A/N: Character death in the flashback, though it's not extremely explicit. But, uh, it was pretty emotional to write, so. There's that.

It wasn't until they got into the carriage that Natsu seemed to realize that they had gotten into a carriage. He'd tried to make a break for it but had been too late. The moment it had jerked into motion he'd crumpled to the floor, whimpering pathetically.

"You are the most uncool Dragon Slayer to ever exist," Lucy sighed down at him, though she knew she was being a bit unfair. All of the Dragon Slayers had as hard of a time with transportation. "C'mon, Happy, help me get him onto the seat."

With the cat's help, they managed to lift Natsu up next to Lucy, who lowered him down until his head rested in her lap. She began to run her fingers through his pink locks, scratching softly at his scalp as she did so, and gradually the tension drained out of him, his muscles going slack. He was still whimpering, and his skin was still much paler than usual, but he was obviously doing better.

"I've never seen Natsu look so good on transportation before!" Happy exclaimed as he pocked at his friend's cheek. "Unless Erza punches him into unconsciousness."

Hearing the name was like a literally shock to the heart. She'd been preparing herself, knowing she'd be coming face to face with the Requip Mage soon. But here, now, she hadn't been expecting to hear the name. She didn't realize she tightened her grip on Natsu's hair until he started whining for a completely different reason. She shushed apologies towards him as she attempted to school her expression.

"Erza?" She tried to keep her tone as blank as she could, expressing only mild curiosity. She didn't completely succeed, unable to hide the tremble in her voice entirely. Thankfully Natsu was way too out of it to be paying attention and Happy didn't notice.

"She's one of our nakama. She's an S-Class Mage and she's suuuuuper strong!" The feline flew around in a circle to emphasize the 'super'.

"Oh," she feigned realization, "you mean Erza Scarlet, Fairy Tail's Titania, right?"

"Aye!"

"I heard she was really powerful, and very beautiful," Lucy had more than heard it. She'd seen it, time and time again, the strength and beauty that was held within her friend. Erza'd been beaten and broken and tortured and she'd wanted to give up but she never had. As long as she had even just one person standing behind her, just one nakama depending on her, she'd pick herself right back up. Every time.

Until she hadn't.

"You'll meet her soon," Happy assured her as he claimed they empty bench across as his own, curling up and preparing to nap for the rest of the journey. "Just be careful because she turns into a demon when she's mad."

She couldn't hide her smile at the accurate description but the cat had already closed his eyes, so it didn't matter. Instead she focused her attention out the window at the passing scenery, her fingers never once stopping their gentle motion through her partner's pink locks. She listened to his calm, even breathing that told her he'd slipped into a doze.

She didn't notice as her eyes began to slid shut, her head slowly leaning until it rested against the glass. All she knew was that she felt calmer than she had in awhile.

.

.

She remembers the day Erza and the Master died like it was yesterday, even if at times it felt more like it had been ages since.

The sky had been blue, she remembers. Bright blue and not a cloud in sight. And she remembers being grateful because it meant they could see Acnologia all the easier, knew how much time they had to evacuate the citizens of Magnolia. The citizens who were confused and angry at being ushered out of their homes, who dragged their feet and mumbled complaints just loud enough for the mages nearest them to hear. But they had gone regardless, knowing that if Fairy Tail said it was dangerous then it definitely was.

And they'd watching as the hulking figure in the sky grew steadily closer, moving far faster than anything of that size had any right to move. And she remembered that they'd all gathered on the roof of their guild once the town was empty, once the members least capable of fighting were leading the people further into the forest to find shelter.

And Lucy had stood tall at Natsu's side even as she'd trembled at the thought of facing Acnologia down again, recalled how futile it had been on Tenrou Island. They were all much stronger now than they had been then but she wasn't sure how much of a difference it would make.

She'd been jolted from her thoughts when she felt two hands grab both of hers, Natsu on one side and Erza on the other. They'd both smiled at her, confident in their strength. It wasn't arrogance she saw. It was the determination to never fail, to never fall, not until those they cared about were safe. And against all odds it had comforted her, the tension draining from her body almost against her will. Because that determination had won the day so many times before. She'd seen them both go down time and time again only to drag themselves back up with nothing but pure force of will. And so she'd believed in them.

She doesn't remember much of the fighting, not even now. She remembers the screams and the heat and the smell. She remembers seeing Elfman fall only to be caught by Lisanna as Mira watched their backs, his torso burnt and blistering. Remembers hearing Juvia scream as she was set aflame again and again, her water magic trying to protect her but not being able to keep up with the damage. Remembers stumbling upon Nab, the first of her dead nakama, of being nearly sick at the sight of his blackened and split skin, barely recognizable.

And then suddenly Gray was there, tears streaming from his eyes endlessly as he grabbed her around the waist and ran. She'd tried to fight against him, to get free and returned to where the sounds of fighting still echoed, but she was weak and blood was running down her face, obscuring her vision along with the smoke in the air and her arm was flopping uselessly, bent at a grotesque angle and when had that happened?

Loke ran beside them, his face a mask of anguish as he protected their retreating backs. She could dimly make out Cana helping Freed stumble forward on a burnt leg, Lisanna and Mira hefting Elfman's weight between the two of them. Gajeel had an unconscious Levy cradled against his chest as he scooped a lagging Wendy up as well, hurrying them forward with Jet and Droy not a step behind. And Natsu...

Natsu was being physically dragged by Panther Lily, screeching and flailing all the while. No one had a dry eye as they all ran, as Natsu continued to yell and scream and beg and Lucy had no idea what was happening.

At least, until she spotted who wasn't running.

She could see them, Erza and the Master, their backs straight, their heads held high, standing upon the smoldering ruin of what was once their home. They stood facing the fierce dragon, guarding their nakama's retreat, sacrificing themselves so that the rest could get away.

Because that's what this was. A sacrifice.

"No," her voice came out weak, guttural, almost unrecognizable. "No. Erza. Master. We can't leave them. We can't..."

"I know, Luce," and Gray sounded just as bad, like he'd been gargling rocks. Or screaming. That's when she noticed that she couldn't spot Juvia. "But if we don't then we all die. And the Master... he ordered us to run. He ordered us to. To survive and find the others."

"But they'll die." As if everybody didn't already know that. She could read it on their faces. Could see Laxus from here, forcing himself to continue forward. And she knew that if he didn't have an unconscious Evergreen and Bickslow over each shoulder there's no way he would have been able to stop himself. But he did. And so he continued forward.

She remembers the last time this happened, on that Island so long ago. They'd all been tired from the fight against Grimoire Heart but they'd stood shoulder to shoulder anyways, refusing to leave their Master behind to face death alone.

This time was different, she knew. This time half their remaining guild members were critically injured, most of them having already passed out from pain. And those who could still fight had to carry them away, to safety. They couldn't all stand and link hands this time. This time they had to run.

Knowing it logically didn't make it any easier to accept, though.

"Please," she begged, her eyes overflowing as she pushed weakly against Gray's broad shoulder. "Please, I can still fight, I can still help them."

"You can't," he seemed to almost choke on the words even as his stride stayed steady, even as he refused to let himself look back. "We can't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Lucy's eyes stayed glued to their silhouettes, as their Master used his magic to grow impossibly large, as he grappled with the beast and tried to hold it while Erza changed her armor and charged for it's underbelly. Watched as their attacks were batted away, like they were nothing more than annoying pests.

Watched, as they broke through into the forest and disappeared into the foliage, as Natsu screamed and screamed and screamed, watched as Acnologia opened it's maw and let forth a burst of such intense flame that it obliterated all that stood around itself.

And she thought of Erza's confident stance, her straight back and steady gaze, thought of Master Makarov as his patience, his forgiveness and his love, how he'd taken all of these lost people and made them a family. Thought of them burning, dying, so that the rest of them could get away safely.

And Lucy wept.

.

.

They arrived in Shirotsume Town in the early afternoon, the sun beating down on them from a bright blue sky.

Lucy could hear Natsu whining behind her as they walked, swearing to Happy to never ride in a carriage ever again, but she ignored it in favor of scanning the streets. Even after over a year in this time, she still wasn't used to entering a town and receiving smiles and friendly waves. She was used to glares and sneers and, on multiple occasions, objects thrown and threats yelled.

But as she wiped away the sweat collecting at her brow she saw that they were garnering no attention at all. They were just two travelers and a cat, not Wanted Mages from an extinct guild.

"Anyway!" An arm was thrown around her shoulder and Lucy found herself face to face with her partner's face splitting grin. "I'm hungry! Let's go eat!"

"We should stop at the hotel and drop off our stuff," Happy interjected from below. She smiled at both of them, remembering their faces last time when she'd left them to their own devices. No way was she doing that again. She could avoid the embarrassment of being called ugly while wearing a maid's uniform for the rest of her life, thanks.

"Sure thing, let's go."

They found the hotel easily and then just followed Natsu's nose to the restaurant. Lucy ordered a simple salad, used to small portions and not wanting to test her luck on cooked meat. Natsu, meanwhile, ordered enough to cover the entire table. She sighed, but said nothing. It wasn't like he wasn't going to eat it all, anyways.

She did notice when he kept the meat well away from her so that the smell wouldn't be so strong. She made sure to smile at him, a quiet thanks.

"So," the dragon slayer began, seemingly going for nonchalant even with his mouth full of food, "the job poster said the perverted guy was hiring a blonde maid."

"Aye," Happy agreed instantly, striking a thinking pose that was completely ruined by the mischief in his eyes. "For your part you should-"

"No." Lucy said immediately. "Not happening. Ever."

"You're no fun," they both pouted back at her. She shrugged, unrepentant and unmoving.

"Nope," she agreed. "Now finish your food so that we can meet the client."

.

.

The mansion the directions led to was large and opulent, though unimpressive when compared to those Lucy had seen in her childhood. Natsu and Happy seemed just as unimpressed, but she knew it was more because money really didn't mean much to them beyond how much food it could buy.

Natsu walked right up to the door and knocked, announcing their guild name when asked. It did seemed to surprise him when the voice on the other side suddenly became shrill, demanding they be quiet and come in through the back door instead.

"What weirdos," he muttered as he turned away and Lucy shrugged in agreement. But a client was a client and so they made their way around the large building without another word.

They were met at the back by a tall man with grey hair, a small dark mustache and a heavily wrinkled face. He wore a pressed suit that, to Lucy's observant eye, was just a touch too small. She still couldn't believe she'd missed it last time, the fact that Kaby and his wife weren't actually rich and that this wasn't actually their house. It seemed so obvious now, seeing how misfitting the suit was, the waist a bit too tight and the arms too short. The way he didn't look comfortable in it at all and the stiff way he was moving, trying too hard to appear at ease in such a large home. His wife's smile was slightly strained as well, a slight tremor to her hands as she set out tea, clearly nervous about holding something so obviously expensive. And no way would the owners of a house this large set out their own tea, they'd have a servant do it for them.

Lucy pursed her lips in judgement even as Kaby Melon introduced himself and gestured towards the couch so that they could sit.

"Melon? Wow, your name sure does sound yummy!" Natsu grinned as Happy cheered next to him.

"You just ate, there's no way you're still hungry," Lucy huffed at them. "And besides, that's rude, you know."

"No, not at all, I hear it all the time," Kaby assured as he too took a seat. "Though, I have to admit I'm a bit surprised someone from the renowned guild Fairy Tail would take this job."

"Really?" Natsu laughed. "I was wondering why such an easy job was still available."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's because it was easy that it was still available." She could see that they still didn't understand as Natsu and Happy cocked their heads to the side in confusion at the same time. She sighed and shook her head, deciding to wait until later to explain.

"And you're young, too! You must be a famous mage," Kaby continued as if he hadn't even heard Lucy speak.

"Ah, Natsu's nickname is Salamander," Happy informed, the pride in his voice unmistakable. Lucy couldn't resist reaching out and scratching at his head if she tried.

"Oh, I've heard of that name!" The client seemed excited by this, and Lucy couldn't blame him. It was always more reassuring when the mage working for you was well-known. His gaze moved to Lucy and his face blanked in clear lack of recognition. "...And you are?"

"Oh, I'm new to the guild, don't worry," she waved it off. The last time she'd been offended because she was a Fairy Tail mage, too, damn it. This time she knew to be more mature about it, knew she'd only just joined and of course her name wasn't known yet. But it would be one day. One day she'd be the best damn Celestial Spirit Mage there was.

"Ah, I see... Let's talk about the work," to which Natsu and Happy agreed instantly and enthusiastically. "There is only one thing I'm asking you to do. Duke Everlue owns the one and only copy of the book Day Break. I want you to incinerate it."

"You mean you don't want us to steal it?" Natsu questioned, a furrow to his brow.

"Yeah, it's kinda surprising," Lucy agreed even though she knew his reasons. "I thought you were gonna ask us to retrieve something stolen from you."

"I'm basically asking you to destroy someone else's property without permission. I would understand if you didn't want to do this." The smile never left Kaby's face as he spoke, the expression hiding the true importance of this mission.

"Incinerate, huh? Why not just burn down the entire house?"

"Yeah, that'll be easy!" Happy agreed, and they both smiled in excitement. And this, Lucy thought as she pinched the bridge of her nose, is why everyone thinks Natsu is a hotheaded idiot.

"Let's definitely not do that," she stated, her tone brooking no argument. She ignored their twin pouts and focused on Kaby again. "What's this book anyways? Why's it so important that we destroy it?"

She could see the flicker of panic in his eyes, knew that he didn't want to have to explain his 'family's shame'. She was ready to push the issue, wanting to get it out into the open sooner. But of course Natsu had other ideas.

"Who cares? We're getting paid 200,000 Jewels just to destroy a stupid book!"

"No," Kaby interrupted before Lucy could do more than narrow her eyes in annoyance at her partner. "I changed the fee. The Contingency Fee is now two million."

"Two million! What the hell?!" Natsu yelled out, his voice screeching an octave higher than usual as his eyes bugged out. Lucy forced her own eyes to widen, already exhausted from having to act like this had never happened before, like she had no idea what was coming next.

"My, you didn't know about the increase?" Kaby's voice was drowned out as Natsu and Happy continued to yell.

"If we divide that by three... I don't even know how to calculate!"

"Easy," Happy informed, shivering with excitement. "You get one million, I get one million and Lucy gets the rest!"

"Hey! That means I wouldn't get anything!" Lucy yelled out, shoving at them both. She turned back towards their client as he held his hands up, trying to ward off any impending arguments. She narrowed her eyes at him, making it clear that she was suspicious. "Why raise the price like that so suddenly?"

"That book needs to be destroyed," he informed them solemnly as a shadow passed over his face. "I can't forgive that books existence."

Lucy opened her mouth to ask, again, why he wanted this book destroyed so badly. But she was interrupted, again, by her pink-haired partner as he yelled out in excitement, flames bursting to life around his head as he got fired up, literally. She couldn't hide her flinch when he grabbed at her arm and began pulling her forward. For once he didn't seem to notice, too caught up in the prospect of two million Jewels, which she couldn't really blame him for.

"Come on, Lucy! I'm all fired up!"

And with that they were on their way to Duke Everlue's mansion and the start of the mission.

.

.

A/N: Three updates in one month?! I am on a freakin ROLL! Pats self on back tbh.

So, I know that I said I was going to try and get the entire Everlue arc in this chapter. Buuuuut, I lied. I didn't expect for it to get this long, honestly, and I knew if I waited until I finished the rest of the arc you guys would probably be waiting awhile for the next chapter. So, I figured you'd like it better this way, shorter chapter but quicker update. If not, let me know.

Also, yes, I totally killed Nab and Juvia along with Erza and Makarov. Oops.

So, anyways, there's the chapter. Hope you guys liked it! Thanks to all those who favorites, followed and/or reviewed, as always.

Special thanks to KawaiPanda, honestly, who's been reviewing every chapter and is giving me a ton of encouragement! Thank you so much!