lucy to say the words.

"Think about this Lucy.. He could be lying." Erza now had a firm grip on her shoulder; she wasn't willing to let Lucy run off either. Gajeel and Lily had come up behind Erza, nodding their heads – agreeing with the Knight. There was no way he'd just let them all waltz away after getting the keys, they wanted Lucy dead, that much was clear.

"No way. I'm coming with her!" Natsu growled at the Lacrima. Gray was standing next to him with his arms crossed, silently saying he was going with her too. Happy had landed on Lucy's shoulder, hugging her head to let the demon know she wasn't going alone.

"No. She comes alone. I so much as catch a whiff of anyone with her; I'll kill 'em three on the spot; and come after her anyways. I'm really offerin' ya a grand deal." Lucy felt her stomach churn as Levy began crying, this was quite possibly the worst situation any of them had ever been in.

The Celestial Mage was torn; she knew the demon probably wouldn't keep his word, she wanted to listen to her friends and stay safe and secure here in Magnolia. She knew if she went he'd most likely kill her then the Strauss siblings before taking her keys – but what else could she do? Nothing? Just let them die? She tried weighing her options but realized she had nothing to bargain with, and really no other choice. She began gritting her teeth – she wasn't ready for any of this.

"Alright." Lucy barely spat the words out. Trying her best to maintain her composure – she didn't want the demon to know how scared she truly was, "Deal."

"Lucy no!" "You can't Lucy!" "Think this over Lucy.." "It's a trap!" "I'm going with you!"

"STOP IT!" Lucy was fighting back tears as the guild slowly went silent, not wanting to miss out on the rest of the conversation. "When and where."

"Tomorrow. Mt Hakobe. Directions will be left for you at the train station. Don't show 'n I kill 'em. Got that?" His eye was taking up the Lacrima – still staring straight at Lucy.

"Why not tonight? How do I know you'll even keep them alive!" Lucy hadn't expected him to wait til the next day, and the Strauss' needed help now.

"Cuz I'm gonna make it so I know for a fact yer comin' alone. I aint stupid girl, don't think I don't know yer friends are gonna try 'n come with ya. Hear that Fairy Tail? I'll know if any of you are within a 50 mile radius of my location, and if that happens they die. Period. I'll also know if anyone tries to come tonight. Besides, if I killed them what would keep you from just usin' one of those keys on me once you get here? They'll be alive. Got that girly?"

"I understand.." She was looking down again, knuckles white from clutching the bar so hard. She had secretly hoped he wasn't as keen as he was leading on, that somehow her team or at least a few members could come with her, but he was a lot smarter than the previous demons they'd encountered. He left no loop holes, Lucy was going to have to go alone, and there was no way around it. It wasn't worth risking the Strauss' lives in an attempt to bring along some back up.

The Lacrima clicked out, and the guild went wild.

"What the fuck Lucy?!" Gray was standing in front of her now, shooting ice everywhere as Laxus grabbed her arm, making her face him, "What did you do Lucy?!" Static was clicking throughout the guild, Bixlow was shaking his head 'no' while Freed was attempting to comfort a very panic-stricken and distraught Evergreen. Laxus had covered her view of the Lacrima – seeing Elfman the way he was would have sent her on the first ride to Mt. Hakobe, only making the situation worse.

"Why did you agree Lucy?!" Erza had panic written all over her face, fighting her own tears back as Levy let hers fall freely. Cana was spitting to the side as she threw her cup at the bar, making quite a mess as a Bisca and Alzack tried to calm her down. Romeo was gripping his father's shirt and fighting his own tears as Macao only watched Cana take her anger out on the counter and barrels a little while longer.

"I don't care Lucy! I'm going with you!" Natsu was on fire – he was daring anyone to tell him otherwise. The whole guild was in a complete frenzy, everyone arguing on how to go about it, what to do, how to get Lucy out of going, how to get the siblings back, how to save everyone.. Mavis had suddenly appeared next to Makarov, she preferred to not meddle in the guild's affairs but this was not something she could easily ignore. Her guild needed all the support they could get at the moment.

"Lucy.. Are you sure you want to do this?" Makarov was lifting her chin with his hand, looking her in the eye as tears met with tears. "What else can I do Master? If I do nothing, they die." Her eyes were now hardened over as she fought back the chill trying to creep up her spine at the thought of what might happen to her. She had made up her mind, she was going.. Alone.. Nobody was going to change that.

The guild was getting louder and louder. Some contemplating tying her down to keep her from going, others trying to come up with a way around the deal so someone could go with her. Others were planning on going regardless. Then Mavis placed her hand on Lucy's shoulder and the guild went somewhat silent.

"Lucy.. I may not know you as well as your guild mates, but from what I've seen this guild loves you, heck, the little bit I've come to know about you has made me already love you. You have a heart of gold and there's nothing nobler than sacrificing one's life for what they believe in. So you have to do what's right for you Lucy. No one else can make this decision for you, or change your mind. So go out there and get your friends, kick that sorry demon's butt, and then we'll all see you when you come back. Kay?"

Lucy's hardened look turned to mush. She found herself hugging Mavis as the previous Master hugged her back twice as hard. The other guild members were back to bickering among themselves, a few were pacing, some aggressively arguing, and others were crying in frustration. Lucy was taking in the mess of a sight before her; Laxus was arguing with Makarov to not let her go, that it was his duty as Guild Master to keep its members safe as Makarov shook his head no – it was Lucy's decision to make, not his.

Gray and Natsu were trying to figure out a way to sneak into Mt. Hakobe until Droy and Jet intervened - saying they'd only get the Strauss' killed to which Erza begrudgingly agreed. Wakaba and Max were arguing with the three on behalf of Natsu and Gray, they couldn't let Lucy go alone - that was suicide. The guild members were so preoccupied arguing with each other that no one noticed the Celestial Mage had even left until she was almost half way home.

After making her way back to her apartment she instantly started packing. She was debating on what she should or shouldn't bring, she didn't think she'd be coming back so was packing so much really necessary..? So much for working on her self-esteem issues.

Her breath was becoming shaky and her resolve was hanging by a thread. Mavis's words had given her a little confidence; having somebody tell her she'd be coming back was what she needed to hear, though it wasn't quite enough. She didn't regret her decision, she knew what she was doing was right even if everyone disagreed with her - thought she wasn't thinking things through and being irrational. Even if they took the time to think of a way to sneak into Mt. Hakobe undetected and had a plan would the Strauss' survive in their current condition for that long? It just wasn't worth the risk, this demon was clever, she was sure he'd be two steps ahead of them. She almost forgot about Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, and Levy quietly watching her in her apartment, going back and forth with putting things in and taking things out of her bag. Frustration was heavy in the air as they all realized they could do nothing for their friend or the Strauss'.

After Lucy left Erza had put her foot down to any attempts of going with her or ahead of her to Mt. Hakobe; she sided with Makarov and agreed that Lucy had made her decision and they would all honor it. The group had nervously watched Lucy tinker with her packing for a few more seconds before Natsu decided enough was enough and finally stood to walk towards her spot on the floor. He quickly grabbed everything she had just taken out of her bag and put it all back in; she watched him with her eyebrows furrowed before giving him a confused look.

"You're gonna need all this for your turn-around trip. Plus the sisters will need some clothes – so this stuff is for them." Natsu had a serious expression as he continued to over pack her bag. Lucy watched as her confused look crumbled and her eyes began to burn. That was what did it, Lucy couldn't take it anymore, and she burst into tears after burrowing herself into Natsu's chest. She didn't realize it until then that she needed to hear it from someone else; she needed somebody other than Mavis to tell her she was going to come back. She needed their strength – she was running so low on her own.

"Thank.. You.. Natsu.." She managed to huff out between breaths. The rest of her team watched, some hugging her and patting her on the head and back - some even crying with her. Erza promised to save her the last piece of strawberry cake while Levy promised to wait until she got back to finish reading her book. Gray just told her to kick some ass and show that demon what a Fairy Tail mage was made of while Happy gave her a fish. She still continued to cry, but at least she could smile a little now.

After gaining some of her composure back a few stragglers came in and out of her apartment throughout the night. Gajeel tried to talk her either out of going or taking him with her, to which she kindly refused. The Raijinshuu stopped by; Freed had offered to write her a few protection runes while Bixlow remained silent, they didn't know what to say, this sort of thing never happened in Fairy Tail and there was no way around the deal. Evergreen only hugged Lucy, thanking her for going off to bring the Strauss', mainly Elfman, back. Laxus didn't say anything while Cana demanded to spend the night; fighting with Natsu over the bed before Lucy gently kicked both mages out. She'd planned on leaving extra early in the morning, just in case anyone tried to kidnap her and keep her from going.

Once Cana and Natsu finally left Lucy was lying in bed and thinking back on the last few weeks again and how drastically her life had changed. She was beginning to regret ever finding the keys, if she had just allowed that demon to keep his hands on them then none of this would be happening. If Zeref had these keys for so long and had done nothing with them, what could he possibly do that would be so horrible now? He clearly couldn't summon them 400 years ago.. Lucy allowed her internal ramblings to slowly dull out as sleep finally took her over; and dreams of demons and swords clashing occupied her for the rest of the night.

Lucy woke up extra early that morning to get to the train station like she'd originally planned; she wanted to take the first ride to Mt. Hakobe. She quietly approached the ticket booth when she suddenly jumped in surprise and dropped her luggage, absolutely speechless.

All of Fairy Tail had woken up before the crack of dawn, and everyone was standing in front of the station. Some were crying, others smiling, and the rest were either expressionless or very angry. But the anger wasn't directed at her – the anger was for her, for her situation and for the Strauss'.

She managed her biggest smile as Happy flew into her arms, demanding to go with her once again. She slowly patted his head as she handed him back to Natsu. "Knock 'em dead Luce. Give 'em one for all of us."

Natsu's look gave Lucy the extra boost of confidence she needed yet again.. He believed in her.

She looked at her Master, then to her closest friends along with her more recent ones, then to the rest of the guild. They all believed in her, trusted her to bring the three back and be with them. She wanted to cry – but she wouldn't. Not this time. Everyone was watching her and putting their faith in her, she'd be strong, at least for them. She said her final goodbyes and walked on the train by herself with her head held high.

As the train departed the station she looked back from her seat, and the sight was too over-whelming; she couldn't hold in her tears anymore. Every member from the guild was standing at the edge of the tracks, holding up the Fairy Tail insignia. As she slowly turned back around in her seat she looked around the train.

Empty.

She began to silently weep.

She'd never been alone like this.

As if answering her call of not wanting to be alone, a flash of light shone and then directly across from her sat Loke. He had a gentle smile as he held eye contact with her. He didn't know what to say – these keys she found had continuously put her life in jeopardy and continued to do so. He had so many things he wanted to tell her, but picking just one word proved all the more difficult when he was staring into big hazy brown eyes, swollen from too many tears. So, he decided to not say anything; he just wanted to be there with her as her final pillar before she went off into the unknown. They continued to sit in silence, never taking their eyes off each other for the entire train ride until the PA announced it's next stop. Loke gave her another small smile knowing he couldn't be caught with her – a deal was a deal.

"Lucy, when you get back to Magnolia, I want you to call on whoever is in charge of the worlds those keys were made from so I can kick their sorry asses for getting you into this mess." Lucy laughed, Loke may be a pervert but he also knew what to say and when to say it. She didn't want to hear a 'goodbye', it sounded too final, a 'when you get back' rang a lot nicer to her. "Thanks Loke, I will." And with that Loke slowly faded back to the spirit world.

She looked to her pouch and unlatched it, pulling her key ring out and slowly touching each one. Each spirit wished her luck and told her they were there with her. Capricorn reminded her to put more faith in herself, that she had the power to take care of the situation on her own. She smiled at his praises as she thought back on the demon and the way he'd hurt the Strauss', she couldn't help the anger slowly building up in her. She wanted to believe in Capricorn's words, that she could, and would definitely make him pay. She'd never seen such cruelty before, and the fact that they were her friends made the deed all the worse. She began thinking about what Rangiku had said about the Gotei 13 waiting to be called out, and then wondered what spirits from her white key were waiting, if they were waiting, to be called out. She slowly allowed her anger to continue to build as she quietly looked at her last 2 keys. She had mixed emotions about them, they were powerful and had saved her and her friends multiple times but they were also the reason she was in this mess, and each one before. She slowly touched her black key, waiting to see if she got any sort of response but was rewarded with silence. She then ghosted over her white key and jolted. Her white key, it was doing something.. None of her other keys had ever done this before..

She couldn't hear a voice, it wasn't actually speaking, at least she didn't think it was. Nothing coherent was being said.. It was almost like.. She could feel it. This was odd.. She'd never had this before.. She slowly put her keys back in her pouch, then paused; thinking of a better idea.

Virgo..

It was afternoon when Lucy arrived at the train station in Mt. Hakobe, and sure enough a note was pinned to one of the boards. Magic, or curse power, concealing it from everybody else except her. She could feel the fear welling up inside her again, but there was no turning back now, she was going to push forward – if not for herself then at least for her guild and her friends who were at the demon's mercy.

CELESTIAL MAGE:

MEET US IN THE OLD MINING WAREHOUSE OUTSIDE TOWN. YOU CANT MISS IT

And as soon as she read it, it self-incinerated. This demon was really thorough..

She gathered whatever courage she had left and made her way to the specified location; subconsciously checking her key ring every few minutes – just for self-reassurance. It was only about a 20 minute walk, not too far, but far enough.

The building looked to have been abandoned a good 50 years ago. Rust stains were on every square inch of the building and the wind lightly blew a few tattered metal pieces, causing them to creak and groan. There were parts that looked as though the rain and wind had thinned the material and caused holes to appear and spread through-out. One thing was for sure – it was definitely abandoned. And very quiet, too quiet.

Until she heard a soft yelp – it sounded like Mira.

Before a rational thought could come up, she was pushing the sliding doors open, causing a loud screeching sound like nails on a chalk board. If anyone wasn't sure whether she was there, they knew now.

As soon as the door was opened the smell of blood hit her - hard. She instantly threw her hands to her nose, fighting back her tears at the sight of her friends hanging almost lifelessly. Seeing it in person was much worse.

"So ya came." The demon slithered out from the shadows, directly behind the sisters. He was tall and muscular, and humanoid like Daemon except he had spikes protruding from his forearms – she remembered him shooting one at Mira. His face was still covered with a bandanna and a wrap around his head, only revealing red eyes. He wore mostly black and was covered almost completely minus his sleeveless shirt. He was disgusting.

And then without warning, Lucy felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck – having just been struck; there was a second demon. Of course it would have taken two demons to take the Strauss siblings down.

Lucy was lying face down in the dirt, until someone grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up. She never saw her assailant; he remained behind her. She was now face-to-face with the demon from the Lacrima, she didn't even know his name.

"What the.. What are ya playin' at girl? Where are ya black n' white keys?!" He had her pouch in his hands, when did he even take it? And threw her keys to the floor. Lucy managed a scowl and looked him in the eye.

"Let my friends go and I'll tell you." That earned a swift knee to the ribs.

She was doubling over and clutching her sides, gasping for air and coughing. Every second she remained in his presence and the siblings remained as hostages she became more desperate. The attacks on her weren't as unbearable as the state of her friends still hanging on their pillars.

"I'm not playin' games sweet heart. Where are the fuckin' keys?!" He had just landed a swift kick to her face, shooting her a good few feet across the dirt floor. This was going about how she expected it to. She was already prepared to take a beating, but she wasn't handing the keys over until the Strauss' were on the next train ride back to Magnolia, even if she wouldn't be going with them.

"I don't care what you do to me, but kill me now and you'll never find them." She was glaring at the demon now and finally getting a look at her assailant.

Twins..?

She was attempting to stand, not taking her eyes off the demon duo, "If you want the keys you have to let them go - and don't touch them anymore either." Her look held a lot more promise than her current state.

The one who seemed to be the ring leader of the two gave her a deadly look, contemplating his options and then deciding to simply giver her what she wanted, he could kill the three mages any time he felt like it. "Fuckin' bitch.. Cut 'em loose!" He was yelling at his companion now, who did as he was told without uttering a word. The siblings fell to the floor - still not moving.

Lucy quickly gave up on attempting to stand, her side was screaming at her to take it easy and her healing incision wound wasn't faring any better. Regardless of her body's protests, she was attempting to crawl towards Mira who was the closest of the three, until she was suddenly stopped. The demon had her by the throat and was lifting her in the air. "Where. Are. The. Keys."

"Not until they're safe." She was visibly struggling now as she continued to clutch her sides and strained in his grip.

He threw her against the wall in an attempt to not kill her; he still needed the keys' location. "L..Luc…Lucy?" Mira was struggling onto all fours, barely registering Lucy's presence.

"Mira.. Can you walk?" Lucy suddenly felt all the pain in her side dull as relief overwhelmed her, "thank god they're alive."

"Lucy, why are you here?" Mira was attempting to stand as Elfman was coming-to, but Lisanna was still out cold. The three looked even worse in person than on the Lacrima.

"No time for questions Mira. I need you to grab your brother and sister and leave. Now." Lucy was shuffling towards Mira, just in case the Takeover Mage needed help standing, though Lucy wasn't really in any position to assist anyone.

"No Lucy, I can-"

"Don't argue with me Mira." Lucy's words were stern as she gave Mira a look telling her she had everything under control; which was clearly a lie.

"You three need to take the first train to Magnolia, I know what I'm doing. You being here will only cause trouble.. So Mira.. Please, just this once; listen to me and don't ask questions. I'll answer them as soon as we're all back at the guild. Lisanna looks like she needs a doctor." Lucy gave her a big smile, telling her everything was going to be okay.

Mira wanting to believe in Lucy gave her a firm head nod; she needed to get her younger brother and sister to safety and knew she was right, the three of them would only be baggage in a fight right now. Elfman was now fully conscious and on his knees giving Lucy a confused look, "What's she doing here?"

"Elfman.. Can you carry Lisanna?" Mira snapped Elfman out of his thoughts, as he gave Mira a hesitant nod looking between her and the Celestial Mage, clearly distraught about leaving Lucy but not wanting to question his older sister's actions. They must've known what they were doing, right? Elfman was very worried about his still unconscious younger sister as he gently cradled her in his arms as he slowly stood. He looked to Lucy one last time who gave him another head nod. He wasn't in a position to ask questions or even attempt to fight; he'd only get in her way, that was the only thing he was certain about at this point.

Mira silently assessed the situation - Lucy already looked pretty beat up and the demons hadn't even been touched.

She knew Lucy was bluffing; the situation clearly wasn't under control - at least not on the Celestial Mage's end. Regardless, Lucy had begged them to leave, silently pleaded for her to understand and just go, so that's exactly what she was going to do. If she chose to stay she'd only get everyone killed, either she or her siblings would make an easy hostage and as long as the demons were letting them go she needed to take them up on the offer. Tears began to flow as Elfman was limping out the sliding door - clearly as torn as she was about leaving Lucy there. This was still their mess, they should be the ones to clean it up; and why wasn't Lucy's team here? Were they waiting outside to ambush the demons? Mira's mind began racing but knew better than to start asking questions. Lucy was intently watching her, waiting for her to stand and follow her brother who was already partly down the road. This was the second hardest thing Mira ever had to do, it felt like losing Lisanna all over again.

She made her way towards her friend and gave her a desperate hug, "Thank you Lucy.. Thank you.. I'll see you back at the guild. You promise, right?" She held her at arms length and looked her in the eyes.

Lucy gave her a smile, "Of course Mira, I promise."

Mira gave her one more hug and a kiss to the forehead, finally standing and making her way to the door. She gave both demons a quick icy glare and then she was outside. She wanted to warn Lucy about their abilities, how they were able to overcome them in a matter of minutes, but she knew if she would have started rambling they both would have been killed. She needed to believe in Lucy right now, and trust that she could handle it from here. Her new keys were quite powerful and Lucy was probably the most resourceful mage at their guild, she could definitely win. Mira wobbled her way towards her brother's slowly disappearing silhouette down the road, continuing to tell herself that Lucy would be fine, that she could win. That she had to win.

The farther down the road she made it the more she had to fight the urge to look back; otherwise she might turn around and run into the warehouse and get them both killed. No matter how wrong it felt leaving her friend behind she knew staying would only result in getting them both in serious trouble; if anything she had a fighting chance now. She felt her resolve dwindle the farther down the road she got - if Lucy didn't return, she'd never forgive herself.

All the weight Lucy had carried on her shoulder's disappeared with the Strauss'. She feared the demons would threaten to kill one of them if she didn't hand the keys over, but they must have been pretty desperate to let her pull the strings, even if just for a moment.

"It doesn't matter, they're all gonna die soon anyways." The demon was chuckling as his handy work disappeared from sight.

"You won't touch them. Ever again." Lucy hissed the words. She'd never felt so much hate for anybody in her entire life. She wanted him gone, and she didn't care what she had to do to destroy his existence – no – both their existences. If they were allowed to live they'd only finish what they started with the Strauss', and probably hundreds more. Disgust enwrapped her as she tasted the bile threatening to come up; the thought of them doing this to anyone else in her family literally made her sick to her stomach. She attempted to move when a sharp pain coursed through her side, and she slammed against the wall. Again. The demon that had yet to say a word had dealt her the kick; apparently they were running out of patience.

"Keys. Now." The demon was holding his hand out to her as the other one came up from behind, pulling her up and frisking her and finding nothing. "My patience is at its limits, if you don' tell me where they are right now I'll get creative with ways to make ya sing love. Then I'll catch the three before they make it to the train and do the same to 'em." He was pulling something from behind his back until he suddenly disappeared; in fact both demons did. Lucy looked down and noticed they had undoubtedly fallen into pits.

Then Virgo popped up next to Lucy, "Master, you didn't give me the signal yet, but the way they were touching you was angering me. I'll accept whatever punishment later, but here are your keys." Virgo was now handing Lucy her keys and disappearing back to the spirit world. "Good luck Princess!"

"You bitch!" Both demons were clawing their way through their holes, Virgo was sure to make them extra deep.

She grabbed the rest of her keys as she ran back towards the wall, spacing herself from the two demons and then her key started lightly glowing. She pulled her one key from the bunch and was intently staring at it, waiting for a voice or anything to explain what was going on with it. Then she realized she was better off just summoning it - she knew the Death Gods were more than eager to fight, but something was telling her, intuition? Curiosity? To summon this one.

As the demons made their way to the top of their holes, Lucy looked both in the eye. "You're gonna wish you were never born, Open! Gate of the Arrancar! Teach these ass holes a lesson!"

The same bright light flashed and then thinned to a form. But not a thin form, no, a tall form; a muscular form.

"Tch, the fuck is this?! You actually had the balls to summon me?!"

Lucy felt the hit to her magic, but she didn't care. She didn't even care about the hostility he had towards her, he was clearly only here to fight regardless of the opponent - she could practically feel his desire, he lived for battle. She knew she could hold this gate open long enough, she had to, she didn't have a choice. She got the same feelings from this Arrancar as she did from Kenpachi, but she didn't care about that either. She wanted the carnage this time.

"Shit, Harribel wasn't lyin', I can't touch ya." His hand was visibly struggling as he attempted to strangle the girl. She didn't even flinch as she looked him right in the eyes, and he felt her hate, her loathing, and her need for absolute destruction - right up his alley. He suddenly felt the urge to take this fight on. "Guess I'll just have to take my frustration out on your two friends here."

A low growl escaped as he approached the two with a predatory walk. Light blue hair was a stark contrast to the dark inside the abandoned warehouse. His bone fragment sat on his right cheek almost taking away from green markings under light blue eyes. He had a white jacket open in the front showing off every piece of muscle along with his hole, she also noticed his matching pants. As he turned she then noticed a "6" tattoo on his lower back with his sword casually tied to his left side by a sort of black sash.

"Who in the hell are you?" One of the demons had asked as he took a step back, they had hoped to take the keys before she attempted a summoning. If she would have pulled them out earlier they would have used the siblings as hostages, not allowing her to summon any spirits. She was clever to hide her keys the way she did, it gave her the leverage she needed. This wasn't one-sided any longer; the demons could see the fury in this spirit's eyes.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Sexta Espada. You're both fucked!" A huge toothy psychotic grin etched his face as his eyebrows burrowed into what would have been a scowl if he wasn't laughing so much. Lucy was preparing for the same massacre from her original mission to get the keys – but this time she intentionally called it out.

I'm sorry it took me so long to update, to be honest I really STRUGGLED with this chapter, I didn't like the way it was reading and I'm still not completely satisfied with it - I almost deleted it and rewrote it.. I'm sure I'll edit it 100 more times even after posting.. BLAH!

The key was reacting to Lucy's feelings of hate, fear, and pain - that's how Hollows were born after all. She's connected to the keys in the same way she is to all her others. Was it asking to be summoned? Not necessarily, it was just in tune with Lucy. Why did she decide to summon it? She's not even sure, she just felt the need to. After all, she wanted destruction - who better to deliver than the Espada of Destruction? I'd say he's most appropriate for the task at hand - if he doesn't accidentally kill Lucy in the process XD

***********Poll in my profile is up! Go vote for who you want to see the most! Don't forget to vote for your favorite characters!**************

Thank you my loves!