Fighting Oblivion

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

I burst through my front door and closed it behind me with a bang. I didn't mean to slam it, I was just so excited to get home and hear what Yukino found.

"Alright, alright," I gasped as I hung my bag by the door and made my way to my living room. "I'm here now, tell me everythi—."

I stopped at the odd sight that greeted me in my home. Minerva was seated at my desk, a book clutched in her hand, pointedly ignoring what was happening on the sofa behind her. Yukino sat perched in my armchair, red in the face and Rogue sat as far to the right side of the sofa as he could, clearly uncomfortable and actively trying to ignore the incredibly awkward situation going on on the other side of the sofa. Sting was leaning back on the couch, legs spread, hands behind his head and smirk firmly in place as he admired the sight before him.

Virgo, in her maid outfit, which somehow looked even shorter than normal, tied up and hanging from my ceiling. Her ropes were placed strategically around her breasts, hips and legs putting her in the most uncomfortable position I could possibly imagine.

"So if you tie the rope in a knot like this, then—" Virgo cut off when she saw me enter. Sting just looked at me and smirked.

"Virgo," I said, trying to stay calm and hoping my face wasn't as red as it felt. "What the hell are you doing?"

The ropes disappeared with a soft poof and Virgo dropped to the floor. She bowed at me as she explained. "I was telling Master Sting how I liked to be punished but you will never do it, I thought it might be helpful if I explained to the Master how easily I could escape from my punishment ropes, then perhaps he could convince you to indulge me." My face traveled over to Sting, he just raised his eyebrows and mouthed Master at me. If possible I blushed even harder.

"Virgo, that's not helpful."

"I apologize, Princess. Perhaps you shall punish me for my error?"

"Virgo, go home."

"As you wish Princess."

Yukino and Rogue seemed to visibly relax once the spirit vanished, Minerva didn't move except to turn a page and Sting just looked disappointed. I groaned, my spirits are so weird.

"Well," I huffed. "Now that that's over, can you tell me what you found?" I made my way to the sofa and settled myself between Rogue and Sting. Minerva set the book down on my desk and leaned towards us, she was giving us her full attention but her eyes were glued to the floor. Not at all the picture of confidence and cruelty she was the last time we were this close to each other. I suppressed a shudder as my memories of my torture in the naval battle at the Grand Magic Games threatened to seep in. I shook my head a little. I didn't have time for this. I turned to Yukino again, silently urging her to tell me the story.

"Well, to put it simply; one of my spirits told me, sort of, where we could find the key." Yukino spoke quietly but firmly.

"But, I thought you said Libra and the others were forbidden from telling you anything about Aquarius?" I was confused, none of my spirits could or would tell me where her key might be, and trust me I asked. The most I had gotten out of any of them was from Grandpa Crux, who told me that there actually was a new Aquarius key, but stubbornly refused to elaborate. From what Loke told me after I grilled him, Crux wasn't even supposed to tell me that much and old stache face, king of all Celestials was furious he'd let that slip.

I immediately called Yukino to beg her to ask her spirits if they knew the keys' whereabouts, but the stupid old man got to them too and forbade them to share the information with either of us. That didn't make sense to me, wouldn't he want another mage to find the key even if it wasn't me? But from what Yukino told me, he knew the three spirits belonged to her and he knew that she and I were close. If Yukino had intended to keep the key for herself, her spirits would have been free to blab. But he knew she would give it to me or tell me where to find it and, according to Libra, he "couldn't let it be that easy" for me. I was furious and...a little scared. If other Celestials knew where to find it they might tell their own masters and then the key could've fallen into the hands of who knew what kind of mage. Thankfully, Aquarius was still contract free, for the moment.