Loke and I landed on the ground, him practically carrying me, amid the celebrating crowd.

"What happens now?" I asked.

But before Loke could respond, the Phantom Lord guild began to shake, and sections slid and rotated to form a new shape. Everyone was clamoring.

"What the hell?"

"What's going on?"

"What is Jose planning now?"

We watched helplessly as a form was constructed out of the building.

"What is that?!" Cana screamed in frustration. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"A giant..." Loke said. "A magic giant!"

'A what?!' How in Earthland were we gonna defeat that? Everyone has been fighting for so long already, and many had succumbed to the Shades; as a whole, we were low on Power.

"It's heading this way!"

"Is it planning on trampling the guild?!"

"Focus on the enemy in front of you," Cana cried. "Natsu can stop the giant for us!"

I paused for a second. "Um, but that thing is moving, so doesn't that make it…?"

"It's a vehicle..." Max trailed off.

A collective groan filled the air, as everyone realized that Natsu was going to be rendered completely worthless.

"Wait, Gray and Elfman are still there!" Loke reminded everyone. "They can help Natsu out!"

Well, that was a little bit of a morale boost. We needed all the hope we could get.

"Jeanne, you should get inside with Mirajane," he told me. "Help watch over Erza."

I was so dejected. But I knew he was right, that I'd be more of a hindrance than a help on the battlefield. I nodded my head and turned to do as he had said. Before I left, though, I grabbed at his jacket.

"You better not stick around long, Loke. If I end up getting a black eye for nothing, I'm gonna give you two."

Loke looked shocked. And I felt the same way. What was wrong with me? I don't do this anymore! I don't push myself into others' lives, and I certainly never threaten my nakama...! But, I didn't regret it. In fact, in that moment, I felt better then I had about myself in a long time. It felt great to say what was on my mind, instead of keeping it all in my head.

But then I remembered, the last time I had done that, not even five minutes ago, I got right hook to the face. I quickly released Loke's jacket and bolted back inside the guild before he could retaliate again.

"Mira-san!" I gasped, finally reaching the guild.

"Jeanne-san, what were you doing?" Mira cried. Still in Lucy's likeness and with the blonde's voice, but her tone and the gentle, sisterly way she checked me for serious injuries was still so Mira.

I smiled. "I thought I could fight. I guess I'm still not strong enough yet."

Mira smiled sympathetically. "It will happen, Jeanne-san. Don't you rush it. It will happen."

I opened my mouth - I still don't know whether it was to thank her, or scoff - but I was distracted by the giant outside the window, trailing something that was glowing in the air. "What is it doing? Is that a magic circle?"

Mira whipped around. Her unnatural brown eyes widened in fear, and a hand came up to her mouth. "That magic circle! Abyss Break!"

"What is that?" She sounded terrified, and that was never good.

"It's one of the forbidden spells, and at that size, it could take out at least half the city!"

Cana ran up to the wall, calling for Mira through one of the large holes. "Mira! How long until that spell activates?"

Mira replied, "I'd say about ten minutes. If we could somehow take out the power source..."

"I'm sure the guys inside have the same thought," Cana mused.

"Natsu's not the only one in there?" Mira asked, curious.

"Gray and..." Cana paused a bit, "Elfman are in there, too."

Mira's eyes grew large. "Elfman? Why?!" she cried.

"What do you mean, 'why?'" Cana asked defensively. "Even he-"

"He can't!" Mira interrupted. "Elfman can't fight! You know that, Cana!"

"Sure, he can," Cana argued. "He was one of our main fighters during the raid."

'He even stood up to Gajeel before Natsu took over,' I thought. But I held my tongue. I had enough meddling into others' lives and arguments for the day.

"Fighting grunts is one thing," Mira began, "but if he runs against one of their leaders as he is now..."

Cana looked pensive, before saying, "Look, Mira, you, Elfman, and all of us were deeply hurt by what happened. But he's trying hard to move forward in his own way." She looked back at Mira, who had turned her back to the Card Mage. "You can understand that, right?" She ran off to continue the battle.

"Elfman..." Mira whispered.

I shifted uncomfortably. I hadn't joined the guild yet three years ago, but I remembered Lisanna, and was hiding there the day Elfman and Mira returned from an S-class mission without her. The entire guild had mourned for weeks after that. And that was long before I had my glasses, too. So I saw what Elfman did; first through Mira's eyes, then his.

...It was horrific. I honestly do not know how they could be so strong. If it were me, and one of my siblings… I truly didn't think I'd be able to survive the guilt.

"I need to move forward, too," Mira said, determinedly. She straightened up, and marched toward the exit.

"Mira-san, what are you doing?!" I cried, racing after her. Everyone knew that after the incident, she had sealed up her powers, and was therefore unable to fight any more. It was the only reason she was watching everything in the guild.

"Moving forward," she repeated, running out the doors.

"Isn't there a different way to do that?" I yelled after her.

But she was firm. She ran right to the shoreline, everyone watching her in horror, some discreetly trying to convince her to go back.

"I'm the one you want!" she cried, arms wide in surrender. "Stop attacking our guild this instance!"

There was a moment of suspenseful silence, before that hateful, nasally voice echoed around us, "Begone, imposter."

Mira dropped her arm in shock, and defeat.

"Ha! I'd known all along that Lucy Heartfilia wasn't there! As if the target would be sent to the front of the line."

Mira returned to her own appearance, and hugged herself. I could tell, she was about to cry. Cana ran over to comfort and support her.

I turned to Erza, still passed out on the table. I remembered Lucien, the nine-year-old, once told me that unconscious people sometimes can hear their surroundings, and tend to wake up sooner if they feel like someone's waiting for them. Figured I'd give it a shot.

"I'm sorry that you ended up like this, Erza-san," I muttered. "It was incredibly brave and reckless of you to do what you did. Ha, of course it was, though. What else would a member of Fairy Tail do? Except me… don't think I'd ever have the Power or courage to damn near kill myself for the guild. I'm sorry that I can't do anything. Maybe I shouldn't have joined Fairy Tail at all."

My eyes fell upon the mark on my left arm.

No. No, there was no way that I was going to leave. I love it too much. I love the people in it, and how they all act toward one another, what they all believe in and stand for, and represent… No, I don't regret joining. I only regret that I feel I cannot stand beside them as an equal.

Well… at least that I can change.

"You watch me, Erza-san," I whispered determinedly. "I'll get stronger. I'll learn how to fight!"

A scream came from outside.

"MIRA!"