Author's Note: I really hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did writing it. As long as you find some connection with the story then my goal has been set.

A/N: You will see this- SsS A LOT because it was the only way I could get Fanfiction to allow me a proper chapter break because my original sign for a chapter break had been this - *** and nothing else I did worked. I tried many combinations etc. So I settled for the three S's if they are distracting I do apologize. If you have any tips on how to do a break without using the line as shown below before the chapter title, that would be fantastic!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it.


Chapter 1-Prologue

Stifling forest air became thicker as the humidity reached its peak at 90 percent. A fire pit surrounded by stones, crackled and popped against the wood just past midnight. A group of seven, with one member missing from the campsite, drowned in their own sweat.

One sole groan was what broke the silence, "Whose idea was it to camp out here?" While sprawled out in the dirt completely naked, which showed off many scars and his height, complained. Jet black hair, now filled with grime, grew to be wilder than when he left on this God forsaken quest three years ago, hiding the scar on his forehead further.

"Oi bastard, aren't you an ice mage? If you're that hot, fix it." He was unaffected by the heat, to show off he comfortably rested his broad and battle hardened frame against a tree, then smirked in a cocky way that complemented a well-defined jaw-line, toward the ice mage's suffering. If anyone had seen the dragon slayer's father, he could nearly be mistaken as a twin with longer pink spiked hair. His dragon slayer magic increased during their journey, causing physical characteristics to change permanently. For instance eyes of once onyx are now blood red, with dragon like irises and his skin became so tough, a needle would break against it. Dawning his scarf and a black sleeveless tunic with a flame imprinted buckle at his hips, made the outfit flare out behind him when he crossed his legs and ankles, covered by his usual white pants, except chose black boots instead of sandals. Adjusting his arms in front of his chest, focused and let his magic loose releasing a wave of heat from his person, just to piss off the nudist.

Gray vomited then retaliated with a punch full of ice towards the offender leading into a fight that caused dust to kick up. Both men forgetting their surroundings and who they were with to witness their childish behavior.

The red head's eyebrow twitched, while Wendy groaned due to Gray's state of undress. Sweating profusely herself, rose from her original sitting position, then gave that look "Are you both being friends?" her deadpan tone and serious expression surprised both of them.

Pausing, corrected themselves in order to appear like it was just a simple sparing session. With wide eyes and panicked expressions, held onto each other as they voiced in unison like the devil himself was after their heads. "A-AYE!"

Erza wasn't so sure. Ever since that fateful day, when she intervened their tense battle during the war, she made it a special case to keep a close eye on them. Apprehension never ceased when it came to these two because their duel wasn't settled, and she prayed it never would be. Glancing at her idiots and then towards her youngest charge made a decision, "Come on Wendy." Snatching the girl's wrist, headed to where Lucy went.

Wendy didn't change much in height or breast size. She still looked twelve. A depressed sigh escaped her as she flicked the bathing suit's green ruffled top, defeated. Really there wasn't much of a choice in the matter, seeing as her heels dragged in the dirt in front of her. A small dainty hand reached out pathetically for Charle to save her, who only shrugged in response.

Flying to face the fiery red head in a black bathing suit, spoke " I'm going to go back and supervise."

"Excellent idea, keep them out of trouble for me."

Charle nodded and flew off towards the direction they came from.

SsS

Rushing water poured over a small cliff as it echoed off the alcove into a wide shallow spring of 72 degrees. Lucy stood amidst the waterfall covered by a white fluffy towel, pleased to be a good enough distance away from the fire and antics of her companions. The 100 year quest turned out be fairly lackluster thus far. The job offered a 400 billion jewel reward for finding a dragon egg rumored to still be in existence and quite possibly alive. An extraordinarily rich man wanted the egg for his bizarre collection of weird and exotic pets. Though after years of failed leads they came across a rumor from a small town, that there was a strange presence about this mountain and the forestry was so thick you could easily get lost and never come back. Unfortunately they've searched for weeks and the trail went cold. Filled with disappointment, they stopped to rest near this gorgeous spring in order to figure out their next move.

She was not skipping out on a break away from the others.

Elegant slender hands gently pulled her long, blonde hair off her shoulders as she tilted her head back to face the waterfall directly. Stars shined brightly alongside the moon, creating an ethereal glow upon newly clean skin.

Next thing she knew, limbs and pink hair barrel rolled into her unhinging the towel.

"Naaaatttssuuuuu…" She punched the fire mage's cheek and called for Taurus, whose eyes popped perversely.

"Oh I didn't see you there." Just as he went to question why Taurus was out, a rock hit him upside the head. Retaliating, he picked up a stone ten times larger and threw it back towards his opponent. Some point after the two women departed from camp, there was a trade of insults leading to where they were now.

"Taurus...don't stand there, fix this!" Lucy haughtily pointed, at the same time Taurus sprung a massive nosebleed making him faint and when the entire waterfall began to evaporate; as fire and ice exchanged blows. A deep heady sigh escaped her lips as she put head down into her palm. "Taurus… close gate…" A golden glow encircled the bull as he faded into magical stardust, like a trillion fire flies scattering.

They turned the boulders into elemental cannonballs, Lucy yelled at both of them so flustered she stopped noticing her own nakedness.

Erza and Wendy arrived not long there after. They stood there as disappointment settled seeing the decimated springs.

Gray and Natsu made a grave mistake, a boulder encased in ice on one side and fire on the other managed to bonk the Re-quip mage square in her forehead.

"Oh ho ho...?" Cracking her knuckles darkly, moved in an instant pulverizing them unconscious and began to pull both men back to camp by their ankles. This gave time for Lucy to pick up her towel and join their shortest dragon slayer, with long blue hair tied in pigtails on shore.

Wendy was relieved to be clear of all the ruckus as they walked back. Turning her head to speak with Lucy, noticed as of late, there seemed to be a faraway gaze in the celestial mage when Natsu was in her line of sight. At first she thought it was her imagination. Curiosity got the better of her and used sharp hearing of a dragon to listen in on her blonde friend's heartbeat. For a brief instant it quickened in pace, but calmed down so fast it made her wonder if she heard correctly and looked to her older dragon brother's miserable drooling figure, then back to Lucy inquisitively.

"Is something up?" Lucy stopped and bent down to Wendy's level like she always did and gave her a warm smile.

While shaking her head, put both hands up to emphasize her answer. "Ahhh, no nothing."

"If you're certain. By the way where's Charle and Happy? I haven't seen them for a while..."

"I know Charle went back to camp to keep an eye on things. I'm sure Happy is with her." Wendy grinned her biggest at the thought.

"Yeah." Lucy looped the sky dragon's arm with hers and that's how they continued on.

SsS

All three of their expressions would have been enough to summon the god of death. Their camp appeared as though a tornado whipped through bringing with it a monsoon of subzero ice, as fire affected the surrounding forestry. Erza's wagon had been top of that, they found Happy and Charle had somehow landed themselves in the crossfire.

Both Exceeds were sprawled out on the ground seeing stars.

Before Wendy or Lucy had a chance to react, Erza violently shook Natsu and Gray awake, pointing towards the camp as they cowered in fear. The re-quip mage watched over the guys pick up every splinter, and broken piece to her wagon along with anything else that may have gotten destroyed. Lucy had to star dress in her Aquarius form to put out the fire.

All three ladies sat down exasperated as the guys fixed everything with a fearful demeanor in the background. Despite all the chaos Lucy and Erza sat down in order to figure out their next step. The celestial wizard used Crux and Pyxis for latitude and longitude. The fairly tall re-quip mage used a lacrima map from a new and improved version of the cellular type device; that allowed her to keep in contact with a certain ice mage while on a mission all those years ago, to figure out where they were in relation to the guild.

Squeals of joy could be heard within a twelve block radius.

SsS

It was almost dawn by the time Gray and Natsu were able to crash, for the remainder of what was left of the night. The girls retiring only a little beforehand.

The fire mage laid awake on top of his sleeping bag as he glanced over to the tent their female team members were in. He and Gray were forced to sleep outside. Natsu didn't mind since nature helped quiet echoes of the past, from Igneel's death to their victory in the war, to the instance Lucy embraced him and told him "thank you" for the second time since they destroyed the Eclipse Gate.

They figured out this mountain was only a month of traveling on foot to Magnolia; but if they took two trains and a carriage ride it was just short of three weeks. After everyone heard that, it was a no brain decision on what should be done next. They'll go home tomorrow, rest and continue on from this mountain till the quest was completed.