Laurelleaves suggested a 2nd chapter to make it a happier ending. Honestly, I hate writing sad stuff, so here's Part Two of Sayonara, Saiai No Shishi.

Chapter 2

Princess of the Spirits

They warned her not to go fight. Master Erza specifically told her to stay in the guild and make sure enemies did not infiltrate. Master Erza also should have known Lucy would never listen. Her years fighting with Gray and Natsu left their impression on her. Of course, she knew she was too old to fight. Still, she could not let a dark guild destroy Magnolia. It was her home, and Fairy Tail was her family.

She saved many during that battle. Between Sagittarius' brilliant shooting, Aquarius flooding the enemy's ships before they could reach the port, and Aries using Wool Shield to protect some of the junior members, she guessed she must have save a few hundred lives. She couldn't save them all, though. She saw Romeo fallen on the battlefield and Wendy wailing over his cold, bloodied body. She heard Levy screaming for Droy to open his eyes, and Lucy had a feeling he never would again. A harsh war with a pyrrhic victory!

But for her, the fighting was over.

Gray was by her side, old like her now, his hair matching the color of his name. She saw his mouth yelling in desperation, but her ears only picked up random sounds now. All she could do was smile. At least she wasn't alone at the end. Her family was here on the battlefield.

Her world slowly went cold and heavy. Her eyes were distracted by an eagle flying overhead, free, seemingly floating amidst the clouds. She wanted to float freely too. She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Suddenly, it was warm. She felt light, as if she did not even have a body to weigh her down. She tingled, but it was a pleasant feeling. She liked this new place, wherever it was.

"Welcome home, Lucy."

She had not heard his voice in years, and yet it could still make her shiver. She looked around, and there she saw them.

It was not just her beloved Lion. Aries and Sagittarius, who she had just seen during the fight, were there too. Aquarius was looking as peevish as ever. Scorpio gave her a wave and a wink. Gemi and Mini were dancing circles in the air. Capricorn gave her a nod. Cancer had his arms folded and a cool smile.

A pink-haired maid came up to her and bowed. "We've been waiting for you, Princess. Due to your contribution toward the entire Spirit World, you've been granted a place here with us."

Lucy looked around at all of them. "I'm...a Spirit?"

"Lucyyyyyyyyy!" Taurus cried out with hearts in his eyes. "Lucy still has such a nice body even here."

She looked down and saw that she appeared young again, the same age as when she gained these Spirits and friends.

"One other is here too," Loke smiled, and he guided her forward. "Someone you know who passed on many years ago. We always wondered why he could travel to the Spirit World, and after his passing, we found out. I must admit, it came as a huge shock."

She saw the boy who was closer than a brother. He still had the spiky pink hair and scaly scarf, but he had a slightly different look to him now, something more mature, something strange yet perhaps an improvement.

Loke introduced him formally. "Draco the Dragon Constellation...otherwise known as Dragon Slayer Natsu."

Lucy ran forward with a cry, and Natsu grinned huge. They collided together, reunited after many decades. He held her as she cried, just like he used to do, simply holding her and being a pillar of strength that he knew she desperately needed. Meanwhile, the other Spirits watched her and smiled to one another.

Then Natsu made a waving motion of his hand. Loke came forward, and Natsu gently transferred her to his arms.

"He still loves ya, Luce," Natsu said, using the edge of his scarf to dry her tears. "How about you give both of us a second chance? Here, like this, neither one of us will ever leave you again."

She sniffled back the last of her tears and nodded. "So if Natsu is Draco the Dragon, what am I?"

Loke came forward and gave her a kiss. "We called you Princess for a reason. You are, indeed, royalty, but not just from a rich family. It's time for you to take your rightful place, Lucy...or I should say, Andromeda: the Princess."

Her mouth dropped in astonishment. "No way! Andromeda? My mama...she...she always liked the Constellation Andromeda." For a brief moment, Lucy felt saddened. If she was here in the Spirit World, it meant she was not going to Heaven. She would never seen his mother again. She was happy to be with Natsu and these Spirits who were another family of hers, but she truly missed her mother.

"Of course she always liked it," Loke chuckled. "After all, she's the mother of Andromeda, Cassiopeia: the Queen."

"She...what?" Lucy gasped. He couldn't mean...

Capricorn led forward a graceful woman, royalty indeed by how she walked and carried herself. Her hair was the same golden as Lucy's, her smile the same, her eyes just as gentle.

Lucy's trembling hands covered her gaping mouth. "Mama?" she whispered. This time, her shock was beyond tears.

Layla Heartfilia smiled tenderly. "You're finally home, dearest daughter."

Loke hugged her from behind and buried his face into her hair. She felt his chest shivering with emotions. "We're never going to leave you again," he swore ardently. "You're one of us. Just as Fairy Tail was always your family, so were the Spirits. And now you're home. You're...home, Lucy. And we're never going to be separated! We never have to say sayonara to one another again, I swear! So please...please forgive me. I don't deserve it, but...please at least say you don't hate me."

She turned around to see him with tears behind his blue shades. She reached up to his face, carefully removed the glasses, and smiled at his guilt-ridden face. How long had he torn himself up inside for his one betrayal?

"Of course I forgive you," she whispered, and to show him she truly did, Lucy gave Loke a deep kiss.

Aries hummed happily to see her best friend reunited with the woman he loved. Aquarius and Scorpio chuckled and snuggled together. Virgo heard a moan to her side and glanced up to Taurus, only to see the Bull looking utterly dejected.

Capricorn leaned over to Layla Heartfilia. "I always thought they would get together when the time came, but now we have to deal with the issue of Perseus."

"One problem at a time, old friend," Layla chuckled and patted his arm. "Let her have her beloved Lion for now."

The End

A/N: Cassiopeia is the Queen, and in Greek mythology, Andromeda was her daughter. So what does Capricorn mean about 'the issue of Perseus'? Well, in the Greek story, Andromeda married Perseus. Whoops! We'll let Lucy pick between Perseus and Loke. I like to think that Perseus is Gray, but that's just because I'd like a Lucy/Loke/Gray love triangle! Oh, and Natsu as Draco is just awesome. After all, how else did he manage to go into the Spirit World with Virgo, even if only briefly? Well, I hope you liked this ending better!