Hello everyone !

I'm back with the tenth chapter :)

Enjoy ~

Disclaimer : My most favorite Fairy Tail belongs to the great Hiro Mashima

Carla wiped a sweat that was trickling down along Wendy's cheek with a handkerchief. The young dragon slayer was doing her very best to heal Mirajane. She stopped pouring her magic every ten minutes to regain her strength back. Mirajane's wounds were terrible and it need every ounce of Wendy's capability to heal her.

"It's almost dawn." Carla said. "I wonder if they have arrived."

"I think they have." Wendy said. "They can't waste a single drop of time."

"The day after tomorrow." Carla said. "The Moon Ceremony."

"I hope they can make it in time to save Lucy-nee." Romeo stepped into the infirmary.

"But why does Cerberus need the ceremony?" Carla wondered. "What do they want by going back to the past?"

"Surely, it's connected to Zeref." Romeo said. "It has always been that way."

"But if they need Lucy-san, why did they beat Mira-san?" Wendy asked.

The three of them went into a silence.

"Perhaps," Romeo said. "they took Mira-nee's magic power."

"You mean like they absorbed Mira-san's magic?" Carla asked.

Romeo nodded his head. "Satan Soul Take Over is a powerful magic. I couldn't think of any other reason apart from that of why did they take Mira-nee too."

"Whatever their reason is, the important thing is that Mira-san is safe." Carla said.

"And I hope they can save Lucy-nee." Romeo muttered.

Natsu couldn't sleep at all that night. He was tired—especially when he got super sick on the train—but he refused to close his eyes. He didn't want to lose the trails he got after followed the scent that was left at Mirajane. He didn't want to close his eyes only to imagine how was his mate doing right now. He didn't want to go to slumber only to be awake because he realized Lucy wasn't there beside him.

Things were completely different without Lucy.

And he missed her a lot.

Natsu, Gray, Erza, Juvia, Happy, and Laxus were camping out at the open. Makarov sent them to deal with the dark guild.

"Can't sleep?"

Natsu glanced at his side. Gray opened his eyes and looked back at Natsu. The pink haired dragon slayer didn't reply but staring at the sky again.

"Bet you can't." Gray sat up and also lifted his head to watch the stars. "Lucy isn't here with you."

Natsu felt a sting in his heart just by hearing his mate's name.

Then a silence fell between them. Until Natsu broke it.

"Do... you think she's okay?" Natsu asked, almost whispered.

Gray glanced at Natsu's blank expression for a second and then back at staring at the stars. "I don't think she's okay, but I know she's alive."

Natsu let out a small sigh. "Yeah."

"We'll save her, flame brain." Gray said.

Natsu nodded, but he couldn't shake his blank expression away. "I miss her."

"Of course you do." Gray snorted. "We all are."

Natsu didn't say anything but he closed his eyes.

"I will save her." he said before his soft snores was heard.

Artemis stepped into the room where Lucy was held captive. Apollo and Dionysus were there too.

"What are you two doing here?" Artemis asked.

"Apollo said he heard something coming from the mage." Dionysus yawned. "We've been watching her for a good fifteen minutes, but nothing happened."

Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"I swear I heard something!" Apollo said. "Like a buzzing sound."

"She's not a bee." Dionysus said.

Artemis scoffed but then her sharp eyes caught something. Lucy's body suddenly glowed.

"What?" Dionysus and Apollo didn't miss the glow either and quickly put up a battle stance.

"Something is thumping." Apollo said. "Like a heartbeat. Quite loud."

"Look at her mark!" Dionysus said. "It's glowing bright!"

Artemis concentrated and soon the glow died down. Apollo and Dionysus looked at their guild mate.

"She is calling her mate." Artemis said.

"Is that a bad thing?" Dionysus asked.

"It is if it isn't in the right time." Artemis answered. "We need a diversion. They are coming to us too fast."

"I'll go." Dionysus said.

"No, wait." Artemis said. "I have a better idea."

Natsu snapped his eyes open and sat upright. The sun was just about to rise. Natsu could hear his heart beating so loud.

He had heard it right.

Natsu, help me.

It was Lucy's voice. Loud and clear. His mate was calling him. Natsu took a whiff and he widened his eyes.

It was so faint, but he was sure it was Lucy's scent.

"Natsu?" Happy asked sleepily while rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Lucy is here." Natsu stood up and that snapped Happy back into consciousness. "I can hear her. I can smell her."

"Are you sure?" Happy asked.

Natsu nodded. He couldn't have mistaken his mate's voice and scent.

"Guys, guys, wake up!" Happy said. "Natsu got a lead!"

Happy's voice managed to wake everyone else.

"Are you serious, Natsu?" Gray asked.

"It's faint but I can smell her." Natsu said. "It's coming from that way." Natsu pointed to a nearby trees.

"Let's go!" Erza made a dash.

Natsu led them while concentrating on sniffing the air. He made sure not to lose Lucy's scent. He didn't know how long his mate's scent would linger so he didn't want to waste any time.

"Wait." Natsu stopped, which was followed by his friends. He took a sniff here and there. "Someone's coming. Their scent is confusing me." Natsu growled.

Not long after Natsu said that, a thick fog suddenly covered the trees. The mages became alert and Natsu sharpened his senses.

"Be careful, guys." Erza warned. "Keep your eyes wide open. Stay alert."

The fog grew thicker and thicker.

"Dammit!" Natsu cursed. "What's with this fog? I can't see anything!"

Natsu took another whiff and growled. Lucy's scent was completely gone right now. And it was replaced by something sweet. The dragon slayer's sharp ears then heard foot steps getting closer to him. He turned his body and saw a standing shadow.

"Who's there?" Natsu asked. "Erza? Is that you?"

The fog became thinner around the shadow, allowing Natsu to take a good look. But then, the smell grew stronger and Natsu felt sick all of the sudden.

"What the.." he wobbly said.

The shadow stepped out from the fog. Natsu widened his eyes as he saw the shadow's smile and the shadow's voice before he lost his consciousness.

"Sweet dreams, Natsu."

The shadow was Lucy.

Natsu woke up and opened his eyes slowly. His body felt groggy and his head was spinning. He tried to sit up only to have pain stung his head. He looked around to see that his friends were in the same situation as him.

"What the hell just happened?" Erza asked weakly.

"Someone attacked us." Natsu said. "With that fog. Dammit, I can't smell a thing!"

"What?" Erza said.

"The sweet smell of that fog lingers in my nose!" Natsu cursed. "I can't smell anything until this smell goes away."

"Then whoever our attacker was, he or she must be one of the members of that Cerberus guild." Gray said.

"They are preventing us to get to Lucy." Juvia coughed.

"Exactly."

The mages of Fairy Tail looked up instantly. A very beautiful woman was standing in front of them. Her hair was dark brown and her skin was as white as porcelain. Her right eye was blue in color while her left eye was green. She was wearing a pink gown.

"Who are you?" Laxus demanded.

"Greetings." The woman bowed. "My name is Aphrodite, the member of Cerberus."

"Where is Lucy?!" Natsu roared.

"She's right here." Aphrodite smirked and changed her apperance. Now she was standing in front of them as Lucy.

Natsu growled. "You're not her! Bring my Lucy back!"

"Now, now, don't be so impatient." Aphrodite smiled and changed her appearance back. "You will see her. On the night of the ceremony."

Natsu readied his fist. "You're going to tell me where the hell she is. Right now."

Aphrodite chuckled. "So impatient. But you're cute."

Natsu lunged at Aphrodite, but the woman swiftly dodged. Natsu tried again by swinging his fists, but Aphrodite blocked them using her fog.

"You don't have enough power to beat me, dragon slayer!" Aphrodite laughed. "Don't you realize you became weaker the moment you have a mate?"

Natsu gritted his teeth and lunged at Aphrodite again. Again, Aphrodite fog blocked Natsu's fire perfectly.

"Now that your mate—which possesses half of your magic power—is in our hands, you are so weak!" Aphrodite mocked. "And tomorrow, you will lose your mate for good!"

"Shut up!" Natsu roared and his fire breath took Aphrodite by surprise. She didn't manage to dodge in time, so the fire burned her long hair.

"How dare you!" Aphrodite said in anger. Her beautiful hair was charred. "You will pay for this!"

Aphrodite lunged at Natsu, but right at that moment, Erza's sword came down and slashed through Aphrodite.

Aphrodite coughed out blood and fell down to the ground.

"Im.. Impossible.." Aphrodite said and raised her hand, as if she wanted to grasp something. Blood started to trickle down from her mouth. "I.. I was beaten.. Lord.. Zeref.."

And then, the woman dissolved into nothing.

"Ugh!" Artemis crouched down in pain, along with Apollo and Dionysus.

"Aphrodite was beaten..?" Apollo huffed. "Impossible!"

"At least we managed to buy some more time." Artemis panted.

The three beings steadied out their breaths. Losing a guild mate brought a pain to each of the remaining members.

Meanwhile, little did they know, Natsu's mark on Lucy thumped one more time.

Natsu..

"Lucy!"

"Natsu?" Happy called.

"I can hear her!" Natsu stood up. He took a whiff. "My nose works again!"

"Let's go, Natsu! That woman managed to delay us quite good!" Erza said.

Wait for me, Lucy! I'm coming!

Done !

What do you think about this chapter ?

Reviews and/or flames are appreciated as always :)