Okay, so I hate writing filler chapters without inspiration, so I basically just pounded on this chapter to get over that. I wasn't too happy with the last chapter, so I decided that I should just give this to you all early as an "I'm sorry that the last one took so long" and just call it even. Thank you SO MUCH for your support! You don't know how amazing it is to see so many new reviews and followers so often! Please, keep it up and I'll keep up with the regular update times!

Five days.

Guildless gazed over the Fairy Tail guild, heart heavy. Only five days until I leave and they're finally safe from Demon's Shadow.

This had been her goal, to serve her month and say goodbye forever, keeping them away and safe from her past. Yet every day was more painful than the last, knowing she'd leave and she could never return. Not without endangering what she was fighting so hard to protect. Still, she was going to be leaving on bad terms. Most of the guild saw her as the pillar's shadow on the second floor, the rest seeing her as the guildless wizard who couldn't be trusted for being in a dark guild.

Right away in the morning, upon learning that it was the anniversary of Lisanna's death, Lucy decided to go into the archives to find something she'd seen before for Mirajane and Elfman, though she wouldn't tell anyone else what she was searching for.

And Gray. Most of all, Guildless felt an emptiness in her chest for what had happened with Gray. She knew it was necessary but it wouldn't quell the storm in her chest. The overpowering urge to make sure she left on a high note with him was painfully strong.

Guildless spent her day on the second floor, watching as usual, but now, she watched with a true purpose- waiting for Gray. Despite her instincts screaming to keep them all away from her dangerous past, she intended on making things right.

Gray came into the guild midday, Guildless immediately taking a deep breath, steeling herself to face him. Nearly floating down the steps, she came down to the steps, Gray drawing on Natsu's face when Guildless came to talk. He clashed with Natsu, the two beating the hell out of each other before breaking off. Gray scowled. "Ugh, how much pent up energy do you have? Wait-" Natsu was already passed out, snoring away in a chair again. "He's sleeping already?!"

Guildless said, "Fullbuster." Gray turned, expression darkening when he saw her. "Yeah, what?"

Guildless sighed, starting, "I just wanted to-"

There was a sudden burst of energy around all of Magnolia, Guildless tensing, looking around. Magic, a lot of it, and it was coming in quickly-

Her body moved before her mind, lashing out to grab the closest person, pulling them into darkness with her.

"What are you- argh!"

Guildless gripped their arm, despite their fighting her grip, knowing if she let go, they could dissolve into shadow or reform into their body and be hit by the magic sweeping the guild.

Then, as soon as the magic came, it was gone. Guildless came back to the surface, reforming with Gray gasping next to her, shaking from the experience of being turned into darkness. Guildless released his arm, standing weakly, looking around in horror. The guild, the streets, the people, the town... they were gone. There was nothing, as if they'd been wiped from existence.

Guildless fell to her knees, the world seeming to spin rapidly, whispering, "N-No... No, please... T-They can't be gone!"

Gray still knelt in shock, the realization of what had happened sinking in. "... They're not gone. They can't be." He punched the ground. "I refuse to believe that my family's gone! I need a better reason than this, damn it!"

"Hey! Gray! Guildless!"

The two whirled, seeing Natsu and Wendy, their respective cats flying at their sides.

Guildless choked back a sob, standing as Wendy suddenly wrapped her arms around Guildless' waist, burying her face in Guildless' side. "I'm so happy you're okay!"

Guildless stood stunned for a moment before gently petting Wendy's hair comfortingly. She softly soothed, "Don't worry, Wendy. It's going to be okay." Why does she trust me? I'm a stranger to her. Yet Wendy found comfort in the mage who had been watching out for her since she joined Fairy Tail, a big sister who seemed to always want to protect her.

Gray grinned at Natsu, greeting, "I've never been so happy to see your ugly mug, Fire Breath."

Natsu deadpanned into a glare. "Watch it, Freezer Burn!"

Guildless barked, "Boys, cut it out!" Wendy released her waist, but stayed close to Guildless, nervous of what had happened. Guildless turned her head to the sky, observing, "I believe the magic that destroyed Magnolia came from that."

Carla nodded grimly. "Yes. Anima. A magic used to take the magic from this world and bring it to Edolas. I've already explained this to these two."

The clouds swirled above, whirling around the eye- a black void. Gray growled, "Then I say we go through and figure out how to get everyone back."

Natsu nodded with determination. "I'm not about to let this- whatever!- take my family away! Come on, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy latched onto Natsu's back, lifting him up, Carla protesting, "You don't know what could happen in Edolas!"

Gray insisted, "We can't waste time, we have to save the guild, and we have to move quickly!"

Carla sighed. "I suppose you're right. Come along, child."

Guildless looked at Gray, the two silent for an awkward moment before Guildless sighed. Hitting her fists together, her wings appearing, she then offered a hand. "Come on, Fullbuster. This isn't going to become a habit, I assure you."

Gray hesitated slightly, then cautiously took her hand, Guildless pulling them up into the air, the Dragon Slayers already ahead of them, flying for the storm's center.

The wind roared, Guildless forced to grab Gray around the waist to keep a full grip, Gray shutting his eyes against the painful wind and not noticing his arms wrapping around Guildless. The flyers struggled to keep steady, Carla yelling, "Do not hold back your magic power!"

Happy assured, "Aye!" though his words were lost to the wind.

Lightning flashed and they rocketed forward, blue light covering everything, the group shielding their eyes, except Guildless with eyes protected by her mask until they flew into a spinning vortex of light.

Then all at once, it was over.

The light faded to normal daylight and an incredible sight met their eyes, making Guildless gasp.

Islands floated in midair, colorful plants and flora coating these islands. Soaring over the top, waterfalls fell from island to island as Carla marveled, "We actually made it."

Happy admired, "My roots... My homeland."

Wendy grinned. "All these floating islands are so pretty!"

Natsu looked around like a child in a candy store. "It's a pretty cool place, don't you think?"

Happy responded, "I don't know what to think. It's so strange here..."

Guildless reminded, "Keep focused, guys! We're here..." She frowned. With her overbearing sense of wonder gone, something started to bother her- her wings were growing stiff, her body feeling lethargic as if she were low on magic. Yet that was impossible! Unless... "Guys, we need to land, now! There's not enough magic here for flight! If we fall from the air this high up, it's not going to be pretty!"

Happy exclaimed, "What?!"

And just like that, the cats' wings timed out, disappearing. The Dragon Slayers started falling, their companions beside them. Guildless yelled "Idiots!" and went into a nosedive after them, wings barely responding. Falling forward, she reached out a hand for Wendy, the little girl taking it, having grabbed Carla midair. Gray had snatched Natsu by the sandal in one hand, Happy by the tail in the other, Guildless straining to hold tight to her passengers. Her wings flaring out, she managed to glide downward into the foliage until above the ground, her wings faded and the group crashed into a pile.

A collective groan resounded, Wendy on the very top and rubbing her head. "Ow... Wait." She looked around before realizing she was on top of Guildless and Natsu, Gray having fallen on their legs. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

Wendy carefully got off, Gray rolling onto his back and Guildless sitting up, shoving a blue cat from her stomach and onto her lap. She adjusted her mask, assuring it was on tightly before admitting, "Not my best landing, but under the circumstances, not bad."

Happy sadly said, "My wings don't work."

Carla reminded, "I told you, magic is a limited resource here."

Guildless suggested, "Maybe magic is channeled differently here. Back home, ether nano in the air gives us magic. Maybe magic is more... physical here. If there was ether nano in the air, we'd still be gaining magic, just little by little." She looked at her bandaged hands. "Yet I don't feel any."

A lie. She could feel it, pulsing in her arms, suppressed by her bandages. Her lacrima. They might just still work here... No. She wouldn't do it, not unless there wasn't any choice. She couldn't give in to the power of her lacrima.

Gray scowled. "So we can't use any magic?"

Guildless shook her head. "Most likely not. We're going to have to learn to fight without it while were here." Unfortunately for Guildless, that wasn't a strength.

Natsu grinned, getting to his feet. "Ah yeah! Let's go find where they took our friends!"

And so began a long, arduous march through the tight-knit trees of Edolas, no discernible pathways in sight.

Happy asked, "How will we find them if no one knows they're way around?"

Guildless sharply said, "We look. It's not like keeping an entire town captive will be a small feat, especially with your guild in the mix. They'll cause a ruckus and we'll go to the overboard explosion that follows, magic or no magic."

Natsu grinned. "And we can follow my nose to them!" He started sniffing like a dog, Gray shaking his head as Natsu announced, "Well this is crappy, there are so many crazy new smells that my nose is confused."

Gray scoffed. "You can't even smell right now, Dragon Boy?"

Natsu glared at him. "Don't pretend you're better than me, Popsicle!"

Guildless snapped, "Shut it, boys! Don't make me regret not dropping you back there!"

Natsu huffed and turned away, Gray just muttering, "Whatever."

Wendy scented the air. "He's right, the air tastes different here." She looked at Guildless. "Maybe it's because of the ether, like you said."

Before Guildless could respond, Natsu giddily cried, "Does that mean the fire will taste different too?!"

Carla sniffed. "How should I know?"

Happy pouted. "All this talk about tasting makes me even hungrier."

Wendy warned, "We don't know what we can eat here."

Carla chided, "We're in a strange world and all you can think about is food?"

Guildless sighed. "Okay, give me a second, guys." The troupe paused, Guildless looking up at the sky. "The sun is to the side, and assuming that it's still morning and going by our directions," she pointed in the direction of the sun. "That would be east."

Natsu frowned, confused. "How does that help?"

Guildless matter-of-factly stated, "Because now we can stay moving in a single direction and not end up going in circles, halfwit."

Natsu retorted, "Hey, I've got a full wit, for your information!"

Guildless sighed. "Let me know when you find the other half. I know it's been missing awhile, so take your time. Now come on, we're already going north, so let's continue."

After a bit of walking, Wendy noted, "It's weird, we haven't run into a single person."

Carla insisted, "None the less, we shall still need disguises."

Natsu stopped, grinning. "I've got an idea."

Natsu wrapped Wendy, Carla, Happy, and himself in leaves and flowers, though Guildless and Gray refused to join in. Gray threatened mutiny, Guildless sure her own cloak and mask were good enough.

After nearly an hour of walking, mostly filled by Happy's complaining, they reached the flying river, finding a fisherman sitting at its edge, fishing.

Wendy exclaimed, "Look, a person! He looks fairly normal."

Happy asked, "What did you expect him to look like? We should do what he is: fishing!"

Guildless agreed, "We can break for-" She paused, then facepalmed. "Damn it, Natsu!"

The Dragon Slayer was already by the Edolas man, greeting, "Yo. Lemme ask you somthin'."

The native screamed, jumping to his feet. Guildless started jogging over as Natsu continued, "I'm looking for some wizards from the Fairy Tail guild. You seen them around any-" A fist crashed into his face, knocking him down.

Guildless sighed, lowering her fist and turning to the man. "Please, don't be alarmed. My, uh, pet can get excited."

He backed away nervously. "Please don't hurt me!"

Guildless sighed. "We're not going to-" But the man had already run off. Guildless groaned. "Great fucking job, Natsu! Ugh, do I need to put you on a leash like an actual pet? You walk up to someone looking like that and don't expect them to be scared?" She shook her head, arms crossed.

Carla grumbled, "If that man reports us to the authorities, we're through!"

Happy added, "Let's ditch the costumes then, please."

Gray agreed, "They were pretty pointless from the beginning."

The costumes tossed aside, their hiking trek continued, the group delving deeper into the forest. Halfway through this new terrain, Wendy tripped as per usual, falling on her face and looking near tears from pure embarrassment, her knees grazed.

Natsu asked, "You okay?"

Wendy nodded, softly rubbing her sore legs. "Don't worry, I'm fine. My legs are just a bit tired and I didn't look where I was going."

But Guildless simply walked over, not saying a word as she knelt down, gently took Wendy's hands, and pulled the young girl on her back, carrying on as if nothing had happened.

Wendy looked surprised at first, then smiled, softly saying, "Thank you, Guildless."

The lone mage gave a sharp nod, Wendy grateful for the short relief the break gave her.

Awhile later, crossing a vine over a large bog, Happy disturbed the calm of the day: "GIANT FISHIE ALERT!"

Natsu grinned. "Aw yeah, stand back while I fry us up some dinner!"

Gray started, "Natsu, you can't use-"

What had appeared to be a large fish suddenly burst upward, showing a massive monster that rivaled the trees around them.

"Well, we won't go hungry at least! I'm all fired up!"

Guildless scowled, grabbing Natsu's arm before he could attack. "You can't use magic, idiot!"

Natsu's face lit in realization. "Oh. Right." He looked up. "Only one thing left to do: run!" He took off across the vine, the others close behind, Guildless taking up the rear, having put Wendy down awhile back.

Gray yelled, "This is your fault, Natsu! Why can't you remember something as simple as not having magic?!"

Natsu screamed back, "Ah, cut it out, you iced idiot!"

Guildless interrupted, "Save your breath, dumbasses!"

They ran as quickly as they could, the fish-monster apparently having flippers to crawl on land. Running through the trees, the monster crashing around behind them, Guildless scowled. Well, looks like my hand's being forced now. As they ran, she slowly and carefully unwrapped the bandages on her arms, letting her black lacrima glint in the sun like stones under a river. Shoving the bandages into her pocket, their ends still hanging and trailing out, she clenched her fists, lacrima growing and pulsing stronger, brighter.

"Guyyyys, there's a cliff!"

Ahead, their island dropped off, nothing in reach that they could get to. Guildless growled, "Enough." The others kept running for the cliff, Guildless stopping and turning, hitting her fists together. Gray noticed her absence first, turning and running back toward her. "Guildless, come on!"

A circle appeared at Guildless' feet and she roared, "Pitch Black Cannon!" Turning her palms outward, the blast emerged, not as wide or dark as usual, but it effectively hit the monster's head, knocking it down.

Gray skidded to a stop, staring at the felled monster as Guildless fell to one knee, panting hard.

The others rushed back, Natsu demanded, "How could you can use magic and we can't?!"

Guildless heaved in breath for a moment, her words still interrupted by her lack of air. "I... have these." She bared her arms for them to see, her lacrima now barely pulsing or glowing. "They... enhance my magic, my raw strength... Help me focus my power."

Natsu whistled and asked, "Why wouldn't you use those all the time?"

Guildless slowly stood, pulling out her bandages. "Because they're my strength... and my weakness." She began rewrapping her bandages. "One direct hit to one of these... and I could go down. They're too open, not worth the risk... These bandages protect me, separate me from their strength... keep me from relying on it." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. They didn't need to know everything.

She began wrapping her lacrima, cutting herself off from the now small, steady stream of energy her lacrima had been giving her. After covering the first, she nearly fell over, Gray reaching out and catching her. "Maybe you should just leave them out for now."

Guildless shook her head. "Their too exposed. I can recover my strength quickly enough." Gray still helped keep her on her feet while finished her bandages. As she tied off the last, she muttered, "Thanks."

Gray nodded, releasing her but hovering close in case she fell. Guildless couldn't help but smile- even with tension between them, Gray still couldn't help being too good for his own well-being.

Guildless stood steady now, having found her center of gravity again, announcing, "We should keep moving forward again. Come on."

Wendy asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

Guildless nodded. "Positive, now let's stop wasting time."

The Fairy Tail wizards followed Guildless as she walked forward, Natsu grinning. "Cool! I want those lacrima things!"

Guildless shook her head, not looking back. "No, you really don't." I paid a price for these, a price that wasn't even close to what I gained. I'd give these away if I only could.

The day wore on without much more trouble from Natsu besides the occasionally argument with Gray before Guildless would always step in to keep them on task.

However, when passing through another forest, two people packing across a tree branch above their path. They looked strangely at the foreign wizards as Carla softly said, "So we've been spotted again."

Wendy asked, "What do we do now?"

Guildless frowned. "They look like they're from Brago." Gray had gone silent, memories in his mind, his master dissolving into ice in that town too fresh in his mind for how many years had passed.

Happy greeted, "Hello! We're not from around here. We've gotten a little lost in this forest."

Suddenly, the two travelers bowed down, kowtowing at the people on the path.

"We're sorry!"

"It's not our faults, we swear!"

The group was taken aback. Guildless said, "We don't blame you, we just want-"

"Please, mighty Exceed, please let us leave with our lives!"

"Exceed?" Natsu looked lost as ever.

Wendy wondered, "Who are they talking about?"

Guildless sighed. "This is getting us no where." Raising her voice, she called, "Please, we'd just like directions to-" Happy took a step forward behind her, the two Edolas travelers running in terror, yelling gibberish about Exceeds as they went.

Guildless frowned beneath the mask, turning to the others. "They only ran whenever Happy did something. Maybe cats are different here, much more dangerous, called Exceeds."

Gray nodded a bit, still trying to shake off his memory of Ur. "Yeah, something like that."

Natsu smirked. "So it wasn't my fault this time!"

Guildless agreed, "For once, no, you didn't cause the trouble, Salamander."

Or at least, for a few more steps, it wasn't. He stepped on a strange mushroom and suddenly, the ground gave out from under them, thrusting upward again, sending them flying up into the air, to hit another and repeat the process, again and again and again until they crash-landed in a pumpkin-like shelter.

Wendy whimpered, "I don't want to fall anymore."

Carla agreed, "That's quite enough for me."

After getting up, brushing themselves off, they surveyed the small building that seemed to be a storage shed.

Carla said, "Though we're far beyond the use of preventive measures, let's see if there are any clothes here to disguise ourselves."

This time, as decent clothes were available, Gray and Guildless also agreed to go with the costume change, Guildless taking her clothes and scaling the nearest tree to the point that she was out of sight.

Returning, she had donned a brown jacket over a green long-sleeve shirt and leggings, sandals on her feet. The jacket's hood pulled over her head, she had kept her mask on, refusing to allow anyone to see.

Gray having been convinced to put on a shirt for the first time since arriving, he wore a navy shirt, baggy tan pants, boots, and a white headband casting a shadow over his face.

As she helped Wendy put her hair up, Natsu ogled at something outside the window. Wendy asked, "What do you see?"

"Fairy Tail!"

The group rushed to the window, staring giddily at the Fairy Tail sign outside the window.

Natsu grinned as he rushed out the door, Gray close behind. "That's them, alright! It's in disguise, but I'd know my guild anywhere!"

Happy cried, "Wait, hold on!"

Guildless scowled, yelling, "Natsu, STOP! Things are different here, that might be a trap!"

Natsu yelled, "No, it's the guild!"

Gray and Natsu raced in the doors, freezing in the doorway as Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Guildless caught up.

Natsu was nearly in tears. "They're okay!"

Wendy smiled. "It wasn't even that much trouble to find them!"

Gray grinned, starting, "Hey Gramps, El-" Guildless' hand clamped over his mouth as she grabbed his arm, releasing his lips to grab Natsu's arm.

Gray demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"

Guildless warned, "This isn't Fairy Tail." Pulling them to a shaded corner, she pointed at the guild. "Look closer, guys. Those aren't your guildmates."

Carla agreed, "Something isn't right here."

Off toward the request board, Juvia was off to take a job- and Gray was standing near her.

Gray nearly yelled, but a sharp look from Guildless quieted him. "What... But I'm right here!"

The other Gray was wearing about ten jackets, his voice pleading as he begged, "Juvia, my beloved! Please, wait! If you're gonna go out, please, take me with you! Pretty please?"

Juvia scoffed. "You're such a wet blanket, and take some of those clothes off for a change." She started walking away. "Give me a shout when you have your summer wardrobe."

The other Gray whimpered, "I just get really cold..."

The Earthly Gray stared stared in absolute horror. "T-That... H-He..."

Guildless looked around. "Everyone's here, but they look... different. I think these are copies of us, or this world's versions of us. Doppelgangers." She sounded strangely angry, as if the doppelgangers daring to exist was angry.

Gray continued as if Guildless hadn't spoken. "H-He's wearing so much..."

Guildless looked at him, even her mask conveying the deadpan. "Really? That's what you're taking away from this discussion?"

Jet and Droy were scolding Elfman, who sobbed like a child, Nab racing around, job to job, Cana refusing alcohol, and Alzack shamelessly seducing a half-dressed Bisca.

Guildless looked between the Grays, yanking on Earth Gray's jacket hood, pulling it over his head. "We don't want them freaking out and finding out who you are, Fullbuster. It doesn't seem like our doppelgangers are here." Good thing, too. I just might kill mine. I can't stand lookalikes...

Suddenly, there was someone familiar in front of them, but looking as different as everything there. Black suit, tattoo, and face a threatening glare, Lucy Heartfelia stood before them, looking as terrifying as Erza.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?"

The whole guild turned to look, glaring down the group, Wendy whispering, "I don't believe it..."

The new Lucy growled, "What's the big idea with you sneaking around our guild like this?"

Natsu exclaimed, "LUCY?"

Happy echoed him as Wendy murmured, "I'm scared..." Guildless subtly touched Wendy's shoulder, pulling her slightly behind the lone mage, Gray having turned his face away.

Lucy glared at Natsu, leaning closer to see his face. "Natsu?"

Natsu leaned back, terror in his veins of this new, more intimidating Lucy.

Guildless clenched her fists, ready for a fight as Lucy suddenly wrapped her arms around Natsu eagerly, forcing the air from his lungs as she seemingly attempted to crush his bones. "Well why didn't you say so, you big bonehead!"

"That's Natsu?"

"Nice fashion statement, bro."

Lucy loosened her death grip on Natsu, still hugging him. "Natsu, where have you been? I was starting to think the worst. Don't ever make me worry like that again."

Natsu stared, stunned at her back. "I-I'm sorry?"

Lucy suddenly released him from the hug to jump onto his shoulders, legs wrapped around his neck, knuckles driving into his ears. "Not yet, but you're gonna be!"

"She broke out the good stuff!"

"Nobody can escape Lucy's Grind Crush! It's one of her 48 torture techniques!"

A pristine, fully dressed, alcohol hating Cana chided Lucy while Jet and Droy yelled at Elfman for being a wimp, Gray fawning over an annoyed Juvia, though everyone was relieved to find Mirajane was normal as ever.

Macao, hair slicked back and wire-rim glasses resting on his face, asked, "By the way Natsu, what's with the kid, the cats, and the spare people?"

Before Natsu could say something to ruin their position, Wakaba exclaimed, "Wait, those are... Exceeds!"

The guild echoed fearfully, "CATS?!"

Happy frowned, taking off his helmet. "What's wrong?"

Guildless stepped forward, muttering, "Put your helmet back on, cat." Louder, she spoke with a kinder voice than before, "Don't worry, these aren't... Exceeds. We're from another land, outside this kingdom. These are just our pets, they're harmless."

Lucy glared at Guildless suspiciously. "And why the hell are you here?"

Guildless bluffed, "Natsu helped us out of some trouble."

Jet laughed. "Natsu grew some backbone?"

Elfman looked at them nervously. "D-Did you meet the Royal Army?"

Guildless gladly took the reason. "Yeah, we didn't know what we were getting into, coming here."

Lucy asked, "And you're wearing a mask why?"

Guildless excused, "I'm in a bit of trouble back home- we all are. We don't want to run the risk of getting caught. Anyone who sees our faces could turn us in."

Droy smirked. "Nice, fugitives. All vagabonds who don't cause trouble for us are welcome here."

"Yeah yeah, fine. They can stay, since Natsu brought them." Lucy finally got off of Natsu, immediately sitting Natsu down and interrogating him as Guildless stood near Gray. Softly, she asked, "Are you alright?"

Gray laughed a bit. "Why wouldn't I be? I just saw the complete opposite of myself wearing my face and flirting with a girl I have no interest in."

Guildless shrugged, dryly responding, "I don't know what possessed me to think anything was out of the ordinary."

Wendy sat watching the guild in earnest, observing as Lucy beat on Natsu, sipping on the drinks Mira had provided.

A sudden roar came from the side of the guild hall. "Damn it, Nab! Can't you put a sock in it?!"

Nab growled, "What'd you say to me? You need a major tune-up on your attitude, Levy!"

Levy, half-clothed and angry, hissed back, "I don't have time for your lame jokes. Did you forget how vital this machine is? I can't finish it with you screaming like a kid every four seconds!"

Guildless sighed. "God, these guys are even louder than the usual guild."

Gray nodded. "It felt so much like home when we first walked in, then... there was another me, crazy doppelgangers... It's just hard, not knowing where my friends are."

Guildless nodded, hesitating. She wasn't sure Gray would want to touch this subject. "... You acted strange when I mentioned that those travelers looked like they were from Brago."

Gray stiffened. "Yeah. I've had some bad experiences there, back before it was destroyed."

Guildless inferred, "And since you're from Fairy Tail, I'm going to guess you had something to do with it being destroyed?"

Gray nodded slightly. "The demon that destroyed Brago also destroyed my hometown. My master Ur died sealing it away."

Guildless went silent for a moment, letting her shoulder brush his to convey her condolence. "I know words can't help the pain. I understand how demons can ruin your life, though."

Gray, eager to change the subject and still curious about Guildless, asked, "And you know how?"

It was Guildless' turn to tense. "My old guild. It's not called Demon's Shadow for nothing. They believed that demons were gods, that they were to be worshiped, that we should assist them in their plans for the world, even if it meant destroying humans." She laughed bitterly. "See why I left now?"

Gray nodded slowly. "Yeah, I don't really blame you." A thought suddenly struck him as he looked at her bandages. "You-You didn't choose to get those lacrima, did you?"

Guildless shook her head. "No. No one would willingly take this. First few years, they do nothing be cause you pain before you can really use their full capability, at least this style. Most simply place a single lacrima in the back of the neck now, but Shadow's old-fashioned." She touched her bandages, suddenly realizing that she was telling too much. She swiftly said, "We should keep focused. We still have to deal with the problem of where our- er, the guild from our world is."

Gray paused, not quite ready to give up. Guildless had been so open for a few, amazing seconds before she shut him out again. He wanted to push, satisfy his curiosity and learn more about the girl who'd been growing into a normality of life. Still, he didn't want her to pull away again. They'd unspokenly forgave each other coming to Edolas, but it could be hard being given the cold shoulder here.

Before Gray could respond, a new person entered his view, stealing his focus away. Heart pounding, he saw someone he thought dead, but the white hair and smile made her unmistakable. "Lisanna?"

Gray stared, Guildless' gaze catching. Slowly, she said, "I assume this is another person you've lost?"

Gray nodded. "Y-Yeah... She died two years ago. The guild took it pretty hard." A memory tried to fight its way up, a worried guild sitting around tables, asking for the missing girl, but Gray pushed it aside.

Carla muttered, "This is getting out of hand. We should go."

Before anyone could respond, Nab suddenly rushed in, yelling in panic, "We've got big trouble! The Fairy Hunter is here!"

Guildless tensed. "Why is there never a Fairy Helper? Why are people always out to kill you assholes?"

Carla kept moving for the doors as Lucy ordered, "Don't you dare walk out! You want to die? Stay in the guild!"

Levy, at the strange machine, was babbling about technology while Lucy yelled angrily for her to go faster, the guild panicking at the sound of the Fairy Hunter.

The guild hall shook, rocks raising into the air as the guild shuddered-

"She's here!"

A giant flying monster glided into view, floating downward. Wendy cried, "A monster!"

Guildless stepped forward, starting to unwrap her bandages, Gray grabbing her hand to stop her. "You could barely stand after one blast, you'd knock yourself out trying to do anything to that creature!"

Guildless demanded, "Do you have a better plan?"

"Yeah, stay here!"

Wendy looked around fearfully, asking no one in particular, "Why would the Royal Army send that beast after Fairy Tail?"

The older, bustier Wendy responded, "Are you that out of the loop? You really are from another kingdom. The king ordered all guilds destroyed to protect the limited magic supply. Out of all of them, only one is still standing, and it's this one. I don't know where you think you are, but this is Fairy Tail, and we're a dark guild."

Guildless tensed again, starting to unwrap her bandages again, brushing Gray's protests aside.

Levy exclaimed, "Yes! It's finally working! Teleportation circle, activating!"

It was as if the gravity had turned off, people and objects floating into the air, Guildless keeping grasp on her bandages and Gray's jacket sleeve to put herself at ease, knowing she could protect at least one Fairy Tail wizard.

Natsu seemed to be struggling. "Hold on, this is a vehicle?!" He immediately started feeling sick, fighting back his gag reflex.

Light engulfed everything, and the guild disappeared, reappearing deep in a desert wasteland.

Everyone was piled around, having crashed back down to the ground with gravity restored. Guildless groaned, carefully straightening her mask before realizing she was piled on top of Gray. "Ah, sorry." Getting up, she offered a hand.

He took it, Guildless easily pulling him to his feet.

Natsu growled, "Who was that person at the reins of that monster?"

Mira shook her head. "Have you seriously forgotten? You must've hit your head when we landed. That was one of the captains of the Royal City's Magic Warfare Units. Erza Knightwalker. She's also known as the Fairy Hunter."

Guildless sighed. "Well, apparently Erza's evil here. That's absolutely perfect."

"I-It can't be. Our enemy... is Erza?"

Guildless nodded. "Yes, and I have a sneaking suspicion that we'll see many more familiar faces here." A fear was growing in the back of her mind. Crippling terror, in fact, should she be right. If her doppelganger looked like just like her... Everything would be ruined. They would all know. She just had to hope they never met her copy.

In Royal City, the king sat on his throne, angrily glaring out the window. A young girl with auburn hair raced in, announcing, "Your Majesty, your guest is here!"

The king nodded grimly. "Yes, thank you, Coco."

The little girl raced right back out as a new person entered the frame. Pure white clothes consisting of a tube top, revealing skirt, and simple sandals, the newcomer covered most of it with a white cloak, hood drawn over their head.

The newcomer came forward, giving an overdramatic, mocking bow. "Your Majesty, what ever did I do to deserve this honor?"

Faust scowled. "Save your words, mercenary. I'm willing to give you forgiveness for your past crimes and even allow you magical access again should you fulfill this mission."

The newcomer chuckled. "Ooh, so I'm here as an assassin? Usually I'm in trouble when I'm summoned here."

Faust ignored her, continuing, "You will seek out the Fairy Tail wizards and destroy them, as Knightwalker seems to be inept at this."

The newcomer threw back their hood, showing long white hair, pulled back in a fanciful bun, her coppery skin gleaming. Identical to Guildless in every way- except no scars tore her face, her eyes a cruel brown. The doppelganger of Guildless grinned darkly, chuckling. "The Fairy Hunter replaced by the White Shadow? I couldn't ask for a better setup."