Alright guys, here's another chapter! Sorry for the slow updates, I've been so busy lately with trying to promote our concert, running through town, trying to find a job, trying to find another school so I can get into the future job i want to do, the situation in our region with the people fleeing over to us and we're trying to help them too... so yea... I've been busy.

But! I haven't given up yet and I'm almost... well half way there with the second chapter... almost... anyway, next week might be still slow with some updates but then it should get better, at least I hope.

Getting back to this story are you guys ready for more action!? Unfortunately there won't be any in here, but something else that's very important! You guys are going to love it, maybe hate me at the end or who knows. Anyway on with the story!

Marty: Well they got to her in time! Now let's see what happens when she wakes back up!

Guest: I will try! At the moment I'm super busy but I will try and find some time for it

Luca: Oh, what will happen next? Let's see!

Ashlyn: Glad you love it! I'm always hyped to hear that! As for your question, this story here will definitely not be heading where the manga is right now, maybe just till the guild is reunited, if they're reunited that is ;) but maybe my next story will dwelve more into the manga again or I will go a complete different direction again and do an original story again. But there will definitely be another story after this, about what is a different question ;)

Kera furrowed her brow as she slowly regained consciousness. Her body still felt a little numb, but slowly she regained the feeling of her body, even the feeling in her toes. Opening her eyes she was met with the blue sky that was covered with only a few white clouds. A few trees were in her vision as well.

She groaned trying to sit up, but her arm wouldn't budge. She frowned. Didn't she regain the feeling through her body? Turning her head she couldn't believe what she saw.

Her hand was frozen to a tree!

Seriously!?

"What the hell!?" She shouted.

That shouting caught the attention of several other people. It didn't take long for a person to head over to her. Lucy was the designated person to head to her. The blonde smiled softly. "Hey."

Kera looked at her hand before back at the blonde. "Why is my hand frozen to a tree!?" She growled slightly.

She pointed at that. "Right… um well… precaution?"

The brunette frowned. She couldn't believe this. "For what!? To make sure I don't run away?" She asked annoyed. She hated that they done this to her. Who would freeze someone to a tree!?

"Yea because that's the only thing you can do!" A different voice shouted.

Kera frowned and turned her head. When she saw the person who had cut her, fury ran through her body. She was about to lunge at her, but the hand frozen against the tree stopped her. "What the hell is she doing here!?" Kera shouted pulling at her hand.

Lucy sighed. "Precaution because of that. Erza and the others didn't want you to kill her."

The Dragon Slayer growled. "I won't kill her just let me break a few bones of her for what she did…"

"You're not going to lay a hand on her." Kera looked up and saw Erza walking towards her. Rolling her eyes the brunette leaned back. "You do know that ice won't stop me." She sneered. "I can melt this chunk in a few seconds."

"I know you can and I know you will, but we're telling you that she's important as in, she'll tell us what we need to know." Erza explained giving the brunette a small glare.

Kera snorted before using her fire magic to melt the ice. With one quick tug she broke her hand free from the frozen material. "If she's like any other goon she won't tell us squat because she knows squat."

"Well… she hasn't spoken yet so there might be some reason behind it." Lucy suggested but Erza shook her head. "She must know something. Why else isn't she saying anything?"

The brunette on the other hand rubbed her arm as she walked towards Tyriana. She stood in front of her and glared. "Well if they don't believe me. Tell me, what does Lucretia want with me?"

"I won't tell you." The assassin said simply.

She raised an eyebrow. "You won't tell me or you don't know?"

Tyriana went quiet and in that moment Kera turned around. "There you have it. She knows nothing. Now can we get rid of her and get a move on?"

"We're not killing her." Erza stated firmly. "We don't kill."

Kera narrowed her eyes. "Fine…" She was about to leave but Erza grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her. "We need to talk." The red head told her firmly.

Sighing in annoyance Kera turned around and headed away from the group. Erza quickly followed her so they could finally talk. Erza wanted to talk to her ever since they had found her, but this was more of what had happened back at the house. The Dragon Slayer rubbed her forehead as she looked back at Erza. "Care to explain what happened?" She asked lowering her arms down to her side.

Erza nodded. "Of course. We were able to pass the barrier just in time to find you being carried out by these assassins. Long story short we were able to stop them. You were out for six hours… at least, maybe more."

Kera groaned slightly as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't like to hear that at all. Erza glanced at her. "How did that happen anyway?"

"Poison." Kera replied quickly. "Your friend over there was able to cut my hand. I'm not like Wendy, I can't eradicate poison."

"It looks like you can't do everything." Erza tried some humor but Kera wasn't in the mood. She wasn't sure if she was ever in the mood. Sighing she rubbed her forehead. Well it looked like she was going straight to the point. "Kera… I want to know what happened in that house. I want to know what happened to that man."

The brunette turned around because she didn't want to look Erza in the eyes. She knew exactly what the red head was referring to and truthfully she was not in the mood to talk about that. She didn't even want to think about it…

Erza noticed that she wasn't going to talk and sighed. "Kera… I saw him lying on the floor in a puddle of blood. I don't even want to go in more detail and I'm lucky I wasn't able to see all of it. Why did you do that to him? Why?"

Kera sighed but didn't say anything else. Erza almost looked defeated. There was a part of sorrow plastered on her face, but she wasn't going to give up yet. She had one last trick in her book.

"Please Kera…" She started her voice softening to an all new level for the red head which even surprised the brunette. "Please don't shut me out. I'm here for you. I'm your sister and we promised each other that we would be there for each other. We've been through so much together don't let this get in our way… just please let me in." With every word she spoke the closer she got to Kera. "I know a year has passed and you… and you done some questionable things but I don't care. I just want my sister back, the one who always smiles even when the situation is bleak, the one who would do anything for her friend, to make them smile again." She put a hand on Kera's shoulder. "Please let me help you."

Kera was quiet the entire time and when she felt the hand on her shoulder she almost gave in. But she couldn't…

Closing her eyes and taking in a shaky breath she shook her head. "I can't…"

"Kera…" Erza whispered.

The brunette shook her head again. "I shouldn't have let you come along. They now know you're part of this and… I can't… they're after me not you."

"I can understand what you're thinking. You want to deal with this on your own, but you can't. These… these people are dangerous and there are still four people left. And one of them is dangerous and almost took you out." Erza explained. "We can help, just let us."

"He brought up my past." Kera suddenly muttered.

Erza raised an eyebrow at her. But then it slowly hit her. Of course… that's why she reacted how she did. He probably brought up painful memories for her and it caused her to go berserk. Normally she wouldn't but it seemed that this was what happened.

The red head took a deep breath. "Alright… I can understand it. I don't approve of it but… we can get past it. Just please let me help you."

"Don't you get it?" Kera asked turning around. "I'm not who I was! I-I'm… I'm different! I know you're trying to get the old me back but…" She sighed being a little frustrated. "You can't! There's no reversing what I did and truthfully I don't regret it."

"Don't you?" Erza asked. "Do you really don't regret the time you had with your friends? The laughs, the fun? Are we nothing to you anymore?" She asked throwing her hands into the air slightly.

Kera gritted her teeth. "Of course I do! I miss those times but this… We're not kids anymore Erza. We have to grow up!"

"So what?" Erza asked. "We're nothing anymore? You don't want anything to do with us?"

"Bullshit!" Kera shouted. "I'm doing this exactly for you! For you and the others! God damn it for everyone in this world! I'm trying to protect this world so we could have more of those fun times, so others could have more time with their family!"

"Don't you see that you're part of our family and we want you to be safe!? To come back!? You're my little sister and I won't let anything or anyone, not even Zeref take you away!" Erza shouted at her.

Kera was actually shocked to hear this from Erza. She started to talk so soft and hurt but now she was angry at her. Damn… you still don't want to mess with her.

"I want to help you. I really do. I can't see you like this, you're hurting yourself Kera and you don't even know it!" She took a deep breath. "Just let me help. You don't have to do this alone. You're friends are still by your side ready to lend you help. You just have to let us in."

Kera sighed rubbing her forehead. "I understand you want to help, I really do. I just… I want to be able to do this on my own, to finally stand up for my friends and be able to fight for my friends… I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me. This is my battle and I'm finishing it on my terms." She said the last part with so much determination.

The brunette flinched slightly when Erza grabbed her hand. "Kera listen to me. You are not weak, you do stand up for your friends. You shouldn't doubt yourself. I'm not saying that you should let us handle the situation, I'm saying that you should let us help you. Let's do this together."

Kera still wasn't sure about this. She didn't want her friends in this at all. They would get in her way and they wouldn't agree with her methods. God Erza wouldn't. She almost ripped her head off with the last three members…

Erza saw her hesitation and frowned. "Kera, together we're stronger, not that I'm saying you aren't strong, but if you let us help you we can do this quicker and easier."

"I'd be quicker on my own." Kera muttered simply. Erza rolled her eyes but still held her hand. "I know there's still the old Kera in you and I know she wouldn't let this pass. She's always glad when her friends are there to help her and she doesn't push them away."

The brunette sighed. "And I told you that I'm not the person I used to be. I'm not… human anymore…" She muttered pulling her hand back.

"We'll get through this." Erza told her. "I promise. We always get through these kinds of things. And I believe that we can get through this as well. We're Fairy Tail wizards."

Kera sighed. She really hated to bring her friends into this especially since she started all this and doesn't want other to finish it for her. Yet Erza… she doesn't want to say no to her but she also knows that the red head would stop her from getting rid of the rest of the members.

What the hell am I supposed to do? Kera thought. Hell… I don't even know why she's trying. She said it herself, she isn't the person she was, she was a complete different person. So why?

"Hope" Crystol spoke through her mind.

Kera blinked. Hope? Was that true? But why? She's not human anymore, she doesn't feel guilt, she kills… and she shouldn't forget about the other thing… if Erza and the others found out then they'd probably realized that she was a monster.

"They still hope there's a way that the old you can come back. They still have hope that you can all be together again."

Kera glanced up at Erza. "Maybe… working together might not be a bad idea."

That moment Erza grinned from ear to ear. She was so happy that she was able to convince the brunette to let them help her. She pulled her into a hug which made Kera flinch. She didn't even care at the moment. "I knew the old you was still in there somewhere." She whispered.

The Dragon Slayer smiled sadly. If only you knew…

"Hey guys we…" Turning around they saw Natsu walking towards them. He had stopped when he saw the two hugging. "Sorry… I didn't know…"

"It's alright Natsu." Erza said trying to recompose herself. "Is there something wrong?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Heh yea… we need wood to start a fire. Wendy suggested that the others shouldn't go because of what happened that they were knocked out."

"I'll go." Kera said. At least it was something she could do right. Erza turned around looking her up and down, not sure she should trust her yet. It seemed the brunette noticed this and started to do something around her neck.

All of a sudden Kera grabbed Erza's hand and laid something in it. The red head's eyes went wide when she saw what it was.

It was her necklace.

"Kera…" Erza started but she stopped her before she could continue. Kera pointed at her necklace. "That is a promise that I'll be coming back. I'm not going to ditch you. Also I'm taking Natsu with me."

"Wait what!?" He shouted confused.

The brunette snorted. "You don't expect me to carry all the wood do you?"

Natsu wasn't sure if she was joking or being dead serious. Kera sighed rolling her eyes. "Just come you idiot." She muttered while turning around and heading for the woods.

Natsu looked a little unsure but quickly followed. Erza smiled softly as she looked down at the necklace. Maybe this could work out. Maybe she could actually find a way to bring her little sister back.

That reminded her of something

She had to send a letter.

Kera and Natsu were walking through the forest trying to find some good, dry wood. If they were going to stay there for the night they needed some sort of heat source. Of course it didn't matter to Gray, Natsu, Kera or even Erza but Lucy, Juvia and Wendy weren't so resistant to the cold as they were.

Kera picked up another piece of wood before throwing it towards Natsu. He caught it with ease and put it with the others he was carrying. The two didn't speak a word and it annoyed the Fire Dragon Slayer.

Why wouldn't she talk to him? Because she didn't want to or what? What the hell was she thinking!?

"I can sense that you're annoyed and it's directed at me." Kera suddenly spoke up.

Natsu narrowed his eyes. How did she know? He shook his head slightly, there was so much different with her that he had no idea what he should expect.

Kera turned around. "Okay, seriously what the hell is wrong with you? It's like there's hate radiating off of you." She said.

"I'm not mad at you." He stated simply. "I'm mad at myself." He muttered the last part.

She raised an eyebrow at him obviously confused. Why was he mad at himself? "And why the hell are you mad at yourself? I thought you'd be mad at me."

"I'm mad at myself because I should have stopped you!" He shouted at her. "I'm blaming myself because I wasn't there for you and you did these stupid choices. I know I left for a year as well but that was to get stronger so I could protect my friends and you. You're like the sister I never had!"

Kera frowned and turned back around. "You couldn't have stopped me Natsu. I would have left one way or another. There was nothing you could have said that would have changed my mind." She looked down at the ground for a moment. "What was done is done. There's nothing you can change about it."

"Yea well I made a promise to Igneel and I tend to keep it. I promised him that I'd be there for you, to keep an eye on you, to make sure you're alright and obviously I failed there because everyone can see that you're miserable."

"I'm not miserable!" Kera shouted at him. "This is something I have to do! This is my responsibility alright? This is what I was born to do…"

"Born to do?" Natsu asked confused. "You're not born to do anything!"

"Of course I was!" Kera shot back. "I'm the Queen of the Dragons! I have a duty to uphold. I'm continuing what my family has been trying to do and I'm finishing it. I'm ending Zeref's reign once and for all."

Natsu stayed quiet for a moment. She thought this was her duty? Of course she wanted to stop him because he was threatening the world but why doesn't she want any help? Because only she is supposed to do this? Because this is… family business?

Ugh his head was already hurting off all this thinking.

"Doesn't explain why you're a jerk to us and don't want our help." Natsu muttered tightening his grasp on the wood.

Kera sighed softly. She had heard his comment perfectly. I'm not trying to be a jerk… I'm just trying to do the right thing.

"You are… never doubt that. You are doing the right thing. You are trying to protect this world."

No offense Crystol but could you stop with all the encouragement? It's starting to get on my nerves… and it's not really helping…

"I'm sorry master. I will turn it down."

Thank you.

Kera picked up another piece of wood and sighed. "I think this should be enough. We should also head back soon." She said turning around.

Natsu was carrying most of the wood and it was getting a little difficult for him to carry it all. "Yea… it would be great if we could head back. We've been gone a while. The others might get worried."

Kera snorted slightly picking up yet another piece of wood. "They're just worried I'll ditch, nothing else." She grabbed a few pieces of wood from Natsu to lighten his load.

"You really don't get it do you?" Natsu asked her. The brunette raised an eyebrow at him and he just sighed. "Never mind. Let's just head back."

Without another word the two Dragon Slayers headed back to their camp. Natsu really wasn't one for quiet moment but not even he knew what they could talk about. There wasn't really anything left that they could talk about. She changed way too much for that. They couldn't even joke about anything. And he used to enjoy joking around with her.

But that was over… at least he thought.

They arrived back at the camp in just half an hour. All together they might have been gone a few hours because it was already getting dark. It took them a while to find some dry wood because it was so damp in the forest.

But Natsu should be able to make a fire with this.

They dropped the wood to the floor and sighed. The others just smiled at them. Lucy was sitting with Wendy against a tree as they turned their attention to them. But then they frowned.

Gray sighed. "Took you two long enough… is Erza right behind you guys?"

Both Natsu and Kera gave him a confused look. "Uh no… I thought she was with you." Natsu said a little confused.

Juvia moved her feet around. "We thought she was with you."

Kera frowned. "She wasn't, she said she'd be heading back to the camp. But if she's not here then where is she? Has she been here at all?" Everyone shook their head. This was confusing. Why wasn't she here? She wasn't with them picking up wood and she didn't come back so…

Snapping around she quickly ran back to where she had talked with the red head. "Kera!" The others shouted seeing her run off like that.

Several thoughts ran through her mind as she ran back to the place. She jumped over roots and rocks as she ran as fast as she could. In just mere minutes she was back, but there was no sign of the red head anywhere and this worried her. "ERZA!?" She shouted causing several birds to fly away in fright.

"Erza where are you!?" She shouted again but there was no answer. The others arrived only a few seconds after her, panting like crazy.

Lucy wiped her brow. "Why did you run off like that?" She asked still breathing hard.

Kera gritted her teeth as she kept looking around. This wasn't like her. Not at all. "She told me she'd be heading back. She didn't say anything else."

Natsu sniffed the air trying to catch a scent but there was nothing. "I can't even find her scent."

"Maybe she found something and checked it out." Wendy suggested but Kera shook her head. "She would have told someone. Or let someone know."

The brunette caught something with her nose and turned around. Natsu said he didn't catch her scent and that may be true but Kera's senses were slightly better than his and he was already good.

She walked over to the side and knelt down. She was looking at the grass and there was a perfect explanation as to why.

There was blood.

She took another sniff at it and knew exactly what this was. This was Erza's blood and there was only one reason why this would be here.

She had been attacked.

Closing her eyes and gritting her teeth she lowered her head. Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have let them come! I knew it! Now because of me Erza's gone!

"Damn it!" She shouted jumping back up causing the others to flinch back a moment. Everyone could see a dark aura growing around the brunette and they knew she'd be dangerous at the moment.

Gritting her teeth she was punched the tree next to her causing the bark to crack. By then everyone knew that she was furious. "I knew this was a bad idea! I knew it!" She shouted before punching the tree again.

"Whoa what's going on?" Gray asked confused. He didn't understand this at all.

The others though knew what she was talking about. Natsu stepped in. "Just calm down Kera! This doesn't have to mean anything!"

"Doesn't have to mean anything!?" Kera shouted turning around and glaring at him. "This is the exact thing I was trying to avoid! Why I didn't want you guys to help! Now because of me they got Erza! Because of me she got hurt and because of me she got pulled into this mess!"

"This is not your fault Kera." Lucy tried to calm her down. They didn't need her angry at the moment. They just had to find a way to calm her down.

Kera gritted her teeth. "They took her because they're after me! Of course it's my fault!" She had enough of this. "You know what? I'm doing this on my terms now." With that she turned around walking down the road ready to give them her all.

"Where are you going?" Wendy asked a little scared.

The brunette stopped for a moment only to give them all a glare. "I'm getting her back." A second passed and she was gone.

The others stood there confused. Juvia looked at the others her hands folded in front of her chest. "What should we do now?" She asked her voice carrying a hint of worry.

"If it's true that these people have Erza then we need to go after them." Natsu stated with a serious expression. "We're not leaving Kera to do this alone."

Kera was running through the forest trying to catch the scent of Erza or even a clue of where they might have taken her. She couldn't believe this was happening. How the hell did this happen!?

How did they even get her? Poison? Sleeping drugs? Surprise attack? How the hell did they get her? It unnerved her slightly.

Passing another tree she felt something heading straight towards her. Turning around she was just able to catch an arrow that was headed straight for her face. She gritted her teeth before turning around. "Where is she!?" She shouted knowing that the person who shot the arrow was still there.

Growling her eyes roamed the trees. "Tell me where she is or I will make your death slow and agonizing!" She shouted again, yet there was no answer back.

"You little bastards… when I find you…" her eyes landed on the arrow and she noticed there was something attached to it. She grabbed the small note from the arrow and read it through.

Her eyes narrowed down. "Queen of Dragons, we have your friend and if you want to see her come to the house standing in the barren wasteland. Cooperate and we will let her go…" She gritted her teeth. "They're going to pay for this." She sneered.

Her eyes turned into slits. "They want the Queen of Dragons? They can have her."

Ooh cliffhanger! I had to put one in there since we didn't have one for a while. Well I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought about it, tell me your thoughts or whatever you want to talk about ;) Anyway...

Until next time!