Reviews are Nice; The pairings are NOT decided yet. I get people like Vander/Lucy, I like them too, they're adorable when she's sassy and keeps up with him, but...I really don't know if they will get together or if it will be a friendship...or how far this darkness is going to go.

I don't own Fairy Tail. Mashima Does.

I don't own the Pradesh Clan. Desna does (and thank you for them).

I own the Storyline. That's it.

this will be the last "regular" update for the FF site, I apologize, but those that do want you can find it under the same name over at AO3

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Lucy stood on the deck of the Eclipse, letting the light breeze curl through her hair. They were a few hours into the flight and she just needed to see the sky. The woman let out a soft hum as she let her head fall back in the early evening air. It wasn't like standing outside…and well, they were moving fairly quickly.

She turned as she heard footsteps and smiled as she saw Farron, "hey."

He gave her a faintly amused smile as he stopped next to her, "…so what's your next idiotic thing, hmm?"

Lucy let out a low hum as she stood there, "I don't know yet." She smiled though as she looked out at the passing land. "Give me a few weeks?"

Farron chuckled softly and then nodded, "I'm sure it will not be that long." He gently nudged her as he leaned against the railing. He studied her, using his magic and gently listening to her soul. There was a festering negativity within her that he knew came from the six months that she was "missing". His hand went out and he gently played with the ends of her hair, speaking softly, "but we're all here to help you, to be there to confide in."

Lucy looked up at him for a moment, features softening as she nodded and murmured, "I know. There's just…so much." She shifted closer and leaned against Farron, smiling as his arm wrapped around her. After a moment, her eyes closed, "we've got to figure out how to get Bixy back, Kaleb's almost rehabilitated Laxus, we're rescuing your brother…"

"There's more though," Farron lightly kissed the top of her head and let out a low hum, "what is it?"

Lucy pursed her lips and murmured, "I don't know…just a bad feeling, in general." She shifted a bit to lean her body against his a bit more.

"It will work out, Lucy," Farron smiled a bit and gently stood up, "let's get you below deck, it's going to get chilly soon." When the small woman let out a whine, he simply scooped her up and laughed as she let out an indignant squawk and flailed a bit.

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"Please stick to the plan."

Lucy looked up at where she knew the airship that had brought them there was, rolling her eyes and letting the feeling flow back to the mindbender, "yes, Guildmaster Kaleb."

Her lips quirked as she felt the shock and then started to walk with Corvus at her side; the spirit had the shadows curling around them, hiding them as they made their way to their destination. She stopped suddenly when she came to a junction and her head slowly turned to the side as she felt a draw in her magic. Her head slowly tilted before she started walking, following the feeling. She didn't flinch as Corvus blocked a black blade, but kept going.

Vander frowned a bit, "…Corvus…what are you and Stardust doing here?"

The Spirit arched an eyebrow as both moved to keep pace with her, "If I knew that, I would certainly tell you."

"She's not supposed to be down this hallway," Vander hissed as he watched the blond continue walking with a furrowed brow, the woman almost as if she were in a trance.

Corvus arched an eyebrow, "you want to stop her, be my guest." The spirit then sped up his pace to catch up with his mage, sighing as she stopped at another junction and then turned, "Lucy."

Lucy waved a hand absently as she walked, the tugging getting stronger as she followed it. She stopped and then turned, kicking out as a hand came at her through a set of bars and sneered, eyes flashing darkly at the jeers she'd started getting. This was the gladiator area, she knew that much. Everything else was a low buzz around her, she could barely hear Kaleb in her head, barely hear Vander trying to get her attention as she stopped in front of a door.

Vander scowled and he wanted to shake Lucy, but he heard guards and turned, "alright…this is going to be fun." He grinned as he dove back down the hallway and into the fray of guards coming. These were the prized gladiators, so he understood why they were there. His body moved as he sliced through flesh with weapons that appeared and disappeared seemingly at a whim and he sneered as the guards kept coming, "STARDUST MOVE!"

Lucy slowly reached out and opened the door. The growl that she heard came with a snap of feathers that barely glinted in the dark light. She growled back, making the dark haired man blink and look at her warily. She kept her voice low, not sure why everything in her wanted to go to the man, "hey big guy…" she grinned slightly, "Grew up with dragon slayers…growls are nice ways to say 'hey'."

Her steps slowly took her towards him and the wings flared, while he looked wary and ready to attack, she felt…safe. Her grin slowly curled into a soft and gentle smile before she let her fingers reach out, gently tracing the eagle clan tattoo on his side. Her eyes clouded over and she murmured, "Hello, Zen. I'm Lucy…here to rescue you, take you back to your family." Her voice was breathy and she murmured, "I'm going to need you to stand still."

"what?" His voice was hoarse and a deep baritone that sent shivers down her spine and as she looked into his eyes, she realized that while she was seeing the world through a strange haze, it seemed he was too.

"shh, let's get you out of here," She carefully pulled out a black blade that Vander had made for her before they left and then she started by stepping back, "Trust me. I won't hurt you. Promise." She felt a jolt and her body shivered, she barely caught him doing the same before she spun, putting all her weight behind a set of strikes that broke the chains that connected to his legs. She moved up behind him and murmured, "stay still and I'm sorry."

"Sorry for wha-" The man let out a low groan as he felt hands across his back, sliding and then the woman hefting herself up his back, using his wings for leverage. They seemed to move on their own to allow her to get to where she wanted to. He looked up as he felt her balancing on his shoulders, but couldn't find words through the haze he was in after the contact.

Lucy took a moment, taking deep breaths and then centered herself before she moved her body, striking at one, watching it break and then curling her body on the backswing to shatter the other.

Zen lurched forward, twisting to catch the woman before she fell too far and the two stood there, staring at one another. He spoke softly, "someone in the hallway said something about more guards."

"Fuck..that'd be Van…Vander, your younger brother," She gave him a faint smile and then took a breath, half turning when she heard an annoyed sound from the doorway.

"Stardust!" Vander scowled, blood splattered across his face as he stood there, "we have to go now."

Lucy smiled as she stepped away from Zen, hand trailing down his chest before she moved to Vander and then the other touched his. She murmured, "Rescue successful, Van." She lightly kissed the corner of his mouth.

"We still have to get out of here," The Shadowquip growled down at her, knowing she was trying to do something.

"Let's go, Van, Hygge will be overjoyed," She started out into the hallway only to be stopped by a firm hand on her wrist.

The coliseum rocked around them and dust went everywhere. There were cheers from the hallway and Vander yanked her back in, kicking the door shut when he heard calls for 'Dark Eagle'. His jaw clenched as he stood there and looked at Zen, "welcome to the family…and Lucy. You'll learn to tolerate her." He gave the other a quirked grin and then drug her back a bit more, "however, time to go…sounds like some people out there want your blood…"

The area around them rocked again, the sound of an explosion filled the air. Zen pursed his lips, "…please tell me you freed the slaves."

Vander nodded, "Emi wouldn't be burning things up if they weren't…" he closed his eyes as he felt a wave of heat and saw the light from the slats up at the top of the cell, "…yeah, time to go." He pulled the blonde to his chest and then walked to Zen, grabbing his arm firmly, "few words of advice: don't let go, don't listen to anything you hear."

Zen wanted to say something, but then it was as if the world went dark. It was stifling and cold and he could hear whispers…then screeches in the darkness, part of him wanted to fight, another wanted to stay with the woman that Vander was holding. He let out a gasp as they met fresh air, half collapsing on the deck of an airship.

"That was sneaky, Van," Lucy snorted in humor as she took a moment to clear her head.

"we're going to have a talk later. You broke plan."

"…we'll talk about that…it...we'll talk about it, promise." Lucy looked at Kaleb across the deck, even as explosions rocked the area beneath them. There was worry in his pale eyes and she knew there was something concerning in her own before she turned from him, letting the others deal with what was going on. She'd been drawn to Zen and even now there was a bit of it left, but it was nothing like it had been there. She figured it had to do with something from the Celestial Realm really wanting him free when they'd gotten as close as they had.

She felt Zen tense and then looked up, smiling as she saw Arman. The woman looked at the former gladiator and nodded, smiling encouragingly, despite the slight rocking to the ship, she took his hand and then slowly tugged on it, leading him towards Arman.

The older man stood there, features soft and tears unshed in his jade eyes as his hand came up and gently touched Zen's face. "My baby boy."

Lucy gave Zen's hand a squeeze and smiled before nodding again. She could feel the warring inside him somehow and she watched as he let go of her hand and then she stepped back, letting out a small sound as she stumbled and leaned against Vander. Their eyes met and she could see the worry in them before she murmured, "I'm fine…drained that's all." Her face turned back to watch as Arman pulled Zen into a crushing hug and cried into the mahogany hair.

Vander kissed the top of her head, watching the scene, "you did good, stardust. You did good."

Lucy let out a low hum, "they look happy. Really happy." Her eyes slowly took in the newest Pradesh and she couldn't help the need to 'research' his body.

"…really? We've just destroyed a coliseum, you're highly drained, you went against orders and you're thinking that?"

Lucy snuck a glance at Kaleb, giving an indulgent smile, "acting like an ex-lover much?" she felt the ire being directed at her, "whatever set me off my assigned course…sent me to him, Kaleb. Yes, I did, I admit it, but I found him and we may not have otherwise in the time allotted…and come on…he looks damn delicious."

"he is my brother."

Lucy looked at Kaleb then back to Zen, eyeing him up and down, "I don't have that issue...and he looks like he could use some sexual healing…and a bath. Or both, either way…right up my alley."

Kaleb just let out a long, suffering sigh. This woman, they'd been trying to pin her down into something for two years now. He could admit she picked up early on the interest he and Farron had in her and hadn't shot them down, but they each had a few nights with her saying that she just wasn't ready to commit to anything. She'd been so soft and strong for Kaleb that he almost wished he didn't care for her quite like he did.

Lucy slowly pulled away from Vander and then crouched next to the two, " Hygge , we should get him below decks, washed up, in some clothes? He'll feel better."

Arman sighed, he knew she was right, but that didn't mean he wanted to let Zen go. It was a moment of tense reluctance before he did so and let her help him up. He wound his arms around Lucy and murmured, "Thank you, Little Star."

Lucy returned the hug with a warm smile, "Thank you, Hygge , for taking me in." she then kissed his cheek and pulled back, "okay, big guy, let's get you cleaned up." She winked and then waved him after her.

She led Zen below decks, "you'll have to excuse the amenities, but…this is a war ship and Hygge wanted to get here fast to get you out." She opened a door and smiled, stripping down out of habit when the smell of the bathwater hit her, "Stars…I love the smell of this water."

Zen watched her as she walked, eyes becoming hungrier as she stripped and when she bent over, he let out a low growl and leaned his body against her back. He let out a low sound in her ear as he heard her breath hitch.

"shit, big boy…calm down." She slowly reached to one of his arms, "let's take these off, one at a time hmmm?" The blonde let out a whimper at the first magic canceling cuff coming off, eyes rolling up a bit as the power slid over her skin and she moaned, "oh, Shit, big guy…how'd you live with these on?" she didn't get to say much else as she was pulled back and pressed into, a cry leaving her mouth wide open before she arched back, "lusty, big boy."

She shivered under each thrust, letting out a few whimpers at each hard meeting of their bodies, eyes rolling back as she felt the hand in her hair, back arching to relieve the pressure from it being pulled. Her eyes opened and she groaned as she felt hands ghosting along her chest, "Fuck, Van…"

"well, if he'll share," He grinned at his brother, watching as a feral smirk curled across Zen's lips.

"how fast can we make her come apart?" The former Gladiator had just a hint of mischief in his eyes, the urges in his body making his reservations about such things simply melt away.

Vander smirked broadly, "let's find out, hmm?"

-0-0-0-

Loke appeared, looking around and then at Arman, "Where's Lucy?"

"Leo? What's going on?" Arman frowned a bit as he looked at the Spirit. There were plenty of times that the Zodiac leader had come to them to discuss Lucy, especially when the girl had spiraled and regressed.

"we need to get her away from Z-" The ship rocked as magic seemed to burst through the air, "…or not." His lips drew into a thin line and he gave the Ambassador a thin lipped smile, "So…about her being your daughter…"

Kaleb frowned a bit, "What are you talking about?" He stepped up to the smaller male, arching an eyebrow. Unfortunately for the mindbender, Celestial Spirits just weren't within the scope of what even his massive scaled powers could get into the heads of.

Loke looked between the two for a moment, "short version? Zen's an archangel. They mate. To celestial mages.."

Kaleb's eyes narrowed on the spirit, "Did you know this before we sent her in there?"

The lion pursed his lips, "no. I didn't. I'm not the first Leo, it's better to say we're all..third generation, other than a select few. I felt something across my link with her and then Cass kinda…giggled about how it was great that one of his first encounters was a Celestial mage…and I drug it out of her…"

"Leo," Kaleb's eyes were firm, "would they both get a choice?"

Loke looked away, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair, "Zen's magic will pull him to the most compatible Celestial Mage. Cass said...neither of them would have much of a choice in the matter..Zen because he won't realize what it is and Lucy because...she's Lucy and probably wouldn't think too far into something like magic mingling a bit, she's done it with multiple people...most of whom she's been intimate with, but she wouldn't…."

"Lucy won't…and this wasn't in any of the information I had…or she had," Kaleb let out a low growl, "remind me to tell Lucy to kick that Spirit's Ass for this! This is entrapment!"

"She'll feel a pull…they both will…and depending on who's spiritually and magically stronger….they'll be the dominant force in the mating…"

The guildmaster started down below the decks, "I mean it, Loke! This is wrong! We just got him back from slavery! And now this!"

Loke let out a sound as he moved to walk next to the massive platinum blond, "You think I want this for Lucy?" he arched an eyebrow, "no, I don't…well I do, because it would be a massive boost.." he huffed at the dark look he got, "Don't give me that look, I don't want her to be trapped by the magic, but…the bond would do her damn good."

"There are plenty of other celestial mages out there, Loke! It didn't have to be her if we would have been warned!" Kaleb snarled as he walked, power flaring. "do you think he's going to be even slightly happy that he literally possibly enslaved someone!?"

They all rushed into the bath on the ship, not expecting what they saw. Vander's eyes were glowing bright red and Shadows held Zen against the hull of the ship as the Shadowquip held the unconscious blonde in his arms. He was growling and it seemed like magic was just pouring off the woman.

"What did you try to do?!" His voice seemed less like his own and more like…thousands of voices.

Zen looked like he wasn't sure what was going on, panting and shook his head, "I…don't know…"

"She is…not yours."

"…Vander," Arman spoke softly, he could see the young man looked ready to lose control and that wasn't good, "Vander, it's alright. Calm down…this is something we didn't know about. It's part of Zen's magic."

The red eyes narrowed a bit but slowly the shadows retreated as the glow faded some from Vander's eyes, "he tried to do something to her soul."

Loke swallowed, "What happened, Vander…"

The Shadowquip kept himself and Lucy well away from everyone, shadows still curling around them, "I don't…know…something started happening…and my magic just…lashed out, as if it was protecting her. I've never seen…her just.." his brow furrowed, "She's normally not overwhelmed during sex, well..she can be sometimes, but not like this…it was..abnormal…" He looked at both Farron and Kaleb, arching an eyebrow, but both nodded as if confirming it, "and she just…wasn't herself…then it was almost like part of her soul was being torn…"

Zen pursed his lips, "Something in me…demanded her, but it was like I was in a daze." He carefully moved to get a towel, wrapping it around his hips while keeping his eyes on Vander.

The family knew that Vander hadn't lost control – only come close a few times and never this close to that delicate razor's edge - since before he'd been first adopted, but right then, the shadowquip was ready to lose it over whatever happened. Loke held up his hands as he stepped into the small room, "Vander…" he stopped when the shadows seemed to increase in the room. "we're...we've got Crux looking." He looked at Zen, "When did…it really start?"

Zen pursed his lips as he stood there "When she started to take the magic suppressing cuffs off, but I don't think either of us really understood what it was."

The lion gave a faint nod, "makes sense. Okay…Vander, why don't you take her ahead, be calm and just…give yourself time to get back to normal."

The red eyes narrowed before he nodded, shadows suddenly gone from the room, but so was both Vander and Lucy. Loke stood there for a moment and slowly ran a hand down his face, "okay…we'll…work something out…as fast as we can. She's still got those canceling chains from when she was in her training with the Steel Council, right?"

Arman gave a nod, "She does. She told Vander that despite the reason for them, because they're so delicate, she likes them."

"Have her wear them for the time being. No jobs…not until we figure it out," Loke stood there, "…you may already be bonded to her." He glanced at Zen, "…because none of us knew…"

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Vander carefully laid Lucy on her bed in her apartment, brushing her hair back. He could feel the shadows clamoring, screaming and he had to close his eyes and pull his bandana over them as he sat there. He was confused as to what exactly happened. It truly was as if he was in the backseat for part of that entire encounter in the small bath. He then moved to open the curtians, letting the moonlight splash onto the bed, where she'd spent nearly two hours one night making him and Cris move it...over and over and over...just to get it right.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he sat on the edge of the bed and listened to her as she slept. Was it really sleeping though? He was fairly certain she passed out due to whatever happened and that worried him to no end. He took a deep breath and sighed as he sat there, trying to calm himself, hoping it would help with his control over the voidshades. It had been almost surreal to him; it was as if they and his magic were claiming her as their own in that moment...which he knew could be a very dangerous thing depending on lucy's mood.

He looked back to the sleeping woman and then slowly reached out, a knuckle slowly curling over her cheek and then down her neck. He watched her shift and smiled slightly as she arched. Vander wouldn't deny that he enjoyed teaching her everything he could once she went through her induction; he felt a small bit of pride at how much time they'd spent together over the years. Yes, perhaps he was being selfish, but they had always been close and he didn't want to lose that. Logically, he knew that he would never lose her in at least one capacity.

Vander watched as eyelids fluttered a bit and then chuckled softly, feeling his magic fully recede. A small movement and the bandana was taken off, set on the pillows and he watched as moonlight and shadows played over her as she was nestled beneath the deep purple, almost black silk sheets. They often gave Kaleb so much grief about how ethereal and fantasy like he looked, but it was this experience that he only shared with a few people, seeing her at ease and glowing in the moonlight.

He wanted to save her from being mired in the darkness that both he and Presca were in, but it wasn't like it was easy to do. He took a breath as he moved to stretch out and watched as she curled against his side. His lips quirked into a small grin as he brought a hand up, gently running it through her hair. The shadowquip knew that he loved pleasure in all forms, but somehow he loved these simple moments more. His thoughts paused on that simple thought and he looked down at her. He loved her, not just as a partner for pleasure more than occasionally, not as that live in person that wasn't related, but was almost a sibling, but truly loved her.