I'm sorry! I know this chapter is long overdue, but I was having difficulties with how to place Guildless this time and the others positions toward her. Please let me know how I did, and sorry it's not as long as usual. I'm back into the sway of things, so next week's chapter should be on time.

Later, in the Cait Shelter village, the female wizards in the coalition were given new clothes by the guild. Lucy, one of the few people who didn't avoid Guildless, had badgered her to accept the clothes that the guild offered, and Guildless eventually agreed to make her stop.

Lucy admired her pink outfit while Guildless leaned against a beam, now having repaired her mask. Her outfit consisted of a black halter top that let a section of her copper midriff show in addition to a modest amount of chest, the shirt decorated with white designs like swirls of wind. A ruffled skirt alternated black and white and laced sandals finished her new appearance, though no one could really tell how she felt about it. She still wore her black bandages, but no one complained.

The girls talked among themselves for awhile, but Guildless seemed too detached to get involved, keeping her head turned away, slowly braiding her long hair. It's not like they really would want to talk to me anyway. As far as they know- or really care- I'm a Demon's Shadow wizard that may or may not be on their side. She glanced at Erza from the corner of her eye. I almost wish one of them would recognize me.

Yet she immediately abandoned this. It's better this way. They won't get hurt when I eventually go back.

"-less? You in there?"

Guildless turned to Lucy's voice. She appreciated that Lucy wasn't giving her the cold shoulder like the others, but that did make her more foolish than the rest. "Yes?"

"We were going to go outside to meet the Cait Shelter guild. You coming?"

Guildless paused. I don't want to offend them, but I'm not sure how much more I can take. I'm trying to keep this act up, but I'm failing... They're already seeing through my disguise. Yet she agreed, "Alright, I'm coming."

Outside, it was a long, emotional discussion. The guild master, Robaul, was obviously hard-pressed to reveal so much world-shattering information to Wendy, yet Guildless felt tears of empathy in her eyes. Just like Gale, a sweet little girl as her life torn apart from beneath her feet.

As the last of the illusions disappeared, Wendy fell to her knees, sobbing. Guildless fought so hard to contain herself. She's not Gale. She wouldn't want your comfort.Yet she stepped forward anyway, kneeling next to the girl. Placing a gentle arm around her, she soothed, "I know it hurts, Wendy. I know it feels like everything's gone. But you'll get through."

Erza appeared on her other side, a hand on her shoulder. "I know all too well the pain of losing a loved one. But you'll heal. We'll help you. Come with us. Be a part of Fairy Tail."

Wendy turned, looking between the two, before hugging them both, forcing them to rub shoulders as the little girl wrapped a dainty arm around each of them.

Guildless looked down, smiling under her mask. At least one of the girls I've met will have a happy ending.

It wasn't until the group was back at the guild that Lucy finally approached and tentatively asked, "Uh, Guildless?"

The wizard turned, the soulless eyes of her mask boring into the Celestial mage. "Yes, Lucy?"

Softer, she reminded, "I don't mean to be pushy, but-" Curiosity gleamed in her eyes, "- you said you'd tell me about your, uh, appearance."

Guildless turned her head slightly. She'd forgotten her promise, mentally kicking herself for it. "Alright, but we need to talk in private, then."

Lucy nodded. "No one's in the archives right now."

The two slipped into the records room, going into the farthest corner. Lucy leaned against a table, eagerly watching Guildless. The lone mage sighed. "It's not much of an exciting tale, I'll warn you. I got into a fight with a wizard from a dark guild who happened to be a Take Over wizard. They used a Beast Soul, claws right across my face."

Lucy really did seem slightly underwhelmed. Yet she frowned. "So you hide your face because you're embarrassed?"

Guildless' voice was completely solid, determined as she denied, "No. I wear a mask because my scars make me too easy to recognize. Shadow knows what I look for, and if they asked around for a girl with scars, it wouldn't be hard to find me. I mean, my scars aren't exactly subtle." She subconsciously traced the edges that slipped off to her neck.

Lucy looked at the wizard solemnly. "I'm sorry you have to live like that."

Guildless shrugged, turning her head aside slightly, as if not wanting to look at Lucy. "It's not so bad. I don't have to worry about rent or any rules. The world's an open book and I'm free to walk the pages."

Lucy frowned. "Still, it's got to get lonely. Don't you want to join a guild, or live in a house?"

Guildless paused way too long. "... No. Not if it costs my freedom and the safety of others around me." She suddenly whipped around a deep growl in her throat. "Oh, fuck no."

Lucy looked down the row Guildless was facing. "What's wrong?"

Guildless didn't answer, turning to shadow, reappearing behind a curious wizard with dark hair and a missing shirt. "Eavesdropping? Really mature."

Gray, who'd been hiding against the bookshelf, hit is head on the shelf over his head, turning to glare at her, rubbing his head. "I'll be immature to keep my guild safe."

Guildless' voice softened softly, "Just forget whatever you heard and never repeat it. That's the best way to keep your guild safe." She turned to shadow again, her dark mass skidding across the ground and under the door, out of the archives.

Lucy came up, glaring at Gray. "Why'd you come creep on us? She was really opening up to me!"

Gray looked Lucy in the eye. "I just want to make sure she's not going to hurt the guild. It's our family, Lucy. We have to protect it."

Lucy sighed. "I guess you're right. Though you don't need to be a jerk about it."

"By the way, what did she say in the beginning? I only got in here for the end of the conversation."

Lucy looked away slightly. "Guildless wanted to talk to me about her appearance. She looks a little different under her mask, and she told me why."

Gray frowned, memory stirring for a second. Something about that... it sounded familiar. Yet he shook it off. "Alright. Thanks, Lucy. Let's get back upstairs."

Guildless was already upstairs, up on the second-floor balcony railing, looking down at the chaos that was Fairy Tail as they began to welcome Wendy and Carla. Everyone was partying hard, all over the place, drinking, and brawling and breaking everything in sight.

After about an hour, Mirajane approached Guildless, beaming widely. "Why aren't you getting in on the fun, Guildless?"

The lone mage stiffly said, "I'm not a part of your guild. Besides, I don't fight without a purpose."

Mira chuckled. "What about for fun?"

Guildless seemed to hesitate at that. Mira offered a bottle, saying, "Have a little fun with us, why don't you?"

Guildless gave in, taking the bottle and tipping her mask ever so slightly to get a drink. "Thanks, now you should join your guildmates. They're missing you."

Mira frowned slightly. "Alright. But remember, you're welcome here, Guildless. You're our friend." She left, Guildless seeming to stare after her, then took another swig of her drink.

The guild found out about fifteen minutes later how little tolerance Guildless had for alcohol, quickly falling backward off the railing without even noticing after only her second bottle. Lucy tapped the forehead of her mask, asking, "Guildless? Are you okay?"

The lone mage giggled- that's right, giggled- in response. "Fine, fine..." She hiccuped. "I'll just take a nap here..." And she was out, ankles still up on the railing, her skirt leaving little to the imagination to those below.

Lucy yelled at onlookers, "Look away or you're dead meat!" She trusted Guildless, despite her past. She'd stuck her neck out for her while she'd been against Angel, so she wouldn't lose her trust in Guildless until she was given a reason. Pulling her legs down, she left the girl on the much safer second floor, warding off the occasional attempted prank by Natsu.

Guildless opened her eyes to see stone walls. Standing, she found her mask gone, a style of clothing on she hadn't worn in years. Black robes, transparent fabric over her arms to loop around her middle finger, and simple sandals. A black diadem of onyx gems shone in her piled high hair. She hadn't worn such rich clothing in 9 years.

The stone walls completely encased her, no light yet she could see. She remembered this place. It had been a long time since she had visited. She didn't bother trying to use her magic- she knew it was pointless.

A figure with bat-like wings and curled horns began to take shape, its outline wreathed in fire, air, water, earth, light, and darkness. So many magics surrounded the figure, it was impossible to know how many it controlled.

Yet the figure, faceless and formless beyond its weak outline, spoke not with a hard voice, but a rich tone as smooth as silk. "Hello, child. It's been so long since we've had the chance to talk."

Guildless spat, "Just say what you want and let me wake up, Kyja. I know very well that this is a dream."

Kyja ignored her. "It gets lonely in this little prison in the back of your mind. I miss getting to see more than glimpses of your actions."

Guildless glared ferociously. "Yeah, except when you try to take control of me."

Kyja admitted, "That is a particularly difficult action. I'm surprised you let your guard against me down twice in one day to let me."

"I didn't let you! I would never let you loose on purpose!"

Kyja purred, "Not on purpose, but it's so nice when you slip up. When your anger takes hold and I can direct it. And imagine my surprise when you removed the Suppression Magic from the lacrima earlier. Oh, it felt so wonderful for my power to increase..."

Guildless crossed her arms. "And that will never happen again. That was an emergency. Now just tell me what you want."

Kyja chuckled. "They're coming."

Guildless' glare fell completely as she stared in shock. "What?"

Kyja mused, "That little increase in power should've let them know well enough where you are. My little shadows are coming to devour you, child. I'd be running."

Guildless stepped back, hands touching the wall. "Why are you warning me?"

Kyja floated forward even farther, her elemental form only inches from Guildless. "Because I'm giving you one last chance: submit to them, and I will leave these puny creatures that you protect alone."

Guildless' black eyes stared at where Kyja seemed to be creating the outline of facial features, hovering even with Guildless. Flames for eyes, rocks for a cruel smile, and light spilling down to the floor, Kyja raised an arm of pure shadows to trace a transparent claw across Guildless' cheek, tracing her scar. Guildless couldn't stop the fear that gripped her body and made her shake.

Kyja asked softly, "Well?"

Guildless closed her eyes. "... Leave me alone."

Kyja's rock smile faded to a scowl. "Then you shall perish with them."

Guildless opened her eyes to see the ceiling of the guild hall. Sitting up quickly, she felt her mask and the limit on her vision it gave. She took stock of her clothes and that most of the guild was passed out on the floor, Mirajane cleaning mugs and Makarov was still drinking on the counter.

Guildless' heart was still pumping about three times faster than was healthy. Can't stay. Must run. Run. Faster. Don't be found. Move. Run. Don't become a monster.

She jumped the railing in a panic, stumbling as she hit the ground with a thump that made several drunkards shift, but no one woke.

Makarov greeted, "Finally, you've been asleep for three hours."

Guildless ignored him. "I have to go."

Makarov's face darkened. "Only two days and you're already running? I thought you'd stopped."

Guildless insisted, "I'll pay you back in pieces then, but I won't be caught! I'll run away to the Alvarez Empire if I have to, I just can't stay here!" She didn't look where she was going as she raced toward the door, tripping over a body halfway.

She pulled herself up, Gray's first blurry sight was Guildless standing and running off, Gramps calling, "Come back, Guildless!"

Gray immediately assumed she'd done something wrong, racing after her. She wove through the empty night streets, Gray right behind her. "Get back here, you traitor!"

Guildless dodged into an alley, turning to shadow and disappearing. Gray cursed but kept looking. She couldn't have gotten too far.

He prowled the streets for a few minutes before a strange sound met him- crying. He quietly moved to the sound, stopping when it sounded close. He was on the corner of another street, a doorway next to him.

The sounds of soft, muffled sobs came, along with whispers of, "I'm sorry," and "I couldn't stay... I can't hurt them..."

Gray hesitated. He could tell it was Guildless, but was this a trap? A set-up? But his curiosity peaked, prompting him to go around to look at the girl.

She sat in the fetal position, hands gripping the edge of her mask, tears sliding out from under.

Gray couldn't keep his suspicions strong. She seemed so genuinely upset. "What's up with you?"

Guildless whipped her head his way, then quickly wiped away any tears that still gleamed. She struggled to regain her commanding tone, but the tears still choked her. "N-Nothing."

Gray knelt next to her. "That's not true. You wouldn't be crying over nothing."

Guildless checked for tears, finding she'd dried them. "I wasn't crying, you idiot."

Gray snorted. "Bullshit." Guildless didn't seem to have an answer, turning her head away. "You were leaving. Why?"

Guildless whispered, "It's not safe. I'm endangering your guild. Mine could find me and they'd hurt Fairy Tail to get me back under lock and key. I don't want that."

Gray blinked, surprised she had really opened up. "But Fairy Tail isn't so easily beaten."

Guildless insisted, "They're not like the Seis, Gray. They'd kill any of your friends, all of them, just for sport."

Gray frowned. "And we'd beat them, just like any other foe. We can never be beaten, Guildless. We never will be."

The girl didn't seem convinced. "Believe what you want, but I'd rather be back on my own than endanger your guild for nothing more than a ridiculous debt."

Gray frowned. "Debt? I thought you were here as a favor."

Guildless cursed rapidly under her breath, standing. "Nothing. It doesn't matter. Goodbye."

She started walking away, but Gray caught her by the wrist. Guildless paused, voice deadly. "Let. Go."

Gray simply said, "No. If you owe something to my guild, you have to repay it. We're not scared of anything that you come with. Besides, no one will find you here."

Guildless' anger seemed to ebb as she thought. He's right. Shadow couldn't find me just by my power. It was out in the Worthwood Sea. They'd never know that I'm with Fairy Tail. It was just Kyja getting me riled, trying to make me panic. Quieter, she said, "I'll stay."

Gray smiled ever so slightly as the girl regained her snarky edge. "But mention any of this little heart to heart, and you're so dead, Fullbuster."

Gray couldn't help but chuckle. "If you say so."

A slightly embarrassed streak crept into Guildless' voice. "And, uh... You can let go of me now."

Gray quickly released her, a slight pink tint to his cheeks. "Sorry."

"It's alright." She put up a bandaged hand in farewell, disappearing down the streets.

Yet as she returned to the woods, slipping into a niche in the branches of a tall tree, she couldn't help but stare at her hands, knowing what was below them and what they could unleash.

With the glowing figure from her dreams still seared in her mind, a painful reminder of her mistakes and losses, she whispered, "I'm not a monster... not yet."