This chapter was the death of me. But we're finally up and running, once again. Apologies if my writing's a bit rusty, I haven't wrote for this fic in like three months.

Pulling the door shut Jellal heaved out a sigh, having just finished meeting with Makarov. Admittedly the Heavenly Body mage had left it quite late to talk to the guild master, yet other things acquired his time. Other things such as a future version of Lucy Heartfilia who looked on the constant verge of crying, as well as a missing boy who had travelled here with her. Then there was the supposed threat of someone else, the boy's father. But after embarrassing himself — no thanks to Ultear — he had requested himself to be taken off of Fairy Tail Team B fully.

Granted it had been three days since he had battled Jura Neekis from Lamia Scale and lost, he decided to simply 'spectate' as he scouted for the source of the dark magic. Cana Alberona had been his reserve, filling in for him whilst he went through with his solo task. He had been under the watchful eye of guild members Meredy and Ultear, who advised and watched him via a communication lacrima crystal, but even with that it lead him to nearly being busted by the Magic Council.

However Makarov had informed him that now there would only be one team, yet he didn't explain why. Jellal just took the answer at face value and left, knowing there was nothing more to be said.

Jellal made his way through the hallways of Fairy Tail's inn, fingers beginning to tug his scarf over his face when he felt it. That aura, the one like Lucy had. He walked further down the hall, the dark energy seeming to get stronger and stronger as he stopped outside of a door. Muffled speaking could be heard, causing Jellal to brace himself for whatever was behind it. From what he gathered with the silence when he arrived, everyone was sleeping, with the exception of Makarov. Had he been followed? Maybe it was the man Lucy spoke of, but what would he be doing at this inn? He grasped the door handle and pushed it open forcefully, poised and ready to fight. Only what he saw was completely opposite to what he had imagined.

Gray was hoisting up a man off of the floor before moving him over to a bed, someone Jellal believed to be apart of the Sabertooth guild. Natsu was laughing, hands braced on his stomach as he found it hard to control himself, only to stop when Gajeel smacked him as a means to shut up. Those two were now brawling on the floor, Happy cheering Natsu on. Lily and Carla looked like they wanted no part in any of this, the two engaging in conversation with one another. Wendy sat on the bed watching all of this unfold, letting out an exasperated sigh at the guy's antics. And then there was a boy, who sat beside's the female dragon slayer. He looked to be somewhat uncomfortable with the rowdiness, yet his gaze was solely on the mage in Gray's arms.

Well, this was quite the party.

"Uh... I'm sorry, am I interrupting?"

"Oh Jel—" Smack. "I erm, I mean Mystogan. What's up?" Natsu asked, shooting the man a grin as he was held in a headlock by Gajeel.

Part of Jellal felt like walking back out, closing the door and leaving. He was too sane for their madness. Yet he didn't. He couldn't. Not when he promised Lucy that he would help find this boy, and with the aura he could feel in the room, he had found him. Jellal shut the door, making sure to lock it. He didn't need anyone walking in on the conversation he was about to have, granted this situation was quite 'out there' and unbelievable. However, Jellal had been proven that nothing was impossible, not even time travel. "Hey," he greeted him back before glancing at Gray and Wendy sending them a nod of recognicion. Wendy gave him a small wave in return causing the Crime Sorciere mage to smile, only for it to disappear when his eyes landed on the young boy.

Gray looked between Jellal and Ryō, taking note on how the fugitive was looking at the boy. "We found him—"

"Let me guess, he came through a gate with someone called Lucy." Jellal cut him off. Gajeel dropped Natsu on the floor as everyone looked at him in shock.

Natsu blinked several times, "How do you...?"

"I met Lucy, she had told me how the boy she had travelled with had gone missing, and I'm guessing that child is you?" Jellal questioned as he stepped closer to Ryō, kneeling down. "You're Ryō, aren't you?" The raven haired boy glanced at Gray, who gave him a small nod to show that he could trust this stranger before glancing back at the man in front of him, nodding in reply. Noting the boy's apprehension towards him, Jellal removed his hat and lowered his scarf further, shooting the boy a small, friendly smile. "Lucy told me about you, she's been looking all over for you."

Ryō's shoulders slumped as his eyes cast downward, feeling guilty for causing Lu to panic over his whereabouts. "I... I didn't mean to make Lu upset, I just wanted to find my parents." he mumbled.

Jellal let out an amused hmph, "It's okay, she asked me to help look for you. Now I know that you're somewhere safe I can inform her on your whereabouts."

"Do you know where she is?" Ryō asked.

"From what she told me, she went to speak with your mother."

Everyone in the room stiffened, with the exception of Rogue who was still passed out on the bed. "She's gone to find Kagura?" Wendy squeaked out. From what she recalled from the small interaction with the Mermaid Heel ace, she appeared to be rather straightforward, coming off rather stoic. She looked like she stood for no nonsense, the other Lucy was going to have a hard time trying to convince the woman that her child from the future had travelled back in time. Let's pray Kagura has a sense of humour.

The heavenly body mage raised a brow, confused on how they knew who the boy's mother was. "Yes, she has. How do you know who his mother is?" he asked.

"The runt has a photograph with him," Gajeel answered, earning a glare from Ryō. "It's of him and his parents, Kagura's in the picture."

Jellal nodded, standing up. "I see, and his father? Do you know who he is?" The Fairy Tail mages and Ryō glanced over at the unconscious mage laying on the bed, leading the fugitive to put two and two together. Of course, Lucy did say something about his father about being a dragon slayer. Jellal also recalled the man was one half of the Twin Dragon's of Sabertooth. It made sense, especially when you looked at Ryō, he resembled his father greatly. "I'm guessing you told him he has a son..?"

"Yeah," Natsu chuckled sheepishly whilst rubbing the nape of his neck. "Can you tell it went well?"

The Crime Scorciere mage let out a burst of laughter, shaking his head in amusement. "I'll find Lucy and bring her back here," he spoke. He made his way to the door, opening it but looking back at the group of mages, "Just make sure you don't lose the kid, okay?" Jellal smirked.

"Got it." Gray nodded.

Kagura sat forward, elbows propped up on her thighs as her hands were clasped, covering her mouth. It was the only way she was able to keep quiet with the story Lucy had come out with. Keep an open mind, the blonde had requested of her. She attempted to refrain from saying anything until she was finished, out of respect, however as the story went on, she was finding it rather hard to bite her tongue and keep quiet until Lucy was done.

"I know this may be hard to believe, but I come from a different time. I am the same Lucy Heartfilia, but I'm from the future, seven years into the future to be exact. I arrived here by the Eclipse Gate, but I didn't travel alone. I came through the gate with a young boy called Ryō, he's only six years old. He's a wonderful boy, such a happy child. Until... Until everything started falling apart." Lucy bit her lip, voice wavering. "We had just started recovering, rebuilding our lives again when they struck the whole of Fiore. Thing's got bad, to the point where Ryō ended up losing both of his parents." She couldn't do it, she couldn't bring herself to tell the gravity mage that she died. How did you tell someone they died and that you witnessed it happen right in front of you? But she had to, in some way she would have to let Kagura know of her fate if the world is to fall into ruin.

"When I said that Ryō had lost both parents, only half of that is true. In a sense, he has lost both, but one still lives. His father. However his father... He has been consumed by darkness, he's no longer the man he once was. He's after Ryō for his own selfish reasons. I have no doubts that he'll come after his son." The blonde blinked the tears away, mentally chiding herself for getting worked up. But she couldn't help it, she had held it in for so long — for the sake of Ryō, she never dared to cry in front of him. Lucy needed to be strong, for his sake, even though he kept it bottled inside she always made him aware that she was here, and that he could always turn to her. Lucy went to wipe her tears away with the back of her hand when Kagura held out a box of tissues for her. Taking one she thanked the woman. "I was asked by his mother to keep him safe, so I did. That's when I came up with a plan, it was a shot in the dark but it's paid off for me at the moment, but I know I'm on borrowed time."

She had listened, as she was requested to do so. Kagura had questions from the get go. An Eclipse Gate? That's how this 'version' of Lucy had managed to get here, and not only had she travelled back in time, but did so with a child?

"I'm sorry to interrupt you—"

"No, it's fine. Do you have a question?" Lucy asked.

Several, yet Kagura restrained herself from letting that slip. "Earlier you said 'they struck the whole of Fiore' who are they?"

"The ten thousand dragons." The blonde mumbled, causing the Mermaid Heel mage's eyes to widen in disbelief. "If the gate doesn't get destroyed it leaves it vulnerable to usage, leaving it free to have Ryō's father open it in the future, letting the dragon's bring destruction to the whole of Fiore. He can't be allowed to do that. That's why I need your help..."

"Me?" Kagura gestured to herself, eyebrow raised in curiosity. Her mind was in overdrive, trying to process all that Lucy had told her. Time travel, some child who got dealt an unfortunate hand of fate, his dad had gone rogue, endangered future, a gate of some kind, and a clusterfuck of dragons. Well, the future certainly is... colourful. "Why do you need my help?"

Lucy's hand gripped the fabric of her cloak, shifting in her seat. This is the part she was dreading. "Uh... His parents. I never told you who Ryō's parents are." The blonde inhaled deeply, teeth biting into her bottom lip. She could already feel the tears building again. She felt it. She felt the rejection coming, and she didn't know what else to do other than cry. Kagura's gaze was intimidating; harsh and scrutinising. "You're his mother."

Hazel eyes widened as the blonde spoke those words. The Mermaid Heel mage felt like the whole world had come at a standstill. I'm the boy's mother? She had said that he had lost both parents, so that must mean— She felt sick. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth, muffling whimpering sound what died in the back of her throat. I died. Her stomach churned, and all of a sudden the room felt like all of the air had been removed. "I... I know this is a lot to take in but—" Kagura held up her hand, as a means to silence her. The blonde complied, sinking further into her seat.

The swordswoman got up from the bed to open the window, she needed fresh air. She needed this to not be true. This had to be a joke, right? But she wouldn't lie about something like this. If she came from the future, why would she lie? But why wouldn't she? A voice asked, echoing in her mind. Kagura froze up at the sound of the voice. They sounded vaguely familiar, like she had heard that voice somewhere before. "What—" Did you forget that she's a mage of Fairy Tail? The same guild what allowed a wanted criminal, an escaped convict to partake in the Grand Magic Games, the same man who is responsible for your brother's death? But Natsu— But nothing, the voice hissed in reply of her defence. The guild is harbouring a murderer. Fairy Tail is nothing but scum for doing so. Don't trust them.

"Kagura, please, you have to believe me. I don't know who else to—"

"Get out."

Lucy blinked, taken aback by the sternness in her voice. "But I..." She felt her hopes crashing head first. " Kagura please, you have to believe me. I don't know who else to—"

"I don't like repeating myself," Kagura gritted out, glancing over her shoulder. "Leave."

A sob caught in the back of the blonde's throat as she stood, tears spilling down her cheeks as she made her way towards the door. "I'm sorry. I'm just so sorry." Lucy apologised before leaving.

Hearing the door close Kagura let out an exasperated sigh, fingers lifting to rub her temples. Part of her regretted talking to Lucy in such a way. She hardly knew the woman yes, but the blonde had never wronged her or did something bad for Kagura not to trust her. But that voice... It told her not to trust Lucy, and the whole Fairy Tail guild. She didn't even know where the voice came from, all it did was give her an impending headache. Quite honestly she found it unsettling how the voice seemed to know so much about her and her secrets she kept hidden from everyone else. Shaking her head, hoping to free herself from the thoughts that were clouding her mind, Kagura glanced at the time.

It was well past one in the morning. She had hoped to wake up at dawn to get some lone training in before the other girls woke up, yet that plan have seemed to fallen through.

Letting out a disgruntled sound Kagura made her way to the en suite bathroom to get ready for bed, only to feel herself step on something. Lifting her foot the mage glanced down to see a small, red book. Raising a brow in curiosity she bent down and picked it up, observing the item in her hands. It certainly wasn't hers. It was well worn, yet still in good condition, no pages were hanging out but the cover had seen better days. Lucy must have dropped it before she left. It looked personal, perhaps a diary of some sorts.

Kagura stared at the book in her hands, teeth biting into her bottom lip. Part of her wanted nothing more than to open it, read what was inside it. Perhaps it would show her something, anything to tell her that Lucy had been telling the truth from the beginning, that the voice was wrong. Yet the other half told her it was wrong. You don't like your personal space invaded, so back off. Deciding to listen to herself, she placed it down on the dresser before carrying on towards the bathroom. Bed was calling, and after today's events she needed to sleep it off.

Lucy sat by the fountain, attempting to calm the sobs that were racking through her body. She had failed. Failed to convince Kagura to help her. She knew that it was going to be difficult, but she didn't expect the gravity mage to completely shun her and tell her to leave. But Lucy understood, she understood that hearing all of this was overwhelming. Lucy knew that Kagura wasn't stupid, that she had to have put the pieces together. She could tell by the gravity mage's face that she had figured out it was herself who died in the future. Maybe she just needed time? But Lucy didn't have time.

"Lucy?" The blonde looked up to see Jellal standing in front of her. "What are you doing out here? There are guards patrolling the city, they'll catch you."

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I just—"

"Did you speak with Kagura?" he asked.

Jellal watched as her eyes cast to the side, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. "I don't want to talk about it right now." Lucy answered, voice barely about a whisper.

The heavenly body mage frowned, assuming that her meeting with Ryō's mother didn't go as planned. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I have some good news." The blonde looked up with glossy eyes. "I've found Ryō."

Shout out to unconscious Rogue, and to Gray for heaving up his heavy ass. Divine voices in your head, eh Kagura? [wink, wonk] Poor Future!Lucy, at least she'll be reunited with Ryō.

Welp, it's back to the planning board with me. I've finally exhausted my planning notes. Time to plan further. Only problem is, you know when you plan how it goes in your head but when you go to write it down, it doesn't wanna work out? Yeah, that's me right now.