Chapter Seven: Objective Point of View (Narrator's View)

Many people sat in the bar of the guild hall and conversed in a worried manner. "Gray, what happened?" Wendy asked as she and Carla ran into the hall. "It's Evergreen. Something, we do not know what yet, happened to her. Elfman doesn't even know what is going on." Gray spoke as Juvia brought him a drink with her back from visiting with Mirajane. "Yea, whatever happened in there with her was crazy. Porlyusica said that whatever is going on is causing Evergreen a lot of pain." Juvia said as her blue eyes filled with tears. "She doesn't think that Evergreen will make it if we can't figure out what happened to her. I mean that is going to be almost impossible. Every time she mentions the guild she gets put into so much pain that she passes out." Natsu shook his head from side to side. "We have to do something, Juvia. She is our comrade. She would be doing the same for us. We have to show her the same respect that she would us." He spoke honorably and courageously as he stood up. "Aye, sir!" Happy said spreading his wings to fly through the air.

A loud whistle rang through the guild hall and we all stopped our talking and drinking to see Porlyusica and Master standing on the podium. "Fairy Tail, it is time once again to pull together for a comrade. I know that you all were looking forward to the Masquerade Ball this Friday, but until this situation is dealt with we will not be having a dance." Master said firmly, like he was talking to his own kids. "Makarov is correct. Unless this situation is dealt with immediately we may loose one of our comrades to the Grim Reapers and the other to depression." Porlyusica spoke calmly as she put her hand on Master Makarov's shoulder. "Master," Erza spoke rather loudly as she stood up. "We know what it is like to be in the hands of those who would do us harm. There have already been stories told around the guild that she can not even say the guild's name without pain. Well, it seems that we are doing her harm. I, Erza Scarlet give you my word that I will stop at nothing to save our fallen comrade." She was like a knight of old. So filled with honor and courage as she spoke of her word. Giving her promise to save Evergreen. "So do I." Juvia said confidently. "She would do the same for any of us. Now, it is our chance to show her how much of a family member she really is to us." Gray stood and nodded once, followed by Happy, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla.

Many of the guild members stood tall with those who had followed the determined Erza's guidance. Within ten minutes the whole building was standing and showing the Fairy Tail hand symbol. "Thank you, children. I know that this will mean a lot to our Evergreen." Master Makarov said with a smile showing all of his teeth. Elfman walked into the guild hall carrying Evergreen in his arms. He stepped onto the podium with her and stood in front of the microphone. "Thank you. All of you. You have all been great comrades. Now, I am nothing but weak. I promise with all my heart that I will help you all to understand what is going on and how to solve it." Evergreen took a deep breath and looked up and Elfman, who nodded and smiled at her. "I was going into my room and met someone I think to be—Ah!" Evergreen began as she tried to stop her pain by biting her lip. "He – wants – to – destroy us! Our family." Elfman held her tight as she began to loose the war against her tears. "He wants to- know- know about his family. Ah!" Evergreen tried to take more breaths to calm herself down from the pain that was shooting through her body. "He is – AHHH!" Her body began to convulse as if she were having a seizure. "Evergreen, relax. Calm down, it is okay." Elfman began softly as he knelt beside her. "Guild members, please. Go. Evergreen needs her rest. Levy McGarden, come and see me now please." Porlyusica said with a stern look on her face. Deep down she was worried about Evergreen's health. Porlyusica knew that Evergreen wanted to help her comrades with their problem and that she did not care any longer how it affected her health.

Porlyusica sat in the rather large library of the guild hall waiting on the guild's best researcher, Levy McGarden. "Levy, Thank you for meeting me back here." Porlyusica said sounding more than just a little bit grouchy. "Of course, Porlyusica. Anything to help Evergreen get better and live to see many more years." Levy spoke shyly as she pulled her blue hair up into a ponytail and put her glasses on top of her head. Porlyusica nods quickly. "Okay, here is the thing that I need you to do. I know that it is not languages or scripts or anything fun like that, but it is something that needs to be done in the name of everything that stands for good and for the light. Now, as you know Makarov's son was excommunicated from Fairy Tail when Laxus was just a boy." The rather tall woman said as she handed Levy a heavy, old, thick, leather book. "This will tell you everything that you need to know about Ivan Dreyar and his family. Now, there are a few people that can do what is happening to Evergreen, but the way she speaks of what is wanted." Her pink hair bounced side to side as she shook her head the same way. "Ivan Dreyar. He is the only one that I can think of from a dark guild that has family in this guild. That has the want and the need to destroy our reputation as a group of people who does deeds for the good of the people. I do know that this is going to take you awhile. If you can find someone who is not going to distract you from your duty you may have someone help you." Porlyusica walked to the door and turned back to face the blue haired girl standing there awkwardly holding a leather book almost as heavy as she is. "Professor Brain may be of some help if you have questions on magic, and Professor Hades is in his office if you should have a question regarding legal or dark guilds and their history." Levy nodded determinedly and set the book on the table trying not to drop in on the floor as the large door shut with a booming thud.

"Natsu, maybe we should go and help her. I mean, I hear that she is the best at research and all that." Lucy started speaking in a little bit of a hurry. "Natsu! Are you even listening to me?" She stomped her foot at the pink haired Natsu sitting on her bed staring off into space. Lucy groaned frustratedly and punched him in the arm. "Hey! What was that for?" Natsu said looking at her in shock. "You weren't listening to me. We should go and help her. I mean she is going to be there all night, Natsu. Would you wanna do all of that alone? A big, spooky, old, guild's library at night alone with some maniac on the loose?" Lucy said getting louder as she spoke and waving her hands in the air at him as she ranted. Natsu laughed loudly. "Lucy, if you are that worried about her just go and see her." Lucy screamed at him and walked to the door only to run right into her father. "Dad. I'm sorry, I did not mean to wake you." She said looking down at her shoes. Her father chuckled lightly. "It is okay, Lucy. I was just wanting to let you know that your mother is in the library in the guild hall and won't be back until after lunch tomorrow. She is going to help the researcher girl and work on some of her planning while she is there." Her father said as he draped his suit jacket over his arm. "Oh. Okay, Dad. I was thinking about heading over there to help her." Lucy said with a determined look on her face. Jude Heartfilia nodded understandingly. "Take the the boy with you. Maniacs running around in this town." He shook his head side to side. "I do not need my Lucky Lucy to get hurt or worse." The blond teenager nodded at her father and then looked to Natsu who was already passed out on her bed. "Ugh! Natsu! Get up!" Lucy said shaking him hard. "Careful, Lucy. You do not want to wake something unhappy in that boy, Natsu." Jude said as he walked into her bedroom. "There is something different about him. Be careful." He kissed her forehead and left her to her own thoughts and ideas. Lucy shook him one more time for good measure. Natsu had not even budged since she punched him. "Ugh!" She groaned as she walked over to her desk to pull out a pink piece of parchment and began to write a note. The note read: "Natsu, going to the guild hall library. It is 10:45pm. I will call when I get there. Hopefully you will get this before then, but if not it is okay. See you later. -Lucy" She folded the parchment and slipped it under his hand and snuck out of the room to leave. Lucy was not always the bravest person people always thought of and she knew this. "I hope that this changes people's view of me." Lucy thought as she put her pepper spray, pens, paper, notebooks, cellphone, and cellphone charger into her purse. Before she went out the door she grabbed two sets of keys from her stash. One was her house key's chain and the other was a leather pouch with her Celestial Spirit keys. Lucy got all the way to the front door and was ready to walk out when her phone rang. "Lucy?" A small female voice came from over the phone. It was Levy, the researcher that she had formed a friendship bond with just recently.

"Levy, what's up?" Lucy asked as she opened her front door and locked it behind her. "Your leaving your house aren't you." Levy asked with a small sigh. "Yea, why?" Lucy replied quietly as she stood in the light on her front porch. "Lucy, it is not a good idea to wonder the streets at night. It was not smart before, but it is riskier now more than ever. You should stay home tonight." Lucy sighed and gasped when she saw a shadow to her right. "Lucy are you okay?" Levy was already worried. Lucy could hear her talking, but was not sure that who she was talking to was her mother, Layla Heartfilia. "Levy?" Lucy said her name softly, hoping that no one, but Levy heard her say it. "Yes, Lucy?" She replied to the worried teenage friend on the other end of the phone. "Uh. Is my mom with you in the library?" Levy got really quiet when the question was asked. "Levy?" Lucy tried to get her attention again. She could hear Levy talking, but it was not to a woman at all, and if it was it was not her mother. "Levy!" This time whoever was hiding in the shadow popped out it's head and looked right at Lucy. "Your mother was never here, Lucy." Levy said unsure how Lucy would take it. "Dammit!"Lucy said under her breath. "I have to head there now. My mother told my father that she was going to be there helping you with the research, but her car is here and you said that she is not there. Levy, who is there with you?" Lucy asked with caution in her voice. "Gajeel is here with me. Why?" Levy asked getting more paranoid as this conversation proceeded. "Levy, I will be there in a minute. I am going to have Virgo take me over there really quick so that I am not walking by myself in the middle of the night and no one is worried about what might happen to me." Lucy said as she pulled on of the keys out of her leather pouch. "Okay, Lucy. Be careful. Call me if you and Virgo have to stop or something." Levy said sounding concerned and paranoid all at once.

Lucy hung up her cellphone and faced the yard. "Open gate of the virgin, Virgo!" She said in somewhat of a hushed tone. "Yes, princess?" A tall, slender woman with pink hair asked as her chains brushed the concrete. "Virgo, I need a favor from you." Lucy said hushed and in a bit of a hurry. "You need only ask, princess." Virgo spoke confidently. "I need you to literally run me to the guild hall's library. There is a creeper out and no one wants to be alone." Lucy said a little worried. "Of course, princess.

With what seemed only to take seconds Virgo and Lucy were in the guild hall library. "Punishment time, princess?" Virgo asked as she set Lucy on the floor of the room. Gajeel sat there flipping through a book munching on a sword. "Lucy," Levy said glomping Lucy as soon as Virgo had disappeared into a white and glittery cloud. "Hey Levy, I made it here in one piece." Lucy smiled handing Levy a large red apple. "Thank you, Lucy." The small, blue haired scholar smiled as she bit into the apple. "Your welcome Levy. Gajeel, I only had one spare cast iron skillet to cover your munchies." Lucy said handing it to him. Gajeel's red eyes sparkled in the library light. "Thanks, Lucy." He said taking the skillet from her. Lucy sat down in one of the chairs at the book covered table and began to flip through the first book when she jumped. "Dammit, Natsu. You scared the hell outta me." Lucy said into her phone as she put a piece of paper in the book as a bookmark. "Sorry, you said that you would call when you got there and it is 11:24, so I called you." Lucy could hear the smile on Natsu's face. "Everything okay?" Levy asked looking up from her book. "Mhm." was all Lucy got out before she got a weird chill down her spine. "Natsu, if my mother comes in call me and let me know." Natsu mumbled something and hung up the cellphone. Gajeel sat there for a moment and then began to look around. "Do you feel it? Or smell it?" Gajeel's sarcasm seeped into his questions. Lucy put her hands on her hips and eyed him from across the table. "Geehee" was all that he said for his previous statement.

Levy looked at the two with a stern librarian look and then stopped moving her head dead in it's tracks and looked at Gajeel. His face said it all. There was someone or something there that did not belong there. Lucy screamed and fell out of her library chair as a little paper doll flew into the center of the table where they were sitting. Gajeel sucked in his breath and said nothing. His head turned to Levy and shook his head side to side and moving his lips, not actually speaking : "Do not mention me. Do not say my name." Levy nodded that she understood and had read his lips. "Lucy, get off the floor. You are going to show the world more than they wanna see." Levy laughed lightly. Lucy stood up quickly and sat back in her chair. At that point the paper doll began to speak. "Miss Heartfilia, Miss McGarden." The doll said confidently. "How nice to hear you speaking." Gajeel made no sound, but his face said it all. He knew what he had to do, but he could not leave them to face this alone. "Who are you and what do you want?" Lucy said trying to sound confident. "Hehe. I am Master I. That is all you ever need know, but I want you to tell my song bird how terribly upset I am with her." Lucy looked from Gajeel to Levy and back to the doll. "You mean, Evergreen?" Levy spoke louder than she thought she would, her voice just as confident sounding. "Yes, my green song bird. You tell her won't you?" Master I said sounding mad. "We will pass along the message." Levy replied quickly, yet not to quickly. "I do wonder if the pair of you will do me a great favor. Join my song bird and get me the information that I require and you will live to see another day. Tell my song bird that she has been given another chance. The next time she does what she is not to do her body will explode from the pain she is causing herself." Master I spoke evilly, and laughed. "I need information on a certain pair. Dreyar. Tell me all there is to know and you will live. Do not speak of it to anyone else you understand?" Master I continued. Levy and Lucy said it together at the same time. "I understand."

"Shorty? Lucy? What the hell?" Gajeel sounded like he was off in the distance. Levy fell out of the chair and her eyes closed as she hit the floor. Lucy's eyes batted quickly as she simply slid out of her chair. "Miss. Heartfilia, I have your mother. Do what I ask and she will survive this." Master I said as her consciousness slipped away. "Shorty? Shorty?" Gajeel spoke furiously trying to wake her then moving to Lucy. "Dammit you two! Get the hell up!" He shook them both trying to get them to wake, but was having no luck. He did the next best thing that he could. He called Master Makarov. "It had better be important to wake me at almost one in the morning." Makarov spoke groggily. "Master, he has struck again." Makarov sat up in his dark room. "Do we know who he is?" Gajeel sighed. "Master, I do not know how to say this." He was trying to not cause Master any pain. Emotional, or physical. "It is Ivan, isn't it?" Makarov said as he pulled his shirt, shoes, and hat on. "Yes, Master." Gajeel said unhappily.

Almost six hours later the two girls woke up in the guild's infirmary. "Gajeel?" Levy's voice was hoarse as she tried to sit up in her bed. A hand pushed lightly at her chest to keep her on her back. "Levy, it is Gray." He said taking her hand. "Gajeel is still in a meeting with the Master and many others." Levy rubbed the sleep out of her eye. "I think I know who is – AHH!" Levy doubled over in pain as she thought the name of the man she believed to be behind this. "Levy? Are you okay?" Gray asked helping her to lay back down. He moved to the chair in between the two beds when he saw Lucy stirring in her bed. "No" Levy cried hard as Gray held her. "Levy. Levy, please." Gray said soothingly as he rubbed her back. "The pain is unbearable." At the moment the words left her lips Evergreen entered the room. "I know how impossible the pain can be, Levy. The thing you must understand is that you have to fight it." Evergreen said as she sat on Levy's bed. Lucy sat up in tears, and it was not because she was in pain. Her hand went to push the covers back and grab a tissue, when she felt a grip tighten on her hand. Lucy had been struck by sadness so hard, so fast that she did not even notice that Natsu was passed out. Sitting in the chair he had fallen forward and passed out. "He never left your side, Lucy. Gajeel never left you either, Levy." Gray said trying to give them some happy thought. Lucy and Levy looked a Gray with a small smile. Porlyusica walked into the room and looked rather pissed off at the people in the room. "Ladies, I do hope that you have learned essential information for this particular issue." Her pink hair was pulled back as always and her red eyes seemed to hold flames in them. "Porlyusica, we have an idea of who we have come to believe that it is." Levy said trying to sit up again. "Stay in one position, child. Your body may seem to be in good condition, but we don't really know the extent of your wounds yet." Porlyusica said trying to show a smile, but keep it hidden. Levy nodded and stayed sitting up so that she could look at people when they talked to her. "Yes, I know. Makarov has told me. I know that he has done something to you three girls that causes you extreme pain when you think of us or him." Evergreen's head dropped and her hands covered her face. The one person that she really wanted to think about, she couldn't because it would hurt her far to much and in the deepest part of her heart she knew she could hold her memories and thoughts of him. Lucy did not look at anyone is the room. She kept her eyes on the sheets that covered her legs. Her heart was breaking from the dream that she had had when she lost consciousness. As she sat there thinking of her mother the room around her disappeared and a man stood before her in the blackness. "Miss Heartfilia, your mother will continue to survive. If – If you can keep your mouth shut to them and only speak of what you see and hear to me." Master I was tall, tan and had black hair. He was dressed in purple, yellow and black. "Master I, please. I want to see my mother." Tears fell from her eyes on their own accord. He laughed at her. "You do not trust me do you?" Lucy shook her head no. Her blond hair was knotted and bounced with her as she shook her head.

Lucy sat up in her bed like a spring board. "Lucy?" Natsu's voice came from the chair to her left. The entire room was dark and there were a lot of people in the room with her. Lucy's face filled with horror. "Something has happened." She thought to herself as she turn to her right hoping to still see Levy, she did. That was not the only person she saw on her right. In a folding chair sitting next to her bed was her father, Jude holding a candle. Lucy began to shake her head from side to side. Something was really wrong, the feeling hit her in the middle of her chest. "AHH!" Lucy screamed in pain making everyone jump. Her father's free hand took her right hand in his and squeezed, when she felt his hand she turned to him and saw a tear escape his eyes. His voice was never heard, but he was speaking. "Lucy, we need to talk." Porlyusica said sitting on the edge of Lucy's bed. "Oh, Lucy. This is hard for anyone to tell you. Many would think that this is an easy task for me, but let me tell you a little secret. It is not easy for me either." Lucy's left hand grabbed Natsu's hand and began to squeeze. Something deep inside her was not broken, not in pain, but completely gone. "My sweet and lovely daughter." Her father's words shocked her back to the situation at had. "Lucy, I – it's your mother." Jude's face lengthened in sadness as Lucy's brown eyes filled with tears. "No" her voice was not even heard. She shook her head hard hoping that it was just a dream. "No!" Lucy screamed at the top of her lungs. "She can't be dead! No!"

Lucy sat up in her own bed. Her body was sore and could not move. "Oh, Lucy. Your awake." Natsu said walking over to the bed. "Are you okay? Porlyusica said that I should put you in your own bed. You uh, passed out on us two days ago. Again." His black eyes seemed so concerned, so tender. "Wha – What happened?" Lucy asked trying to move. "Lucy, do not try to move. You hurt yourself yesterday. Scared Gramps half to death." He said getting a little color in his cheeks. Lucy chuckled lightly at the fact that he was blushing, even as little as he was. "Natsu, you can tell me I scared you. It is okay." She spoke with confidence. He smiled largely, showing all his teeth. "Now, tell me what happened. How and why would I try to hurt myself?" She asked calmly just trying to relax into her large amount of pillows. Natsu sat down in the lazy boy that he had moved closer to her bed and sighed. "Well, Porlyusica and Levy were discussing the issue of the other day and who you both thought that it might be. You had been really quiet, which is okay every so often. It was when you started to fall backwards that Gray noticed your tears." Natsu took a deep breath. "I sat on the edge of the bed to try and comfort you, but you started screaming no. Like I was going to hurt you or someone you love had died or something." Natsu rubbed his hands lightly and looked at her trying to be a lot more positive than he was earlier that day. "Natsu, did I hurt you?" Lucy's voice held so much concern that it shocked Natsu. "Pbbtt. You can't hurt me." He said trying to sound tough and make her feel a little better. "So, why did she say take me here?" Lucy said turning her head to look at him. "She said that you were mumbling something about your mother when I went to tell Gramps what was going on. Porlyusica said that maybe it would be better if you were in your own bed where you could still feel your mother. She may not be here here, but she is here." Natsu said trying not to sound like Layla had died. "Please, tell me she isn't dead." Her voice shook as a tear escaped and ran down her cheek. "No, she is not dead, Lucy. She is just at the store." Natsu said with a smile. "Her car broke down last night and Capricorn showed up to help her get it fixed. So she didn't get home till this morning."

Lucy's body began to tingle, which meant that she would soon be able to move her body. "Lucy, how are you feeling?" Natsu asked before he left the room. "I am alright, Natsu. Would you get me some food please?" Natsu nodded. "Happy and Mira are down in your kitchen. Your father wasn't going to be home, so he asked that me and a few others be here to help you out while your mother was at the store." He smiled at her.

Natsu walked down Lucy's large stairwell looking at the pictures of her childhood. "Natsu, we have lunch made." Mirajane said with a large smile on her face. "Thanks, Mira. Hey there, Happy. How are you both doing in this large and confusing kitchen?" Natsu asked looking at all the drawers, cabinets, pans, pots, skillets and more. Mira chuckled at his description of the kitchen. "Natsu, it isn't that bad. Unless you are small." Happy said floating over to him on his wings. At that point Natsu had to smile at them. These two together were all it took to make him smile. "Natsu, are you alright?" Mira asked with worry in her blue eyes. He could not think fast enough for Mirajane, never could. "Happy, can you fly this tray up to Lucy? Porlyusica's potion of paralysis should have worn off by now and she is probably rather hungry." Mira said handing Happy the tray to fly up to Lucy. "Now, Natsu. Tell me, what is on your mind?" Mira asked gesturing to the chair at the dining room table. "It's just, well...I think that I am falling in love with her and I am really worried about her." Natsu's face held some shock to it. He had never been able to talk to anyone so easily. There are only a few people that he could talk to so easily: Mirajane, Happy, Lisana, and Erza. "Aw! Have you told her how you feel yet, Natsu?" A gentle female voice spoke from behind him. "Mrs. Layla, do you need some help unloading the car?" Mira asked with a smile. Layla returned the smile and nodded as she put down two large brown, paper bags on the island counter.

"Lucy?" Happy asked from the other side of the door. "Yes, Happy?" She called from in the room. "Are you decent?" He asked cautiously. Happy was not one of those people to just knock and then open the door before making sure they were decent. "Yes, I am Happy. Come on in." She called as she pulled her tank top down to cover her belly. Happy opened the door with his tail and floated into the room with a smile on his face. "You look better, Lucy. Feel any better?" He asked as he set the tray on her bedside table. "I am doing alright, Happy."Lucy said as she adjusted so she could munch on her grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup. "That's good, Lucy." Happy said with a smile.

"Natsu, you have to tell her." Layla said sitting down in the chair across from him. "Mrs. Layla, I think that I love your daughter. I mean I am not sure what I am feeling. I am not one to spill my feelings to others so easily, but you being a woman and married it seems that you might be able to help me figure it all out." Natsu said picking at his fingers. Layla and Lucy Heartfilia looked a lot a like and acted a lot a like as well, so in truth Natsu was right about Layla being able to help him. "Your right, Natsu. You know that. The thing that you have to see is that you do love her. I can see that and I know that Jude sees it too. You are a lot like him, but a mage. Jude was the kind of person that denied how he felt about people. Especially me." Layla smiled at him. Her face pinkened a little as she thought of the time where Jude actually told her how he felt about her. "Natsu, I am going to tell you the story of the day that he finally opened up to me." At that time Mirajane had gotten the groceries put away and had come to sit with them. "I was in a really bad car accident when I was fifteen years old and had to have a lot of surgery. When I was brought out of my last surgery I did not regain consciousness for another four hours. The doctors thought that I might not wake up at all." Layla said as she untied her bonnet.

"Lucy, do you love him?" Happy asked munching on one of her crackers. Lucy coughed as she choked on a noodle. The Exceed looked at her with concern. "Are you alright?" She nodded in response. "I do love him. It may have only been a few days, but he is really a sweet guy and seems to really care." Lucy said with a smile as so munched on her sandwich. Happy smiled and clicked a button hidden in his green bag on his back.

"Jude and I were going steady at that time." Layla continued as she put her bonnet on the table. "We had grown up together and when we were in high school he asked me to go steady." She said as she pulled on the gold chain and when the end of the chain came out of the top of her dress there was a beautiful ring dangling on the end of the gold chain. "That's beautiful." Natsu and Mirajane spoke together. "Thank you. When I was unconscious he sat in the hospital chair and held my hand. My parents always told me that they had to literally send him home for him to get some real sleep so that he would be there when I did wake up. The doctor that was taking care of me my first night was checking my vitals and brain activity so that he could update my family." Layla stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. "The next morning I remember laying in the hospital bed and hearing Jude talk to me. The doctor stood in the hall with my mother and told her that it looked like I was about to wake up. He said to her that he was not sure why it had taken me as long as it had to wake up, but he was more than happy to give them the news that he was giving them." Layla had drawn the two listeners in so deep that neither of them noticed Happy come down the stairs to put the dishes in the kitchen, but stay hidden on the stairs instead. "I remember him telling me that he loved me. He told me that if I would only wake up he would marry me and tell me when I woke how much he loved me." Layla wiped a tear that had escaped from her eye. Mirajane sniffled and dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. Natsu smiled a large smile. At that moment Happy and all the others in the room noticed the one thing that Natsu never did, at least often. A tear ran down his cheek, not many took him as the type to think something so beautiful that he would shed a tear over it. Layla smiled at him and continued her inspirational story. "When I woke up he was there. Holding my hand. He kissed my cheek and wiped the tears that were forming. I told him that my answer to his one and only question was yes. We have been together ever since." Layla smiled at them as she noticed Jude in the dark room behind Natsu. "Excuse me, won't you?" She said as she got up to talk to him. Jude wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. Mirajane smiled and dabbed her eyes again. Natsu looked at them and smiled as Jude kissed her. It was then that he realized how much he loved Lucy and that he needed to tell her that.

At this moment in time Master Makarov, Porlyusica, Gray, Juvia, and Levy sat in the office with Gajeel discussing the plan for the so called Master I. "Master, he is the only one that has ever been known to use paper dolls as communications." Gajeel said pacing in Master's office. "Gajeel, please sit down." Levy said sipping on green tea mixed with some of Porlyusica's potion for pain. "He is right though." Master said with a look of pure thought. "My son has always wanted to soil the reputation of Fairy Tail. Now that he is trying I am not sure how to go about dealing with it. Laxus is taking it hard. He always wanted to believe that his father was a good person, but he has to take the time to realize that Ivan is not the man he had hoped his father was." Porlyusica nodded in agreement. Levy nodded once, like many people she understood how hard it was to deal with something like that. Juvia stood and put her hand on Gajeel's shoulder. "Sit. Please, your driving me nuts." She spoke soft and concerned. He nodded once at her and sat down on the sofa. "Gajeel has been doing some digging for me. Now all we have to do is use that information and stop Ivan from destroying us." Makarov said standing up.

Natsu walked up the stairs and knocked on her bedroom door. "Yes?" Lucy yawned through the door. "May I come it?" He tried to hide his nervousness, but seemed to be failing slightly. "Sure, I want someone to talk to." Lucy said calmly as he opened the door. Natsu shut the door behind him and sat in the lazy boy. Her brown eyes seemed to brighten the room as he sat there looking at her. "Lucy, I love you." He spoke immediately so that he would not loose his nerve and just not tell her. "And I love you, Natsu." She said as she patted the other side of the bed. All that he could do was smile at her as he got up and moved to that side of the bed. Natsu flopped onto the bed and she pulled him into her arms to just sit there and cuddle.

"Macky, you have to be logical about this." Porlyusica spoke with determination. "Porlyusica, I know." Makarov replied with a nod. "Look, Gajeel and I will determine where he is and I will take care of the rest." Juvia, Gray, and Levy wore faces of concern. They knew as well as anyone else that this mission was a possible suicide, but they also had faith in Master as well as Gajeel. Porlyusica sighed shaking her head side to side. "Be not a fool, Makarov. Be prepared for anything that man can throw at you." She spoke carefully so as to not reveal her true emotions about this idea and plan. Makarov nodded as he and Gajeel got up and began to leave. Levy sat in the chair and cried. "Levy, it will be okay. Do not worry. He is with Master." Juvia said sitting on the arm of the chair with her arm around her. Levy nodded and wiped her tears. Gray came to her other side and wrapped his arm around her to try and help her become comfortable. "Thank you guys. It is hard to watch him walk away, thinking that he may not come back to me." Levy's tears fell harder and faster as she said not come back to me. Porlyusica stood straight, and tall. Her posture was straight enough that one might have thought she had a rod against her spine to make her stand straighter. "Levy, I understand your pain. Your friends are right. They will come back to us and everything will be okay." Her red eyes had softened, but not her face. Gray and Juvia nodded in agreement. Levy smiled and nodded that she understood what they were telling her. "I am going to call Lucy and see how she is doing." Levy said as she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket. She dialed the number carefully and put the phone to her ear. The sound of the phone ringing was a familiar sound to her and made her a little more comfortable with the situation. "Hello! You have reached Lucy Heartfilia. I am not able to answer at this point in time, but leave your name, number, and a short message so that I can get back to you asap." Lucy's voice said over the phone. Levy cleared her throat to leave a voice mail: "Lucy, it is Levy. I wanted to make sure that you were okay. It makes me worry that you did not answer your phone, so please call me back when you get my message." Levy said before she hung up her phone.

Lucy rolled over and looked at her phone and sighed. She knew in every fiber of her being that she should call her back, but she was so tired that she could barely keep open her eyes and she was rather warm. Her brown eyes looked up to see that Natsu was passed out as well and instead of calling Levy she just cuddled with Natsu and fell back asleep in the warmth of his arms.

Makarov and Gajeel moved quickly through the forest towards the mountains. "Are you sure that he was telling you these mountains?" Makarov asked as they ran. He nodded with a determined grin on his face. He stopped abruptly and inhaled deeply through his nose. Makarov looked at Gajeel and when he began to run at a slight diagonal, he followed him. If anyone could get them to Ivan it was Gajeel.

Levy walked to her room in the guild's main building. She knew that she needed to get some real sleep if she was going to be ready when Gajeel came back to her. She sat in the steaming hot water in the tub and soaked to relieve the tension in her body. Levy woke an hour later still in the water, but what had woken her was that the water was freezing cold. She stood and wrapped herself in a warm and fluffy towel after she pulled the plug out of the bottom of the tub.

Makarov stood at the base of the mountains with Gajeel inhaling deeply through his nose. "Geehee" Was all that escaped the Iron Dragon Slayer's mouth. Makarov sighed heavily and rolled his black eyes, but he knew what that meant. It told Master Makarov that Ivan Dreyar, his son was hiding in those mountains and it was time to stop him from doing something that might bring upon that apocalypse. "Gajeel, this is where life will become a tad more difficult." The shorter man said looking at the Iron Dragon Slayer. He nodded in response to the master. "I know." Makarov and Gajeel took off up the mountain in hopes of finding Ivan before things got worse.

Levy crawled into her large blue silk sheeted bed in nothing more than one of Gajeel's hidden t-shirts, that he never wears. She clapped twice and her bed side light turned on so that she would be able to read. The book that she had pulled out for the night was one of her favorite novels that she had picked up over the years as a researcher. The book was called "The Dragon who fell in love". She smiled at the title and opened the cover and ran her finger tips over the black print on the cover page. Levy gasped as something from the book shocked her finger when she tried to turn the page from the cover. That moment her brain began to go into over time. She turned back to the inside of the cover and ran her fingers over it. There was something there. When she was no more than twelve a dark man gave her this book. He told her that one day this book would have answers for her.

After an hour of climbing the mountain the pair reached the top where there was a stone fortress. Gajeel pointed to the door about twenty feet in front of them. Makarov looked at the door and began walking towards it. "Gajeel stay here, keep hidden, and stay out of trouble." Makarov said looking at Gajeel, as he turned to leave he held up the Fairy Tail hand symbol and took off.

Levy put her red framed glasses on and began to try and figure out what was going on and why. She ran her fingers over the inside cover from side to side and top to bottom. When she lifted her hand off the book black ink appeared where her hand was just moments ago. The writing was in beautiful cursive and read: Levy McGarden, When the time comes this note will have appeared under your touch. What you will need to know about your mate will all come from here. Do not fear him or for him. As his foster parent and knowing how he can be I saw fit to give you this novel. Perhaps we shall meet again. -Metallicana" Levy gasped at the thought that Metallicana knew her and when she was going to need the book. She smiled to herself and began to reread the book.

Makarov pushed the door open to his son's fortress and walked in. "Hm. Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A dark and mysterious voice spoke from the darkness. "Ivan! Get out here!" Makarov said in a booming voice. "It seems that you have figured out who I am and where I am." Ivan said stepping into the only light in the building. He was tall, tan and thin as he stood before his much shorter father. "Why are you doing this, Ivan?" Makarov demanded in such a furious manner. Ivan laughed evilly. "You are a legal guild. That should say it all. Not to mention traitorous family." His purple cloak blew in the small amount of wind that blew through the open doors. "Ivan, you have to remember why I excommunicated you in the end." Makarov spoke wishing deep in his heart that Ivan was still his son and still loved him. "Makarov, I just wanted what was best for the guild. That means that we needed to rid ourselves of the weaklings. Even Laxus understands that." Ivan said rather proudly. "Ivan! It is not the amount of power or magic that the person has, but it is the heart that beats in the person. The heart is what tells you how strong and passionate people are. That is why I made you leave. That is why Laxus was gone for sometime. You both never understood why I seemed to hold on to what you two refer to as weaklings." Makarov held his ground against his son. He knew his son well and what he was capable of doing. Ivan laughed heartily. "I have known what was going on in your pathetic little guild for sometime now." Ivan grinned a rather sadistic grin. "I do hope that you are ready for judgment old man." Makarov's hands began to glow a bright yellow and came together to form a ball in his hands. "I am giving you to the count of three to surrender and leave my family alone. Leave them be. You have to the count of three before I bestow judgment upon you. Three!" Makarov said not trying to hold his anger back anymore. He felt it in his heart, in his very soul that Ivan was his enemy and something had to be done about him. "Makarov, you think to scare me?" Ivan said thinking that this notion was humorous. "TWO!" Makarov called as the light became brighter. Gajeel who was sitting twenty feet away could see the bright light that was beginning to grow. He knew what Master Makarov was doing. That alone was scary. Ivan's face never once flickered to fear. Somewhere in his broken mind he though that his father would stop and that things would go back to the way it was before, but he never let his face show that. "ONE! I invoke FAIRY LAW!" Makarov spoke at the top of his lungs and released the golden ball of light. Gajeel sat there on the rocks knowing that there was no enemy coming out of that building alive. He watched the light expand beyond all possibilities and then it looked as if the light was sucked back into the building. Master Makarov walked out of the building and looked at Gajeel with some unhappiness on his face. Deep down they both knew that it needed to be done. "Gajeel, call the guild together. We will want to inform everyone of what has happened and when the ball will be held." Makarov said as he came up to the Dragon Slayer. Gajeel nodded and pulled out his phone to three way Natsu and Gray.

Natsu snored through his ring tone, but Lucy was not so lucky this time. She looked at the screen and picked up. "Hello?" She spoke with a yawn. "Lucy?" Gray and Gajeel said at the same time. "Yea, Natsu slept through the raucous. I wasn't so lucky. Tell me you have a good reason for calling at midnight." Lucy said with another yawn. "Wake him. Tell him that the two of you need to go to the guild and meet us as well as the rest of the guild there. Gajeel has a lot of information concerning tonight's events." Gray said quickly. "Ugh. Fine." Lucy said as she sat up and began to shake Natsu. "Natsu! Wake up." She turned on the light to start getting dressed. "No." Was all that Natsu said as she pulled on her skirt and top. "Natsu, we have to get to the guild building." She said pulling the covers off and shaking him again. Happy was asleep on the loveseat sitting across the room by her bookshelf. "Happy, come on wake up." She said tapping his little paw. Happy wiggled around and opened his eyes. "What?" He said as he rubbed his eyes. "We have to go to the guild building. Wake Natsu please?" She asked as she pulled her boots on. Happy hopped onto the bed and began to poke Natsu. "What?" Natsu said with a yawn. "Lucy said that we have to go. Something about having to be at the guild hall for a meeting or something with the master." Happy said as he poked him once more for good measure. The trio got moving and made their way to the guild hall for the meeting with the master.

Makarov stood on the podium and wore a smile on his face. Porlyusica stood next to him. It was the first time that anyone had seen her smile. "Children, we call you here to give you the information that you wish to know about our situation." Makarov said confidently. "We have found our enemy and taken care of him." He turned and smiled at Porlyusica who stepped forward to continue the meeting. "The three young women that were hurt during these attacks should be back to normal. If there is any pain still, then you know where I am." Her voice wasn't as harsh as it normally was. Makarov smiled and began again. "Children, the ball will be Saturday. Since it is only Thursday it will give us some time to get things together and have a wonderful event set up for you this weekend. No, there will be no alcohol involved. Please follow these simple rules; be sober, have a mask, and be in formal attire." He grinned happily. The guild exploded in cheers and applause as he and Porlyusica stepped off the podium and left.