*****

"You shouldn't be here!" Adassandra spat, her eyes narrowing in anger. Her hand clenched around her protective headgear. Lucy thought she could hear hear the metal creaking with her grip.

"Oh and you should?" Lucy crossed her arms over her chest. She was not going to allow this woman to browbeat her. Not this time.

"This," the pale-eyed woman waved to the massive room, "is my home!"

"I can see that," the buxom blonde shrugged her shoulders. "Your point?" She knew she was being childish, but she wasn't going to back down.

Adassandra threw down her head gear, it shattered from the force. "I should have killed you when I had the chance, girl!"

Lucy felt her hands shake, but she stood her ground, "You wouldn't have been able to go through with it!" Point to you! her inner self thought victoriously.

"Oh really? Really?" Adie hissed, taking a step toward Lucy. Her boots clunking as the heavy toes hit the ground. "Are you so sure?" Her eyes were as cold as steel as she uttered the words.

Lucy gulped, regretting her harsh words. Maybe she had miscalculated the woman's intentions, after all. "Y-you wouldn't!" she yelped, immediately angry are her weakness.

A sly smile crossed Adie's lips, as she watched Lucy shrewdly. "Maybe not. Only one way to find out, mage!" Her eyes fell to Lucy's waist. "What? You forget your keys again?" she taunted, shaking her head slightly.

Lucy's hand absentmindedly went to the usual spot where her keys hung. Her face turned crimson as she remembered her error. "I..uh..well.."

Adie's eyes widened. Lucy couldn't tell if it was out of surprise or anger. The older mage shook her head, slapping her forehead. "You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me," she muttered. "Just what kind of Stellar Spirit mage are you, again?" Her fists shot to her hips as her pale eyes flashed their challenge.

Lucy was at a loss for words. She knew it looked bad. Of course it looked bad to not have your keys when you are a Stellar Spirit mage—you rely on keys! "What kind of Stellar Spirit mage are you, Old Woman?" she wittily shot back, her foot tapping on the floor. Adie's face fell, momentarily, before regaining her composure. Checkmate! Lucy thought, though she wasn't sure which part of her statement Adie had reacted to. Maybe not so smooth...

"I'm not!" the blacksmith hissed her reply, looking surprised at her own words.

"Yeah, like I'd believe a word you say," Lucy rolled her eyes.

Adie's finger tightened around the small tool protruding from her belt. "Is that why you came all the way here? To ask me questions that you wouldn't believe the answer to?"

Lucy blushed, realizing that the other woman had a point. She locked her jaw, staring at the pale blonde woman. "Who are you?" she blurted the words. "Really?"

"Really?" Adie echoed, tapping her chin as if considering the question. She quickly dropped her hand to her side, all sarcasm aside as she sneered. "Like I owe you an explanation. I don't owe you anything!"

"That may be true, but I know things...about you!" Lucy weakly squeaked. Adie stared at her in a nonplussed fashion. "I know about Daylon and Freya!" the words tumbled from her mouth, "and that you have a twin sister, Lilith!"

Adie's face paled and she suddenly swayed on her feet. She slowly sat on her work bench, licking her lips, as if suddenly ill. For minutes, she sat there in silence, while Lucy waited to see if she would lash out in anger. When she did speak, her voice was shaky. "You need to leave. This does not concern you. It's too dangerous," she spoke quickly and cryptically, her hands shook as she rested her forehead against them. She stared at the ground.

"But...but I'm here to help!" Lucy offered.

"Help?" her head shot up. "Help! I tried to get your help, and you refused!"

"H-how?" she choked.

"Your keys!" she hissed, looking at Lucy's empty belt. "I asked for them. But nooo, you fucking refused to help!"

"But, you wanted me to give up my Stellar Spirits! You didn't ask, you demanded. There is a big difference, you know," she pouted slightly, her lower lip jutting out. "And you offered no explanation, by the way! What kind of request for help was that?" Lucy was beginning to get frustrated with the direction of the conversation.

"I don't owe you an explanation. I don't owe anyone anything!" she spat, her gaze dropping to the floor. She muttered something barely intelligible.

"Yeah, I can see you're doing so well at this loner business. Such a strong woman. I get it, really, I do. But," her brown eyes flashed their challenge, "don't you ever get tired of being alone?"

Adie stared at her, incredulous. "Who said I was alone? Who said I wanted your help? Who said I needed help?" her voice was rising as she quickly stood. Her fists were clenched at her sides, as she approached Lucy menacingly. "I don't need your fucking help, you poor excuse for a Stellar Spirit mage! Sure, all of your spirits love you. Sure, that may make you feel worthy of holding their keys. But you cannot even control them properly! How dare you lecture me when you don't even know the first thing about being a Stellar Spirit mage!"

Lucy's mouth fell open. She hadn't expected such a harsh response. Her own hands began to shake, and she put them behind her back as she took a few steps backward with each step Adie took toward her. She yelped when her back hit the closed door. She felt for the doorknob behind her back.

"I may not be the best mage, I know. But I care about those spirits! I've seen horrible Stellar Spirit mages who were more talented than I, but were atrocious to those spirits. They suffered under the mage's care. If that is how one should become an ideal mage—as you deem fit—then I'd rather not be a mage at all!"

Her sweaty fingers found the cool metal of the knob. "And you think you know everything about Stellar Spirits, but I have yet to see you set a good example!" With a loud growl, the wood beside Lucy's head splintered into a million tiny pieces. She realized that Adie had put a gloved fist through the wall.

Her own anger was pulsating in her ears, and the young mage forced herself to continue. "I know what it's like to be alone. My mother is dead, and my father could care less about me! But, I have friends....and that's enough! They care about me, you see," she sucked in a deep breath.

"The signs were there that you were not who you claimed to be. The callouses on your hands, your knowledge of armor, the fake glasses..." she wave at the room around them. "I can see why that is. But you came to Fairy Tail. We didn't come to you. You were searching for something!"

"I was trying to protect you!" she snarled at Lucy. "You have no idea what a danger is posed to you...by just having those keys!"

"I-I don't understand..." Lucy croaked, somewhat shocked at the woman's admission. She hadn't expected that she was the reason for Adassandra's arrival. Sure, she thought Adie was there to harm her and steal her spirits...not protect her.

"You need to leave," came the hoarse reply as Adie turned and walked away from the destroyed wall.

"But!" Lucy reached toward the mysterious woman.

"NOW!" she roared.

Lucy shook her head as she softly whispered, "Whatever it is, I hope you find it..." Adie paused, her body stiffening with Lucy's words. "...Because even I can tell it's making you miserable."

With that, she pulled the door open, and stormed out of the main shop. Her own anger was ebbing, and she was astounded by how well she had controlled herself. She slammed the door on her way out, as she stomped down the sidewalk, grumbling the entire way.

"...stupid woman! Protecting what?..."

"Lucy!"

"...I'll find out who and what she is...."

"Luce! Hey Lucy!" She faintly registered the sound of her own name. She stopped, turning toward the voice. She could see Natsu and Happy waving as they beelined it toward her. Gray was following a few yards behind.

"Hey guys," she replied softly, her eyes glazed and unfocused.

Natsu waved a hand in front of her face, "You...alright?"

"I'm fine!" she spat, casting one last look toward the shop she had just exited. "Just leave me alone!" she shoved his hand aside as she stormed off. "I-I need to be alone!" she called over her shoulder. "Sorry!"

Her three companions were left to stare after her, confused by her sudden mood change. "What the hell was that about?" Natsu mumbled.

"I dunno," Happy responded softly, looking equally confused.

"Perhaps that, has something to do with it," Gray offered.

"What is it now--" Natsu turned to find the ice mage staring at the giant, worn sign outside the shop.

"Wasn't that the name of that dude? Daylon?" the pink-haired mage asked through narrowed eyes.

"Aye!" Happy replied.

"Well, then, let's see what got Lucy all bothered!" the dragonslayer determined, as he pushed his scarf over his shoulders. He had a feeling that someone inside would give him the answers he wanted.

*****

*****

"I thought I told you get lost!" came the voice from behind the counter.

"I don't think that was us, you may want to check on that, though," Natsu replied, his arms crossed over his chest. Gray was looking around the cramped, dark shop. It smelled of wood and burning metal.

The woman behind the counter stood up, realizing her error. She had a bright smile on her face, "My apologies, sir!" When she set eyes on her presumed customers, her smile faded. Her face paled with the recognition of the three in front of her.

"Adie?" Gray replied softly. She looked different, but it had to be her!

"Wasn't your hair another color?" Natsu eyed her warily.

Adie's hand went up to her hair, "Uh, yeah." Nice response. Her mouth formed a grim expression as she looked over the visitors, "What do you want?" Her tone was cold as she eyed each of the three with her pale eyes.

"What did you say to Lucy?" Natsu asked, slamming his fist on the counter.

"Huh?" the pale woman replied.

"I don't care who, or what, you are. But what I do want to know is what you said to upset Lucy so much," smoke was beginning to seep from his nostrils as he spoke, his face becoming more and more menacing.

"Get lost," she replied, shortly.

This time, the fist slamming into the counter sent hundreds of wood shards flying throughout the tiny shop. Natsu leaned in closer, his eyes threatening the young woman.

"No one upsets Lucy and gets away with it!"

*****

*****

Lucy was at a loss for words....

Had she been mistaken in coming here? Was it really as dangerous as Adie had claimed? And what, exactly, was the danger? Were those creatures—monsters she had only heard about in fairy tales—truly being seen around the the land? And how were they linked with Adie or Stellar Spirits? Was Adie truly not a Stellar Spirit mage? Lucy angrily kicked a wayward rock as she trudged through the low-lying grass. "

Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she moaned.

What was even worse was that she had dragged Natsu, Happy, and Gray into all of this—for nothing! Maybe she should ignore her gut feeling, and go home...

If Adassandra wasn't a Stellar Spirit mage...then who was she? What was she?

"Could it be?" Lucy wondered aloud as she hesitated in lifting her foot from the ground. She turned to look at the tiny village. No! Not that!! But, it wouldn't be the first time she had experienced something similar. Loki was a perfect example of such a circumstance...

Suddenly a hissing noise forced the thoughts aside. She turned her head in the direction of the unfamiliar sound, but saw nothing. For the first time in nearly ten minutes, she realized that she had wandered outside of the village. In fact, she had almost walked into the woods. She looked at the foreboding forest in front of her.

Could it really be that bad? she wondered. "That old guy was senile! Quit being a baby!" she chastised herself out loud. She decided to sit on a nearby stump, where she could think and talk aloud. The rough bark scratched her bare legs as she awkwardly tried to find a comfortable position.

Another noise! This time, it was more of a hybrid between a snarl and hiss.

"What the--?" she spoke to herself, suddenly very aware of her loneliness. Another noise made her jump, and her heart began pounding in her chest. She could feel each forceful beat in her ears. Lucy, calm down! Quit getting so worked up!

Before she could muster more words of encouragement, she saw it: two glowing eyes staring at her from a nearby tree. She could see the small, slender form as it crouched in the shadows, as if it were stalking its prey.

Lucy slowly backed away, hoping to not startle the animal. She squinted into the darkness, but couldn't quite make out what it was. As she took another step in retreat, the creature nimbly pounced from the tree, disappearing in a blur of movement before hitting the ground. From the quick sighting she did get, Lucy thought the creature's eyes were deep crimson, and the skin a sickly gray color.

Was it a wolf? It looked more human-like than a dog! When she realized she never heard it hit the ground, she began to panic. Her teeth began to chatter as she realized she was defenseless against any attack. She decided it was best to run; she attempted to make a break for the village. As she did so, she was met with another hiss, and two eyes glaring at her from a few feet away. The animal was again crouched, blocking the path back to Wisteria. It slowly began to drag its body into a standing position by awkwardly manipulating its body with jerky movements. It was as still as could be, lifting its head to the sky to inhale fully.

"D-don't hurt me!" she squealed. The only reply was another savage hiss. This time, Lucy was close enough to feel the breath on her face. Her eyes watered from the smell of rotten flesh and death. This was no animal!

It snarled, revealed a mouthful of razor sharp teeth—the incisors more prominent than the rest. Sticky fluid dripped from its jowls. There was no nose on the decaying face, only two holes for nostrils. The eyes were larger than a human's, and slanted upward. There were no pupils, only large, crimson irises.

Lucy felt her blood go cold...was this what she thought it was? Before she could organize her thoughts, the creature grabbed the front of her jacket, pulling her closer to sniff her face. She had the distinct feeling that this it was deciding if she would become its next meal. She reached out to pull the creature's taloned hands from her jacket, immediately drawing back from the ice cold chill of its skin.

"What are you?" she yelped, as it awkwardly cocked its head to look at her. "P-please!" she attempted to plead with the monster. Its answer came in the form of a shriek as her body was immediately flung upward and backward through the air.

Lucy opened her mouth and screamed with everything she had.

...AND the action shall begin. Slowly at first, of course.

A/N: To answer a few questions:

1.) I am very well aware that Lucy is a reader. She is usually the more more level-headed of the team, though I find at times, she does ditzy things (like wearing a mini-skirt in an extremely cold climate--aka Macao's rescue). She's quite a bit vain and I think she often comes off as not as intelligent as she truly is--which is the aspect I'm going with. I'm also not entirely sure (since I can't remember, exactly), if anyone besides Levy knows of her novel or passion for reading. I--in no way--am making Lucy to be stupid!! She had a pretty cushy upbringing, and most likely had tons of private tutors ;)

2.) Also--I didn't think there was anywhere that really stated how long Wendy's sky magic would work on Natsu, so I'm making it a longer temporary fix. I've probably placed this story anywhere from months to years after the Oracion Seis Arc.

3.) Lucy forgetting her keys: I loved when Aquarius got angry that Lucy lost her keys, so I kinda want to keep that aspect going. Besides, it really does play into this story. Trust me! Besides, who said that someone won't be bringing them to her? ;)

***Thanks for the reviews***

I had not idea this story would get this much feedback or so many hits.

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for reading!

Next chapter soon! ^_^