The warmth of a Magnolia afternoon filtered through the stained-glass windows of the Fairy Tail guild hall. The raucous energy had returned after the recent chaos, with mages laughing, brawling, and boasting about their latest missions. Shinra, sitting at the far corner of the hall with a book in hand, smiled softly as he watched the guild's lively interactions. Yet, this time, he was not the center of attention. Today, the story was not about him.
Lucy Heartfilia had been quieter than usual. While normally she'd be writing her novel, chatting with Levy, or arguing with Natsu, today she sat silently at the edge of the guild, her hands resting on her keys, a frown creasing her forehead.
Loke had disappeared again.
He had been avoiding her for weeks now—making excuses, dodging her attempts to talk, and vanishing right before missions. It wasn't like him, and Lucy's heart twisted with growing concern. There was something he was hiding, something big.
---
That evening, as the sun dipped low over the cobbled streets of Magnolia, Lucy finally cornered him.
Loke was leaning against a lamppost near Southgate Park, eyes hidden behind his signature sunglasses, but his aura wasn't as confident as usual. He looked tired, almost... resigned.
"Loke," Lucy said gently, walking up to him. "Please stop avoiding me. What's going on?"
He hesitated. For the first time, he didn't give a flirtatious grin or a snappy compliment. Instead, he looked away, shoulders tensing.
"You shouldn't waste your time on me, Lucy. I'm not who you think I am."
Lucy took a step closer. "Then tell me the truth. Please."
Loke exhaled slowly, removing his sunglasses. His normally bright eyes looked dimmer, burdened. "I'm not just Loke. I'm Leo. The Celestial Spirit Leo, one of the Twelve Zodiac Spirits."
Lucy's breath caught. She took a step back in shock. "Wait—what?"
He nodded. "I was once under contract with another Celestial Spirit Mage. Her name was Karen Lilica. She was cruel, manipulative... and she treated Aries terribly. I tried to protect Aries. I confronted Karen, told her to release her. She refused. We argued. And then... she died."
Lucy's eyes widened. "You didn't..."
"I didn't kill her," he said quickly. "But I defied the rules of the Spirit World. I stayed in the human world beyond my time limit. I didn't return. And because of that, I was exiled. I've been stuck here ever since."
Tears welled in Lucy's eyes. Not because of fear—but because of how much pain Loke had carried alone. "That's not fair. You were trying to protect someone."
"The Spirit King doesn't see it that way. He's bound by laws older than any of us. I broke the contract. I can't go back. And soon... my existence will fade."
"No," Lucy said, stepping closer. "You don't deserve that. I'm going to fix this."
---
That night, in her apartment, Lucy sat cross-legged on the floor, her Celestial Spirit keys laid out in a perfect circle. Her resolve was firm.
"Everyone, I need your help."
With a flash of light, spirits began appearing around her. Taurus, Cancer, Aries, Virgo, and even Crux stood in a semi-circle, listening to their summoner.
"Loke—Leo—he's in trouble. He's been exiled from the Spirit World for something that wasn't his fault. I need to summon the Celestial Spirit King. I want to appeal to him, and I want all of you there with me."
Taurus stepped forward. "Lucy, this is a serious matter, moe\~. The King rarely appears."
"I know," she replied. "But I believe he'll listen. I have to try. For Loke."
Virgo nodded, her voice unwavering. "Loke took care of me... I want to help him too."
Cancer's voice was solemn. "To summon the King, you must offer an unshakable plea, one filled with conviction. Only then will he hear your voice."
Lucy stood, taking a deep breath. "Then let's begin."
---
Outside, the winds howled unnaturally as a golden magic circle expanded across Lucy's apartment floor. The sky darkened, and the stars above pulsed in unison. Light bent, swirled, and surged into her room as her voice rang clear:
"Great King of the Celestial Realm, I summon thee! Hear the voice of Lucy Heartfilia!"
Time seemed to freeze.
Then, with a roar of cosmic power, a massive rift opened in the air above her. The Spirit King emerged—a towering figure of shining gold and cosmic robes, his eyes glowing like dying suns.
"Why do you summon me, child of the Stars?"
Lucy stood firm despite the overwhelming aura. "I summon you to plead for Loke—Leo, the Lion. He has been banished unfairly. He broke your law to save another. He did not do it out of rebellion, but out of justice."
The King's voice was thunder. "You ask me to undo a ruling centuries old. Do you dare question my law?"
"Yes!" Lucy shouted, her voice cracking. "Because I believe in Loke. He's a good spirit, a loyal friend. And We all—"
She shouted.
" Love him!"
The room was silent. Her spirits stood behind her, heads bowed in solemn unity. Sagittarius wept quietly. Taurus knelt. Virgo simply stared ahead, unwavering.
The King observed them all.
"Even the spirits plead for his return."
Lucy took a step forward. "If you believe he's unworthy... then punish me too. Because I will never accept a world where someone like him suffers for doing what's right."
The Spirit King was quiet for a long time.
Then he extended his massive hand, and golden light enveloped the room. "Very well. Let it be known: By the will of the Celestial Spirit King, Leo's banishment is hereby lifted."
The light faded.
Behind Lucy, Loke stumbled forward from the shadows. His form shimmered, his presence stabilizing. His body was whole again, and the spark returned to his eyes.
"Lucy..." he whispered.
She turned and ran to him, arms wrapping around him in relief. "You're okay... you're back."
He held her tightly, no longer pretending, no longer running.
---
The next day, Lucy returned to the guild with Loke at her side. When the doors swung open, the usual roar of the hall paused as heads turned.
"Yo," Loke said casually, flashing his signature grin. "Guess who's back?"
Natsu raised a brow. "Didn't even know you were gone."
Loke's grin faltered.
Lucy started explaining everything that happened last night with Loke.
Gray surprised, "Damn, I'm having hard time processing everything you just said."
Happy grinned. "Welcome back, Loke!"
Erza smiled knowingly. Mira winked at Lucy. Shinra, reading a book near the bar, nodded respectfully.
Cana raised her drink. "Cheers to surviving death, exile, and cosmic judgment."
The guild burst into laughter and cheers. Music played. Food was passed around. And for the first time in weeks, Lucy felt whole again.
Later that evening, under the stars, Loke and Lucy sat atop the guild's roof, their legs dangling over the edge.
"Thank you, I owe you everything." Loke said.
Lucy blushed. "You owe me a lot of rent."
They laughed.
And slowly, the quiet night embraced them. Not with tension, or drama, but with peace—a rare, quiet victory earned not through strength, but through trust.
A fitting end to the tale of the Lion's truth.