A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to a new chapter!
Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, I only own my OC.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: LEO THE LION
At a certain bandit hideout in western Magnolia...
"Moo!" Taurus punches his target.
"All right! That's one down!" Lucy high fives him.
"You're moovingly wonderful, Lucy!" Taurus looks at her with heart eyes.
Natsu slams one of the bandits against the wall. "Man, these guys don't put up a fight at all..."
"You guys ain't cut out to be bandits if you're so weak!" Aira squishes one of the bandits face with his foot.
"You're gonna regret messin' with us!" One of the bandits weakly said. "Master Devon is gonna make you pay!"
"He's already been taken care of." Happy stated.
"All done here, too." Erza said.
"Way to go, Erza!" Lucy gives her a thumbs up.
Erza notices one of the bandits trying to escape. "You're not going anywhere!" She kicks him across the face. She moves her foot in circular motions on the bandits butt. "Looks like you still need more punishment."
Taurus blushes madly as smoke comes out of his nose. "Erza! Please punish me too!"
"Okay! Forced gate closure!" Lucy closes Taurus' gate.
They easily and quickly take out the group of bandits like they were suppose to.
"That job went more quickly than expected." Erza stated.
"Argh! I haven't rampaged enough!" Natsu shouted.
"No, you've already done enough." Aira commented.
"Lucy, check out this jewel!" Happy holds a shiny gem in his paw.
"Gah! You can't just go taking that!" Lucy said.
Happy notices someone from a distance. "Huh? Isn't that Loke?" They turn their gaze to where Loke is standing.
"What a coincidence." Aira walks to him.
"You have work out here?" Natsu asked.
"Yeah. You guys too?" Loke freaks out when he sees Lucy. "Lucy!"
"This is perfect." Lucy goes up to him. "I wanted to thank you for finding-"
"Well, I got work to do! Bye!" Loke runs off leaving her dumbfounded.
"What is with him?" Lucy gets annoyed with Loke.
"What did you do to him?" Aira asked.
"He's so totally avoiding you." Natsu added.
"I didn't do anything!" Lucy yelled.
Loke is breathing heavily from his running. He sits down against the tree while he picks up a flower. The flower soon dries up and fades away.
"Now then, shall we go back?"
"Hey, since we actually finished a job early for once, why don't we head to a spa and take it easy?" Lucy suggested.
"Lucy..." Erza seriously said. The three of them get worried about what Erza's going to say. "That's a good idea." After that, they sigh of relief.
Magnolia's popular spa town, Hosenka...
Lucy and Erza take a bath. Erza is still in her armor while taking a bath. Lucy asks her if she feels comfortable taking a bath in her armor which makes Erza realize that it's a bit disgusting so she requips out of her armor. Lucy admires her naked body and Erza jokes around with her.
At the inn...
"It begins!" Natsu holds two pillows, one in each hand.
"Forget it. I'm sleepy!" Aira groaned.
"Hey, look around you! We're at an inn! Nighttime in hotels means pillow fists!" Natsu stated.
"You mean pillow fights..." Aira corrected.
"All the pillows of merit in the room are already under my control!" Erza is holding two pillows as well.
"Of merit?" Lucy notices what she just said.
"I will defeat Erza!" Natsu holds one of the pillows back, ready to throw it.
"What am I going to do with you people?" Aira sighed. Natsu throws a pillow at Erza, but she jumps out of the way, causing the pillow to hit Aira. "Natsu! Why you little...!" He stands up as he notices a couple of pillows next to him. "Wow, where'd all these pillows come from?" He throws the pillows at Natsu. "Erza, you're next!" He throws it at Erza who stops it.
"Not bad." Erza said.
Lucy laughs as she rolls up her sleeve. "All right! Maybe I'll mix it up myself..." Three pillows charges directly at her, knocking her out instantly in slow motion. They all continue to fight with pillows as Lucy lies outside. "Then again, maybe not. I might die."
Lucy goes out for a walk with Plue. On the road, she meets Happy, who acts as Plue and making it seem like he can actually talk.
Two guys suddenly appear and they invite her to go with them, which she refuses. Soon, she realizes she can't move, and Loke comes over and saves her from them. He reveals that the two are criminals and he was out to get them. Lucy thanks him for saving her and for finding her keys, and invites him for a drink.
Loke is hesitant in staying close to her, but after she comforts him, he seems a little relieved. When they sit down in the restaurant, Lucy asks Loke what his issue is with Celestial Spirit Mages. Loke doesn't answer and asks Lucy to forget about him. Lucy then thanks him once again and gets up to leave, but Loke stops and hugs her, telling her, in a serious tone, that he doesn't have long to live. Lucy is shocked and asks the reason for him to be saying so.
He then laughs it off, saying it was one of his ruses to get girls. Lucy slaps him and leaves with Happy and Plue, saying that she doesn't like that kind of jokes. Loke then thinks to himself that he shouldn't be doing what he is doing, as he can't get Lucy involved just because of his feelings.
The Next Day...
The Dragon Slayers growl at each other with bandages wrapped around their bodies. A dark red aura surrounds them as hate is filled in the air. "What's with them?" Elfman asked.
"They say they got hurt in a pillow fight after their job was over." Mirajane replied.
"How can people get that injured in a pillow fight?" Elfman asked.
"And what were you gettin' so worked up about for a pillow fight?" Aira angrily growled.
"I give everything 100%!" Natsu growled.
"And yet you lost!" Aira argued.
"What? It was you that lost!" Natsu shouted back.
"Lucy! I'm the one who won, right?!" They shout together, asking Lucy about who won the fight.
Lucy turns around and glares at them with angry eyes. "Shut up." The guys start to tremble, gasping in fear.
"W-We're sorry." Natsu and Aira obey her, acting scared like they do whenever they get scolded. A dark aura surrounds Lucy who continues to glare at them.
"Wow. There's actually someone other than Erza who can stop those two..." Mirajane surprisingly said.
"A Man." Elfman commented. The Dragon Slayers walk away in shame.
In the shadows, Loke watches Lucy talking to Happy, his hand slowly vanishes. Meanwhile. A bunch of girls come to the desk, all claiming to be Loke's girlfriends. They tell Mirajane that he tried to break up with them last night. Mirajane asks Lucy for help, causing the girls to turn to Lucy and think that she is now his girlfriend. Lucy runs away from the girls.
Later on, Lucy goes to a public bath. Elfman enjoys taking a public bath, commenting on how manly it is. As Lucy comes out, she finds Loke. Outside, he gives her a drink and they watch the stars together. One star falls and Lucy asks whatever happens to him. Again in the serious voice, Loke asks if Lucy knows the sorrow of a star who cannot return to the heavens. Lucy appears to understand and asks if this is another pick-up line. Loke laughs this off and leaves.
Back to her home, Lucy summons the Southern Cross, Crux, who is specialized in reseach in about Celestial Spirits, Mages, and everything related to them. She asks him who was the last Celestial Spirit Mage affiliated with Loke and finds out that the Mage's name was Karen Lilica. Crux apologizes that he cannot say more than that, since the records are sealed. Lucy tells Happy that Karen was a Celestial Spirit Mage, a member of Blue Pegasus and a poster girl like Mira for Sorcerer's Magazine, but she died on a job.
Aira breaks into her home. "Lucy, we have a problem!" This startles Lucy a bit. "Loke's gone and left Fairy Tail!"
"W-Why?!" Lucy asked.
"We don't know! Everyone's searching for him. He's been acting totally weird lately." Aira replied.
"It couldn't be..." Lucy leaves her room to look for Loke.
"Hey, Lucy! Where are you going to look for him?" Aira asked.
Outside...
"Loke!" Natsu looks on top of the buildings.
"Where are you?!" Erza shouted.
"Loke!" They all call his name.
"You in there, Loke?!" Natsu takes the top of a barrel off to check if Loke is hiding in there.
"I doubt it." Happy commented.
Loke tells Lucy about his past with Karen Lilica and why he was banished from the Celestial Spirit World. But as Loke starts disappearing, Lucy argues for his innocence which makes the Celestial Spirit King appear before them.
Loke then picks himself up and gives Lucy his key, and then, at long last, returns to his home.
Back at the guild...
"A spirit?" Natsu asked.
"Yup, that's the deal." Loke replied.
"So that weird feeling when we switched places that time was from that!" Natsu examines Loke's entire body.
"Yup, that's what it was." Loke responded.
"I didn't notice at all!" Aira said.
"But wait... You're not a cow or a horse or nothin'." Natsu pointed out.
"You know Virgo, Natsu. She has a human form, remember?" Loke asked.
"Yeah, but she can turn into a gorilla." Natsu stated.
"Oh, yeah. That's true." Loke agrees as he laughs along.
"Loke's the Lion Spirit." Lucy said.
"Lion?!" Natsu and Happy exclaimed.
"A grown-cat!" Happy commented.
"That's right!" Loke agreed.
"No, it's not!" Lucy disagreed.
"But do you feel normal?" Aira asked.
"I'm not 100% yet, but I figured I'd come to say hi to everyone." Loke replied. "And I wanted to see Lucy again as soon as possible." This causes Lucy to blush.
"He lllllikes you!" Happy teased.
"Stop rolling your tongue!" Lucy gets irritated.
Loke walks away while carrying Lucy in his arms. "So let's talk, you and I, about the future!"
"Hey, now!" Lucy struggles to get off.
"Man, I'm jealous. I wished I had a spirit." Natsu sighs out loud.
"What kind of spirit?" Happy asked.
"A dragon, duh!" Natsu replied. "Then I could test out my Dragon Slayer magic for real!"
"Spirits aren't things you summon to test your strength!" Lucy yelled.
"That's right! Spirits are for spinning tales of love..." Loke flirts with her.
"You, go back already... You're still not fully recovered, right?" Lucy holds up his key.
"Wait a second." Loke takes out a couple of tickets. "Here!"
"What are these?" Lucy asked.
"Tickets for a resort hotel." Loke replied. "You guys helped me out a lot."
They all get excited when they get to go to a hotel. "I've never stayed in a hotel as fancy as that!" Aira holds the ticket.
"I already gave Erza hers, so please have fun." Loke informed.
"Hey, people! What are you standing around for?" Erza is seen wearing a swim suit with a Hawaiian shirt and her luggage. "Want me to leave you behind?"
"Now that's fast!" Lucy and Aira are surprised to see Erza all ready to go.
"Yeah, let's go! I'll head off just like this!" Natsu yells excitedly.
"Idiot, I have to pack for a trip a little, so hold up." Aira said.
"Lucy... It's not like my sins have completely disappeared, but you've given me the confidence to move on. Where once I was a member of Fairy Tail, now I am your spirit, Lucy. I'll show up whenever my owner's in trouble. Think of me as your prince on a white horse." Loke said.
"I'm not your owner. I'm your friend, right?" Lucy gives him a thumbs up and a smile.
"That's right." Loke smiles back. "From now on, let's count on each other, Lucy." He then returns back to the celestial world.
"Same to you, Loke!" Lucy holds his key as it shines.
"Lucy, we're leaving." Erza said.
"So, Erza... If..." Lucy started off. "If someone was hurt or lost their life because of me, I think I'd suffer a lot like Loke. But, it's okay. Because if we all work together, we can overcome any trouble we might have, right?"
"You couldn't have said it better." Erza softly said.
"Hey, let's hurry and go!" Natsu impatiently waits for them.
"Aye, sir!" Happy cheered.
"Let's party all day and night, non-stop!" Aira said.
"It's a favor from Loke, so we're going to have lots of fun!" Erza said.
"Aye, sir!" They all agree as they leave the guild to the hotel.
"There was no way I could've known that before long, Erza's smile would disappear..."
A/N: There you go!
Next is the Tower of Heaven Arc!
Hope you enjoyed!
~Kyle