Everything was really bright when Natsu tried to open his eyes. He had to squint to try and make out distinguishing features of the person who leaned over him. He recognized blond hair and his heart jumped. Lucy. Dying really hadn't been that bad especially if it meant she was here. He stretched his hand out to touch the golden locks, snapping to full alertness as it was smack away hard.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed and stared into the face of not Lucy, but Mavis Vermillion.
"First Master?" Natsu questioned confused. "Am I dead?" He wondered aloud, thinking maybe he was stuck as a ghost now like the woman before him. The first thought that came to him was all the wonderful pranks he could play on Gray while being a ghost.
"No, silly" She giggled at him in her light voice. "But you very nearly were. You were very lucky I heard Happy calling for help when I did, and even that I was in the area at all!"
Looking down he noticed what he was wearing for the first time and let out a shriek.
"Gahhh! Am I in a dress?" He was wearing a long white ruffled dress with a bow at the top that came down to his knees. Mavis blushed.
"We had to get you into a spirits clothes very quick so you could start breathing again." Natsu remember that Mavis normally wore a dress that looked remarkably similar to the one he was wearing and he too blushed.
"Natsu, you look so pretty!" Happy teased and Natsu shot him an annoyed glare. Mavis giggled.
"You really should have come more prepared" She said trying to sound scolding, but it came out far too dreamily to be taken seriously. "By the way, why are you here?"
Her words made him remember where he was and their purpose. He clenched his fist and hissed in a determined voice:
"Loki"
"Loki?" Mavis questioned confused "What has he to do with any of this?"
Natsu reluctantly explained to Mavis about the memory Jellal helped him recover and about his quest to find the celestial spirit. He left out his intentions for what he would when he actually found the guy, but he had a feeling Mavis already guessed as much.
"Really? So Loki killed Lucy?" She said, very troubled. "And I was so certain Azazel was the one…"
"Azazel? Annoying bastard with the braid?" Natsu questioned "Why would you think that?"
"Well after that first day at your trial, I did some digging into his past. Turns out he was not really a member of Crime Sorcière, or any guild for that matter. In fact, he's not even human, which was how he was able to lie to examiner Veryl."
"Not human?" Natsu asked, at the same time happy said "I knew I didn't like the smell of him"
"No," Mavis continued "Actually, I have a theory that Azazel is really the missing prince of the Spirit realm Loki mentioned to Lucy and Levy that day. Since I am a ghost, which is very similar to a spirit, I was able to come here and try to confirm my theory."
"How are you going to do that?" Natsu asked.
"Apparently the prince has overthrown his father the spirit king. Even though he now has authority over every spirit in this world, to become the absolute ruler and steal the old kings power, he needs to be married."
"Married?" Natsu and Happy said at the same time, looking at each other.
"Yes. He's already got a bride and the royal wedding is in just two days. Oh my, I love weddings!" She said, getting distracted by her own happy thoughts. Natsu snapped his fingers in front of her face and she returned to the present. "Sorry, anyway to celebrate their engagement, the prince is throwing a huge Ball where all the important spirits will attend. I plan on going too, and while there gather as much information as I can about the prince. Oh I love Balls!"
"A Ball?" Natsu asked Happy confused.
"I think it's like a fancy party."
"All the important spirits huh?" Natsu said thinking. He was willing to bet that included Loki. And if Azazel had somehow been a part of Lucy's murder, he would find that out too.
"Okay, we are going with you."
"Yay! A party" Happy said triumphantly. Mavis giggled again at his enthusiasm before she frowned, looking them over.
"We'll have to change your appearances. Many of the spirits here already know what you look like from battling with Lucy. And goodness knows you can't wear that!"
Happy snickered again looking over Natsu's dress.
"Okay, so we have to get new clothes….." Natsu sighed
"And haircuts!" Happy said. "I want to be all black, like a ninja!"
"Okay and haircuts, anything else?"
"Do you know how to dance?" Mavis asked. Natsu blushed.
"Lucy taught me once, but I….." He started to protest. He really didn't think they would be doing a lot of dancing- more beating up spirits.
"Well then, I'll give you a refresher!" Mavis said happily grabbing his arms and dragging him to an open area.
"Happy! Help!" Natsu called to his friend, who offered no assistance because he was rolling on the ground laughing at Natsu elegantly dancing in Mavis's dress.
It's nice to see them smiling again. Mavis thought to herself. But then, she had always had a gift for cheering up the members of her guild up, and she thought of none who needed her more right now that those two.
They spent the rest of the day dancing and designing their new looks, each looking forward to the Ball the next day, but for different reasons. Mavis wanted to get information, Natsu wanted to beat the crap out of Loki, and Happy was just excited for the party.
Lucy had a dream about the pink haired fire wizard again that night. Except this time, more wizards were also there who shared a tattoo identical to the birth mark she bore on her hand. There was a dark haired Ice mage who was constantly fighting with the other one, and a red haired woman dressed in armor who could slice through enemies like butter. All three were fierce and powerful mages with incredible power, but she saw them laughing and smiling, treating each other like family. They treated her like family.
Lucy woke from the dream with tears running down her cheeks and she couldn't fathom why? How could she be crying over a dream, it was so stupid. She had never even been to Earthland before, or met a human wizard. Now that the gates to that world were closed, she likely never would.
Maybe she just felt envious of how strong she was in her dreams. There, she had had the courage to run away and meet new friends when in reality Lucy had never left her life of plush luxury. She had been raised to be a princess and marry a prince, nothing more, nothing less. The idea of doing something better with her life haunted her.
"Princess? Are you alright?"
She sighed. Of course it was Leo, who had been strangely over protective of her ever since the incident with the book shelves. He was constantly acting as her shadow and had probably heard her crying from the other side of the door.
"Leo, am I doing the right thing?" She asked him quietly. Part of her hoped he hadn't heard, but she knew he had when he sat down on the bed next to her.
"You mean marring the Prince?" Lucy nodded feeling guilt bubble on the inside of her stomach. How could she even be thinking these thoughts, her wedding was in two day's!
"Do you love him?" Leo asked with a sigh.
"Of course I do, everyone loves him!" Lucy recited, like the fact was burned into her brain.
"But are you in love with him?"
Lucy started to shout of course I am, or else I wouldn't be marring him! But something stopped her. She played with her favorite white checkered sash, running it across her fingers as she thought and the memory of the fire mage from her dreams popped up unbidden.
Azazel made her heart beat faster and her blood run hot, but the boy in her dreams made her feel strong and loved. She remembered feeling like there was no other place in the world she would rather be than by the pink haired boys side. He would make her laugh and it was fun to be around him. Whereas with the prince, Lucy felt like she always tried to be perfect in order to live up to his expectations.
Coming back to reality, she shook her head to rid it of the ridiculous thoughts. The pink haired wizard wasn't even real! She had no right to compare him to the prince.
"You know, we could run away. Just the two of us." Leo said "We could leave and never come back; you just give me the word and we'll go."
She looked at him and remembered another reason why she was marring Azazel. As princess she would be co-ruler of the spirit realm and she was determined to use that power to make things better for everyone in it. Her friends needed her and there was no way she was letting them down or running away from the ability to help the people she loved.
"Good night Leo." She said in friendly dismissal, fully aware that she had not answered his question.
He sighed, slightly crestfallen.
"Goodnight princess."
Authors Note: (Hey hope your liking it so far, I'm having fun writing it: From here I know where the story is going, but I can write the M rated version, or the T rated version. If you have an opinion about it, review and let me know if you would prefer I kept it kinda clean (just suggesting some bits) or if you want the full Monty.)
(also, I was sick this week, and that's why I've been posting like a mad person. This isn't really the norm.)