"Eeeeeeeek!" Lucy screeched as she squeezed her eyes shut, hugging the beast's neck more tightly.
Her stomach seemingly lurched into the back of her throat as she felt the animal swooping to avoid the collapsing stone as they swiftly flew toward the cave's exit.
Well, what Lucy perceived to be the exit. She couldn't see much, since her eyes were closed.....
But, she could hear.
Far more loudly than the roars of crashing stone was Natsu's raucous whooping as it originated from somewhere to her right. She could hear his voice resonate from one side to the next, a telltale sign that his Oneiroi was dodging falling objects as well. At that particular moment, Natsu was obviously covered under his "not a ride" clause.
What's he so happy about? We're going to die! she inwardly cried, her fingers clenching at the creature's silky mane. Lucy could feel the wind whipping all around her as the animal's wings smoothly flapped from beside her, barely audible to the human ear. Another sudden descent made her stomach once again attempt to escape through her throat.
"Ohnonononono," she whined, hugging her head into the back of the Oneiroi's neck.
Please let me live through this! I swear, I'll be a better person! she prayed. Her thighs shook as she squeezed them into the Oneiroi's sides. She could feel the rock-hard muscles writhing beneath her knees.
"Happy, are you OK?" Natsu yelled from next to her. Her left, this time.
"Aye!"
"Luce? How about you?" he asked, his voice closer. When she didn't reply, he called out more loudly, "Lucy!"
"What?" her eyes snapped open. The bright light caused her to rapidly blinked a few times before she realized that they were outside. They sky was calming in its cerulean splendor. Lucy cautiously looked around as the clouds carelessly billowed past. She stretched her fingers toward the delicate wisps, feeling the cool vapors as her fingertips passed through them.
Where are we? She glanced up, meeting Natsu's toothy grin.
"It's fun!" he quipped, his face flushed with excitement. She had never seen him this animated—especially not in regards to traveling.
"Fun?" she replied, her voice wavering. Who is this and what did he do with Natsu? "But you're riding something!" she haphazardly retorted.
"Eh?" he asked, one of his eyebrows dipping low as his brow wrinkled in confusion. His dark eyes shifted back and forth for a few moments, as if he were registering what she was telling him. When it looked as if her words had made their impact, his face slowly lost all color. His ashen features quickly became a pale green.
"Oh no," Lucy whispered, immediately remorseful for what she had just done. "No, Natsu--I d-didn't mean it!"
She attempted to wave her arms in defense as well as to distract him long enough that the nausea would dissipate. In her own vain attempt at diverting Natsu's attention, she gained the opportunity to glance below. They were soaring hundreds of feet above the ground.
Oh. Shit.
She immediately returned to hugging her black-winged beast, her own stomach feeling slightly unruly. Was this how Natsu felt? she inwardly wondered. She risked a quick peek at him. He was helplessly slumped over his own winged creature, his mouth agape.
"What'd you do, Lucy?" Happy asked as he soared beside her. He looked from her to Natsu, his gaze ultimately returning to her.
"N-nothing!" she squealed, her arms more tightly encircling the creature's neck.
The slight flip of her stomach told her they were descending once again. She glanced toward Adie, Erza and Gray. Their own Oneiroi were slowly gliding under the clouds, returning their riders to solid land. Lucy looked ahead, squinting at what she thought was smoke. It lazily billowed into the air a few miles ahead of them.
Airie? she wondered to herself.
The few buildings littering the gradual slope of the mountain did look familiar. She hadn't realized they had traveled thatfar underground! She remained braced against her ride as the group slowly descended in unison. She watched the other Oneiroi make their own gradual landings; the dark-winged beasts easily connected with the ground at a running pace, coming to a fluid halt. It seemed easy enough; maybe it wouldn't be as painful as she was anticipating.
She could see the dried, browning grass flying past her as her Oneiroi approached the comforts of solid ground. Lucy braced for the impact, but was surprised to find that her creature had already fallen into an easy lope. She hadn't felt a thing during the landing—she hadn't even known they landed! As soon as she was on the cold, icy earth, she quickly jumped off of the black winged creature, settling on her own two wobbly legs. She smiled at her carrier, carefully patting its head while sending her silent thanks. She could feel it purring underneath her hand, the warm reverberations making her feel more relaxed.
"Is this Airie?" Lucy immediately asked, ignoring Natsu's retches as he fell off of his Oneiroi before it came to a halt. Erza helped him to his feet, as Gray's face wrinkled his nose in mild disgust.
"Gross," he coughed as he watched Natsu gag. "Can't you get over it already?"
"Bite me!" Natsu growled as wiped his mouth. He glared angrily at Gray, who returned the look in a manner that was just as unenthusiastic.
Adie said nothing, avoiding Lucy's gaze and speaking in hushed tones to the small creature before her. Everyone watched in silent interest as the blacksmith stroked the animal, her voice soft and full of intent.
"What's she doing?" Natsu whispered from the corner of his mouth.
"Not sure," Lucy shrugged, angling her head in interest. "It's odd, though, isn't it?"
With one last shuffle of onyx hooves, the creatures began to fade, shrinking until there were five tiny black moths dancing in front of them. Their blunted wings flapped gently as they swirled amidst one another, a frail dark cloud approaching the village.
"What was that?" Erza asked, her arms crossed over her chest. Her voice was distant, as if her mind was wandering elsewhere.
"That is their normal form," Adie explained quickly. She glanced skyward, as if attempting to guess the time.
"Explanation, please," Natsu sighed. It had been a long, frustrating day, and he wanted straightforward answers.
"I was getting there!" Adie snapped, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. She winced from the effort, her hand reaching up to grip her arm. Lucy's eyes wandered over the blood soaked tourniquet.
How extensive is that injury? she silently wondered. Perhaps now is not the time to ask....
"They are messengers. Gentle creatures, unless provoked. They ultimately harbor three forms--the first and second of which you have now witnessed." She brushed dust off of her shoes, as if hoping to avoid the conversation.
"The third?" Gray asked after a few moments of awkwardly placed silence.
"You don't want to see that," Adie cleared her throat.
"And just why not?" Natsu's arms folded over his chest. He was becoming more interested by the second.
"Because," Adie's tired eyes studied the early evening horizon. Her gaze briefly flickered to Gray, then Lucy. "They can be...vicious."
"Eh, that doesn't sound so bad! Besides, they couldn't even see," he grumbled, casting a hand in the air as if dispelling the thought of the creatures being dangerous.
"Why were their eyes covered?" Happy asked, after a few moments of internally debating his question.
Adie stared at Happy, chewing her lip in silence. Lucy couldn't tell if she was annoyed or surprised at the brevity of his question. Her lips slowly parted as she began to explain, "They say that if you see an Oneiroi's eye...that you are close to death."
"Huh?" Natsu asked in blatant disbelief. "But, they looked harmless!"
"Spoken like a true idiot," Adie shook her head in exasperation. "Do you always underestimate everyone and everything?"
"No, I--" he began to argue.
"Listen to her, Natsu. She's telling you something you can't can't possibly have deduced by just looking at them," Erza cut in, hoping to ease the obvious tensions. "It's like seeing without experiencing. You can't know what they are like from just looking."
Natsu scratched his head as Erza's words sank in. His eyes suddenly narrowed, "So then, what do they do?"
"Do?" Adassandra echoed softly as she glanced in the direction the tiny moths had floated. "They are messengers."
"Messengers?" Lucy repeated. How would they carry messages?
Adassandra's jaw clenched as her cold eyes met Lucy's questioning gaze. "They are the messengers of dreams. No, of thoughts. Often used as means of communication in the Spirit World--"
Lucy's eyes widened with realization. "They communicate thoughts without actually speaking them? Like secret messages..."
"Exactly," Adie agreed, her tone somewhat strained. "They are—were--used as means of relaying important information from the King to his higher ups."
"This Celestial Spirit World sounds kinda interesting," Natsu curled his lip in interest.
"It's not dissimilar to this world," Adie bent her neck before quickly cracking it. "Though few humans truly know the inner workings of it. But it must be maintained as any other world: with laws to promoted order and integrity--"
"But why the three forms?" Gray asked as he scratched his head in frustration. He was obviously not interested in the hierarchy of the Spirit World.
"Not sure. Perhaps to fulfill the other duties given to them," Adie shrugged her slender shoulders, recoiling in pain at the sudden movement.
"Which are?" Lucy was becoming more interested in these creatures. She had a ton of questions she wanted to ask: How had the Oneiroi known where to find them? Where the creatures looking for themto begin with? Who controls them?
"Messengers, Carriers," Adie rubbed her temples, obviously not in the mood for explanations. "The third, before you even ask, is for combat when needed. They are formidable creatures. But do not be foolish enough to think that everything comes with an explanation."
"Sounds boring," Natsu pulled a face, his former interest waning. He wanted to hear more about their ability to fight, though it seemed they rarely did so.
Messengers. Carriers.
"Protectors," Lucy murmured thoughtfully. They belong to someone. It was pure speculation, she knew, but they didn't seem to be self-sufficient or capable of doing things on their own accord. She tapped a finger to her chin as she continued.
"I think," she replied cautiously, ignoring Natsu's comment, "that what Adie is implying, is that they are controlled by someone....or something. That they aren't their own entity. Someone has to give them messages to take to whoever is the intended recipient."
A brief smile tugged at the corners of Adie's mouth. She closed her eyes, slowly nodding. "I can't deny that you are intuitive, Lucy."
Despite her praise, her voice was distant. Her tone was rippling with underlying contempt, though Lucy knew it would be lost on the others. Perhaps it was her own immense guilt that made her more sensitive to Adie's silent burning glares and reluctant interactions—not that she could blame the blacksmith.
"But then," Erza interjected, "that means that that someone is--"
"Here, somewhere," Adie agreed, her tone more accepting. "Exactly."
Without further explanation, the pale-haired woman quickly turned her back on the group, and started walking toward the inn.
"Wait! Where are you going? Don't you want to know where they are?" Lucy asked, her legs weak as she ran after Adie.
Gray and Natsu shrugged at one another as Erza walked past them, her own gait slow. Adie didn't answer her questions, and Lucy continued her attempts to catch up. Her clothes were beginning to become rigid, freezing from their dampness.
"Wait! You didn't answer me!" she yelped as she reached the demi-spirit, nearly stumbling over the frozen clumps of earth.
The muscle in Adie's jaw twitched. "No," she growled, her voice low.
"Huh?" Lucy blinked, her mouth falling open. "No?"
Adie swung around, her eyes flashing their contempt. "No, I don't want to know where they are."
Lucy gaped, her mouth hanging open. "W-why n-n-not?"
Adassandra rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thing. Lucy didn't know if it was because of her, or if it was the day, in general. "Whoever it was found us! They know we are here!"
They'll find us.
Lucy shrank back from the emanating hostility. Her face was a mixture of fear and confusion. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered as the remaining members of their group slowly approached.
Adie glanced at the others. "It's been a long day," she sighed. "I only meant that someone knew we were down there, which is why they sent help."
"Ok..." Lucy offered.
Adie continued, half-heartedly, "And, they obviously know we are here."
"So--" Lucy began.
"Right," Adie nodded her eyes staring straight ahead. "He will find us soon enough."
***
***
Adie fumed as she exited the inn, slamming the key into Natsu's palm. He blinked a few times, unsure of the reason for her fury. His fingers closed over the key, "What now?"
"Same room as last time," she grumbled darkly, her hair falling into her eyes.
She hated having no privacy. She also needed to tend to her injury, and she didn't need a handful of eyes gawking at her arm. Besides, she didn't have the energy or desire to explain anything to them--and they needed a lot of explaining. No, she was not in the mood!
"It wasn't so bad last time," Happy replied, looking amongst the handful of mages.
"I suppose not," Erza murmured. Her eyes slowly sliding into focus as she glanced at her comrades. "I-I need to do some thinking. I need time alone."
Her last comment had been barely audible as she carefully drifted away from the mages. "I'm sorry," she murmured over her shoulder.
Lucy shot Natsu a look of apprehension. She knew Erza's sudden change in demeanor was due to the news about Gerard. Lucy had no evidence of it, but she suspected that the red-head harbored a deep emotional attachment to the former outlaw—one that went beyond the sibling-like bonds they formed as children. Lucy would wage a bet that Erza's feelings broached that of a heartbroken lover.
"Do what you need to do, Erza," Natsu whispered his understanding.
Lucy's eyes widened in surprise. Despite his lust for fighting and his often childish behavior, he could be quite mature when need be. Lucy felt a sense of pride for how much Natsu had grown since she had met him.
"Thank you," Erza whispered her voice suddenly thick. She quickly strode away, wandering along the only street in the tiny town.
"I hope she's going to be alright," Lucy whispered, staring after her friend.
"What's wrong?" Adie grunted, still upset about their room situation.
"Gerard," Gray answered. "He and Erza had been through a lot. Since they were kids. He was taken by the new Council, as a prisoner. We didn't even know if he was alive..."
Adie said nothing, allowing them to share as much as they felt comfortable revealing. She knew it wasn't her place to pry. "I see."
"No, you don't see," Natsu growled softly, his fists balled tightly. "They have been through hell together. She cares about him!"
"Natsu!" Lucy interjected. "Erza has said no such thing. Don't put words in her mouth!"
"It's true," Natsu argued. "We can all see it. It killed her when he was taken away, after he had regained those lost memories. Memories of her." His eyes stared ahead, at nothing in particular. "It must be horrible to be torn apart like that."
Lucy said nothing, her voice catching in her throat. When did Natsu become so cognizant of the feelings of those around him? He had always seemed aware, but never truly able to empathize. Was it his own personal experience that was lending to this newfound maturity?
"I see," Adie replied, her voice gentle as she turned and disappeared into the inn, leaving the rest of them to contemplate Erza's situation in the dwindling sunlight. Grey and Happy soon followed Adie, leaving only Lucy and Natsu behind.
Natsu glanced over his shoulder as the door shut behind them. "You're still here, huh?"
"I...I guess so," she replied, lost in her own thoughts. She hadn't heard the other two follow Adie into the inn. Natsu nodded briefly, as they fell into a comfortable silence.
After some time, Natsu spoke, his voice soft. "You were brave back there, Lucy. Really brave."
His back was to her, and his face hidden from her view. Lucy's mouth fell open in shock. "Huh?"
"It took a lot of guts to do what you did. Fighting that Amarok," he shook his head, "and all that."
"T-thank y-y-you," she stuttered, understanding the unspoken implications.
"I have a question." His body was rigid, his muscles tense. She could feel his hesitance lingering in the cool air. She ignored the biting chill that creeping along her skin.
"Go on," Lucy prompted, her heart beginning to pound in her chest. Could he hear it?
"What did....Veleda show you?" He turned, the fading light casting a shadow along his face, masking it from her view. She knew that he was studying her, waiting for her reaction.
"It was just as Happy said. Everyone dies." She could feel the tears threatening, despite blinking against them furiously. Why did she have to be such a baby?
"You?" he asked suddenly.
"Huh? Me?" she was confused by his brief question.
"Were...were you OK?" his voice was low. "Did you live, at least?"
"I guess.....yes, yes I think so. I did."
"Good," he whispered. She thought she could see his back shaking. "I can live with that."
She thought she misheard the last statement as his voice was muted as he once again turned away from her. She had never seen him this open. This fearful.
"Natsu, what is it?" she asked, suddenly afraid for her friend. "What are you worried about?"
He didn't answer for some time, taking a few steps forward, before turning and pacing back toward her. He looked up at her with the same tortured gaze from earlier. "You," he murmured. "I-I'm worried about you! This is all so dangerous--"
"I know, Natsu." She raised her hand to stop him. "I know that it's dangerous, but it's not going to go away on its own. I care about these spirits, and I can't let them be used like this—or worse!"
"I know that, Lucy!" Natsu replied, taking another step forward. "But, I couldn't live knowing that something I—no, we," he shook his head in frustration, "could have prevented would save you!"
Lucy gasped at his confession. "What...what are you saying?"
He fell silent, dropping his head in defeat. "I don't know. I'm not sure what's gotten into me. Maybe.." The rest of his thoughts floated away with the wind.
"What did you see?" she asked, wondering if this was leftover emotions from Faux's vision. "It wasn't real, whatever he showed you--"
"It felt real!" he shouted, his eyes glassy as he spoke. Were those tears?
He quickly clamped his mouth shut, spinning around and pretending to watch the sunset. He said nothing more as Lucy stared at him in bewilderment. She didn't know why she did it, but she quickly covered the distance between them so that she was standing next to him. She reached out and grabbed his hand. It was limp and weak, but he didn't reject her touch. She quickly intertwined her fingers with his, squeezing his hand reassuringly.
"I saw the worst possible scenario, right?" she could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks as she recounted what Veleda had shared.. From the corner of her eye, Lucy could see him look at her hand before glancing at her face. She didn't meet his questioning gaze, instead choosing to stare ahead of them.
"Did you?" he asked softly.
She nodded, "I believe I did. And, I did what I had to in order to prevent everyone around me from dying. My friends. My family. The people I love."
"But, how do you know?" he asked, his tone almost whining. "How do you know you have avoided it?" He tried to pry his hand from hers. She squeezed more tightly, not letting him give up.
"Trust me, Natsu!" her voice was louder, more firm. "I've trusted you so many times before. Just trust me this one time! We will make it through this. No one is going to die. Trust me."
This time, she did meet his gaze. His eyes were filled with awe, longing, confusion, and...fear. She knew that losing her was a source of fear for him, though he did not want to discuss it or the haunting vision Faux had thrust upon him. She had no doubt that the spirit had picked up Natsu's protectiveness over Lucy, using it as a means to torture the dragon slayer. It appeared as if he had unwittingly hit a soft spot that Natsu had been hiding somewhere deep inside.
Neither wanted to discuss their visions any further. It had been a long day, and they were both prone to say things that they may regret. Whatever Natsu had seen, she knew it was devastating to him. She would not push the issue with him, as he was obviously upset about it.
He didn't need to speak to tell her what he felt.
It was written in his eyes.
They told her everything he never could. He had become attached to her since their fateful meeting, over a year earlier, and she had effortlessly become an important part of his life. He cared about her more than he would ever admit.
From the corner of her eye, Lucy saw him slowly reach up, clutching his heart with his free hand. She didn't know the significance of the gesture.
Maybe, there wasn't one at all.
Regardless, it was in that moment, with the sun splayed across his face and hair, that Lucy realized how she truly felt about him. She offered him a weak smile of confidence, squeezing his hand yet again. He returned it in kind, his fingers trembling between hers.
"It's going to be fine. We will be fine, Natsu," she winked at him before turning and watching the sun set behind the mountains. She wasn't entirely sure what she meant by her words, but she didn't want to ruin what they were sharing at that moment.
Whatever was meant to be, it will become, she supposed.
***
***
"Come on, Adie!" Natsu wailed, "I have to pee, dammit!"
"Hang on, I'll be out in a minute!" came the muffled reply.
"You said that an hour ago!" he kicked the door. "I'm breaking the door in exactly one minute!"
"Settle the hell down," Gray barked, as his head snapped upright. He had been dozing off, until Natsu's yelling interrupted his creeping slumber.
"What the hell is she doing in there?" Natsu whined. Erza said nothing, still lost in her own thoughts.
"I dunno," Happy murmured as he stifled a yawn of his own.
"She just took a shower," Lucy rolled her eyes. "So have some patience!"
"Well, I'm breaking the door in forty seconds," he pouted as he sat on the floor, near the bathroom door.
Lucy went back to reading the newspaper, and he watched her contented smirk as she absentmindedly toyed with her keys. He could sense the change in her since they had entered that cave. She was more serious. More determined. He found it be alluring, but he also found it to be terrifying. It was as if she were growing away from him.
As if she no longer needed him—her knight in shining armor.
The vision that Faux had shown him had been ghastly, and he promised he would not dwell on the images that still flashed before his eyes. No, don't think about it, stupid! he inwardly hissed. He furiously blinked, hoping to scare the vivid pictures away. He met Lucy's eyes as she glanced at him, her cheeks turning pink.
He looked at the far wall, averting his gaze. They had stood outside for nearly an hour, holding hands and watching the night overcome them. He had never held hands with anyone before, and he had to admit, it felt slightly pleasing—in an odd way he couldn't quite place. For once in his life, Natsu began to feel as if the pieces were falling to place.
He was becoming increasingly overprotective of Lucy, and he knew it. He told himself it was because he was afraid to see her get hurt, but he knew that wasn't the entire truth. The truth was, he was afraid of losing her to her own strength. She wasn't frail and weak; she was blossoming into an able, competent mage. It wasn't that he thought less of her before, but he enjoyed the slight neediness as it made him feel important. He loved swooping in and saving her, watching her smile at him and thank him.
What if Lucy didn't need him anymore? What if she found someone else to depend on?
Admit it, you like her, his inner voice growled.
She's my friend! he argued back.
Bullshit, you know it's more than that! When are you going to tell her? Or are you going to wait until someone else comes along and takes her away? Someone like...
Loki.
Someone who isn't afraid to admit their feelings. Who isn't afraid to be everything Natsu was not. Natsu felt his stomach sink at the thought of seeing the former guild member kissing Lucy's hand. He knew he had no right to ask questions or interfere with her private life. So, why did he?
His hand reached up to his chest. He could feel the slight bulge beneath his vest. He knew that, in the inner pocket, there was a gift he had been carrying around for nearly a year. It was intended as a birthday gift, though the birthday somehow passed him by. Now, it was a symbol, an icon--slowly burning a hole into his heart.
Because you care, you ass! his inner self chastised him.
No way! he weakly argued against his consciousness.
His mind wandered over the feel of Lucy's hand in his as she stood by his side, helping to wash away his insecurities and fears. How could he deny the foreign emotions that memory provoked?
She had changed. But, could he?
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He raised an eyebrow at Lucy as she shrugged, quickly plodding across the floor and pulling the door open.
"Yes?" she asked as her eyes fell on the young boy in front of her.
"R-r-room s-service," the kid replied. He could be no older than ten, and he barely came up to Lucy's chest.
"Oh, OK," she replied, stepping aside. The dark-haired youth pushed the cart past her--into the room. The smell of food wafted around the tiny suite, and Lucy felt her own mouth water.
"Guys, did we order room service?" she asked, hesitant to deny the warm, delicious food that she knew was under those silver lids.
"Who cares? I'm starving!" Natsu grinned as he quickly appeared next to the cart. He lifted the first lid, spying the platter of sandwiches beneath.
Lucy glanced at her other companions, who shrugged their own indifference.
"Maybe Adie did," Happy quipped, as he sniffed out the fish platter.
Lucy gave in, finding Happy's explanation plausible. She smiled at the boy, who began to pull in another cart.
As soon as he entered the room the second time, he was immediately snatched up by the back of his neck. Behind him, Adie stood, holding him a few inches about the ground. The tips of his toes grazed the hard surface of the floor.
"H-hey! What did I do?" the boy squirmed in his shirt as Adie's grip tightened. She stared down at the boy, a wry grin on her face.
"Adie! Let him go, he's just bringing food!" Lucy yelped, as she glanced at the bathroom door. It was wide open. When did she leave the bathroom? Surely I would have heard it?
"Seriously, it's a kid," Gray interrupted, watching in silent amusement. "Get a grip."
"Let me down!" the boy wailed, reaching up and gripping Adie's wrist in his hands.
"Nope, sorry," Adie replied, her voice steady.
"Why not?" Lucy asked. "It's rude! You are scaring him!" And me!
"Reveal yourself," Adie barked, ignoring the stares from her comrades.
"What?" the raven-haired boy replied, kicking his legs helplessly. Lucy knew he wouldn't be able to escape the blacksmith's grip. Adie lifted the kid higher, his feet no longer touching the wooden floor.
"What do you have against kids?" Natsu asked, already stuffing his face with food. "Put 'im down already!"
"Maybe she hates them," Happy added between bites.
"Guys!" Lucy squealed, glaring at them. "This is serious!" She turned to Adie, taking a step forward the pale-haired woman.
.
"Lucy, step back," Erza warned.
"But--" Lucy began to argue, but Erza's stare told her otherwise. She looked pleadingly at Adie, who was staring down at the young boy.
"I said to reveal yourself," Adie repeated, her tone short.
"L-let me go!" the boy yelled. "I don't know what you are talking about!" Tears were beginning to slide down his face.
Adie sighed, "I'm in no mood for games. Quit the act." Her eyes flickered across the group of mages who were watching her with both curiosity and horror as she unsheathed a dagger she had hidden under her robe. She sneered one more time, her grip becoming so tight that her knuckles were white.
"I'm only going to ask one more time....." her eyes flashed as she watched her victim. The boy yelped in pain as he tried to pry her fingers from around his neck. Lucy was torn as to what to do. Had Adie lost it? She seemed lucid...
Adie's voice cut through the tension, her tone bubbling with impatience. "Reveal yourself, Morpheus."
*****
Two hundred freakin' review? Are you kidding me?? (Shout out to MeganTheNerd for breaking that cherry!)
Wow. Just, wow. I never thought it'd get to this. Readers and Reviewers: thank you so very very much. You make my miserable life that much more worthwhile ;) I cannot thank each of you enough for even the kindest of words. But, at least know that I am grateful for the response my meager story has received. Thankyouthankyouthankyou! ^_^
I spent so much time on this chapter, but yet I don't feel like it's good enough for all of you to read. But it is necessary, and I should have a little more faith in my own writing, right? Do not worry, next chapter may be a bit more interesting. Soon enough, we are going to see some of our favorite mages back!
Oneiroi: were the dark-winged spirits of dreams. Believed to be controlled by Morpheus
Disclaimer: Don't own FT, but do take credit for any and all OCs
**********
A/N: Coupla Things:
Current manga:
1) Lucy with what I thought was a badass whip?
2) King called Faust (my original name for Faux, before I changed it 200 times).
Kinda creepy. Maybe I have ESP...
Also:
-in my story, I'm going with the idea that Angel was arrested with the remaining Oracien Seis, along with Gerard, she was released (current Magic Council has been usurped--way to go Council), and she is now helping Ultear
-Gerard has been freed, but I have yet to decide what has happened to him, so right now, he's just illusive (maybe another story arc, yes?). I'm not sure how I want this to play into my story, if at all.
-I see many different spellings: Urtear/Ultear, Gazille/Gajille, Juvia/Luvia/Jubia...I'm assuming it depends on who is translating the manga, so if you see an alternate spelling, don't be confused
