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I Leave You, My Pride	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 5769 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is the property of Hiro Mashima. I make no money, I just do this for my own pleasure.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter 6

Twin Messengers
Six Months Later
Gray kicked open the door to Grandpa Belo's house with his arms full of grocery bags. Snow slid off his naked torso and flattened his black hair. It was winter, and the chill off the ocean was brutal, although Gray hardly felt it.
"I got the ingredients," he called in. "You haven't died on me yet, have you, old man?"
"You're not that lucky, sonny," Grandpa Belo teased back. "A package arrived for you while you were in town."
"For me? I wonder if it's Mira sending me cookies again. It's almost my birthday, after all." He set the bags down in the kitchen, easily weaved between the mess that he had come to know well, and found a small box sitting near Harto, who greeted him with a puu-puun.
"Hey there, Harto," Gray smiled, patting the Little Dog's head. "Any news from the Spirit World?"
"Puu-puun puu puu-puun. Puun puu-puun puun."
"Well, that's sweet of her. Tell Aries thanks for me. It's good to know she and Lucy are still close friends." Gray picked up the package box and turned it around in his hands. "Too small for cookies." He opened it and saw a silver object shining inside. "A … key? Someone gave me a key?"
Grandpa Belo hobbled on his cane into the messy room. "Happy early birthday, sonny. If I don't give it to you now, I might forget in a few days. It's not just a present. It's a test."
Gray gave a good-natured laugh. "Old man, everything with you is a test. Heading into town to fetch you milk and potatoes was probably a test."
"Did you use a key?"
"I didn't need to. The snow doesn't bother me."
"Then this is also a lesson. Don't overuse your Celestial Spirits. If you don't need their help, don't bother them by calling them out needlessly. They have lives as well."
"This is what I mean by everything being a test," Gray pointed out. Then he pulled the key from its box. "I don't recognize this one. Which one is it?"
"So far, the Celestial Spirits you've summoned are ones who know you. I wanted to see you try one you've never met."
"I met all of them when I visited the Spirit World," Gray retorted with a bit of pride. It was one thing he had done that his ancient tutor had not.
"A brief bump at a party does not make an acquaintance," Grandpa Belo said sagely. "Besides, I think this one will be helpful to you."
Gray looked at the key's design. Since Grandpa Belo was purposely not telling him which constellation it summoned, he guessed that meant he was supposed to figure it out completely on his own. "The symbol looks like some sort of vehicle. A chariot? Could it be Auriga?"
"Shucks! And here I was hoping to stump you," laughed Grandpa Belo. "You've studied well, sonny. However, you should summon him outside. He's quite the Celestial Spirit, you see."
Gray, Grandpa Belo, and Harto walked out into the snow. Then Gray lifted the key in his hand and poured his magic into it. "I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate! Open the Gate of the Charioteer! Auriga!"
This time, instead of a small Celestial Spirit like Plue, the poof was massive. Before them was a gold and red chariot pulled by four gleaming white horses. A man in centurion armor stood on the chariot. He struggled to hold a goat slung over his left shoulder and two baby goats under one arm.
"Quit squirming, you stupid Kids, or I'll pull this chariot over right now and … oh! We're in the Human World," he realized, gazing around at the frosty fishing village. Then he saw Gray. "You must be my new owner." He attempted to bow, but the goat on his shoulder almost slipped, panicked with a bleating cry, and dug its hooves into the man's back. "Ow! Amalthea, stop it!" Finally, he calmed down the goat. "Forgive me. I am Auriga, but please call me Erichthonius."
Gray pouted a little. "To be honest, Auriga is easier to pronounce."
The Charioteer sighed in disappointment. "They all say that. This is Amalthea," he said, motioning to the she-goat. "I have no clue why I'm stuck looking after her and the Kids, but like Bo-Peep and her sheep, Erichthonius has his goats. May I give you a ride somewhere, Master?"
"Awesome! Instant transportation. Natsu would hate this," Gray laughed, but the happiness slowly faded. "Natsu. Man, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost miss that flame-brain."
"You can return to Fairy Tail at any time," Grandpa Belo told him.
"No, I'm not leaving until I master a Gold Key. Ooh, but hey, since I have Eric out…"
"Eric?" the Charioteer questioned. "Why did I never think of going by Eric?"
"…can I get you some lunch from the village?" Gray asked his tutor. "Some cod? Winter flounder? Maybe some roe if a small town like this has any? The weather is nice, so a ride would be fun."
"See if they have any sayori and we'll make sushi tonight," Grandpa Belo decided. "You two ride together for a while. Get to know one another."
Gray hopped on and helped Erichthonius by taking the two Kids off his hands. With Amalthea the she-goat still over his shoulder, Erichthonius whipped the horses into a trot, and the great Charioteer Auriga carried Gray down the powdery hill.
Grandpa Belo watched them as a bit of snow began to fall. "The boy might have some talent after all, Harto."
"Pu-puun," the Little Dog agreed.

Half a Year Later, Summertime
Gray held out a Silver Key. "Open the Gate of the Compass! Pyxis!"
The small bird-like Spirit poofed with a loud "Pikuu!"
"Very good," Grandpa Belo praised, slowly clapping his arthritic hands. "You managed that almost without any effort. Your practice is definitely showing."
"Of course," Gray smiled, petting Pyxis while the Compass cooed. "Pyxis was the last of Lucy's Silver Key Spirits. Okay, Pyxis, let's set up a contract."
The aged tutor watched his pupil. For a little over a year now, Gray had proved him wrong time and again. Just when he was about to give up on the hopeless boy, he managed to summon his first Celestial Spirit. When he thought there was no way Gray could grasp the concept of loving his Spirits like friends, he called out Horologium and spent a whole afternoon talking with the Clock about their past missions. Even this Celestial Spirit, one Lucy had only recently obtained before leaving the Human World, one Gray did not really know, he managed to summon Pyxis without any strain.
"Done!" Gray declared, closing the book where he had begun to keep track of all of the conditions for each contract.
"You should use him a little," Grandpa Belo schooled.
"Yeah, I know, but I don't really plan on going anywhere that might need a compass."
Pyxis looked depressed and let out a sad "Pikuu."
"Oh, all right!" Gray laughed, scratching the Celestial Spirit's wings and cheering it up. "Pyxis, which way is east?"
With eager precision, the Compass pointed toward the left.
"Which way is west?"
An about-face, and it pointed in the opposite direction.
"Which way is Lucy?"
Without any hesitation, Pyxis turned to Gray and pointed to his heart.
Gray knelt down and hugged Pyxis tightly. Then he whispered in its ear, "Hey, tell Lucy hi for me."
"Pikuu!" it nodded eagerly, and then it poofed away.
Gray rose back to his feet and grinned eagerly down to Grandpa Belo. "That's the last of the Silver Keys. Can I try a Gold Key now? Or do you have a new key for me to learn? I wouldn't mind increasing my units."
"No, you have enough for now, more than most wizards. Fine, we will move on to Gold Keys."
"Yes!" Gray cheered, pumping the air with his fist.
"We'll start with a small and easy one, Gemini."
"Oh, okay. I know Gemini." Gray reached to his keyring, flipped through them, and pulled off the Twins.
"Remember, summoning one of the Zodiacs is nothing like summoning a Silver Key Spirit. The amount of magic it takes is far greater. Your concentration must never waver. They can also be willful things. Their contracts must be adhered to without fault. Now, prepare your mind."
Gray closed his eyes, reached out with his senses, and felt the spirit of Earthland all around him. Sensing this was now easy, but he recalled how many months it took him to learn just this much. Relaxed, with complete control over his magic, he lifted the golden key.
"I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate!"
Gray suddenly gasped. The magic being sucked from his body was intense. The way he had to flow magic out through the key was still a unique experience, completely unlike his Ice-Make ability where his magic was used to create. Having his magic power flowing away like this was tiring, and he had already just summoned Pyxis.
Grandpa Belo watched his student with a discerning eye and slowly, sadly, shook his head. He could see Gray straining already. He knew the boy was not ready for something this advanced. Another year, maybe, but to master a Gold Key in such a short amount of time … impossible!
Gray gritted his teeth to keep the flow of magic constant. His muscles began to shake at the fatigue, but he refused to give up. He dug deeper into him, channeling all the magic he could muster. Still, it felt like he was about to pass out. His ears were ringing. His head felt light. Spots danced in his vision.
"Cut off the flow, sonny. You did good enough for your first attempt."
Good enough? No! A Fairy Tail wizard did not do good enough. They succeeded despite all odds. They fought until they collapsed, and then they kept struggling against any adversity. Gray's will was set. He refused to fail. He dug down even deeper into himself, tapped into his Second Origin, and used the massive amount of magic power stored within.
To the side, Grandpa Belo's squinty eyes widened in surprise as Gray's hair began to flutter from the power of the Zodiac Gate's link to the Human World. He sensed the connection being made, and a powerful magic circle glowed under Gray's feet. Veins were popping out on the boy's neck and face, yet still he shouted:
"Open the Gate of the Twins! Gemini!"
There was a bright golden flash, and Gray felt weakness overwhelm him. The old man was right. The magic used for Gold Keys was on a completely different level. He suddenly had a much greater respect for how powerful Lucy was to summon up to six Zodiacs in one day, and even summoning two at once.
He felt lightheaded and realized he was falling backward. Then two arms caught him, and he felt himself bump into something warmly soft. When he looked around, he realized he was resting on two voluptuous breasts.
"Whoa!" he cried out, pulling back. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't…"
Then he saw her face. The blond hair, brown eyes, and gentle smile were everything he remembered. A year apart meant nothing. He would never forget such a lovely face.
"Lucy?" he whispered. His heart pounded, emotions surged in him, and he grabbed Lucy hard, squeezing her close to him with desperation. "Oh God, Lucy. I've missed you so much."
Grandpa Belo frowned in pity and softly said, "Gray, look again."
He pulled back. No, there was something different, something about the eyes.
"Gemini," he realized, feeling that surge of love sink hard.
"Sorry for the façade," the mimicking Twins shrugged guiltily. "We thought you would like to hear her voice again. Plus, we were worried if your feelings for Lucy had grown cold after all this time."
"Not a chance," Gray said firmly.
"We know," Gemini smiled, and the hand with a pink Fairy Tail guild symbol reached up to caress Gray's face. "The way you hug, the look in your eyes, the thoughts in your mind … we can tell you love her deeply. We know now just how much you want to see her."
"How is she?" he asked, hoping a Zodiac might have more news than the lesser Celestial Spirits.
"She's training hard, just like you. She avoids her duties as the Lion in order to train to see you again. Her love for you burns like a sun sign. The passions of a Lion are not easily quenched."
Then Gemini leaned forward. Gray watched in surprise and began to pull away, yet those pink lips pressed against his cheek.
"From Lucy," Gemini told him, winking those large, brown eyes. "Do you wish us to give her a message?"
Gray felt it was unfair that all of his messages to Lucy were through other Celestial Spirits, but at least he could let her know he was still here waiting. "Tell her I love her. Tell her I'm not giving up on her. Make sure she doesn't do anything foolish. I know time works differently there, so she probably feels under pressure. I'll wait as long as it takes. I'm going to get stronger. I'll definitely bring her back, even if I'm a middle-aged geezer by the time I do it. Just make sure she doesn't do anything that might hurt herself. Tell her to wait for me, like I'm waiting for her."
"We will," Gemini nodded solemnly. The Twins stroked his cheek right over the kiss mark. "She loves you deeply, Gray Fullbuster. Your love for her will make her stronger. You two are lucky to have one another. Call on us any day. We will help you to reunite. Gemi and Mini know we can never be separated for long, and it's the same for Lucy and Gray. Like a binary star system, you will always be attracted to one another. Keep working hard. Piri-piri!" The image of Lucy burst into the two round-headed Twins, and then they also vanished in a sparkle of golden light.
Gray was silent, staring down at his keyring. He flipped through them to the Lion's key and traced it with his thumb.
"You're not ready for that one yet, sonny," Grandpa Belo warned.
"I know," Gray admitted. "I felt how much stronger I must get…" He squeezed the key. "…but I'm not giving up! I'm closer to her now. I'm going to master this magic; I don't care how long it takes. Lucy's working hard, and so will I." His gaze iced over with hard determination. "I'm bringing her back!"

In the Spirit World
Lucy collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. Sweat moistened her hair and made it stick out more wildly than normal. Capricorn knelt beside her, and Aries quickly handed her a goblet filled with water from the Milky Way, which could strengthen a Celestial Spirit who had been weakened in the Human World through overuse or injury.
"It's so hard," Lucy panted in exhaustion. "Loke broke through his gate so many times, I figured it'd be simple."
"It took him a long time to learn that skill," Capricorn said, massaging her tensed shoulders.
Lucy glared back at him. "I don't have a long time! Every day that passes here is another three months back in Earthland. It's already been over a year for them. Every day, one or two Spirits come and tell me Gray just made a new contract with them. They get to see him, yet I can't. It's not fair!" She stared down into the goblet filled with water that glowed like starshine. "I'm not even sure how long Gray would wait for me."
"As long as it takes," two voices said at the same time. Gemi and Mini floated up the Milky Way river to where Lucy was practicing on the banks. "Not a long wait now, we think."
Lucy rose back to her feet with eagerness in her face. "You mean…"
The Twins poofed and took on the form of Gray. Lucy gasped to see him again, shirtless and everything. He looked slightly older, and his hair had been cut a bit shorter from the last time she saw him. She realized, this was Gray as he had appeared in the Human World just now.
Gemini smiled at her. "We are now contracted to Gray Fullbuster," the Celestial Spirit said in Gray's deep voice.
Lucy squealed with excitement and hugged the Twins hard. "That's wonderful! So, he mastered a Gold Key already? Wow, he's gotten stronger so quickly."
"It's taken him a year," Gemini pointed out. "He left a message for you."
"Oh?" asked Lucy. Other Celestial Spirits had given short messages from Gray, mostly reassurance that he would study hard.
The mimicked form of Gray suddenly grabbed Lucy and gave her a wildly passionate kiss. Her eyes went huge, and she flailed out. Sure, the kiss was exactly like Gray's, down to the cold breath from his nostrils, but she knew this was only Gemini. Then those strong hands reached around and grabbed Lucy's butt. She gasped, and a tongue plunged in, licking her teeth, making her head swim with dizziness.
Aries covered her eyes and blushed at such raw passion. Capricorn reluctantly allowed it for ten seconds, but then he stomped forward and yanked Gemini off of Lucy. At the Goat's sharp tug, the Twins reverted to normal.
"That's not what he actually said," Gemi explained.
Mini nodded. "We read his mind, and that's what he wants to do."
"Well," they said together, "you get the idea, piri-piri!" The Twins laughed mischievously while Lucy tried to clear her head.
"He also said don't do anything to hurt yourself," Gemi recalled.
"Yeah, he'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes, piri-piri," agreed Mini.
Again together, they asked, "Can we give him a message back?"
"No!" Capricorn said sternly.
"Aww, you're no fun, old Goat," said Mini.
"No fun at all, piri-piri," Gemi agreed.
"Thank you," Lucy whispered, emotionally overwhelmed. "I … I need to rest. I'll head home now."
"I'll walk with you," Aries offered eagerly.
Lucy handed the goblet back to her. "No, I … I need time alone," she said with unsteady words. She turned around and began to walk back toward the Lion's Mansion.
Aries pouted as they watched Lucy walking down the riverbank. "Poor Lucy. Is she angry?"
"Nope," Mini chirped. "Not angry."
"Horny," Gemi told them. "Very, very horny."
"Gemini!" Capricorn scolded.
The Twins zipped upward into the air and out of his reach. "Piri-piri! She's a Lion after all!" They danced circles in the air with happiness, running away from the angry Goat.

Back in Earthland
Gray sat in a sterile hospital, watching Grandpa Belo lying on a hard bed, listening to the beeps of monitors. Harto and Plue both sat at the foot of the bed, looking at their masters with worry. Suddenly, the ancient tutor stirred and moaned groggily.
Gray stood up quickly and rushed to the bedside. "Old man," he whispered worriedly. "Can you hear me?"
Grandpa Belo grumbled as he looked around. "Guess I passed out, eh?"
"It was a heart attack. The doctors said if I hadn't frozen you and used Auriga to rush you here, you would have died in minutes."
"Using Ice-Make magic and celestial summoning together to save some old fool like me? I'm lucky to have you here, sonny."
Gray smiled in relief to hear him able to speak so lightly after almost dying. "I'm glad you woke up. I wouldn't know what to do with two Nikoras," he said, smiling to the two Little Dogs sitting together.
"I'm not handing Harto over yet, sonny," the old man chuckled weakly.
The pink and yellow doggy hugged his master and nuzzled into Grandpa Belo's mustache while making sad noises.
"It's all right, Harto. I'm still here." Grandpa Belo sighed and petted his Little Dog. "This is probably the stars' way of telling me that it's time to let you go, my ambitious student."
Gray's eyes widened in shock. "No way! Old man, if you're sending me away so you can die in peace…"
"I don't plan on dying yet," Grandpa Belo assured him. "However, I'll probably be in this hospital for a few weeks. There's not much more I can teach you. You've mastered Silver Keys, and you now know how to summon a Gold Key…"
"But I've only made contracts with Gemini and Taurus so far," Gray argued.
Grandpa Belo looked at him firmly. "She's waiting for you, Gray. Don't waste your youth with an old man like me. Go back to Fairy Tail. Use your keys; fight beside your Spirits. Get stronger through practical use, like Lucy-chan did. Think how quickly she grew stronger doing missions with you, Natsu, Erza, and Happy. You will also improve with the help and encouragement of your friends. You're ready, sonny. Pack up your things. I hate long goodbyes, so I want you gone before I'm allowed to leave this hospital. Just lock up when you go and leave the key under the mat. Don't even bother coming back here. No more wasting your time with me."
Gray's forehead furrowed with worries. "After nearly two years, it's hard to just walk away."
"Then you know how Lucy-chan felt when she had to leave you. It wasn't an easy choice for her."
"I know," Gray muttered, "but it was the right choice."
"Like this is the right choice. Fairy Tail will always be your true home, until the heavens call you away to your final resting place. So go back home, Gray-kun … and bring her back home, too. When you can do that, come visit me again. I'd like to see Lucy-chan once more."
Gray smiled sadly. "It's a deal. That means I need to get strong enough before you croak on me, old man."
"It means I can't die until you come pester me again, sonny."
Gray hesitated a moment, worried for his tutor, but he knew Grandpa Belo was right. He had a goal to reach, and sitting around in a hospital was not going to make that dream come true.
"I'll write to you from time to time," he promised.
The old man nodded. "If I find any spare keys, I'll send them your way. You can never have too many units."
"Thanks … for everything." Then Gray stood up. "Come on, Plue. We're going home."
"Puu-puun!" Plue cheered as he followed Gray out of the hospital room.
Grandpa Belo stroked Harto's round head as he watched them leave. "That boy has a great destiny before him, but it's a path he has to walk himself."
"Puun!" the Little Dog agreed.

End of Chapter 6

A/N: Auriga is the constellation of the Charioteer. As legend goes, Erichthonius (pronounced "erik-tahn-ee-us") was the son of Hephaestus and Gaia, and raised by the goddess Athena. He was lamed in the feet, so he invented the quadriga, or four-horse-drawn chariot. With his chariot, he battled the usurper of the city of Athens, won the war, and became the new king. He later competed and won many races with his chariot. His deeds and inventiveness pleased the gods. Zeus was so impressed, he rose Erichthonius into the heavens to become a constellation. Within this constellation is also Amalthea, the she-goat who breast-fed the infant Zeus, and the Haedi, or Kids ("kids" as in baby goats). As for why poor Eric is stuck holding onto these goats...no one knows! Maybe he's good with animals.
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I Leave You, My Pride