All rights to Hiro Mashima

~ Seventeenth ~

-Lucy-

"You know, I remember this place a lot differently. A lot…flatter than this. Less trees and houses and such. I guess it has been nine years since we've been to Clover." The re-quip made pondered out loud while marching to the beat of her own internal drum, setting a stupidly fast pace that made us all scramble to catch up to her.

'Mavis, just how obtuse is Erza?' The reason why she remembers this place without the buildings is because she razed the damn town down to the dirt and bare cobblestones almost ten years ago.

I pull on her elbow to get her to slow her military fast walk down to a more manageable pace so that I can actually keep up. "Erza," I take a deep breath in and let it out very slowly. "…the reason why you remember this town so differently is because you, the walking Popsicle, and Pinky over there decided to completely go overboard with the destruction of Lullaby." I point to the idiots behind me.

We both ignore the indignant cries from our male team mates as well as Natsu's exclamation of "It's goddamn salmon Luce! We had this argument three days ago!" and carry on with our conversation.

Erza nods her head while tugging me along by my hand down the quaint little street in the heart of Clover so that I am all but running behind her. "Yes, but we killed a demon out of the book of Zeref. A very good thing for the entirety of Earthland. So, I believe that our due diligence to the citizens of this town outweighs the destruction of their businesses and domiciles."

I bow my head in defeat. 'I'm never going to win an argument against her.' I open my mouth to voice my opinions on why property destruction is not a good thing, but Gray cuts me off, knowing that I'll never change her mind.

"Give it up Lu, you know that destruction is this team's middle name." Gray turns his head and winks at me. "You kind of knew that when you signed up."

I huff at him and tug my hand out of Erza's crushing grip. "I didn't sign up for this team though! I had no idea at the time what would happen if we put all you weirdos together and sent you out into the world!" I cross my arms under my chest.

"And please for the love of Mavis. Put your pants back on." I squawk and gesture at his bare legs.

Our rag tag group has been briskly walking down what can only be described as the cutest fucking street in all of Fiore. Beautiful maple trees line the picturesque avenue and wrought iron lamps are spread out at spacious intervals on both sides in-between perfectly manicured shrubbery.

After Gray runs off to find his lost articles of clothing, I hear a wrenching sound and then a small smack.

"Gajeel! Don't just eat the architecture! Look at what you did!"

I look back to see an irate solid script mage poking a finger into the chest of a very smug looking Gajeel, as she waves her other hand at a lop-sided lamp post. "Come on Shrimp, I was just hungry. Those damn trains make me ravenous."

Levy pouts, sticking her bottom lip out. "Doesn't give you the right to destroy the city's property!" She sighs and looks back at the chuckling Dragon Slayer. "If you were that hungry, you could have just asked for a snack, I could have made you some iron."

And with that she conjures up a bit of the aforementioned element with her magic right into Gajeels waiting hands.

"Thanks Shrimp." His soft reply makes me smile.

Levy turns her head away with a slight blush colouring her cheeks and happy expression curling up the corners of her mouth. "You're welcome."

I snicker quietly and wink when Gajeel turns towards me and catches my eyes with his. He just grumbles a bit about 'nosy bunnies' and turns away to enjoy his impromptu meal.

Awe, so cute. Those two deserve the happiness that I believe that they can find in each other. I will definitely talk to Levy the first chance I get about this, but we have more important things to worry about.

Like the piece of paper clutched in my hand with Kageyama's house address written on it in big bold letters. Keeping one eye on the street, I mentally calculate where his home should be.

I am only half listening to Gray frantically asking our travelling companions to borrow their pants. It seems that his are nowhere to be found. Or Juvia has stolen them again. I have always wondered what she does with all his spare clothing that she gathers up when he sheds them.

Probably something uncomfortably creepy, like using them to make more Gray dolls.

I hear an irritated noise from my left side.

It seems that after some serious contemplation, Natsu can't figure something out. His eyebrows are scrunched down in deep thought. "Wait, so if you didn't sign up to be on a team with me, then how did you and I become partners?" Natsu tips his head back to the cloudless sky above him, hands behind his head.

Cana takes a long drink from her hip flask and answers for me. "Well, after you dragged her back to Fairy Tail from Hargeon – running from the rune knights - you tricked her into doing a job together."

Natsu thinks for a minute then slowly nods. "Yah that seems plausible. It seems like something I would do…I think. Why were we running from the rune knights though?"

I grimace, remembering the…interesting circumstances of the first time I witnessed Natsu's magic. "We completely destroyed the port town. I accidentally flooded it, trying to get the boat we were on back to shore, then the fight you had with that idiot…Bora…destroyed the rest of it."

Natsu looks impressed and slings his warm arm over my shoulder. "From what you've told me about myself, I probably brought you with me cause of that destruction. If we had so much fun together the first time, why would I need to trick you into being on a team with me?"

I snort and raise one of my eyebrows. "Natsu, your definition of 'fun' is slightly different than mine. I was completely terrified of fighting when you first brought me here and a honestly a little wary of you in the beginning. You had to trick me into coming with you on a job to destroy a book in a mansion owned by one Duke Everlue. You only needed me because the person who infiltrated the house needed to have blonde hair, for whatever reason. I had to pose as a maid looking to fill an empty position in the household." I tip my head back in thought. "Speaking of maids, that was the first time we ever met Virgo, one of the spirits that I have a contract with. At the time she looked a bit different."

Gods. That was an understatement. I can remember 'Gorilla Virgo' quite clearly and have no wish to see that side of her again.

In a bright flash accompanied by glittering golden sparkles, the maiden in question appears before our group, halting all of us in our tracks.

"Punishment, Princess?" Virgo's normally stoic features light up slightly at the mention of punishment.

I just huff and refuse to even dignify that question with an answer and turn to my companions who have all stopped in the middle of the walkway. Only Gildarts seems a bit warry of our new addition. Now that I think about it I can't remember if he has ever seen my magic before.

I smile at the quirky maid and gesture to my partner. "Natsu, meet Virgo the Maiden…again."

She bows deeply in front of Natsu. "Good to see that you are taking this all in stride Master Natsu."

'Master Natsu? When did that happen?' I eye Virgo critically from the corner of my eye and vow to ask her about the change later when there aren't so many curious and frankly nosey people around. I love my stupid family to death and would sacrifice anything for them, but they try my patience some days with all the meddling they do. Especially a blue Exceed and demon barmaid who shall remain unnamed.

Brushing off the snickers of the group around me, I finger the golden keys at my waist. "What are you doing out here Virgo? Is everything alright?"

She nods. "I heard my name multiple times, so I came out to see if you needed anything." She glances at Natsu. "You know that we spirits who are contracted to you can feel your strong emotions at all times when you are near our keys, it helps us sense when you are in danger." The blank expression that she usually dons never leaves her face, but I can see a hint of mirth dancing in her cerulean eyes.

'Ah crap! That's why she's calling Natsu 'Master' all of a sudden. She can feel the change in my feelings for him.'

Wait.

If she can feel then change, then so can all my other spirits.

I blanch. 'Oh Gods, Loke…' This is going to be a pain in my ass, isn't it? Hopefully I can avoid that confrontation for a long a possible. Like the rest of my life. I need to mentally prepare myself for his over protective flirty bullshit.

"Uh, well…thank you Virgo, I don't need anything at the moment. I was just telling Natsu about the first time that we all met each other. You can go back if you like."

"Thank you princess, I think I will go back to the Celestial World. Call me out when it's time for Punishment."

With another quick bow and a large cloud of twinkling lights she disappears back to her own realm.

I eye the place that Virgo was occupying with a suspicion. "You know, I think that they are trying to show off. Theses sparkles are really getting out of hand lately." Everyone nods as they try to wave the glimmering haze away from their faces. 'Why are my spirits so strange?'

Levy looks deep in contemplation. "You know, it's a bit ironic that the constellation Virgo, commonly known as the Virgin, asks you for 'punishment' every time she appears."

I shrug haphazardly and start walking down the street again. "I have a feeling it's just her personality, or maybe something that she picked up from that slimy Duke Everlue." Shuddering, I remember that creepy mustachioed man. "I felt so exposed around him in that maid's uniform. I can only imagine what he had done to Virgo when she was contracted to him." I smirk a bit. "What's worse is I found out that Natsu stole that outfit from my laundry hamper and kept it in his house."

"What…I kept the maids uniform that you were wearing? So it's what…sitting in my house collecting dust and not being used?" Natsu looks flabbergasted.

I splutter. "I…uhm…yes? What in Mavis' name would you use that uniform for exactly? I swear to the Gods I will never, ever clean your house again, I still have nightmares about that experience. The mildew alone should have killed me. And don't even get me started on what it would do to me if I saw you wearing it."

He just scoffs and turns his nose up at me. "You know I would damn fine in that uniform. I bet I would look amazing in ruffles."

"Yah, sure. Do you want to put it on later and show me just how 'fine' you look in it? Maybe you should wear it for Halloween this year." I gesture at the back of the group. "I bet Bickslow would love that, he has a thing for cosplayers."

Natsu puts on a pouty face and also manages to look scandalized, like I just hurt his pride as a man, his expression is mirrored on the half of Bixslows face that isn't covered by his visor. "Gods no, I would never wear that out in public if it looks anything like what Virgo was wearing. Much too short. My ass would hang out." We all laugh at his simple logic.

"But, I can think of many…exciting things that you could do in that maid's uniform that doesn't involve cleaning at all." He grins a bit, his gleaming onyx eyes promising naughty acts. I can feel my body heat up in response to the lewdness of his suggested words.

"Really? Well, that's good to know. Maybe I'll come over some time and wear it again. You know…for old times' sake." My answering smile has a sharpish edge to it, leaning towards the realm deviousness.

I have no idea where my boldness is coming from, so I'll just go with the flow for the time being.

"Are they…flirting with each other? It's really hard to tell, I never pictured Natsu being able to do it, so it's kinda odd. It's making me feel uncomfortable." Laxus' loud ass question brings me back to Earthland from my day dreams of 'cleaning' Natsu's bare torso with a feather duster.

"I told you guys that she was a Cosplayer! Do you understand why I call her that now?" Bix sticks his tongue out and saunters over to Cana's side, completely ignoring my flushing face and pout.

'Stupid Bixslow. I completely forgot about all our friends for a second there. I'll never get rid of that stupid nickname of his at this rate.' I sigh and accept my fate as 'cosplayer' for the rest of my life. It will probably be engraved on my tomb stone.

Erza clears her throat. "Yes…well…let's keep moving shall we? We don't really have time to waste on tom foolery." Leave it to Erza to be the biggest buzz kill.

"Lucy, what was the number again?" I look up at a chuckling Gildarts slightly taken aback by the use of my real name, it's not often that I hear it after all.

I glance at the paper clutched in my hand. "Uhh…It's 518. It should be…right here actually." I gesture to the right and we turn towards the home as a unit.

A cursory look at the house in question shows a little blue bungalow with a cute picket fence and a large oak tree on one side.

"You know, it's surprisingly adorable, for a criminal." Evergreen's voice carries from the back of the group close to where Wendy is standing.

"Gods, Ever, what did you expect? Corpses and torture devices?" Bickslow's laughter fills the street.

Evergreen hits the Seith mage upside his head with her ever present fan and his guffaws cut off abruptly. "Shut up Bix! You know that's not what I meant."

I roll my eyes at their antics. This is the third fight between them since we got off the train. And I thought my team was bad.

Don't get me wrong. Natsu and Gray's rivalry is legendary, known all across the guilds, as well as the resulting collateral damage done to innocent buildings and forests, but I would take that over Evergreen's whining and Bicklows pervy comments any day of the week.

"So…who's going to knock?" Cana's voice brings my focus back to the problem at hand.

We all stand awkwardly at the front gate to the property, so I take charge before the arguing can begin. "I vote someone that wasn't there when he was jailed so he doesn't try to bolt." I am running low on patience right now. "You know what? Everyone just...spread out around the house and cover all the exits, like the doors and windows. Happy and Charles, would you please fly above so we can track him if he escapes?" Everyone nods and strides towards the house. The Exceeds take to the air and hover, close enough to hear them yell.

I am done playing around. Time to get this goddamn magic back into Natsu's fine body or die trying.

I may be a smidge too invested in this endeavour, but in my defense…I'm tired of this waiting game.

"Is he likely to run? And out of a window no less? It seems highly unlikely." Freed looks skeptically at me as I direct everyone to keep their eyes peeled.

I just grimace. "You have no idea how many times Natsu has crawled in through the window of my bedroom like it's his own personal front door. Gray climbs down the chimney, and Erza just materializes out of thin air. People are very inventive when it comes to entering and exiting buildings."

Freed gives me an odd look but moves to cover the back door with sealing runes.

Actually, that reminds me, I look around for a certain mage and find him standing near the right side of the building. "GRAY! Seeing as you like sliding down my chimney so much, you should keep an eye on Kageyama's." He grins a bit but complies with my request.

With a boost from Levy – compliments of her Solid Script 'Bounce' – Gray yells out an Ice Make spell to coat the inside of offending exit situated on top of the roof. He spins around and gives me the thumbs up when he finishes.

I nod at Gildarts and he raps on the front door with conviction.

"Uh...hello?" Gildarts looks a touch stupefied. We hadn't really thought about what would happen if someone other than Kageyama opened the door.

Never mind if a child answered the knock instead.