"Sure, it's great being Celestria, but it does have it's ups and down." Celestria said as she was working on potions and such for the miraculous. "I have cool powers, but what would be of real use is stopping Black Knight from etheriouizing people." She said as she showed Erza and Levy a board of former villains and how many times they've been etheriouized. Now that Erza and Levy know the truth, she can share everything with them. "It's becoming easier for him since he gets to knows them, knows how to manipulate them, and whoever he really is can set scenarios that suits him."
"I know what you mean. I was turned into Knightwalker at least three times." Erza said.
"And since he could be anyone, he can cause problems himself without anyone knowing a thing." Levy said and then noticed something. "What?! Millianna has been etheriouzied as Kitty Cat seventy-one times?!"
"She's just a nice lady who loves cats. It's not fair." Celestria said. "There has to be a way to prevent her from being etheriouized, but I don't understand these codes or anything." She said as she struggled to understand anything.
"Master Mavis had a difficult time herself. It's all to protect the secrets of the miraculous, but some time and rest helped." Pixi claimed.
"Hold that thought. I think I've got something." Celestria said as she threw some pepper into her pot, but that caused a small explosion to go off and gave her parents a good scare. "I was sure that would be pepper." She complained with her room becoming a mess.
"How long have you been at this?" Levy asked.
"I'm not sure. I've been working at this nonstop except for school and whatever else I need to get done." Celestria said as she got back to work.
"When was the last time you did your stories, design some new clothes, or something else?" Erza asked.
"I can't. Look at all this." Celestria said as she gestured to the mess that's in her room. "I've got to figure all of this out. There's so much to do."
"Okay, I'm just going to cut straight to the point." Erza said as she walked right over to her. "This is becoming insane!" She shouted in Celestria's ear and caused her to stumble. "You're starting to obsess over this. You need to relax and give yourself a break."
"No! No breaks! If I can figure this out, I can prevent Black Knight from ever etheriouizing people again." Celestria said as she tried another mixture, but that just caused another explosion to go off.
"I get you want to bring Black Knight down, but this isn't the way to go." Levy said. "My grandmother has a saying. "Rather than wait for the storm that will never pass, learn to love the rain and dance with it." In other words, try to relax and go with the flow."
"How can I when there's so much to do?" Celestria said as she kept focusing on her work. All of them are starting to get worried with how overworked she's becoming and have to do something to snap her out of this and catch a break. That was when Levy spotted a photo of Natsu and saw just the thing.
"Did you know that Natsu and Yukino aren't seeing each other anymore?" Levy questioned.
"What?!" Celestria said as that got her attention. Levy and Erza have her now. "Poor Yukino. I've got to go help her." That wasn't what they expected.
"Yukino? Don't you mean comfort Natsu?" Erza questioned.
"Why would I comfort Natsu?" Celestria said.
"That whole thing about marrying him, having a daughter, and some other stuff you dream about." Erza reminded. "This is your big chance.
"I can't do that." Celestria claimed. "It would just be the same as when I was with Sting. Besides, Yukino's much better for him than I am."
"You're kidding, or have breathing in magic fumes messed with your brain?" Erza questioned as she doesn't believe that's how Lucy really feels.
"Erza, Yukino doesn't have any other friends. Without Natsu, I'm all she has." Celestria said. "Yeah, she has her sister, but she's going to need more than that."
"Okay." Levy said as she was fine with it. "Go and talk to Yukino. At least you'll be taking a break from this and that matters more. In the meantime, how about Erza and I go and have a look around this mess and try to make sense of it."
"You would really do that?" Celestria questioned as she would love that.
"You don't have to handle this alone anymore. We've got your back." Levy said as Celestria greatly appreciated what they're doing for her.
"Thanks, both of you. Lights Out!" Celestria changed back into Lucy and grabbed a bag with her. Regardless of everything else, at least Lucy is finally taking getting out of that room and thinking of something else. One can only hope that this won't blow up in face either.
...
Yukino
Now that Yukino isn't around Natsu anymore, she wasn't sure what to do with herself. She just sat on a bench and stared up in the sky. Just then, her phone went off and saw it was Lucy.
"Hello?" Yukino answered.
"Yukino, where are you?" Lucy asked.
"In the Tuileries Garden." Yukino answered.
"Perfect. I'm right near there and be there in no time." Lucy said.
"Why? What's going on?" Yukino questioned, but Lucy didn't really answer.
"Yukino!" She looked and saw Lucy heading straight towards her. She really meant that she would be there in no time. "I'm so sorry. I just heard about you and Natsu, but I have an idea to fix everything."
"What?" Yukino questioned as she didn't really get it.
"Let's go. I know where he is." Lucy said as she grabbed Yukino and headed for wherever Natsu is. "I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner. I just heard that you and Natsu stopped seeing each other, but we can fix it. He's doing a shooting at the pool, so that's where we're going."
"You know Natsu's schedule?" Yukino questioned.
"Of course, for a moment's noticed for a situation or anything." Lucy said. "I'll get you two back together soon."
"But I don't want to be with him anymore." Yukino said.
"Nonsense. You two are perfect for each other." Lucy said.
"But I'm the one who ended things. Do you even know why we stopped seeing each other?" Yukino said.
"It doesn't matter. I'm betting that once you two see each other, look into each other's eyes, you'll start blushing, and your love for him will be renewed." Lucy assured. "Don't worry, Yukino. Everything is going to work." Lucy seemed sure, but Yukino had her doubts about this.
...
The Pool
Lucy and Yukino headed straight for the pool for Lucy's ploy, but the problem was that Jacob was blocking the entrance to the pool.
"Of course the pool would be closed for private use." Lucy said.
"Let's go." Yukino said as she was aiming to just end this, but Lucy wasn't going to let her leave so easily. She already had a way to counter this. She used her phone and made a post about how Natsu is at the pool. It was like the second it went out, all of his fans came running to the pool and Jacob could see trouble.
"Hey! Hey! No one is allowed in!" Jacob said as he tried to keep all of them back. While he was distracted, Lucy and Yukino used the opportunity to sneak into the pool.
"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Yukino questioned.
"He'll be fine. He knows martial arts and everything." Lucy said. "Now, you'll need the proper attire for the pool." She said as she started digging around her bag for the right stuff, but she had some other random stuff in there.
"Why do you have so much?" Yukino questioned.
"You need to be prepared for anything." Lucy said. Yukino was getting a bad feeling about this. Meanwhile, Natsu was getting himself ready for his shoot at the pool.
"Are you sure about this?" Igneel questioned as Natsu got himself changed into his trunks. "Diving into cold water? That has got to be nuts." Igneel was against the thing, but Natsu got him to change his mind as he placed him some meat for him to eat. "Have fun!" He said as he helped himself to some meat while Natsu went to the pool. At the pool, Millianna was there and was lending some black cats to be used in the shoot, directed by Robert Roomar.
"Okay, now picture this, Zeref." Robert said as he was speaking with Zeref over a tablet. "Your brother standing tall with sunlight shining against him, surrounded panthers to showcase manliness and fierceness, with him diving in slow motion, and landing in a pool filled with the new cologne. Since it's the same color as the pool, no one will know the difference."
"Those aren't panthers. They're black cats." Zeref said as he can't be fooled.
"They're baby panthers." Robert claimed. "With the special effects we use, we can always do some editing."
"My kitties are not..." Millianna was going to explain the situation, but Robert stopped her.
"Listen here, Millianna." Robert said. "I know they're not panthers, you know they're not panthers, but Zeref doesn't need to. It's in both of our interests if Zeref Dragneel believes they are. Mine because it will make money. Yours because I can talk to the mayor about setting up a sanctuary for your cats. So, they're panthers!" He insisted to get his point across. Millianna just obliged with it. "Places, everyone! Places!" They all went with it as Natsu climbed to the top of a diving board with a cats standing with him. Natsu stood there and tried looking fierce, exquisite, and manly by making it look like panthers are standing with him. He then dived straight down into the water. "Well? What do you think?"
"Something's missing..." Zeref said as he tried to figure that out. "We have manliness, beauty, but there's more. We need sensitivity... Perhaps there is a way to use those cats. One of them could ride on Natsu's shoulder, or maybe have Natsu carry a rose in his mouth.
"I've got it." Millianna said as she used her tiny bell to command her cats with one of them grabbing a hold of a rose. "Xavier here is one loyal kitty. He'll get the job done."
"Panther! It's a baby panther!" Robert insisted.
"Just make sure you get this shoot done." Zeref said.
"We will." Robert claimed with him quietly ordering Millianna to make sure it gets done. While they were in the middle of getting things ready, Lucy and Yukino changed into swimsuits and made their way to the upper level.
"There he is. I bet you're already starting to fall in love with him again." Lucy claimed.
"Not really." Yukino said as she felt nothing.
"I bet you will when you see him in action." Lucy said. Natsu was getting ready for his shoot again as he grabbed a hold of the cat, but it got scared when it was getting near the water and jumped out of his hands.
"What's wrong?" Natsu asked.
"Aww... The poor little thing is scared of the water. It's okay Xavier." Millianna said as she tried babying her cat.
"Forget if it's scared! Panthers are the toughest creatures there are!" Robert said as he grabbed a hold of the cat and gave it to Natsu. "Take the hairball and climb! Time is money and I don't like wasting money!" Natsu tried to be more careful with the cat as he held it away from facing the water, making sure to comfort it with him taking the rose in his mouth.
"Do you feel it yet?" Lucy asked.
"All I felt was sorry for that cat lady and her cat." Yukino said.
"Well, maybe your eyes need to meet. Come on." Lucy said as she dragged Yukino with her once again and moved her into position. Natsu climbed up to the diving board and was being mindful of the cats as he positioned himself. However, he looked across the pool and spotted Lucy and Yukino as Lucy was trying to get Yukino into position to look at Natsu. Natsu tried to get a better look, but he ended up falling off the diving board because he wasn't paying attention and fell back into the pool with Xavier holding on to the board.
"Aw! Hang on, baby! Mama's coming!" Millianna said as she hurried to save her cat.
"What was that?!" Robert said as Natsu climbed out of the water.
"My fault. I thought I saw a couple friends of mine." Natsu said. They all had a look, but didn't see the girls anywhere.
"There's no one here because the pool is close. Now, can we get back to work with these useless creatures and get my commercial done?!" Robert said as he was running out of patience. Since that little screw-up, the girls had to quickly hide.
"That should have worked." Lucy said as she thought it would once they saw each other, but their eyes didn't exactly meet.
"Can we please go now before we get into trouble?" Yukino asked.
"I know! We're too far away! We have to get closer!" Lucy said as she was starting to go overboard.
"Now, can we please do this right?!" Robert said. Natsu was ready to go and Millianna hoped this would work for her and her cats. Natsu was getting ready to dive again. However, Lucy was dragging Yukino around and made their way to the diving board.
"Lucy, stop it! This is crazy!" Yukino said as she tried to resist.
"Love isn't logical! Just quit thinking about it and go with it!" Lucy said, but it ended up being a disaster as she ended up bumping into Natsu and both of them fell off.
"Lucy?" Natsu said as he turned to her and that was when their eyes met just before they fell into the water.
"Xavier!" Millianna said in a panic. She dived in and got her precious cat out of there. "It's okay. You're going to be okay." She said as she did what she could to help it as Natsu and Lucy pulled themselves out of the water.
"Lucy, what are you doing here?" Natsu asked.
"Oh! I... Swimming! Came for swimming!" Lucy said as she was trying to make a good excuse.
"Okay, but the pool is closed. We're in the middle of shooting a commercial." Natsu said.
"Oh! Well, I wouldn't to kiss... I mean keep you from work!" Lucy said as she acted quickly to get out of there before anymore harm could be done.
"Poor, Xavier." Millianna said.
"Forget the useless cat!" Robert said as he's run out of patience.
"So, it really is a cat and not a baby panther." Zeref clarified.
"What?! These are not panthers?!" Robert acted. "Zeref, I'm just as shocked as you! I was ripped off! No worries, I'll take care of this." He said as he ended the call. The commercial is clearly a disaster, but Zeref knew another way he could use this.
"Don't go blaming my adorable cats!" Millianna said.
"I blame you and your useless cats!" Robert shouted. "You had one job and you couldn't do it right! After this, I'll make sure everyone one of your fur balls is sold off that there is no place for them in Paris! With the mayor on my side, it will be easy! There won't be any place left for them! Now get out!" He shouted with Millianna feeling scared on what's going to happen to her cats, but she felt completely powerless to do anything about it.
...
Black Knight
"I sense that Millianna's despair over her cats is stronger than ever." Black Knight said. "It might make way for new powers. We'll give Paris to the cats." He took an etherious in his hands and filled it with power. "Fly, my evil etherious. Time to give her another chance!"
...
Millianna
Jacob was still struggling with the fans to keep them away. While he was Millianna and her cats walked out of the pool in misery. That allowed the etherious to go straight to the bell and connected her to Black Wizard once again.
"Kitty Cat, I'm Black Knight. I'm giving you another chance. I'll even add a twist by giving you another set of powers. Of course, you know what I want in return."
"Celestria's and Salamondra's miraculous. It's all purrfect." Millianna accepted the powers again as she became Kitty Cat and had all the cats under her control again. Only there was something different about this time.
"Your dream is to give the city to your cats. Well, you can just take it this time." Black Knight told her. Kitty Cat rung the bell around her neck and had some of the pounce against people. Once they came in contact with them, the people were turned into cats themselves.
"Paris will soon belong to the most adorable creature on the planet." Kitty Cat claimed as she believes she'll succeed this time.
...
The Pool
"Yukino, wait!" Lucy said as she tried to stop Yukino from leaving. "Maybe if we try recreating the moment you two met, things will work."
"Lucy, enough!" Yukino said as she couldn't take it any more. "You're not even listening! This isn't what I want! I don't want to be with Natsu anymore!" She really let Lucy became aware of that and it seems like it finally sunk in. Just them, a cat touched Yukino and turned her into a cat. Lucy was shocked by what she saw and had a look around to see other cats causing trouble by turning other people into cats just by touching them.
"Natsu!" Lucy said as she saw Natsu was in need of help. Igneel took a look outside and could see his relaxation time was over. Lucy quickly hurried to one of the changing rooms so she could transform. "I need to make things right with Yukino, but I need to act now. Stella, Twinkle!" Stella was pulled into her earrings and she became Celestria, but was a little late. Just as she stepped outside, Natsu was cornered by the cats with one of them touching him and he turned into one.
"Natsu!" Celestria and Igneel called as this was a major problem. That was when the cats came at Celestria. She ducked back inside and shut the door, but she was now trapped inside.
"Salamondra, where are you?" Celestria said as she tried getting in contact with him. "I won't be able to get out of this without you."
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Celestria." Igneel told her as he phased through the walls. "Salamondra's already been kittified."
"Oh no!" Celestria said as she didn't like this at all. It was all up to her now. "Open the Celestial Gate!" She tried using her powers and ended up getting a power drill with the Virgo sign.
"A drill? I don't think you can tunnel your way out of here with just that." Igneel said. Celestria tried to think of how she can get out of this. She knew she could use the pool and Igneel himself. She just needed to get Kitty Cat here. That's where two other people come in.
"Who said anything about getting out?" Celestria said as she already knew what to do.
...
Lucy's Room
Levy and Erza continued on with their research to help Lucy like they said. They spent hours trying to decipher and figure out what it all means.
"Aha!" Levy said. "Just like every other investigation, the answer was right under our nose the whole time."
"You found something?" Erza questioned as it seemed like Levy figured it all out. Just then, they saw shadows move around and heard some sort of commotion. "What's going on out there?" Erza had a look and could see people being turned into cats and a bunch of other chaos out there. "This doesn't look good." That was right when Levy's phone went off.
"Celestria?" Levy said when she answered. "What's going on?"
"Millianna has been etheriouized again, and I'm trapped at the pool." Celestria said.
"Do you need us to get you out of there?" Erza asked.
"No, I need you to lure her to me." Celestria said. "Make it fast, I already used my powers. Also, don't touch the cats or else you'll be turned into cats." Both of them understood as they grabbed their own miraculous and got to work.
"Steel, Armor On!"
"Pixi, Flutter!" Both of them transformed and got to work as they climbed out through the skylight and hurried off to Kitty Cat.
...
Kitty Cat
"Paris now belongs to my precious cats at last." Kitty Cat said as she was enjoying this. "The only thing that would make this perfect is those two. Where are you, Celestria and Salamondra?!"
"Sorry, but they're a little busy at the moment." Titania said as she landed down behind her. "Care to play with a knight? They're much more noble and friendly than some stars and a dragon."
"But not as playful as a fairy." Sylph said as she jumped in.
"Sylph and Titania? This is unexpected, but it works. You can grab a hold of their miraculous when you take Celestria's and Salamondra's." Black Knight informed Kitty Cat.
"Come on. Let's see if this cat is afraid of water." Titania said as she and Sylph took off.
"Get back here!" Kitty Cat called as she chased after them, unaware that she's being lured into a trap.
...
Celestria
"They're on the way. Get ready, Igneel." Celestria said as she was drilling a small hole right into the door for him to use.
"Oh man. I don't really like getting wet." Igneel complained, but he went through with it as he flew outside and hid himself in the pool. Titania and Sylph kept going until they arrived at the pool just like they were planned. They kept running, but soon found themselves surrounded by the cats. All it will take is just one to touch them and they'll be turned into cats.
"Nowhere to run now." Kitty Cat said as she jumped in. "Time to hand over those miraculous. I won't turn you into cats, but you will tell me where Celestria and Salamondra are."
"They might be closer than you think." Titania claimed. That was right when Igneel flew out of the pool and yanked her bell right off her neck.
"My bell!" Kitty Cat called as Igneel flew back to the changing room and used the whole make sure the bell went through and into Celestria's hands.
"There you go." Igneel said as he gave the bell to her with her crushing it in her hands and the etherious flying out.
"No more evildoing for you, little etherious. Time to de-evillize!" Celestria activated her whip and did what she knows how to do. She caught it and saved the day again. "Gotcha! Bye-Bye, little guy. Miraculous Starlight!" She threw the drill in the air and unleashed the stars that restored everything with being restored to normal and all the cats turning back to people. Kitty Cat also turned back to Millianna with Celestria coming out.
"What happened?" Millianna asked as Celestria helped her up. "Was I etheriouized again?"
"I'm afraid so. I'm really sorry, but I haven't found a way to prevent that from happening again." Celestria said.
"Because you were looking at it all wrong." Sylph said.
"What do you mean?" Celestria asked.
"Sylph might have found something." Titania said.
"What I found was that there was nothing to be found." Sylph said. "What if everything in the grimoire was just what previous guardians learned about the miraculous. What if there's more to the miraculous. Take yours for example. You might have had the answer all along."
"Which means... If my miraculous is the power of creation..." Celestria said as she was starting to get it.
"Yes! Create! The only limits are the ones you put on yourself!" Sylph claimed. "You just need to concentrate, want that power to come out." All she has to do is concentrate for something that can prevent people from being etheriouized. She soon felt the power as she reached inside her whip and pulled out a small yellow and black star charm designed like a cat's eye.
"What is that?" Titania questioned.
"A... A magic charm." Celestria said. "Millianna, keep this with you at all times so Black Knight can't manipulate you again." She said as she placed the charm in her hands.
"Does this mean I'll no longer be etheriouized?! We're free, my kitties! We're free!" Millianna called as she felt a wave of relief.
"Pound it." All three of the girls celebrated.
"That girl is really amazing." Natsu said as he was impressed with her.
...
Black Knight
"I'll send as many villains, as many old villains as it takes, until I finally defeat you." Black Knight claimed. He'll send old and new villains a hundred times if he has to in order to get a win. What he doesn't know is that his powers will soon be limited thanks to Celestria's new discovery.
...
The Pool
The rain started to come down and it's been a long day. Lucy and Yukino stood outside under Lucy's umbrella with them waiting for Yukino's ride. Lucy felt bad for how she acted today and knew she had to make it right.
"Yukino, I want to apologize. I don't know what got into me that I wouldn't even listen to you." Lucy said.
"I understand your heart was in the right place." Yukino claimed as she accepted the apology. "I think you were just trying to live your feelings for him through me."
"Huh?!" Lucy questioned as that was the last thing she thought she needed.
"You know his schedule, you're prepared for any situation, and I've also seen how you two are together." Yukino said. "Natsu is perfect... Perfect for you." It seems that Yukino has moved on from Natsu and now believes Lucy is the one for him. Just then, Yukino's ride arrived. "I'll see you later, Lucy, and I know you two will be together one day. You two seem like you're meant for each other." She said as she climbed into her car.
"Wait! Yukino!" Lucy called to oppose the idea, but Yukino was already gone.
"Hey! You still have it!" Natsu said as he came out and Lucy's heart started fluttering.
"Oh! Right! This was your umbrella." Lucy said as she tried acting casual. "I... I guess you can have it back." She said as she handed the umbrella to him.
"You're going to need it to get through this." Natsu said. That was right when the umbrella closed around the two of them and they both laughed.
"Well... We could walk together..." Lucy said. Natsu seemed like he liked the idea, but that was when his car pulled up.
"I can't, but I'll see you at school. Right?" Natsu asked. Lucy said she would with a spark in her eyes. It felt like the first time she fell in love with him. Natsu headed over to his car and gave one last look at her with a smile...before he hit his head on the car before climbing in. Seems like even Natsu gets a little clumsy. As Lucy walked through the rain, she felt like her love for Natsu has been renewed as she couldn't stop smiling.
"You okay, Lucy?" Stella asked.
"Better than okay. Rather than waiting for a storm to never pass, I just got to learn to love and dance with the rain." Lucy said and dancing in the rain is exactly what she did with her feeling better than she's felt in a long time.
