DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, the honor belongs solely to Hiro Mashima-sama.

Still obsess over a certain guy's nickname. *Sighs dreamily* I'm sighing over the nickname and not the guy not that I know anyone with the nickname. *sighs mournfully*

I've finish the chapter just took so long to upload it due to evil internet connections and had to help with paperwork.

A/N: I decided to make it a two part chapter since it's super long when it's only one chapter and it might cause people to end up getting very confused due to its length and the sequence of events. Also it makes it easier to reread when it's broken into two chapter's

Chapter Twenty

*Corroboree Part 1: Her most prized possessions

As the red light disappeared, they stared in surprise at "Lia". The straight ebony locks had been replaced by long and really curly reddish hair. She was now wearing an indigo hooded cloak over her blood red dress. She had bangles and bracelets on her wrists and unique looking earrings. More surprising was her eyes, her left eye was sapphire blue but her right eye was a rich golden hue.

Natsu strode close to the woman and said "You're the fortune teller in my dream!" He blinked in surprise and continued on "You're Lia. You're not human, you're a celestial spirit."

Gray smiled and said "For once you actually were fast in the uptake."

Natsu glared at the ice mage and snarled, "Well it's obvious that they're the same person cause they smell the same!"

Everyone in the vicinity except for the unknown man and Lia face-planted at this. Lia laughed merrily. When a crisp British accented voice said "I don't see what's so funny about what the idiot said! Obviously not everyone has a nose like yours, you dim-witted dragon-slayer!"

As most of the people's mouth dropped to the ground as Natsu reached down and clutched the protesting speaker. It was a talking and failing scale (think beauty and the beast's the body is a bit like the suave candelabra with the moustache and pompous attitude of Mr. clock).

"Let go of me you barbaric mage!" The talking object snarled up at Natsu.

Natsu smiled, blew fire on the creature and dropped it to ground. The scale quickly run around, started saying and doing "stop, drop and roll". Natsu was laughing loudly at this while the women sweat dropped. The men were carefully looking anywhere but at the ground.

The scale huffed and puffed with his whole body smoking. He glared at the smirking dragon-slayer and turned to Lia saying, "I refuse to help these creatures! I'm going back to the spirit world, thank you! I've spent too long a time here in this silly world!"

At this pronouncement Gray and Lucy started shaking up Natsu. Raul tried to intervene when Lia spoke up in a serious voice.

"Eshkale! Weren't you the one who has always lectured me on patience in dealing with humans? Didn't you spend so much time telling me off for-"

"Enough! Fine we shall stay and help." The creature named Eshkale said half-heartedly. "But before that." He glared at the mages "My name is pronounced as Ash-kale."

The scale walk on to Lucy gave her a quick once-over and shook his head while making disappointed sounds. Lucy glared down at the creature obviously pissed off.

The creature crossed its strange arms which were beams with the hanging pans as its hand. "I expected more from the stellar spirit mage I've been hearing who has managed to collect 10 of the rare gold zodiac keys." He gave another once-over, shook his head and sighed in obvious disappointment.

Gray, Natsu and Raul quickly stepped away from the stellar mage. Lucy smiled down at Eshkale and said "I'm sorry if I wasn't up to your standards. Lia is beautiful and appears to be powerful enough, so I wonder why she would be with a stumpy, and pompous animated object." Lucy leaned down and mock-whispered "By any chance were you made from a wahoo?"

Lucy then walked on towards a sweat dropping Lia. The men looked down at the scale that now had about five huge arrows on it. The arrows had the words stumpy, pompous, animated, object and wahoo written on them.

Natsu tilted his head, looked at Freed and Bixlow who had come closer to inspect the creature. "Hey, what's a wahoo?"

At the question the scale stiffened as Freed answered right away "Wahoo is another name for winged elm."

Gray and Natsu tilted their heads way down and imagined a tree with huge wings projected out of its trunk. "That's not what it is." Freed interjected at the two's imagination.

He continued on saying "A winged elm is known for its twigs with prominent corky projections."

"Corky?" The ice mage and fire dragon-slayer asked bewildered.

Gajeel came near them and nudged the scale, which had turned into stone, with the tip of his boot. "Corky like the corks used as stoppers in jars and bottles."

Gray and Natsu imagined a tree with two long branches that had corks all over it. The two snickered at the weird image, stared at the equally weird creature and laughed. Happy flew in and happily said to the creature. "You're weird just like Lucy!"

Eshkale for once in his immortal life threw his pride and manners away. Took a deep breath and lunged at the smirking cat, wrestling it on the ground to the amusement of the male mages.

Charle muttered to Wendy, "Men." Wendy stared at the two wrestling creatures that were being encouraged by Gray, Bixlow and Natsu. Solana, Anise, Areca and the twins all nodded their head at Charle and expressed their thoughts on the subject. Wendy eyes wide stared at the women and listened on surprised at the matter fact tones the women had as they listed down the supposed problems of the male population.

Erza came near the sky dragon-slayer patted her shoulder comfortingly and said "Most women in the Wolfsbane guild are ahm… well they don't have a good impression on most men."

"AH." Bisca, Levy, Mirajane and Lisanna said in sync as they listened on interested at the conversation and flicking their eyes every now and then on the guys.

As the twins said "Some of the men are lazy slobs that spend their time drinking and picking up fights with just about anyone."

The listening Fairy Tail mages sweat drop at the accurate description of most of the male Fairy Tail mages.

The twins smiled and asked Mirajane "What are your male members like?"

Lisanna quickly covered her older sister's mouth and smiled at the surprised Wolfsbane mages as Levy and Bisca quickly pointed out "Look! Lucy's done making the contract with Lia."

Lia grabbed Eshkale and said to her companion "We need to thank them for fulfilling the final stipulations the Spirit King placed for your return."

Lia strode to the center and bowed respectfully. "Thank you very much everyone."

Natsu walked on close to her and said "I think it's time we get some answers like how in the world did you get inside mine and Happy's dream?"

Lia covered her mouth and giggled. "Well Eshkale has the power to enter people's dreams. Eshkale and I know every rule and law in the whole world."

She smiled sadly at her audience and continued on, "You could say I became a bit bitter towards the evolution of humans. At first I was thrilled to be able to guide and inform my masters on the rules and laws of the land. Overtime though I came to learn that they were merely using my knowledge to further their greed. It was said my key brought good luck to my owners." The spirit shrugged at this. "I suppose anyone would find my key lucky if it would insure you being able to evade arrest and gain power, money and prestige. I grew to doubt my masters yet I continued on helping them and fulfilling my side of the contract. I never realized that I had come to hate being called to this world. The Spirit King intervened he believed that my silent hate is far more dangerous than any outburst."

Eshkale continued on the story. "He decided that Lia was better off knowing that there is always a reason why a person would do such a thing. Lia is of course knowledgeable of the various reasons of why humans do what they do." The creature patted Lia's leg. "But there is a big difference between knowing and feeling. I have the sad ability of being able to empathize with people's emotions but alas Lia cannot."

The creature crossed his arms and continued on informing every one of his abilities "I also am able to boost Lia's powers. Because I am emphatic I am able to tell when someone is telling a lie. The Spirit King decided that it would be better if Lia lived among you humans as a human."

"Eh?" Lucy uttered in surprise. "But aren't you immortal?"

"Oh we are." Eshkale assured the blonde. "But the King was able to make it that Lia's immortality and my own powers and being become Lia's strength in order to survive living in this world. I remained in the spirit world and continuously passed my powers to Lia. In order for us to have contact despite the other being in a different realm my body was split into three things."

"The diary, the key and the photo container?" Levy asked.

Eshkale answered "No. I took on the form of those Lia came to adore in the human world. I was usually three of her favorite books." The creature shook his head. "The Spirit King would ask her every time why she found those things important. But it wasn't always not enough. There would always be something missing in her answers and she would be asked to come back to the spirit world and come back to the human world again after a certain amount of time."

Lia smiled down at the rubbles of the old house. "I became a governess; it's easy with my gift of knowledge. I ended up teaching a little girl who came from a family of mages but she didn't have any special powers of her own. I came to love her like another younger sister. But my love was only limited to her and I still didn't learn what the king wanted me to learn. Then it was time for me to go back to the spirit world for a recharge. When I was allowed to return, I learned that a long time had passed she had married, bore a child and died."

FLASHBACK

A young boy of five was carefully making his way to his mother's grave. He was carrying a huge bouquet of assorted flowers he had picked up and his father was carrying a simple bouquet. When they got there they saw that there was a woman crying before the grave. The boy's eyes widen at seeing the pearl earrings, necklace and bracelet on the woman. The boy's mother had told him that she used to have an older sister who had left when she was twelve. She had informed her son that she had given to that sister her most loved jewelry set of pearls.

The boy ran to the woman much to the surprise of his father. He flung his arms on the surprised lady and cried saying over and over. "You came. You really came. Mama. Mama missed you so much."

Lia took one look on the child's face and knew who's child he was. Smiling softly she hugged the boy in her arms.

~0~X~0~X~0~

Lia stared at the man who had married the one human she had grown to love as her sister. She sighed and said, "I heard that you were swindled by your best friend. Which is why you all came to lived her in Dark Cove. I can help you set it right; first you have to find a good lawyer though. Don't worry I'll help you-" Lia broke off in her sentence upon hearing the man laugh softly.

The man gave a tender smile and reached for the photograph on his desk. Lia stared at the photo on it with surprise; it was a picture of the man and Jeanne. The man smiled up at the surprised Lia and said "Jeanne used to tell me she had an older sister who brought good luck to their home. I was naturally confused since Jeanne was an only child. She told me you were a very smart governess and that you had once or twice stopped her papa in making the wrong decision in his business. You were the older sister she had always wanted. It broke her heart when you left and weren't able to come on her wedding and for James' birth. But she never stopped believing that you would someday come back."

The man titled his head and said "She's always knew you were a celestial spirit."

Lia eyes widen in disbelief and she answered back in shock "That's not possible! If she knew then why did she? Why did she treat me like a human?"

The man smiled and said "Why wouldn't she? Don't spirits also feel pain, betrayal and loneliness?" Lia looked up in surprise at this. The man continued speaking, "I don't wish to get a lawyer. My friend didn't swindle me. He just made a mistake but I know he'll pay me back in full once he gains enough."

Lia stared in disbelief at the man and shook her head. "I don't know if I should applaud you for your strong trust in your friend or wonder if your just too naïve for your age." Shaking her head she took off her necklace, earrings and ring and laid them at the table.

"I'll help you look for a great buyer for the jewelry set." Before the man could decline the offer Lia stopped him and said, "I'm only doing this for Jeanne's son and in exchange for the jewelry I will become the boy's governess. I'll be staying with the other servants. Goodnight."

Without another word she left the room but she heard the man whisper to the photograph. "You were right Jeanne, she would come to make things right."

FLASHBACK

Lia was now sitting on a rock and surveying her mage audiences who had sat down on the floor. She noticed that the iron dragon-slayer was eating the metal from the ruined house and that the people who had been fried were tied tightly and gagged.

The younger girls: Charle, Anise, Areca and the twins were staring in admiration at her. Raul, Makarov and the unknown man were sitting near Mirajane and Erza. The unknown man looked up and smiled at her. He looked like a twenty year old with long white hair and golden eyes but she knew well enough who he really was.

Wendy held up a hand. "Was the man really swindled by his friend?"

Lia giggled and answered, "It turns out he was right. His friend did come back and paid him full. Together they decided to make a business which grew profitable without my help. I stayed on as the governess until it was time for me to leave."

Levy raised a hand and asked, "Those three things that were in the pouch were your favorite things huh?"

Lia nodded her head, smiling.

Bisca murmured "I still don't get how we helped her out."

Eshkale bowed his head to her, "I needed magic so we decided to give the three things to mages who had considerable amount of magic."

Lia merely beamed at everyone. Bisca muttered to Levy, "And here I thought we were chosen because of our virtues or something."

Eshkale blinked, took hold of Bisca's hand and bowed grandly. "The fact that you didn't throw the items or tried destroying them is proof enough that you are all decent humans isn't it not?"

Everyone slowly nodded in agreement. Wendy gave out a gasp and quickly asked, "The one who wrote the diary was the young son? Was his name James?"

Lia nodded. "A week before I had to leave, he quickly filled out the diary. The pages that you read were our way of cluing you in."

Lucy stepped closer to Lia. "Why did the house disassembled after I found your key?"

Lia smiled at her. "The house has managed to gain magic through each enchantment the owners have placed on it. Before James and his father left they placed an enchantment on the house to help me in what I would need to accomplish if I ever came back to this world. I needed a safe place to keep my key while I tried to find those who had enough magic to share. I also took a bit of the house magic to visit James and make my search."

Eshkale peered at Lucy and said "So is there anything you want us to do here by any chance?"

Lucy straightened and looked for Raul. Upon catching sight of the mage she quickly came near him and said "You can ask Lia to heal your guild master now."

Raul looked up at Lia and then at the golden-eyed man beside him. "I don't think your services would be acquired." He finished this with a wry grin on his face.

"Eh?" The girls exclaimed surprised but Solana stood up and asked agitatedly "What do you mean by that Raul? Had something happened to the master?"

Areca and Anise lowered their heads and stared tearfully at the ground. Anise looked up and said "Could it be the tea that Ajowan had us make—was it poisoned?"

The mages in the vicinity all noticeably stiffened. Raul shook his head and gave off another wry grin. He held up a hand to his fellow guild members and looked to the guy beside him who now had an amused grin on his face. He shook his head and said "Will you please show them why it isn't needed?"

The young man grinned and they saw he had tiny fangs. As everyone stared on they saw a magic seal appear under the man's feet and above his head. Eyes wide and in the size of saucers they looked on as the seal on top went down and vice versa. Mouths wide open enough for a grasshopper to hop in they stared with bulging eyes, as an old yet muscular man who had a cute white ferret on his shoulder appeared on the spot the young man had previously been.

Everyone was in states of shock and surprise except for the celestial spirits, Makarov and Raul. Lisanna took a nervous step back and stepped on Freed's foot. Bixlow looked down at Lisanna, "Babe what's wrong you look as if you saw a ghost?"

Erza and Mirajane stared at Bixlow pointedly. But then Lisanna spoke up in a small voice "That was no take-over magic."

The old man gave a bark of laughter at this. On hearing the laughter the twins cried and jumped on the man. Solana eyes took on a misty quality as she stared at the old man. Areca and Anise took an uncertain step back. The man saw them and walked closer to them. Areca stepped forward in front of her little sister protectively. The old man smiled and hugged the two in his arms. Blinking back tears they tentatively hug the guy back.

Makarov approaches Lisanna "You are right. That wasn't just take-over magic. It was a combination of take-over magic and animal possession magic. It is the lost magic animal control. It allows the mage to become one with an animal but unlike take-over where only one is dominant, the two entities share the newly form body. It was used by old shamans long ago to better understand the wild animals that roam on the land they inhabited."

As the Fairy Tail mages nodded to the Master's explanation. Natsu tilted his head and said "Who's that?"

The Fairy Tail mages all face planted on the ground hard. Gray stood up and grabs Natsu's shirt. "Flame-brain are you doing this on purpose? Or you're just an idiot?"

Natsu quickly snaps back "I am not an idiot! Why do you know who that old man is?"

Gray tried to lunge himself on Natsu but Erza quickly pulls him away and threw him. Erza grabs Natsu's shoulder. "Listen to me Natsu. That man is the guild Master Cruciferae of the Wolfsbane guild. Obviously he just used magic therefore he is alright now." Erza's grip hardens and Natsu anxiously gulps. "Natsu don't do anything that will embarrass Master Makarov in front of his fellow guild master is that understood?"

"A-AYE!" Natsu cries out. Satisfied, Erza nods in satisfaction as the other Fairy Tail mages sweat drop at Titania's effective way of making Natsu behave.

Lia makes her way to Lucy, as the blonde stellar mage smiles at the spirit. "Well Lia it seems everything is alright after all."

Lia tilts her head at her owner and answers "Eh? But those two sisters still don't know the truth of who they really are."

"EH?" Everyone in the vicinity asks in surprise.

Areca and Anise stared in surprise at the spirit. Anise looks at her sister and then back at Lia, "Do you mean to tell us that Ajowan also made us drink something to forget who we are?"

The Celestial Spirit smiled at the two confused girls. "I have the power to let people remember memories that have long disappeared." At this she looked at Natsu who just stared blankly at her.

Lia gestured to Bixlow to stand beside her. "After I fix their memories, the stage will be yours."

Lia gestured for the Areca and Anise to come forward but the two hesitated. "I only want you to remember who your parents are. You can't remember their faces right?"

Anise took hold of Areca's hand, "Nee-san, I want to remember how they look like, their voices and Nana."

Areca nodded in agreement and together they came closer to Lia. Lia smiled and placed her hands on their heads. Everyone looked on, happy for the two with the chance on remembering happy memories to make up for what has happened so far in their lives.

Makarov scratched the side of his nose and asked Cruciferae who was beside him, "Are you sure the poison is out of your system?"

Cruciferae looked down at his friend and smiled, "Yup. Everything is alright. I'm surprised thought how you were able to tell I was the ferret when I visited you in the inn."

Makarov raised an eyebrow and said "How many talking animals do you think there are in this world?" Cruciferae laughed at this. Shaking his head Makarov continued on, "Anyway, your animal forms always have the same symbol on their chest."

Cruciferae gave a wry grin. "Well I'm very thankful for your sky dragon-slayer healing me. Who'd have thought that the poison also acts as a limiter to my magic? And that frequent taking of it would cause permanent damage that would have caused me to lose my magic permanently." The Wolfsbane guild master quickly gave off a bark of laughter.

Makarov rolled his eyes at the man. "You were lucky though that you discovered you could still communicate with animals."

Cruciferae grinned once again. "Who'd have thought my weird ability to communicate with them would save me. I was lucky Hikari here realized that my tea and drinks were poison." He patted the ferret's snowy head. "Although, I still don't understand how Ajowan and the others never knew that Hikari had managed to switch original poisoned tea bags with the ones from the local store. It's funny though, Hikari told me he stuffed the poisoned tea bags inside one of Ajowan's pillows, I wonder where he learned to do a prank like that."

Makarov sweat drop at the cleverness of the animal. The two stopped their conversation to see the two sisters hugging, laughing and smiling after Lia stepped away from them. Makarov and Cruciferae looked away and hid their smiles and misty eyes. They both knew how important memories of the ones they love are.

Bixlow strolled to the center, raised his arms wide and the heels of his feet together. "Come one, come all. Feast your eyes on my pretty babies!"

Author's Notes:

There is simply no telling what will come out of Mirajane's mouth. =)

From my dictionary (Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary):

Main Entry: cor-rob-o-ree

Function: noun

Etymology: Dharuk (Australian aboriginal language of the Port Jackson area) garaabara

Date: 1811

1. A nocturnal festivity with songs and symbolic dances by which the Australian aborigines celebrate events of importance

2. Australian: a: a noisy festivity b: TUMULT

- Libra the scale. It was said that the woman who held the scale was Virgo.

- My comp is evil, when I type it suddenly moves the document up and down.

- Jeanne was the girl taught by Lia while she was a governess and James is her son. Never bothered to make a name for the husband. XD

- Love the book "A Tisket, A Tasket, A Fancy Stolen Casket" by Fran Rizer.. Made me laugh out loud.

- PM me for questions and i will answer you =)