Fairy Tail Rewind (Completed)

Chapter 8 Part III -- Natsu VS Erza

Plue's tiny body quavered heavily as if it was having an earthquake inside of it when the thin stretch of glossy glass retreated into the tip of its nose. It must've used up all of its power.

Lucy's heart squirmed with pain as she saw her Stellar Spirit putting up so much effort for her. After murmuring words of comfort, she hugged Plue up.

"I have a favour to ask from you, Lucy. Say not a single word of what you've seen to anyone. That's the dignity a Light Mage should hold." Master Makarov cautioned. Suddenly, the trail of stardust underneath their feet shook. "The gate of the Belt is about to close. You have to leave." 

Master Makarov shoved Lucy away. Lucy shut her eyes as she saw her subconscious self sinking into the abyss. She yelped ungracefully all the way. When she finally opened her eyes again, she was sprawling on the familiar floor. A ripple of shocked murmurs spread through the hall.

There was a loud pop, followed by the familiar syrupy sweet voice. "Princess, people are staring at your undergarments." Virgo helped Lucy up and arranged her disheveled attire. "Pink suits you, Princess. Virgo wishes Virgo can have that Hello Kitty's design too."

"How humiliating! You don't have to be this obvious." Lucy mumbled a complaint then she gasped. "Virgo, how could you show up here, when the Gate of Nicola is still opened?" In Lucy's embrace, Plue clapped, smiling simultaneously.

Loki the Flower Guy wrestled himself free from the grasp of two female mages. "I've never seen a Light Mage who can advance so fast! You're just like her!" He sounded astonished, but his face was a look of pure horror. He drifted furtherer from Lucy as he spoke.

"What are you blabbering about, Loki? You look at Lucy as if she was a ghost," said Elfman.

Virgo stared at Loki with a baffled expression. She opened her mouth to speak, when Loki looked at her, his eyes pleading.

"I didn't wish to go back. Even if I wish, I can't," he whispered. He kept fumbling his rings as he shook his head, implying something to Virgo, and the latter nodded in understanding.

"Virgo, you knew Loki?" Lucy asked.

"Princess, Virgo has been out for a bit long. Though Princess' power had advanced to another level from the visit of the Belt, it's still hazardous to open two gates at the same time. Virgo shall leave now." Virgo glanced at Loki again, before vanishing into her Key. 

Elfman grabbed Loki's shoulder. "Don't tell me that you had even dated a Stellar Spirit, eh?"

Loki wasn't going to tell him. He looked beaten up. Lucy tried to comfort him, but he sprang aside. The hall was about to blast apart with the chattering of interest which had grown in volume when Master Makarov appeared.

"What took you so long, Master?" Kana wiped away a rim of blue bubble from her upper lips.

"I had some issues needed to be clarified just now."

"Master, tell us, what happened to Erza and Natsu?" asked Gray.

"They had initially arrested Erza for a show. She was probably back by now if Natsu hadn't gone nut and burned the Verdict Room." Master Makarov drew a long sigh.

"That boy, he'll never learn." The mage with a skeletonized necklace, Nabu, complained.

Standing beside him, Makao shivered, "What if Erza found out that it was my--"

SMASH!

The entrance door swung open; in came Natsu and Erza.

"I'm home!" Natsu ran around the assembly hall. "Phew, the air outside smells so good!"