Fairy Tail 73

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Fairy Tail
[Card:]
Name: Loki (Real name Leo) / Age: ?
Magic: Ring Magic
Likes: Girls / Dislikes: Stellar Spirit Mages?
[/Card]
Notes
The ring he generally uses for his magic is actually just an ordinary ring with some Lachryma embedded in it. His true power remains unknown until he is summoned as the Stellar Spirit Leo.
His love for the ladies is probably thanks to Karen's lasting influence. Apparently, since he had been around her more than any other human, he was under the impression that if he followed her example, he might be able to make it all right in the human world.
He was only avoiding Lucy thanks to his guilt over his sin against Stellar Spirit Mages; as a matter of fact, she's actually rather his type.
[insert text: He who bridges the world of Stellar Spirits and that of humans... / A bond known as "trust"! / An oath known as "heart"!!]

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Chapter 73: "The Year 781: Blue Pegasus"
[insert text: The heavy cross that Loki bears! Now, the sad truth is revealed...!]
Lucy: You... you killed Karen......? // You killed your Owner?
Loki: A Stellar Spirit who has killed his Owner can never return to the Stellar Plane. // I'm just going to fade away.
Lucy: No...

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Loki: It all happened three years ago... // Karen was a mage of Blue Pegasus.
Women: Whoooa... What's that...? // Trailing a pack of men behind her again?

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Karen: I'm off to the beauty salon now... // So could you all go home for today?
Guys: Awwww... You promised me we'd go on a date today, didn't you~? // Didn't you say we'd have dinner together today? // No, no, she said she was going to go out with me today!
Karen: ...You... what was your name again?
Guys: Oh, that's horrible~! I'm Takurou! We've had dinner together three times already~! // Well, I've taken her out five times. // I gave her a Memphis ring! // You think that'll satisfy her? She wants me to buy her a mansion next!
Karen: Oh, they're all just so depressing...

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Karen: Open! Gate of the Ram! // Aries!!!
Aries: You called...?
[box: Aries, the Ram]
Guys: Ahhhhhhhh!!! // She's here! It's Aries-chan!!!!

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Karen: I can't be bothered today, so you hang out with them, okay?
Aries: B... But.... I...!
Guys: Okay~! Okay~! // Let's go have some fun, Aries-cha~n!
Aries: Entertaining males is n - not my purpose as a Spirit...
Karen: I gave you an order or didn't you hear?! / EHH?!
Aries: I - I'm sorry!
[TN: HUGS FOR ARIES-CHAN T_T (and death to Karen, or so I would say if she wasn't going to die soon enough anyway ^_^)]
Karen: Huh. // A mere Stellar Spirit talking back to me... what is the world coming to?

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Person: Now, now, Karen-cha~~n, you shouldn't be mean to your Stellar Spirits, you know!
Karen: What's that? They're mine, I can use them how I like!
Person: Aries-chan is really suffering, you know! / Every day for her, it's just errands, housework, entertaining those men you string along... / Why, wasn't there one time when you summoned her in the middle of a job, just so she could take an enemy attack instead of you?
Karen: Suffering? Stellar Spirits don't have feelings like that...
Person: Stellar Spirits are as alive as you or I! // If you keep on treating them like this, you'll be the one who suffers in the end!

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Aries: Ahh!
Karen: What kind of screwed-up things have you been telling the Master, huh?!!!
Aries: N - No! I - I haven't said a thing -
Karen: Don't you lie to me!!!
Aries: Ahh!

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Aries: Wh - What are you doing........?
Karen: I'm giving you your punishment. You are to stay here in the human plane... / ...for seven full days.
Aries: Seven days...?! But Karen-sama, you'll drain all your magic!!
Karen: What's that? Do I hear you looking down on me? // I think you would be better off worrying about yourself. // Let's see how a Stellar Spirit feels... // ...after staying in this plane for seven days.

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Aries: Ah!
Karen: Wha - ?! // Running away?! Not a chance!!! I'll call you out as many times as it takes!!!
Leo: You're wrong... / I'm taking her place here, by force.

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Karen: Leo?!!!
[box: Leo, the Lion (Loki)]
Karen: What do you think you're doing, opening the Gate by yourself -
Leo: Just give it a rest, would you, Karen? // I'm a combat-type Stellar Spirit... I'd say I'm pretty tough. / I can deal with being subjected to a little unfair treatment. // But if you keep on treating Aries the way you do, I won't be able to forgive you.
Karen: What do you think you're saying, you mere Spirit...?!

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Leo: I think it's about time I said this to you, straight and clear. // I want you to release your contracts with myself and Aries.
Karen: Wh - What did you say.........?!!!! // Is that something a Spirit should be saying to me...?!!!
Leo: The cruelty of your actions is unbearable to watch. All the other Stellar Spirits live in fear of the day their Keys may fall into your hands.
Karen: Shut up!!! Desist!!!!
Leo: You are no longer worthy of being a Stellar Spirit Mage.
Karen: Leave!!! // Close!!! Gate of the Lion!!!!

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Karen: Huh? // CLOSE!!! / CLOSE!!! // LEAVE THIS INSTANT, LEO!!! // Wh... Why can't I force the gate to close...?!
Leo: I have no intention of leaving until you release your contract with us.

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Leo: As long as I remain here, you will be unable to summon any other Spirits. / It's impossible to summon two Stellar Spirits at the same time. // Won't that be a little... inconvenient?
Karen: Hahah... My magic won't hold up forever! / In around ten days, my magic will be used up completely, and you will be forced to return to the Stellar Plane!
Leo: I don't have the time to waste on games like that. I came here using my own magic, not yours. // I can stay here for as long as necessary, outside the control of your own magic. // I'll be waiting in the ruins west of town. // When you've thought this over, come and see me.

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Karen: It's time for you to come back, Leo. // It's been ten whole days now. I'm sure you can't stay in this plane much longer; surely you must have reached your limit by now?
Leo: Release... me... a - and... Aries...
Karen: That's crazy talk!!! You really expect me to just hand over two of the twelve keys to the Ecliptic Zodiac?!! // You two are very profitable to me, I'll have you know!!!

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Leo: Go home... / ...Come back when you feel like releasing us...
[box: Thirty days later]
Karen: Please, come back!!! Without you, I can't even take on any missions! // I won't do anything horrible to Aries any more... / Come on! Come back now...
Leo: Don't lie to me... We can talk this over again after you've released us......
Karen: Aggghhhhhh!!! Why won't you just hurry up and DIE?!!!! // With you dead, I'd be able to call Aries again!!! And mark my words, I'd work her harder than I ever did before!!!

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[box: And then after three months...]
Leo: You know, I've got kind of used to this plane now... // I can't stop my life force from draining away, but... it doesn't hurt so much any more... // Three whole months, huh... Maybe it's about time for me to go forgive her, now. // If she does start bullying Aries again, I can always just step in...
Loki: ...It was shortly after that that I heard the rumours flying about town. // Karen had died out on a job.

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Lucy: !! // Loki!!!
Loki: I guess... it's time...
Lucy: Wh - What do you think you're saying?!!!

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Loki: Because of me, Karen was unable to call out any other Spirits... / *pant* / *pant* // *pant* / *pant* / And in that state, she went out on a job... and lost her life......
Lucy: Wait!! Just hold on!!!
Loki: ...I killed her, or as good as. // Ever since that day, I've been unable to return to the Stellar Plane... // I guess the Stellar Plane is disobeying its master, too; rejecting one of its own...

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Loki: I'm so glad I managed to meet a wonderful Stellar Spirit Mage like yourself, here at the end... // Thanks so much, Lucy...
Lucy: Wait!!! // I swear I'll save you!!! Don't give up!!!!
[insert text: We're nakama! We should be together forever!!]
[bottom text: To be continued in Chapter 74: "The Stellar Spirit King"]