"Yeah, it took almost a full year to gather all the shards of the Shikon no Tama," Miroku regaled, his lips quirking into a sad smile. "Lady Kagome was just shy of her sixteenth birthday when she jumped down the well after the final battle. She had promised to return in three years after finishing High School to appease her mother."

Lucy felt shocked and astounded as her hands came up and clasped the Shikon no Tama. That strange warmth it gave off instantly tickled the palms of her hands. She had been curious, so she asked for information about the jewel she now was Guardian over. Hearing all the woes and trials that a girl from the future (by 500 years or so) had gone through. Lucy could relate; she had experienced something similar, yet not.

"Miss Lucy?" Miroku called out to her, making Lucy look at him and smile sadly. "You look to be around Lady Kagome's age. You are sixteen or so?"

Under normal circumstances, Lucy would feel offended at someone(especially a guy) asking her age. It was considered rude and offensive. Letting her eyes dart to Sango, Lucy realized it was the same here. But Lucy couldn't help the light laugh that escaped her twitching lips.

"You are so kind to say that," Lucy said, letting her voice turn impish. "I am twenty-five. I had my birthday on the seventh day of the seventh month. Which was shortly after I arrived here."

Lucy enjoyed the way everyone came to a halt and stared with eyes wide open at her. She could understand their disbelief because she had encountered it a lot in her world when she wrote her age down on the mission acceptance application for Clients, and they saw her. It amazed Lucy how spacey (and this was putting it politely in her mind) her fellow Earthlanders could be. They seemed to forget that the core members of Fairy Tail had gone missing for seven years.

"Feh," InuYasha hissed. "She isn't lying. In fact, she is really amused."

"You know, in most cultures, it is rude to sniff someone," Lucy chirped, flashing a toothy smile at InuYasha. Enjoying how his ears laid flat against his skull. "But yes, I am amused. It is something I am used to.'

"Can you tell us how you look so young and are so much older?" Miroku asked, his purple eyes glinting in the firelight.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at how he phrased his question. This man was going for broke by being rude while acting as if he wasn't. Lucy wanted to go over to him and kick him hard on the chest. But she knew that her strength was much different than him. Lucy had come to terms with her body being more physically fit and like InuYasha's than a normal human's. Lucy attributed that to both her magic and the crazy shit she had survived while being a part of Fairy Tail.

"Sure, but I doubt you'll believe me," Lucy said, her eyes dropping to look at the flicking flames.

"Woman, tell us and let us judge for ourselves," Sesshomaru spoke up, shocking Lucy, though she never looked from the fire.

"Fine," Lucy said. She felt a small tremor in her heart. "Nine years ago, I was selected to take what is called the 'S' Class Mage Trials. It is something that happens every year in each of the Light Guilds of Fiore. This competition is a way for registered mages in the Guilds to go up a rank. And each person is chosen based on how they perform through the year. I was the partner of one of the chosen."

Lucy paused and looked at everyone, waiting in case they might have questions. When all eyes stared intently at her, Lucy nodded her head.

"Well, we went to Tenrou Island, which is exclusive to my Guild Fairy Tail requires three trials to pass. Each requiring a different type of strength. The first was physical, as we had to get from the ship we sailed on to the shore. It was several mines. We could swim, Island, or any other method to get to the island," Lucy said. She felt her lips pull up into a smile as she recalled the memories with clarity. "The second trail was there waiting for us. Each pair had to enter a different cave and follow the trail in it to the other side. Inside, the caves wove like an ant's nest. Two of the routes would be dead ends; a few had some 'S' Class mages you had to fight to pass from our Guild. And if you couldn't, you failed. And others connected to battle the chosen teams. I ended up in a battle against another team and won."

Lucy let out a small sigh as she recalled how Freed had more or less thrown the battle for Canna because of the Fantasia incident. But it was hilarious nonetheless since he pretended to faint from a nose bleed due to a scantily clad woman. It was so obvious because his own teammate was a busty woman who wore a strapless short green dress that was barely legal on the streets.

"Miss Lucy?"

Blinking her eyes and pulling herself from her memories, Lucy looked at Shippou, whose green eyes were wide. The undisguised curiosity and fascination were heartwarming.

"Ah, sorry, wool-gathering," Lucy chuckled and shook her head. "Anyways, the third trial was to find the Altar on the Island using a Clue given by our Guild Master. Who I am sure, you, Miroku would get along with very well. You two share a similar quirk and hobby."

At her statement, Miroku looked confused. However, Lucy saw that the others got her meaning right away. Poor Sango frowned and rolled her eyes as her hand crept out and grasped Miroku's hand and squeezed it. The faint blush that crept across the man's face had Lucy pressing her lip into a thin line and coughing.

"Continue, woman," Sesshomaru commanded. Lucy glanced at him and saw his eyes glinting with interest.

"Ah, well, I figured out the clue fairly easily," Lucy said. "But we were attacked by a Dark Guild that was run by a former member of Fairy Tail. Not only that, we found out a powerful Dark Mage was on the Island. The whole situation was a fuck all, with us on the losing side. At least until another former member of our Guild arrived. Then hell broke loose. The black apocalypse attacked us Dragon, Acnologia. To save us, the Soul of our First Guild Master of Fairy Tail awoke and guided us through the third sacred magic of Fairy Tail. It put all of the members of Fairy Tail into a state of suspended animation and caused Tenrou Island to vanish. It took seven years before we were able to wake up and return to our daily lives."

Lucy felt her heart seemingly beat slower in her chest. She felt sad, and the feeling of missing her Guild Mates and adoptive family rose unbidden. Lifting her hand, Lucy rubbed at her chest as her vision started to blur due to tears. It made her really want to find all the Keys and return home. She could only imagine the chaos caused by her disappearance. And that poor shopkeeper must be catching hell from her teammates.

Sesshomaru listened to the story Lucy was telling. He found it fascinating, and it made her curious. He would not deny that Lucy was stronger than a normal human in many ways. Though she had a unique and alluring scent, she was still a human and beneath him. Sesshomaru felt unease as he watched her face shift from one emotion to the next.

A part of him was curious how they decided strength in her world? What made one stronger? Was it based solely on their magic? Did physical abilities play into it? There was a clear need for intelligence, more so by how she talked about the trials set. Each made a person think and adapt to a situation. It held promise, and only the strong would survive. He had learned that there was more than just physical strength. Sesshomaru had learned from the Miko that one had to know when and where to use their strength. That a person's pride could blind them, making them weaker.

When Lucy mentioned magic that put them in suspended animation, or a type of deep sleep one didn't age from, he recalled something similar with the elder demons. However, the part about the Dragon of Apocalypse left a foul taste on the back of his tongue. He detested dragons greatly. It was one that took his father away, using his weakness against him. A weakness that Sesshomaru now understood, having accepted his half-brother and Rin.

"You have grown, pup."

Not reacting to his father talking directly into his mind. Sesshomaru watched as Lucy became forlorn. It was clear she missed her world and those she was close to. They were her pack. He had noticed a while ago that her smell would change as it had now when she was being melancholy with their memories.

"It is only natural, pup," His father said, sighing. "That young woman places a lot of value on those she cares for. She sacrificed something near and dear to her at one point to protect them. One of her Golden Zodiac Keys, to summon the King of the Celestial Realm."

Sesshomaru found it astounding. To know that Lucy would sacrifice something she held sacred. That was an honor not many humans could understand or accomplish. Sesshomaru knew he couldn't do what she did to protect what was precious to him. Or at least not in the past. It made him realize how much he had changed. Though he was still the same and indifferent, Sesshomaru knew he would fight to the death to protect Rin, Jakken, and those he now held as a pack, including his brother.

"Yes, Pup," His father said. "You have grown into a fine lord and leader. I can find little fault with you."

Sesshomaru felt proud and insulted at his father's words, "And what fault can you find with this Sesshomaru?"

He knew the moment he asked his father that he shouldn't have. A cold chill ran down his back.

"That you haven't taken a mate and bore a child of your own," his father stated before the mental connection was snapped.

It took all his self-control not to growl. This topic was one of the taboos and forbidden ones. And his father was not one to mince words. Standing up, Sesshomaru left the group to go to work out of his sudden frustration.

Large Brown eyes watched in wonder as Lucy explained the Tenrou Island situation to the eclectic group. The soft flutter of tiny wings flapping as the tiny person stayed hidden. Some of them wanted to go out and introduce themselves to the group, especially Lucy. But their job was just to observe the progress. It really sucked. But Mai would do as her Mistress Kagome had instructed her.

Though, if Mai had a choice, she would interfere to help instead. The Celestial Mage was very much like her mother, Layla. It had been many, many years since Layla had come to the Eclipse Gate to check it and found both Mai and Mistress Kagome, who had tumbled out of it that fateful day. It was the day that the Gods had chosen the pregnant woman's child to save the second Zodiac Keys. And also to be the new Guardian of the Shikon no Tama.

Mai knew it was a heavy burden and that Mistress Kagome had borne it on her own. Fate was a cruel mistress. But Mai knew that once Lucy had done what she was doing, a gate would be created between the two worlds, and time would be wound back for Kagome. Then she hoped that Mistress Kagome would be able to live her life as she chose either in Earthland or on Earth.

TBC!

It is November, thus National Novelist Writers Month (NaNoWriMo), and like the previous years, I will be solely focusing on writing nothing but Fairy Tail (FT) stories. And I am doing this because I want to finish them and get the hell out of a fandom that has become toxic. More so with the new insurgent group of fans that promote unhealthy and toxic behaviors and relationships.