Lucy lets Natsu and Happy's nose lead them back home to Fairy Tail and they run into another Fairy Tail mage along the way who is also returning from a job. It's Gray, the weird attractive guy that had the audacity to ask her for her underwear that one time. How unbecoming of the lady she was raised to be for even being asked such a question! She tells the black haired mage as much.
"Yeah sorry about that. That's not my favorite way to be remembered," Gray sighed.
"It's what everybody remembers first though, you stripping perv," Natsu laughs as Happy joins them as they both roll on the ground laughing.
"As opposed to all anyone seems to remember about you is the destruction you left behind barely completing the quest!" He yells before taking a breath to calm down, "by the way I hope you know Erza's on her way back to the guild any day now and it won't be pretty."
Lucy is the only one excited about this news, hearing of Erza's strength and beauty but never seeing her appear in her favorite mage magazine so she wonders what she's like. Apparently she ponders this out loud because both Natsu and Gray reply to her that she is a frightening woman.
They go into it further with Happy adding his two cents and none of it is exactly flattering to a proper lady's ears with the way the two are contemplating how many mountains Erza can kick over with a single kick.
Amongst this serious discussion they're caught off guard when Happy is stolen out of nowhere. She should've seen this coming. Was she too distracted by the familial joking and leisure conversation? The three quickly find him, the guild mages that kidnapped him are trying to cook him like a chicken they're about to roast.
Natsu and Gray fight together well as they attack the mages who attempted to have Happy for lunch as Lucy sets Happy free. One of the weird opposing mages even reads Gray's fortune, apparently later he'll have trouble with women and water or something.
Natsu ends the whole thing by knocking out the sand magic mage that blindsided them earlier which allowed them to steal Happy in the first place thereby finishing the confrontation. Natsu and Gray argue about Natsu going overboard using Fire Dragon's iron fist.
They're so distracting that Lucy almost missed the word muttered by the sand mage.
Lullaby.
Natsu's ears perk up.
XOXOXO
Lucy contemplates the job board with who she learned is Nab at her side, a mage that is constantly at the job posting board but can never seem to pick a request to go on.
They chat a bit about current events as they look together.
She's beginning to learn that most of the wild characters in the Fairy Tail guild have some kind of quirk as much as they have hidden pain. She hopes that she can brighten the day of all she comes across here even if it's just a little bit.
"If you find anything you're interested in just let me know," Mira calls, "since Master is out for a bit. He had a guild master meeting to attend."
"A meeting of guild masters," Lucy pondered on how a meet up with so many influential mages would go.
Would it be a room full of unabashed egos or a political gathering? Maybe ideally it would be a little of both. Maybe they all got together just to gossip and brag amongst their peers about the work their own guild had been up to. Surely Fairy Tail's master would get a lot of attention…good and bad.
"Much like a magic council meeting and kind of different as well, how do I explain…Reedus can I borrow your light pen?"
Mira used the magic tool from Fairy Tail's resident artist mage to draw a diagram in the air of how the magic council was above the different guild masters coalition and how the different guild masters coalitions were above different guilds. It was sort of like a family tree.
"I didn't know that guilds were so closely connected," Lucy ponders this information, she supposed since her teachers only ever loosely got involved with guilds and worked independently or as a "coven" of three as they chose to call themselves they'd never find the need to teach her about how the guild system worked.
"Connections between guilds are important when it comes to checks and balances and to not head to that well…"
"THE SHADOWS WOULD TAKE OVER!"
"Natsu wha-," it was strange how she had not sensed his magic signature. He frightened her by the surprise but only a bit and what did he mean by shadows exactly? He's laughing ridiculously hard at having spooked her and her further yelling reaction to the subject matter.
"Well, these shadows really do exist," Mirajane points out, "There are guilds who shun order and justice, they hide in the shadows of all that is legal and good. They'd never want to be considered a legitimate guild and join the league so we call them shadow guilds."
"In any case it's your turn to pick the job, Lucy," Natsu decides, "Happy and I picked last time so hurry up so we can be out of here before Erza arrives!"
"You don't have to team up with him you know just because he brought you here you know," Gray says from the bar.
This immediately causes a fight between the opposite elemental users, uncaring about their Erza predicament at the moment.
"I personally would love to have such a beautiful lady team up with me," Loke wraps an arm around her shoulders admiringly, taking in her hourglass figure until he suddenly becomes fixated on the items at her hip, the gentle chime noise her keys make runs a shiver down his spine, "oh… so you're a-a celestial spirit mage huh, Beautiful!?"
Lucy raises an eyebrow; she never got such a reaction when someone found out about her magic before.
"She has a bull and crab man," Happy confirms.
"Yes I've been training in it since I was a little girl," Lucy tells him, celestial spirit magic as well as reading magic signatures, intent and energy were key points in her upbringing into a proper lady, "that and then some but why-,"
"It's no use I'm afraid our love can never be!"
Just like that Loke had fled the guild as if his very core was in danger. Just when she was about to ask him why did it seem that her magic made him uneasy and why he was beginning to look more familiar to her. Surely it couldn't be just the magazines?
"Wow," Cana says chill, "haven't seen Loke move that fast since he heard Pegasus ladies would be at the grand magic games."
"What just happened," Lucy asked, rather confused.
"Celestial spirit mages have always frightened Loke," Mirajane says, "Cana and I think it might have something to do with an ex lover maybe."
"Oh look he came back," Cana points.
"Shit, Natsu, Gray," he's yelling now, "Erza is back!"
Chaos ensues at the announcement, everyone including Natsu and Gray try to right all the destruction daily guild free for alls had caused. However their efforts fail quickly, frozen everyone freezes as a woman with beautiful long hair the color of strawberries arrives carrying a gigantic horn of a slain creature elaborately decorated on her shoulder.
She's dressed in armor on top and a blue skirt and boots at the bottom. Lucy vaguely remembers seeing the limited armor brand from her favorite fashion label advertised in Sorcerer's Weekly. The guild is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Erza drops the large horn on the floor breaking no sweat about it and asks about the master's whereabouts. When she learns he's away at the moment she wastes no time calling out any and everyone on their out of control behaviors. Once she gets to Natsu and Gray the two do a bad job acting as if they weren't at each other's throats nearly two minutes ago.
"It's good to see the two of you getting along, I actually need you two to help me out."
"Eh," in all the years he's known Erza she'd beat someone up ten times over before admitting she needed help.
"Huh," Natsu was just as confused. He knew if Erza of all people was asking for help then the situation was beyond serious.
"Don't strain yourself too hard, we head out in the morning."
XOXOXO
"And…you guys are fighting again," Lucy deadpans as she walks up to her guild mates she really shouldn't be surprised at this point she guessed.
"Oh hi Lucy," Happy cheered, "whatcha doing here?l
"Let me guess Erza roped you in?" Gray inquires.
"No," Natsu cuts in, "she's here because we're partners, duh."
"Well actually…"
Lucy was amazed at the guild's absolutely adorable little Library! Natsu had told her about it a day after he revealed he knows about her love of literature. Fairy Tail has books and scrolls on a variety of subjects, potions and spells.
For now she prefers to browse the more leisure reads however there is also a fair collection of romance, fantastical and adventure novels. There's one about a red dragon shifter with the hardest scales in the world who, after running from hunters only to be saved from a temperamental fire mage swears his loyalty to him. There's one about a boy and a girl who grow up together with their respective guardian angels that must save the world from its shadows with the help of a few other virtues. She feels like a kid in a candy store! Maybe one day her own novel would-
There's someone watching her.
"Hey it's okay to approach me, I don't bite you know," she turns to where a petite blue haired woman who looks to be the same age as herself is peeking at her behind a shelf, "I'm Lucy by the way."
"Levy," she introduces herself, "sorry I was staring without saying anything. Not many guild members use this room often but me. It can get kind of lonely…oh that's a good one."
Levy has rich and smooth dark skin and hair so dark blue and curly she'd have sworn it was black if she wasn't taking in every detail of the petite woman.
Levy wasn't sure about their new guild member, there was just something about her that she felt they were missing, sure she seemed nice enough but she knew no one but herself could grasp just how mysterious this Lucy is. She's well read and she knows how Holder mages who are often underestimated by default but actually have an insane amount of magic power.
They needed more than your average mage because they channel magic through objects instead of just their bodies and interdimensional magic of the heavens, celestial spirit magic? Well, just not anyone could do that.
She was interested in knowing more about this Lucy but above all else she wanted to befriend a fellow bookworm no one else in the guild really utilizes the library except her, Master and occasionally Mirajane or Laxus.
Lucy ponders the one in her hand that Levy points out and rereads the summary. It did sound particularly more intriguing to read first. Something about a straw hat wearing pirate captain and his brilliant and beautiful navigator.
"Then I'll read this one first," something told her she and Levy would be good friends.
"Oh there you are, Lucy," Mirajane calls from the doorway, "I need you to do me a favor."
"Figures Mira would have no faith in us," Gray said, "Though she's probably right…hey flame-brain why do you always carry around that stupid sleeping bag."
"To sleep on it, duh," Natsu retorted the two already back to business.
"Hmmm oh hi there Erza good to see you again," Lucy looks behind them as if the lady knight has already arrived and will catch them.
Predictably the two are playing nice again and Lucy can't help but laugh at how quick the switch up was.
"You tricked us," the two yell at her in unison.
Happy laughed as well at their expressions.
"Oh my my looks like you two really do get along well," Lucy teased barely able to get her sentence out. She hasn't felt so comfortable to be unladylike in public like this before.
"Did I make you wait," Erza is rolling a large cart behind her with an impossible amount of luggage, "my apologies."
"Oh, you were in the guild yesterday," Erza says, noticing Lucy for the first time.
"Meet the newest member of Fairy Tail," Natsu wraps an arm around her proudly. Lucy steps a bit away from Natsu, blushing to bow politely at Erza.
"My name is Lucy. Mira asked me to tag along so I hope I can be of some use to you."
"I'm Erza. It's nice to meet you. I've heard much about you from others in the guild." She replied, "You helped Natsu take on several mercenary gorillas on the mountain, you're very promising."
"Well…he did most of the work in fact the story seems slightly twisted," Lucy sighs.
"This task that's been thrown upon us could be risky but seeing how you did on the last job you'll be fine,"
"Risky how?"
"I don't know what this job is but I'm only going if you agree to fight me afterwards. I'm different from when we were kids," Natsu decides.
"If those are your terms then I'll agree to it," Erza accepts, "Gray do you wish to fight me too?"
Natsu cheers as Gray vehemently turns down the offer to partake in sparring with Erza. Natsu is pumped up at the idea of fighting a guild member really strong again, that is until they board the train.
"Pathetic," Gray deadpans.
"I know he gets motion sick every time but I can't help but think it looks painful for him," Lucy tells them.
"Hm then I have no choice," before they know it Erza has Natsu switch seats with her so that he's sitting next to Lucy instead then punches him in the gut effectively knocking him out cold for the time being. Lucy barely catches him, allowing him to rest his head on her lap, "that should ease him a little."
They talk about magic and what everyone's specialty is minus Natsu and Erza explains herself and why she asked for help on this mission. Eisenwald…Erigor and Lullaby huh? Lucy can't recall if Athena has ever mentioned this exact magic to her or even Artemis. Aphrodite definitely would've considered such a thing to be hideous.
Hearing Erza was planning on marching in on a legitimate turned shadow guild did cause some pause within her however once they're off the train. Would four mages and a cat really be enough however strong she had seen some of her friends achieve this seemed kind of foolish though Erza, Gray and Happy pay no mind to this. Seriously they'd even have to gather information on where Eisenwald is even located and the lack of planning here isn't even mentioned. She'd have expected this of Natsu but-
"Guys…," Lucy freezes, catching both the three's attention, "Natsu isn't with us, we left him on the train!"
Erza quickly berated herself for forgetting him on the train knowing about his condition and encouraged Lucy to hit her for it much to Lucy's worry.
Looks like all Fairy Tail mages have their quirks about them. She wondered if she'd soon seem abnormal to someone new to her guild as well though Gray the stripper argued that he is normal.
They manage to have Happy fly and emergency stop the train against the train employee's wishes and they were off to save Natsu on a small vehicle powered by magical energy. Once they catch up to the train to their surprise Natsu flings himself out of one of the windows once it starts moving again.
Natsu tells them how he was attacked by an Eisenwald member while alone on the train and how he had what was probably the Lullaby flute in his bag.
"Wait lullaby flute…cursed song, lullaby,sleep…death…no way I thought it was just a story but I'm positive the flute itself is lullaby," Lucy informed.
"Right lullaby is a magic that can put a curse on anyone that hears its song," Erza reveals.
"No," Lucy remembers what she read and who created the instrument, " Lullaby is far worse than your run of the mill curse…and somehow I get the feeling they have a far different target in mind than what they'll reveal to us."
"There's no time to speculate," Erza decides, "we have to go now."
They needed to move and they needed to move fast to stop the lullaby from being used. It was illegal for a reason no wonder an illegitimate guild would stoop so low and she had a feeling who'd they would want to use that shadow magic on.
Erza is putting in double overtime as they rush to save the guild masters and more innocent lives while Gray is telling her to slow down just a little as the S.E. plug draining her magic to power the vehicle is inflated. Happy tells Lucy he had something to tell her but what exactly that was is hard for him to recall while Lucy keeps Natsu from flinging himself out the window from severe motion sickness.
In no time it looks like they've made it to their destination.
Once they get to Oshibana Station the shadow guild, Eisenwald is waiting for them as they've already taken over. The head of the operation Erigor smiles cunningly when they arrive. Erigor pretends that his intentions are to broadcast lullaby throughout the entire town first. Kageyama, the one who tried to attack Natsu on the train earlier, tries to go at them but Natsu cuts in.
"This time we're on a real battleground," Natsu smirks.
Erigor flies away using his wind magic and Erza tells Natsu and Gray to work together and go after him much to their annoyance. Two more Eisenwald members including Kageyama chase after them wanting to best Natsu.
"That leaves the rest to us," Erza says, a hand on her hip.
"Two ladies against an entire magical guild," Lucy questions, never having considered something so outrageous in her life before, "surely you gentlemen wouldn't be so barbaric would you?"
"Mama alway told me not to hit girls but I can make an exception,"
"I'm sorry ladies you're not going to be as cute when I get done with you,"
"That answers your question, Lucy," Erza smirks.
In a blink of an eye Erza uses her magic to summon a magic sword and cuts down all the men the attack her then her sword transforms into a spear and just as easily Erza tears down members of the Eisenwald guild then she trades her spear for twin blades.
Happy explains to Lucy that Erza's requip magic isn't only her weapons but her very armor as well and is specifically referred to as The Knight.
Soon Eisenwald men begin to understand just how badly they fucked up as the realized they were dealing with the woman called the "queen of the fairies" Titania Erza. Lucy actually felt herself become more excited and confident.
"Then it's a lot like what I can do," Lucy smiles, getting out a golden key, "time to help out, we have no time to waste."
"Now you want to show off too," Happy questions.
Taurus is summoned and her outfit is changed magically into his star dress form. Before said bull can even comment on her body she commands him to help her take out the Eisenwald dudes with style. Taurus moos in approval and they go to work with unmatched sync.
"That was impressive," Erza says from her side.
"Oh this it's nothing, I've been matching my fighting style to Taurus and Cancer for a long time," she says doily but internally she's fangirling from praise from such a majestic and powerful idol.
"However this bull spirit of yours keeps checking me out and I find it rather rage inspiring," Erza adds.
"Well…you win some you lose some," Lucy sighs. She didn't much care for Taurus' ogling either but there was nothing she could do about it but tell him to go back to focusing on the battle.
She couldn't help or control the personalities of her spirits nor did she want to, she could only sync herself and her will to their magical signatures.
"Let's end this," Erza demonstrates her full abilities and switches her casual look for her magical armor she looks like a silver battle goddess in and cuts down all the remaining guild members in a single multi sword cut down.
After she quickly tells her to go after Gray and Natsu and it's only when Lucy has begrudgingly agreed not wanting to leave her friend alone did she realize Erza had depleted all of her magic energy for the time being.
Her core must've been beyond exhausted. How could she still even stand? She's amazing but Lucy got the feeling she over exhausted her core far too often and Artemis had always warned her of how dangerous that was.
XOXOXO
It was crazy how far shadow guilds would go as Lucy finds herself as well as Natsu, Happy, Gray and Erza trapped inside the station by winds like a hurricane. There's no way they can just walk out the station with a wind barrier like that. It can turn your entire body into mince meat Gray's words not hers.
The shadow guild even went so far as to knock Kageyama, their own guild member out so he couldn't be forced by them to dispel the barrier.
Natsu tries to push through with a fist covered in flames but the winds quickly make work of him forcing him to bounce back roughly and to the hard hard floor.
"See that's what happens when you try to bust through," Gray sighed.
"Natsu," Lucy can't help but be worried.
Erza is still working on waking up Kageyama without a hint of breakthrough while Natsu continues to recklessly try to force his way through via brute force alone, getting injured in the process.
Lucy grabs Natsu from behind, holding him back from taking further reckless means. Natsu pauses, noticing how Lucy's guild mark on her hand looks so…he doesn't know the word to describe, right he guesses, somehow it just seems to make sense next to the guild mark on his shoulder.
He's always been a fists first, questions later sort of guy or a fists first strategies if any later sort of guy. So far no one in his life has ever tried to stop him from well…doing what he does, however reckless it might be, not even Lisanna when she was alive.
It's not that Lucy's physically stronger than him and they both know he can just break out of her hold without hurting her if he wanted but in the moment he remembered a few things about his partner.
"What, what's the matter," Lucy blushed.
"We can use your spirits, back at Everlue's mansion I was transported from one place to another through the spirit world!"
"Yes but normal people would suffocate to death if they tried that its alot harder to breathe in their world," Lucy lets him go further explaining finer details of how celestial spirit magic worked and she can't just open up a gate and pass through the celestial spirit world without having another celestial spirit mage outside the train station to open up a gate for us to pass through. Not to mention how it isn't necessarily allowed for non-celestials to even enter their realm. She also didn't have the gate key he used from that time since it was Virgo's gate key and Virgo's gate key is contracted under Everlue.
"Huh I don't get at all how your magic works," Natsu said.
"Everlue's key…," Happy exclaimed, "I just remembered Lucy, "Virgo asked me to give you this!"
"Virgo? Wasn't she that hefty maid from before?" Natsu questioned.
"Apparently her contract with Everlue broke the day he was arrested and she wants to sign a new contract with you instead!"
"We're really wasting time listening to all this," Gray complained.
"Actually this might be the very solution we're looking for," Lucy smiled, accepting Virgo's key.
"I call upon thee in the world of the celestial spirits!" Lucy calls and her magic answers she can feel her core alight in a golden hue, "Now I beckon you to my side at once pass through the gate! Open gate of the maiden: Virgo!"
"You summoned mistress," Virgo says, her appearance comparatively different from when she was contracted under Everlue, "What can I do for you?"
"What's up Burger, hey did you lose some weight," Natsu asked cheerfully remembering their fight.
"My name is actually Virgo. I do apologize for any trouble I might have caused in the past," she replies.
"She didn't just lose weight, Natsu. You see celestial spirits can take many different shapes and forms depending on who they are contracted to and their magic threshold. I've read that Virgo's so loyal she tends to take the form she thinks her summoner will most approve of…and well it wouldn't take genius to realize Everlue and I are very different," Lucy cuts in turning to Virgo, "is that right?"
"That's right," Virgo smiles at her new master. She has a feeling this one will really be what everyone is hoping for despite what Ms. Aquarius might think. The talk of Layla's daughter and the trinity celestial's student joining a guild had excited many of them.
"I'm afraid we don't have much time, could we work out the contract details later," Lucy asks, "we need out of here and fast and the only way we can do that is your digging magic."
"As you wish, Mistress," Virgo agrees.
"Um if that's okay with you, You can just call me, Lucy,"
"It's not," Virgo smiles, eyeing the whip she sometimes used on the rare occasion she wore out her magic power, "What if I were to call you queen…princess even?"
"I can see you're not going to let this go," Lucy sighed, used to celestial unyielding personas, "I guess Princess has a much sweeter ring to it."
"Yes," and with that Virgo had dug their way out by digging through the floor beneath them creating a path out the other side.
"Wow look at her go," Gray smiled.
"Nicely done, Lucy" Lucy really wasn't prepared for an Erza style hug which was really just her shoving a friend's face into her chest covered by the designer armor. It definitely did hurt.
They leave and Natsu insists on bringing Kageyama alone, his reasoning being his guildmates have no care for him and probably wouldn't get him the help he needs, that is if they don't just finish the job they were trying to do earlier having been to actually kill him.
XOXOXO
Once they're finally out they realize Natsu already took the chance to chase after Erigor with Happy's flight abilities. They'll have to trust in their guildmate to make it in time to defeat him.
Kageyama is so unsure of these Fairy Tail mages that allow him to come with them to Clover to save the guild masters. He insists they're not trying to get medical help for them and are actually trying to hold him hostage to bargain with Erigor. He tells them their real plan won't work as Erigir doesn't care about him or any of his men.
Lucy can't help but almost feel sorry for the poor man-ponytail.
Gray tells him there's a lot more to the world than such extremes like life and death. He also tells him he and his Eisenwald pals need to learn to be more positive just after threatening his life.
"Surely there's someone in your guild you can intrust with your life and they can ensure the same with you," Lucy adds, "and if not well maybe you just need to find a new guild where you can find that person."
'Ridiculous just like members of a legitimate guild to harp such cozy feeling bull shit,' Kageyama can't help but think to himself even though he knew a part of him wanted exactly what the honey blonde was talking about.
"Natsu," Lucy calls.
Before they know it they catch up to Natsu and Happy who has already defeated Erigor who is out for the count.
"Hey you guys just missed seeing me beat Erigor!"
"Aye," Happy agreed.
"I'm proud of you," Erza says in relief as Lucy helps her down from the driver's section, she looks clearly drained from her magic being drained to power the vehicle.
"Are you going to be alright, Erza," Lucy senses that her core is still well intact but she has asked just to make sure the magic drain didn't do much to harm the mage's physical form.
"Yes, don't worry about me," she says but Lucy continues to let her lean most of her weight on her just in case.
When there distracted by conversation and deciding what they're going to do to dispose of the lullaby flute Kageyama turns on them using his shadow abilities to fly their only means of transportation along with the lullaby flute rushing ahead of them to Clover to finish the job his guildmate had started.
"That Jerk!"
"So much for the pep talk we gave him eh, Lucy?"
"Maybe we should've been quicker to secure Lullaby…"
"After him!"
Once they make it to where they need to be in Clover they spot Kageyama outside with Makarov and he looks like he's going to play the flute right there they have to save their guild master!
"Shhhh," Blue Pegasus' guild master comes from nowhere surprising them, "We're just about to get to the good part. Well don't you boys look yummy, so adorable."
The larger man with a bald head, pink clothing, ballet flats, and small white wings on his back coos at Natsu and Gray making the two rather uncomfortable.
"Oh it's you, Master Bob,"
"Erza , honey you've grown a lot," he turns his attention to the women happily unphased.
"Can you guys keep it down over there we are just about to get to the good part," another guildmaster, the one in charge of Quatro Cerberus, Goldmine cuts in.
Lucy doesn't understand the nonchalance at the guild masters watching as a man is about to play a song that will end anyone that hears it. Much to the young Fairy Tail members' surprise watching, Kageyama has the chance but he just doesn't.
They all listen as Makarov gives an encouraging speech that finally grants Kageyama a change of heart and they all rush to their master in joy. Lucy hoped that no matter what Fairy Tail would always prevail. They end the night learning some of the other guild masters past as Fairy Tail mages and after several challenges being issued and drinking it's safe to say the Fairy Tail mages probably won't be welcomed back to Clover for a while.