I had absolutely no idea what the place was called, in what town it was, or where I should've gone instead. However, it was pretty clear that anywhere else would've been better, considering the lusty looks I was receiving from most of the men. The air was dank and smelled of sweat and alcohol, the lights were dim, and the bar was a disaster waiting to happen. I made my way through the suffocating crowd, taking care to avoid any intruding hands, and took a seat at the bar.

"Wa'cha want, missy?" The barman was a small man, his width about half of his height. His face sported a layer of dark stubble, the kind that spoke of cheap shaving. His voice matched his appearance, gruff and unpleasant.

"Information." I replied quietly. He stared at me for a few seconds before letting a dark chuckle.

"Then go somewhere else." He snapped. I began taking my leave when a pair of hands attached themselves to my arms.

"Not before paying the price, missy." A voice that stank of liquid courage snickered. More laugher echoed around the room. I took a moment to throw my assailants at the bar before sweeping out of the room, slamming the door behind me. The silence that followed me lifted my mood and I set off in the search of a decent place. Finding a small corner inn that looked relatively innocent, I slipped through the door and snuck to a shadowy corner, keeping low and staying unnoticed. The people talked and yelled over each other, each conversation overlapping with that of its neighbors. To discourage any passing waitresses, I leaned against the wall and tipped my head down, closing my eyes to mimic sleeping. Twenty or so minutes passed before I began to sort the conversations, listening to some more than others.

"…I head Fairy Tail was having some issues…"

"…is it about the season?..."

"…last year…"

"…it was pretty bad, wasn't it?..."

"…she's missing this year, I think that's the problem…"

My brows took a dip. Why did Fairy Tail seem so familiar? Also, what season? Abandoning my feigned sleep, I pushed off the wall and made my way up to the bar, this time trying my best to avoid knocking over chairs and tables. A pub, that's what this place was.

Pain flashed and I stumbled, gripping the edge of a chair for support. A few people called out in concern, but I waved them all away and forced my feet to reach the bar, my hand rubbing circles on my forehead. The barmaid, a pretty woman with flowing black hair, placed a glass of water on the counter as I sat down. I took it carefully and drained half in one gulp, desperate to remove the tingling headache.

"You alright?" She asked me, her big green eyes wide with concern. I attempted at a smile and failed miserably.

"I've had worse." My reply did nothing to calm her down. She pulled out a rag and began wiping mugs. She looked so much like Mira—

I shook my head, removing the image of a white-haired woman. The barmaid looked at me strangely, but made no comment. I stored the latest snippet for further interrogation and focused on the barmaid, clearing my head enough to subdue the pain.

"Can I ask you some questions?" I spoke quickly and quietly. She nodded slowly, keeping her eyes trained on me while her hands slid the rag in circles across the mugs.

"Sure. If I can answer them, I will." She was on her guard. Not the best way to start a conversation.

"What's Fairy Tail?" I decided to begin simple. Fairy Tail was one of the many words I'd lip-read when Loke's voice was cut off.

"Oh, that's easy. They're a very famous guild down in Magnolia. I'm surprised you haven't heard of them." She said with a slight chuckle.

"Eh, I miss a lot of things. What can you tell me about the guild?" I kept my voice casual, determined to hide the intense throbbing that began in my bandaged right hand and the ringing that was trying to overpower my ears.

"Well, they're the number one guild in Fiore. They usually wreak havoc on every job, but I heard that they treat each other like family." She changed mugs. "Now that I think about it, I heard a member of their strongest team went missing three months ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah. A celestial mage, I think. Rumors say she was really close to the Salamander, like romantically close." The barmaid blinked rapidly. "I'm pretty sure most girls would give anything to have a chance with the guy."

"I wouldn't bother. From what I heard, he's really dense and also a bit of a jerk." I had no idea where the words came from, but it sounded like I knew what I was talking about.

"Really? Wow, I never knew that." A new mug was in her hands. "He's still really cool though."

"What does the missing mage look like? I think I might have met her somewhere." I had reduced to a mumble by the last part.

She looked at me intently. "You know, she looks kinda like you, but you're more… tough. No offense, I mean."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Depends on how you look at it." Another mug swap. I felt like I was watching a three-way dance between her hands, the mugs, and the rag. "Most people want to look younger and softer."

"I think I prefer the tougher look." I took a long sip.

"Seems like it." She laughed. It was a warm, boisterous sound. The corners of my lips curled upwards in a smile.

"Thanks for answering."

"No problem. You passing through?" She set down the last mug and cracked her fingers.

"I might hang around for a couple of days. I don't really have anything else to do." I replied. My fingers reached up and began twirling a loose strand of hair while my eyes traced a pattern on the counter that reminded me of the cherry-wood frame.

"Do you want to get a room here?" She moved on to pop her shoulders.

"Maybe. I'm low on money, though, and I'll have to find work." The more I thought about it, the harder this was looking to be. Maybe I could camp out in the woods again…

"…take care of it!" She had been saying something very enthusiastically and I had completely missed it.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening." I apologized.

Her eyes executed a splendid three sixty and she stuck her hands on her hips. "I was saying, weirdo, that you can share with me. I'm only a part-timer here, and I take small side jobs for extra pay. We can split the rent and you can find jobs until you figure out what you want to do. That sound good?"

"That sounds amazing!" I cheered. She grinned and offered me her hand for a high-five; I was more than happy to comply.

"Well, my shift's done, so let's go up to the room and then head out for a job." She stored the rag in a cabinet and sorted out the mugs before running around the counter. She led me up a hidden flight of stairs that ended in a small door. Her room was cozy, a single bed with a pale green duvet pushed up against the far wall. A narrow dresser was squeezed in by the door, each drawer decorated with elegant flowers and vines, all hand-painted onto the chipped wood. Drawings covered each wall to the extent that barely any of the beige wallpaper was visible. A small window let in sunlight right above her bed, framed with pale pink curtains. A thin grey rug covered the floor.

"Are these yours?" I asked in awe, looking at the drawings. Very few were colored in, but those that were had an added dimension that made them look alive. She nodded shyly.

"Do you like them?"

"They're amazing! Are you a mage by any chance?" Her talent matched up to that of pict mages.

"I wish!" She plopped down on her bed. "If I could, I'd like to be a pict mage."

"It doesn't matter. Even Ree…" I trailed off, unsure of what I had been about to say.

"Huh?" She looked at me quizzically.

"I can't remember." I shook my head, trying to clear the melee of thoughts. "By the way, what's your name?"

She giggled. "I'm Cendi. Can't believe we're only now asking each other's names."

"I'm Lucy." I couldn't help but giggle too. "Nice to finally meet you, Cendi."

"Same. Say, why can't you remember?" She patted the spot next to her and I sat, sliding my hands under my legs.

"I don't know. A few months ago I woke up in the woods with no memory past a certain point. Sometimes something slips, like what I was about to say, and it's so damn frustrating!" I took my hands out and pulled them through my hair.

"I can imagine. I don't have any memories of my childhood or my parents, so I guess I kinda just grew up in the town." She said with a grin. "The townspeople all know me, and everyone had a different last name for me."

"Wow. My mom died when I was little and my dad became a stranger, so I ran away. Guess that makes us equal in a way, doesn't it?"

"Yep!" She jumped up, her long black hair swinging wildly. "Let's go on a job, and we can buy you a sleeping bag on the way back!"

We ran down to the pub, Cendi leading the way to the town's job board. The entire process felt oddly familiar, but, as usual, I couldn't place it. Forcing the nagging feeling down, I let myself enjoy the time with my new friend.

~LEVY~

I wanted to stomp around the guild and smack everyone with my heaviest book. Repeatedly. I'd probably spare Gajeel and Lily, but that was it. Everyone else needed a beating to have some sense pummeled into them, especially Master, Erza, and Mira. Cana would be on the list too, but she's mostly drunk, and attacking a drunk isn't something I really want to do. I value my life enough to avoid a confrontation with her and her booze.

"Gihi. You look dangerous there, shrimp." Gajeel commented from behind his mug of beer. I glared at him and he lifted his hands in mock surrender. Mating season was one week in and so far we've survived a couple fires and several excessively violent brawls. Each instance was Natsu's fault, but the whole guild seemed to think they were nothing. Everyone firmly believed that Lisanna was some sort of savior. It was the first week, for Mavis's sake. What would it be one month in? Blowing up the town?

"Levy, I advise you to stop holding the pen like a knife. You look ready to murder someone." Lily pointed out. I glanced at the pen and was surprised to see that I had, indeed, been holding it like a weapon. Not only that, but the main body of the thing had cracked.

"Oops." I muttered, watching the pen break in half. Gajeel snorted into his tankard and I shot him another glare, which he ignored. Compared to Natsu, Gajeel was like a little dragon saint. The fact that I accepted being his mate in stride helped a bunch, but he had a lot more control in general.

"Shrimp, it ain't your fault that there ain't a way to remove the spell." Gajeel murmured softly and I dropped my face into my hands, suddenly exhausted.

"I know, but… If I had found something, then we wouldn't be heading towards a catastrophe, and Master's decision to prioritize guarding Lisanna if Natsu loses it is only rubbing it in." I groaned. I heard a chuckled from Gajeel's general direction and didn't bother expressing my annoyance – he would ignore me completely.

"C'mon, shrimp. Let's go get you a new book." I was plucked from the bench and swung over Gajeel's head in an all-too-familiar manner. This time I was ready and I hooked my arms around his neck, settling for a piggyback ride. Gajeel adjusted my position and strode through the guild doors. He carried me through the town to the bookstore, where I picked out a new book. He paid for it, which wasn't a first but still a pleasant surprise, and carried me to the park where he quickly scaled a tree. It always surprised me how he could climb so easily while carrying me on his back. I slid off and he settled against the trunk. I gave him time to get comfortable before leaning against his front and flipping to the first page of the book. He slipped his arms around my waist in a loose hug and his nose was buried in my hair. Within minutes he was sound asleep and I kept reading, enjoying his closeness. We were high enough in the tree to be screened from people below, keeping our moment private and peaceful. Mavis forbid that Mira should ever find out, or we might have to leave town.