Chapter 19: Bickslow's POV:

He was glad that Lucy didn't push him further on how he got them out of the water… but the fact that she didn't made him nervous. Nervous for him to get the question, the look, again. His eyes drifted to the dead Lucy, the water, still pouring from her mouth despite the fact that she was gone. It was unnecessary, worrying, horrifying. He could only imagine themselves in the ocean again. Feeling the cold, feeling the absolute freezing water swallowing them alive. Until they were too far gone. Until there was nothing left but the lifeless corpses. He wondered if the Anomaly's idea was to drown them all. To end it before it even began, wanting to use its power in peace. Without the interruption of Lucy and her spirits getting in the way. Even if it was too late for that. Bickslow turned to Gajeel as he spoke up, "I'm not one to… interrupt such a moment… but if the answer isn't here. We should get the hell out. Don't you think?" Bickslow listened, turning his head every time someone spoke up. Lucy was next, "Yeah, that was the problem the first time with Bickslow and I. We had to follow Lisanna and Levy out. They could see the hints. We could only see the hints around them." It was true, Bickslow agreed. The reason they couldn't get out was because they were alone. Because the Anomaly didn't want them to survive. They had lucked out in finding Levy and Lisanna. Bickslow watched Lucy frown.

"They still made it out of the maze before we did. I just… I get it, based on what Loke said.. But it doesn't make me feel anymore confident in how to get out. Or how to fix this all." She explained, Bickslow could see her begin to tear up. He didn't appreciate the sight of it. He felt the need to make her happy. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I-" She began to say more, but Juvia was the one to act first. Her arms wrapped around the celestial mage in seconds. "None of this is your fault. You didn't know, you couldn't have possibly known this would happen." It was odd, to see the water mage be so nice to whom she generally called her a rival constantly. "We'll just have to work it out, together." Juvia assured her, backing up from the hug. The whole scene was a strange one. A scary one. A second Lucy, dead behind them. Another one of himself standing beside them. Looking equally as horrified, if not more. It only made him feel more uneasy. Bickslow squeezed Lucy's hand. To comfort her, as well as himself. Reminding himself that she was still there and real. That they hadn't lost each other a second time. Bickslow watched Lucy look between him and his doppelganger. Finally stopping at himself. "Let's go. Let's win this, give this Anomaly hell." She declared in front of all of them. She seemed to stand straighter, holding onto some new resolve she'd had before. He nodded at her, watching as the other two did as well. Though for some reason Gajeel was smirking at them. He didn't understand why.

Bickslow watched both his other self and Lucy look towards the dead Lucy. Her body decomposing much faster than it really should have in any state. It was unnatural, but so was everything else here. This whole island was full of curses and blessings. All from their past and present. It would be from their future too. Bickslow could feel it. He watched his other self shake his head. "I might suggest a quicker pace…" He heard him offer. It was sound advice. Smart advice. They'd live longer if they left this space. It was clear, they would just keep dying if they stayed still. That didn't seem to be it, though. Not all of it. His doppelganger's face said more. Much more. It wasn't just that they needed to move and survive. Bickslow looked down at Lucy as she said his name. Though he realized that she didn't mean him. She meant his other self. "I'm not going to make it out. You'd be smart to leave now. Don't watch me die. Just leave me to the Anomaly." He answered, a sniffle following. His eyes on the snow below them. Bickslow felt himself grimace as Lucy looked back up at him. He felt his heart pound. Her eyes searched his, he searched hers. What he found, answered his previous conflictions. They were both afraid to lose one another. Really afraid. It didn't matter from what timeline she'd leave him from, it mattered that she left. Died without warning. Leaving him alone. He refused to watch her die again. It was painful and traumatizing to watch. Bickslow looked at his other self again. It was like looking into a mirror.

The same mirror with the same feelings of fear. Anguish. Anger. But he saw hopelessness in his other self. Like he knew he wasn't going to live, Bickslow knew he said as much, but seeing it was believing it. They had seen others of themselves die before them. Suddenly he saw Lucy's hand come up and wipe the tears from his doppelganger. "We'll always be with you, Bickslow. I'm so sorry." She let out a sob. It was like her words mattered only for a second before he watched his other self not care. Like she'd just told him the sky was normal. The seith mage watched in horror as his doppelganger lost his eyes. Much like they'd seen when they first entered the maze. Hours ago. Days ago. There was still no telling how he lost his eyes. Just that he did. Next would be half his body being cut off. Another mystery as to how. But Bickslow didn't want to wait around and watch himself get mutilated. He was thankful that Gajeel stood in the way of Lucy as he tried to pull her away from the dying one. The dragon slayer had his arms crossed, staring at Lucy and himself. His heart felt like it had jumped to his throat as he heard his own scream from behind Gajeel. The seith mage was glad Gajeel stood in the way. Shielding himself and Lucy.

Fuck. Was all he could think as he pulled Lucy away. Listening to her sob behind him. He'd turned them around a corner and stopped immediately. He could see himself, dead on the ground. Appearing as though he'd drowned this time. He could see another Lucy, missing eyes and her torso ripped to shreds. He heard the blonde scream beside him as she dropped to the ground. But his eyes were glued to the sight. Confused, concerned, horrified. The same emotions he was feeling the entire time he was ever in this maze.. He had recognized that scream. They were in the future they'd heard before that no one else did. He wondered if Gajeel or Juvia heard this before. If being with them here, now, meant they heard it too. "Shit." He heard Gajeel say from behind him. He finally turned to face the dragon slayer who had picked up both of the girls. "We're getting out of here, and you either follow or you're dead like the rest of you." Gajeel was blunt… But Bickslow couldn't deny that he was grateful for it. Reality was slapping them over and over again, but they'd been stuck in their minds. Trying to face their worst fears. The seith mage followed immediately after Gajeel, keeping up best he could.

He watched as Lucy turned her head around to face him. Though he only felt nausea when she did. Her expression made him fear for his life more. It didn't help that she screamed and looked away again. He hated himself for looking behind him. Nearly tripping over and falling behind. He turned back around and jumped after Gajeel did. Another image burned into his mind, forever. Unsettling, watching three others of himself walk towards him with marks, cuts, missing limbs. He felt lucky they weren't screaming. But they were crying silently. He dropped to his knees as soon as he'd gotten far enough away, after Gajeel let the girls out of his arms. His eyes glancing back behind him making sure his other selves stayed in the maze. He turned back to face them, but his eyes remained on the snow below him. Fuck, fuck, fuck. What is this? He asked himself, before Lucy's movements took his attention. Ripped from his thoughts, for just a moment as she hugged him tightly. Glad she was still alive. The one he'd come here with. For the next minute, Bickslow remained there, stark still. Statue-like. He just couldn't believe all that he'd seen. Again. He'd seen both of them die. He'd seen himself, multiple times, in multiple ways. Crying, broken, dead or half dead. He'd felt like dread swallowed his lungs and he was meant to live in sorrow. Meant to loop, forever. Dying at the Anomaly's will. "Bicks…" He heard Lucy's cry. The feeling of her hugging him returning to him once more. Tore him from his racing dark thoughts, he looked down at the woman wrapped around him. He remained silent, but he wrapped his arms around her, putting her on his lap. He held his arms around her back and legs. Like he could carry her, but remained on the ground.

Bickslow held to her tightly. Letting her head lean against his chest. Against his beating heart, pounding from the fear of the maze. The seith mage felt his chest and throat close for a moment before he took a deep breath and stifled a sob. Sniffling instead. He needed to be strong here. If not for himself, then for Lucy. He was certain she felt pressure to fix all of this when it was her spirits. Her having the spirits that made the problem in the first place. He was sure she was feeling guilt along with her pressure and fear. Despite his own, he needed to step up and help where he could. He needed to show that he did care. More than he let on. Complicated became what they were here. He didn't have any reason to hesitate anymore. If he did die on this island. He would make sure Lucy would know how he felt about her. He finally spoke, breaking the silence between the four of them. "If… If we ever make it out of this alive, Cosplayer…" He worried, grimacing at how he was wording it. But he forced himself to sound happier about it, "You owe me a date." He stated, pulling back slightly from their embrace. He could feel his old self pushing to come out, allowing him to smirk slightly. He wanted nothing more than to smile and laugh with her, but they had to figure this out first. Had to make it out alive. Then they could laugh about it some day.

The older man watched Lucy glance at Juvia and Gajeel. His eyes seemed to follow. The shock was the expression on each of the other wizards. But, he wasn't surprised Gajeel was staring at them. His hearing would've been better than Juvia's. The man didn't say anything, though. Just stared. Lucy looked back up at Bickslow and he returned the look, waiting for her answer. "A… A d-date?" She asked him. He watched her pout, confused by the reaction from her. But he remained silent still, waiting to hear some form of answer. He waited, watching as she seemed to think through something in her mind. It concerned him slightly but he still patiently waited. Then suddenly she let out another sob. Bickslow held her closer to him, about to ask what was wrong. He could feel her shaking, but she tried to smile, letting out a sad laugh. "We'll get out alive, Bickslow. I can't die, not if there's a date on the line." It was an attempt at a joke. A dark one, he'd never expected that from her. He wondered if he'd worn off on her somehow. Bickslow smiled, until he heard a thud next to them.

Juvia had dropped to her knees and was crying. Lucy was already asking before he could. It seemed as though she'd gone through a realization of some kind as she spoke, "What about Gray? What about Wendy? Natsu… the others?" He watched her turn to Gajeel. Pointedly, "Levy?" She asked him.

The iron dragon slayer looked pissed as usual, but this time was masked slightly by fear of the unknown. He crossed his arms. "Levy's smart. So is Gray and Freed. Don't forget, Erza, Laxus and Master are out there somewhere too." He replied, scowling. Bickslow agreed with him, but the island was still huge. There was no guarantee they could or would find the others before the Anomaly decided to knock them back again. Either to where they started, or straight into the water and drown them. But he knew that Gajeel was right to some extent. It amused him enough to chuckle, as he came to a realization himself. About how he'd made it this far. How the four of them had made it this far. Bickslow explained himself as Lucy questioned him silently. "I don't think we should rule out the others in this. Sheer force of will has gotten me this far. I don't think you alone can do this, Lucy." He began to explain. The confused looks from the three of them had him trying to explain faster. "It's trying to throw you out. The only reason I'm here now is because we held onto each other. It hates it. It's trying to show you what will happen if we stick together. But, are they really real?" He asked.

"We're sticking with Gajeel and Juvia now. It hasn't shown us them dead yet. Why? Because it can't. They're not a part of this. It wants you gone. Just you." Bickslow knew he probably sounded crazy. But all he could think back to was Lucy. With himself alone with her, and with themselves and Gajeel and Juvia. He didn't think they were hallucinating. Lucy was able to touch the other Bickslow. He could rule that out. It was in fact, different timelines. From what Leo had told them before, then it made just that little bit more sense. Juvia followed with more of the theory, clearly catching on. "It's because it manipulates the time your spirits stole from it. That you stole from it." She commented. Bickslow nodded. The Anomaly appeared from having seven years stolen from it. Born from the malicious intent of Achnologia against the protection spell from Mavis. Bickslow could almost feel like it was angry at Lucy. Tormenting her because she wouldn't stay away. Wouldn't die. Bickslow continued, "Now that you're back here, it can use it. It wants it back, and you gone. That's why it threw us back to Hargeon and everyone away from one another. It can't steal the forms of everyone else. Just move them to where it's convenient."

Bickslow felt Lucy get off his lap and watch the three of them. "But that doesn't explain you, Bickslow. I don't think it would have cared if you were with me. Why didn't it just remove you from me too? Why would it take you with me?" Lucy inquired. That, that was something Bickslow didn't have an answer for. He could guess everything else. The Anomaly angry that Lucy's spirits stole time. Trying to kill her, or scare her enough to leave. So it could continue to try and catch up from the seven years. But some things still evaded him. Including himself in the equation. Including how the Anomaly thought it was Lucy's fault, Lucy's spirits fault that she stole time. He felt confused again, looking down as Lucy took his hand once more. "Where are your souls, Bickslow?" Gajeel asked him, Bickslow looked up to his guildmate and watched him raise an eyebrow as he told the dragon slayer he couldn't feel them anymore. Not that he'd lost them, but that he just couldn't feel them anymore. Like they were out of range. Then Gajeel chuckled, Bickslow continued to eye the man curiously. "Come on. You don't see it, do you? Whatever this thing is, it's holding them hostage. It's obvious you can help destroy this thing. That's why it's throwing you away with her." He clarified for them. Bickslow found himself scarce of an answer. A response. Was it really true? Did the Anomaly think he could help based on his soul magic? He felt confused even more than before.

"You think it's protecting itself while it tries to catch up with seven years of missing time?" Bickslow asked, his eyes suddenly locked on with Lucy's. The blonde gasped, "If it really thinks that it's my spirits fault, then that's why Loke looked like he was assimilating. Trying to steal their time, even though it seems to be endless." Lucy speculated. Suddenly her expression fell from hope to grief once more. "But Loke said there was someone else gone from this timeline, yeah? Why would it kill someone other than me, if I'm the problem against it. Bickslow too?" She questioned, her glare seemed to be aimed at the snow.

Bickslow was beginning to think that something was still missing. There was a piece of this massive shimmering Anomaly that they just didn't know. Or notice. Did it have to do with water after all? Or what about hearing the voices and seeing through other timelines? Bickslow's perplexed mind still couldn't solve it all. He knew he was never very good at puzzles in the first place, he was certain he'd hate them even more after this was all over if he survived. If the Anomaly let him live long enough to destroy it. Bickslow saw Gajeel and Juvia shake their heads, both without an answer to their questions. He wondered who it was that the Anomaly took the life of. Did it matter? Would it give them a hint? He didn't think it would. In the midst of his thoughts, Juvia spoke again, "Juvia thinks the souls are a key-" She said, before both herself and Gajeel disappeared from sight.

The seith mage felt his heart leap. The sudden disappearance didn't feel random this time. It certainly wasn't helpful, nor did it make him feel any less fearful. But, her last words gave him a bit of hope. "No!" He heard Lucy scream from beside him. She reached out to where they were. Nothing. No words. No sounds. Nothing but dead air surrounded them now. Bickslow had an idea… but he wasn't convinced it would work. Still, he felt the need to try. Despite his previous unwillingness to do so. "Lucy… Lucy," He paused, turning to face the celestial mage. He let go of her hand and brought his hands to cup her cheeks. He gazed at her, afraid of being moved somewhere from her at all. Lucy looked shocked, though he suspected it was from watching their friends flash away in an instant. "Do you trust me?" He asked her, cryptically. He didn't want to give her his reasoning, not yet. The blonde hardly hesitated before nodding. "I do…"

Then the seith mage smiled. "I need you to try and summon Leo again for me, okay?" He stared into her eyes, much like he had in the ocean water. Before he'd taken control of her body. Only this time, the seith mage gave the blonde a shaky kiss before pulling back, and seeing Leo standing behind Lucy. The woman stared at him, confused. But only for a moment before her stare went blank. Bickslow knew what he was doing was wrong without some kind of idea and permission, but he'd ask for forgiveness later. He'd really need to explain it when he let go of her again. Leo looked at Bickslow with a burning stare. "Care to explain yourself to me, Bickslow?" Leo chided, waiting for Bickslow to answer him. Bickslow smirked. "You're not assimilating anymore, are you?" The seith mage's mouth may have been moving to the words, but it was Lucy's voice that spoke them. Leo looked down at himself, fully functional. "What does this mean?" The Lion asked Bickslow, clearly curious. Bickslow spoke through Lucy again, "It means… We have a plan." Bickslow assured the Lion spirit.