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November 7th, X778

Traveling with Loke reminded Lucy a lot of traveling with Natsu in the beginning, though she knew enough now about the gods that she wasn't wasting time being exasperated by his miraculous survival.

As the fire crackled, Lucy studied her new traveling companion and, as always, missed Natsu and Wendy. Wendy would have been tucked into her side, with Happy and Charle right alongside her. Natsu would have been keeping a sharp eye out for danger, ensuring they were safe even without having any power from the heavens. Maybe Natsu would have mused about the gods, telling them stories. There were plenty of things that might have happened, things related to their routines and plans for the next day.

Learning how to work with someone new was hard and made Lucy miss them so badly that it was like she'd been stabbed in the gut. At least Loke wasn't like Gajeel, supposed Lucy. Gajeel would have argued and fought her on everything; in comparison, Loke agreed to do whatever Lucy thought was a good idea, so long as it pushed them in the direction he felt they needed to go: Hyacinth.

No, Loke wasn't like Gajeel, but he did have his own troublesome habits – such as asking questions Lucy would rather not answer.

"Those scars on your arms–"

Lucy had suspected they'd come up eventually when Loke had spotted them the day before. She'd been wringing out her coat after a freezing rain had soaked them to the bone. Lucy had been so cold, her teeth had chattered loudly enough that it should have brought a Vhalis to them. She'd had to change into an extra shirt to remove the bite of cold from a frozen long-sleeved shirt, and the only extra Lucy had was a short-sleeved T-shirt that did nothing to hide and protect her arms.

Sometimes, she wondered why Makarov hadn't said anything. She knew he'd seen them.

Quietly, Lucy said firmly, "I'm not going to talk about that." Nothing had changed about that in the time since a small scratch on her neck – where a small scar now resided, reminding her forever of what had happened – had torn her life away from her.

Lucy almost laughed. Almost.

Loke didn't push. Rather, after a few moments, he said, "If you don't want to talk about those, will you answer one question?"

Lucy eyed him warily, suspicious of what he might say as he stretched out before the fire. He was as comfortable as he could be in his torn suit. Lucy hoped they found better clothes for him before long, so that he fit in better should they find someone. She desperately hoped they didn't, but better safe than sorry.

After some contemplation, Lucy sighed, "Fine." It would be a lot nicer traveling with someone she knew rather than someone she didn't. "So long as you answer one question for me."

Loke seemed startled by her demand, but a grin appeared. "Reasonable," he agreed. He settled in, reminding Lucy not for the first time of Happy. Many of his actions reminded her of the felines that she'd traveled with. She wondered if it had to do with his being "Leo the Lion," though he had yet to explain why he preferred the name Loke.

After what seemed like ages, Loke uttered his question – which Lucy wanted to answer as much as his previous one. "If you were to be given the choice, would you keep the world as it is if it meant the gods would remain in it with you?"

It was a test of sorts. It had to be a test. Lucy could feel it in her bones, in the way he watched her, waiting for her answer. It made her uncomfortable enough that she shifted, biting her lip, because she knew her first, instinctive answer was the selfish one: yes. Vhalis and missing spirits would ensure Natsu stayed with her and Wendy, even if Lucy wasn't entirely human herself.

But Natsu…Lucy didn't think Natsu would like that option either. As much as he wanted to stay with them, he'd return the world to the way it was if it meant keeping them safe. If it meant saving countless lost souls from their eternal suffering and preventing such a fate from coming to Wendy and Lucy, he'd go back to Valhalla without a second thought. No matter how miserable they all became, he'd do it, simply because it would keep them safe.

Lucy didn't want to be safe, however. She wanted Natsu. She could feel his lacking presence like a hole shot right through her chest even now. Just thinking about him brought a flurry of tears she had to blink back. She missed him as much as she'd missed her mother in the first days of the Fall.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Lucy said honestly, "I don't know. I'd like to say I could be selfless and want the world to be fixed, but…I'm not a god. My feelings aren't like a god's, at least." She still felt human, even if those around her insisted otherwise – even if occasionally, she thought she felt something otherworldly snaking beneath her skin. Still, most of the time…she felt like herself, like Lucy Heartfilia, and Lucy Heartfilia had always been a selfish, sometimes miserable human in the time after the Fall. "I don't know what I'd do, Loke, but I wish I could say I'd do the right thing."

Loke hummed and mulled over her answer for a few quiet minutes. Rather than commenting on it, he asked, "What's your question for me, Lucy?"

She hadn't even thought of one yet. So, she took a little while to come up with what she wanted to ask before asking it: "If you were to be given the choice, would you give up the chance to walk in our world if it meant everything would be as it should be?"

Loke gave a shocked laugh, eyes gleaming with startled amusement. He'd not expected her to essentially reflect his own question back at him. Good. A wicked smile split over his lips as he mused, leaning back on his hands and hardly seeming to notice the bite of the snow beneath them, "I must admit, I wish I could say I'd do the right thing, Lucy. But I wasn't born human like you and gods like Natsu and Mirajane and Gajeel. I was born from the stars, as the others of my particular kind of god were. I've always been interested in humans though." His eyes met hers, gleaming. "I cannot lie. I quite like this world – more so than I thought I would when I chose to accompany you."

That was a particular piece of information Lucy had never heard – that some of the gods might not have been human. She wasn't surprised. She wanted to know more, but sleep had begun to weigh her eyelids down and Loke, unfortunately, had taken notice. "Sleep, Lucy," he said, lips quirking. "There's always tomorrow to talk."

As Lucy settled down to sleep, she found herself slurring through sleep-numbed lips, "Thank you, Loke. For helping me. I don't like being alone."

She thought his voice softened with affection when he replied, "On that, we can agree."

When the Vhalis struck, it was nothing like Lucy expected.

Usually, the Vhalis were absolutely terrifying to see, and this one was no different. Lucy had always hated their spindly limbs, sharp teeth, and just as deadly talons. She'd hated the way they thrived on pain and misery, even if she now knew it wasn't their fault.

But this particular Vhalis that had lurched from the bushes and buried its teeth in Loke's arm when he instinctively threw it up to block the Vhalis from reaching his face…

It was so, so small. Standing upright, it might have only reached Lucy's hip. Its small limbs were longer than was proportionate to its body, but not by much, and its scream was higher-pitched than most other Vhalis when Loke ripped it from his arm, ignoring the way it tore his flesh and scored his already ruined suit jacket further.

Lucy simply stood there, shocked, because she knew what that small body meant: it had been a child when it had died. She'd never seen one so small, and it was worse than any other Vhalis she'd seen by far.

"Lucy," barked Loke when she simply gawked at it, "Don't just stand there! Move!"

Lucy lurched aside as soon as she realized what he was doing. A beautiful, yet cold white light seemed to appear at his fingertips. It seared at her eyes, even when she screwed them shut, reminding her of the light Natsu could produce yet entirely different at the same time.

When the light faded, the Vhalis was gone. Not even ash remained. Loke looked stricken by what he'd done. "We have to find Mavis, Lucy. This can't go on."

Lucy approached him cautiously, eyeing the golden ichor oozing steadily from his wounded arm. She wondered in the back of her mind if she'd bleed gold now, too. "I've never seen a Vhalis like that," she admitted. It had been, more than likely, a child who'd been caught up in something that had turned it into what vicious and deadly creature it had become. It was one of the more horrible things she'd seen. "Your arm–"

Loke turned it, eyeing the injury. "Will be fine," he said with a shrug. "It won't kill me – not much can, as you very well know."

"Yes," said Lucy drily, "but Vhalis bites are a little different. Trust me, I know. They make you hallucinate and hurt a little more than the average bite would." At least, she thought they did. She wasn't human anymore, after all. She didn't know what the bite would do to a god, and they'd have no choice but to find out. She doubted they were close enough to Hyacinth for Yukino to help him as she'd helped Lucy.

Loke frowned, considering that. "Well then. I suppose we'll have to find out, though I can't say I'm looking forward to it."

Lucy snorted, unable to help the amused smile that threatened to appear. She dropped her bag on the ground and began searching through it for their meager stash of medical supplies. It wasn't nearly as well-stocked as she'd prefer, but then, Lucy was used to having Wendy around. Wendy tended to think of things she never did when it came to such things.

Actually, Lucy realized, looking at her bag, they were getting low on almost everything, something she was worried about. She should have expressed more interest in learning how to trap or hunt animals like Gray had playfully complained about them not knowing how to do.

Loke didn't so much as flinch as Lucy made him roll up his ruined sleeve. She used a tattered piece to wipe some of the gold away, then put some pressure on it. Watching her closely as she worked, Loke muttered, "The lost souls won't remain as such for much longer."

It was said confidently, as if Loke knew precisely where Mavis was and how to get to her.

They both knew it was a lie.

If Wendy was tired from being pushed a little harder than normal, she said nothing about it. Natsu knew he ought to slow down, give her more breaks and ensure she was doing okay, but the fact that a soul that could so easily be Lucy's was missing…

Well, the word "frantic" might be a good way to describe the panic in his chest.

Natsu needed to find another god, one who might know where Gray or Jellal would be. Even Erza, if he needed to push it, though he doubted he'd have any luck there. She'd be actively avoiding him so soon after claiming one of his Favored. His best bet was now truly Hyacinth. Mirajane had resided there when they'd left, and if all else failed, it rested beside the sea. Juvia, before anyone else, would know how to find Gray. He'd insult the sea spirit until the end of time if that was what it took to get an answer from her.

The fury that had been simmering in his chest for days hadn't dimmed one bit.

He had trusted Gray to make sure Lucy's soul was cared for and taken to Jellal, and Gray hadn't done a single inch of that. He'd lost Lucy's soul – because who else could it be? – and he'd even decided to hide that from Natsu. He was well within his rights to know what was happening with his Favored's soul, and he'd rip into Gray for that.

A squeal had him stopping and snapping his head back to look over his shoulder. Wendy had vanished. Alarmed, he whirled around. "Wendy?!"

"Here!" Wendy popped up, having tripped and fallen into a thick pile of snow he'd simply plowed through without much thought. Her face was pink from embarrassment, but Natsu could have cared less about that. The last time someone had fallen on their face in such a manner, he'd wound up losing them. He carefully made his way back over to help her up, frowning at how loudly her teeth chattered. "Sorry, I tripped, that's all."

The exhaustion was evident in the way she slumped against him when he pulled her upright. Guilt set in. This was no difference then when he'd pushed and pushed her to get to Igneel. "You didn't trip," sighed Natsu, irritated with himself. "You're tired." He ensured Wendy was steady on her feet, ignoring her protests as he began looking around them for a safe place to set up camp. Unfortunately, he couldn't see anything that matched the mental checklist Lucy had drilled into his head.

Which meant they'd be pushing onwards.

"Natsu," said Wendy softly, catching his attention. He glanced at her. "I want to keep going." She lifted her chin. Shadows were heavy beneath her glittering hazel eyes. "I don't want Lucy's soul to wander like the Vhalis do. I want her to be able to rest peacefully after everything she did for me." She searched his gaze, and where Porlyusica had seen slices of mortality, Natsu saw bits of her mother driving her forward when her human body struggled.

He was grateful for Wendy. No one else would have understood his sheer desperation.

"We will," he said confidently. He would figure out what had happened, no matter what. If he had to venture through Hel itself, he'd do so, even if it ripped him apart piece by piece. Gods couldn't really enter Hel the same way they could Valhalla. "But Luce wouldn't like how we're doing this, and it…" He took a deep breath, voice shaking as he finished, "It won't bring her back. Whatever's happening, she's still gone. So we'll find a place to camp so you can rest, and we'll keep going tomorrow."

"...okay." Wendy's shoulders slumped. "I wish I was like you. So I could go further."

"I'm glad you're not," he replied, reaching over to gently ruffle her hair. It would have meant he'd have lost Wendy, too. "Anyways, we can't do anything if you end up getting sick, too. So let's find somewhere to stay for the night so I can make sure I do the runes right." As it was, the sun would start going down soon and the Vhalis would start crawling around more. While the daytime sun was weak, it certainly continued to aggravate them enough that they avoided it.

Wendy hummed a reluctant sigh of agreement, and then gasped when a pathetic mewl came from the pile of snow she'd fallen into. "Natsu! Happy's stuck, too!"

Natsu sighed and dropped his head before going to retrieve his cat – as well as Charle, who'd not even deigned to try getting through on her own.

The building in front of them seemed empty enough, but Lucy never trusted a building that looked empty. The ones completely empty and lifeless were the ones to watch out for. There was usually a reason for – a reason that usually, nine times out of ten, involved Vhalis. Lucy had no desire to come across another at the moment.

"Seems harmless enough," said Loke from where he stood, eyeing the building. It had once been a gas station, positioned along a highway that followed the coast. They'd stumbled across the highway some time ago and had followed it, ensuring the sea was always in sight so they knew they were going the right direction. It was entirely by chance that they stumbled across the gas station.

Lucy scowled, hoping he'd not jinxed them. "They always do," she muttered, taking a deep breath. She began approaching the building. It seemed untouched from the outside; she hoped the inside was the same. Though…she wasn't sure how far out the residents of Hyacinth had gone, seeking supplies. If they were as close as Lucy wished they were, it might have been raided already.

Only one way to find out.

"If we're lucky," Lucy said as they paused before the front door, checking to see what they could see through untouched glass doors and windows, "we'll find some more bandages for that arm of yours."

Loke had gotten lucky. Vhalis bites didn't seem to be as dangerous to gods as they were to humans. It didn't mean it was a pleasant experience either though. Loke's wound hadn't hailed nearly as quickly as Lucy had expected them to. "It's because I'm a different type of god," he'd told her when she'd asked. "While I certainly could overpower Mavis's children right now, there's no way in hell I'd stand a chance when Valhalla's at full power."

Loke threw his arm a distasteful look, as if it were merely an inconvenience. "I wouldn't mind that."

Lucy snorted quietly in amusement. "Wait until you experience the magic of painkillers," she told him, voice echoing softly in the empty gas station. She gave it a moment, recalling the grocery store that had been shockingly full thanks to the Vhalis that preyed upon those who entered it.

For once, luck was on her side. No Vhalis appeared. Lucy let out a soft breath, face brightening with a hesitant, uncertain smile. "Loke," she said over her shoulder, "keep an eye out for anything weird, okay? I'm going to load up. I'll see what I can find for that bite of yours."

Loke's lips twitched. "You don't think I can help?" he teased. She threw him a look that made him sigh. "Fine, fine. I'll keep an eye out for Vhalis."

Confident someone would be ensuring she stayed safe while she focused on other matters, Lucy began exploring the gas station. She was excited to find that while it had definitely been raided by someone else, there was still plenty left behind. There was some food that could be salvaged, a few bottles of water – something she'd been carefully rationing with a single, small plastic water – and even a first-aid kit. She snagged a few other things she thought might be helpful, shoving her bag as full as it could get and even a few into her pocket.

As she was preparing to go back to Loke, something caught her eye. It had been placed on display near a window. It seemed harmless enough, untouched in a world that had no need for it. She approached it with a soft gaze, grabbing the small stuffed cat. It was soft, white-furred, and stared back at her with lifeless button eyes. She ran her thumb over the muzzle, heart aching as she thought of Charle, and didn't hesitate to cram it into her bag, too.

When she found Wendy again, she'd give it to her as an apology for scaring her. Lucy had never let the others bring along items that couldn't be useful, but something about the cat…she couldn't leave it behind.

Content with her findings, Lucy went to show Loke the first-aid kit she'd found.

Hello again! I've returned with some goodies for everyone!

Thank you all for being so understanding about my much-needed break, I really do appreciate it! I'm happy to say I'm in a better place now, and look forward to working towards the reunion everyone so badly craves. ;)

Might I add that we REACHED 500 REVIEWS?! Thank you guys so much!

Thanks to reviewers (marn-marn, hopelesskar, InfiniteMiste, xennia-x, Kayesfaye, DREAMCHASING, Meow Orbit, Lyra121, dooryy, galactiaconstella, Sele de la Luna, ShanpaiUniverse, TaraPasty, DarkFairyGirl, BurstingDragons, Guest #1, & XxStar'sDustxX!) as well as those who favorited and followed!