It had been six days since the group had departed for the longest stretch of their journey. The path Lucy had chosen for them was quite and there was hardly any action to keep them busy.

A few villages popped up along the way. They stayed in them only for a couple hours to replenish their supplies.

"Ah, I wish I would have chosen a path with more cities. I enjoy them more than where ever we are." Lucy groaned as the pack on her back grew heavier with every passing second.

"It's not so bad, Lu-chan!" Levy faked a smile to try and seem optimistic but she too found it hard.

The sun was beating down on them and their was nothing in sight to cool them off. It was the time of day where the sun was at it's highest and burning brightest.

The only one who was not drenched in sweat and misrable was Natsu, of course. His dragon-like nature gave him immunity to something as petty as heat.

Erza gazed down at the map of Fiore, on it was a hand drawn path straight through width of the land. "According to the map, the Capital should be just over the next large hill, over there in the distance."

Lucy pipped up. "Are you serious?"

"That's the first good news I've heard in a week!" Gray flashed a bright smile.

Hearing Erza say they were close to civilization thrilled the others. A week normally didn't seem like a long time.

But as they traveled in through the middle of no where they became aware just how long each single minute was. Sure they had each other to talk too. But nothing beat being inside a nice cool guild on a blistering hot day.

Lyon walked closely next to Lucy. After she told him everything he mentally vowed not to leave her side. When they walked through towns he tried not to seem too worried about her. He now knew why her friends practically clung to her. 

Other than Natsu, of course. She had mentioned that he didn't know and that she didn't feel the need to tell him. She said that soon it wouldn't matter.

There was no need to reveal her past to him, all she needed for him to see was that Celestial Wizards should not be branded monsters, because they have done nothing wrong.

Gray had told her that maybe it would change the way he thought about her. But she denied that the fact that it would actually change anything. She was going to prove to him that she was innocent. But she wasn't doing this for just her. 

The fate of her kind could very well rest on this mission and she knew it very well. Lucy gazed up at the sky. The clouds covering up the sun for only seconds at a time. Natsu and her had hardly spoken since Lamia Scale, which was a given.

But she watched him very closely. To see if maybe being around her for more than a couple of hours had down anything to begin chipping down the wall between them. Other than the fact he had started walking closer to the group, instead of trailing being a few yards, there was nothing. 

"There it is!" Levy shouted.

Lucy stopped in her tracks and stared in awe at the giant city before her. The castle in the center of the city looked as if it was made of pure gold.  It sat on several layers giving it even more depth and beauty, which Lucy had never seen before.

Magnolia was the largest city she had even laid her eyes on and not even it compared to Crocus. Thousands upon thousand of houses, buildings, and shops circled the kingdom.  As she stood there she realized this was the most dangerous place for her to be. 

She pulled out her ring of gate keys from underneath her dress. Her friends raised their eyebrows at this. All this time she never dared to pull her keys out in public. There may be no one around but Lucy could never be too careful.

"Gate of the Lion, I open thee. Loke!" She spoke to herself. 

Just after a shinning light appearing and revealed her most powerful spirit. Loke stood with a confused expression on his face. 

"Yes, Lucy?" He question, placing his hands deep within his suit pockets. 

Lucy  held up her keys. "I cannot take these into the Capital. It is far too dangerous. I want you to take them and give them back to me once I reach my Inn room."

Loke seemed shocked, he took a step back and shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"What?" Lucy asked, he had never denied her request before.

Loke's gaze turned serious. "I cannot allow you to go anywhere without your keys. I'm sorry, Lucy. But the last Celestial wizard I served gave her keys to Capricorn for safe keeping I never saw her alive again."

"Who did he serve before?" Natsu asked Levy quietly.

Levy looked up at him. "Her mother."

Natsu looked at the ground. He said nothing more on the subject considering parents wasn't a subject he was good with.

"Loke, that was different. I will not need them, look around me. I am protected by the strongest team in Fairy Tail, plus a couple more!" She paused and flashed him a smile. "You have nothing to worry about, I'm safe."

Loke stared at her for several minutes without saying a word. It was clear he did not approve of this. But unfortunately for him his master is Lucy.

Sweet as she may be, she is quite stubborn. He held out his hand and allowed Lucy to place her keys in his palm. Before another word could be said he vanished. Lucy pursed her lips and looked at her feet.

She turned to the others. "I am ready." But the truth was she wasn't. Her stomach began to turn as they inched closer to the gates. 

"That's strange, the gates aren't usually closed." Erza spoke with suspicion in her voice.

"Yeah, I was just here a couple months ago. They always keep them open." Eva added in with a frown.

They reached the towering gates and a ity guards men stepped in front of them.

"Halt." He spoke in a deep tone.

"Why are they gates closed?" Eva stepped up and questioned.

"Rumors of a Celestial wizard on the loose have riled up much of the citizen in Crocus. I have been stationed out here to identify any one who wants to enter." He replied.

"Oh thank goodness! We can still enter!" Eva smiled confidently.

The man nodded. "Please, may you state your name and if you are a wizard state your magic."

Lucy stepped up next to her aunt and flashed a smile. "Hello, I'm Lucy Rineheart. Sadly I'm not wizard."

The man caught eye of her hand. "You bare the symbol of Fairy Tail, how are you not a wizard?"

Lucy pulled up her hand to look at it, not breaking a single sweat. "I work in Fairy Tail, you see. I'm the bartender. Turns out all you have to do is ask if you want the symbol!" 

He nodded, buying everything she just said. "And what of your friends?"

"Ah, yes. This is my aunt Evangeline Rineheart, Ice Make wizard. Her son Lyon, also an Ice Make wizard. The rest are Fairy Tail Wizards. Gray, yet another Ice Make wizard. Natsu, a Fire wizard. Levy, Script wizard. And Erza, she used re-equip." As Lucy spoke to the guard each other them showed their respected magic, proving what she said was true. 

"You all seem normal enough to me. I suspect the cat couldn't possibly be a Celestial wizard. So, you are free to enter the city. Enjoy your stay." The man turned around and banged on the gate three times before it began to open. 

The small group walked into the city. Eva came up behind Lucy once they were out of range of the guards. "Very clever using your mother and I's maiden name.  You hardly had to lie at all to get us in."