The Dragon Queen 3

Sleep Curse

Natsu's POV

I see his figure appear in the middle of our bedroom, standing more confident than ever. I glance at Lucy, who is looking up at Loke; horrified, yet somewhat relieved. She scurries out of bed - soaking in sweat and tears - she cautiously walks up to Loke; who's arms were spread out wide, wanting a friendly embrace. "It's been a long time Lucy. How come you haven't called on any of us, lately? We have all been worried about you." He says in his friendliest tone. She observed him, watching his every movement like a hawk. I simply was a bystander, trying to put down a wailing baby. He looked over at Loke; I wasn't sure if he would attack him or just leave him be. I didn't know how he showed up, we haven't seen or heard from him for well over a year, why did he decide to show up now?

Lucy on the other hand, watched him as if he would attack her at any minute, I could feel something was off in her but I can't put my finger on it. She looks deep into his eyes, cautious of any movement he makes. "Lucy, Are you ok?  Your looking a little paler than normal." She thought about something for a second, then gave him a tight embrace. Luckily for everyone, Phoenix fell asleep shortly after he looked Loke's way - I put him in his crib and walked over in their direction. "Hey Natsu! Long time no see!" He says while keeping his arms wrapped around Lucy.

She breaks the hug backs up, standing next to me. "Why do you guys look exhausted? You didn't just get finished with something did you?" He smiles, while pushing back his glasses.

I knew what he was thinking about, which wouldn't seem like such a bad idea; however given the situation we found ourselves in, I can't really think with 'that' head right now."No, we had a couple intruders. I woke up before they could do any real damage - as far as I am aware of." I explain to him. Then I regain my though from earlier. "Wait, how are you here? Lucy doesn't have her keys anymore." I have wondered for a while what did happen to them. They weren't apart of me, but they were friends, except that damned perverted cow. Lucy seemed pretty upset after she acquired her dragon powers, her keys were gone; though no one knew what actually happened to them.

Loke leaned on the nearest wall, as if ready to explain something that would take forever. "Well, when Lucy's dragon side got unlocked or released; which ever you prefer - she is obviously one of the many powerful beings on the face of the universe - her power was so great it absorbed any magic that wasn't already part of a living being; meaning her magic absorbed all of her celestial spirits. Though I wanted to come to your aid many times when both of you were in need, I couldn't; none of us could. Until she desperately traumatic happened to make her want our presence known - more than ever, we were prisoners in our own world. All we could do is sit back and do absolutely nothing." He finished with a hint of sadness in his voice, while averting his eyes from Lucy to the floor. All the things he was telling us, made complete sense. Her whip was gone in her awakening including many small magic items that didn't go unnoticed, mainly it was the majority of Fury's things.

Lucy looked at Loke with tears filling the corners of her eyes. "I miss you guys so much." She went in once more for another embrace. "I was so worried, I didn't know what happened to you; if you went with another Celestial Mage; if someone was mistreating you." 

In the middle of her conversation, I noticed a dark mark at the nape of her neck, trailing up towards her head. "Lucy, what's on the back of your neck?" I asked moving closer to it, trying to figure out what it was. It smelled like the dragons that had attacked us earlier. When I mentioned it; Lucy's eyes widened, then she collapsed on the floor. "Lucy?!" I worriedly ask, as i rushed to catch her head before it met the hard floor.

I hear the doors open, I turn to see those who stayed in our castle burst into the room. Levy, Dilla and Nighteye rushed towards Lucy - who was unconscious, but from what. "What happened?" Levy asked, she checked to see if Lucy still had a pulse, then checked her head to see if she had a fever. "She has a fever, someone get a cold cloth." Dilla was the first to respond; she dipped the cloth in cold water and brought it to Lucy's forehead.