Earlier on the morning of that day Natsu awoke to something tapping on his head. Opening his eyes, he saw that it was Erza stepping on his forehead with her tiny foot.

"It's about time you woke up." She told him. "Come on we have to get going."

For someone who was only four inches tall, Erza had one a great big attitude. She rushed Natsu awake and out of the house to meet Lucy. The three of them were soon on their way.

"So how long will it take us to reach this castle?" Natsu asked.

"A few days." Lucy answered. "To get there we'll have to go through the stone maze, the underground passage, the hedge maze, the fiery forest, the bog of eternal stench, and finally the junkyard."

"Wow that's a lot."

"There are shorter ways to reach the castle but they're secret and I don't know about them."

"You don't?"

"No. I was forbidden to know about them."

"But aren't you like a princess or something? I mean you are the sister of a king so that makes you royalty right?"

"Yes and no. Technically I am royalty but I have no title and if you really want to get technical I should be the ruler of the labyrinth because I am Alok's first child but he picked my brother to be his heir."

"How come?"

"I don't know, parental favoritism perhaps?"

"I'm surprised that man even had children." Erza said. "He always seemed too full of himself to actually be a father and he's a terrible ruler too."

"Okay I know why I'm going to the castle but why are you going Erza?" Natsu asked.

"Because Alok stole something from me and I want it back."

"What did he steal?"

"My wings."

"But you have wings?"

"These are fake! My real wings are much more beautiful than these and much stronger."

"I'm confused, why do you need your wings back if you can fly with replacements?"

"Because fairy wings don't just give us our ability to fly, it also gives us our magic. Without our wings we're completely useless and that horrible owl priest cut off mine a long time ago."

"Why?"

"I had only been to the palace one time in my life and it was to visit a fellow fairy friend of mine who worked there. While waiting for her I saw Alok sneaking into a secret room, curious I followed him but he caught me and said that I needed to be punished for snooping around. So he cut off my wings and it was the most painful experience of my life. Just look!"

She took off her artificial dragon fly wings and showed Natsu the hideous scars on her back.

"Whoa that's ugly!" Natsu gasped.

"The pain was from it was so horrible that I passed out." Erza continued. "When I woke up I had been left in the junkyard to rot. That's where Lucy found me. I don't know what would have happened if she hadn't of come to my aid."

"You're a strong fairy Erza. I'm sure you would have found a way." Lucy smiled.

"I was too weak to go back for my wings and with my magic gone I had to live by my wits. So I started to salvage discarded stuff in the junkyard that I could use for survival. After that I went off to build a home for myself in the stone corridor. On my way there I found a dead dragon fly and took it's wings to use as replacements. I also made my own sword and grabbling hook with a needle, thread, and an earring."

"Wait a minute you're a fairy and use a sword? You fight?"

"Duh."

"But I thought all fairies were supposed be all sweet and nice and nonviolent."

"I am sweet and nice but nonviolent? Please, when you're the size of a walnut you have to be violent all the time otherwise you get squashed or swatted or eaten by things that are bigger than you."

"I never thought of it like that." He said.

"I'm going to fly ahead and see if I can get a better view of where we are." Erza said before flying upward. Leaving Natsu and Lucy alone.

"So Lucy."

"Yes?"

"Erza is fairy but what are you?"

"What do you think? I'm a goblin." She answered.

"Funny I thought goblins would be bigger and I...I never pictured them as being female."

"What exactly do you picture goblins looking like?"

"Well according to my sister's books and various movies goblins are supposed to be very big, ugly, scary, kinda on the fat side, dirty, slimy, man eating-"

"Gross! We don't eat humans! That's disgusting!"

"Well what do you eat? Bugs?"

"Eww! No!"

"Frogs and toads?"

"Ick!"

"Snakes and lizards?"

"That's nasty!"

"Rats?"

"What?!"

"Worms?"

"No! Ugh! You're gonna make me throw up! We eat food! Fruits! Vegetables! Meats! Breads! All the normal food! Where did you get the idea that we ate all that stuff?! Of all the ridiculousness!"

"Sorry! In my defense yesterday I thought goblins weren't real."

"Why?"

"Believe it or not, where I come from goblins, fairies, and whatever else lives in this place are all just stories and make believe."

"I don't know much about the human world." Lucy said. "My father always said that they were monsters."

"Why?"

"Because they killed my mother.'

"Oh...I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, I never knew her. I was only a toddler when she died."

"If you don't mind me asking why did they kill your mother?"

"Because humans are naturally selfish and evil, at least that's what Father says."

"You don't believe him?"

"Is he right? Are you humans all selfish and evil?"

"No! No of course not but I...I mean I thought that you would believe him since he's your father."

"With my father, you can never really tell if he's being truthful or not. For example Father always talked about how much he loved Mother and yet there were no pictures or records of her anywhere in the castle."

"Maybe it was too painful for him to be reminded of her?"

"Maybe or maybe he never really loved her at all. I could never really tell."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"What?"

"Why do you wear a mask?"

"I already told you that it's none of your business."

"I know but...Come on don't you ever take that thing off?"

"Only when I sleep and bathe."

"That's creepy. What kind of a weirdo wears a mask twenty-four seven?"

"How rude, didn't anyone teach you any manners?"

"Hey I'm just stating a fact. I bet a lot of people who are around you get creeped out by you wearing that mask all the time."

"Erza didn't mind."

"I bet she did but she just didn't tell you."

"Some people would consider that being respectful. An act that is clearly foreign to you."

"At least I don't keep my face covered and freak people out."

"Ooooo!" Lucy seethed. "You behave just like my brother! He was always so rude and disrespectful! Drove me crazy!"

"Well if you were this overly sensitive with him then I'm on his side."

"I am not being overly sensitive! I'm just annoyed! Annoyed because people like you and my brother with that rude and arrogant manner!"

"Lady you bit my head off just because I asked you why you wore a mask! Now how is that not being overly sensitive?!"

"You're not sensitive enough to respect my feelings!"

"I just asked a question!"

"Will you two stop it?" Erza said flying down. "What's the matter with you?"

"He was being rude." Lucy said.

"I was not! She overreacted." Natsu said.

"You both sound like two immature children. No we fighting on this trip, we have to work together. Now kiss and make up."

"How she's supposed to kiss with that ugly mask on her face?" Natsu asked.

"That's it!"

Lucy tackled Natsu and started hitting him in the face with her fists.

"Get off me you freak!" Natsu demanded.

"Freak?! How dare you!"

"Ow! Stop it!"

"Take it back!"

"No!"

"Take it back!"

"No way! It's the truth!"

"Take it back or I'll break your nose!"

"Bring it on! I'm in football! I've taken down a lot idiots who are bigger than you!"

"Take this! And that!"

"Ouch! Don't think that just because you're a girl I'm going to go easy on you!"

Erza face palmed and slowly shook her head at Natsu and Lucy's foolishness.

"Why me?" The red haired fairy asked herself.