Chapter 6: Long awaited return

                                    

                                          
Before I knew it six months had gone by and I could now see that I was no longer weak, in fact I was never weak. They may have called me weak but what they didn't know was that I already knew I was weak, meaning that it didn't matter if they told me what I already knew. The first way to beat weakness was to acknowledge your weakness.
"Lucy, do you want me to come back with you, I mean I can if you want?" Loke offered and I giggled a little. While I had managed to find it in myself to forgive Natsu, Loke still hadn't thought and I knew that Loke would never trust Natsu unless he proved himself once again.
"No it's okay Loke, the others are going to be meeting me at the station so I won't be alone with Natsu and you know that neither Laxus nor Gajeel will let him hurt me" I assured with a smile.
"Fine but if I even feel one sense of danger I will be straight there" Loke stubbornly huffed as he left his hair dropping like lion's ears. I knew that by saying that he wasn't looking down on me in fact it was quite the opposite, he knew I was strong but he just wanted me to remember that I had others around me.
"I am heading home Michelle, I will be back to visit soon enough and maybe one day I will move back here" I smiled as I closed the door and left for the train station. 
                          
I arrived at the station I paid for the trip to Magnolia and sat in a carriage.
"Oh look it's that blonde Fairy" a voice called and I looked to see Rouge, Sting, Lector and Frosch.
"Oh, it's Sabertooth's twin dragons and their exceeds" I said looking at them.
"What are you doing, Blondie?" Sting asked.
"Your blonde as well idiot and if you must know, I am heading back to the guild" I huffed.
"Finished a job?" Rouge questioned.
"Actually I haven't been on a job, I've been at my family's cozen for the last six months" I replied just as the train started, only for them to drop to the ground green in the face and I had to burst out laughing.
"Geez you dragon slayers are always getting sick" I chuckled fondly thinking of all the times I had to save Laxus, Gajeel and Natsu from trains, carriages, boats and any other sort of vehicle. Getting up I grabbed both Rouge and Sting putting them on the seat together leaning against each other.
"Sorry about them" Lector apologised.
"It's fine, I'm used to it by now with Gajeel, Laxus and Natsu being my friends. All of them are affected. Now that I think about it I am pretty sure that all of the dragon slayers but Wendy get affected" I hummed with a smile and they nodded.
"Well this is my stop, hope to see you guys later also tell Yukino I am going to be visiting soon enough" I said as I got off the train. 
                          
I only got about two steps off the train before I was swept into arms.
"Laxus I thought it was the others that would come since I heard you were on a job" I grinned hugging him back.
"Yeah that was what was going to happen but I got back earlier than I thought so I came to pick you up. Let's get going everyone is waiting for you" Laxus explained and I nodded following him and chatted about all that was going on.
"So you got stronger like you wanted, are you going to tell me what exactly you did to get better, other than the normal things?" Laxus asked.
"Nope you will have to just wait and see" I teased with a smile.
"You know I'm going to get it out of you" Laxus said and I nodded.
"Yep I know but I don't want to explain it twice since everyone else will ask as well" I said and he nodded as he opened the door. 
                          
"Oh it's Laxus, fight me" Natsu challenged, his fist on fire.
"I'm busy so go away" Laxus sneered, glaring at Natsu.
"What would be so important not to fight me?" Natsu asked with a pout before he saw me. In the six months that I had been gone I had changed quite a lot for a small amount of time. My blonde hair now reached the middle of my back, it was wavy and I put it up in a ponytail with the fringe out and it had even gotten a little lighter, my skin had a tan and I also had more muscle now. I had also gained some height, reaching just under Laxus's chin now but the thing that changed the most was that my eyes that were brown like chocolate now had spots of gold throughout them.
"Oh the weakling is back," Natsu sneered.
"Yeah I'm back now the others are upstairs so I'm going to head up" I said to Laxus and he nodded.
"I'll be up soon and bring you up a strawberry milkshake" Laxus replied and I nodded, heading up ignoring everyone.
"Was that Lucy?" Alsack asked, watching as I got up the stairs. 
                          
I was instantly mobbed by Evergreen, Cana and Wendy with hugs making me hug them back.
"Hey, Hey cosplayer, how are you? Looking good" Bixlow smirked.
"Thanks Bixlow and I am fine, glad to be back home" I smiled.
"It's good to have you back Lucy" Freed greeted.
"We have to go out for a drink tonight," Cana cheered.
"We should have another show bunny girl, gihi" Gajeel smirked, ruffling my hair.
"Oh we should also have another sleepover, the last one was really fun" Wendy smiled.
"Yeah I can sleep at Lucy's again" Happy smiled with a cheer.
"I gave you a key Happy, remember? So you could have gone over any time" I told him.
"Yeah but it's just not the same without you there Lushee" Happy grinned making me grin as well.
"Thanks Laxus" I thanked as he placed the milkshake down in front of me and he nodded as he sat down listening as I answered their questions but I could tell Laxus was on the edge wanting to know what I had learnt. 
                          
"Okay Blondie I know you have danced around the answers I want so would you tell me already" Laxus demanded and the others looked confused.
"Tell us what you learnt, I can tell that your magic has changed a little" Laxus said.
"Okay I guess I can tell you now since I kept you waiting since the train station, I can now hold three gold keys opened at one along with a silver or bronze key. I mastered the star dresses along with three celestial spells and found out about a lot of different keys that I want to collect as well and I can switch modes on my keys" I explained.
"What do you mean switch modes?" Wendy asked. "Turns out like Yukino's Pisces key, all celestial wizards have a second form but you need to be able to have an unbreakable bond along with a lot of magic power and you need the spirit to accept taking the second form" I told them.
"Well they can't call you weak now you can beat them into submission" Gajeel said and I smiled.
"I don't want to beat anyone, I got stronger so that I could protect my friends and family not beat on them" I said.
"Yeah but if they make trouble for you then you can beat them" Bixlow pointed out.
"Yeah I guess, plus I can also do better jobs as well as maybe getting to be an S class wizard" I smiled and they nodded.
"Without a doubt" Laxus stated and I beamed at him happy he thought the same. 
                          
"Oh by the way Lucy, this is the present that Gildarts left you. He has been delayed and won't be able to visit for another month" Cana remembered as she sat, a box in front of me.
"Wow, do you think it's okay for me to open it now?" I asked them and they nodded. Opening the ribbon gently I unwrapped it before pulling off the lid and my eyes widened in surprise.
"What is it?" Wendy asked eagerly.
"It's keys, gate keys" I said as I pulled them out. There were four bronze, three silver and one that surprised me was the ruby key.