I'm so super sorry! I can't even begin to explain why this took me so fricking long!
But I at least want to tell you a little. As you know I was at University, but shortly after I updated my other story "Masters Idea" it got clear that I couldn't continue with it... Then my Dad had to go to the hospital (he is now good and starts working again this week) and I had to find something new to do..
I have found something new, I started in April. There it took me some time to get used to my new schedule and such, adding to all this I had some writers block...
But now I'm, hopefully, back!

Again, sorry to let you wait for so long. I hope that I didn't let you wait too long...

And now on with the story, as always tell me what you think!

Love you all (and thanks to all of you who asked me when I will continue, this always gave me a little burst to write),

Miyuki

Morning came much too fast, but also much too slow for Lucy. Physically she is still exhausted from yesterday, but magically, she knows, that she should have enough back to try and make her new contracts. And she really wants to make these contracts, she has already waited so long to finally meet them and to hopefully be allowed to welcome them in her family.

Other than her want to finally meet them, there is the little puppy currently nuzzling her face with three heads at the same time that wants her to wake up. And she has the feeling that if she doesn't stand up soon, she will end up with three tongues liking all over her face. And while she loves Cer no matter which form he takes on, that is something she will probably or more likely certainly never like.

"Awake, I'm awake, Cer!", with that she wraps her arms around the little Hellhound, rolls onto her side and presses him against her chest. Now, she is the one nuzzling him.

"Luuucy", she hears Cer, for the first time, whining telepathically. He never did this before so she almost forgot that he can do this, luckily she now has her Spirits doing this too, so it doesn't gave her as much of a fright as it would have done otherwise. "Come on, stand up! You're suffocating me! Luuucyyyy!"

"Okay, okay. But you know, you're the one who started this...", she grins down at the puppy in her arms. "And..."

"Princess, breakfast is ready for the both of you. Capricorn wants me to tell you that you shouldn't call any of us today, before you have made your new contracts, to conserve your magic power. And he wants you to think about how and when you want to leave the island. Is it punishment time?", Virgo steps into their tent.

The word 'breakfast' was all it took for Cer to transform into his human form and leave the tent, all in mere seconds. Lucy took a little longer since the spoken words triggered something inside of her, she never really thought about how they will leave the island. She will have to think about it later, now breakfast is in order and then her new contracts.

"Thanks, Virgo. And no, no punishment for you. You can tell Capricorn that I will take his advise in both matters and that I will let you know when I have decided when and how to leave the island.", she smiles at her Spirit while taking the offered clothes to change out of her sleepwear.

After a quick breakfast Lucy and Cer make their way to the beach, wanting an open and large place to summon her, hopefully, new Spirits and Friends.

Over breakfast, her and Cer spoke about which Spirit she should call first and when they want to leave the island. They came to the conclusion that she will call Astro first and if she has enough magic left Taryn next. Their departure depends on this too, if she can make both contracts today they want to try and leave the next day, if they can find a way to do so, if she can't, they will add another day to their stay here on Tenrou.

Since in the book she got stood nothing about an incantation for the Diamond Keys, Lucy hopes that she can use the one she uses for her other Spirits. "I am linked to the path to the World of Celestial Spirits, now! O Spirit, answer my call and pass through the Gate. Open Gate of the Star Fairy, Astro!"

Feeling an answer, she pumps more and more magic into the Key until she feels the Gate opening. The air in front of them begins to darken to a night blue, then slowly a golden-yellow star begins to form in the middle of it. The star grows bigger and bigger until he bursts into many tiny golden particles, these particles then form themselves into a human form.

Lucy can only stare at the sheer beauty of the male Fairy, he is probably 6'2". He only wears a golden open vest with dark blue swirls which are looking like tiny stars, this gives her the view of a perfect sculptured and muscular, but still slender, chest. His skin has a beautiful cream color, almost looking like soft marble.

His pants are in the same dark blue as the swirls. His feet are bare. His hair goes down to his waist and looks like the night sky, dark blue with golden star clips. These clips are holding thin wisps in place on the back of his head where they come together into a braid laying on top of his otherwise open hair.

Rich golden eyes are looking at her with a soft smile playing on full lips. "Hello, my name is Astro. And you must be my new Key-Holder. Would you tell me your name, Miss?", he begins to speak with a velvet tone.

"Hello Astro, my name is Lucy Heartfilia and this is Cerberus or Cer. I'm happy to finally meet you after having your Key for so long already. I really hope that you want to make a contract with me, or like Kaede already explained to me, form a bond. And I hope even more that we become great friends and that I can welcome you in my family.", she smiles at the the Fairy in front of her, having stepped a little closer with Cer now at her side.

His smile widens a little after hearing what she said about joining her family, even without her saying it he would have known how good of a person she is. He can feel the special connection she has with the stars because of his own magic. "Then, Miss Lucy, let us form our new bond, I am happy to bond with such a beautiful and kind woman." His eyes gain a certain twinkle while he leans down, bringing his head closer hers, "If you already made the bond with Kaede, you should know what that means right? You know what we have to do now, right, Miss Lucy?" By now he had his mouth beside her ear, whispering the last part softly and making her shudder a little.

In her shock, Lucy's only reaction is a nod. A soft chuckle escapes his lips before he leans back a little to be able to gaze into her eyes. For all the teasing he does at the moment, he still wants her to feel comfortable with him. It's been a long time since he acted this way, and it really surprises him that he does so, but it probably has something to do with the fact that she reminds him a little of his long deceased wife. That, and the fact that her reactions are just too adorable to not tease her at least a little.

With him being this up close, Lucy can see delicate golden stars tattooed around his eyes in a seemingly random pattern, making him even more beautiful and enthralling in her eyes.

I could bet that this will be a gentle and beautiful kiss, his lips look so..., was all she could think before she felt his soft lips on her own. I was right!

This time she doesn't hesitate, no on the contrary, she closes her eyes and enjoys the feeling of his wonderfully tender and soft lips on hers before she begins to move her own in sync with his.

She concentrates all of her thoughts on Astro and their kiss, already feeling the deep connection between them forming. A feeling, oh so beautiful, flows through her whole body and she can feel her magic reacting to his.

If she would have opened her eyes, she would have seen their magic moving around them, in the form of million golden particles, and giving them an ethereal glow. The most of it seeming to concentrate over their hearts and where one would suspect the soul and magic container.

Even if she can't see their magic moving and connecting around the she can feel it. They both can feel the magical bond between the forming, and, while their lips still move against one another in perfect harmony, a happy smile appears on both faces.

Even though they can feel that their bond has taken place and is completed, they continue the kiss, too absorbed in this beautiful feeling to just stop now.

Slowly, but too fast nonetheless, their movement lessens until the kiss stops entirely. Still too captivated in the moment, they don't move away, instead they lean their foreheads against each other, gazing in the others eyes with a blissful smile on their lips.

"Little star, that was truly entrancing, we have formed such a beautiful and strong bond!", Astro is the first to break the silence between them with a whisper. Lucy's smile only widens at hearing this.

Astro moves a little away from her, his arms holding her in a loose hug and he looks down at her with his own lips in a big smile. After a few seconds his eyes once again gain this certain twinkle before he leans down, presses a kiss to her right cheek and whispers in her ear, "I will definitely come by now and then to maybe get more of this." And before Lucy has the chance to say anything at all to this he winks at her and vanishes in a showers of golden stars.

Lucy stands there, blinking, still not really realizing what he just told her.

Only Cer's laughing at her side brings her out of her stupor, she shakes her head and a gentle smile appears on her face, thinking about her new bond. Moments later she blanches, now everything he just said really registering in her head, "Wait! What?! Does that mean, that they can open their own Gates?! Oh no..."

"Yes, this is exactly what it means, little star", the golden stars that appear with Astro weren't even gone before he once again vanishes back.

Seeing the horror in her eyes and hearing her muttering that she didn't get the chance to ask what his abilities are Cer laughs harder, almost falling to the ground with how hard he laughs.

The next second he really is on the ground, groaning in pain. He just received his very first Lucy Kick.

"That's what you get for laughing at me!", she sticks her tongue out at him, turns back around and takes out the last remaining Key to make a contract with. "I am linked to the path to the World of Celestial Spirits, now! O Spirit, answer my call and pass through the Gate. Open Gate of the Lightning Fairy, Taryn!"

This time there is now slow appearing, the loud band and short, dazzling flash is still impressiv enough. When she can open her eyes again he already stands there in all his glory.

This one has nothing that one would make him think that he is a prince, if the book is correct. Maybe his yellow, sparkling eyes, they have this certain look that practically demands obedience.

But other than that he looks more like a fighter. He is as muscular as Laxus, if not even more but still not too much from what she can tell. With his 6'5 he is taller than Astro or even Laxus. Apart from his muscular form and height he looks completely different from Laxus.

He is completely bare chested, not even wearing a vest like Astro. Resting on the middle of his tanned chest is a black leather necklace with what seems to be lightning bolts inside a big, flat translucent stone.

He wears light grey pants and black boots. His dark grey-blue hair, looking like the sky just before the storm starts, is just as short and spiked as Laxus'.

When he crosses his arms in front of his chest, looking down at her with a raised eyebrow, reminding her of Laxus once again, she stops looking him up and down and begins to finally speak, a light blush on her cheeks. She didn't notice that he, too, was checking her out and nodded to himself before the crossing of his arms got her attention.

"Hello Taryn, my name is..."

"Lucy Heartfilia, the others told me already Blondie.", he smirks down at her. Hearing this she can only roll with her eyes, another reminder of the Lightning Slayer. It seems that similar magic leads to similar behavior.

"Well, if you already know about me, do you want to be a part of our family and form a bond with me?", she asks him, for now not telling him to stop calling her that.

His smirk widens, "What do you think, Blondie?"

And with that he steps directly in front of her, leans down and winds his arms around her hips, pulling her closer to himself so that she has to stand on her tiptoes. He doesn't give her the chance to do anything at all before he captures her lips with his own.

With her eyes wide open in shock, she can see that the sparkle in his eyes are tiny bolts flashing through them.

Contrary to his almost attack at kissing her, his lips against her are soft, moving in a slow motion while he waits for her reaction with his own eyes half closed.

A soft nip on her lower lip lets her overcome her shock. After another gaze into his eyes she closes her eyes and lays her hands on his shoulders.

Knowing that she is okay with him kissing her, Taryn closes his eyes fully and speeds up his lips movement. It's still not a wild make-out like kiss but more searing than the once she had with the other Fairies, again something that she guesses has to do with the origin of his magic.

A sigh escapes her and she angles her head to give him better access to her lips, all the while upping her own motion in reaction to his.

Lucy can feel the air around them charging with electricity, while their bond begins to form. One of his arms moves up from her hip to her head, tangling his fingers in her hair. Her own arms wound around his shoulders, pressing herself a little closer to him.

More and more electricity begins to charge around them, leading to little lightning bolts unloading around them. Before the kiss can get even more heated, Lucy feels some of these lightning bolts moving across her skin, tickling her in the process. The moment the bolts reach her side, she can't stop a giggle spilling from her lips, effectively ending the kiss.

Another, this time stronger, bolts tickles her side and a full laughter erupts. She doubles over, almost smashing her forehead against his lips, since he followed her mouth with his to continue their kiss.

Seeing that there is no way to continue at the moment and that their bond is completed, he untangles his fingers from her hair and places them back on her back, pulling her in a hug and falls in with her laughter. It's such a happy and contagious laughter that he really has no other choice but to laugh along with her, even though he is normally not the type for that.

Lucy wraps her own arms around him more tightly, relishing in the hug and loving the feel of his chest vibrating in laughter against her own. It's just such a nice feeling to know that she made him this happy, that she has another bond formed and another member added to her family.

A few minutes later the laughter slowly dies out, a happy smile staying on both their faces.

"So Taryn, Kaede told me that you are available when ever I need you and from Astro I found out that you can appear on you own magic, is that true? Or do you maybe want to have some days free? Or could it be that only Astro is able to do so? Oh, and what exactly is your magic? In a book I got stood that you can not only , control one form of lightning but different because you were the prince, is that correct?", the words spill from her lips.

At this another laughter erupts from the male Fairy holding her in his arms.

After he calmed down again he answers her with a grin, nearly smirk, "Yes, you can call me out when ever you want and yes I, too, can come out on my own. But this has to do with the strength of the bond. Right now, I probably could't do so, but after you adding out tattoos we all should be able to come out when ever we want to. And yes, I can control and use different kinds of lightning because I was the prince." , at the end is tone turns smug.

Lucy ignores this, looking at him curiously, "Can you show me? And is it true, that while using your magic here, you use your own and not mine?"

"Yes, that is true, since we were originally from Earthland we can only need you to call us here and to hold open the Gate so that we can stay here. Maybe another time, Blondie, you look a little exhausted. And maybe you should stop pumping so much of your magic in holding open my Gate, you only need this much to open the Gate but once it's open you need less to actually hold it open.", a cocky smirks appears.

Her eyes widening, Lucy focuses on her magic and realizes that he is right, she really lost a lot of her magic. And looking around them she realizes that it's rather late, contracting both Fairies took longer than she thought. The reason being probably in both cases the kiss, a kiss that let her forget the time.

Hurriedly she lessens the magic she pushes into the Key, feeling an instant relief with the lesser strain on her magic. Now she realizes how exhausted she really is, the high she got from contracting two new Spirits and gaining more family members in the process is diminishing rather fast.

"Ugh, why didn't you tell me so sooner? And could't you please stop calling me that, that's just so unimaginative. I mean I'm not calling you Bolt oder Sparkling Eye, or do I? Or would you like me to call you that?", she grins up at him, seeing the scowl appearing on his face while hearing her own unimaginative nicknames for him.

"You won't call me that! I am the prince after all!", a cocky grin appears back on his face, one eyebrow lift up he looks challenging at her, "We'll see, if I stop or not. Blondie. And I didn't dell you sooner because I wanted to see if you would notice on you own."

"Yeah, we'll see Sparkle.", she shots back with her own challenging look, "And somehow I don't believe you. I have the feeling that our kiss distracted you so much that you only now realize that I'm using too much magic." Now she is the one with a smirk and lifted eyebrow.

The scowl is back on his face, more or less giving away that she was right with her guess. Her smirk only widens at that.

Another wave of exhaustion washes over her. "Well, as much fun as we have, I really used up too much magic, I think I have to send you back. I still have a lot of things to do, and for that I need to be able to think clearly without to much exhaustion. But I'm really happy to have you in my family Taryn and I hope to get to know you and the rest of you more in the future.", she smiles gently up at him.

The scowl on his face is replace with his own gentle smile, "Well then I will take my leave. What is it that is so important anyway?"

"I have to find a way to leave this island. Only members of my Guild can see it, so I can't just call a boat to pick me up..."

"Oh, if that is the only thing, I should be able to take you and you other friend with my lightning to land. You should both be immune against it, because the bond we formed, so there really shouldn't be a problem. You only need to rest, to regain enough magic to call me tomorrow.", he offers her.

Lucy's doesn't have to think long about it, she nods her head, "That would be great! Thanks for that! I think I'm really at my limit now, I will call you out tomorrow, Taryn."

"Do that, Blondie!", the smirk is back but before she has the chance to reprimand him, he already disappeared in a bolt along with a loud bang.