Author's Note: An exciting new arc! Can you guess the fairy tale? Most of you probably won't until the next chapter. Chapter 50 already! I can barely believe it...although it's probably because of the length...or lack thereof...my humble apologies. But I come baring good news: school is almost out for the summer, therefore I will have more time to write and more time to update. Yaaay!

I'd like to give everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or even just stuck with the story this long. It really inspires me to keep on writing. :)


L: Warrior Woman In The Woods

Natsu looks weird when he's trying to read, Lucy decided, taking a bite of her sandwich as the afternoon sun glared down from between the gaps in the branches of the towering trees. The large, ornate map given to them by Blue Pegasus laid flat on the mossy ground. Natsu leaned over it precariously, screwing his face up as he traced his finger down the path they were following to get to Clover Town. She watched him do this for a whole five minutes, silently chewing on her lunch, until Natsu tapped the map decisively with his finger.

"We're right here," he declared with a nod.

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Natsu, you're reading the map upside-down."

The Fire Dragonslayer's smug expression became shocked and then irritated in an instant. He glared at his blonde companion with contempt, two faint spots of pink coloring his cheeks. "Whatever, Lucy. If you're so smart, why don't you take the stupid map?"

"There's nothing wrong with not knowing how to read a map," Lucy shrugged, crawling over so she was sitting across from him and viewing the map correctly. "But I'm curious as to how you get around without knowing, since you travel so much."

"I'm a Dragonslayer," Natsu scoffed, as if this explained everything. "I don't need scraps of paper to tell me where I'm going. Besides, I've traveled Fiore so much that I know the distances between most cities."

Lucy decided it best not to answer. Natsu had been unusually testy all day; she had the lingering suspicion that his ego was a bit wounded from both being defeated by the Trimens - though Lucy thought it could hardly be considered a fair fight, since he'd been ambushed by surprise - and being rescued by Lucy. It was obvious from his demeanor that Natsu was the one used to doing the saving.

"We're about three miles from Clover," Lucy sighed after a moment of speculation. "We should be there by this evening, if we don't get delayed again."

Happy knocked on the log beside him.

They set off after they were done eating, rolling up the map of Fiore and putting it in Natsu's pack for safekeeping. Natsu's mood brightened considerably with the prospect of escaping the leafy confines of the East Forest, which the three of them had been traveling through since their detour to Hosenka Town to visit Levy. Idly Lucy wondered how her blunette friend was doing with Gajeel and Pantherlily, where she'd decided to permanently stay even after the Iron Dragonslayer had been released of his beast-curse set upon him by the Witch of the East Forest.

Lucy frowned. She hadn't thought of the mysterious witch in a very long while. All she knew of Porlyusica was that she'd somehow been involved in the birth of her and her twin brother, and that she was responsible for Gajeel's curse. Lucy was certain that she had met the witch once in the hot springs of Hosenka, but she'd unaware of her true identity at the time. When we get to Clover, Lucy vowed, I'll stop by the library and do some more research.

A large metallic clamor startled Lucy out of her reverie; she exchanged a glance with Natsu, who raised an eyebrow in return. The noise came from the bottom of a steep incline, the likes of which were becoming more and more frequent as they neared the mountainous range that enclosed Clover. Cautionly edging closer, the trio peered over the lip of the ravine and into the depths below.

A fierce woman was shouting at a group of terrified men as they scrambled out of the ravine, looking back at her in panic. Lucy had to admit, their cowardice was justified; the woman was fearsome, waving a deadly sword around in the air as her brilliant armor sparkled in the blotchy splotches of sunlight that filtered down from the canopy. Her long hair whipped in the breeze like a bloodied banner, a shade of bright crimson that Lucy had never seen before.

Beside her, she even felt Natsu hesitate.

"You're lucky I don't skin you alive for your atrocious behavior!" the woman was shouting. Lucy doubted that her threat was an empty one. "How dare you attack me, you thieving scoundrels? Run far and fast, and hope that I never see your faces again!"

The woman lowered her weapon as the bandits disappeared into the trees. To Lucy's surprise, the sword vanished as though comprised of air. She gasped.

The redhead looked up as if she felt her eyes on them, and the sword returned to her hand. "I'd follow their example, if I were you," she said harshly. "You're not stealing anything from me, not now, not ever. Get a move on." She shook her head as if ridding herself of an annoying insect. "Honestly, if I knew that Clover was teeming with such insolent low lives, I never would have..."

"We're not criminals," Natsu objected, scowling.

"We're on our way to Clover too," Lucy added, fidgeting when the redhead's attention moved from Natsu to her. "We were just passing by when we heard the commotion, that's all."

"Aye," Happy said.

The woman assessed them for a moment and nodded, her sword disappearing again. "Very well, then I have two favors to ask of you. If you comply, I will show my gratitude by treating you to a meal when we get to our destination."

"What's that?" Lucy asked, eager to help this strong, if not strange, woman.

"First, I've found myself lost and I don't know my way. Would you mind me accompanying you to the city?"

"Ha!" Natsu exclaimed, grinning wolfishly at Lucy. "See? I'm not the only one who gets lost!"

"You're lost too?" the redhead cried.

"No, we're not," Lucy snapped, more at Natsu than at the woman. "You're welcome to join us if you want. Clover's only about two miles away."

"What's your other request?" Happy asked.

"Get me out of this ditch, would you?"

Through the combined efforts of Lucy, Natsu, and Happy, they managed to get the woman out of the ravine and onto higher ground. She dusted off her armor, sniffing indignantly. "Those idiot bandits ambushed me and pushed me off of the edge," she explained, tossing her mane of red hair. Up close, the woman was even more menacing with her hard brown eyes and dangerous wardrobe. Lucy jumped when she stuck out a hand. "I'm Erza. Erza Scarlet."

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy introduced themselves to Erza and shook her hand. The redhead had a firm grip, and her eyes lit up with recognition when they said their names. "I've heard of you!" she exclaimed. "Master Makarov told me of you. You three were there for the Battle of Raijinshuu Castle; you helped thwart that bastard Laxus!"

"You know the old man?" Natsu said, surprised.

"Know him? I work for him," said Erza proudly. "Unfortunately I was away on a mission in Era when King Fried's birthday ball took place." Erza regarded them with a newfound respect. "Master Makarov speaks very highly of you three. He says that you, Natsu, are a Fire Dragonslayer, correct?"

Natsu nodded.

"We must duel sometime," Erza said with a steely glint in her eye.

"You're a mage too?" Lucy inquired.

"Yes," Erza said, but she did not elaborate on the subject.

Lucy tried again. "How is Makarov doing? And Mirajane and Fried, if you know?"

"Master Makarov is doing fine, considering the circumstances," Erza began as they continued down the path that would lead them to Clover. "He's still worried about Laxus, hell if I know why. That...that traitor deserved to be executed for his betrayal, not only to Master Makarov and myself, but to all of Fiore. If I ever cross paths with him again..."

Lucy shuddered. There was no need for the warrior to finish her sentence.

"As for the king and queen, they're still away on their honeymoon," Erza continued wistfully, "but I'm sure they'll be back soon. I've heard that Queen Mirajane's family's bed-and-breakfast is prospering. There's also a rumor going around that her brother and Evergreen are engaged to be wed."

"Elfman and Evergreen?" Natsu and Lucy exclaimed simultaneously.

"That's what I heard."

Lucy struggled to absorb this information, seeing as the two were so...so...argumentative was the word that came to mind, but it wasn't exactly a perfect way to describe Elfman's and Evergreen's muddled relationship. Love certainly didn't seem to be the word either.

The foursome talked as they trekked the last few miles, sharing stories and tidbits of information. Erza was just as aggressive as her appearance suggested, but there was one thing that revealed a softer, gentler side to her. "Once we get to Clover," she remarked, "we have to go by the bakery and get a strawberry cake."

Lucy dared not comment, but Natsu had to stifle laughter.

Eventually the trees parted and the sprawling city came into view, its shadows exaggerated and elongated as the sun set behind the peaks of the majestic mountains in the background. Natsu tipped back his head and let out a large cheer, accompanied by a hot jet of flame. Lucy laughed at Erza's expression and at the pure elation of finally, finally making it to Clover Town.