Beyond The Gate
Chapter 2
Misplaced Monsters

Rated M: for Mind-fuckery. …And language, apparently.

Special thanks to Ceria Crimson for being my awesome Beta! And for wrangling my rampant commas, as my unhealthy love for them prevents me from doing so.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or the song.

So Far Away From Knowing Where I'm Going
I'm Trying Hard To Find Out Who I Am
They All Say That I Don't Know What I'm Doing
I Say They Don't Hardly Understand

-3 Doors Down "When You're Young"

Lucy, Sting, Rogue, and Flare watched in abject horror as Natsu casually flung the wheelbarrow that contained the worst villain they'd ever encountered in their lives. The object hung suspended in the air for only a few moments, but it felt like an eternity to the stupefied onlookers.

The occupant of the wheelbarrow was sent flying as well, the rising sun glinting off of his silver locks as he lifted from the makeshift vehicle that had incapacitated him. Leaving the object behind, Future Rogue tumbled through the air to land heavily at the foot of the Eclipse Gate. The man rolled over some of the sizable debris scattered before the behemoth structure as he lost momentum and came to a halt.

The man – no, monster lay there for a moment. Then he coughed and groaned, shakily pulling himself to his knees. He wheezed, clutching his chest as he tried to breathe.

Suddenly, out the corner of Lucy's eye, she saw Rogue sink into his shadows. She watched, agape, as the darkness shot across the square.

Leaping from his shadow, Rogue crashed into his future self, sending them tumbling.

"Shit," Sting hissed from his spot on the ground. "What is that idiot..." He struggled to lift himself up before collapsing back against the stones, his broken leg unable to support his weight. "Damn it," the Dragon Slayer muttered. "Rogue, try not to do anything stupid without me."

Lucy dropped next to Sting. She grabbed his right arm and slung it around her shoulders.

He blinked in deep surprise. "What are you doing, Blondie?" Sting was further shocked when Flare, seeing how Lucy was struggling with the Dragon Slayer's weight, wrapped his other arm around her shoulders.

Together, the two managed to get Sting to his feet – well, foot.

"Ugh," Lucy groaned, "I think I need to give the Exceeds more credit for doing this all the time. You're heavy. Go on a diet, would you?"

"Hey, I resent that! Look at me; do you see an ounce of flab anywhere?" A rueful chuckle, unbidden, burst forth from Sting's mouth. "Seriously though – Blondie, Red, why are you helping me up?" Somewhere deep inside, a voice told him that he didn't deserve their help or care. He'd left during the battle between the two believing both too weak to be of interest, and laughed when the blonde was being tortured by his own teammate. Even when her teammates had rushed to her defense, he'd sided with Minerva against them. In truth, he'd believed that it was her own fault for being weak and not because the other woman was simply merciless and cruel.

The blonde woman simply rolled her eyes at him. "And here I thought you had more brains than Natsu," she teased. Then she shook her head in mock sorrow, and explained, "I've been with Fairy Tail and on Team Natsu long enough to recognize the signs of when someone is about to do something reckless and extremely stupid." She gestured towards the two Rogues, and Lucy smiled brightly at Sting, turning her head to the front. "Nakama and teammates, especially, need to keep each other from doing things like that." At this point, even she wasn't sure anymore about who she was talking about. The current Rogue from her era, or the one from the future. Maybe it was both. "You're his teammate, right? That's your job. We'll just make sure you get over there."

Unable to formulate a proper response to this speech, Sting merely stared at the profile of her face. "Huh," he muttered, more to himself.

At this, Flare smiled cheerfully at him as well. "I'm following Blondie's lead," she offered helpfully. "I don't particularly care about you one way or another."

Those words dealt Sting a physical blow and all the air rushed out of his lungs. He wheezed at the critical hit to his ego. "Ouch, Red. Ouch." It wasn't like he didn't deserve it to some degree, but… ooh, that hurt. "Blondie, she's being mean," he whined.

"Okay, seriously, you two? Stop with the 'Blondie this', 'Blondie that' already. My name is Lucy. Use it."

Sting and Flare contemplated it for all of two seconds. "No," they replied in concert.

"I will drop you," Lucy threatened Sting alone.

"Yeah, right," Sting challenged. "You don't have the heart to, Blondie. You're a Fairy after – AAAHHH!" he screamed as both Lucy and Flare let go momentarily, catching him again before he hit the ground.

Hauling the incapacitated Dragon Slayer back up, Lucy snickered at the expression on the other blonde's face. "You were saying?"

"…Point taken."

He was going to have to reconsider his definition of 'weak'.

"We have to stop Rogue. Our Rogue," Sting confided in the women. "I know him. He's going to kill… that person. We can't let him. It'll destroy him." Tears pricked his eyes in fear for his friend. "I can't let him become that person. I promised him I wouldn't."

Lucy and Flare nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile, Rogue and Future Rogue had stopped a mere hair's breadth from the Eclipse Gate. Grabbing two fistfuls of his counterpart's shirt, the present era's Rogue stood up and dragged his future self up with him. He slammed the Dragon Slayer against the gate and leaned toward his face, snarling.

Up until this point, a small part of Rogue had been able to deny that the cause of all the destruction and chaos was himself. But, now that he could see and smell the monster before him clearly, with no distractions, he realized that he couldn't fool himself any longer.

Although older, the face before him was definitely his. Time had narrowed the man's face a bit. He was missing an eye; the ugly, gaping scar from where it had been torn out, bridged his nose to stretch across his face. It was hard to miss the fact that his hair had completely changed, as well. Only the man's bangs were dark, the rest of his locks were now a somewhat dirtied, yet still shocking white-blonde and extremely long (did he not cut it once in the seven years he had on the current era's Rogue?). Vomit from where he'd been sick on himself coated the strands. Then there was the matter of the tattoo over his left eye, black and snaking up the side of his face from his jaw to his eyebrow.

But his eye. The blood red orb stared back at Rogue, the narrow, snake-like pupil contemplating him in return.

There was no mistaking that eye. Rogue had seen it his whole life staring back at him in the mirror.

He growled. Lifting his future counterpart away from the gate, he then slammed the man back into it.

With a crack, the back of Future Rogue's head collided with the gate. His lip curled at the pain and a hiss like steam escaped from his mouth.

"Why?!" the current era's Rogue rasped, flinching from the stench of bile wafting from Future Rogue's mouth. It took every speck of willpower he still possessed to keep from trembling in his rage and despair; the emotions coiled about his soul like his shadows, urging him to rip out Future Rogue's throat and be done with it.

Behind him, he heard Sting and the two girls approaching. Ignoring them, he kept his eyes on his adversary, waiting for an answer. When it didn't seem forthcoming, he leaned his head back and smashed it against Future Rogue's.

The monster's single, crimson eye spun as his head once again collided with the gate.

"Tell me!" Rogue demanded. "Why did you do this?! I would never harm my friends! So why are you so intent on killing everyone?!"

Future Rogue coughed twice, his head lowered. Slowly, he raised his gaze to meet that of his past self. A sneer twisted his face as a harsh, cruel laugh wound its way to freedom. Only once the fits of mirth had subsided, did the man deign to answer his counterpart. "Except that you do." The smile split and pulled Future Rogue's face into an insane mask – the corners of his lips nearly reaching his eyes. "You will become a part of the darkness. It's your fate and your future, as you can see before you."

"You're lying!"

He laughed at his past self's naiveté. It was so very nostalgic. "And yet the evidence to the contrary breathes in front of you," Future Rogue taunted. There was something… oddly satisfactory about watching his past self sink into despair. Punishment for mistakes not yet made. "One year from now, your world will come crashing down around your ears."

Rogue's grip on the man's clothes tightened. "What do you mean?" The man coughed again, but this time blood flew from his mouth and landed on Rogue's face. He didn't bother to wipe it away, nor did he flinch.

Blood dribbling out the corner of his ghastly grin, Future Rogue laughed once more. "Frosch."

That single word drained the remaining colour from Rogue's face.

Future Rogue heard his counterpart's heartbeat racing, and knew that he had his full attention on his words. Perfect. Quietly, he began to gather power in the center of his back, where the Eclipse and his body would block it from view. Would the thing that dwelt within answer his call as it had in his original timeline? Would the gate open for him again?

Yes, it would.

"One year from now, Frosch will die. There will be nothing you can do to stop it." His grin had fallen with the admission. Even six years later, the heartache reached forward with its talons to tear what remained of him apart. "The pain will be unimaginable." He knew he was saying it to distract, so why was he bothering with the truth? He wasn't sure.

Happiness had died in him that day, so long ago. And yet, it hadn't happened here. Not for some time. He wondered, could he still prevent the death of his closest companion? Should he even try? …Or perhaps not. He was long past the time when he frolicked with a cat; his only focus now should be on slaying Acnologia to become the new King of the Dragons.

The Rogue of the present stared at his future self. 'Frosch will… die?' It didn't fully register in his brain. The mere idea of Frosch disappearing from his life was enough to make his heart clench painfully. He knew without a doubt that he loved the Exceed above all others – above Sting, Lector, himself, and even Skiadrum.

He remembered finding her wandering when he thought he'd lost everything. After putting Skiadrum out of his misery, Rogue had felt only a yawning void in his chest where warmth had once resided. Joining Phantom Lord, and shadowing the terrifying Gajeel Redfox had done little to fill the emptiness. He'd even lost that when the Guild was disbanded. The Exceed, with her green fur and ridiculously adorable pink frog costume, had been hope itself for the lonely little boy. When she'd sprouted wings, it was almost as if he'd gained them himself.

If Frosch died, there would be very little of him left worth anything.

A tear slipped down his cheek. "No," he whimpered. "You're lying."

"I wish I was."

The sincerity in Future Rogue's voice nearly broke him.

"Then," the monster continued, still serious, "Acnologia will rise and lay waste to the world. Frosch's death will only be the beginning. One by one, you'll lose those you care about. Lector, Rufus, Yukino, Minerva – yes, even her – Orga, Natsu, Gajeel, and Lucy Heartfilia. Their deaths will break you. One day it will be too much and you will feed yourself to your shadow." Here, his manic smile returned. "You will murder your last remaining friend, and your promise of mutual destruction will be worth less than the dust at your feet and his blood on your hands." Future Rogue laughed. "Your shadow will consume his light and you will be truly lost."

Rogue's grip slackened at this revelation, his eyes widening in horror. He quickly glanced over his shoulder. Sting, with Lucy and Flare supporting him, had gained much ground since the start of his conversation.

Sting met his gaze with the same despair that he felt, confirming that the Dragon Slayer of Light – with his keen hearing – had heard the whole future revelation.

"That won't happen," asserted Rogue, still looking at his friend. He wasn't certain as to whether he was still speaking to his future self, to Sting, or if he was just trying to reassure himself.

"Don't you get it already?!" Future Rogue snarled, patience lost with his past self. "It already has!" Taking the opportunity presented to him, he then shoved his past self, breaking the man's grip.

Losing his balance, Rogue fell to the stones before the gate. He turned in place, just in time to see Future Rogue disappearing into the shadows gathered, unnoticed, at his back.

"I think my plans for this world are sunk. Perhaps I'll try my luck elsewhere. Or, should I say, elsewhen?" With a laugh, he vanished into a sliver of darkness.

"No!" Rogue screamed, reaching for the shadow. It slipped from his grasping fingers, and plunged into the crack between the gate's doors.

And just like that, Future Rogue escaped back into time. Out of reach.

A wail of despair wrenched itself from Rogue's throat, barely noticed by its originator. He struggled to gather his magic, and sank into his own shadow. Streaking towards the gate, he threw himself at the space his counterpart had disappeared into.

Only for his form to break apart against the unyielding structure, denied entry.

Gasping, he solidified and slammed his physical body into it instead. Not even a quiver shook the gate, the blow shrugged off as easily as his shadow form had been repelled.

"No!" He tried to pry the gate apart with his bandaged hands, even though he knew it was impossible. "I won't let you!"

Hitting the gate with his fists, he continued to shout at the impassive object. "I promise you! I won't become you! I will stop you, I swear it!" The skin on Rogue's hands broke and bled from the abuse, the warm liquid dripping down his arms, but he continued to pound the gate anyway. His fingernails ripped as he attempted to claw through the steel blocking him from his prey. Tears now flowed freely down his face.

Sting swore as he saw Rogue gather shadows around him, preparing to pursue his adversary through the gate despite the result of his last attempt. The blonde Dragon Slayer threw off the arms supporting him and coiled his one good leg. With a cry, he launched himself at his friend. Hitting him with a full-body tackle, they fell to the ground.

Rogue's concentration broken, the shadows dissipated.

"Let me go, Sting!" he cried, flailing under the weight of his partner. "I have to stop him!"

The blonde Dragon Slayer clung as tightly as he could to the desperate Shadow Dragon Slayer. "No, Rogue! Not like this! If I let you go after him with wounds like that, you'll die!" Indeed, the man was bleeding from over a dozen small, yet deep punctures – inflicted by Scissor Runner's pincers. If Rogue hadn't turned into a shadow to escape them, he would have been sawn in half. But, with the injuries he had received, he shouldn't have dragged Sting away from the battling dragons; he shouldn't have supported him all the way to the courtyard; he shouldn't have tackled Future Rogue, and he certainly shouldn't have thrown himself at the gate. Although Rogue was tough, there was only so much stress and blood loss a body could take before it gave out. There was also the possibility of internal injuries to his organs that had yet to reveal themselves fully.

Sting feared for his stubborn friend's life.

Rogue thrashed in Sting's grip. "I'm not him! I have to stop him, so I won't ever become him!" Desperate he reached beyond Sting for the gate. "I can't let him continue to commit atrocities while wearing my face!" His voice broke at the last two words, despair watering his throat.

"I know," Sting whispered, knowing that Rogue could hear him and hoping that his voice reached. "But not right now, Rogue. We need to get you healed up. I won't…" His voice broke into a sob, tears and snot welling up uncontrollably. "Future Sting failed Future Rogue, but I won't fail you."

He turned his head to the hovering women as Rogue's piteous wailing began again.

Lucy dropped to the ground and leaned towards the two Dragon Slayers. Sting smelled the other blonde's fear, read it in the stiffness around her eyes and the way she held herself. Otherwise, she wasn't letting it show. "What can we do to help him?"

To her credit, her voice barely trembled.

Swallowing a knot in his throat, Sting hiccupped. "Bring Frosch here. She's the only one who can help him when he's like this." It clearly killed him to admit it – to acknowledge that his only use to his best friend was as an anchor and that no matter how much he wanted to, he could not be a true balm.

The Fairy Tail Mage nodded. "She's his Exceed, right? What does she look like, and where might she be?" Now that she had a purpose, she felt stronger.

Sting flinched as Rogue let loose a particularly nasty stream of expletives at his future self, the gate, the dragons, and his own partner for holding him back. The rage had become sorrow, until it had come full circle back to rage, which was never a good sign. With Rogue, though… Sting had never seen this in the seven years he'd known his partner.

It terrified him.

"Frosch is green, and she wears a pink frog costume. We sent Lector and Frosch to act as lookouts for the retreating citizens, thinking that it would be safer. I don't know where they could be now, though."

"All right." Lucy nodded, and stood up. She turned to her companion. "A woman named Kinana from my Guild went to guide the citizens to those mountain tops." Lucy pointed them out. "Flare, how fast do you think you can get over there?"

The woman with crimson locks considered the distance for a moment. "How soon do you need me there?"

"Now," Lucy commanded.

Flare nodded. "Then I'll be going. Be careful!"

"I will."

As the young woman turned away, Sting called out, "Wait, Red!"

She tilted her head slightly to regard him with the corner of one rust coloured eye. "What?"

"Lector! He's a red Exceed, and he wears a blue jacket! Tell him I'm okay!" he pleaded.

"Flare!" Lucy called to her as well. "Pass along Sting's message, and send Frosch here, but tell Kinana and Lector to stay with the citizens!" She turned to Sting with an apology in her eyes. "An Exceed lookout was too good of an idea to send both of them down here. They'll need his eyes and wings yet, I fear."

The Dragon Slayer nodded reluctantly, and Flare took off without waiting for further orders.

Sting glanced at the Celestial Mage. He had to admit that she wore the mantle of authority well. She was completely different from Yukino, the only other Celestial Mage he knew. Yukino, although strong and capable when it came to many matters, had never exuded such calm surety as the woman in front of him.

What amazed the blonde Sabertooth Mage the most, though, was the fact that he could still hear her racing heartbeat. Her scent still revealed her deep, inner terror. However, there was no trace of it elsewhere, as she held herself still and upright – her expression the model of calm authority.

He remembered when he was faced with those same feelings of utter helplessness and terror at her guild mates' display of strength. Was it really only a few hours ago when his legs had turned to gelatin and he'd fallen to his knees in surrender before their unified front – without having even put up a struggle?

'Strength, huh?' he thought, recalling also Rogue's earlier comment to the woman. 'Is this what you meant, Rogue? Is this what you saw? If so, when?' Sting couldn't imagine how Rogue, of all people, had seen it where Sting himself hadn't. He prided himself on his ability to spot strength, so how in Earthland had he missed this woman?

"Sting," Lucy addressed the Dragon Slayer without an honorific this time. She felt they were past that, honestly. It would feel silly to add a san to his name now. "Do you have things handled here?"

He blinked up at her, feeling somewhat foolish and hoping she hadn't caught him staring. Rogue had stopped struggling, and was now clutching Sting's fur-lined jacket with all his remaining power. The dark-haired man's shoulders shook with the force of his sobs. "I think I can manage him until Frosch arrives. Why?" Sudden panic set in. She wasn't leaving, was she?

Lucy looked off into the rising sun, and then at the ruins of Crocus. "There are still three dragons out there, Sting. And I'm sure that there's plenty of wounded. We'll have to set up a command center, and locate all of the remaining combatants. Wendy and Chelia's healing abilities are going to be in high demand." She cast a worried glance at the two men. "The wound on your side – it's reopened."

Sting gave her pained smirk. "Thanks, Blondie, I hadn't noticed the searing agony." She puffed out her cheeks in irritation, like a child. The sight almost drove him to laugh.

But then, laughing would really hurt right now.

"If you're in good enough shape to joke," she offered, her smile turning as sweet as poison, "then you can direct people as the new command center leader. The courtyard is as good a place as any to set it up, I suppose."

For some reason, that smile scared him a hell of a lot more than fighting the dragons did. "Me?" he stared at her with a mixture of fear and surprise. "You want me in charge?" Appointing himself the interim Guild Master of Sabertooth was one thing with Jiemma and Minerva vanished, but he wasn't sure he was up for what she was suggesting.

Lucy snorted in derision. "Unless the great Sting Eucliffe is admitting that he can't meet the challenge."

"Of course not!"

"Then prove it."

Sting was aware that he'd strolled into that one. Well, he would just have to be his normal impressive self and everything would be fine. …Probably. He hoped. It wasn't like he was Natsu, after all. Sting didn't randomly set things on fire. That had to count for something.

"Aye, aye, Captain Blondie," he mock saluted her.

Lucy growled in the back of her throat at her seemingly inescapable epithet. "In that case, I'll be going. Take care." She hesitated and then added, much softer, "Both of you." Lucy turned, and started to jog away, but was stopped by a yell from Sting.

"Hey Blondie! I'll consider calling you by your name if you join Sabertooth!"

He wasn't sure where that had come from, but it felt right. Now that he was the new Guild Master (apparent), he could do stuff like that, right? Otherwise, what was the point?

Lucy shot him a brilliant smile over her shoulder. "I'll consider joining if you call me by my name!" she joked. Leaping over a fallen column, she disappeared from sight.

Sting blinked at where the blonde woman had vanished and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. 'Who wears that kind of underwear into battle?' he thought, having received an eyeful of lacy panties when her tattered skirt flipped up during her jump. 'Maybe it inspires self-confidence?' Blondie had quite a lot to be proud of, from what he'd seen. He let out a long, low whistle.

A light hit on his shoulder captured Sting's attention.

"Pervert," Rogue muttered, pulling back from his partner. "You can let go of me, now, by the way."

Sting frowned and crushed Rogue in a vice-gripped embrace. "Not until you promise that you won't try to follow him until you're healed, or do anything else equally stupid." At his partner's pained protest, Sting squeezed harder, smothering Rogue. "I'm the only one on this team allowed to pull idiotic stunts, remember?" When Rogue refused to respond, Sting thumped him on his back as hard as he could, eliciting a yelp from the wounded mage. "Promise me, Rogue!"

Something resembling assent was mumbled into Sting's jacket.

(Or it might have been, "Uncle! Uncle!")

"Eh, good enough." Sting released him and Rogue slumped. The fight was long gone from him, exhaustion from the battle catching up with him. What energy the past twenty-four hours hadn't stolen the fit of rage and despair the Shadow Dragon Slayer had thrown had drained from him. The person in front of Sting wasn't his partner, but rather the husk of the man. He hoped Frosch arrived soon, or his friend might not recover.

"I will defeat him," Rogue suddenly said, his voice raspy from his destroyed vocal cords. "No, I will obliterate him."

Fixing Rogue with a hard stare, Sting scooted away, leaned back against the gate and then propped his fractured leg up on a stone fragment. "Blondie was afraid." It came out more accusing than he'd intended, but he knew it needed to be said. "Why was she afraid of you?"

Rogue swallowed the dust in his throat, and put his head in his hands. "I don't know. But he must have done something." There was no need to clarify who 'he' was. Crimson eyes emerged from the shelter of his palms to bore straight into Sting's cerulean ones. "I will tear him apart for it, though," he promised with a deadly calm tone and expression.

"No," Sting said.

His partner hissed at him.

"No," Sting repeated. "We'll take him apart together, for making you, me, and Blondie cry." Then he sniggered as it occurred to him that he should probably wipe his face clear of the snot and tears drying on it. "Well, if Blondie leaves us enough of him when she's through." He flapped a hand in dismissal. "The woman is scary. Never thought I'd ever meet someone I'd fear or respect more than Minerva."

Rogue chuckled, which made Sting grin ruefully at his partner. "I think I'm in trouble, Rogue," he confided in the normally stoic man. "This is the first time I've ever wanted to be friends with someone. Please tell me I'm not going as soft as a Fairy."

"It's too late for you," Rogue replied, solemn.

"Bah. Don't tell the others."

Why Can't They Remember
What I'll Never Forget?
How These Dreams Can Come Undone
When You're Young

-3 Doors Down "When You're Young"

Once she had run far enough to be out the extensive auditory range of the two Dragon Slayers, Lucy halted before collapsing amongst the rubble. She trembled violently, and would have vomited if there had been anything in her stomach to lose. A rattling breath forced the final vestiges of oxygen from her lungs, before she tried to inhale again. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and weariness flooded her veins. "I'm not strong enough for this," she whispered to the ground. She wanted to curl up and sleep until the world returned to normal. Irrational though it was, that desire pulled at her willpower with an insistence difficult to resist.

At this rate, she was pretty sure she would unravel even as the world did around her.

She pretended to strength. She did not possess it. No, she relied on Natsu to carry her emotionally – and often physically – through whatever turbulence they encountered. And they'd experienced far more than a fair share of pain and misfortune. As if there could even be such a thing as a fair share.

But this time…

Lucy lifted her gaze, smoke from the fires that yet burned clogging her nostrils as ash did her throat. Golden light pierced the lingering smog, but did little to illuminate the looming gloom in the air or in Lucy's heart.

This time…

A building, someone's home before all this, crumbled in front of her. The damage it had sustained during the fighting could no longer be borne. Inward the stone blocks and massive timbers that comprised it fell; slow, almost stately they gave in to gravity and their wounds.

Natsu couldn't fix this.

Lucy wasn't sure anyone could fix it.

Sure, after all was said and done the inhabitants of the city would pick up what remained of themselves and their lives. The city could be rebuilt, and its scars erased. In a few years, she supposed, Crocus would appear much as it had when she'd first seen it a week prior. Full of vibrancy and possibility. An ever present hum of sheer life filling the air.

But this… The gaping holes in the hearts of the ones who'd survived this nightmare. She feared they would never close. Not entirely.

The blatant anguish on Rogue and Sting's faces had gotten to her, she realized. It was clear that Rogue was just as shocked and horrified by the actions of his counterpart as she was. This Rogue was innocent. He'd done nothing wrong.

It wasn't his fault that he shared the same face as the one who'd murdered Future Lucy. Lucy knew this. She did. But she could still see the blood, and the light dying in the eyes twin to her own. She could hear the sneer in his voice, taunting them. The pointlessness of trying to change what had already happened.

Lucy's eyes snapped open, though she didn't recall having squeezed them shut in the first place. "You know what else I remember?" she growled at the apparition that threatened to undo her. "I remember the promise I made to her. I promised her I would protect the future. That's what I'm going to do." She touched her keys, feeling the warmth and support of her Spirits surrounding her.

She pulled herself up. Lifting her arms, she slapped her face with the palms of her hands twice. "Why am I acting like such a goddamned emotional teenager?!" the seventeen-year old yelled in frustration at the rising sun. She was, technically, twenty-four – no, make that twenty-five. There had been another birthday in there somewhere. "I've faced Acnologia! I've looked upon Death himself! And survived!" she went on to declare. "Regular old, common dragons? Bring them on!" Lucy punched her open palm. "I'll give them a Lucy Kick so powerful they'll be blasted back to their own time!"

No, she wasn't strong. But she could be scary. Future Rogue would learn not to mess with Lucy, any Lucy. So would those overgrown, winged lizards.

But first she would find a standing building with functional plumbing. She still really needed to pee.

It Will All Get Better Now
At Least That's What They Say
But I Don't See It Coming

-3 Doors Down "When You're Young"

It didn't take Lucy as long as she'd feared to locate other survivors. Thinking through it logically, she knew it had to be because Mother Glare wasn't fighting any longer. Without the constant barrage of eggs bringing reinforcements to the previously hatched monsters, the battles had tapered off. The mages were making short work of the remaining creatures. This was a respite much needed by the weary combatants. Some of them were still severely injured from the GMG's fifth day elimination challenge, not to mention exhausted from the long night that had followed.

Despite all that had occurred, the Trimens still found the energy to shamelessly flirt with her as soon as they espied her.

In truth (though she would never mention such a thought aloud in the presence of the Blue Pegasus playboys), the fact that they'd fallen back on their normal habits so readily was comforting. Hibiki, Ren, and Eve just wouldn't be themselves without the excessive host club behavior.

After they'd calmed down, she managed to weasel out some information that was relevant and useful. They'd been trying to provide backup for Cobra (which was a surprise) for much of the night against the rock dragon. When the persistent attacks and the onslaught of more of Mother Glare's children had pressed them they had lost sight of the Poison Dragon Slayer. Misplaced along with the criminal, the Trimen's leader, Ichiya, and guild mate Jenny had vanished amongst the rubble.

The trio was quick to reassure the unconcerned blonde that, although Sir Ichiya was missing the seat of his trousers, he was in all likelihood in the capable hands of the bikini-clad Jenny.

Lucy wasn't sure she wanted to know the story behind that.

Of more interest to her was how they'd managed to lose the gargantuan dragon – an issue they'd merely shrugged at.

Luckily, the trail of destruction would not be that hard to follow. Even with all of the passive collateral damage, an actual pathway made by a dragon's bulk was hard to miss.

She informed the former Alliance members of the command center location and of its leader. They looked at her like she was the insane one for having appointed Sting as the commander – honestly what choice did she have? Rogue was in no shape to do anything, Flare was off on other orders and Lucy knew she couldn't even keep herself together in Rogue's mere presence let alone restrain him from pursuing his counterpart through the space time continuum.

The Trimens had no right to criticize. They'd lost a whole damn dragon. Made of living rock. The thing was the size of a building, for crying out loud! In fact, a simple survey of the wreckage revealed that it had been running through the buildings!

If she included the two dragons Sting and Rogue had managed to misplace, that left three dragons unaccounted for.

Three.

Freaking.

Dragons.

Were.

Missing.

'Seriously, people?! How do you manage to lose a dragon?! Let alone THREE of the beasts?!' Not even Natsu could mess up something this badly – and he'd successfully been messing up everyone's carefully crafted plans for the better part of two decades. Thank you, time-skip. The world may have gotten a seven year reprieve from the pink – sorry – salmon headed part-time wreaking ball, full-time stick of dynamite and his neon blue demon hell spawn of a feline, but it just ensured that he would do his best to make up for the lost time. Property damage in general was Fairy Tail's specialty, but it was Natsu's one true love and arguably his greatest talent.

After ordering the Trimens to help organize in the courtyard and locate other survivors, she fended off their concerns about a lady wandering the apocalyptic landscape by herself. Really, she was fine. All she needed were clean clothes and functioning facilities.

This, they kindly pointed out to her (after more bullshit nonsense and blushing at the thought of ladies needing to use such things).

She thought she showed admirable restraint in not showing them several very unladylike gestures.

I Hope One Day I'm Stronger Than I Feel
And I Hope It Feels Different Than Today

-3 Doors Down "When You're Young"

It happened to be the Honey Bone Inn.

'Of course.'

Freed and Levy had set up several defense enchantments around the building earlier on in the GMG when they believed Raven Tail would attack or attempt to kidnap one of their mages again. It seemed that those precautions had served them in good stead and had mitigated most of the damage to the building.

Lucy grasped the door handle and pulled it open. Slipping inside and shutting the door behind her, she glanced around at the inn. Broken tables and chairs scattered across the open first floor area made for an intricate maze littered with shattered glass. The four chandelier-lacrima hanging from the ceiling were askew, and swaying gently; strange shadows shapes formed and flowed with the movement of the crystals. The plaster wall to her left bore a jagged hole, as if something had taken a bite out of it (very likely the case).

One side of a ceiling timber had fallen, punching through the flooring and ripping out a small section of the ceiling. It didn't appear to have affected the structural integrity of the building overmuch besides the obvious bits of debris and insulation that surrounded the beam.

Because of the poor lighting, Lucy couldn't discern any other major features of the room. She lifted her foot and inspected the condition of her shoe. It was in tatters, not too different from the rest of her outfit. Although it was serviceable for the world outside, she wasn't too sure it would protect her should she choose to cross the glass littered floor. Placing her foot down, she lifted the other to perform the same inspection. It was in much the same condition as the first.

Eyeing the wreckage, she gingerly stepped around the piles of glass. The shifting lights made it difficult to navigate the labyrinth of debris, but she was undeterred in her quest to find a toilet. Once she had successfully made it to the bottom of the staircase, she abandoned caution to the wind as her bladder protested. Severe discomfort plagued her gut as she dashed up the stairs. It was ignored due to the urgency of the situation.

Groping her way down the darkened hallway, Lucy located her team's room. Nudging the door with her foot, she pushed it as far as it could go. Something behind it was blocking her from opening it all the way, but there was just enough space for her to slip through.

Light streamed in the open windows, temporarily blinding the young woman. With rapid blinks, her eyes adjusted with painful slowness. It occurred to her that the rows of beds laid out before her could make a great impromptu infirmary if the debris downstairs could be cleared out.

She stumbled towards her bed, and kneeled next to it. Pulling out her bag from under it, she grabbed the first outfit she found and shoved the object back under the frame. After rising to her feet, she walked over to the room's adjoining bathroom. She entered, and pulled the door shut behind her.

The glimpse she caught of herself in the dingy, dust-coated mirror was almost enough to make her gag.

However, first things first.

After she took care of her business, she turned on the sink tap and cranked the temperature to boiling. She washed her hands, then nabbed a hand towel off the rack and soaked it. Running the now almost scalding fabric across her skin elicited both delicious and painful sensations. Shrugging out of her old garments, she wiped down as much of herself as she could.

Rivulets of dirty water made tracks in the grime that clung to her. She thoroughly scoured herself with the towel, almost violently scraping off the evidence of battle. Almost black, the towel was discarded once she was through with it. Deciding that nothing could be done with her hair, she located a tie and bound it in a high ponytail on her scalp where it would be out of her way.

She surveyed the damage done to her body. A nasty, dark blue and black bruise was forming near her ribs on her right side that she knew Wendy needed to take a look at. It stood out starkly against her now furiously pink skin that she'd rubbed raw in her attempt to get clean. Several shallow scratches had opened up again thanks to her unforgiving scrubbing but only the bruise seemed like it needed attention.

Vanity satisfied for now, she redressed in the simple underwear, leggings and tank top she'd brought in with her. To her chagrin, she realized that she'd forgotten to grab shoes and socks.

The Celestial Mage reopened the bathroom door and ventured into the bedroom, only to freeze in place as she caught sight of the object obstructing the entryway into the room.

It wasn't an object.

It was a person.

She rushed towards the prone figure and dropped beside them. A dark pool spread out from under them, soaking the carpet. Gulping, she carefully rolled the person over to survey the damage. She gasped as the action revealed large gashes across the man's torso that could have only come from dragon talons. Crimson liquid still seeped from the ragged wounds.

'Where's Wendy and Chelia when I need them?' Lucy thought in horror.

Her gaze drifted up to the man's face and she paled in recognition at the spiky, auburn hair, pointed ears, and the long, thin scar over his right eye.

It was Cobra.

But hadn't the Trimens said that he had been fighting the rock dragon? From what Lucy could recall when they'd emerged from the Eclipse Gate, it had been the only dragon without fangs or talons.

She shook her head fiercely. How he had received the wounds could wait until later, when he was conscious and recuperating.

Right now, she needed to draw on her limited knowledge of first aid to save his life.

Because she'd be damned if she let another person die in front of her.

Never again.

It's Already Over And Done
When You're Young

-3 Doors Down "When You're Young"

We conclude this chapter with having located one of the two super villains that were misplaced in this chapter. Sadly, the three dragons are still missing.

May take a bit for me to get the next chapter out. It gives me major feels.