Ok, Here we are for a new story. Before starting, I need to explain some things. First, it's post-canon, but the team don't go on the 100 years quest. Secondly, the OCs are special for me, since I created them a long time ago when I was a kid, and kept upgrading them every once in a while. If you have some questions or ideas for them, tell me.

Also, this is a translation. I have a French version on my profile and I'll make them live like that : a new French chapter then a new translation. About one new chapter every week (week 1 : French, week 2 : English, week 3 : French, etc).

Let's go !

I don't own Fairy Tail, just my OCs.

Chapter 1 : Those who watch from the shadows

Italic : thoughts

It's been exactly 2 years since the end of the war against Alvarez Kingdom. 2 years since Zeref and Acnologia's death and also 2 years since Natsu ceased to be, in a way, END. In Magnolia, which had been rebuilt and was now more beautiful than ever, everything wasn't so peaceful. Indeed, the city, as well as the rest of the country prepared for the second anniversary of their victory against Alvarez. The kingdom's guild were particularly active, having played, for the most part, a vital role in this conflict. Moreover, during the last guild's master meeting, it had been proposed that all the guilds meet to celebrate the event and obviously, the chosen gathering place was the guild of the fairies. Which explained why everybody ran in all directions in the streets of Magnolia, hurrying to make sure that everything was ready for the big party in the evening, the beginning of the festivities which would be made at the guild by a speech pronounced by Queen Hisui E. Fiore in persons.

Naturally, the mages of Fairy Tail looked forward to it too, wanting just one thing, for the party to begin. But everyone was not at the guild yet. It was, for example, the case of Lucy Heartfilia, who was at the moment under the shower, smiling and, even if she did not show it as much as some of her companions, also looked forward to this evening. Going out of her shower as usual, meaning being only covered with a towel covering her breast and going to mid-thigh, she went to her living room but obviously.

- "Yo."

It wasn't empty, or at least it not anymore.

- "GET THE FUCK OUT !" she shouted, her face now as red as a tomato, sending a good old Lucy Kick in a well-known salmon haired Dragon Slayer. The latter got up, a footprint engraved on his face.

- "What ? What did I do ?", he asked, not understanding why she was so mad.

- "When you're normal, you aren't supposed to get in someone place when said person is taking a shower ! Specially if it's a girl !" she explained, as red as ever, of embarrassment and anger, trying to make him understand that it was normal for her to be mad, giving the current situation, even if she knew it was a lost cause. While she talked, she had slightly curled up, trying to cover her body as much as she could with her towel.

- "Chill out, it's not like you were a stranger to me." He said, drawing another shout from the stellar mage.

- "THAT'S NOT THE POINT !"

- "So what ? It's because you're naked under this." He tried again, gesturing toward the towel. "You know, I already saw you naked, I don't see why you should be embarrassed."

For Lucy, who just turn crimson, more from anger than embarrassment, it was the last straw and she did something Natsu did not expected. She opened her window, pulled him up by his collar and gathering all the strength she could, she throw him through the window, straight into the waterway in front of her apartment.

- "GET OUT !" she roared while Natsu, shocked by what his blond friend just did, did nothing to avoid the water. Once the Salamander was in the water, Lucy closed her window, took some time to calm down and get herself ready, at last.

/- Later -/

"He is such an idiot !"

That though resumed what Lucy was thinking about since she got out of her apartment. Her cheeks still got a light shade of pink thinking about what happened and she couldn't get the fire mage out of her mind. She noticed that a few years ago, more precisely since they came back from Tenrou, her relation with Natsu changed but she was lost. She couldn't lie to herself anymore : she was in love with him. But she tried to forget those feelings since to her, there was no way Natsu will ever feel the same way. But how could she try to forget, when fate kept throwing her in embarrassing situations ? She's already been naked in front of Natsu, often her naked body against his and she was once naked against him, naked too. And her body couldn't stop liking those kind of situations. But it wasn't the only reason she tried to forget those feelings. He probably didn't even know what 'being in love' meant. Furthermore, he always act like a kid and despite all those time he saw her naked, he never reacted, like he didn't found her attractive, and it hurt her, in a way. Deciding that it was enough thinking, she shook her head, trying to get rid of those though and focus on this day.

/- At the same time, with Natsu -/

Natsu was grumpy. He was actually heading to the guild, still wet thanks to his unwanted bath in the waterway a few minutes ago. If he was surprised by the strength Lucy displayed, what was grinding his gears was the effect of Lucy's reaction on himself. It wasn't the first time she was upset because he came to her house uninvited, even if the ejection by the window was a first, but he felt bad about it, and that was new. When he though about it, he realized that he felt weird when he was around her. And it's been like this for a few years, to be more precise, ever since he saw her 'dead' before going berserk on Gray during the war with Alvarez. Now, it was like upsetting her was the worse thing in the world and on the other side, her smile was it's best. Also, he felt physically weird around her, like he had knots in his stomach. And he had a hard time seeing her with other guys, wanting to beat them up just for going near her. He had reached a point where he could get into a fight with anyone with almost no reason to. He couldn't understand why he was like this.

"It's probably nothing. It'll pass if I give it the time. I better hurry to the guild. I'm starving." It's on that though that he sped up his pace to reach the guild.

/- Guild Hall -/

If the city could be compared to an anthill in term of activities, the guild was an anthill in which someone kicked. It was a 100 times worse. Makarov was shouting order without stopping, running everywhere to make sure that everything was perfect for tonight. Fairy Tail's reputation was normally really important for him, but now, the fact that so many people, including the queen herself, will be here wasn't helping him in calming down his nerve. It was just a little past noon but he was already tired of shouting, but wasn't stopping either way. Everyone was working, giving their all to make sure that everything was ready for tonight. Decorating the guild, moving tables, building the scene where the princess will give her speech but also the exterior of the guild. Indeed, Makarov was so bent on doing the best he could that he made sure to install tables outside, so everyone could enjoy the party. Lucy was actually helping the girls in putting all the decorations while the boys were moving everything that needed to be moved : chairs, tables, etc. There was even a group cleaning up the guild from the floor to the ceiling. So, with so much to do, we could think that the mages would be to occupied to do what they were the best at : destroying everything. But someone was about to put fire to the powder.

- "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ! Seriously ? HAHAHAHAHAHA !" Gray had to put down the table he was carrying with Alzack, folded in half, laughing to tears about what he just heard. "In the water ? Seri-HAHAHA !" He couldn't even finish his sentences because of his laughing. Apparently, Happy, while looking for Natsu this morning, saw everything when Lucy threw the fire mage out of her apartment and, just like he always do, he told it to everyone in the guild. Natsu was trying to keep a hold of himself since he promised he wouldn't do anything violent before tomorrow (even if he promised under the pressuring of Erza's sword), but Gray's laughter, now joined by the other who just heard the story, was getting on his nerves seriously and he knew he was close to snap. The girls looked at the scene, not knowing how they should feel. On one hand, they were proud that their Lucy was able to throw a dragon slayer like Natsu through her window, but seeing Natsu reddening with each passing second, not because of embarrassment but because of his body heat skyrocketing, they were afraid that he unleashed his frustration, burning down the guild in the process. Lucy wasn't looking at the scene, the voice of Natsu was enough to bring back what happened this morning. Blushing once again because of that, she didn't saw Mirajane, looking at her pink cheeks with a smile far too nice to be genuine.

- "Lucy, why are you blushing so much ?"

- "Huh ? What ? I'm not blushing, what are you talking about ?" Lucy tried to dodge Mirajane, but alas, she failed.

- "It's true that you are weird today." Agreed Levy, getting closer to her best friend, worried. "Lu-chan, are you sure everything's ok ?"

- "I'm sure it's related to the fact that he did something when he came to your home this morning." Add Cana, without really looking at the blonde. Against the card mage words, Lucy could feel herself blushing heavily, turning her head to face her.

- "H-how do you know ?" she asked, eyes wide.

- "I didn't, but it's not the first time he have done this, and also, you just confessed it." Answered Cana, an evil grin on her face as she turned to face Lucy. "I have to say, even if it's not the first time you unleashed your anger on him for sneaking into your apartment, throwing him out the window into the river is on another level, so something different happened today."

A sharp breath was heard, the group turning to see Mirajane, eyes wide, hands on her face, as if she just understood something deep.

- "Don't tell me… He tried to kiss you, is that it ?"

- "W-what ? No ! Not at all !" countered Lucy, now as red as Erza's hair.

- "Oh. So he just flirt with you ?" continued the barmaid, disappointed and hopeful at the same time.

- "HE DIDN'T !" shouted Lucy, not understanding what was the point. "He didn't do anything, I just… had a more violent reaction than normal, that's all." The girls were ready to keep on with the questions when Makarov addressed the whole guild.

- "Great, everything is in place." Announced the master, getting everyone's attention, Lucy thanking him for his intervention, getting her out of a situation she couldn't have avoided. "Now that the guild is ready…"

- "… I can make the ice princess pay !" Natsu said, his hands already on fire, turning to face the ice mage. "Now come on, I'll beat y…"

- "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW !" roared Makarov, flattening Natsu with a giant fist before going on. "So as I was saying, now that the guild is ready, I have to tell you a few things about tonight. First, if many of those guest are friends who knows how rowdy we can be, it's not the case for some of them and I don't want the party to be ruined because SOME people couldn't resist fighting each other like some violent apes." At that, he gave a dark stare at Gray and Natsu, the latter still on the ground since Makarov calm him down. "Did I make myself clear ?"

A ground shaking YES was heard through the guild and Makarov nodded, glad that he was understood, before getting off the table he was on. Once the last decoration were installed, the girls decide to go do some shopping, to find something to wear for tonight, leaving the boys behind. They stayed in silence until Luxus began talking.

- "Well, since we have the rest of the afternoon for us, we could use that time to have some fun. You're in ?"

- "I'm in only if that iceberg get dressed." Answered Natsu, pointing at Gray.

- "What are you … Ah shit !" Gray began before stopping, since he indeed was in underwear. "Where are those clothes, damnit ?!"

- "While we are out, we should buy him some glue, to make sure he doesn't got naked during the party." Snickered Gajeel and seeing Gray was about to retort, Makarov threw them all outside the guild before they decided to fight, destroying everything they put in place.

/- With the girls -/

- "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU ? THAT'S OUT OF THE QUESTION ?"

The voice rang in the shop, making everyone in the shop and the street outside jump out of surprise. Charla just shouted on Cana and for a really good reason (at least for her, it is one). When the girl reached this shop, looking for dress for the night, they spread in the store shelves, looking for what they wanted. But what should have been a good old shopping spree took a turn for the worse when Wendy, as red as ruby, opened her mouth to ask a question no one expected.

- "Uh. C-Can someone help me ? I, I need t-to buy a… bra ?" She asked that while looking at her feet but the others reaction was expected. They looked at her wide eyed and turned their heads to Charla, as if to confirm that it wasn't a dream. And the Exceed answered their unsaid question.

- "Yes, you heard that right. Let's say that I couldn't deny it anymore. But I won't let her wear anything."

The mages then shrieked in glee, as if they didn't heard the Exceed last comment. They were all really happy for Wendy. She have always been complexed by her bust size and it seemed like in the last 2 years, puberty finally decided it was time to give Wendy what she wanted, since she was now 15 years old (A.N. : I hope I got that right, sorry if that's not it but I'll keep it like that in this story). If some of the mages, mainly Mirajane, had tears in her eyes, proud to see their sweet Wendy growing up, others, mainly Cana, had others project. The alcoholic disappeared in the store while the others were helping Wendy picking up the good kind of underwear for her. When she was back, everything went down.

- "This is perfect." Said the card mage, showing them a set which made Wendy go crimson and for a good reason since the set wasn't classic underwear, but skimpy lingerie, leaving nothing for the imagination. Which led us to Charla's reaction, the cat standing in-between Wendy and Cana.

- "Come on, don't be so stuck up." She said, as if what she did was normal. "It will look great on her."

- "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND ?! PUT THOSE THINGS BACK WHERE YOU FOUND THEM !"

- "T-thanks Cana, b-but it's a l-little too much." Answered Wendy, who couldn't even look at Cana, a disappointed look appearing on the brunette face.

- "Also, it's the kind of underwear you use when you want to seduce someone and she have no reason to seduce anyone." Said Levy, siding with Carla.

- "Exactly. And I know Wendy, she is not the kind of girl who would want to flirt with boys, she is still a little young for it. And she have no one in mind for that." Saying this, she had her back to Wendy and then couldn't see her blushing once more, like if she was hiding something. But the other girls, mainly Cana and Mirajane, saw it and knew they will have to look at her closely to know exactly what she is hiding. After finally choosing underwear Carla approved of, they all bought what they needed and then head back home, to prepare for the night.

/- That night -/

- "Two years ago, our kingdom underwent the worse invasion in his history, leading to an open war with Alvarez Kingdom." The queen Hisui E. Fiore just began her speech, addressing the people gathered in front of the guild. "During this war, we lost a lot. Citizens fallen on the battlefields, many places reduced to nothing but rubbles and even now, our country bear the traces of this conflict. But thanks to the joint efforts of those inhabitants, of our military forces and the kingdom mages guild, we managed to win. But it wasn't just a victory on an enemy coming from another country : it was also a fight against the two biggest threat our kingdom has ever known : the great black mage Zeref and the dragon of apocalypse Acnologia. The war proved that the kingdom citizens were ready to do everything they could to protect their freedom and rights and we are all gathered here today to remember that day, to honor those who disappeared that day and our freedom to live. Now, let the festivities begin !" A that, she made a hand gesture and fireworks began lighting up the sky all across the kingdom, launching the festivities.

In the guild hall, where everyone from Fairy tail but also Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Sabertooth, Quattro Cerberus and even the member of the now disbanded Crime Sorciere, the mood was high. Everybody was having fun, talking to their friends of the other guild, laughing, eating without a care in the world. Natsu, standing by the food table, was eating a fire chicken, while looking at Lucy, who was talking with Yukino. The blonde look at him a second before frowning and going back to Yukino.

"What did I do, seriously ? Why is she acting like that ?" When he saw Sting approaching the girl, he could feel something in him telling him to make the Light Dragon Slayer eat his own stomach. Shaking his head, he turned his head. "Why I'm reacting like that ? Maybe a protecting instinct, after all, we have done a lot of thing together. It must be that." Satisfied by his explanation, he got back to his meal. Lucy, on her side, was thinking once again about Natsu, and more precisely, about what she was feeling about him. She took a decision : if Natsu kept acting like a kid, she'll stay friend with him but won't go any further? This new resolution taken, she looked around the guild, taking a glass of champagne from a young server with square glasses. She saw Erza talking with Jellal, theirs faces slightly red, which made Lucy giggle. She also saw Levy, her hand in Gajeel's, Gray with Juvia near him, their relation kinda blurry : while Gray still couldn't define what they were, Juvia was already talking wedding. She kept looking around the guild, seeing Wendy talking with Romeo and Cherrya, the bluenette looking at the young fire mage, Mirajane looking at them from afar, standing next to Luxus, Cana drinking with Bacchus, but she stopped on Happy, standing next to Charla and Panther Lily in their human form, next to 2 others human sized cat, one brown and the other green in a frog costume. Lucy tapped on Yukino shoulder, then pointing at the two, Yukino understanding what she wanted to ask.

- "Yes, those are Lector and Frosch. They trained with Master Sting et Rogue."

Lucy nodded, since she just wanted a confirmation about it and she saw Natsu coming up to them, gawking at the Sabertooth Exceed.

- "Wow ! You two have a fight mode too ? Awesome !" Natsu's eyes were shining but what he didn't saw was Happy, who seemed hurt by the way Natsu was acting toward the others Exceeds. Another proof for Lucy that Natsu had no consideration and tact. She sighed, which got Gray's attention who saw the scene and guessed why the stellar mage could think about. And since a party at Fairy Tail was never normal, that's when things got down.

- "Hey, Elsa !" taunted Natsu, Gray looking at him with a glare.

- "You have a problem, pyromaniac ?"

- "Yes. You and your exhibitionism. Go put some clothes on."

Gray, who was indeed shirtless, just taunted back.

- "Try to learn not to hurt people when you talk before teaching me a lesson." Gray countered, thinking about Happy, hurt by the way Natsu act about the new form of Frosch and Lector.

- "You wanna fight, ice prick ?!"

- "Sorry, but no. I'm not a wild animal."

- "I'm not an animal !" shouted the fire mage before jumping on Gray. And then, a big brawl began in the guild, dragging along member from all the guild. This comforted Lucy in what she though about Natsu being just a kid. The brawl kept growing, dragging along poor innocent people like the server. Hisui was looking at the scene, giggling a little while Makarov was crying for the guild reputation he though was ruined.

/- In a small clearing not too far from Magnolia-/

11 people where gathered, looking at some sort of screen where was displayed what actually happened in the guild. Right now, they couldn't see anything since the camera had been dragged in the brawl.

- "Well, it looks like we won't see anything more, now." said a young man, eating popcorn.

- "Yeah looks like it. AND STOP EATING POPCORN, YOU LAZY FUCK !" shouted someone else, with a deeper voice.

- "Calm down guys. It's time to move. Let's see if those guys have what it take." Glowing in different color, they looked at the screen, small grin on their faces as they thought about their plans.

OK, first chapter of this new story. I hope you liked it. Reviews are welcomed, good or bad, even advices.

Next time : An unexpected visit and a mysterious restaurant. Those who came from elsewhere. The first of the 12 threats. Welcome in the Hell Garden !