All rights to Hiro Mashima

~ Seventh ~

-Lucy-

"All right brats, stop your blabbing and report back. Laxus, please tell us what you've found while you were hunting down Mystogan."

This is serious déjà vu for everyone in this absolutely tiny room. All of us with assignments from the Master are gathered around his desk again just three days after the last meeting. However, this time Erza and I are standing in-between Gray and Natsu, while Erza has a tight hold on Gray's shoulder to ensure 'good behaviour'. The hope I held that those two asshats wouldn't fight anymore, died as soon as Natsu uttered the phrase 'tiny icicle dick' yesterday at lunch. The resulting brawl sucked in mages from all over the guild that had no business fighting. Which included me.

Still pissed about ruining another outfit.

Thus the physical barrier between the ice princess and fire crotch.

Suddenly, a large burst of golden light and bedazzling sparkles lit up the room, scaring the pants off of all the mages present in the office. It literally scared the pants off of Gray.

As well as his shirt.

"HOLY MAVIS LOKE!" The play boy lion took a short bow to the Master and turned towards me. "Lucy, my lioness, your love called me through the gate into this realm...your knight in perfectly tailored armor has arrived."

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Can it fuzzball, you know I didn't summon you. What are you doing here anyways? Don't you remember the conversation we had last week about you popping in and out of your own accord? And seriously, what's with all the sparkles?"

"Oh, you mean the conversation we had after I materialized in the shower with you? That one?" I snap my eyes towards the obnoxious cat who's grin seems to be splitting his face in half.

"Yes, that conversation." I start to grind my teeth as I shoot a murderous glare at my lion spirit.

He adjusts his glasses on his nose and gives me the once over with his green eyes. "I chose to ignore most of what you said, truthfully I don't remember it all that well, I was…distracted…by all that skin." He is practically purring the last part of that sentence, obviously reminiscing about my nakedness. Master and Bickslow are sporting identical smirks.

This guild is full of perverts. Hopefully I won't catch that affliction, I already have the incurable crazy disease.

To my left, Natsu is glaring daggers at the pesky kitty and his temperature is rising exponentially as Loke keeps talking about how the water looked dripping down my ass.

'Huh, I thought Romeo helped him with that temperature modulation thing, I'll ask him later about it.'

I huff and Lucy Kick Loke into the front of master's desk. "Shut up you lecherous cat, tell us why you just had to see me."

The stupid lion picks himself up off the ground dusting his suit jacket off. "I bring news from Crux, he's been researching the problem with Natsu for you since you summoned him. He's found out bits and pieces of information that might be of help, but would like to confer with Freed and Levy sometime to help accumulate and narrow down the data." I look over at the Levy and she nods.

"Sure thing LuLu, it's actually a great idea, I can't believe that I didn't think of it earlier. It would have helped us out." She looks so down trodden.

A large hand pats her head. "No worries Shrimp, you're doing your best."

I smirk at Gajeel, but turn back to Loke. "Please tell Grandpa Crux that I will be summoning him later to help with the research, but after this meeting is done."

Loke grins and kisses the back of my hand. "Anything for you…princess, call me if you need help in the shower again, I would love to wash your back. Oh and the sparkles are just for fun. You know you love it when I make an entrance." He winks and poofs away in a shower of effervescence that looks suspiciously like a fairy exploded.

'I am so going to set Virgo on his ass, hope he likes the punishment.'

"Tch, show-off." Natsu rolls his eyes and scoffs beside me. He doesn't look happy and his temperature is still climbing. Fast.

"Damn it Natsu! Tone down the heat would yah? It's like a fucking sauna in here now." Laxus and Bickslow throw off their ever present cloaks onto Evergreen and she buckles slightly from the weight of them. 'Thank Mavis someone told him. I felt like I was going to have to pull a Gray and strip down to my underwear.'

Natsu smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck and the air around us decreases to a bearable temperature. "Sorry, I still don't quite have a hold of that feature of my magic yet. Romeo says it will take some time to get it."

The Master just nods. "Let's get back on track, shall we? Laxus, your report please."

"We searched for two full days using my teleportation to get us between towns. The last time anyone saw a hint of Mystogan was way out in the Waas Forest, but that was over a month ago. The witnesses said that he had a woman with pink hair with him, which at this point we believe was Meredy."

Master stokes his beard sagely. "I see. Well, we can't really confirm or deny anything until we get a hold of Jellal. I still can't get a reply from him. Alright, Wendy, you spoke to Porlyusica about implanting the lacrima into Natsu again, yes?"

Twin pig tails bounce as she nods. "Yes master, I called as soon as you asked, but she needed to do some research about it. She called me back yesterday night after I left the guild for the evening. She says that it is possible to implant the lacrima back into his body. However, she says that the lacrima and the magic inside of it may not take to him as before, and there is no guarantee that he would even survive the process." She grimaces. "She also gave us a warning about the magic housed in the lacrima. She says that because it holds such ancient magic that the lacrima will start to break down and deteriorate. Natsu's magic along with his memories will be lost if too much time passes."

"How much time do we have child?" Master asks gently. 'Poor Wendy, she has to give such bad news.'

"We have no more than a month until everything is lost. She recommends that we don't take longer than two weeks though, as a precaution." Wendy seems to be on the verge of tears now. Erza brings her into a gentle hug as Charles whispers to her from her spot in the young mages arms.

"Thank you Wendy. Please let Porlyusica know that we might be in need of her services to implant the lacrima later on if all else fails to transfer Natsu's magic back into him without the need of surgery." Master then turns to Freed and Levy who are standing in the corner with Gajeel and Pantherlily.

"What have you two found out?" Master looks at them with expectant eyes.

Levy pulls out many sheets of yellowed parchment covered in strange languages and runes, and hands half off to Freed to hold. "As far as we can tell Master, it is entirely plausible that we could put Natsu's magic back into him. We would just need to reverse the spell and have someone with an abnormal amount of magical power cast it. You would have the necessary reserves to do it Master, Gildarts could do it too if we could find him…maybe Laxus in a pinch, but it's a fifty-fifty shot with him."

I swivel around to look at Levy, but I get caught off guard by the affronted look on Freed's normally stoic face. "Laxus could do the spell no difficulties Ms. McGarden, just you watch." Freed sniffs and looks over at Laxus with puppy dog eyes.

The hulking man just rolls his eyes and pretends to not notice Freed's gaze while he turns up his music on his soundpod while trying to look bored. However, a hint of a blush creeps up his neck turning the tips of his ears pink, whether from embarrassment at Freed's words or something else.

Interesting.

I catch Bickslow's glowing green eyes beneath his visor and he grins at me showing off his guild mark as he sticks his tongue out. 'Hmmm…seems that I'm not the only one who's noticed. I should inform Mira, just to keep her of my back for a while.' I grin evilly with not a hint of remorse at my absolutely genius idea.

I look back at Master and notice a curious shipping gleam in his eyes that Mira usually gets while she talks about china patterns and what colour flowers should be in the bouquet for the bride. Seems like the Master is still observing his Grandson closely.

"Well, that's good to hear about his magic. But you never mentioned his memories." I'm brought out of my musings by the Master's voice.

Freed sighs heavily. "It's because we just don't know. We can't even project the possibility of his memories being reasserted correctly inside of him again because as far as we can tell, this situation that has arisen has never happened before. The spell should only take away a person's magic. So we are literally out of our depths in his case. Hopefully conferring with Ms. Lucy's spirit will shed some light on the issue."

"So, what does this mean for me? Will I not get my memories back?" Natsu sounds like he is gearing up for a panic attack. His body temperature rising again. I shift closer to him and hook my pink finger around his, squeezing a little to get his attention.

You know, for morale support. Cause he's my best friend and all.

"Calm down Natsu, you're making me sweat again, and not in a good way." Natsu looks over at me with a confused face.

"When do I make you sweat in a good way? Oh, you mean sex, right? Did you want me to make you sweat in a good way?"

Well, shit. I have no idea how to answer that, so I'll just wing it.

"Uhhh….what?" My brain has officially short circuited. All my literary prowess cannot dig me out of this one, I might need some help from the peanut gallery that is staring at us in complete silence, waiting for me to make a move. My face feels like its burning with the force of a thousand fiery suns. I look over a Natsu again.

His eyes are gleaming and he has the faintest hint of a smirk on his face. What in Mavis' name is going on around here?! Since when does Natsu know how to smirk? Or how to look at someone like he's going to devour them whole. It's like he knows that he's being incredibly attractive right now and I just want to suck on his lower lip for a bit.

But I will contain myself, because he is just my best friend.

Just my sexy, smoldering best friend.

"Wait, how do you know about sex? I had to spend a completely embarrassing day trying to explain it to you before you lost your memories. Are you telling me that you already knew about it before that?" Oh, I am so going to murder him after this. Nowhere in Earthland will be safe for him to run.

He grins again and shrugs. "I've always known about it. From what you've told me about my heightened senses and all, and the way everyone here acts, I can guess that I knew about it way before you told me. Probably from hearing it from some adults or smelling it. Or, you know, the obvious one, seeing it."

I narrow my eyes at him. "What do you mean seeing it? You have no memories about it." I look around the room and everyone looks totally floored by his explanation, except for Gejeel and Laxus. Wendy looks like she is trying to find a hole to swallow her up and spit her back out somewhere away from this conversation.

"Fire turd is right, us dragon slayers know pretty much everything, we can smell arousal through solid stone walls." Gajeel gives me a pointed look and winks.

Ah shit. He can smell me right now. Think gross thoughts. 'Gray's flaccid dick, Master naked, Natsu's eating habits.'

Ugh, Natsu could eat me if he wanted.

I don't think this is working too well. I look over at Gajeel again absolutely flushed red and glare a deadly glare. Hopefully he won't mention anything. I never been so thankful that Natsu has lost his magic and the ability to smell fucking everything in a room like a bloodhound.

Some of my guild mates are visibly sweating at the thought of being caught. It's no news to anyone that the men in this guild are complete horn dogs. Especially Master.

Natsu continues his explanation. "I know I have no memories of it." His grin widens and his eyes flash over to Gray. "Mira may have asked me to grab a couple of extra bottles of fire whiskey from the far back storage room yesterday night."

I glance over at Gray with a curious look. He has visibly stiffened and is trying to edge his way out from underneath the hand of the ever present Erza.

"You would not believe what I saw the ice-princess doing to that brown haired drunk, I didn't even know anyone could contort like that." Everyone's eyes are completely round and Gray sags in defeat. No one gets away from Erza's demon grip.

All of a sudden it starts to pour outside. Like the heavens are trying to drown us for our sins.

"Oh Fuck, Juvia's gonna murder Cana." Bickslow cackles in the background as the door slams open and an actual tidal wave sweeps into the room. Oh, of course Juvia was listening at the door. We should have known and just invited her in.

We all hear a piercing shriek of 'LOVE RIVAL' before another louder yell of 'What the fuck Juvia! You knocked over my drink!' Everyone laughs and tries to stand up again after being literally floored by the pool sized amount of water that just rushed through the office.

Everyone is soaking wet and frozen to the bone. I realize that Natsu had grabbed me around the waist and held me close to keep me from being swept away by the jealous flood formally known as Juvia Lockser. He raises his body temperature - this time on purpose - as I start to shiver slightly.

"You are so dead you flaming fire fuck." I roll my eyes at Gray. 'Kudos on the alliteration though.'

Master just sighs in defeat looking at all the drenched paperwork sitting on his desk. Gray glares chilling daggers at Natsu while the pink-haired idiot just glances back at him looking calm and serene. He looks down at me and winks.

I openly gawk at him. I must say, the guy is pretty smooth.

"Alright then…uhm…Lucy tell us what you have observed about Natsu and his abilities over the past three days." Master tries to bring the meeting back to order while everyone is wringing out their hair and clothes the best they can onto the stone floor. Erza just re-quips into dry armour.

Natsu produces some flames in his hands to try and dry us both off. I smile up at him in appreciation. It's then I realize that he is super close to me and has yet to release me from his hold. I clear my throat, my face burning yet again and step out of his arms. "Luckily Natsu's fighting abilities weren't taken. He is still being taught by Romeo and Macao – when he isn't face down in a mug of beer – to control his fire abilities, but his fighting seems to be second nature, like muscle memory or something. He just can't do some of his Fire Dragon abilities. He has lost all his heightened senses, and is less resilient seeing he has no access to his dragon scales or dragon force."

Master nods again. "Erza, would you say he would be okay to fight if the need arises?" She nods, her hair gracefully swings in a curtain around her face.

"And what about you Gray? You observed him as well." Gray is still seething mad and grinds out a short confirmation between his clenched teeth. Oh, I can almost smell the brawl that will happen once we get back downstairs.

Master seems satisfied with their answers. "Alright, Gajeel, what have you learned while being undercover?"

Gajeel looks grim. "We have a huge problem on our hands. Someone's been recruiting mages from all the major dark guilds. As far as I could tell it started at least three months ago. There was also some chatter about a breakout from the council jail." He looks pointedly at the old man. "Cell block B."

Laxus and Markarov suck in a quick breath. "Are you positive Gajeel?"

He nods. "My information it good. This is also when the recruitments started." Master has a thunderous look in his eyes. All previous laughter dies out as he says the one word we all didn't want to hear.

"Ivan."