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

Chapter Twelve: Lost Friend

AN: Ok. first off an apology is in order for my readers, I am truly sorry for the long wait for the next chapter. I can only say that several bad things happened in a row and for a while everything had to take a back burner to getting my life to stop sucking. As compensation here's a long chapter with new spirits, Lucy kicking butt, and some emotional growth. Thank you for taking the time to read my work and as ever Fairy Tail rules.

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Lucy POV:

As I arrived at Shirotsume Town train station I couldn't help compare it to my previous visit. The town looked to be almost completely redone; nothing looked the same not the station or the town centre. Pushing the thought out of my mind I refocused on the conversation I had been having with Sagittarius.

"As we are playing catch up Miss Lucy it would be best if we travel straight to the source of the problem moshi moshi."

As we continued through town I couldn't help but agree with Sagittarius' suggestion. Hibiki had at least a couple of hour's head start and probably more information than us. My only hope was according to Bob Hibiki had arrived late last night after a long few weeks of missions so he might have not woken as early as one might think. Quickly passing through town we made our way to the southern forest pathway. The mission had requested information retrieval on a possible dark guild alliance and so according to Bob, Hibiki was going to try infiltrating the guild and getting out without being noticed. The client not surprisingly was the council and they wanted information not destruction hence why Blue Pegasus got the call and not Fairy Tail.

We had been walking towards the dark guild's possible location for a couple of hours when Sagittarius suddenly halted and pointed to the ground further ahead. As we stepped closer even I could see that the pathway in front of us was all torn up. Glancing round I looked to see if I could figure out what exactly happened. Noticing scorch marks and what looked like blood on several nearby trees, I didn't need Sagittarius next comment to take a wild guess of what occurred.

"It appears moshi moshi that there was a battle here, not too long ago moshi moshi."

Before I could even ask him Sagittarius was following the trail off the path and into the surrounding wood. Eventually the trail ended and looking round I couldn't see any other paths leading away from the site. I was about to tell Sagittarius to keep looking when I remembered Reticulum. Sending Sagittarius back I didn't waste any time.

"Open the gate of the eyepiece graticule, Reticulum."

As the light from the spirit's arrival faded I could feel her flow through the air and settled across my face. I didn't need to look to know that a beautiful red and blue jewel encrusted golden mask now covered my face.

"How can I help you today my dear Lucy?"

Hearing the spirit's voice in my head most people would think was strange but over the years I had gotten used to talking to my spirits this way and by now it was normal. Sending a quick thought to Reticulum I had her morph into her second more technical form that of a singular ocular eyepiece. The moment she finished changing I closed my other eye and looked through the lens. Everything around me was now in super sharp focus and I could see details that even a dragonslayer would miss. What I found as I glanced around was what I had suspected: an invisible barrier across a section of the woods. Walking closer I stopped when I came to the edge. Playing a hunch I started calling out.

"Hibiki, its Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy of Fairy Tail. We meet some years ago during the guild alliance to take out the Oracion Seis. You taught me my celestial spell Urano Meteoria. You once loved Karen who used to own some of my Zodiac keys Leo and Aries."