I am a terrible human being... I haven't updated in SO long... let me make it up to you with some pure LoLu :)

Also... the pairings in this story are Gruvia/Luvia, LoLu, and really, this pairing doesn't get enough attention, so I'm throwing in a bit of Laki x Max. You guys are cool with that, right...?

Lucy Heartfilla

I stood on the balcony, staring at the night sky. Scorpio's constillation shone prominently in the stark blackness that surrounded it, while others were obscured by fog and clouds, or they simply weren't there. Sighing, I pulled the ring of keys out of my pocket. These keys were more trouble than they were worth. I found them digging around in my mother's old chest, and suddenly, Jose, my uncle throws them across the floor and tells me never to touch them again.

I brought them to my room that night, but even to this day, they lack anything noteably special. They didn't even unlock any doors inside the castle; they were simply overly-decorated keys that my mother kept as some sort of trinket. But something about them must be remarkable, otherwise my uncle, no Jose, wouldn't have guarded them with such vigor.

Each key was decorated with symbols of the Guardians of the Heavens, but this wasn't unusual. Many citizens of Fiore had small shrines built in the outskirts of their homes built to honor them, and keys to such places were disigned in a very simillar fashion. But saying these keys unlocked the doors of a shrine didn't make any sense. Jose never allowed my mother outside the castle property, and her marrige was arranged. There were no such structures on the castle grounds.

I sighed. I really hated it when I'd go on like this. Every time I brought out these keys and try to deduct their meaning, I'd be stuck on the mental merry-go-round.

"Lucy?"

I turned around to see Loke walking out onto the balcony. "You always spend so much time here," he said, "I'm afraid you'll catch a cold or something."

I shook my head. "I'm fine, Loke. Do you need something?"

"Not neccasarily. Do I need a reason to want to talk to you?"

I grinned. "I suppose not."

He stood beside me and leaned on the rail. "So what do you do out here?"

"Think."

"About what?"

"These," I replied, twirling the ring of keys on my finger. "Why did my mother even have these?"

Loke blushed and coughed. "I-I don't know."

"Every time I talk to you about this, you do that."

"Do what?"

"That!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

I rolled my eyes. "Every time we talk about this-"

"Nothing happens!"

"You're right about that! This conversation just goes in circles no matter when or where talk about this."

Loke didn't respond for a while. "Let's go inside. Its a bit chilly out here, and you haven't eaten anything yet."

I smiled and nodded. Loke was always so protective. "Sure."

Looking down at the castle grounds once more, I gasped. "No, it couldn't be... it can't be..."

Loke looked at me with concern. "What is it?"

"Th-that's... it's... Phantom Lord!"

"What?!"

Loke leaned over the edge and stood in shock.

The Phantom Lord Guard was marching right for the castle gates...

Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuuun...