Chapter 1: The birth of a goddess

Lucy's POV

We were truly surprised to see how strong some of the other member had gotten. The boys set up secured matches out by the lake, eager to put their 7 years of training to the test against the unchanged crew from the island. I swore that I never saw Natsu struggle that much in a fight. Natsu discovered some new tricks, sort of like a copy technique, he was able to use attacks that were infused with different elements, combined with his own fire, but it was limited to Magic he had ingested.

I myself was feeling a little down about how big the gap had grown. I was getting good at using my new whip, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to ask Gray to help me train. Natsu wasn't happy, about my idea, even though I told him it would help me get stronger. He grumbled about being the one to help me, eventually it got on my last nerve so I decided to ask Gajeel instead, which seemed to settle Natsu's nerves.

Training with Gajeel was rough, not just physically either. I knew all to well how much damage he could inflict, but the fear helped me focus on my defenses. The first day I had dragged Gajeel out of the guild and begged him to help me train. He put me through a grueling week of tests, He began to yell at me, telling me things like a vigilant father would bark at his son during a sports activity. I was doubting my choice, and decided to try and attack him for real. He threw knives at my uniform, pining the fabric to the dirt around me. "Fight me seriously, damn it!" I yelled trying to yank myself free. I wanted to whip the smirk off his metal studded face as he looked me over, admiring his handy work.

"You aren't ready to fight, kid. Now when you get loose better make your lap double time so you aren't late for the next set." He walked over to a tree and munched on a pile of scrap metal that he had left himself for a snack. I hated him at that moment, He hadn't allowed me to eat in the past forty eight hours, my body was running on adrenaline alone. I finally managed to get free, and ran, as fast as I could down the path I had now memorized. Laps round the whole town, seriously who does that! It was dark before I finished my final lap. "Your late kid, push up now, count them out!" I could barely see in front of me, but I dropped both hand placed firmly on the ground and counted them out one at a time.

"ninety eight, uh, Ninety N-nine, urgh one h-hundred." I finally collapsed.

"Your improving." He smirked and tossed me and apple. "You made it thought one hundred with out complaining this time." He laughed at his own personal joke. I didn't care, I just wanted to eat my apple and sleep. "Hey kid, you know this is the type of training I went through as a kid, before I was allowed to learn magic. It's to make the body strong enough to keep up with the strain of using such a massive amount of Magic all at once. I would honestly like to get Levy up here to join you, but she isn't ready for something this intense." He rubbed my head affectionately. Suddenly I lost consciousness. Gajeel continued to work me to death, eventually we got to sparing. I was no good at all. I kept reaching for my keys, forgetting I didn't want to use magic or my spirits at all.

I got my ass handed to me for almost a month. The rules of the match were simple, First blood wins, anything goes, stay in our boundary. We were out in a clearing in the east woods of Magnolia, our 'official' training ground. I walked into my side of the clearing, "today I'm going to be him." I told myself, planting myself nice and steady, keeping my breath even, just listening, whip at the ready.

My keys were safe with Natsu while I was training so I wouldn't try to use them as a crutch. I had finally gotten over reaching for them at the first sign of danger. Now my hands always searched for my whip.

"Are you ready?" He asked, while throwing sharp pieces of metal in my direction, apparently not waiting for my answer. I kicked off the ground hard jumping over the angry projectiles "Good, remember that not every enemy will play fair, You need to be on the ready no matter who your opponent is." He sent a breath attack in my direction, I remembered how it carried deadly shrapnel, and thought quickly, with in seconds I had my spirit whip out and latched on to a branch twenty meter to the right of the blast. With a hard yank, I was able to avoid a lot of damage, but my beloved Uniform got tattered at the ends. 'time for some offense.' I swung myself up around the branch launching myself in Gajeel's direction, I switched out my whip for the one my father had given me taking it in my right hand.

"The offensive power often decided the battle, you can't run forever." I repeated the words Gajeel had been drilling into my mind, as my whip caught his right arm, I pulled with enough force to flip him several times. I landed on the ground a few feet away.

"Confidence is powerful when you face a foe, but can be your down fall when fighting a friend." He uttered, landing only a few meters from me. I tightened my grip on my left hand around the whip with spikes which I deemed as "Lucky" for two reasons, Lucky from the guild gave it to me of course, and because it rarely missed its mark.

"Look at your left leg Gajeel-KUN." I said sarcastically. His eyes widened as he realized my spiked whip was biting into his flesh, drawing blood. "That's the Match! I brew blood first! DAMN that felt good!" I unhooked my whip from his angry flesh, with a satisfied smile.

"You've been practicing on your own I see." Gajeel gave me a semi proud smile as he examined the wounds.

"I said I was serious about this training, I want to be able to protect my family with my own hands. I want to fight along side everyone, and make Natsu proud." I smile at him swinging my whip in a circle, allowing the blood to slide off the blade due to the force. before holstering in back on my belt.

"You are getting really good at transitioning weaponry." He had wrapped a cloth around his wound, making his way towards me. "I think that'll do, actually thinking I need to see Wendy today." He stumbled a bit, and I grabbed his arm. "Did you have to go for the leg?" He asked incredulously.

"You taught me to find my opponents weakness and attack, that is your most vulnerable spot." I shrugged into the weight of his arm, he let out a chuckle, as we made our way to the guild. Natsu was by my side the second I got though the door, a proud smile on his face, he obviously wanted to hug me, but the limping Gajeel seem to be in the way.

"You did that to him, and with out your spirits?" He said looking at me, eyes full of pride.

"Yep I got a really good hit in from lucky while I was distracting him with my usual whip!" I smile widely, very please with the progress I was making.

"Wait, you were duel wielding?" Gajeel asked suddenly. "That explains why I didn't see the second whip. Clever Lucy, attacking from the front and side at the same time." He put a comforting hand on my head and smiled.

"It's only taken you two months to get this far!" Natsu pulled me into a tight squeak before running off to get Wendy.

"So kid, tell me how much time are you really spending on training." He raised an eyebrow in my direction.

"Honestly over the past month I have been working with my whips every time I get the chance. I've been practicing in the dark mainly, so that I can understand the movements of my whips even if I can't see them and because I can sneak away while your sleeping." Gajeel and I both laughed. I let his arm fall from my shoulder as he plopped on the bench, with a sigh I joined him, putting my feet out in front of me admiring how muscular my legs had gotten with the intense training I was putting myself through. "I haven't summoned a single spirit during my training either. I decided what I was lacking was the physical power to back my magical powers. Honestly my magic seems to grow with every key I contract. And now that I have all twelve of the Zodiac, I feel like I'm on the brink of something bigger, it's setting my nerves on edge. I've been having a feeling, like something is coming, something big!" I waved my arms above my head for dramatic effect.

"Your such a weirdo Luce" Natsu laughed as he came back with Wendy.

"WOW, Lucy-san did you really do this?" I looked over at Wendy, with an evil smirked, very proud of myself.

"NATSU! Lucy is scary!" Happy flew to hide behind Natsu's shoulder.

"She can be Happy! Don't piss her off to much, she didn't even get into close range when she did this to me." Gajeel teased. Happy nearly fainted in horror.

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult." I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I think it's time for a close range combat tutor. I would suggest flame boy, but I don't know if he could fight you seriously." Gajeel put a finger under his chin thinking who might be a good person to whip my ass no doubt.

"I need hand to hand, and I need to be taken seriously, I don't care who it is. Can't you keep training with me?" I huffed, leaning deeper into my seat.

"I've had you for two months straight, pip squeak, I need a break!" He folded his arms across his chest. I stuck my tongue out but smirked once I put it back in my mouth. We were caught in a fit of laughs again.

"Lucy, I need to speak with you!" Loke some how managed to come through the gate on his own.

"What's the matter Loke?" I asked, Loke looked amused at the sight of Gajeel getting his wounds healed. "I'm kind of in the middle of something, can it wait?" I needed to think.

"Actually no it can't, Why have you been blocking my gate!" Loke put his hand on my arm and shook me hard. I heard Natsu growl from my side.

"He isn't hurting me, so calm down." I whispered so only the dragon slayers could hear. "I have been training Loke. I didn't want you to interfere." I answered coolly. "Is that all?" I tilted my head with a mischievous smile. He sat me back down and started pacing.

"You've contracted with all 12 Zodiac Spirits Lucy, but you still haven't used the crystal key, do you know how much trouble I'm in? I promised to make sure you did it properly!" Loke seemed irritated, and worried.

"What is the Crystal Key anyway, Loke?" I tried to ask calmly, though I wasn't happy that I was being shouted at.

"It opens the door to the goddess!" He stopped abruptly and spun to look at me eyes wide. "You didn't know? No wonder you haven't used it yet!" He seemed relieved for a second. "Please I don't want to break my promise!" the desperation in his voice was making me wary.

"Do you want to go get it from the apartment, and I'll take care of it now. I get distracted every time I'm about to contract with it at home." I shot Natsu a sly smile, he was pretending to whistle, shuffling his feet. I had to laugh at how utterly adorable it made him look. I turned back to Loke, but he was already gone.

"So back to the topic, who is gonna train the kid in close combat?" Gajeel asked, pulling the attention back.

"I'd be more than happy to, if Lucy wants me as a tutor." Lissanna smiled brightly. My tense expression relaxed.

"I'd like that, Mira said she was impressed by how much you have improved recently, I think it would be putting my training to good use." I smirked, I hadn't told them I was working on martial arts on my own as well. 'this is going to be fun' I thought.

**Normal POV

When Loke reached the apartment, he swiftly made his way inside and opened the draws of the desk, pulling out the ornate key.

"Got you!" He shouted, and disappeared.

**Natsu's Pov

Loke was back with a flash waving the key in Lucy's face, a satisfied smile spread across his face. Lucy grumbled how he shouldn't get so excited all the time, before accepting the key. I watched her stand giving herself a firm footing.

"Gate of the goddess, open the crystal gate! I open thee Celestial Goddess!" She swiped the key though the air. Nothing seemed to be happening she stood there for a minute completely still, then suddenly I felt a chill. I noticed Lucy had gone ridged, then out of no where she fell backward. I was by her side before she could hit the ground. Loke was yelling her name, I saw her eyes dull before they closed.

"WHAT THE HELL DID IT DO TO HER LOKE!" I demanded, setting Lucy's head gently on my lap, I looked up when I couldn't hear a response, "WHAT THE HELL WHERE DID THAT STUPID CAT GO?" I was so angry I promised to beat him to a pulp the second I got my hand on him. I looked at Lucy, who seemed to be mouthing words, but I couldn't understand what she was trying to say. I watched her closely, her body growing cold against my skin. "WENDY!" I yelled completely losing any composure I had left.

Wendy was by my side in a second, eye's wide, as she examined Lucy. "This is some sort of internal spell Natsu-san, I don't understand what she is mouthing. she is so cold, Natsu keep her warm!" I pulled Lucy up and cradled her against my chest. I felt a shock near my heart and stared down at Lucy, my eyes filled with horror.

"Don't you dare die on me Luce, do you hear me? DON'T you die on me!" I buried my face in her hair, listening as her heart beat began to slow, her body was like ice. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME YET!"

** Lucy's POV

The room grew dark, as if all the light in the world was suddenly sucked into a black hole. I took a deep breath, settling my nerves a few minutes passed "If the Spirit King thinks I am worthy of the Crystal Key, then I am worthy of wielding the power of the goddess!" I shouted proudly. Suddenly I felt the floor under my feet tremble, a bright light snaked its way up my legs, surrounding my whole body in light. It seeped into every pore on my skin, before going dark once more. I closed my eyes breathing deeply.

"Well done!" I heard Loke shout to close, it echoed painfully in my ears. I turned to look at him and suddenly my head felt like it was spinning, I heard Loke's voice call my name, it seem to be fade, as if someone had pulled him away from me. I couldn't see, I couldn't feel, all I could hear now was a soft unfamiliar voice calling my name.

"What's going on?" I asked, hoping the voice would hear me and respond.

"Lucy Dragneel, Daughter of Layla Heartfilia, you are the rightful bearer of the Crystal Key, We have acknowledged you as a mage who is worthy and of proper lineage. Be still, as We return the power of the stars, that was once yours." The soft voice echoed in my head.

"What do you mean by bearer, I am a wielder, not the wielded." The confusion was evident in my voice.

"Lucy Dragneel We acknowledged you as the Celestial Goddess, the Queen of all the Celestial realm. The power of the stars is yours to wield, and you bare the Key of Crystal. It will now unlock the gate to your dormant powers." The soft voice began to fade. "With this power you are the most feared and awesome being in all the Celestial Spirit Realm, even the Spirit King is at your command. Do not fear your Power, you have a pure heart and a strong soul, We have granted you what was rightfully yours, from the beginning. The Seal is broken. Good bye Lucy Dragneel." The voice trail off into nothingness, and I could suddenly feel again.

I heard Natsu, I could feel his hot hands framing my face. He was calling my name, I loved it when he said my name like that, as if it were the last time he would ever see me. I must have made a funny face because there was a chours of cheers and laughter. I struggled to push my heavy eye lids open.

"Luce, you had me so worried!" Natsu pulled my face to his and kissed me sweetly. I smiled weakly and reached up to touch his mark, I moved my finger and noticed that it looked different.

"Natsu what happened to your mark?" I said hoarsely. He looked down at his chest, eyes wide, The key's shape had changed. I noticed I was still clutching the crystal key in my other hand, I slowly pulled it up and compared the two, and smiled. I turned to see Loke his eyes filled with worry and guilt.

"I didn't know that would happen, I swear." He said, the guilt thickening his usual silky voice. I laughed and beckoned him with a finger. He came closer, albeit very slowly.

"Do you know what the Celestial Goddess is?" I asked him, sitting my self up, my power was returning to me.

"The most powerful Celestial Spirit." Loke answered.

"Have you ever seen the goddess Loke?" I asked, a smirk on my face, his eyes widened for a moment. I gave him a gentle smile a put my hand on his, I noticed the sparks at the contact, and pulled back.

'What was that?'