Lucy's POV

It was a normal day here in Fiore, more specifically in the Fairy Tail Guild. Natsu and Gray were fighting, Erza was trying to stop them as Elfman was shouting things out about being a man.

It's amazing really, I've only been here a few months and I already feel so close to all of them like I've known them for years, it's crazy really.

"Erza fight me! We still haven't finished our battle from before!" Natsu yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at Erza for dramatic effect.

Erza and Natsu had both just returned from being held in prison for the lullaby incident.

I let out a helpless sigh as I knew where this was going and instead went to the mission board where Levy was also looking through the board for a mission, I assume which is for her and her team, Shadow Gear.

"Hey Lucy, looking for a solo mission?" Levy asked me.

"Yeah, it couldn't hurt right?" I said smiling.

"Aren't you going to watch Natsu and Erza's fight? I mean they are your teammates after all." Levy asked me ask she raised a blue eyebrow in curiosity before once again looking to the board.

"Nah, I have a pretty good idea about how it's going to end." I said as we both laughed.

"That's Erza for ya. She's, as Elfman would say, the Man." And at that we laughed harder.

Back to looking at the mission board Levy gasped happily and giggled as she tore off a mission request.

"This looks interesting." She said as she showed me the request.

I frowned a little, it didn't look like much to me. Obviously sensing my confusion she pointed to the award and I gasped. Not only was there a high jewl reward, there was a gate key as part of the reward.

"Oh my gosh! Does it say what kind of gate key it is?" I asked with stars in my eyes.

I could hardly keep in my giddiness as Levy read through the paper. After a couple of seconds her smile turned into a confused look making me all the more curious.

"It says it's an Ancient Key." I raised an eyebrow at what she said. 'What?'

"What's an ancient key?" I asked after a second only to give me a weird look.

"Don't ask me, you're the Celestial Wizard here."

"But I've never heard of an Ancient Key before." I said, completely focused on the piece of parchment in Levy's hands.

"How's about this? I'll take the mission and collect the key and you do the research on it and I'll give you the key when we get back?" Levy proposed as she stuck out a hand for me to shake.

"Really Levy? You mean it!?"

"Of course Lucy! I don't really have a use for a gate key like you do anyway." I couldn't help but squeal and completely bypass the hand shake and hug her. Levy laughed as she hugged me back.

"We don't know what's going on here but count us in!" I heard Droy say as he and Jet joined in the hug making it a group hug, causing Levy and I to laugh.

We both separated when Natsu had crash landed on the table that was right behind us. Not a second later did everyone in the guild erupt in laughter, Shadow Gear and myself included.

"That was way too easy for Erza to beat him, it's ridiculous!" Macao proclaimed with his palm to his forehead and laughed.

"Awe Natsu, that wasn't manly enough!" Elfman said a bit angry at Natsu for being defeated so easily.

A few seconds later I started to feel drowsy and my eyes started to flutter closed while I silently watched as members of the guild began to fall to the floor unconscious; Mirajane, Levy, Erza, Gray, and Natsu all fell asleep; even the master looked a bit sleepy. The last thing I saw before I too fell asleep was a man who had just walked in through the guild hall doors and was covered head to toe with staffs on his back.

Several minutes later everyone in the guild woke up complaining.

"I hate it when he does that!" Macao complained rubbing his neck.

"Ok, what just happened and who was that?" I said as I helped Levy stand up.

"That was Mystogan, one of Fairy Tail's S-class wizards. He doesn't really talk much and no one has seen his face."

"So no one knows what this guy looks like?" I asked in pure astonishment.

"No one but the Master."

"That's not true, I've seen what the guy looks like." At the new voice everyone looked up to the second floor.

"Laxus." Uttered Levy.

"Laxus?" I silently questioned as I gave the blond haired man a once over.

"Another one of Fairy Tails strongest members. We only have 5 S-class wizards here in Fairy Tail, and I'd say he and Mystogan would probably be tied for one of the strongest of all the mages here in Fairy Tail." I gulped slightly as I started at Laxus, suddenly feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the powerful wizards here.

"Laxus! Fight me!" Natsu said, suddenly springing up from the ground.

"Natsu! You just lost to Erza!"

"That's right, and if you've lost to Erza then you definitely won't be able to beat me." Laxus states arrogantly.

"And just what is that supposed to mean Laxus?" Erza said with a cold look in her eye.

"Just that I'm the strongest member here in the guild." He said with a taunting look in his eye.

"You can say that after you've taken me on Laxus! I'll crush you! For sure!" Natsu proclaimed with a fire burning in his eyes.

"Then why don't you come up here and fight me then?" Laxus egged Natsu on as he leaned up against the railing on the second floor.

I kept looking back and forth between Natsu and Laxus as they argued.

"Alright then, I will!" I watched as Natsu ignored the guild halls warnings to not go up stairs and run up anyway, only to have the Master extend his arm and slap him down.

"Natsu! You aren't allowed on the second floor!" Master yelled before chugging down his mug.

"Why isn't Natsu allowed on the second floor?" I asked as I turned to Levy when Natsu started arguing with the Master.

"It's not just Natsu who isn't allowed on the second floor. Anyone who isn't an S-class wizard isn't allowed up there."

I stared in astonishment at the second floor and the man occupying it.

He must be incredibly strong then.

For the next few hours after Levy and her team, Shadow Gear left I hung out at the guild till about the time the sun began to set and I headed back home.

~•~

On my way back home from the Guild I kept thinking about Fairy Tails S-class wizards.

So far I've met Erza, Laxus, sort of met Mystogan, and quite surprisingly, Mira Jane is another. I never would have thought she was an S-class wizard. But still, I wonder who the last one is?

Then something else more exciting crossed my mind. The Ancient Key. Just thinking about it got me so excited!

Without even bothering to wait till I got home I summoned one of my spirits.

"Open! Gate of the Southern cross! Crux!" A spirit that had a cross for a face came out of the gate, looking a bit old.

"Crux, can you do me a favor and find out anything you can about Ancient Keys?"

"Right away Miss Lucy." Crux said before falling asleep. Roughly twenty minutes later Crux woke up. "So, what did you find out!?"

"Ancient Keys, are like ordinary Celestial Spirit Keys, only what you summon isn't necessarily a spirit. You see, hundreds of years ago, before magic had even existed, or perhaps around the time it had barley started, there were a group of people known as Shinobi, ninjas if you prefer. They had similar means of fighting and defensive techniques to our own use of magic, they used chakra for techniques called Jutsu, various forms of it. Ninjutsu which was usually elemental based techniques ranging from earth, wind, fire, water and lightning. Genjutsu which was illusionary techniques, used to fool ones enemy into seeing things that weren't there, or put them into their worst nightmare. And finally, Taijutsu which was hand to hand combat, or going a bit beyond and using weapons such as swords, throwing knives or throwing stars. Of course there are other forms than just these techniques, these are just the basics.

Shinobi, similar to our Guilds, had different villages and organizations they associated themselves with. Also like our world, dark and evil organizations existed in which someone would turn against their home village, usually causing them to obtain the title of a criminal and become a wanted man, or woman.

The villages however, did not all get along with each other. Some were enemies, others ally's, and some were neutral, just small towns for others to pass through. But in their final years, an incident occurred. One of the evil organizations declared war against all the villages. This enemy was so large of a threat to their very existence that it brought all villages together to fight the same battle.

This battle became known as the Fourth Shinobi War. In the final stages of this battle, with thousands already dead or dying, a man no one had ever seen before appeared on the battlefield, and sealed them all away into keys. When the man disappeared, the keys went with it. It was only recently that these keys have showed themselves again.

But even more interesting is how these keys are summoned. As I said earlier they are not spirits, therefore do not have all of the same obligations that us spirit keys have. They do not have to obey any order you give, they do not need contracts, can choose to not be summoned if they do not wish, can open and close their own gate at will, even if you're the one who opened it and don't want them to leave, but most of all, they can be freed from ever being sealed if their matching counterparts are found.

Like spirit keys, they have a symbol on the front of the key that show who they are. But unlike spirit keys, they also have a symbol on the back that are similar to two or more other keys. Finding all of the same suit breaks whatever magic that was sealing them away in the first place."

By the time Crux had finished explaining everything he had found out I was left stunned.

People, human beings, were sealed inside spirit keys?

How could someone do such a thing?

It was at that moment that I made a vow to help any Ancient Key that came my way, to help them break free and be able to live again, as human.