Earlier

"Natsu, we've been walking for almost an entire day. Are you sure we aren't lost?" Complaining. Did it ever end?

"I'm sure, Happy." The salmon haired boy didn't turn to look at his fur covered partner. Instead, he rose an eyebrow while he ducked a branch. "Besides, you aren't even walking. You're flying."

"It's the same as walking for you guys," The exceed argued. His arms crossed in front of him as he continued to float next to the duo.

"Quit whining, we're almost there." I had piped up beside them, fixing the bag on my back and tightening the belt around my waist, making sure I still had everything with me. "This reward better be worth the trouble..."

"500,000 J? I'm pretty sure it's worth it," Natsu retorted. He waved a hand carelessly. "It's just getting a tiny little artifact, right?"

"You didn't even look at the request?" I couldn't help but send a small glare towards the back of his head.

"That's Natsu for ya," Happy giggled from his new perch on Natsu's backpack. I could see him looking back at me as I unfolded the job request from my pocket.

After a few moments of silence, I began to read it to them, "'Please retrieve an important artifact in the ruins around the East Forest near Hosenka Town. It is vital to be careful when handling the object, as it is very important.'" I stopped. This guy was repetitive. Nothing could be that "Important." Not unless it was very dangerous too.

"Is there that big of a word there, Lucy?" Happy called back to me, earning a glare.

"No." I huffed, which was not unlike me, and hurried to make up the ground I had lost while reading. Coming up beside Natsu, I continued to read. "'Inside the ruins is a creature that is indescribable to my knowledge. I will not lie when I say it is why many other mages have failed."

"Whatever, its a monster. Another thing I get to fight!" I saw his grin out of the corner of my eye, but I had a frown upon my own face.

"Natsu, he was honest in saying that he had taken the request to other guilds and that they had failed because of this beast. Are you sure it's something we shouldn't worry about?" I raised an eyebrow as I stuffed the request into his pack, away from sight.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now we just need to-" He was cut off by Happy, who had bounced off of his shoulder.

"There it is! The ruins! That's it, right Lucy?" He looked expectantly at me, and I had to strain my neck to see what he was looking at. After a few moments, I could see something that wasn't trees. Before I could say anything, Natsu had come out into a clearing that was right before the ruins, and we followed him out.

"I think it is Happy. Nice eye," It was a half hearted compliment as I looked at the ruins. There was a huge opening right in front of us, and everywhere along it was covered in carvings of an old language that I bet Levy might not have known. It had a different sort of signature than any of the languages that I've seen.

As my eyes wandered from the door to the rest, I couldn't see many other places that light would have been let in naturally. Which meant we would be stumbling blind through the space with Natsu's fire being the only thing of light we have...

He stepped forward, and I gave him a sideways glance. "Natsu, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I didn't know what compelled me to say it. Maybe it was the fear? Or was it something else? Worry?

Nah...

"I'm going to finish this job. And as soon as possible. The faster we get it done, the faster I get some food!" He seemed so nonchalant about it.

Typical Natsu...

I rolled my eyes as I looked back at the ruins again, gathering my resolve before stepping up behind him. He was right. Faster we get it done, faster we get to go home...

And get food...

I stepped in first, almost sensing her hesitation. I didn't point anything out. To be honest, this job was just an excuse to get her away from Fairy Tail for a while. She definitely needs a vacation... And what better way to spend time away than with me!

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I almost tripped over a few stones that were charred and misplaced, like they had been blown from their places in the wall. It was either the mages before us... Or the mages had been thrown into these walls... I shook my head, getting rid of the thought as I stepped forward. I heard a fast shuffle behind me and almost jumped, before realizing that it was just Lucy and Happy.

Turning around, I saw they were a little farther behind than I had thought. I guess I was walking a little fast...

"Natsu, you mind slowing down? Or at least giving us a little light? Please?" Lucy was stumbling blindly through the corridor, tripping over the bricks. She caught herself on the wall as I ignited my hand, catching a very embarrassing shot down her shirt.

I'm pretty sure my face turned a pink color, but I don't understand why... I looked away before she could notice I had seen anything. She looked up at me after I had. Good timing...

"A little sooner would have been nice..." She grumbled under her breath, catching me off guard. She hadn't ever acted like that before...

"Sorry, I forgot you guys couldn't see in this kind of dark..." I trailed off as she brushed past me. She looked even more upset. My eyebrows crossed together in confusion. What? Did I say something wrong?

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" I came up next to her, trying to get her to look at me. She easily pushed past me and nodded. "You're obviously not fine, Luce..." Now she turned to look at me.

"Just shut up! I'm perfectly fine! I don't need anything! Especially not from you!" Her lips were creased in a tiny line that almost looked cute, but the anger in her eyes made it look, well, not as cute... Almost scary...

"Luce, where is this coming from?" I had to take a step back. Not because I was scared, it was more from how close she had come to my face... I bet she could have bit my nose off with how close we were.

I watched as her face changed from anger to disbelief and finally rest on a bored and almost disappointed face. "Nothing," She said, looking away. I knew that was a fat load of shit... Unless Happy had pulled a prank on her and she thought he had done it, he had no idea why she would have exploded like that.

I was pulled out of my thoughts yet again when I looked at her back and saw that she was just going to walk away from the conversation. So, I can walk away from it too. For now.

I turned a corner, retaking the lead as Lucy sidestepped when she realized she couldn't see two feet in front of her. Happy was quietly floating beside us, and everything fell into an awkward silence. Except for the deep breathing that sounded close to them.

Except for the deep breathing that sounded close to them.

I held up my unlit hand, Happy having bumped into the back of my head and Lucy a few feet back. I turned, seeing her go rigid when she understood why we had stopped. I just couldn't see why.

A shriek invaded the silence, along with crumbling stone and a ferocious snap of foundation. Dust flew up, clouding my senses to the point where I couldn't even see anymore. All I could smell was dust, dust, and more dust. And it sucked.

As the dust settled, I relit my hand and looked ahead. A few feet in front of me, where Lucy had just been, was now a gaping hole the size of a magic mobile. I gulped when I didn't see Lucy, and I peeked over the side of it.

"Lucy?"

Author's Note: Hey! So, I hope this goes over well for you guys... I honestly have no idea what compelled me to write again, but I think this is letting me get myself out more than I've been able to lately...

Anyway, let me know what you think! I'd love whatever you throw at me!