Lucy was relieved to find that Natsu must have been sufficiently satisfied regarding his desire to hurt her for what she'd done, because after the fall from Salutem, he let her sleep in general peace. Every now and then, he'd keep her awake all night, frustrated, but he seemed more focused now on what he was doing with Juvia, so he tended to leave her alone. Which was fine with Lucy. She missed him desperately, but if he was going to ignore her, at least he wasn't causing her pain.

On one such evening where they were camping out, the southwestern mountains still not in sight, Lucy couldn't sleep. Natsu was simply bubbling with energy, clearly excited about something. It made her ache with longing to go home and just...even look at him. It was closing in on the longest period of time in the two years she'd been there that he'd not been around for her to see, and it hurt. Terribly. And unlike the incident with Tenrou, Natsu wasn't constantly checking in and curling around her, offering her comfort where he could. He wasn't actively trying to find her.

If anything, he was actively walking the other direction.

Lucy fumbled with the keys on her hip, eyeing the bubbling creek beside them nervously. Even Jellal had declared it safe, but still. She was unnerved by the area they'd begun to enter, with its darker creatures. So long as a wendigo didn't make its appearance, she told herself, she'd be fine.

Maybe.

Depending on what it was.

She just hoped Acnologia left them alone. Given what the dragon had told Natsu, she worried that he'd choose now to make his appearance and drag her off to who knows what. She had long since guessed that his warning referred to the situation they were in now. He'd left Anna, and she'd died, because he wasn't there in part. The same had happened with Igneel and Layla. Now...Natsu was angry with her, and half a country away. If something went wrong, there was no way he could do anything to help her.

The soft crack of something had her snapping to attention, alert. She gripped a key, instinct telling her that Scorpio was as alert as she was the moment she did so. Her fingers danced along her thigh until they'd curled around her knife. She watched the darkness, and when she saw the gleaming of eyes somewhere closeby, maybe a dozen or so feet away, she didn't hesitate to kick at Erza's legs until she stirred.

"Erza, get up," she said urgently enough that Erza gracefully rose without protest, a sword appearing in her hand. Lucy pointed, and Erza followed her gaze, narrowing her eyes when several more sets of eyes appeared. She hastily woke Jellal as Lucy began nudging Gray, who'd been sleeping nearby. When the other two were awake, neither excited about it but quickly focusing on the developing situation, Lucy felt better, though she wished desperately once more that Natsu was there.

As it was, she felt him angrily check in, as if he didn't want to but had to. As his fury gathered, distracting her, she made a swift decision. No. He wasn't going to help her now, so she had no reason to let him distract her and get her killed when they were very quickly outnumbered by the countless creatures appearing around them. "We're surrounded," she said when she noticed it, shoving Natsu out of her head. He was offended by it, funnily enough, though Lucy couldn't find the time to care as she rose to her feet, summoning Scorpio and snapping her whip the second he was beside her.

When she glanced over her shoulder, she was relieved to find everyone else on their feet. Gray had an icy mist rising from his hands, eyes blazing as he let the darker side of his magic spring to life, turning the ice that sprinkled the earth black. Jellal had slid into a defensive position, twin blades in each of his hands; Lucy wondered when the hell he'd gotten those, and why she'd not noticed. Erza swung her sword casually, with practiced ease, as if this was an everyday warmup for her.

When the first of the creatures slid into the light, Lucy felt a flicker of nervousness. It was a heavyset, hairless creature with spines rising out of its back and neck, all the way down its long, snake-like tail. Sharp talons tipped every toe, which seemed to move like her own fingers despite being on a large paw, and its eyes were large and entirely black. When it snarled at her, gaze hungrily latched onto her, it revealed a series of very sharp, very large teeth that could have shredded flesh with ease.

"Not good," she heard Gray mutter, eyes locked on the creature nervously.

"What is it?" she demanded as Scorpio slowly knelt, fingers digging into the earth, the odd metallic tail he supported whipping up in a defensive, scorpion-like position.

"It's a chupacabra," reported her celestial spirit, eyes flashing. "A whole pack of 'em, Miss Lucy."

Lucy felt a little ill at the idea. She'd not heard anything of such creatures. She felt Natsu curiously trying to press in, to try and see what she saw, and despite the situation, a barked laugh escaped her, confusing her companions. She shoved him back hard enough that she could have sworn she heard a snarl echo in her ears. Bastard. If she couldn't nose in on him, he couldn't nose in on her - especially in life-threatening situations.

Sensing her fears, Scorpio launched into a quick explanation. "They're not venomous, so don't worry if they get a bite in. Just don't fall, or they'll be on you in a second," he said, voice almost soothing, and she realized this was the first fight she'd be participating in that didn't involve Natsu. It almost made it all worse.

She wanted him. Desperately.

In every way possible, she wanted Natsu there, so much that tears gathered in her eyes.

Natsu, Natsu, Natsu, cried every bone in her body, craving his support in such a dangerous situation.

"I wonder why there's so many of them," breathed Erza. "Normally they only travel in packs of six or so. Why are there so many?"

"You have two fallen stars among you, one of which bears the Marks of a demon that brings such mythics to you," said Jellal calmly, flipping a dagger with care and tipping his chin down as the first chupacabra braced itself, ready to launch itself at them. "And a half-demon to top it off. Fallen stars call to such things, Erza. You know this." When the goblin attached to his cloak whimpered, he ordered, "I want you and Happy on Hypnos."

"Yes, sir," chirped the goblin anxiously, ushering the protesting Happy away. Luckily, the mounts were nearby, and even Salutem was brandishing his antlers with a bellow, daring the chupacabras to attack. They eyed the stags warily, and avoided Thanatos and Hypnos, who bared their teeth in a challenge as the goblin somehow hurled Happy up onto Hypnos's back.

Lucy flicked her whip, letting it snake around her in silence, stomach churning. Natsu tried to push forward again, nosey, and she shoved him back again, ignoring the taste of blood on her tongue. Not now! she silently roared, furious. How dare he be so cruel and then expect her to let him know what she was doing?

The first chupacabra sprang lithely forward with a piercing cry and though Erza lurched forward to greet it, Lucy got to it first. Angry with herself and with Natsu, she swiftly snapped her whip, catching the creature across the face. It howled in anguish and retreated, swiping at the blood that had come.

Instantly, another was launching at them, and then another, and Lucy's whip leaped to life, snaking around them and slicing at anything that came close. Scorpio narrowed his eyes and launched his own attack when several, deciding Lucy needed to be taken out so that they could get to the others, lurched forward to snap at her. Gray replicated Scorpio in a way, crouching down and slamming his fists into the ground, sending blackened ice flying around in a jagged pattern, while Erza and Jellal somehow ducked past Lucy's whip and went to work, weapons slicing.

A chupacabra broke past the onslaught and howled in triumph, launching itself at Scorpio. The spirit shouted in surprise as sharp teeth tore into his shoulder. Lucy stared in horror, stumbling back when a second and third joined the craze, their sharp teeth latching on where they could. Gray straightened, catching her shoulder to swing her around so their backs were together.

"Scorpio," she stammered, voice barely a whisper as she lashed her knife-holding hand through the air. "Go back!"

Scorpio vanished with a snarl, furious, and she stared at the chaos, head spinning with how many chupacabras there were. It was a ridiculous amount when Erza had said only a couple gathered at a time. There were several dozen, and more seemed to appear with every passing moment.

"What the hell," breathed Lucy, "is going on?"

There was no way in hell they could get away, not when there were this many-

Her gaze froze, lingering on the water, and she made a split-second decision, remembering Magnolia as water washed through it oh, so long ago - as hellhounds were sent spinning through the waves that rose from the canals.

"Cover me," she shouted to Gray, hurling herself for the water. Immediately, several were barreling after her. Gray cast a hand out, lifting a barrier of black ice that towered above them. With a flick of his fingers, the formless ice became a wall. He held his other hand out, a sword forming, and went to work as they started charging him instead, face pale.

Lucy hit the water with a splash, surging in up to her thighs. She didn't care, she realized, if there were grindylows. If there were kelpies, or nixies, or whatever else liked to play in unknown creeks and ponds. Let them try and drown her. They'd not succeed as the key she'd grabbed burned hot in her fingers. She plunged the key into the waves with a cry of triumph.

With a brilliant flash of white light, Aquarius appeared, eyes blazing with agitation. "This is a disgusting source of water," she snarled, even as she cast her hand out, much like Gray had. Water rose and whirled, splashed and roared as it tumbled from the banks, taking everything in it with it. Erza shouted in alarm, horrified, as if she expected something else to come after them from its depths. With good reason, too, Lucy supposed, catching sight of a sharp-toothed mouth that lurched for the goblin and Happy as it spiraled over them.

Water struck every creature that didn't belong. The chupacabras were ripped away by the current and when the water had swept them all up, it surged back towards the banks, slamming in. Aquarius remained, ensuring that they were drowned beneath its surface without a hint of remorse on her face.

Erza lowered her sword, heaving for air. Blood trickled from a scratch on her cheek, but she and the others looked relatively unharmed, Lucy noted with relief. Good. She stumbled over to the shore, exhausted. Happy came sprinting to her when all was safe, and Lucy knelt to gather him to her as soon as he'd hurtled into her arms. "It's alright, Happy," she soothed.

The feline hissed in response, tail lashing, but settled a little as Aquarius turned her irritated gaze on Lucy. "Stupid girl," she hissed, tail splashing in the water as she surged closer to where Lucy knelt on the bank. "Summon me sooner! Do you know what Scorpio endured?"

Lucy flinched, her gaze dropping to Happy's fur. Yes. She'd watched it, had felt flickers of his sudden panic race through her just before she'd sent him back. Her grip tightened on Happy, eyes burning. She'd promised to protect her spirits, and she'd allowed such a thing to take place. Her shoulders hunched a little as she cast her gaze down to Happy. He blinked calmly at her, steady and reassuring, and any thoughts of guilt were sent spiraling away. She ignored Natsu's grouchy behavior in the back of her head as she turned her head to Aquarius and took a deep breath. "Yes," she said firmly. "And I will apologize to him tomorrow, when I'm not going to pass out upon summoning him." Aquarius looked startled by her returned attitude, and then smirked.

"That's better, girl," she nearly purred, propping her chin in her open hand. Her gaze slid to Jellal as he came over, leaving Erza and Gray to double check the area and check on their mounts. The goblin tumbled at his heels, eager to keep close. It was somewhat endearing, Lucy supposed, the way the goblin wanted to stay close to him.

"Aquarius," murmured Jellal with a respectful dip of his head. "You have our gratitude for your help."

Aquarius gave him a smug smile. "I know," she said proudly. "You'd do well to summon us more often," she added to Lucy firmly, her tone not nearly as biting as it usually was. "And not just the same spirits. We all have our uses, girl."

"I will. Thank you, Aquarius," said Lucy quietly, and Aquarius snorted before vanishing back into her own realm. When she was gone, Jellal's gaze slid to hers calmly, intent clear, and she reassured, "I'm okay. Are you guys?"

"Uninjured, outside of a few bumps and scrapes," reassured Jellal, seating himself on the bank of the water beside her with care. He smiled warmly as the goblin crouched at the hem of his cloak, gripping the tattered, grubby hem. Lucy wondered just how often the creature held onto it, to make it look like that while the rest looked relatively untouched. They were quiet for some time before Jellal suddenly questioned, "Lucy, I've been meaning to ask...would you be interested in learning anything about what you could be capable of as a fallen star? Your situation...it's quite different than my own, I suppose, as I chose to fall, but it could prove useful in the long run."

Lucy tangled one hand in Happy's fur, the other in the grass. After a few moments of consideration, she said, "I don't...I know I need to have everything I can at my disposal to stop the destruction of the Eclipse Gate and Crocus," her voice quavered for a second, "but…" She paused when Natsu suddenly shoved at her, trying to burrow his way in, but Lucy ignored him. What right did he have, she thought bitterly, when he apparently hated her now? She would support him, ensure that everyone knew what she knew to a degree - that he was a good person, regardless of what he was or what he'd done to her. But he needed to decide what they were going to be like with one another.

Lucy took a deep breath and then released it with a loud huff. "I know I'm not human now. I mean, I guess I never was, but I still feel it, you know? And I would never ignore it. It'd be like pretending what isn't true. But I want to stay the way I am. I'm okay with only doing Portals. I'm okay with just being capable of that. Besides. Natsu's always been the one to guide me through things." She offered Jellal a tired smile. "Call me an idiot, but I don't want anyone else to teach me."

Lucy suspected the other two with them would have called her just that for not taking advantage of Jellal's offer, but Jellal merely smiled and nodded. "I understand," he said simply. "And should you change your mind, Lucy, I would be more than glad to teach you in the time we have left."

Silence, broken only by the bellow Salutem uttered, fell, and Lucy found it quite peaceful in the aftermath of Aquarius's attack.


Natsu fought back the snarl that burst through his chest, trying to barrel its way up his throat as he shoved and shoved at that bond, trying to understand what had happened. Lucy blocked him at every attempt with some type of numb wall, ignoring him, and it only served to anger him further. She wasn't hurt - he couldn't feel any pain in his body, only exhaustion. But still! She was his Marked One; didn't he deserve to know what was happening?

Seated across from him, her fingers skillful weaving the red thread among the newest of the ancient bones Natsu had collected over the last few days, Juvia glanced up and murmured, "Juvia's sure they're fine, Natsu."

Natsu tried to chase her away from his thoughts with a glare, but she wasn't fazed. She was less concerned than even Lucy would have been. Natsu found himself concerned she'd been spending too much time around him; he liked being able to do things like that with the people around them. Excluding Lucy-

No, not excluding Lucy, not anymore. She'd lost that privilege when she'd lied to him.

Natsu shifted in discomfort, frustrated when he found guilt climbing through him again. He remembered the terror on her face when she'd warned him, several times, ahead of actually saying it, remembered how she'd sobbed, but had still managed to spit it out. He supposed, with a grumble, she deserved some credit. She could have backed off, failed the trial, and left him wondering what the hell she'd been hiding.

But she'd still told him.

Natsu's fingers faltered. He studied the bones he'd been weaving together alongside Juvia, suddenly rather tired of it all. He didn't like being so angry, he realized. He'd never been like that. He'd always preferred the fun and joy, even after everything Zeref had done. When it had been Natsu and not END, he'd preferred to find the pretty things in everyday life, ignoring what he'd left in the scorched battlefields as Igneel bore down on them all.

To make matters worse, his chest - his very heart - ached simply because he wanted Lucy there. It was exhausting, fighting off those feelings and others that he didn't even try to understand. All he knew was that he missed Lucy, regardless of everything else. Once, he remembered Lucy telling him about how people could miss and mourn those who were still alive. He wondered if that's what he felt as he slowly set the bones down, uncertain as he glanced to Juvia. "Juvia?"

She set her bones down, glancing at him beneath her lashes, and waited. He faltered, considered shoving the conversation away and going back to work, but forced himself to speak. "Lucy…" Her name came out hoarse, pained. Nothing curled in his chest where it should have come from Lucy herself. She was too tired to even try now, and he wondered what had happened.

Juvia straightened, focusing further. Patient, she let him sort out what he wanted to say.

"She shouldn't have hid what she did, right?" he finally said, searching her gaze. "She was wrong?"

Gentle amusement crossed Juvia's face and she smiled warmly. "She shouldn't have hid things that affect us all for so long. But it's not what she did that you should take note of, Natsu, but why she did it. Did she do it to be cruel to you, like you accused her of? Or was there some other reason?"

Her tear-stricken face flashed across his mind, and he swallowed thickly. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do," she prompted quietly. "You know precisely why she did it. Natsu...perhaps what she did was wrong, but she didn't want what she was hiding to hurt you. That's the only reason she didn't say anything. Gray said she's been agonizing over it for months - since she got here, even. It hurt her to not tell you."

Natsu opened his mouth to respond, then paused and frowned at her. "Hold on," he rumbled, "how much do you actually know, Juvia?"

She grinned. "Not everything. Gray merely told Juvia that some big secret was kept, that Lucy finally told you, and that you weren't happy because she hid it from you." Juvia paused. "Can Juvia ask what it was that Lucy told you?"

"I will destroy Crocus at the end of this year." He said it bluntly, without emotion. He pushed memories of scorched lands from his mind, pushed back the memories of charred bodies and the crows and other creatures that had come to pick at them.

"Mm," hummed Juvia, weaving again. "That sounds like something that can change, Natsu. Why would you be so angry over something that's not happened yet when she's warned you, regardless of how long it took her to tell you? Had you kept such a secret, would she hold it against you in such a way?"

"No," he admitted, the admission striking him painfully. "She would just try and change it."

"And that," she hummed, "is precisely why Lucy has gone to the southwestern mountains. Gray said that she intends to change what happens, no matter the cost. Even if you no longer care to. Not for the benefit of our world, either, but for you."

Natsu shoved his weaving away with a scowl, tasting the blood of a ghoul in his mouth. He could practically see Lucy standing over him, ashen as the ghoul's head tumbled to the ground with a solid thud. She'd killed for him, just as he'd killed for her. Neither of them were proud of it, but it had happened.

And just to finish off the conversation, Juvia asked him, "Lucy wants to change the future for you alone...would you do the same for her, even after what happened, Natsu?"

"Yeah," he found himself answering without hesitation. "I think I would."


Some chupacabras at last! I'm so happy I was able to include them, they're one of my favorite mythical creatures (which I somehow forgot about and was reminded to include at one point?). And Natsu's slowly figuring things out with Juvia! Juvia and Natsu's relationship has become one of my favorites and will play a huge role later down the line. ;)

On another note...I've finally started the final aprt of ODAS! I'm super excited about what's to come. :) AND I've really been considering writing an original book soon, so. Thoughts?

Thanks to reviewers (XxCelestialAssassinxX, Kedo, Sele de la Luna, lcr0718, Meow Orbit, FairyTailxFanGirl, AntriOpllew, Kisa7221, AthomeinFairytail, madaraswife, Skiblez, TigerArrowgirl, Uchida Akira, Lissuin, fanficreader938, rao hyga 18, itsxoi, Guest #1, valerioux, Winterguest, Lodemai04, Bokwork129, Guest #2, stranger1999, Kaisha, Surfy, Maikoa, BeautifulSaurai, PersephoneQOTU, monluver92, and BrokenAngelWings22!) as well as those who favorited and followed.