"Are you okay Poppy?" asked Lucy, sitting next to me by the bar counter.

I nodded slowly. "I...I'm...I'm okay. Just tired."

Lucy looked at me in concern, "Why don't you get sleep then?"

I layed my head on my arms over the counter.

"I...I can't...I've had some nightmares..." I responded slowly. Erza-nee had brought me to the guild in the hopes to cheer me up.

"About what?" asked Lucy worriedly.

I stayed quiet. I had not talked to Erza-nee about it yet and did not want to necessarily want to talk about it. I wasn't ready to talk about my past. Luckily, Natsu saved me by running in to the guild shouting.

"Lucy! Let's go on a mission! We haven't gone in weeks!"

Lucy looked at Natsu and then to me. "Well...I do need to pay my rent...You should come with us Poppy. It will be fun!"

Hearing my name, Erza came over to make sure I was okay. The last two nights I have slept with her since I was too scared alone. I also talked less which worried Erza. She had brought me to the guild to see if being surrounded by others would help.

"What's going on?" asked Erza,

"Flame brain here wants to go on a mission with Lucy and Lucy invited your sister to join the team" responded Gray, walking over, sipping a glass of water.

"Hey! No one asked you to come Popsicle stick!" yelled Natsu.

Gray sighed, "Someone needs to keep you out of trouble."

Erza quickly put her hand over my eyes and I felt her anger.

Lucy whispered, "Gray! Your clothes!"

"Shit!" I heard Gray said and Erza soon removed her hand from my eyes. Gray was fully dressed looking at Erza fearfully.

"Come on! Let's go on a mission then!" whined Natsu. "Mini Erza can come too!"

Erza looked at me and nodded, "That sounds like an excellent idea. Let's go on a mission."

"Yes!" shouted Natsu.

"We already picked one out!" replied Happy, cheerfully jumping up and down.

We were just about to leave, seeing as Erza had somehow had all her belongings and even some of mine on top of a little, red wagon outside the guild, when Gray stopped.

"Poppy, you can use magic right?"

The others looked at me, curiously.

"Now that I think of it...I have never seen you use magic since you arrived," said Lucy while Erza nodded, watching me carefully.

"I...I can use magic...I learned..." I responded carefully, fighting back the tears.

"She taught me...and then she left...and he took me away...and..." I thought, rubbing my left wrist unconsciously and nervously.

Erza notcied my change in demeanor and wrapped her arm around me. I looked up to her.

She smiled, "Don't worry Red. We will protect you so you do not have to use you magic if you do not want to."

"Of course!"

"Bet on it."

"You can count on me."

"Aye sir!" shouted the others.

I smiled back and nodded. "Arigato! But don't let me hold you down! I can still help!"

"Let's go then!" shouted Natsu, leading the way.

"I didn't think we were taking a train," I moaned, learning into Erza as my stomach churned.

Natsu sat on the other bench across from me, laying across the seat while his head rested on Lucy's lap. Erza had knocked him out as soon as he started feeling ill. Gray sat next to the window on Erza's right side while I sat on her left. Happy sat next to on my left.

"It's the fastest way to get to the village," replied Erza, wrapping an arm around me and pushing me closer to her, "I did not know that you have motion sickness."

I closed my eyes, clutching my stomach with my arms. "I prefer to travel over land."

"You should try to rest then," replied Lucy.

I mumbled tiredly, thinking of all the nightmare I've had, "I don't want to..."

"Red, wake up," I heard Erza say, taking me away from the darkness.

I felt my body move up and down and saw that Erza was carrying me piggy-back style.

"What..." I slurred, opening my eyes to see a dozen of small, bright lights.

"We're here sleepy-head!" replied Lucy, giggling.

"You fell asleep on the train ride and kept sleeping during our walk here," said Erza.

I kept my head on her shoulder, "I'm really tired..."

"You can't be tired now! We have a mission!" yelled Natsu, energetically.

"Yeah but it's too late to start it now. We are only going to see the chief to find out how we're going to help," responded Gray, "We will have to form a plan tonight and begin tomorrow."

"That must be the chief there," said Lucy, pointing at a small man wuth a long white beard.

I hopped off of Erza's back, stumbling a bit from not walking for a while.

"Are you the mages we requested?" asked the man.

Natsu pulled out the mission paper. "We are from Fairy Tail and we'll take care of your problems!"

The man nodded. "I am Farron. This village's chief. Please, come with me." He began to walk into a large hut.

We followed him inside and stoof in a semicircle around a table. I stood on the right edge while Erza, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy stood on my left.

Farron sighned. "Our village has recently been attacked by a group of dark mages who have stolen our food and treasures. Our men have tried to stop them but were hurt. We need you to stop them and return our items to us as we need it to trade."

Erza nodded. "We will capture the mages for you tomorrow."

"Can you describe them to us?" asked Lucy.

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, we have not gotten a close look at the mages."

"No worries! I'll sniff 'em out! You can count on us!" replied Natsu.

Farron nodded. "Thank you all. You will be able to rest in the hut across this one as it is vacant. I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks!" I replied, slowly walking out.

Once we reached our hut, we sat around to discuss the plan to capture the mages and soon went to bed. I layed in between Erza and Lucy, hearing the snores of the boys and the quiet breaths of the girls. Erza had an arm around me while Lucy held my hand.

"It's not him," I thought, falling asleep.