Fairy Tail Rewind (Completed)

Chapter 5 Part II-- Titania Erza Scarlet

The store was brightly lit and smelled great like a garden. Inside, swords fought with each other. A teapot sitting on a stool by the window was singing the national anthem, off-tuned. A toad, as if irritated, jumped into the teapot, muffling its voice. At the centre, decks of cards kept flipping themselves, forming structures like a building, a human, a tree, et cetera. As they saw the newcomer, they flipped again and formed the words Welcome, Lucy.

The bald owner with a walrus-like mustache and a bulbous nose turned around. He lowered down his glasses and exclaimed, "Ah, it's you, young Lucy! What do you have in mind today?"

"I'd like to have a Stellar Spirit from the Horoscope series. I'm thinking about Leo."

"Leo, the King of the Twelve Horoscopes, huh? Nope, I don't have it. The Key has gone missing for three years, even though its owner had died."

"Don't you have a duplicate?"

The owner barked a laugh. "What do you think they are, keys for your house?" He bore Lucy with his cataract green eyes as he lectured, "There's only one Key for each Stellar Spirit. That's why each Key is unique and distinctive with no replacement. If you lose it, you lose it forever."

"Then I will..." Her eyes scanned the key racks.

"There's one which is affordable and strong nonetheless." Mr. Pompkins brought out a Golden Key with a crab symbol. "His previous owner is a chef. He sold it to me, saying that it was impossible to keep Cancer without thinking of cooking it. 25,000 Jewels."

"What? 25,000 Jewels! I bought Plue for 9,000!"

"Pet Spirit is often cheaper. Or you'd like to have Taurus? 48,000 Jewels."

Lucy gave a light snort but schooled her face into its seductive mask. "C'mon, Mr. Pompkins, I'm your regular customer. Shouldn't you make it cheaper? 20,000 Jewels."

"Hmm, I remember there's a customer saying that she wants to buy Cancer too."

Lucy ditched out two purple paper notes and a green one. After counting it for four times, she placed it on the counter. "25,000 Jewels! Sold!" That was the money which Aunt Marge had left her. She promised not to use them, but the excuse of emergency purpose assuaged her guilt.

Mr. Pompkins gave a toothless grin before handing out Cancer's Key. He straightened his glasses as he said, "Some advice to you, Lucy. Being a Light Mage doesn't mean that you can be pretty, flanked by your minions of Stellar Spirits. It's all about trust in each other. You don't just summon them, you summon the right one at the right circumstance. Did I make myself clear?"

Lucy nodded hesitantly.

Mr. Pompkins ditched a magnifier from the inside of his pocket and brought it down gently to the front of Lucy's eyes. "You have her eyes. The shades between the unfathomable mercury and the overly-warm earth tone. She's the Legend herself, a Legend, which sadly, no one is allowed to sing. You'll do great too if you can be more certain of yourself."

"What do you mean by that? I have whose eyes? Did you know anyone who's related to me?" 

Aunt Marge had mercurial eyes. Was Mr. Pompkins talking about her? The longer Lucy joined Fairy Tail, the stronger her desire of finding herself become. Any hints were crucial to her. She always believed that her encounter with Aunt Marge wasn't by chance. Aunt Marge gave her unconditional love just like a mother would to a daughter. Lucy had even wanted to call Aunt Marge Mama, but Aunt Marge would snap at her fiercely every time she did so. 

"Hey, Mr. Pompkins! You still haven't answered my question." Lucy waved in front of him, asking in a higher tone. "Did you know anyone who's related to me?"