Author's Note:

Hi, hi! Gracing you guys with another chapter. :3

- nana

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.

Chapter 5 - Celestial Storm

Natsu rested his head on one of the guild tables, utterly bored out of his mind. His partner, Lucy, was off training somewhere and wouldn't be back for a couple of days - without even a word to him! They were supposed to be a team! Even their master was siding with her, refusing to reveal her whereabouts.

What sort of training did she have to do anyway?

"Well, this is a rare sight."

He did not have the energy to fight the Ice Princess today.

Gray Fullbuster, an Ice-Make Mage and the forever frienemy of Natsu, was itching to go on a job but it seemed like it wasn't going to happen yet. "When is Lucy coming back?" he asked, taking the empty seat beside the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"I don't know," Natsu responded flatly. "But Master said she won't take long."

"Erza said she doesn't mind waiting for Lucy," Gray said, glancing lazily around the guild. "She probably has other things to do anyway."

"Ne, Natsu…" Happy flew over the duo, clutching a fish in his paws. "How about we go fishing? We're running low on fish at home…"

At this, Natsu perked up, finally having something to do. And besides, what sort of a partner would he be if he ignored Happy's needs? "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go, Happy!"

"Aye!"

"See ya around, Ice for Brains!"

Gray smirked. "Right back at ya, Flamebrain."

Just behind a nearby pillar, not far from where Gray was sitting, Juvia sobbed quietly, lamenting why Gray-sama was looking for her "love-rival" and not her.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Gray's spine, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. "What is this weird feeling…"

Across the guild, a sudden golden flash illuminated the room, and Loke appeared, as smooth as ever in his signature black suit, tie perfectly knotted, and green-tinted glasses resting on his nose.

"Oi, Loke! What a manly way to enter the guild!" Elfman greeted the spirit with a grin, while holding Vijeeter, the guild's renowned dancer, in a headlock.

Loke sweatdropped at the sight. "Elf - Elfman," he started, growing concerned over his former guildmate who looked like he was about to pass out. "I think you need to let him go."

While Elfman and Loke were engaged in a conversation, Bickslow leaned over the railing on the second floor, his eyes locked on the lion spirit. "He's been popping out a lot more recently," Bickslow thought out loud, curiosity laced in his tone. "Shouldn't he be with Cosplayer?"

Laxus, while looking completely indifferent, was curious as well. He sensed the faint ripple of magic from below, instantly recognizing it as Lucy's celestial energy. A small flicker of pride swelled in him - he had grown so attuned to her magic that he could distinguish it without a second thought.

"Who should be with who now?"

Bickslow had to fight the urge to roll his eyes at Evergreen's impeccable timing. On their off days, she morphed into Mirajane's gossiping sidekick, spending an absurd amount of time with the She-Demon barmaid. How she managed to squeeze in all that time away from the team, he'd never know - but he didn't really care. The juicy gossip she picks up from Mira kept the team entertained on long, boring train rides to their jobs. In that sense, he was all for it.

"Loke," Bickslow responded, nodding at the figure below them who seemed to be on his way to their Master who was sitting on the bar table, enjoying a beer with Gildarts.

Evergreen peered over the railing, noticing the Lion spirit deep in conversation with Master and Gildarts. Her gaze then wandered to Elfman, who had just been launched across the guild by Gray.

The Seith Mage can't help but roll his eyes. "Take a picture, why don't you?"

A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Laxus' lips. 'That sounds familiar.'

"Loke," his grandfather's voice reached Laxus, addressing the lion spirit. Bless whichever deity had granted Dragon Slayers their heightened sense of hearing. "How is Lucy faring?"

"Lucy?" Gildarts' voice floated. "Cana's best friend? The blonde one?"

"Glad to finally find someone in this guild that notices her hair and not her breasts." Makarov responded, his gruff voice laced with sarcasm.

The Crash Mage laughed. "They're glorious to be honest, but I don't want Cana to disown me."

Laxus' eyebrow twitched in slight annoyance.

"Well, Loke?" his grandfather pressed the lion spirit.

"As always, she wants it over with."

"It's tonight, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you here?"

"...restless, I guess."

"Have faith, Loke. She's made of sturdier things. She'll make it."

"...yes, Master."

"Go. Don't make her wait."

Laxus sensed the faint ripple of Loke's magic as the lion spirit vanished from the guild hall. A nagging feeling gnawed at him, an unease that settled deep. Something didn't add up, and it was starting to bother him.

He stood up from his seat, his towering frame casting a long shadow over the table. "I'm heading home," he said, his voice gruff. His team exchanged surprised glances at his early exit. "It's too noisy in here."

"Boss Man," Bickslow called, his usual playful grin on his face, tongue lazily hanging from his mouth. "Come on, you're always bailing on the fun! There's a party tonight with lots of chicks that we can -"

"Go by yourself." Laxus cut him off, leaving no room for argument.

"Laxus," Evergreen called out, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What are you planning on doing at home?" She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "And it better not have something to do with a certain blonde guildmate of ours who's up in the mountains training."

Laxus knew that she was baiting him, but not today. Without so much as a glance back, he walked out of the guild in silence.

Evergreen's dark eyes tracked their leader's retreating figure. "Should we stop him?" she asked, her gaze shifting to Freed, who was also staring at the guild doors Laxus had just passed through. "You know how he gets when he's fixated on something."

"Let's just hope he doesn't bother her too much then."

Lucy sat cross-legged on the edge of the mountain, the chilly breeze tousling her golden hair as she stared at the sky. The cold bit at her skin, but she hardly noticed. She already had her Zodiac Keys laid out, creating a circle around her.

Her thoughts were elsewhere, far from the sky above her. She remembered when she'd first heard about the meteor shower from Loke. It had been a month ago, and her first instinct had been to invite the entire guild to watch it with her. She had imagined them all behind the guild where there was a better view of the sky, cheering and laughing, the stars reflected in their eyes.

More than anything, she had thought of inviting him – Laxus Dreyar.

Her first encounter with the Lightning Dragon Slayer was far from memorable - in fact, it was quite the opposite. During the Fantasia event, she and the other Fairy Tail girl candidates were turned into statues by his teammate, Evergreen, in a power struggle that was meant to coerce his grandfather into stepping down as Master and give him the reins. His plan eventually backfired, leading to his exile after the ensuing battles.

During his exile, Laxus had undergone a significant transformation. After Gildarts had reinstated Laxus into the guild, he had consistently proven his loyalty to the guild and its members, demonstrating that he was more than just a powerful wizard; he was a steadfast protector.

Sure, he still carried an air of grumpiness, often crossing his arms and sporting a scowl that could intimidate even the bravest of souls. But Lucy had begun to see beyond that rough exterior.

Laxus Dreyar was a force of nature - a whirlwind of strength and intensity.

She couldn't pinpoint exactly when it had changed - when her friendly admiration for Laxus had shifted into something deeper. At first, it was just how strong and reliable he was, how his presence in a room demanded attention without him even trying. He was fierce, independent, and in some strange way, always seemed a little out of reach.

Now, it had morphed into something else - a yearning to share moments with him.

She sighed as memories of their interactions played out in her mind. Laxus wasn't the easiest person to read, but there had been moments when she felt like she'd seen a hint of warmth in his stormy eyes.

Lucy smiled softly, her heart racing as the first streak of light cut through the sky. Even though right now she was alone, she couldn't help but wish, just for a second, that Laxus was here with her to see it.

You should look at the meteor shower tomorrow.

That maid spirit of hers.

Seriously.

Laxus Dreyar does not take orders, especially if it's from some shackle-obsessed maid who needs to be summoned from the depths of hell - because she honestly looked like the devil's secretary - and probably gets a kick from being gagged.

But that shackle-obsessed maid is a Celestial Spirit owned by none other than Lucy Heartfilia.

He'd heard from a couple of people in the guild, just in a passing conversation, that each of her spirits had a "unique" personality. He never understood what that meant until yesterday. He even asked Freed about it one time because he was that intrigued about how her magic worked. Freed explained that in some texts, these spirits might reflect aspects of their summoner's subconscious.

Which left him with a curious thought: did that mean that sweet, golden-hearted Lucy Heartfilia - Ms. Never-had-a-boyfriend - had a secret kink?

Honestly… he could get behind that.

But I digress.

Laxus lounged in his favorite chair on the balcony of his room, which, as luck would have it, faced the northern sky - a rather convenient coincidence.

He took a deep breath, feeling the cool evening breeze brush against his skin, and his sharp eyes caught something unusual - a flicker of movement across the darkening sky. At first, it was just a single streak, faint but unmistakable, then another.

The first signs of a meteor shower.

His lips twitched into a barely-there smile, a rare moment of serenity as he leaned back, eyes fixed on the heavens. Even the chaotic cosmos had a way of drawing him in, much like a certain Celestial Mage he couldn't stop thinking about.

The meteor shower streaked across the night sky like a cascade of brilliant fire, each meteor leaving a glowing trail in its wake. But tonight, it wasn't just the meteors that illuminated the heavens. Streaks of lightning snapped alongside them, as if the very air itself had become electrified. The lightning arcs danced through the sky, flashing in sharp contrast to the soft, shimmering fall of the meteors.

That maid spirit.

She knew.

Laxus smirked.

Just as he was about to take a sip of his canned beer, he felt it. That lightning in the sky, the sudden shift in the atmosphere - it was unmistakable. His instincts flared to life, his senses on high alert.

His eyes widened at the sight in front of him. A magic circle, intricate and glowing, appeared above the mountain, pulsing with huge amounts of energy. "Lucy…" he uttered, realizing where the magic was coming from.

Without a second thought, he vanished in a boom of lightning, teleporting straight to the source of the disturbance.

When Laxus arrived, he was greeted by a scene of chaos.

The first streak of light slashed across the dark sky, and Lucy gasped as her magic surged within her. More meteors followed, streaking across the heavens, as she kept herself grounded, constantly purging her magic.

Once you start releasing your magic, there is no room for distractions. Even a single moment of lost focus could make you lose control.

Capricorn's words echoed constantly in her mind. She couldn't quite describe it, but it was as if she could taste the magic flowing through her, flooding her senses as it refilled her drained reserves. The energy felt tangible, pulsing through every fiber of her being.

Lucy can feel the pull when one of her Zodiac Keys opens their gates. With this much magic surging into her system, she knew that she could summon more of them.

Aquarius.

Loke.

Virgo.

Capricorn.

Gemini.

She can feel the rest of her golden keys warming up, waiting to be called, ready to aid her.

As more light came down from the sky, the magical energy within her began to swell – too much, too fast. She can feel the first signs of panic rising within her. She called upon the rest of her friends: Sagittarius. Aries. Cancer. Scorpio. Taurus.

"Imagine a rushing river," Capricorn advised, his voice betraying a hint of concern for his summoner. "Let your magic flow out of you as swiftly as its current."

"This isn't good," Loke uttered under his breath. "I'm trying to pull as much as I can from Lucy but the energy around her is charging her way too much."

Lucy's scream interrupted Loke's train of thought.

Lucy can feel her own breaths coming quicker, her heartbeat echoed in her ears, and her skin began to tingle with the sensation of overwhelming magic. Her chest tightened as the energy inside her spiraled into chaos.

Pain shot through her body. She stumbled forward as her body couldn't contain the immense power. Cuts appeared on her arms and legs, glowing faintly with the excessive magic leaking out of her.

She can hear her spirits calling out for her but she cannot make out what they were saying. She was trying her very best to hold her magic but it was going haywire. Her body was in so much pain that all of her senses were blinded.

Suddenly, she felt warmth spread across one of her arms. She can hear a voice so close to her, panicked and desperate. "LUCY!"

Eh?

"Lucy! Can you hear me?!"

Am I… dead?

"Her skin's too hot!"

That's not him, right?

"Tell me what to do!"

I think I'm getting delusional…

Another set of cuts tore across her skin, and a scream ripped from her throat. The pain was unbearable - far worse than anything she'd ever felt.

She felt something wrap around her. "Hang on, Lucy!"

All of a sudden, the scorching pain inside her was subsiding. Her breath came easier, the tightness in her chest loosening. She could feel it - a subtle pull - her magic being drawn out, siphoned away from her overburdened body.

What's going on?

Slowly, she reached out with her hand. And it was met with warmth. She tried to grasp at it like it was her lifeline.

She felt a warm hand cover her battered ones.

Eh?

She slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry and unfocused. Shapes began to form, and she could just make out the outline of a large hand. 'Is that… my hand?' she wondered. She studied the hand through half-lidded eyes.

The fingers were long and calloused. Protruding veins ran along the back of its hand. It was rough but it held a certain warmth to it - a protective strength.

There was no mistaking it.

"Laxus…"

Author's Ending Note:

I've decided to keep this story below 10 chapters. There's so much more stories that I want to share with everyone! There might be 2 or 3 more chapters after this.

Hope everyone enjoyed this one!

- nana