I grinned uncontrollably in the pouring rain. I probably looked insane to any innocent passersby, but honestly, I did not care. It had taken me much longer than I had anticipated to track down the group of thieves, so I had spent two and a half excruciatingly long weeks away from home, but now I was finally returning. At that thought, I laughed excitedly, threw my face to the crying skies and spun around in circles.

'Just up this crest, and I should see home!'

And there it was, my beautiful Magnolia. Through the downpour I could see South Gate Park, and the Cathedral, and of course, Fairy Tail. I stared out at the wonderful city with pride and happiness. Maybe the rain was making me kind of feverish and acting silly, but at that moment, I didn't care. I just smiled at the city.

Before that beam of light came out of nowhere.

Hitting my home.

Destroying it.

I stared in horror as Magnolia, Fairy Tail, all my friends and my family disintegrated into nothing. Not even the rain remained.

Nothing was left but a sandy crater.

My legs trembled, my hands shook violently, and my mouth was open in a silent scream. But it wasn't long before something came out.

"Mama! Papa! NO!"

I shrieked as I began running toward where the city should have been. It had taken far too long to reach where the city gates would have been. I raced to where my family's home used to be, hoping to find some sort of clue.

I found nothing there.

I spun around, frantically searching for anyone, anything! Tears began to run down my face, and I started babbling in mixed Japanese and French. Was I truly alone?

Then my eyes caught something. Near where the guild would have been, I saw something rise out of the sand. I began racing towards it. The closer I got, the clearer the shape became.

"Lucy-san!" I called out.

Lucy spun around to face me as the grandfather clock disappeared. I figured that was one of her Celestial Spirits.

"Jeanne-san? What are you doing here?" she asked, surprise filling her face.

"I only just got back, but never mind that! What just happened? And where's everyone else? One moment I'm looking at the city, and the next it all just vanishes right before my eyes!"

Lucy nodded in thought. "Hm, Horologium had said that he felt space and time being malformed, so he sheltered me in a different space. I guess that's why I'm safe. But, where could everyone else be? Natsu, Erza, Gray, Wendy…"

"My family," I whispered, knowing how she felt. "I don't know… Wait, who's Wendy?"

Lucy blinked in surprise before nodding in realization. "Oh, you were gone when we returned. She came with us after we destroyed the Oración Seis."

I sighed in relief. "Well, I'm glad that your mission was successful, but could you tell me all about it after we find out what the hell happened to Magnolia?"

She nodded in grim determination. "Yes, let's look around. Maybe we'll find something in all this dust."

"Lucy, de'Vajell, so you two are safe."

Lucy and I whipped our heads towards the new voice. Mystogan was slowly walking towards us. I stared at his unmasked face. Why would he reveal himself now?

"Who-who are you?" Lucy demanded, suspicious.

"Ah, right," he sighed. "We've never been introduced. I am Mystogan. Though, I am also known by another name." He glanced my way. "De'Vajell, I feel you'll already know some of what I'm about to say."

Then I remembered what I had seen years ago.

"You mean…" I whispered, hands trembling. "Was Magnolia taken to…?"

He closed his eyes, and nodded silently.

I ran up to him and grabbed at the front of his cloak.

"Jeanne-san?" Lucy cried in surprise.

I bared my teeth as I glared at the blue-headed mage before me. "Alright, votr'altesse, I have said nothing about your secrets since I've laid eyes on you three years ago, so I'm giving you three seconds to tell me, how do I get my family back?!"

"Jeanne-san, hold on a sec!" Lucy grabbed my arms and pulled me back. "We shouldn't attack our nakama like that!"

"I'm calling bull on that, Lucy!" I snarled at her, again, in my worry and anger, dropping the honorific. "If this guy knows a way to get everyone back home safe and sound, then-"

Mystogan interrupted me. "De'Vajell. You should realize how this looks to Lucy. Remember that you're not the only one who has lost loved ones."

The reminder was a bitter pill to swallow, but one look at Lucy, who still seemed terrified, made me realize how selfish I was being. It also made me see that I was not acting like myself, and probably scaring her more. Casting a glance at the ground, I muttered my apologies.

Mystogan addressed the Mage beside me. "Lucy, this will come as a shock to you. I am from a world called Edolas. It is of a different plane of existence than this one. In that world, magic is a finite resource, and so they've been stealing it from this world. This," he concluded, gesturing around us, "is the result of that thievery."

Lucy stared at him in stunned silence for a few seconds before doing her natural freak-out.

"What the heck are you talking about?!" she shrieked.

"There is no time for a thorough explanation," Mystogan continued, looking up to the sky. "If we do not hurry, the entrance to Edolas will be sealed off."

Lucy and I blinked in surprise. "Wait a sec," the blonde started. "Are you saying you want us to go to this Edolas place?"

"Yes," Mystogan said seriously. "I want you to save our friends. I will remain here and search for anyone else who may have survived." From inside his cloak, he pulled out a small glass bottle of round, pink candies. Uncapping it and pouring two of them in his hand, he said, "Eat this."

"Wait, what?" I asked suspicious. Prankster siblings have made me wary of anything that was demanded of me to eat.

"What's that?" Lucy asked at the same time.

Mystogan used the chance to toss the candies into our open mouths as we spoke. Lucy made a face as she swallowed. I started to cough after it fell down my throat. It didn't taste horrible, or anything, just went down too fast.

"There is no time," Mystogan repeated, unlatching a staff from behind him and holding it out. "Hurry!"

"Wait a sec!" Lucy cried. "Give us more details!"

"You can't just send us in blind!" I protested.

"I'm counting on the two of you, Lucy, Jeanne."

A bright light illuminated our feet, and I could feel my body being pulled by a strange force. Suddenly, I had no feeling other than air rushing past me. I could hear Lucy screaming right beside me, but I could see nothing. I think I had my eyes closed. I know I felt sick.

Suddenly, the feeling of moving vanished. But I still felt unsafe, though I was uncertain why. I kept my eyes shut, using my hands to feel my surroundings. It seemed like we had landed on a rock pile. I heard Lucy gasp next to me.

"Is this… Edolas?"

That's when I noticed… my feet were not touching anything!

I opened my eyes, and found myself looking at a strange sight. The sky was a sickly yellow. Islands of land were floating all around.

And Lucy and I were stuck to the bottom of one them! I could see nothing below us but clouds!

"Kya!"

I screwed my eyes shut again, clutched frantically at the rocky terrain, grabbed hold of a protruding root and proceeded to squeeze the life out of it.

'Ohcrap ohcrap ohcrapcrapcrap!'

"Jeanne-san? Are you alright?"

"No!" I cried. "Do you not notice where we are?!" My breathing grew quick and frantic, and I was terrified my palms were about to sweat and I'd lose my grip.

"Jeanne-san, by any chance, are you… afraid of heights?"

I slowly opened one eye to glare at her. "Not exactly of heights, I just don't look forward to the landing part…" I turned my head away from her, looking up at the top of the island. "Especially if I can't see the ground," I added with a whimper.

"Well, then let's start climbing up," Lucy said determinedly.

'Easy for you to say!'

"Jeanne-san, do you think you can move?" Lucy asked kindly.

"Just… give me a moment," I replied. "I need to mentally prepare myself."

I shut my eyes again, and took a few deep breaths.

"Actually," Lucy began thoughtfully, "you can just let go."

I snapped my eyes open and whipped my head to face her. "Are you insane?!" I shrieked.

She pointed down below us. "Look, there is land underneath. And I think I can figure out a way to help with the landing part."

I took her word for it; no way was I going to look again!

"Lucy-san…" I whimpered. "I… I don't know if I…"

"Jeanne-san, trust me." Lucy looked at me, her brown eyes full of determination. "I won't allow my nakama to be harmed. Just trust me."

She held out her hand, wobbling precariously on her ledge. Without thinking, I grabbed at her with one arm to keep her steady. She smiled gratefully. I bit my lip.

"I trust you, Lucy-san," I began. "But that doesn't mean I'm not scared out my brains." I took a deep breath. "So, I'm apologizing in advance if I end up hurting you."

She nodded in understanding. "Alright, let go in three, two, one."

The two of us plummeted down.

A/N: Hello everybody! Welcome to Game The- wait. Sorry, wrong thing.

Thank you for reading the first chapter of Jeanne's latest adventure, the Edolas Arc! I know some of you were expecting/hoping for the Dragonoid arc, buuuut...no. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like that story when I first saw it, was actually kinda glad to learn that Mashima didn't write it, and because of that, I just skipped it. Daphne was annoying, the fact that Natsu would forget such an important promise rubbed me the wrong way, and don't even get me started on Gray's 'betrayal!'
Okay, rant over. Sorry about that.

Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this story, and I hope you don't wait too long for the next installment.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

~Ane (: