Gaining Courage: The Search for the Lost Keys (a Fairytail Galu story)

Chapter Forty-One: Time To Go

Before I went to bed I had asked Horologium to wake me before sunrise. I knew that if I was going to leave, it would have to be while Gajeel was asleep otherwise there was no way he would let me go. Rising quietly I changed and then took what things I'd left out and started to leave before what I was doing hit me; looking back at Gajeel I approached the bed and slowly as not to wake him leaned forward and kissed him goodbye. I couldn't help it as a tear fell and landed on his face though lucky for me he didn't awaken. Holding in the sorrow I whispered a barely there goodbye and quickly placed a note I'd written by the bed and made my way out the door.

In the note for Gajeel I'd told him to go home, that his part of the mission was now over but that my quest was still going. I written that I was sorry for pushing him for an answer last night and that I hoped that they can still be friends. I told him I didn't know how long it will take me but that I trusted that when I did come home that he will still want to go on missions with me as these last few months have been the most fun I'd had in years. I'd apologised for running out on him but didn't know how to say goodbye.

I had to keep clearing the tears from my eyes as I made my way out of town. What I'd done was hitting me hard and I could barely keep walking. The urge to turn around and go back to him lay just under my skin and if I allowed myself one moment of weakness I would be back in his arms before I could blink.

Forcing myself to take each step forward I slowly made my way out of the outer gates and into the surrounding forest. Following the path, according to Crux there should be a river with a bridge with a clearing beside it that would be perfect for what I had planned. Speeding up as now I was so close to an answer my heart decided it would finally keep still about the choices I'd made. It took close to half an hour before I saw the bridge and then the clearing a few feet from it. Once by the stream I steadied my nerves and took my usual stance.

"I call upon thy in the world of the celestial spirits I beckon you to my side at once pass through the gate, open gate of the northern triangle, Triangulum."

As I felt the drain and saw the light I prayed to every god I knew that what I thought this spirit could do was right. If the research I'd done and the hints Crux had dropped were correct then the next few minutes could make or break me.

"Will you, my master take me for your own? Won't you, my master use me as you please? Will you, my master listen as I speak?"

Before me stood around the same height as Pyxis was a solemn little turtle. Perched upon his chest was a strange glittering triangle that spun at odd intervals. Smiling to show I meant no harm, I crouched down to be more at his level as I addressed his enquires in order.

"Hello Triangulum, my name is Lucy Heartfilia and I would like to make a contact with you if that is alright. I prefer not to be called master if that pleases you and I would be glad of any help you could give me but I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to. My other spirits say I'm a bit of a chatterbox but I will always be there to listen to any requests and if you ever need help with something you need only ask."

As I had spoken the turtle had nodded along still with a very solemn expression. It flapped its flippers when I got to the bit about calling me master but had a sort of happy look in his eyes by the time I'd finished.

"Will you, Miss Heart listen as I tell? Won't you Miss Heart call me between seven bells? Will you, Miss Heart follow where anything dwells?"

The triangle on his front suddenly spun and sparked with light. Patting it with his flipper he looked down into the light it gave off then lifted it up to show me an image of the very clearing we were standing in. It even had the both of us in it exactly as we were now. Grinning to show that I got it, I quickly spoke to clarify what he'd said.

"You are fine calling my Miss Heart, you are only available between seven in the morning and seven at night, and you are able to show me an image of any location as long as you have something to link to."

Just like with Pyxis, Plue, and Mushy: Triangulum spoke more in intention than words. I felt what he meant by each statement more than what words he spoke. Before I could get too involved with thinking about forms of spirit communication I felt Triangulum about to go back to the spirit world. Quickly holding my hand up, I got his attention and reached for my key pouch at the same time.

"Triangulum before you go, may I ask a favour. As you may have heard I am on a quest to find the re-forged golden key of the zodiac Aquarius. I have been looking for close to two years now and was hoping that you would be able to use what I have to narrow down a location for me."

Pushing power Pyxis arrived as I lifted up the necklace I hadn't ever taken off since I made it years before. Holding out the broken and last piece I had of my first spirit I focused and pushed a bit more power this time into the tattoo that graced my chest. I star dressed into Aquarius' form and presented the gathered options to him. With a more solemn look on his face he flapped his flippers and shuffled as the triangle spun round on his chest.

"Will you, Miss Heart in dress stand towards the left? Won't you, my cousin take the key onto the right? Will you, all watch to see what we find?"

Standing in a triangle with the river as one corner, Pyxis as the other and me as the final piece I watched Triangulum shuffle into the middle and start to triangulate Aquarius' new key location. As we three watched the image on the triangle form a picture of a beautiful waterfall appeared, I saw the image refine and zoom into a cave hidden deep underground where I could just see the key but also three shadows were moving and screaking. When the image faded away I quickly had Pyxis get a fix on the location. Seeing him nodding and his arrow spinning I let out a relieved laugh as I finally knew where Aquarius was. My journey was coming to an end. Sending my two friends back home I didn't waste any time as I called out Argo and swiftly climbed aboard. Letting Pyxis set the course as he knew the way I could feel that this was the last stop on my grand adventure.