Author's Note: Yuuki~desu! Now, I bet you thought I died or something. I mean, no update in 6 months? Crazy. Those of you who have been following this story from the beginning probably don't even remember what it's about! I'm sorry about that. Life got crazy.

Thank you all for your kind reviews. They helped me to go on with the writing :) I actually never noticed I got over 100! I love you guys so much!

I never thanked any individual in this story, but I feel obliged to do so now. VERY special thanks to Vivid x Dreams. You reviewed right at the time I needed it the most. The Saturday before your review, I took my certification exam in English and screwed up pretty badly. Your review helped me get out of the horrible depression and inspired me to write the next chappie this soon! Also, I can't really answer any of your questions in fear of revealing too much, but you'll find your answers if you wait long enough ;) Thank you, again.*gives you a big bear hug*

Now, read and REVIEW! :D

Chapter 23: Beloved Password

The two air masters started to question their decision as they made their way deeper into the cave. Its darkness was impenetrable even for Grandine's superior sight.

"Grandine..." panted Wendy, not missing a step in her desperate run. "Are you sure it's this way?"

The great light blue dragon turned its head to asses the little girl. She was obviously straining herself to keep up with her long strides.

She found herself pitying her adopted daughter despite it not being the right time for it. She had thought of carrying the blue-head but was worried they would not fit through the tight tunnels of the place if she did so.

"I am positive. The stench of death is coming from just ahead of us."

The dragon slayer simply nodded, unable to choke out any more words.

Not long after that, they came to a stop right in front of ancient, sturdy-looking doors.

Wendy wheezed, trying to catch her breath, leaving it to her mother to open the glowing, artfully carved amethyst panels.

Without hesitation, the dragon pushed her way through narrow opening and bumped her head on the doors in hope of making it open with the impact. Surprisingly, it didn't move.

Why can't it ever be that easy?... groaned Grandine inwardly, already gathering her magical force.

With mighty roar, the air dragoness released her famous great gale, but to no avail. The doors did not even shake.

However, the winds succeeded in something else. The air pushed through the tiniest crack between the panels and as she withdrew her attack, it returned, marked with the scents from inside.

The blue-head scrambled from the ground where her adoptive mother's power sent her and dusted off her clothes.

"Why won't it open?!" hissed the frustrated lizard-like creature.

Wendy glanced at the dragoness cautiously. "Maybe it works on some kind of a password..."

"We don't have time for that!"

Echo of the shriek made the girl wince. "Can't you smell it, Wendy?!"

The little dragon slayer balled her hands into fists, trying to hold on that sliver of sensibility she still had in her.

"Please, Grandine! I'm just as worried as you are, but we have to keep calm. If the doors truly work on a password, there is no other way to open it."

For a moment, it looked like the dragon would not listen to her, her back muscles clenching as if she was ready to pounce on the door with all her weight.

Suddenly, the blue-dragon's tense form relaxed slightly and her voice came out in desperate cries.

"Peaches! Strawberries! Sun! Mirror!"

Shocked, the Fairy Tail mage didn't know what to do. It almost seemed as if the dragon went insane, shouting random things.

"Wolds of Origin! Violet! Purple! Wallaia! Igneel! Books!"

Could she possibly...? wondered Wendy silently, imaginary light bulb lighting up in her head.

In matter of seconds, the little mage went through everything she knew of the Queen of Dragons, from the way she held herself, to what she was wearing when she left.

"Gloves!" she chirped in quickly, earning a proud look from her mentor.

"Acnologia! Cross!"

"Amethyst! Black!"

"Silver! Ace!"

"Vision! Dragon!" Grandine snorted at that and Wendy hung her head low in embarrassment.

This went on for a while, the two of them having said anything they could think of, even going as far as naming every living dragon (in Grandine's case) and every spell that enables mages to see the future (in Wendy's case).

Minutes went by and Grandine started to be positively seething.

This is ridiculous! These doors obviously lead to Luciana's lair, so the password HAS to be something she likes... What kind of sister am I to not know what it is?

Grandine couldn't block the depressing thoughts anymore. She had always known Luciana was more of a withdrawn person, but she still should know what she cares about. What it is that is closest to her heart, what she loves.

Her forest-green eyes widened with realization. Loves!

"Vernon." she breathed out in a daze, mad at herself for not thinking of it sooner.

A tell-tale click resounded in the little space.

The doors opened without any further sound, letting a stream of torch-light blind the two amazed figures.

Waking was something I did ridiculously often the past few hours, I noted.

Now, that wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact every time I woke up, it was always under some unfavorable circumstances.

And this is the worst one of them all. I stated dryly.

Because, let's face it, I practically came back from the dead after getting attacked by one of my closest friends. That could hardly be called the best situation in which to come back to my senses...

I felt as if I was being pulled up from the bottom of deep dark ocean. Deep dark ocean full of sticky goo. Yeah, that was more like it.

I fought the initial dizziness and found there were at least two people with me in the room.

"...won't make it..."

"What... do?"

Even though I only caught snippets of their conversation, it didn't take a genius to realize what the two females were discussing. And that was, unfortunately, me.

I'm up, guys. Now if you would only realize it and stop writing me off as dead...

In a feeble attempt to capture their attention, I willed my thumb on my right hand to twitch. It must have worked because I could feel their stares on my face, probably expecting me to open my eyes.

"I...I think she's awake." said a very soft, almost childlike voice. The amount of awe that one simple statement held was amusing and I would have laughed if I could muster the energy to do so.

I was so weak, even the simple action of twitching my thumb tired me out. There was no way I could do more than that. Not if I wanted to stay conscious. And I sure as hell did.

Soft sound of shifting fabric came from somewhere to my left, making me frown.

Perhaps it is a third person? It did sound as a reasonable answer, but it bothered me I hadn't noticed the presence before.

"I have to agree. Miss, if you can hear us, please do it again." came a slightly colder, more monotone voice to my right.

I did not hesitate to follow the order and moved the finger again. The action caused the spectators to gasp in surprise.

"Good. Now, listen to me. You still are not out of the critical condition. You had not sustained any damage to the skull, nor a concussion, but it was bleeding profusely. You lost a lot of blood and if we do not find a healer soon, your condition might worsen. Do you understand?"

Hey, wait! Isn't she supposed to be, like, telling everything is going to be all right and things like that? I tried to squash the momentary panic that rose within me and I must have spaced out for a bit longer than I thought because the woman repeated her question very loudly, as if she had already asked me many times already.

I strained my delicate finger muscles the third time, this time receiving a relieved sigh from the unknown spectator on the left.

"We will have to move you now in order to get you to a healer."

I was just about to give the calm female my consent when I heard a creak of what was most likely door pants.

A gust of wind licked my face and cooled my already cold skin, making me shiver.

"That won't be necessary." boomed a new voice authoritatively. "I am a healer."