"M-Morpheus?" Lucy stuttered, drawing her hand back in confusion.

What kind of name is that? she wondered, her gaze wandering over the boy as he dangled in Adie's grip. Thus far, it seemed that the surprise encounters with Adie had consistently been something more than human...would this child be the same? He looked so harmless!

"No more games!" Adie roared shaking her fist in frustration.

The boy was jerked back and forth, his head violently bobbing from the movement as his face was hidden by his mop of dark hair. Lucy opened her mouth in protest of the cruel behavior, but was interrupted by the sound of what she thought was faint laughter. Her eyes quickly darted to the boy. His shoulders were softly shaking as his low, growling chuckle grew into a roaring guffaw. His head shot up as he continued to laugh despite being trapped in Adie's iron-fisted grip.

Lucy knew it was a bold move, especially today, of all days.

"Huh?" Natsu asked between bites as his head snapped in every direction as he studied is comrades' reaction. He had obviously been ignoring the scene in front of him. "Did I mish someshing?"

"I don't know," Happy murmured as he gazed longingly at the fillet before him. He poked it gingerly, as if deciding whether it was now a trustworthy meal.

"Women," Natsu muttered under his breath as he watched Lucy and Adie. The former was looking questioningly at the young male while Adie was glaring angrily at her victim.

Natsu inhaled deeply, his nose registering the silent evidence he missed when the boy entered the room. The wafting sumptuous odor of the food must have hidden the smell—or lack thereof. He quickly jumped to his feet, knocking the plate over in front of him. In a hasty motion, he reached Lucy's side, casting an arm out in front of her as he, too, warily watched the young boy's antics.

From the corner of his eye, he could see both Erza and Gray rise as well, catching his sudden concern. Adie's grip tightened on the tiny, curving dagger, her knuckles paling with her grip. Natsu watched her fingers slightly alternate between relaxation and caution as they encompassed the hilt. The seemingly insignificant reaction caused Natsu to sense that she held some familiarity with whoever this truly was.

"No smell," Natsu grunted, wiping his mouth with his arm.

"Huh?" Lucy was officially confused. Her eyes darted around the room. What was going on? Was she missing something?

"I didn't notice it before," Natsu pointed toward the newcomer, "probably too hungry to think. But he...doesn't smell."

"So what does that mean?" Lucy asked, exasperated. Her eyes remained on the laughing boy.

Natsu shrugged his indifference. "It's odd, that's all," he replied flatly, his eyes narrowing as he suspiciously looked the newcomer. "Adie, want me to hit him?"

Adie's eyes grew dark with impatience. She, apparently, did not agree with Natsu's question, though he wasn't entirely sure she would have prevented it. She seemed equally irritated with the boy. She shook her head slightly, her lips parting to growl a response.

"No," the boy spoke, suddenly. His voice had grown deeper—more guttural. "Violence won't be necessary." The abrupt change in his voice was not missed on anyone, and the reactions must have caused him some amusement because he burst out into another fit of laughter, his head drooping as he slowly calmed himself with a few ragged breaths.

"I'm surprised it took you so long, Adassandra," the boy purred.

This time, Lucy cast him an suspicious look. It seemed Adie had been able to detect the intruder, even with this sweetly innocent appearance. She would have to trust the blacksmith's intuition more, perhaps learning from it. She was obviously too naïve, and it was becoming an increasingly dangerous trait for her.

With a flick of her wrist, Adie tossed the boy to the floor, glaring at him in frustration and disdain. The boy slumped to his knees, his hands reaching out to stop his fall as his back heaved with more contemptuous laughter. Lucy and the others watched in silent confusion as he slowly changed shape—metamorphosing before their eyes. She felt Natsu's bracing arm become more forceful in pushing her away from the kid. She reached out and clamped her hands onto his arm, letting him know that she was not afraid nor in need of protection.

Her eyes were wide as she watched the transformation. Although this Morpheus maintained practically the same height, his skin went from a pale ivory to deep onyx. Every inch of his body was slowly covered with thick, soft coat of fur as the dark locks disappeared from his head—only to be replaced by two short, sharply pointed ears. The wide ears perched on the top sides of head, protruding backward at an angle as short tufts of hair sprouted from the tips. She watched in shock as all human features completely disappeared. When the change was seemingly finished, he slowly rose to his feet.

No, Lucy thought, paws. His feet looked like the bulky hind paws of a large cat, the curved, black claws lightly raking the floor. His legs were strong and muscular, despite his stout build, and hidden beneath a pair of long gray shorts.

Lucy's eyes trailed to his face, gaping at the transformation she had just witnessed. She took all of him in, reeling at the sudden change in his appearance. It was obvious that he was not human, as his features were more feline in nature. His face was angular with widely-spaced almond-shaped eyes. He blinked a few times, allowing his bright, golden eyes to adjust to the light. In fact, the only color on his entire body was his eyes and the two, white oval fur patches on the inner corners of each brow—overlying what Lucy would call his forehead.

He sported a short, black mane that gathered in the midline of his head, between the two ears. From what Lucy could see, the mohawk of hair spanned from his forehead to his upper back, falling to just between his shoulder blades. His body resembled that of a mature, graceful cat as he stood on his massive hind paws like a human. His hands--front paw--resembled human hands more than she had expected. They were cumbersome, but smaller than his fee. She could see the sharp black claws glistening as they slowly retracted into his fingers. His upper body was more barrel-like, which he covered with a dark gray, high necked vest that remained open—similar to how Natsu wore his. Despite the differences in appearance and size, he reminded Lucy of a larger, more human version of Happy.

As if reveling in the attention his change had received, he grinned, revealing sharp incisors that proved him to be a formidable opponent. He quickly unleashed a front claw, inspecting it with disdain. Lucy shivered; she had no idea if he were friend of foe. Right now, she was hoping for no more foes.

"What the hell is that?" Natsu wrinkled his nose in disinterest as his eyes wandered over Morpheus' newly revealed body.

"Me?" Morpheus placed a paw against his chest, as if offended by the scrutiny. His voice was silky and deep as he spoke.

"I'm your worst nightmare," he informed them, his pupils becoming more slit-like in the light. Lucy noticed that his R's rolled off of his tongue, making them sound more purring in nature.

"Cut it out," Adie snapped, sighing in frustration.

"Oh, I'm just having a little fun," the newcomer replied waspishly, eyeing the mages in front of him.

Happy peeked between Lucy and Natsu's legs. He studied the newcomer, hesitantly taking a few steps toward the giant cat-like creature. He stared up at Morpheus, who was about twice his size—though still a head shorter than Lucy. Happy reached out a blue paw to poke him.

"Don't. Even. Thinkaboutit!" Morpheus warned, his yellow eyes flashing. Happy jumped back in shock.

Had he expected him to be nicer? Lucy silently wandered.

"A giant cat?" Grey shook his head, his lips twitching in amusement.

"He's kinda cute," Lucy replied cautiously, looking over the furry entity before her. "Like a giant stuffed animal." She could feel the giddiness ebbing forward—the same feeling as when she saw a cute puppy.

"Stuffed animal?" Morpheus hissed. "Girl, how dare you compare me to the likes of a stuffed animal!" He waved his arm in exasperation as he glared at her.

Adie snorted loudly, as if amused by the oddly paced interaction. All eyes were immediately on her, as if awaiting an explanation. She hated the attention, but she knew that only she could explain. "I shoulda known," Adie whispered, shaking her head back and forth, "that it was you in the library."

"What?" Natsu, Gray and Lucy roared in unison. Erza remained silent, taking in the entire situation before she spoke.

"Him? No way!" Natsu protested, pointing at the giant cat. "That fat, old, lazy man was him?"

This time, Morpheus was the one to laugh. "Yes, I can't deny that claim, I suppose."

Natsu's eyes bulged in disbelief. "Wha?"

"But how?" Lucy was just as confused at Natsu, though she wouldn't show it so obviously. Or stupidly.

Morpheus turned his golden gaze on her, a slight smirk on his feline-like face. The whiskers twitched as he wrinkled his nose in amusement.

"I can become anyone—or anything—that you like. Your wildest dream or your greatest nightmare," he murmured, quickly flashing through various disguises, before settling on the one that they were familiar with. He pushed the dark glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"It was you!" Lucy breathed, shaking her head slightly. She reached out to close Natsu's jaw, as it hung open in shock.

"Yes, I thought we established that," Morpheus sighed before quickly returning to his cat-like form. "Not a quick bunch, are you?" his golden eyes flickered across their faces.

"Why are you here?" Adie asked curtly as she crossed her arms over her chest, awaiting an explanation. "Why did you save us and why did you seek us out?"

Morpheus said nothing for some time, his jowls slowly parting as he inhaled softly. The bottom row of sharp teeth made Lucy shiver. "I suppose I should explain that, yes," he nodded, once again glancing around the room. "To be honest, I only came for one person."

"Who's that?" Lucy asked, realizing the words had escaped her mouth before she could stop them. Her hand immediately covered her mouth as she realized her brashness.

"Hmmph," Morpheus grunted, his slitted pupils narrowing in the light. A slight sneer spread across his face, as if the answer should be easily obvious. "Who? Why....you, of course."

***

***

Lucy's mouth hung open as Morpheus explained his confrontation with Faux. Adie seemed to grow less tense, though Lucy noticed that the demi-spirit and newcomer bickered like brother and sister at random intervals. She was sure that their tumultuous relationship must have spanned decades.

"So he didn't cut off your hand?" Natsu clarified for the millionth time that night.

"For the last time, no, he did not cut off my hand. He lied about that, most likely for effect. But the bastard did knock me out," Morpheus' spat he thought back to the fight. "I don't think, in all honesty, that he wanted to hurt me. He really only wanted my mistresses' key. In his haste, he grabbed the second one I had retrieved from you."

His eyes fell on Lucy's face. Dark pupils grew rounder in the sea of gold. Lucy tried to say something, but her voice failed her. So he hadn't been scouring the place for other spirit keys..but why? Angel could use them! she silently wondered.

"Well, if it was known that Faux would appear with such intentions, why would you endanger Lucy's key like that?" Erza asked, still slightly confused as to how this all fell together.

Morpheus sighed, his head dropping slightly as he tapped a clawed foot on the wooden floor. His voice was softer as he spoke about Velez. "It was not her idea," he admitted. "She had no clue I had planned to ask for Lucy's key in exchange for passage."

"So asking for mine--" Adie began.

"Was a ruse, yes," he answered matter-of-factly. "I knew that you would never give yours up."

Adie closed her eyes, shaking her head softly as Gray and Natsu looked at one another in confusion. She knew that there would inevitably be more questions. It seemed that Morpheus did, as well, because he continued his explanation.

"I had hoped, guessing at what Lucy would do...that perhaps--"

"You could prevent it," Lucy nodded, not faulting him for his rationale.

She could feel her palms becoming sweaty and sticky. So her hand in Veleda's death was known since before they arrived? Did she have no say in her own fate? The questions began to whirl through her head, clouding her senses. Morpheus had anticipated all of this, hoping that Lucy's love for her spirit would keep her from such an atrocious act. It was slowly becoming too much for Lucy to swallow.

"Exactly," the cat grunted, interrupting Lucy's increasingly frantic thoughts. "It was not her wish, but mine. I had hoped to protect her with my life...but ...as you can see....I failed. Utterly."

"You didn't fail."

The words were said with distant attachment, as everyone gaped at Adie's unexpected reassurance. She was the last person they anticipated to understand the murder of a spirit. Her pale eyes were closed, and her face tensed as she explained herself.

"You tried your best, but, in the end, Veleda got what she wished for. It seems," she opened her icy eyes to look at Lucy, "that there was no way to prevent her intentions, even with our best motives at heart."

She paused for a few moments, her face remaining stony as she seemingly collected herself. "Her wishes were most important to you, right?" The comment was direct to Morpheus.

Morpheus nodded, though Adie could not see the faint movement. Her face relaxed as she continued to speak, "It is apparent that Veleda had entirely planned on these events occurring. Even if you thought you had twisted the fate she saw."

"What are you saying?" Morpheus' eyes grew rounder at the demi-spirit's statement.

"I'm saying that none of us could escape what awaited us in that cave. It was already foreseen. It was already intentionally manipulated." She slowly breathed in, her fists clenching at her next words. "I'm saying that no one is at fault. Not even Lucy."

Her eyes found Lucy's face, deeply penetrating the spirit mage's being. Lucy knew that Adie had not forgiven her for what had happened, and it had taken everything the demi-spirit had to not become enraged at Lucy's doing. Adie hadn't forgiven, but she had at least accepted what had occurred.

"I had believed it to be avoidable, as well," Adie murmured, her gaze shifting to the floor. "But, I, too, was mistaken, it seems."

"It was my mistress!" Morpheus' fist connected with the wall. "I was to protect her at all costs! I swore to do so!"

Everyone remained silent as his back shook with frustration. He slowly pulled his tightly balled fist from the hole in the wall. Splinters of wood silently rained onto the floor.

Adie's lips twisted into a slight smile, "So you hoped to take a key as a silent promise to guarantee that there would be no harming Veleda? But it seems she did not tell you that Faux would appear and steal that very key you thought would be your trump card."

"It seems I was duped as well," his voice was a low growl as he bared his sharp fangs. He hissed at nothing, only emphasizing his grief. "I thought I was doing something she hadn' t yet seen!"

"I think, though I do not know her," Erza pointed out, "that she had known all of this, even the part where Faux would cut off Lucy, Gray, Happy and Natsu."

Morpheus said nothing as he dragged a clawed toe though the splinter shards. Adie, too, remained mum. No one knew what to think about the late seer. Had she known this all along? Wasn't it cruel of her to not just share this information—give them something to prepare for?

Adie shrugged after a few moments of silence, her eyes darting toward Morpheus. "So you sent your Oneiroi in repentance for your mistake?"

"No, not repentance," Morpheus pushed himself away from the wall, pacing in front of the silent onlookers. "I have a request, and it wouldn't really work if I let you guys die."

"Ah, always a motive with you," Adie sighed, leaning against the far wall as she hugged her robe around her body. Lucy thought she glimpsed a bandage before Adie had tugged the soft collar against her frame. She had forgotten about Adie's injury....

"Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you," Morpheus grunted, his eyes searching for Lucy.

"Suits me," Adie retorted quickly.

Morpheus snorted, before quickly striding across the room and dropping to his knee in front of Lucy. Natsu attempted to intervene, but was met with a wave of Lucy's hand as her eyes fell on Morpheus' offering: something shiny protruding from between his furry fingers.

Lucy gasped as the metallic object sparkled in the light, the silver key a sign of Morpheus' intent. "Wh-what is this?"

"You can't be that dense!" Morpheus snapped, his eyes squeezing shut in mild embarrassment. "Please don't tell me I'm offering my key to an idiot!"

"Hey, there's no need to criticize!" Lucy barked, angrily glaring at the newly realized Stellar Spirit.

"Lucy Heartphilila, your destiny has been a long time in the making. I humbly offer my services to you if you would take it," he murmured as if he had no interest in the spiel. "You get the idea."

Lucy's jaw fell open as she reached out and touched the key with trembling fingers. "Morpheus, is it?"

"That's my name!" he barked. "Take the key, dammit! My hand's going numb!"

"Paw." Natsu scoffed.

"Eh?" the spirit replied, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Not a hand, it's a paw. And you're a large cat."

"Natsu--" Erza warned, as Gray took a step back.

Morpheus' claws were instantly unsheathed as he held them to Natsu's neck. "Don't piss with me, boy! I can see your dreams as well as your nightmares."

Something about his words caused Natsu's eyes to momentarily widen in fear. It was a silent warning, but Natsu understood the threat completely. This spirit was stronger than most that Lucy owned, and he was not to be trifled with. Natsu grunted his hesitant ascension. "Sorry."

"I'll let you slide this time," one sharp claw slowly slid back into place. "Next time won't be so easy." Three remaining razor-sharp instruments followed the first.

Morpheus stood in front of Natsu, eyeing him warily for some time. Despite having no knowledge about the boy, he could feel the hopes and dreams oozing from the man. He knew how the dragon slayer felt for the blonde standing next to him. He also knew about the hidden fear that she would be killed like the one before her.

What was her name? Morpheus teased the past dreams and memories from Natsu's head. Lisanna.

The face that Natsu slowly sent to him—though indirect—looked eerily similar to Lucy. Could it be, whatever had happened to this girl, Natsu had been unable to save her? Did he fear the same helplessness in the safety of Lucy? The spirit could detect the subtle feelings of sisterly affection toward the girl...this Lisanna. There was something else there, too--not entirely romantic, but it was definitely there. Perhaps it was the young love that forms from an attachment or bond in early childhood—something that could have potentially led to romantic feelings in the future. From what the spirit could detect, given Natsu's residual emotions, he didn't think that those feelings would have—or could have—reached the same magnitude of what his attachment was to Lucy. They were of two different qualities, unable to be equally compared, but decidedly different.

Morpheus momentarily thought of toying with Natsu's internal frustrations, but he knew all too well how it felt to lose someone close—someone you couldn't help. Veleda had been like a mother to him, and he would have died if it meant to save her life. He now desired to protect the life of the woman his mistress had wanted to help. Veleda had felt that Lucy held some sort of key to the future—some unspoken hope that even she—the seer—couldn't predict.

Morpheus sighed as he felt the ebb and flow off Natsu's desire for the blonde girl. The hindering ones of regret for his lost friend prevented him from fully giving himself to Lucy, Morpheus knew. The fear was keeping him from admitting what Morpheus knew the other Fairy Tail mages already realized. Morpheus settled on leaving the inner workings of the pink-haired man alone--he was no psychologist, only here to serve his new master.

"Take it!" Morpheus offered the key to Lucy, dropping it into her hand.

"Th-Thank you," she whispered, her eyes suddenly watering.

"What are you crying for?" he snapped, easily frustrated by the sight of tears.

"It's...it's just that you didn't have to do this. And you chose to," she traced the key with a fingertip, her gaze meeting his.

Morpheus studied her for a few moments, taken aback by her odd reaction. He suddenly realized why Veleda held so much hope in this human girl. She truly cared about spirits' well-beings and wills. She treated them as equals, not objects.

His voice was much softer as he spoke. "Veleda believed in you. Now I must believe in you as well."

"Is that all?" came the unamused voice. Adie uncrossed her arms, looking at her fingernails in feigned boredom.

"Is that all..." Morpheus repeated slowly.

"You simply are giving her your key because Veleda thought it to be wise? My, how far you've fallen from the wagon. Mindless idiot!" she snapped.

Morpheus stood, his eyes on his key as it rested in Lucy's hand. "Lucy's presence has been a long time in coming. Besides, the time is coming for us to choose sides. I would rather be on this one."

Lucy felt the same fledgling fear she had felt earlier. Had she no say in her own life, her own fate? She glanced at Natsu. Would her own heart's will be spelled out for her as well?

It was Adie's turn to look dumbfounded. Morpheus risked a wry grin. "You don't think that whip and dagger were left in your care by chance, now did you?" His golden eyes studied the blacksmith as they twinkled with their silent disdain.

"You mean--" Lucy squeaked.

Morpheus' eyes were still on Adie as he nodded, the movement slight. "Yes, Freya had long ago known about you, Lucy. We all had. And everything was slowly put into place to make sure that this day would arrive."

Natsu blinked a few times, looking between the Stellar Spirit, Lucy, and Erza. He silently wondered what was with all of this talk about 'Lucy's coming'? Did he not know her as well as he thought? Was she someone different than the timid girl he brought to Fairy Tail?

Erza smiled weakly, "So we were being manipulated because of a prophecy?"

Morpheus scoffed, "When you put it like that, it sounds so wrong!"

His gaze momentarily lingered on the red-haired woman who silently mourned for her childhood friend. She, too, was keeping her feelings buried deep down inside of her, away from the bonds of her friends. Morpheus was growing depressed with the common themes of lost loves and revenge that emanated from this group. The only one that didn't seem to have any hidden feelings was the tiny blue cat.

"Enough of this talk about past predictions!" Adie sneered. "Morpheus is toying with you."

"Under these circumstances, I am totally and utterly serious, Adassandra," the spirit muttered, his eyes following the movement of Lucy's hand. "Everything...even down to Faux's fight with the boys—it was all foreseen. Though it wasn't a definite future, Veleda had manipulated Lucy in order to get what she wanted."

"Which was?" Gray spoke for the first time in minutes.

"Her death," the dark spirit whispered, his head falling slightly. His tone wasn't one of defeat, as Gray would have expected. He watched the spirit suspiciously.

"But she said it wasn't the end," Lucy murmured softly, her gaze out of focus as she reminisced about the ugly memory.

"What?" Adie's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Not the end?"

"I...I think...I was to tell you that as well.." Lucy trailed off as she met Adie's confused stare. Her eyes slowly lowered to the floor.

"It's true," Happy added, nodding his head in agreement. "What Lucy says...it is true."

Adie said nothing, her face slightly ashen from Lucy's admission. Did she have some sort of idea of what Veleda's words meant? Morpheus, too, seemed to change as well. He began to slowly pace, as if thinking about something in particular. Adie watched his movements in quiet contemplation.

"But I don't know what it means!" Lucy's eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Adie. "I-I don't get it!" She was suddenly overwhelmed by all these things she had never heard of.

"You will," Morpheus replied grimly.

"What?" Lucy weakly asked, a lone tear breaking free and streaking her face.

"When the time comes," Morpheus furrowed a brow, offering nothing more.

"Oversized cat!" Natsu snorted, "You're not explaining this well at all."

"I don't know about it much, either!" Morpheus snapped in retort, baring his sharp incisors.

"Maybe..." Adie trailed off, her finger tapping her chin. She suddenly gave up on her thought, shaking her head in frustration. "Nevermind."

"Not you too," Natsu moaned. Adie glared at him, her murderous intent clear. Natsu frowned, immediately balking at her sudden lethal display.

"Maybe we should all sleep on it," Erza remarked suddenly. "It's been a long day."

Lucy looked around. She could see the weariness on everyone's faces. It had been a long day. Lucy wanted to hear more, but she was just as exhausted as the others.

"Not a bad idea," Morpheus stifled a yawn as his eyes studied Lucy's ragtag bunch. "But I have a request to make."

"Eh?" Lucy raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the sudden entreaty.

"Head back to Wisteria, if you'll allow, my lady," Morpheus bowed before her.

"D-Don't c-c-call me that!" Lucy waved her arms in the air, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"Why would you request such a thing?" Adie asked through narrowed eyes. She hadn't planned on going back. Not now, at least. Though there was something she should retrieve....

Morpheus's head was still bowed as he stonily replied, "It's just a hunch. Or maybe it is a small lead, but I think there is something...of value there...."

"There is nothing of value there," Adassandra replied quickly. She had no idea what he was up to, but she knew it couldn't be good.

"Ah, but things have changed, and I think that this entire room would benefit from the small lead I was given--"

"Tell me what it was, and I'll tell you it's worth," Adie's voice became deep with irritation. Her volatility was becoming quite unsettling to Lucy. Though she had not had an actual outburst, Lucy knew that—under the seams—it was bound to happen. "Your eyes tell me you hope it's true.." Adie replied carefully.

Lucy looked from one to the other, confused at the exchange. Why must everyone talk about things she couldn't follow? "Out with it!" she yelled, suddenly annoyed with their mindless banter.

Morpheus continued to stare at Adie, his back to the Spirit Mage. Adie was not quite following the hidden meanings either, as was apparent by the frustrated look on her face.

"A key," he hissed, his paws curling. "That is all I can tell you! You will have to trust me on this. I said it was a hunch, but I suspect that you will at least find something of interest there."

Lucy said nothing, as all eyes fell on Adie. She slowly closed her pale orbs, her face setting in obstinance. A quick flash of something edged its way across her face before her eyes fluttered open and she quickly strode across the room and into the bedroom doorway. Before disappearing, she turned around, her eyes falling on Morpheus before flitting across everyone in the room.

"OK," she whispered. "Fine, you'll get your way, Morpheus. But, you are taking care of transportation."

A small smirk twitched on his face, as he understood her meaning. "Deal," he replied curtly.

Adie said nothing else, turning on heel and slamming the door behind her. Lucy sighed, knowing full well that they had all been lucky to not receive the brunt of the blacksmith's anger.

"She's pissed, for sure," Natsu replied softly.

"And she very well should be," Morpheus' tone was just as soft—almost purring as he inspected his claws. "With what Lucy has done--"

"She had to!" Natsu sneered defensively.

"Not that," Morpheus' exasperation was written in his in-human features. Lucy gasped, realizing what he was about to say.

"Then..what?" Natsu scratched his head as Gray shrugged. Erza said nothing, most likely understanding more than she was letting on.

"I..I kept Barsky's condition a secret," she replied, her head falling in defeat as she answered before Morpheus could.

"His condition?" Gray replied.

"He's old," Happy pointed out.

"I know that!" Lucy snapped. "But he's dying!" she whispered, her eyes wide. She clamped a hand over her mouth, waiting for Adie to leap through the door. But, nothing happened.

Morpheus' face was grim as he spoke, "Get your sleep now, kids, because if you think Adassandra is pissed, you ain't seen nothing yet."

*****

A/N: there's some filler for you--hopefully it didn't bore you all to sleep!

I also wanted to comment on something. I had received a few reviews as well as PM's commenting on adding Lisanna to the story. The short blurb I had already put in here had been intended on my part, even before anyone had suggested it. Unfortunately, the manga is quickly evolving, and I cannot encompass every twist and turn into my story, as I've already concreted my plot. I can do my best to add anything requested by my readers, as long as it won't make a huge detour in the plot. Hell, I'm even willing to change my plot to accompany any reasonable request! But, I just wanted to say that if Natsu and Lisanna end up together in the new arc (not happenin'), I won't be changing my story. So, my final say is that I try my best to encompass everything, but even I have limits. I know where I want this to go, and I hope you all stick with me!

Anyhow, I hope my little Lisanna appearance in the back of Natsu's mind makes some (or all, I like all) of you happy. I wanted to include her in Natsu's deepest darkest thoughts in order to build up on his feelings for Lucy. I hope this does Lisanna's memory some justice. I think you'll be seeing her reference again :)

To my readers and reviewers: thank you all so very very much. I love your kindness, and it makes me keep going.

To my reviewers: your time is important, and I appreciate you going the extra mile to leave me even a few words of encouragement. You're the best!!

Enjoy & Happy Reading!