Leo:Revelation II

Leo

by

Lou.D

Summary: Lucy Heartfilia is a rich young heiress and an aspiring writer. On her mother's 15th death anniversary, she receives a very special heirloom. Little did she know that her life was about to be turned upside down forever!

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Disclaimer: I don't own the Fairy Tail characters. I wish I had Leo.

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Chapter 5: Revelation II

The young blonde stepped outside the car. "Come Leo! Let's finish our talk inside the restaurant!" she said, waiting for him.

The spirit got out of the car. He adjusted his shades before joining his summoner.

Pushing the door, Lucy walked in, followed by Leo. Her white high heels clicked on the floor as she moved swiftly, all the while looking for the perfect place. She spotted the farthest table, and she smiled. As soon as she took her seat, she put her bag aside and waited for him to join her. Their conversation in the car was still fresh on her mind. Clasping her fingers, she watched her spirit walking confidently towards her. Lucy had to admit that there was certain flair to his presence, even if he was now in his human form. Lucy couldn't help but stare at her approaching 'spirit' in awe.

Then, the blonde noticed that she wasn't the only one who had been watching him. In fact, since setting foot inside, all heads turned around, following him. She heard a giggle, and her eyes focused on another blonde young woman, who appeared to be around her age. Lucy noticed how the other blonde was starring with dreamy eyes at Leo. Realization downed then on Lucy. Looking around her, the young writer noticed the same reaction on the other women inside the restaurant. Even the female staff had stopped going about their work and were now watching him. The young summoner narrowed her eyes, feeling slightly annoyed.

The whole scene was funny, but Leo didn't seem bothered by it at all. Lucy's eyes drifted back to the Zodiac leader: he was smiling as he finally stood towering before her table.

"Take a seat, Leo," his master said quickly.

Leo could hear the urgency in her voice. His master didn't look pleased. He sat down, not uttering a word. Looking again at his master, he noticed that her eyes were looking past him, as if they were studying something, or watching someone in particular.

"Don't mind them, Lucy," he said.

His comment shocked her. Starring at his handsome features, Lucy felt heat rising to her cheeks. She smiled awkwardly. Her spirit had apparently been aware of everything around him.

"Beg your pardon?"

"You know what I mean, "he replied in a very velvety voice.

Lucy shivered. She crossed her legs fighting the fluttering sensation that was spreading through her core. She huffed, after a moment, annoyed that he could read her so easily. "I don't like their stares! They're annoying," she confessed.

Leo smiled. "My sweet master!" he paused to watch her blush more. "They can't help it!" he added shortly.

The young blonde became intrigued. "What do you mean?" she asked after a moment.

"They are just sensitive to my presence, "he said, clasping his hands, drawing his master's sight consequently to his ring adorned fingers.

It was the first time that she noticed the golden rings. The young writer then wondered why he had so many. Her eyes focused on a big golden ring which encompassed a beautiful green gem which reminded her of Leo's eyes.

"You said they were reacting to your presence?" she asked again, still watching the big emerald.

"Yes."

"But why?"

Leo smiled proudly before he said, "it is part of who I am, Lucy!" Leo didn't have to explain everything; he hoped his master would understand his words. When his master didn't say a word, he spoke again. "I see that you're interested in my rings," he remarked, changing the subject.

Lucy's eyes snapped back to his face at his statement. Her breath hitched when her brown eyes met his enchanting green ones. He had finally taken his shades off, and the poor girl was now being exposed to their charm again. Swallowing hard, she fought the blush that was threatening to consume her pretty face.

"Umm, they are beautiful golden rings. I haven't noticed them before!" she said, feeling slightly embarrassed that she had been caught staring. She was about to ask more about them, when someone appeared by their table.

"Welcome to our restaurant," a cute waitress said as she handed them two small menu brochures. "Please take your time reading our specialties. I'll be back with you to take your orders once you're ready," she said. The waitress smiled at Leo before she turned around and left.

Lucy arched an eyebrow at the scene. She grabbed the menu and tried to read, but her treacherous mind kept on playing the same scene over and over again. "Some people are just plain rude! I wonder if I'll be able to put up with this madness much longer! But, I shouldn't care! He is my spirit for God's sake! And I'm behaving like a jealous girlfriend!"

Lucy didn't notice that her spirit was studying her reaction. He hadn't given the waitress any response out of respect and loyalty to his master. He now belonged to Lucy and had no right to flirt with another female in front of her. But, when her cheeks reddened, he couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. Obviously, he could name one or two things; still, it wasn't like knowing what was going exactly through her mind.

Suddenly, Lucy sighed rather loudly. She put the menu on the table, leaned on the comfortable seat then looked at him. She smiled lazily at Leo, surprising him.

The spirit was aware of the sudden mood swing: his master seemed happy. His curiosity intensified: he wished then he truly knew what had made her so relaxed. "Ready to order, master?" he asked.

Lucy nodded.

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After they had finished their lunch, they called for the waitress again who showed up instantly by Leo's side. Lucy watched the flirting young woman who was cooing at Leo as she scribbled down his second order on her tiny notebook. She didn't feel anger; in fact, Lucy had decided she was going to ignore this phenomenon as best as she could. For her, it was ridiculous to get annoyed every single time a woman blushed, cooed, laughed, winked or greeted him. She glanced at her watch, and decided that she still had time to talk more to her spirit about their earlier discussion.

When the flirting waitress was gone, Lucy finally spoke, "at last! Now we can talk!"

Leo smiled nodding. "Indeed," he replied, agreeing.

Encouraged by his words, she continued, "I have been thinking about what you told me back in the car." She looked him in the eye, summoning her courage, before she finally admitted, "I don't know if I really want to be like mother." She watched him more before she added, "it is not easy for me to put it in simple words, but I think―"

"I understand, master," he cut her short. "You seem to have doubts about the art. But," he paused to emphasize his next words, "you shouldn't be scared." Upon seeing her growing eyes, he resumed, soothing her fears, "you are the daughter of Laila Heartfilia, the greatest Celestial Mage ever known. If it is any consolation, the late master was scared when she first became a Celestial mage, just like you are now."

Lucy couldn't help but imagine the scene. A soft smile graced her lips then. Leo's words reached her and she looked at him eager to know more.

"The late master was only eighteen back then. It wasn't easy for her to accept the new revelation. It took her quite a long time before she came to accept her magic." Leo starred at his master more, understanding her need to know more. "Everything happened on one fateful day," he added suddenly.

Lucy swallowed, eyes dilated. "What happened exactly?" she asked, becoming more curious now.

"She saved a classmate from a group of bad guys," he replied smiling at the shocked blonde.

Yes, Lucy couldn't believe what she heard. She imagined her mother: a young teen, clad in her school uniform, saving another girl from the big, bad guys. "Really?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with joy.

Leo nodded. He didn't say a word; the waitress appeared again with their coffee and petit fours. The spirit watched her as she put down everything on the table, stealing glances at him sometimes.

"Enjoy," she said, eyeing Leo more, who thanked her quickly.

Lucy shook her head, as she watched the retreating waitress. "Unbelievable," she muttered. She noticed her spirit smiling, and she couldn't help but laugh in return.

"So, how did she save her? Did she…?" she trailed off, not wanting to use the magic word.

The Zodiac leader nodded. "Yes, she used it. From what Aquarius reported back then, the late mistress summoned her when the situation became dire. In brief, the late mistress happened to walk on some 'thugs', as she had termed it herself back then, who had been harassing a friend of hers. Naturally, the late mistress interfered, trying to save the friend, but became a target herself. When she realized the looming danger, she summoned Aquarius on an instinct and rescued the poor human girl."

Resting her chin on her entwined lean, manicured fingers, the blonde thought quickly about what he said. "But, how was she saved exactly?"

Taking a sip of his delicious coffee, the spirit relished in the rich taste and his mistress' growing interest. Putting the small cup gently on the saucer, he went on, "by using the Water Bearer's powers, master!"

The young writer was in deep thought, trying to grasp what he had just revealed. "But," she began, voice lowering, "how? Did she cast a spell or something?"

"Well, that is a secret," he replied calmly, before taking another sip.

"… What!"

His reply threw her completely off. The blonde hadn't expected such a retort for she thought he would simply tell her, as an obedient spirit. Alas, her spirit wouldn't tell her about Aquarius' magic for some reason.

"A secret! But… why?! Aren't you supposed to answer all my questions?" She protested.

Leo replied instantly, unfazed by her apparent annoyance, "I am. However, I cannot reveal that particular fact yet!"

And once more, his reply took her by surprise. She opened her mouth to comment further, then closed it when she couldn't make up her mind. She just stared hard at her spirit trying to understand him. She sighed after a moment, still unsure of what to think of him.

"Leo!"

"Yes?"

"I would appreciate if you would just tell me the truth, simple and plain! I think it would make communication much easier between us!" she pointed out.

"Yes, master."

Lucy narrowed her eyes, feeling victorious deep down. "Good. Then, I want you to tell me about it," she spat out, unable to hide the excitement that was filling her.

Leo knew she was going to throw the question at him instantly. His master was just persistent when denied. He liked that about her, but the leader of the Zodiac was not the type to give in quickly. He let a smirk grace his delicate lips, before he finally said, "I will, when the time is ripe, Lucy." He watched her eyes widen with shock, before her thin eyebrows knitted in frustration.

"You're not being fair, Leo! And I thought you were going to tell me this time! "She watched him, thinking more.

He took a bite of his petit four, studying her intently.

Lucy sighed again, then glanced at him sideways. He had finished munching the small cookie and was now wiping his mouth. "Fine, then! It's a secret! I get it!"She raised her hands in defeat. "But," she leaned suddenly forward, whispering, "you could at least explain your reasons for not telling me! I don't like being left in the dark, you know!"

His green eyes studied her close face for a moment, before he replied, "I cannot tell you because you haven't embraced your true calling yet, master. It is my eternal duty to guide you, serve you, protect you for you are my owner now."

Lucy felt his hand on hers, and she blushed slightly. "Pprotect me," she stammered timidly, interrupting him.

"Yes, the Grand Lion will cross the Seven Heavens to answer your calls and protect you from those who would want you harm; yet, the Lion cannot roar for his master's heart is still shrouded in doubt and fear." His eyes gazed gently at the blushing blonde, as he spoke his next words, "when the time will come, your heart will open again to magic and you will feel the bond anew. That is when I will reveal the art to you. Until then, I will remain by your side, as your eternal knight," he finished, withdrawing his hand.

Lucy had been quiet the whole time. She felt him remove his hand and almost groaned. She understood what he had said perfectly. Her imagination had been picturing his words, rendering them into a ginger haired young knight, descending from the skies in a golden light, kneeling by her side, and imploring her to open her heart. The imagery was strong and left her as such yearning for something else. Lucy was feeling strange; a new feeling had crept inside her and was now blossoming, threatening to overwhelm her entire being.
She gulped audibly, eyes still focused on him. Slowly, she answered, "then, the master will open her heart to the Lion, for I want him to protect me and be with me forever!"

Leo smiled gently; glad she had finally overcome her fear, even though he hadn't expected her to change her mind on the same day! He put his other hand on hers, squeezing it slightly, "this is my promise to you, Lucy Heartfilia. I shall remain by your side for as long as the bond exists between us."

Lucy then smiled genuinely, overjoyed. "Thank you," she added softly, cheeks rosy as ever.

---

They were now on their way back to the Manor. The afternoon's sun was gliding slowly in the orange sky towards the west, taking the warmth with her. Lucy was stuck in the usual traffic jam, but she didn't mind. For once, and instead of getting mad and honking the car to no end, she felt calm and happy. She looked at her spirit who was reading the paper and smiled. His bluish shades which had gone a shade deeper were now reflecting the light. Further, his ginger locks were shining, blazing in the sunset reddish rays. It reminded Lucy briefly of the Sun and smiled when she thought of the two. If she hadn't known his secret, she would've seen him for what he appeared to be: a fine young man reading newspaper. She met his curious eyes when he looked her way.

"Find anything interesting," she asked, bemused.

"Yes. The human world has changed drastically since the last time I was around," he observed.

"I can imagine," she agreed. "How long have you been in my mother's family?" she asked, out of the blue.

"A very, very long time, Lucy," he replied, hoping she wouldn't dig deeper into his past.

She glanced at him again, wanting to ask for the exact years, but changed her mind. There was no point into rushing things, for she still had a lifetime to get the truth out of him. Still, getting info out of a reluctant person was always fun. "Have you always belonged to my family?" she asked again.

Leo had to admit that he like the way her mind worked. Digging up the past was a Cancerian thing after all. He decided he would play nicely and let her know about some facts. "No, my key came into the Castians seven centuries ago," he replied, informing her.

Lucy couldn't help but whistle then. She tittered at his shocked face, "sorry about that! I know it's rude and un-lady like, but, I couldn't help myself!"

Leo just stared at her, not uttering a word.

She addressed him again, when she halted the car. "I can't imagine what life was like that long ago. But it's interesting," she said. "So, how did my ancestors possess your key?"

"Back then, warlocks, witches, mages you name them, were known and feared. It was different from now, and from time to time, magic users would fight against each other for supremacy, power and wealth. Celestial magic was also unheard of in this land. It spread with the arrival of a Celestial mage that came from the east and decided to settle here around that time. One of your ancestors, Yvonne, an adorable child, had come in contact with the mage. The little girl had been crying in the woods one day, after she had lost her way, when she saw the light of Celestial Magic. Being a curious one, she followed the light, the sound and stumbled upon a fight between the Celestial mage and a dark witch. The little girl was terrified, and so she hid behind a tree watching the two mages. But, not for long, because the dark witch had finally sensed her presence…" he stopped to remove his shades.

Lucy watched as the shades vanished. She wondered for a moment, if she would be able to do the same thing one day. Halting the car again, and ignoring the fussy driver before her who was shouting again, she prompted Leo, "what happened then?"

The spirit continued, "In the midst of her rage at her drawing defeat, the witch resorted to dirty tricks. She captured the shocked girl, much to the Celestial mage's surprise, threatening to kill her if he wouldn't surrender his keys. The Celestial mage didn't have much choice, and so he gave in, in hopes that she would free the girl. The old witch was pleased that she got finally hold of his keys, but had no interest of surrendering the little girl, or sparing her life that is!"

Lucy gasped. "You don't mean?!" but when he looked at her, she knew his answer. Advancing more, before halting the car again, she asked, "did he save her?"

"Yes, he did. The fool thought she had won, but unbeknownst to her, the Celestial Mage was not done with her yet!" He smirked looking at his master, "he had more tricks up his sleeve!"

"Oh!"

"Yes, master! The Celestial mage drew in the last minute his winning card. He summoned a Celestial Spirit without using his key!"
"But, I thought you didn't need the key to summon a Celestial spirit?" she argued, shocked.

Leo shook his head. "Well, you do need to hold the key in order to summon all Celestial spirits! However, there is an exception when it comes to one particular spirit! One who can open his own Gate as he pleases and appear by his Master's side as he wishes!" He smiled at Lucy dashingly, "can you guess who it is, Lucy?"

The blonde smiled, taken with the handsome man's dazzling face. Her spirit had just challenged her, and from his smiling face she deduced the answer immediately. "Leo! You saved my ancestor! You're amazing," she said, cheerfully.

The Grand Lion smiled proudly, glad that his beautiful owner was awed. "Indeed, Lucy! I appeared when I sensed the Celestial mage's need for me. Just like that time when I was able to read your thoughts. The fight was over, and little Yvonne was saved from the clutches of the evil witch."

"Amazing! What happened afterwards?" she asked, eyes focused on the road now, as they were finally out of the traffic jam, and on the speedy way to the Heartfilia's estate.

"After that, young Yvonne was returned safely back to her parents. The news spread fast about the new mage and his golden magic, as they called it. Soon, the town's folk asked the mage to be part of them, and he agreed. Many people then flocked to him, curious to get a glimpse of his magic or his keys; some even went farther to ask him to take them as disciples but he turned them down politely."

"Why didn't he accept them? It was a good thing, wasn't it?" she asked, curious.

"It was, but the old Master had his reasons. He had spent years of his life, studying and researching Celestial magic, seeking out the remaining keys, but gave up in the end, when he became sickly. But, young Yvonne was an exception. The little girl had grown onto the old man, and one day he informed her parents that he wished to pass down his magic to Yvonne. The parents were delighted with the news and agreed immediately. This is how Celestial magic spread in your country, and this is why it is my duty to protect you. You come from a long line of Celestial mages. Every single celestial mage knows the history of your ancestors. You might meet other mages one day, and when that will happen, they might try to take your keys!"

"No way," she exclaimed. "Why would they do such a thing?" She asked

"Because you possess a golden key and the strongest one in the Zodiac, master! It is your duty to preserve your keys which belong to you by right of inheritance, as is your spirit's duty to protect you out of loyalty!" He crossed his arms, when an idea crossed his mind, "besides, the more keys you will have, the stronger a mage you will become. Wouldn't you like to retrieve the late Master's golden keys? Wouldn't you want to have the other three keys that were taken from her?" He inquired.

Her pulse sped up when he mentioned her mother. Lucy remembered then what he had told her the first night she summoned him. Someone had apparently taken her mother's keys. Now that she thought about it, she realized that she didn't know much and that she had forgotten to ask about the matter. Her hands clutched the steering wheel, when she thought about them. "I want my mother's keys. If I remember correctly, you told me that she was forced to give them up, right?"

"Yes, Lucy. There is nothing more terrible than to break the sacred bond between a summoner and his spirits by force. The Magic Council forced the late master to give up her keys as a sort of punishment. "

"So mages have a council?! And why did they punish mother? Did she go against their rules?!" she inquired again, her throat going dry.
"Well, she refused to take part in a particular mission issued by the Council. Her keys were seized as such apart from my key."
The young writer couldn't help but ask, "why not? And what was that mission about?"

Leo sighed suddenly, feeling the drain of the long day. "Because the Leo key has been associated with the descendants of Yvonne Castian, or the Golden Summoner, the first Celestial Mage of this country. Stripping a descendant would be a national scandal that would ruin the magical legacy of this country forever. As for that mission, the late master simply refused to go against an old friend of hers who had strayed from the ways of the Council mages and became a rogue, or a dark mage as known in the magic world."

The blonde stole a glance at him, "I see. And, I think it must have been hard for her to fight an old friend. But maybe if she had―"

"No, Lucy," he interrupted. "You don't know who that friend was. She was extremely close to the late master, which is why she couldn't bring herself to accept the decree."

She didn't say a word, but she felt deep down in the pit of her stomach that something bad must have happened between this friend and her mother. Lucy couldn't think of anyone, after all, her father and grandmother never mentioned much about her mother's relations or past entourage. Even her aunties never brought up such a topic. For the first time in her life, the 25 year-old felt lost and sad as reality hit her hard: she couldn't help but pity her mother in her lone predicament. Lucy wondered briefly what she would have done if she had been in such a situation.

"I admit that I don't know anything about my Mom's past," she explained. "I don't really know who that Celestial mage was, but," she let a breath out before she went on, "if you say that she was extremely close, then I believe that my family knew her, right?"

He starred at the road before them. "Yes, they knew her all, old and young. She even knew you, Lucy!"

The young blonde swallowed hard. "Okay! This is getting freaky!" she shook her head, feeling slightly nervous.

"Master," she heard him call her name. "I don't want to reveal her identity yet, as it is very disturbing. I'd much rather tell you when you―"

"No! Tell me now, Leo! As much as I hate to admit, I am stressed, on edge even. But, I'd hate to be asked to wait till reaching the Manor before you'll spill the beans!"

"I will tell you then, provided that you'll pull over first! You're driving and your safety is my top priority, Lucy!" he said.

She didn't argue. He was simply right. She pulled over in a swift movement. When the engine went dead, she looked at him, eager and scared at the same time.

"Who was she then?" she asked carefully.

Leo then replied. The truth had to surface again on this day, "the same person your mother saved in her teens. The rich girl who later on became her best friend, then a celestial comrade, before she introduced your mother to her brother, Jude Heartfilia!" he explained grimly.

Lou.D