Author's Note: Yuuki~desu! Hi guys! Actually, I'm down with a flu and I got plenty of time to write, so this chapter has been finished in a record time. Yay! Also, I would like to say I'm really grateful for all of your reviews. I read every single one and I'm glad to say they're inspiring and make me want to write more :) So don't forget to review! Enjoy!

Chapter 17: Forbidden Questions

Even after the Dragon of Fate disappeared, Metalicana couldn't tear her gaze away from the spot her elder sister stood before teleporting.

Luciana...

The Iron Dragon had no doubt her beloved sibling was crying out her heart somewhere, alone in the dark.

It was painful for her to imagine the proud Queen reduced to a sobbing piece of sorrow and loneliness, but she knew that was exactly what Luciana was. A kind-hearted, sensitive and now unbelievably heartbroken creature, hiding under a mask of responsibility and fake pride.

She would never admit it to the person herself, but she was often able to see through the mask her sister desperately clung onto. And what she saw under it almost made her go insane.

Luciana was such a mixture of negative feelings accumulated through so many centuries, it was a wonder her personality and sanity was still intact.

Dragons tended to be prisoners of their own inner states, not able to forget anything, reliving their mistakes over and over again. Not even death set them free. They would regain their memories from their past lives eventually after being reborn. Metalicana understood that, though she herself had no previous memories.

She was a new soul. Untainted by the past. Free. At least for now.

"Metalicana." Grandine's voice pulled the Iron Dragon from her thoughts. "Ah. Sorry sis. I wasn't listening. Did you say something?"

The older dragoness shook her head exasperatedly, doing her best not to growl at the charcoal dragon. "I asked you if it's really necessary to tell our guests about Luciana's embarrassing adventures. She's our queen. What will you do if they lose respect for her?"

"Don't worry. I just wanted to get rid of her. Now that she's gone, we're finally free to talk about anything we want." With that last sentence, the unruly dragon grinned at the humans, who were curiously peering at the two conversing dragons.

Metalicana ignored the Sky dragon's shocked expression and looked over the spectators, now safely sitting on their respective beds.

Finally, she spotted the person she was looking for.

Her eyes still held that mischievous glint when she spoke to Gajeel. "So it seems you've found me."

It wasn't a question, so the raven-haired dragon slayer only nodded.

"How about I give you a prize for making it here?" The room suddenly got quieter and curiosity radiated from every Fairy Tail member. A prize? What could a dragon offer as a prize?

Their unspoken speculation was soon answered. "You can ask me one question and I will have to answer it truthfully, no matter what it is."

It was no small offer and everyone knew it. Knowledge of the Dragons was infinite and guarded accordingly. Few met a Dragon and got out unscathed, not to mention that none of them had the luxury of gaining any information from them. This was a once-in-a-hundred-lifetimes opportunity.

"Metalicana!" Hissed Grandine through their telepathic connection. "Have you gone crazy? You can't do that! What if they ask you one of 'those' questions?"

The honey-eyed dragon knew exactly what questions she meant. Luciana made it clear to her sisters they were not to tell the magicians about her life as human. Under any circumstances.

"Too late. I already gave them my word."

"You do realize we're screwed, don't you?" The only answer the light blue dragon got, was a puff of smoke.

While the two dragons were arguing, Gajeel was desperately trying choose the right question.

There were two he considered worth asking, but couldn't decide. The first was obviously the one he was asking himself for years. Why had the dragons left the Earthland?

The second was the one he knew the others would want him to ask. Where is Lucy? It was, after all, the main purpose for this whole journey...

The iron dragon slayer was torn between his duty as a Fairy Tail member and desire as a kid who has been left behind by the most important person in his life.

In the end, loyalty to his guild won. He would never willingly admit it, but the time he had spent with the weird magicians was precious to him. He had so much fun with the others... No matter how little he spoke with the stellar spirit mage, she was one of his comrades and a vital part of the team. He was sure that without her, the guild wouldn't be the same.

Gajeel returned his companions' expectant stares and breathed in, readying himself for his task.

"Please tell me Lucy Heartfillia's location."

"Oh, shit." whispered Grandine. She never swore. In fact, she was the most polite and composed dragon of them all, but she couldn't help herself this time. The worst scenario was unfolding right before her and all she could do was watch. Watch and pray to the Great Will that Luciana won't kill her and Metalicana when she finds out.

"I should have known you would ask that. You really like those Fairy Tail people, don't you?" Metalicana seemed unfazed by her adoptive son's choice and calmly continued without waiting for answer that she knew wasn't coming.

"You were right in coming here. Lucy Heartfillia, the person you're looking for, is indeed here."

"Where?!" cried Natsu, which caught everyone by surprise. No one noticed the pinkette waking up.

"I don't know where exactly she is at the moment." said the Iron Dragon sincerely. She truly didn't know where had Luciana gone. "But I assure you she is in this dimension."

Several of the Fairy Tail members sighed contentedly.

Levy wasn't one of them. "What is her condition?" Courageous solid script mage knew the dragons were hiding something from them. If Lucy was alright, she would have gone back to Fairy Tail long time ago. Since that wasn't the case, the blue haired girl grew suspicious.

"She is alive and well, I assure you." This time it was Grandine's turn to answer. The cat was already out of the bag, so she saw no reason to keep quiet any longer.

"If that's so, why didn't she contact us?" Gray managed to follow Levy's train of thoughts quite easily. He was more fond of the Stellar mage than he let on and the solid script mage's suspicion tugged on his own.

"You'll have to ask that the person herself. That is, if you find her." Metalicana's cryptic message silenced Titania's intended protests.

"Bastard! You're hiding her, aren't you?!"

Natsu was already halfway to the Iron dragon before anyone managed to stop him. He leapt into air, his Fire fist ready to strike the charcoal dragon, when he was captured. Confused, he looked on his body. His legs were caught in glass, preventing him from moving.

"Natsu!" Without thinking, Happy flew to his teammate and tried to get him out of his see-through prison, when the glass enveloped him in same manner as his friend.

"What the-" cursed Gajeel, observing the situation.

Erza was furious. Two of her comrades were now trapped and it happened right before her eyes. Cold anger flooded her and her common sense as she ex-quipped into Heaven's Wheel armour, intent on attacking the younger of dragons.

Easily, she was also caught.

"Now, now, calm down a little." said the now-hated dragon soothingly. "If you call off your magic, it'll let you go."

Under normal circumstances, they would ignore the Iron Dragon's words, but it was hard to dismiss the fact they were caught only after they used their powers.

Happy and Erza complied and just like Metalicana said, the glass immediately retreated, becoming once again a part of the floor.

Natsu, on the other hand, only got angrier and let the flames envelop his whole body. He was futilely trying to melt the substance that immobilized him. The result, however, was absolute opposite. The glass spread around his body even more, holding him in a death grip and sucking his overwhelming magic power.

That's when Wendy decided to act. She jumped off her adoptive mother's back and ran to the pinkette. She was facing his back, when she jumped up and hit his neck with her hand. Immediately, the dragon slayer faded into unconsciousness. "Sorry, Natsu-san." whispered the little girl to the now unhearing man.

The moment the flames disappeared, the glass let go of the fire dragon slayers limp body.

Stunned audience just watched Wendy, who carefully laid Natsu on the ground. It took them a while to register she was actually talking to them.

"Please everyone, stop. I'm sure Metalicana and Grandine are not trying to hide Lucy-san. Besides, Lucy-san is smart. Surely she would find a way to contact us somehow during those seven years, even if she was being held captive."

Wendy's persuasive words left no room for the others to argue, so Levy decided to change the topic. She had a feeling that the dragons wouldn't tell them about Lucy any more than they have.

"Why did the glass capture Natsu, Happy and Erza? Obviously, it's reacting to magic. But why?"

"Luciana's lair is protecting its owner from potentially dangerous magic attacks. She's the only one who can use magic in here... Not even we can. Truth to be told, this is the first time we've actually been invited inside." Grandine's voice was full of regret with a hint of pity and exhaustion. She tried to make Luciana open up to her more so many times already...

"So you guys aren't on good terms, huh?" The Ice mage honestly couldn't care less about their relationship with their Queen, but he had a feeling every information he could gather about the mysterious Dragon of Fate would be useful later.

"It's not like that." protested the charcoal dragon. "She's just keeping to herself. It's not easy for her to open up to others. She's been betrayed twice already."

That sparked the Titania's interest. "She doesn't seem like the type that trusts easily. Those two that betrayed her... Who were they?"

Relieved that the conversation was straying from the topic of Lucy, the Sky Dragon was quick to share the personal information. "Her Soul mate and her twin brother."

Erza nodded in understanding. "That would explain her slightly... Eccentric personality..."

Metalicana smiled at the ex-quip mage's observation. The Dragon of Fate indeed was a bit eccentric.

To make them continue talking about something that doesn't concern their missing friend, she decided to give them a hint about identity of Luciana's brother. "Yeah... Actually, I'm sure you've already met her twin."

Her only response were blank stares, until Wendy gasped with horror.

"Then... That's why Luciana-san's dragon form is so similar to Acnologia's?" It was no more than a whisper, but it ominously spread throughout all of the Glass dome.