Ever After

Yukino

*YOUR POV*

I met up with Lucy, Natsu, Wendy, Carla, and Happy on the way to our inn and we decided to just walk there together. We were talking and joking around until Natsu and Lucy simultaneously noticed something. I followed their gaze to see a white-haired girl in a floral tanktop and blue skirt. She was standing in front of the inn with a suitcase. Natsu and Wendy seemed to be familiar with her, but Lucy and I recognized her right away. It was Yukino from earlier when she fought Kagura. The Celestial Spirit wizard. We decided to invite her to our room, mainly to figure out why she'd been standing outside our inn. Once we were all in the room, Lucy sat across from Yukino at a table, the rest of us right behind her. Yukino spoke, seeming to direct her words at Lucy. "Well, the truth is... I came here to see you." Lucy leaned forward, seeming surprised.

"To see me? What about?"

"My guild. I just left there and have something I'd like to discuss with you." Natsu glared at Yukino.

"Your guild sent you here to mess with her or something?" Wendy quickly stepped in and defended Yukino.

"Let's hear her out. I don't think she wants to hurt anybody."

"I realize this is out of the blue, but," Yukino set the two gold keys of Pisces and Libra on the table. "Please take these. The Key of the Two Fish and the Key of the Balance. I want you to have them. They should belong to someone who can use them properly."

"What?" Lucy gasped. "No way! I couldn't. Please think this through."

"I already have; I made up my mind after watching you fight. I was going to give them to you once the tournament was over anyway."

"So why not just wait 'til then?" Natsu asked.

"The games were over for me the moment I lost. Minerva will take my place. Tomorrow you'll be up against Sabertooth's strongest. The five members who transformed the guild into the powerhouse it is today." I blinked, confused.

"But we thought you were one of the five," I said.

Yukino ducked her head. "Normally, a newcomer like me wouldn't compete, but Lady Minerva was on a job and couldn't make it, so I stepped in for her."

Wendy stepped forward to speak. "But why are you doing this? I thought Celestial Spirits were precious to their wizards."

"Yes, that's true, and that's precisely why I've decided to hand them over to Lucy. It's clear she's a superior Celestial Wizard. They'd be much happier in her possession."

Lucy seemed taken aback. "I appreciate the compliment, but I'm afraid the answer is still no."

"Please, you must take them. You've already gathered ten of the 12 Zodiac Keys. All you have to say is yes. With these in your possession, you'll have them all. Then the Door of World Change shall open."

"Door of World Change shall open?" Lucy echoed.

Natsu kept an apprehensive tone. "What's that mean?" I tensed. I knew exactly what that meant, but I was too afraid to say it. My father had talked about it constantly, telling me stories as a child. I knew what the Door of World Change was and it chilled me to the bone.

"It's just an old legend," Yukino began. "To tell you the truth, I don't understand what it means either. But there is one thing I'm sure of. Over the years, the number of Celestial Wizards has plummeted. Given the hit to our numbers during the Zentopia incident, it's possible that you and I are the only ones left. I also know that the Spirits love you and you love them in return. If anyone should have them, it should be someone who's connected to them." Everyone's eyes remained on the keys, silence filling the room. Eventually, Lucy broke it.

"Thanks, but I can't take them. Celestial Magic is about the bonds we form with our Spirits. It's not as easy to give up ownership of them as you might think."

Yukino's face darkened. "I know. Trust me, this isn't easy for me." She stood. "Forget about it. I had a feeling that would be your answer from the start. But for better or for worse, I'm sure all 12 keys will find their way together some day. I hope this isn't the last time we meet." Then Yukino left. Wendy, Lucy, Happy, and Carla immediately began talking while Natsu and I kept quiet. He turned to me.

"Was I rude?" I hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I knew it!" He exclaimed angrily. "Well, I'm going to go catch her and apologize." He began to run out the door.

"Wait!" I stopped him. "You're going to ruin it somehow. Let me come with you to ensure you don't make her cry or anything." Natsu nodded.

"Deal. Now, come on! We have to hurry!" We raced out the door and saw Yukino nearly at the bus stop. "Hey!" Natsu shouted. "Wait up!"

"Please!" I yelled. "Stop!" Yukino stopped and turned, long enough for us and Happy, who had tagged along, to catch up with her. Natsu laughed

"You actually stopped! I guess you aren't such a bad person after all." I stepped on his foot, causing him to wince slightly and side-eye me. Happy glared at Natsu and began to scold him.

"Hang on! You can't assume someone's bad just because they're in another guild! I thought you were better than that, Natsu!"

"Duh, that's why I came to apologize to her, ya dummy!" Yukino seemed shocked.

"Apologize?"

"Yeah, my bad," Natsu chuckled.

"You followed me all the way out here just to apologize to me?"

"Well, yeah, it's the least I could do when you look so down in the dumps. Though I guess following you out here might've seemed a little creepy..." Natsu trailed off.

"No. You're very kind."

"Good, glad that's settled. For a second, I thought things might get awkward." A few second passed and Yukino started crying. I rushed to her side and hugged her as Happy and Natsu panicked. Yukino collapsed, sobbing into her hands. I dropped to my knees with her, my arms still around her.

"I can't take it!" she yelled.

"What is it?" I asked gently, rubbing her back.

"It's just... no one's ever been this kind or shown so much concern for me..." I gripped her tighter, knowing exactly how she felt. It was how I felt with Fairy Tail and partially with Phantom Lord. "I looked up to them once," Yukino continued. "The members of Sabertooth were my idols. I finally joined them, but now I'll never get to step foot in the guild again... I was forced to leave just because of one defeat. I was humiliated in front of everyone... He made me... erase my own... guild mark... It was so frustrating and embarrassing. He took my self-respect and shattered it into pieces... Sabertooth was my home and I'll never see it again!" I took in everything Yukino had said. Anger rose up inside me and I felt the air around us grow colder, while the air around Natsu and Happy became gradually warmer.

"Well, that's too bad," Natsu hissed. "But I don't worry about what happens in other guilds."

"Natsu!" Happy and I snapped.

"Sorry," Yukino choked out. "It's not your business... I just couldn't hold it back..."

"You're right. It ain't my business," Natsu said, his fists clenched. "But it pisses me off when other wizards are mistreated. Humiliating you in front of your friends is bad enough, but making you erase your own emblem?! Any guild that makes a friend cry doesn't get to call itself a guild!" Natsu looked at me, flames dancing in his eyes. "Come on. Let's show them the power of a true guild." I stood and helped up Yukino.

"I'm with you all the way, Salamander." I turned to Yukino. "Go back to the inn where the girls are. I'm going to stay with Erza tonight, so you can have my room. You're not emotionally stable enough to travel tonight." She nodded and began heading back. Natsu and I clasped hands, fire in his eyes and ice in mine. "Let's do this."