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Here is the next chapter. Please enjoy!

Chapter 2. Two men, vanished from the face of the earth

Contrary to Erza's words, Fried didn't arrive in the next morning. Days were passing by, and he was sill absent.

Mirajane's bewilderment turned to anxiety bit by bit.

Before his departure from the guild, Fried had mentioned that he had to visit a small town in the north of Magnolia. But he hadn't explained what exactly his job was.

Where could he be? Maybe he was still in that town? Why didn't he come back? Why didn't he contact with his team mates or any of the other guild members at least?

These questions gave Mirajane no peace. The lack of news was the worst possible thing.

A bright idea (as it seemed to her) crossed her mind a few days later.

"Can you reveal Fried's location through your cards?" she asked Cana Alberona.

Cana tried to do it but all her efforts were worthless. Her cards were unable to answer the question where Fried was.

"It is useless!" the brown-haired girl said. "I can't understand where he is! My cards don't tell me anything about him. Maybe the place where he is at the moment is protected with some kind of magic…"

"Something has happened to him… There is no other explanation! Goodness! Who knows what is going on with him now? Who knows if he is alive and well?" Mirajane said to herself. These thoughts were unbearable for her. She was unable to think about anything else.

Despite her efforts to hide her emotions, the other guild members noticed that she was extremely worried and distracted. They guessed what the reason was.

"Don't worry, Mira-san. I'm sure that Fried is okay. He is strong enough and he knows how to look after himself," Lucy tried to reassure her.

"I know that he is strong, Lucy," Mirajane answered with a sigh. "But this prolonged absence is very strange. He had promised to return for his birthday party! And he is not a man who breaks his word! That is why I think that something has happened to him. I'm afraid that he might be in trouble."

As it was to be expected, Evergreen was not less concerned than Mira. She just couldn't stay still. She entreated Bixlow again and again to go and search for Fried. They carried on one and the same conversation at least four times a day.

"He ordered us to wait for him at the guild and you know it," repeated Bixlow. "So we must stay here!"

"Here, here!" his dolls said, repeating his words.

"Yes, but… what if he is in trouble? Maybe he needs our help! We are his team mates, after all! We must try to find him!" she insisted.

On the seventh day after Fried's birthday Bixlow yielded to her entreaties.

"Very well," he said. "I will go and search for him. You will wait for us here."

All Evergreen's insistences to accompany him were a waste of time. He ordered her to stay at the guild.

"When you get some news about Fried, please let me know immediately," said Mirajane to Bixlow before his leaving.

"I won't forget," he promised.

"Be careful and try to return as soon as possible," added she.

-ooo-

Bixlow's departure to search for Fried didn't make things better. On the contrary, the situation became even worse.

The days were passing by one after another, and Bixlow didn't return.

He has vanished without any trace.

Had he managed to find Fried? Or he was in trouble himself? Most probably, yes, because there was no news from him.

Fried's disappearing was strange itself but now Bixlow was also missing. That was far too much. What could be the reason? Both of them couldn't just vanish from the face of the earth! What had happened to them?

Evergreen's anxiety increased with every passing day. On the seventh evening after Bixlow's departure her nerves couldn't stand any more. She was just desperate. It was obvious that the uncertainty was an unbearable torment for her.

"My poor team mates! First Fried… and now Bixlow too… Who knows what is going on with them! Who knows where they are! Oh, woe is me! After… you know… after Laxus's excommunication they are the only friends I have left!"

She stopped talking and closed her eyes as if the memory was too painful for her.

"What will I do without them?" Evergreen continued after a minute. Her voice was desperate. She broke out into tears and buried her face in her hands. "Why is this happening to me? Why? What an unhappy creature I am!" she added under her breath.

The other guild members looked at each other, and were silent. They didn't know what to say and how to console her. They knew how attached Evergreen was to her team mates and understood her emotions.

"It's not so, Evergreen," said Gray finally in an attempt to console her. "You are not alone. We are your friends too. Don't forget that. We will help you to find your team mates."

Erza nodded. "That's right. So don't cry. We will find them."

"So our new mission will be "Find the male part of the Raijinshuu!" Natsu exclaimed enthusiastically. "That will be interesting! I'm all fired up!"

"Aye, sir!" added Happy.

Just one glance from Erza was enough to make them stop talking.

"Shut up, boys!" the red-haired mage ordered them. "It's not time for such jokes. Don't you see that Evergreen is worried?"

Hearing the entire conversation, Mirajane bit her lips. A strange expression appeared on her face but she didn't say anything. Her hands were trembling and she nearly dropped the glass she held. It took a great effort to her to overmaster her emotions and to continue doing her work.

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