Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay, but my lab is starting a huge experiment tomorrow so things have been crazy and I will be overwhelmingly busy this week! I will do my best to update this coming week, but if I can't, I will post twice the following week! Thank-you for sticking with me and my story. I hope you enjoy it and as always, please let me know what you think!

March 31st

Lucy isn't proud of what she did the moment she found the note on her bed. She screamed, cursing the dark guild and wishing them all dead. They chased Natsu away. They made him leave her behind. She also cursed the dragon slayers, for what they did a decade ago and for getting magic banned across the land. If only he knew. If only he knew how strong she was, that she could defend herself. As she blamed everyone but herself, a realization dawned on her. If she had told him, maybe he would have taken her with him. There still might be time. She had no idea when he left or where he was going, but someone had to. She shoved various things in a backpack before tossing her sweatpants and pulling on leggings instead. She laced up her combat boots before hurrying out the door. She ran to Fairy Tail, frowning at the dark windows. It was still early and no one had arrived yet to open the bar. She ran to Levy's place instead, praying that Wendy was there. Levy was suppose to have gotten back late last night, so it was a possibility that the small girl was there with her. When Lucy paused to catch her breath, she noticed the front door slowly opening. Gajeel slipped through the door, shutting it softly behind him. A bag resided on his back and he slipped into the woods behind their house.

Gajeel. Was he leaving Levy? It wasn't possible. The two were inseparable. Lucy hurried after him, following his footprints in the mud. He walked for hours, Lucy trailing behind to stay hidden. Why would he be trekking through the woods all day? Where was he going? Despite hunger clawing at her stomach and aching pains shooting through her knees, she pressed on. He finally paused in a clearing and Lucy tucked herself between trees, making sure to keep her distance.

"Metal face. Took you long enough." That voice. Lucy poked her head out far enough to see around the wide trunk that kept her hidden. Natsu stood tall with Wendy beside him. His arms were crossed over his chest and a dark cloak settled over his shoulders. Wendy wore a similar cloak and she sighed as Gajeel scowled at them both.

"Look, not everyone can just drop their lives and leave everything behind. I had to make up some story about visiting my dad before Levy would even let me pack a freakin' bag." He snapped and a low growl escaped Natsu. The sound caused Lucy to flinch, but the other two didn't even blink.

"You think it was easy for me? Lucy risked her life to save my sorry ass and I left her behind with a freakin' note! Know why I did it? Because we put everyone we love in danger! I told you guys we never should have settled in a town. We'd be better off like Cobra, moving from village to village. Instead, we had to sell our souls to some pathetic dark guild to keep the guards off our trail." Natsu's voice echoed through the trees as anger built inside him.

"No one told you to befriend the girl. You only have yourself to blame for that. As for the dark guild, what changed? What made them snap? Why are we even here?" Gajeel hissed back and Wendy stood silently, eyes trained on the ground.

"You're one to talk. The day you met Levy, you were ready to take her and run. You only stayed with us because she insisted on staying for Fairy Tail!" Natsu snapped back, turning away from Gajeel. "As for the dark guild, I was done being a puppet. I don't want anymore blood on my hands just to keep ourselves and Fairy Tail safe. If we leave, the target on Fairy Tail diminishes and everyone there will be safe. As for our next move, we have to round up the others. It seems there are rumors of my brother surfacing and we have to put an end to that." Natsu growled the last sentence under his breath and both Wendy and Gajeel tensed. Natsu had a brother? Lucy was having difficulty keeping up with the exchange between the three friends.

"Lead the way." Gajeel huffed, scowling as he looked away from Natsu. Natsu nodded and took off through the woods. They ended up traveling through a nearby town, gathering supplies before making their way to a mountain trail. Lucy stayed in the trees, only pausing to eat an apple. She left the core behind as she hurried to catch up with the group. All three of them tensed, pausing from their trip as Lucy held her breath. Did they notice she was following them? She made sure to keep her distance and stay quiet until she finally gathered the courage to reveal that she was following. Her eyes widened as flames formed on Natsu's fists, the tendrils licking up his arms as his eyes scanned their surroundings. His nose twitched. In a single motion, his body jolted to the side as vines shot up from the ground. They wrapped around Wendy's ankles and wrists as Natsu dodged them, torching the tips when they got too close. Gajeel cut through the vines effortlessly, his now metal arm glistening in the sunlight. He freed Wendy who gracefully dropped to the ground. Her hands cut through the air, her eyes narrowing into focus. Every spot her hand moved, the vine was sliced by an invisible force. Lucy was in awe of the three as they fought the ever growing vines.

"I have to admit, I'm impressed." A woman's voice growled as a vine snapped around Gajeel's waist, tightening its hold on him as he squirmed. Wendy was too busy fighting off a swordsman to help her comrade.

"I'm not." A lanky man stepped from the trees and yawned as he lifted his hand. A wolf-like creature emerged from the ground, frothing at the mouth as it launched itself right at Natsu.

"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" He growled as the roaring embers blanketed his entire body. He charged at the creature, colliding with its center. They both went crashing through the trees, demolishing century old beings in the process. The creature was on its feet before Natsu and reflected the attack back at him. The fire mage slammed into a weeping willow, the bark shattering around his body. "What the hell?" Natsu huffed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He pushed himself back up, charging at the creature with a flaming fist.

"There's no use in fighting. My creature will reflect any attack you throw with equal strength." The man laughed as the creature slammed into Natsu once more. His body cracked an oak tree in half this time and he grimaced. Lucy pulled her eyes from her closest friend to focus on the smallest wizard. Wendy had managed to take down the swordsman, but she was restricted from moving. She angrily tugged at her legs, but they weren't cooperating with her.

"Gravity." A tall, rail-thin woman stepped out from the shadows, her one hand trained on Wendy before the other one settled on Natsu. "My magic will keep you monsters where you belong." A devilish smirk touched her ruby red lips as Natsu fell to his knees. The mage who once controlled the vines jumped around jubilantly and cuffed the three wizards.

"You three are under arrest and sentenced to death. Enjoy the fresh air while you still can." She giggled as a few soldiers from the nearby kingdom emerged from the underbrush. Lucy's hand went to her pouch as she studied the opposing wizards. The soldiers weren't mages and if she could just free her friends and subdue the creature, they'd have a chance. Natsu shoved himself to his feet, fire still on his fists as he stumbled, struggling against the force holding him down. He punched a soldier in the face, before kicking the legs out from under another. He couldn't get his body off the ground though and he cursed under his breath.

"Natsu! Stop! The cuffs will drain you completely if you keep fighting!" Wendy cried, tears welling in her eyes. Lucy's heart faltered as reality weighed heavily on her.

"I don't care. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it." He sucked down a gulp of air before shouting. "Fire dragon's roar!" Flames shot out from his lips as his body flew backwards. The raging fire scorched the woman who was binding him to the ground. Wendy's body eased into relaxation, before she jumped up to help fight with him.

"Sky dragon's roar!" She shouted as a whirlwind knocked the other woman off her feet, her hold on the vines weakening enough for Gajeel to break through. With the distraction, Lucy was able to summon Plue and Cancer, as well as, change into her star dress. She grasped the scissor-blades tightly in her hands, taking a shaky breath before speaking. She didn't use her star dresses often and the release of magic energy left her a little disoriented.

"Now Plue!" The tiny snowman smiled and nodded, complete trust in his wizard, before his shaking body ran towards the snarling creature. He kicked at the creature's leg and the monster shifted, shrinking to the size of Plue. A smirk touched Lucy's lips. The man's jaw dropped as the creature and Plue had a pathetic fist fight. Lucy sent Cancer out to help the others while she jumped from her hiding place. Her blade sliced through the center of the man controlling the creature and she kicked his body off the sword, cringing in response to the wet thud. The moment he hit the ground, the creature vanished just as Wendy was knocked unconscious by the gravity mage. Lucy spun and locked eyes with Natsu as she cut down another soldier. Before he could say anything, Cancer appeared before Natsu, clutching the cuffs and forcing tiny bursts of magic into each side. It was Loke who taught them all how to counter the binding spell embedded in the cuffs. The metal shattered and Cancer moved onto Gajeel and then Wendy before helping take down soldiers. Lucy spun again, cutting into the larger soldier. Her blade slid effortlessly through his shoulder. She had to fight the tears welling in her eyes. Now was not the time to show weakness. It was her choice to join the fight. It was her choice to use the scissor-swords.

"You bitch." A woman shouted, a vine centimeters from Lucy's face. It burned to ash before it could touch her and Natsu's flaming body slammed into the woman. He shoved himself off the ground, his brow furrowed as he studied Lucy's conflicted expression. She pulled her stare away, focusing on the task at hand. Gajeel managed to take down the gravity mage and Lucy looked around. The bodies of the soldiers littered the forest floor, their blood staining the plush grass a daunting crimson. Lucy's star dress dissipated, the swords returning to the spirit world as Plue and Cancer vanished as well. She breathed heavily, unable to help Gajeel and Natsu gather all the assailants. She had to focus on collecting herself. Gajeel melded the armor of the soldiers, binding all of them to trees before he turned away to check on Wendy. Natsu stumbled towards Lucy without a word, falling to his knees as Lucy dropped down to catch him before he could hit the ground.

"You're a celestial wizard." His voice was low as he tried to calm his ragged breathing. His heart was racing.

"I guess we both had secrets." Lucy nodded, unable to read the look in his eyes.

"Thank-you." He whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers, his shaking hand cupping her cheek as his eyes shut. The warmth radiating from him was comforting and she smiled softly before his body collapsed in her arms.

"Looks like they're both out cold. Think you can carry Wendy while I carry him? We have to move, now." Gajeel huffed, cradling Wendy in his arms.

"I have an idea." She freed one more key from her pouch and summoned Horologium. The clock spirit stood tall beside them and she managed to get Natsu inside. "Horologium can carry him as far as we need him to." She assured Gajeel and the man nodded, impressed with the celestial wizard.

"Let's go then, Bunny girl." He mumbled under his breath, not waiting for Lucy before walking away.

"Aye-aye captain." Lucy whispered under her breath and she hurried to catch up with him, Horologium on her heels. Gajeel ended up behind her, telling her to keep walking in that direction while he covered their tracks. When he wanted to turn, he would just yell a new direction at her and she would give him the most abrupt turn that she could. Leaves crunched under their feet as they ducked under low-hanging branches and climbed through various thickets lining their path. During their walk, Wendy had woken and she insisted on walking with Lucy. Wendy led the way, seeming to know where Gajeel was taking them. Lucy was just grateful that he finally stopped barking directions at her. It was beginning to stress her out in a unnecessary way, especially when he would make her lead the way through thorns and vines. As they walked, Wendy maintained a conversation with Lucy in soft whispers. She explained to Lucy that the three of them were part of a bigger group and that they're looking for their friends. She also defended Natsu, saying he wanted to protect Lucy from their world, not knowing that she was a celestial wizard. It was unnecessary because Lucy had already forgiven Natsu. When they reached a clearing, Gajeel told them to rest before disappearing into the woods. Horologium returned to the spirit world, leaving Natsu sprawled out in the dirt. Wendy knelt beside him, her hands glowing over his body as she whispered softly under her breath. Wendy had wind and healing magic. That was an interesting combination. Lucy leaned her back against a tree, thinking over the events that transpired that day. To think, she left her new home behind her to follow after three friends who just happen to be wizards like her. She never would have even known unless they were attacked. It wasn't something people talked about these days. The images of the battle flicked through her mind. Her brain paused when she thought over Natsu's attack. The fire mage was skilled and strong. Lucy could feel the heat rolling off of him in waves when fighting. It seemed like he had an endless flow of magical energy in his body. Though, when Lucy really thought about it, she should've known. His abnormally high body temperature and the fact that he extended his energy to her at Levy's when he was asleep. She thought it was just his normal body heat at that time, but it had snapped back from her when she woke. She shook her head, letting her thoughts drift back to the fight itself. Natsu had breathed literal embers out of his throat. How the heck did his throat not burn to a crisp? It was like he was part dragon or somethi- wait. Lucy's eyes fell on the scar that was now exposed on his throat and her eyes widened. Wendy had healing and wind magic, plus Gajeel used iron magic. Lucy threw herself to her feet, her heart thundering in her chest as her brain pieced everything together.

"You're all dragon slayers!" She blurted as Natsu's eyes fluttered open and Gajeel returned with firewood and a variety of berries and nuts. Natsu didn't say a word, staring her down as if he expected her to flee from them. "You killed all those people. You're not even human and you're the leader." She gestured to Natsu, her voice wavering as she yelled. Natsu nodded, eyes trained on her while the other two looked away. "And you have nothing to say for yourself. None of you?" She huffed under her breath, crossing her arms over her chest. She saved fugitives. They were the reason magic was banned and all those people died, yet she helped them escape again. A thin layer of sweat coated her skin as she sucked down a deep breath, trying to calm her erratically beating heart.

"There's nothing to say Bunny girl. You won't believe us anyway." Gajeel muttered.

"Try me." She challenged, her heart still thundering away as she scowled at them all.

"The ninth dragon slayer, Acnologia, was the black dragon. He was the king of demons before he joined our group centuries ago. He was going to destroy the entire world if we didn't stop him. There were many casualties, yes, but we tried to warn everyone to flee. Most didn't believe us and the few that listened and survived, turned on us. They painted us as ruthless monsters, but they didn't know the half of it. The townspeople, they all became possessed by spirits that Acnologia awakened from the palace cemetery. Either we killed them or they'd be tortured in hell once the spirits took over entirely. He even killed one of our own, God Serena, before we took him down." Natsu explained, his eyes trained on the firewood as he extended his hand, effortlessly lighting the fire. The flames danced in his onyx stare as he thought over what to say next.

"The ninth member died years before the attack. That's what the legend always said." Lucy struggled to process everything. Her heart wanted her to accept every word Natsu said, but her brain and her past fought against the trust she had in the bartender.

"Because Acnologia went rogue hundreds of years ago! No history book or traveling bard would remember that." Gajeel hissed, preventing Natsu from responding.

"Hundreds of years?" Lucy's brain stuck on that statement. Though the attack happened a short while ago, the dragon slayers would be much older if they aged the same as humans.

"Demons don't age very fast. We have a different biology than humans." Wendy spoke softly, her cheeks wet with fresh tears from the whole exchange.

"Go back to Fairy Tail Lucy. Forget about us. When we finish our mission, I won't come back. Only Gajeel will return and that's for Levy's sake." Natsu muttered, his body completely turned from Lucy. No. That's not what Lucy wanted… was it?

"Where are you going?" She was in shock, but Natsu tugged on her heart. She would have followed him anywhere before learning his secret. Was he really that different from the quirky, hot-headed bartender? Was he really that different from her best friend? She didn't think so.

"To find Igneel." Natsu huffed. "Hell." Gajeel responded at the same time. The two slayers locked eyes.

"What? We all know our dragons are in hell. You think we'd let you break down the gates alone? Once we finish off Zeref, we will find the gates and find our dragons. We will wreak havoc down there until we do. I know that's what you always wanted" Gajeel assured Natsu with a broad grin on his face.

"Yeah!" Wendy agreed, her tiny fists clenched. Zeref. Lucy recognized that name from the legends.

"Zeref is alive? I thought he was sealed away with his brother." Lucy was horrified. The magic council swore that the demon warriors were sealed away, their power drained. How was the elder brother alive?

"Well, I managed to get topside. It would make sense that he did too." Natsu sighed and Lucy put it together. Zeref is Natsu's brother. Her heart ached for the demon, even if she was still conflicted. "There are rumors. We won't know until he makes a move or we find him first." He added.

"It's why we need to find the other slayers! Everyone went into hiding, so it's not an easy task." Wendy spoke softly, eyes focused on Lucy. The other slayers. She remembered her spirits talking about them a few years ago, saying how it was easy to find them close to natural disasters.

"I think I know where to find the lightning slayer." She blurted and the three slayers froze, eyes wide.

"Laxus?" Wendy gasped the same time Gajeel said, "how?" Lucy locked eyes with Natsu before speaking.

"I've been on my own for the past year. I was always on the move. At one point during my trip, a terrible lightning storm settled over a cluster of villages. I've never seen anything like it. Only one village managed to not get struck once. It was like the lightning was being deflected above our heads. I think Laxus is there. It would make sense that he would protect the village that took him in." She concluded and Gajeel scoffed.

"That doesn't really sound like a Laxus thing to do. Trust-"

"Where's the village?" Natsu cut Gajeel off and he scowled.

"I can lead us there." She smiled widely.

"You're going home." Natsu glowered at her.

"I'm staying with you." She snapped, glowering right back at the fire dragon slayer.

"Really?" Wendy beamed, running over to Lucy and throwing her arms around her.

"I think you all have been misjudged and I want to help you, all of you. If Zeref is alive, he will destroy everything I care about. If you guys were actually the ruthless murderers people say you are, you wouldn't have went into a dormant stage after your exile. Fairy Tail never would have taken you in. It wouldn't make any sense." She concluded, a confident grin on her face.

"Yay!" Wendy squeezed her tighter, bouncing with happy energy. Natsu didn't respond, simply staring her down while Gajeel huffed something under his breath. He told everyone to eat and passed out rations. That was the end of that conversation. Looks like Lucy's heart won the internal battle and she wouldn't go back on her decision. She made that promise to herself.