The Lost Time

When he closed his eyes at night, the world would change. He would be taken away from the bedroom and cast into another place, seeing many different things and experiencing many different feelings. What he saw, felt, and heard while he slept – they were called 'dreams', Wendy had told him one morning. He never could remember everything he had dreamed, only bits and pieces that were more or less forgotten before the day would even begin.

The dreams took him to various places that were foreign yet somewhat familiar, where he'd meet people that were strangers at first but often turned out to be someone he may have met before. He was never sure how or why he knew them, the answer was always beyond his reach, making him confused and frustrated at the same time.

Sometimes he met the same person, like the man with the red eyes and the golden instrument who would strum a new melody, other times he saw new faces, young and old, big and small, funny and odd, kind and mean, human and not human. They would sing, hum, and whistle; they would laugh, talk, scream, and cry. Sadly, he never found the kind girl with blue eyes and green hair again nor did he ever stumble upon the sacred forest meadow.

The talking glowbug was with him in most dreams, guiding him away from the shadows where the three silver moons were watching in the pitch-black sky to find another place and another new face. In one dream, it was Wendy who guided him instead, leading him by the hand through the double doors of Fairy Tail where laughter and shouting awaited on the other side.

Sometimes he felt different too. He would stand taller than ever before, his arms thick and heavy and strong enough to smash through solid rock with a single punch. He would stand shorter, his short wooden arms and hands grasping to the stems of spinning pink flowers that carried him in the gusting winds. He would be in the water, his body covered in shiny pale blue scales, gliding swiftly through the deep depths of the turbulent seas.

The dreams were fun and exhilarating, joyful and pleasing, annoying and frustrating, confusing and astonishing.

But not every dream ended well. Some dreams were very unpleasant, turning into what Wendy had described as 'nightmares'.

Unfriendly faces haunted the realm of nightmares; twisted creatures of all shapes and sizes with wicked eyes, sharp teeth and claws, rusty blades, pointed spears, giant axes, and hot and cold magic like Natsu's flames and Gray's ice. They were cruel and evil and they would attack him on sight with their fangs bared, their claws gleaming, and their weapons drawn. Groups of them would surround him, hungry eyes leering, while larger ones, monstrous beings that stood thrice his size or more, usually advanced alone.

And every time either happened, the mysterious voice that he could hear would yell at him to fight.

'You do not run. You do not cry. You do not cower. You fight!' it would say, whenever he was cornered and didn't know what to do. 'Be brave and fight!'

With his weapons in his hands, he would listen to the voice and fight, his mind and heart unwavering at the size and sheer number of fiends coming his way. Often he held a familiar sword and shield tight in his grip, sometimes a long wooden stick that easily broke in half, other times he wielded his bow with arrows that had metal tips that didn't just simply gleam in the faint light, but were imbued with hot orange fire, shrouded in a freezing, deep blue mist, or shone bright and gold like the sun itself. There were all sorts of other things at his disposal, such as an odd, bent, throwing thing that would always fly back to him after striking an enemy, or a strange little creature with a black metallic head and golden body that would scurry away, flash red and explode in a loud, fiery blaze.

He fought until he bled, his body hurting all over and refusing to move; until all monsters were slain, their bodies disintegrating into ash and black smoke or lying in pools of their own blood. Some battles were quick and easy, others were agonizingly long and seemingly impossible.

But every enemy had a weakness, the glowbug once told him when he was up against an unyielding, axe-wielding fiend protected in heavy, clanging armour; weaknesses that could be exploited and used against the enemy.

With that in mind, every tedious battle was eventually won. Except for one.

The shadowed man with eyes that glowed an icy blue, whose voice was deep and harsh, who wore a malicious sneer, and was covered in bright, dripping crimson… Out of nowhere he would appear before the boy and inflict the worst crippling pain the boy had ever felt.

And it was a battle where the boy stood alone in the darkness. No glowbug accompanied him to guide him through and there was no voice to tell him what to do. It was only him against the evil man while another shadowed person stood aside, watching them both with deep scarlet eyes that burned with a wicked light.

More than once he had the same nightmare where he was badly defeated, fallen to the bloodied ground, barely able to rise on his trembling hands and knees, and at the mercy of the cruel man with the sinister smile. Each encounter left him gasping awake in the middle of the night, shaking in panic and drenched in cold sweat.

Wendy was always right by his side when he awoke from the terrible dream, looking down at him with worry. Softly, she would whisper, "It's okay now. It was only a dream. You're safe here," as she lightly brushed her hand through his dampened hair. Her presence combined with her comforting gestures never failed to make him quickly forget the pain and horror he had to endure in his sleep.

However, when he woke up from his latest, horrible defeat, Wendy was not there to take the agony away. She was gone, having left on another journey in which she had promised to return in three months' time. But three months was a long, long time, he was starting to learn, and knowing that made him very upset.

Rolling onto his side on the mattress on the bedroom floor, he could only stare through the darkness of night at the empty spot beside him where Wendy usually slept, quietly wishing she was here.

Levy McGarden couldn't help but frown in pity when all her attempts to cheer up her young student had failed. Slumped over on the table covered in notebooks, scrolls of paper, writing utensils, and children's books was little Bacon, gazing at the guild's entrance, forlorn. Already, he was waiting for Wendy to step through the doors, announcing her return with a beaming smile. However, the Sky Dragon Slayer, along with Carla, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, and Erza had all left together for their 'three-months-of-nothing-but-training mission' (as dubbed by Master) early yesterday morning.

It wasn't the first time Bacon was separated from Wendy for so long. It had been a slow, gradual process, but during the past month, Wendy worked on familiarizing him with the other guild members to make the boy less dependent on her. She was hesitant to leave his side at first, but after seeing her team members resume their training one right after the other, (even Romeo went back to his secret lessons with Totomaru, the Rainbow Fire mage and former member of Phantom Lord), she felt guilty and a little left out.

With Levy and her boys helping out, and occasionally Mirajane lending an extra hand, they had developed a routine where Bacon would stay with Shadow Gear from morning to evening while Wendy would leave town for the day to focus on her training. Bacon was always sad when Wendy left the guild shortly after dropping him off. However, Levy often cheered him up with a story from her collection of books.

She brought her tales to life with her magic, making words dance about and light up with special visual effects; fires burned, rain softly pattered, winds howled and gust, clouds were soft and puffy – Levy wanted to make it fun and easy for the boy to learn how to read and write. Jet and Droy lent their talents as well, humorously acting out various fictional characters in each story so often the reading would turn into a live play that captivated the small audience occupying the hall. Always enthralled by her spells and her stories, Bacon was quick to grasp the basics of their language and began to understand spoken sentences and how to answer simple 'yes' and 'no' questions with either a nod or shake of the head. Levy even taught him simple math and took him on a shopping trip down at Magnolia's market district to demonstrate the use of money. She had tried to not spoil him too much but only partially succeeded, using her own funds to buy him treats and a few little things that greatly appealed to him.

Despite the obvious joy he had being with Shadow Gear, his smile was always brightest whenever Wendy returned to Fairy Tail in the evenings.

As the month went by, Wendy increased the length of her absence to two days, then to three, then to four, then to whole weeks. At first Bacon was confused and extremely disappointed when it was only Romeo and Macao taking him home at night. However, as he started to learn more words, he finally understood the Dragon Slayer's promises that she would come back soon. His sadness turned into anticipation every evening then to absolute happiness whenever Wendy walked through the guild doors.

This time however, Bacon knew that Wendy's promise to return was not going to be any time soon. With his head lying sideways atop his folded arms, he was clearly in no mood to listen to a story or work on Levy's next lesson. Even the delicious slice of chocolate cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that Mirajane had placed on the table before him was ignored. And Bacon loved cake and ice cream.

"He didn't sleep well last night," Romeo explained when all members of Shadow Gear and Mirajane sighed in defeat. The fire mage was seated on the opposite end of the table, frowning along with everyone else. "He had another really bad dream and usually Wendy is able to make him feel better right after, but since she's gone…"

"Aww, you poor thing," said Mirajane with a little pout as she made her way around the table to gently rub the unhappy child's back. She leaned over so the boy would meet her gaze. "You miss Wendy, don't you?"

Bacon slowly nodded, looking as if he had no energy to even lift his head. It was obvious he was tired as well as in deep despair. Moaning, he turned away from Mirajane and buried his face in his arms.

Everyone's frown deepened. Sitting in the chair beside Bacon, Levy placed a firm hand on his shoulder but her touch went unnoticed. She felt helpless and didn't doubt her friends felt the same.

"If it's the nightmares that are bothering him," Jet began, leaning back in his seat and draping his arm over the backrest, "then why not take the Dreamstone off? It's what's causing them in the first place, isn't it?"

Romeo shook his head. "Bacon doesn't want to take it off. He actually got angry when Wendy had tried after the first few times he had nightmares."

Mirajane lightly smiled. "The Dreamstone is a pretty jewel. I wouldn't want it taken away either."

"Besides," Romeo continued, giving the other boy a sympathetic look, "taking it off doesn't solve the problem that Wendy isn't here for another three months." He glanced at each face around the table and mischievously smiled as an idea came to mind. "So that means we have no other choice but to take Bacon to Wendy and the others."

Bacon raised his head at the sound of that and stared at the older boy, suddenly interested.

Levy pursed her lips for she didn't quite agree with Romeo's plan. "I don't know… The whole purpose of the past month was to prepare Bacon for Wendy leaving. I'm sure–"

"It's not going to get easier from here," Romeo cut in, his expression somber as his dark eyes met Levy's. "Believe me. I waited seven years for you, Natsu, and everyone else to return. Three months to Bacon can very well feel like seven years to him."

"It's true… it doesn't get easier when you miss someone," Droy added, patting his big belly to prove his point.

Levy was overwhelmed with guilt yet again for leaving her teammates behind for so long. Although the men were back to their usual selves, there were moments Levy felt responsible for Droy's weight gain and overindulging appetite.

She took a quick peek around the guild, seeing it nearly empty this morning. With most of the main members gone, it was very unlikely the hall will liven up in the evenings with loud parties and playful antics. It was so clean and organized too, a stark contrast to how it usually looked late at night when Natsu and his teammates were around. The next three months were going to be very quiet and dull, Levy hated to admit. Now she was starting to miss everyone too…

Levy brushed a loose strand of her blue hair behind her ear as she contemplated on what she should do to help her student. With her hand still gripping Bacon's shoulder, she gave him a little squeeze. "Do you really want to see Wendy, Bacon?" she had to ask despite already knowing the answer.

The boy turned to her and nodded vigorously, his blue eyes pleading.

"Then it's settled," Mirajane announced, giggling. Moving to stand between the teacher and student, she patted the top of Bacon's and Levy's heads. "You guys should hurry and start packing your things and catch the next train. Don't forget your swim suits!"

"Swim suits?" Levy raised an eyebrow at Mirajane. "Where exactly did they go to train?"

The answer was the south-western coast of Fiore that was a four hour journey by train and another two hours on foot through the dense, wild jungle. By mid-afternoon, not only was Levy exhausted from the long train ride, but she was also starting to completely tire out from the arduous trek through the thick, dense growth of tropical plants and trees. Fronds and leaves that grew twice as large as Levy and many hanging vines as thick as her legs barred the way forward. The hot, humid air made matters worse; Levy was sweating like mad, her back soaked with perspiration as she carried her travelling pack over her slim shoulders. She was starting to regret her decision to bring along more books than usual. Her short orange dress and undergarments clung uncomfortably to her body and she had to tie a dark green bandanna above her forehead to keep most of her hair from sticking to her damp face.

Trudging ahead of her were Jet and Droy, hacking away with their machetes to make a reasonable path through the jungle. They were panting and sweating as they worked, their grunts muted by the many beautiful songs of tropical birds, the annoying buzz of insects, and the occasional shrieks and roars of monkeys and other animals. And noisily scampering and laughing behind her were Romeo and Bacon, running and stopping to look at every fascinating thing they saw among the wildlife. The boys were full of energy having slept through most of the train ride.

Romeo wanted to come along in search of Wendy and her team, insisting it was his idea in the first place. He didn't get approval from his father first since Macao was out of town with Wakaba on a mission for the day so that left Mirajane with the task of relaying the news of his son's sudden disappearance. Levy wondered how Macao would react upon hearing that Romeo and Bacon would be gone for the next three months so far from home.

Probably not too well… Levy concluded, since Macao was an overprotective father and often worried about Romeo. And after having Bacon stay at his home for the past month, the young swordsman was like his second son to him. With both boys gone, Macao would likely stress out more than usual. Levy could only trust Mirajane can explain everything and reassure him that Romeo and Bacon were safe with Shadow Gear and Team Natsu watching over them.

"Wow! Look at this flower! It's huge!" Romeo suddenly exclaimed, drawing Levy's attention behind her. Hanging farther back, he was pointing at an enormous corpse flower growing on the jungle floor. It was bigger than the boys combined, its thick petals a deep red and dotted with yellow. The fire mage wrinkled his nose and gagged soon after leaning closer to peer into the gaping hole in the flower's center that was big enough to swallow him whole. "Eww! It stinks!"

Right beside him was Bacon whose face also morphed into disgust when he caught the foul stench of rotten meat coming from the giant bloom.

"Boys, come on!" Levy called for the trailing pair, waving them over. "Keep up or you'll get lost!" Not to mention the jungle was full of dangerous creatures and poisonous plants. She kept a constant eye on her surroundings, making sure there wasn't anything that could endanger the curious pair when wrongly touched or confronted. There were lots of captivating things in the wilderness around them: enormous trees with twisted trunks and plump, hanging fruits, giant flowers that were vibrant in colour, hundreds of vines that wrapped around branches and trunks of nearly every tree like super long snakes, small and large birds with colourful plumes, and, Levy's least favourite, many different insects and spiders that ranged from ant-sized critters to humongous foot-long abominations.

The children quickly left the smelly plant to catch up with Levy. Both carried their own large backpacks full of their personal belongings and yet neither seemed affected by the heat like Levy and her teammates. "Aren't you guys hot?" she asked, dabbing at the sweat trickling down the side of her face with a damp cloth. Feeling parched, she unhooked her water bottle hanging on the side of her pack and took a big gulp of warm but still refreshing liquid.

Romeo broadly grinned. "Nah. We're keeping cool," he replied, engulfing his left hand with icy blue fire. Instead of heat given off the small flickering flame, it was a pleasing chill that brought some relief to Levy. Bacon immediately smiled at the other boy's magic but dared not to touch it for he had been scolded many times before by Romeo.

"That feels so nice!" Levy murmured with a sigh. "Please keep it burning and stay close to me to ward off this terrible heat."

Romeo slightly pouted at her request but followed Levy nonetheless. However, the cold spell only lasted half a minute before Bacon wandered off to the side to get a closer look at something, taking the fire mage with him. Levy quietly groaned as she was left to suffer in the sweltering humidity once more.

It was another painstaking hour before the group emerged from the jungle and entered the wide open sandy shore of the country's southwestern coast. Levy was greeted by the searing, blinding sun and the cool ocean wind that felt like a blessing against her sticky, moist skin. Sandaled feet sank into hot, white-gold sand as she rounded the few coconut palms that have taken root on the beach. Finding a spot in the shade, she dropped onto her bare knees like a rock onto the soft ground with Jet and Droy collapsing on either side of her, all exhausted. The two young boys however, excitedly ran off to the water's edge, their boots kicking up the sand.

The vast, deep blue ocean sparkled like diamonds under the radiant sun; the sea spreading as far as the eye could see, seemingly merging with the clear blue sky in the horizon. Gulls and other seabirds were soaring above, squawking and landing on the rocky parts of shore not too far away where the rolling tides soundly crashed against the mounds of rocks jutting out of the water's surface. The place looked, smelled, and felt like paradise. It was no wonder her companions had chosen such a beautiful location for their three-month stay.

For a moment, Levy took the time to catch her breath and enjoy the view. Bacon and Romeo stood like brothers side-by-side on the shore, gazing off at the endless sea. Although their backs were turned towards her, Levy knew the both of them wore wide smiles upon their young faces. As the boys began to explore, Levy reached into her bag for the map Mirajane had marked for her.

On the chart, a red 'X' was drawn on the shoreline they were currently at. "According to this, they should be around here," she said, looking around the length of the beach that stretched far, around and out of sight behind the bordering jungle. Natsu and his team would have likely set up camp somewhere along the beach, closer to the trees for adequate shelter.

Droy slowly rolled onto his back before heaving his heavy body into a sitting position. "Guess we should hurry and look for them before the sun sets," he suggested, patting away the sand that clung to the bottom of his double chin, the front of his blue and white, tropical shirt, and his big belly.

Nodding, Levy wearily climbed back to her feet with Jet's help. Dusting off her knees and legs, she called for the boys who were now busy picking up shells and rocks in the wet sand and started to make her way down the right side of the beach. She stayed in the cool shadows of the tall palm trees as she followed the shoreline.

When Bacon caught up to her, he gently tugged on her hand as he strolled alongside her. "What is it, Bacon?" Levy asked, giving the boy a kind smile.

Grinning, he handed her half of a clam's shell that was as big as his palm.

The girl's smile widened. "For me? Thank you! I love it. It's beautiful," she said, examining the shell closely. It was smooth and pearly-white on the inside and ridged and turquoise on the other. She leaned over and gave him a little hug as thanks before he went to give Jet and Droy pieces of shells as well.

As they rounded the outer jungle, it wasn't long until they heard familiar voices coming from up ahead.

"Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Levy heard Natsu shout out an attack before hearing what sounded like a heavy rock thudding into the ground, tossing sand into the air.

Jet smirked. "Sounds like Natsu's training hard."

Then Levy heard Gray's angry voice, "Hey, flame-brain! Look what you did! You destroyed the ball! That's a penalty!"

There was a sharp sound coming from a blown whistle followed by Erza yelling, "Destruction of equipment nets the other team an additional five points!"

"What?! No freaking way!" Natsu bellowed before growling in annoyance.

Levy exchanged confused looks with Jet and Droy. Bacon and Romeo were already running ahead through the last of the trees before Levy started to jog after them.

She couldn't believe what she saw when she found her friends. "Wait a minute. They're not training, they're playing beach volleyball!" she exclaimed, eyeing the clearly marked sandy court with a net hung high down the center.

A fuming Natsu, a frazzled Lucy, and an unhappy Loke stood on one side while a smirking Gray, a love-struck Juvia, and a relieved Wendy stood on the other. Erza was seated atop a tall, cushioned chair made of thick bluish ice, acting as the referee while Carla and Happy watched from the sidelines, both waving colourful flags that represented their respective team. Everyone was dressed in their swim wear, having fun instead of focusing on their 'mission'.

And it wasn't just ordinary beach volleyball they were playing either… it was Magical (Death) Battle Beach Volleyball, a favourite sport among most members of Fairy Tail, usually the high rankers. It was a game that often turned extremely violent depending on who was playing. Whenever Natsu and Gray were on the court, whether on opposite teams or on the same side, matches always ended up in complete destructive chaos. It got even worse when Erza joined in the action. Everything was bound to be destroyed with those three aggressive and highly competitive members participating; equipment, nearby buildings, the surrounding environment – barely anything was salvageable once the game was over between them.

Their current court was already more than half-devastated with deep craters littering the sand both in and out of the lines. Three recently made craters on Gray's side were smoking, which Levy could quickly assume was due to Natsu spiking the volleyball so hard with his last attack that it split into flaming pieces. Scattered all over the sand were broken chunks of Gray's ice, melting and glistening under the hot sun. The sand was equally drenched and scorched black in various spots by Juvia's water and Natsu's flames. The net bore several burnt holes and hanging, dripping icicles and was held loosely together by only a few remaining strings.

Levy cringed at the state of the beach, not quite sure how long the group had been playing the intense game. Normally, it took at least ten minutes before the playing field reached this level of a mess.

Erza brought out a new volleyball seemingly out of nowhere. But before she could pass it to one of the teams, Wendy spotted Bacon running towards her and cried out the boy's name in surprise. All heads turned towards the approaching group, shocked to see Shadow Gear, Romeo, and Bacon making their way towards them.

Hopping over the sandy craters and avoiding the ice chunks, Wendy was first to meet up with Bacon. She gripped his shoulders, frowning with worry. "Bacon! What are you doing here? Did something happen?" she asked while everyone began to gather around them.

In response, Bacon stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. Wendy's expression softened and it was obvious she instantly knew the answer. She returned the embrace without a word.

Meanwhile, Erza raised her brow at Shadow Gear and questioned, "What's going on?"

"Yeah, what're you guys all doing here?" Natsu asked, both eager and confused.

Levy bashfully smiled and began to explain.

"Thank goodness you guys arrived in time," said Lucy, breathing out a big, relieved sigh. Sitting on her beach towel under the shade of the trees, she leaned back on the palms of her hands and gazed out at the ocean shore where Natsu, Happy, Gray, Jet, Droy, Romeo, Bacon, and Wendy were playing in the water. "I was sure I was going to die if we started another round."

Magical Battle Beach Volleyball… it was a sport way out of Lucy's league. Not only could she not keep up with the incredible speed of the volleyball flying all over the place, she couldn't even counter the spells being thrown at her from her opponents, leaving her two teammates, Natsu and Loke, to do all the work.

To Lucy's right, Levy let out a little giggle. She, as well as Jet, Droy, Bacon, and Romeo, had changed into their swim suits not too long ago. The afternoon was late and still very hot so they all decided to finally relax for the rest of the day. "Oh, I know how it is…" Levy replied with a tentative smile. "Can't say I'm a big fan of the game either. By the way, aren't you guys supposed to be training?"

"That was training," Erza implied, lying back on her towel on the other side of Levy, her eyes closed and looking content. "Since Lucy, Juvia, and Wendy have yet to experience the game, it was the perfect exercise to hone their physical and magical reflexes."

More like the perfect exercise to get killed… Lucy bitterly thought. "That game is for you crazy, insane people," she muttered under her breath, running a hand down her tired face. Carla, sitting comfortably on Wendy's rolled-up towel in front of Lucy, soundly smirked at the comment.

"You are only feeling this way because Juvia was on Gray's team and not yours," Juvia boasted from the other side of Lucy, leaning right into the other mage's face with a smug smile. "Juvia won the game."

Lucy nervously flinched away from the water mage and gave her a sullen look, not sure which game Juvia was referring to. Technically, no team had won the dreaded volleyball game since they stopped in the middle of the second round out of a grueling five, but Lucy didn't mention that and only sighed. She hadn't cared about winning; she only cared about staying alive throughout the insanity. "So Bacon had another bad nightmare, huh?" she said, changing the subject. "Wendy was worried about him ever since we left."

Levy nodded. "This morning he was very depressed. We couldn't cheer him up no matter what we did. Coming here was the best option because… well, three months is a long time for him to wait."

Lucy quietly agreed. Smiling, she watched the young boy laugh as he was carried around on Gray's shoulders. Romeo was perched over Natsu's shoulders and Wendy towered above the others as she sat atop of Droy's. The three pairs were trudging through the ocean, chasing after Happy who flew over the tides, carrying his team flag with his tail. Whoever was first to grab the flag won a point. Jet was waiting by the water's edge, keeping score.

"It's been a month…" Lucy quietly remarked. One month since Wendy had found Bacon within the lost temple. Since then, the boy has become a beloved member of Fairy Tail's family.

His past still remained a mystery. Despite all that time and everyone's efforts, it didn't seem like the boy had regained much of his memories. He was still a curious child and still learning the basics of survival. The only things he could recall were a few melodies on his ocarina and parts of songs that he couldn't quite fully remember how to play. Lucy had heard the different wonderful tunes whenever she was back from a short mission or training session, but only when Wendy was around. Bacon rarely played when the young Dragon Slayer was absent.

"It's been slow, but bit by bit, I believe he's remembering pieces of his past," said Levy with a fond smile. "The songs he plays are proof of that."

"Did Bacon bring his weapons?" Erza suddenly asked, bringing quizzical glances from everyone.

Turning to the older woman, Levy cocked her head slightly and raised an eyebrow at first before narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Romeo usually keeps them stored away in his pocket dimension. Why do you ask?"

Sitting up, Titania was sneering as an idea crossed her mind. "I want to see if he remembers more than just how to play his flute," she answered.

"Not this again," Lucy murmured, afraid of what new sinister plot her superior had planned. "You're not thinking of–"

"I believe it's time to bring out his fighting spirit again. Perhaps it'll hasten the recovery of his memories," Erza informed. Her expression became serious. "He's a warrior as well as a musician. Forbidding him to fight only suppresses his abilities. He needs to experience more battles in order to remember more of his past life."

"Wendy will not approve of it given what happened last time," noted Carla, giving Titania a stern look. She crossed her arms, the end of her ribboned tail twitching. "We are not supposed to draw out the boy's power in fear of what it may attract."

"We are in a safe, isolated location," the other pointed out.

"I don't know, Erza…" Levy began hesitantly, slightly frowning. "I don't think it's wise to go against what we promised Master."

"I'm not suggesting Bacon would need to use his magic. Just a simple test in his fighting capabilities. Specifically with his swordplay."

"Define 'simple' in your terms," Carla dared to retort.

Titania's sneer returned. "Sword against sword in a little spar. As simple as that."

Although it did sound somewhat tame, Lucy had a dreaded feeling the spar would eventually turn into a drawn-out, vicious battle. Especially when Erza was in control of things. Lucy missed the first time Bacon fought against Erza, but she did witness the end result. Lucy didn't want the poor kid to go through all of that again.

Since the raptordile incident, Bacon had not touched his sword, shield, and bow due to Macao suggesting that the weapons should be kept in a safe place until it was absolutely necessary for the young boy to have them. However, Lucy did hear from Levy that Bacon would secretly practice his swordplay with Romeo using wooden sticks, so it was probably safe to say the young boy's skill with the sword had yet to dull over the past month. But even if that was true, Bacon still wouldn't come out unscathed when Erza was done with him.

Levy was quick to go against Erza's plan. "Please, Erza! He didn't come here just to get beat up!"

Erza rolled her eyes as if tired of hearing the same assumptions. "I'm not going to beat him up. I told you, it's only a spar."

"At least let the kid have some fun first," Lucy protested, gesturing to the group having a good time in the water. "Bacon's never been to the beach. Look how happy he is with everyone. I think you should wait for another day." Or another month or two, she wanted to add but held her tongue, knowing Titania wouldn't reconsider waiting that long.

"Juvia would be very happy too if she rode on Gray's shoulders like that," Lucy overheard the water mage murmur to herself. Juvia was cupping her hands to her smiling, blushing face, her sparkling blue eyes glazed over as she fantasized another over-dramatic romantic scenario between her and the Ice-Make mage.

For a moment, Erza said nothing as she watched the boys and Wendy frolic in the ocean. She heaved a sigh and fell back on her towel. "Very well," she finally complied, folding her arms under her head and closing her eyes. "Tomorrow then."

Lucy shared a small, relieved look with Levy now that they've managed to bide a little more time for Bacon. Lucy could only hope she and the others could come up with other excuses to stave off Titania's desire to test her sword against his.

When evening came, everyone was out of the water, starving. As they were getting ready to prepare supper, Loke suddenly returned from the Celestial Spirit World on his own, fully dressed in his black suit again. There was a look of urgency on his face, making Lucy quick to realize something was wrong.

"Guys, I need your help," Loke pleaded, interrupting Natsu from starting a cooking fire, "You all have to come with me to the Celestial Spirit World."

"Wh-what? Why? What's going on?!" Lucy questioned in shock, jumping to her feet.

"Did something happen to the spirits?" Gray asked, just as surprised as everyone else.

Loke shook his head and motioned for everyone to come closer. "I have no time to explain. I'll take you to the Spirit World first."

"But how?" Lucy inquired, moving to stand before her friend and spirit. "Humans can't enter the Spirit World… Can they?"

She caught the playful gleam in the lion's eyes behind his tinted shades when he met her stare. A wide grin spread across his face as he raised his right hand shrouded in golden energy. "They can when they wear special clothes enchanted with the power of the Celestial Spirits," he explained. Within the next instant, a large magic circle appeared right below the group's bare and sandaled feet, shining bright and pure with white light.

Lucy could hear the sounds of awe and startled gasps around her as everyone's swim suits were replaced with new clothes in a blink of an eye. Before she could admire her new outfit, the light of the circle grew too bright, forcing her to shut her eyes. The next thing she knew, she was no longer standing on the sunny beach but in an amazing world full of mystery and wonder.

Evening was nearing its end and the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky orange, pink, and red. The last golden rays touched upon the flowing waters of the large fountain built within the center of the palace's courtyard. Glistening like diamonds, the endless cascade of water added a touch of beauty to the surrounding garden. Flowers of nearly every shape and size and in every colour of the rainbow brightened the lush area alongside the trimmed hedges and trees. Birds could be heard, singing their last songs for the day, as they fluttered between trees and branches.

It was here that Princess Hisui E. Fiore always felt at peace. The vast garden was her late mother's favourite place. "My treasure," the Queen had once called it. And now it was Hisui's treasure, one of the last gifts her mother had left her.

Sitting on the purple marble ledge of the fountain, the princess didn't mind the spray of water against her face, chilling her slightly. She ran her fingers across the rippling surface of the crystal clear water in the basin, smiling at her distorted reflection.

Footsteps were approaching her spot, each step heavy and ringing with the clinks of metal armour.

Always on time, she mused, her carefree smile gone. In place was the bold face of the princess, the heir and willing protector of the Kingdom of Fiore. She stood and wiped her wet, cold fingers on the fringes of her dark blue satin dress. Eyes transfixed on the shimmering fountain, she addressed the other as he soundly bent a knee behind her; "Sir Geraldo."

"Your Highness," the man greeted, his deep baritone voice echoing within the helm he wore.

The princess turned around, her emerald eyes falling on the kneeling knight. "At ease. No need for formalities here. I've told you many times. Now, please stand."

"Of course, Princess." The knight stood up, his full height towering over the smaller woman by half a meter. Fully clad in polished black armour hemmed with silver from head to toe and wearing the flowing crimson cloak of the Cherry Blossom Holy Knights, the man was an imposing figure when standing among the ranks of the king's army. Within only two years, the man had flourished from a common soldier to a well-respected knight. A stern, strict man most of the time, he dealt discipline with a solid steel fist for he was the second-in-command of the Holy Knights. Loyal and trustworthy, he had sworn to protect the royal family and the Kingdom of Fiore. Not only that, he was the one secretly overseeing the Eclipse Project by the princess's side along with Arcadios.

Never has Hisui gazed upon the man's face for it was always hidden beneath the great helm that covered all but the narrow slit for him to see. Made of layered black steel and lined with silver to match the design of his armour, the front of the large helm was adorned with two magnificent silver horns that curved upwards like the tusks of a wild boar. Deep ruby eyes dwelled within, most of the time shrouded by shadow, but sometimes the princess caught a glimpse of them when the knight stood at the right angle towards the sun. Right now she could see them, glowing red like the embers of a young flame as they met her stare. "Everything is ready for this year's Grand Magic Games."

The princess nodded. "This is the year of the eclipse… the year foretold of our destruction," she coolly replied. And yet her heart was fluttering and her hands were turning cold and clammy with worry. "This is the year we must utilize our plan without flaw."

"The twelve golden Celestial keys are still needed. Are you certain they will appear before the time arrives?"

"Yes." For that has been foretold as well. She gave the knight a confident smile. "Fairy Tail's strongest have returned, the ones who once made the guild the strongest seven years past. Among them is a Celestial Spirit mage who is in possession of ten of those keys. Her name is Lucy Heartfilia."

The knight crossed his plated arms that palely gleamed from the fading light and narrowed his eyes through the slit of his helm. "You believe she will attend?"

"I do not doubt that she and her guild will participate in the event. The allure of the Games would surely draw Fairy Tail's attention now that they rank the lowest of all guilds. Do you not remember the stories about them? I understand you have only served seven years under my father but surely you have heard the old tales of their amazing feats?" And of course, the reason why they were also a notorious guild in the eyes of the Magic Council.

"Some," Sir Geraldo replied in honesty. "They were part of the alliance that defeated the Dark Guild Oracion Seis and were the ones who abolished Grimoire Heart."

"Since the disappearance of their main members on Tenrou Island, Fairy Tail's reputation has gone to the gutter. They are a prideful group. The Grand Magic Games will be their key to bringing them back to the top. They cannot refuse to participate." The outcome of this year's Games will be the deciding factor for my decision. If that cloaked man has told true of our future, then I must do everything I can to protect my city and my people.

"And of the other two keys?"

"They will show up on another Celestial Spirit mage." It was what she was told and she was hoping out of desperation for it to be true. Every night since the day she had learned of the calamity destined to befall Fiore, Hisui had prayed to whatever gods would hear her for the chance to change her kingdom's fate. Years had been spent planning and preparing to prevent the upcoming disaster that was soon dawning upon them. "And when we find those last two keys, it is up to Arcadios to retrieve them all. Is he… Is he prepared for that task?"

The black knight nodded his great helmed head as he slightly bowed forward, his right hand placed over his heart. "The captain and I are at your every command, Your Highness. He will do what is needed and so will I for the sake of Fiore. As of now, Captain Arcadios continues to misinform Minister Datong of the cannon's completion. There will be no interjections from that old man so long as he remains oblivious to our plans."

The princess was overwhelmed with shame and guilt for having to deceive the Minister of Defense. She couldn't hide her heavy frown.

"You must do what must be done, Princess," the man stated bluntly. "Everything we are doing is for one purpose only and–"

"That is to protect our future," Hisui finished for him, feeling more assured. She faced the fountain and stared at the darkening sky. Night was falling, signaling another day gone and forgotten. Time was growing shorter with each beat of her anxious heart. Yes, we all must do everything we can… even if we must lie, betray, and deceive…

"It grows dark, Your Highness. I suggest you retire for the night."

The princess lightly shook her head. "The night is still young. I would like to stay out here for a little while longer. You are dismissed, Sir Geraldo. Give my regards to the captain."

"Of course, Princess."

She heard him leave. Now alone, Hisui turned her head towards the dark heavens, her mind troubled with the upcoming Grand Magic Games. Sleep would not come to her tonight. Just like the night before, the night before that, and the night before that. For the past seven years, she could not fall asleep on her own and needed a magic spell or a potion to ever get any rest. But even then, her dreams were plagued by nightmares. She often dreamt of failure; her plan to save the future would always somehow go wrong, resulting in death and destruction and her beloved city of Crocus in ruins. The dreams would not go away no matter how much faith she had for the Eclipse Project to succeed.

Hands clasped tight to her chest, she gazed upon the peeking stars and silently prayed for luck and hope to be on their side. The song of ten thousand dragons will soon rent the sky... and she was the only one who could stop it.

Only one more week until the Games begin… The winner will decide the fate of Fiore's future.

A/N: Time for the plot to move forward.

Many thanks to all who have voted so far. The poll will remain open until the start of the Grand Magic Games, (probably after two more chapters). You can check the current standings in the poll on my profile. As of July 13: Erza is in the lead and surprisingly, Mavis is a close second! Tied for third are Lucy and Mirajane and Loke, Natsu, and Levy are right behind.

The next update will likely take longer for I will be occupied with my goal to complete my other ongoing story. If I don't finish that story now, chances are I'll never finish it in the future (and I don't want another unfinished story to add to my list).

Thank you all for reading!