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December 11th, X778


Natsu had never been all that good at tracking other gods. He was downright terrible at it, to be honest. Many others knew that, too. Mavis, herself, had teased him about it on occasion. He couldn't feel their diales like the others, couldn't understand what they meant when they tried to explain it to him. He couldn't feel another god's presence and power.

No, Natsu had never been good at tracking other gods.

But he certainly had the uncanny ability to stumble onto them accidentally – something even Gajeel could grudgingly admit was impressive. The only one more impressive than him at that particular skill had been Lucy, and sometimes, Natsu wondered if her being one of his Favored had contributed to that.

Admittedly, Natsu had been hoping to trip across a particularly useful god back when he'd initially set out with Lucy. It hadn't worked though; when they'd found other gods, they'd been relatively useless in his search for information. Levy had come up empty-handed when they'd found her, something Natsu thought unheard of. Even Porlyusica hadn't known anything about what had happened to Mavis, Valhalla, and the Vhalis, and she was relatively known for having a keen awareness of everything.

That had been before, however.

Before he'd found Lucy.

Before he'd lost her.

Before he'd found out that a strange, missing soul didn't wander as every other did.

Now, those same clueless gods might have answers about how to track a missing soul. He was just happy his strange ability for locating gods without a clue as to where they were was actually coming in handy for once, because there was no doubt in his mind that the goddess in front of them would be able to help them at least a little.

For one, she owed him. She owed him big time, even before telling her about his Favored's death.

Levy stared back at them from eyes stitched shut, seated in the small sliver of green grass and flowers. She looked as pleased to see them as her usual companion might have. They'd followed Happy when Natsu had realized what was happening, though Wendy hadn't been thrilled about doing so. As it was, Happy was sitting comfortably beside Levy, purring despite the irritation seeping into the air. "Happy," Natsu called quietly, and his cat surprised him when he listened. Happy purred once more at Levy before bounding over to join them.

Leave.

Natsu scooped Happy into his arms, ignoring the way Levy's power crackled along his skin – the way the thick scent of iron clogged his throat and brought back memories of another time and place. Coldly, he told the springtime goddess, "Not until I get what I need. You owe me, and you owe Lucy."

Levy hissed, the sound raking over his ears. Wendy pressed against him, clearly unnerved by the blood that stained Levy's hands as she removed them from the corpse of the deer in front of her. A thick rib bone dangled from her fingers. It had been splintered at one end, as if she'd snapped it free. After a long moment in which Natsu wondered if he would have to press the matter, Levy withdrew from whatever it was she was doing.

Wendy was trembling beside him, and Natsu ruffled her hair reassuringly. She was used to his world, but occasionally…he supposed some things could still be frightening. He forgot how odd some of the things they thought were normal were to people like Wendy. Lucy would have–

He shut that thought down immediately, not wanting to think of Lucy like that right now. He couldn't, not with Levy now approaching. She shed the appearance she wore when she realized it was scaring Wendy. Levy had been a part of the reason she had died, and he couldn't think about that when he had to talk with her.

Levy's hazel eyes were sharp with annoyance, but human enough for Wendy to relax a little when she stopped a few feet away from them. She even tucked her blood-stained hands behind her back. "What do you want, Natsu? I'm busy." Levy paused, suddenly frowning. She glanced between the pair before her, even looking past them before asking, "Where's–"

"Dead." The word was spit out bluntly, coldly. He didn't want to talk about what had happened or why. Levy flinched, as if he'd struck her with the word. "Apparently Gray's been running around, saying a soul went missing. Do you know anything about it?"

Levy had always been one of the more clever gods. She seemed to recognize the connection immediately. Her lips pressed into a hard line. "No," she said, "but how is it missing? Like the Vhalis?" Natsu shook his head. "The only other way I've heard of a soul going missing is when Mavis creates a new god. Could it be her?"

"Porlyusica didn't think so."

Wendy bit her lip, shifting anxiously from foot to foot. "Do you think could point us towards where Gray might be, Levy? Maybe he knows more than the rest of us do if he's the one who's looking."

Levy's attention turned on Wendy and softened. "No," she sighed, "I've not seen him, nor any of the others. Gajeel got an inkling of something a while ago and went to see what he could do. It was only a week or two after we left you two. He suspected he'd be away for some time. Perhaps he'll have heard of something when he comes back."

Affectionately, she tucked a lock of hair behind her pierced ear, lingering on the iron there. Levy hardly seemed to notice the blood still clinging to her fingertips. Natsu briefly wondered how difficult that had been for the pair; Gajeel had likely warred with himself about doing what he could for his work as a god and staying with Levy.

Levy suddenly frowned. "I thought I felt something odd some time ago," she said, turning back to Natsu. She searched his face seriously, her soft look vanishing. "Lucy was tied to me, as you know–"

"Believe me," muttered Natsu, scowling, "we couldn't forget."

Levy ignored him, continuing, "–and I thought, perhaps, she'd hurt herself in some way, or been hurt by something else. The scars marked her as mine, regardless of the fact that she was your Favored, Natsu."

Natsu considered walking away. He didn't want to hear any of this – especially not now, when Lucy was gone, and especially not when Levy was the reason for it. She had no right, regardless of whether or not she was actually at fault, to so much as think of Lucy Heartfilia. Ash flew as he exhaled slowly from his nose, trying to summon some patience. Wendy inched a step away as the smell of something burning filled the air.

Levy hardly seemed to notice. She reached up to adjust the crown atop her blue-haired head, which had bloomed with little violet blossoms. When she was pleased with how it sat, she snapped her gaze back to Natsu's and said quietly, "Natsu, blame me all you want for what happened to Lucy. I acknowledge my part in it, and I recognize that my debt to you has grown because of it. But…Natsu, that feeling…that tie between Lucy and I…it's still there."

Natsu paused, startled. "What?"

Levy pressed a blood-stained hand over her heart. "I can still feel her. Lucy, I mean. Perhaps it's not the same as before, but her soul must still be here somewhere if that's the case. It's not quite as strong as it was, but it's certainly there. You should be able to feel something similar, seeing as she was your Favored."

Natsu winced. He'd never been good at a lot of things he should have been. Sensing Lucy was one of them, right alongside being able to track diales.

Wendy asked hesitantly, "Could…do you think you can find Lucy, Levy?"

Levy glanced at her, lips curving. "Possibly." Her smile vanished, her feet sliding into a braced position when she added, "You understand, Natsu, that bringing Lucy Heartfilia back from the dead is not something I can allow you to consider, yes?"

He'd heard just once of a god bringing their Favored back from the dead. It had been a long time ago, back when he and Levy were among a few gods rather than the number they'd grown to. A goddess who no longer existed had fallen in love with a human woman. When she'd died, the goddess had ignored Erza's warnings and brought the woman's soul back from Hel. It had twisted into something far more frightening than a simple Vhalis, and Mavis had been forced to erase it. She'd ordered the goddess's death. It hadn't been easy on any of those around at the time. In fact, some of the other gods had been upset with Mavis and claimed they had the right to choose such things.

Erza, taking offense with the matter, had reminded those gods that they were not quite as powerful as the likes of her kind, and there had been a number of gods and goddesses who'd not been seen again afterwards.

Natsu gave a pained laugh, raking his hand through his pink hair. He touched the necklace at his throat fondly before he said quietly, "I wouldn't do that. Not to Lucy. I just…" He took a deep breath, then let it out in a gust of air. "I just want her soul safe and at peace, Levy. That's all I want."

He'd miss Lucy for as long as he was the sun god, but he'd never miss Lucy enough to make her endure some kind of pain and suffering to relieve his own. Especially not after his conversation with Jellal in the moments before Erza had taken her. He was determined to make sure no one ever hurt Lucy again, and that included him, too. He loved her far more than he missed her.

"Well," said Levy, flashing him a surprisingly wicked smile as she turned away. "Let's get started on finding her then."

Wendy watched Levy drop to her knees beside her deer carcass with wide, uncertain eyes. "Um…Levy? What does finding Lucy have to do with a dead deer?" Her face paled when Levy retrieved the bone she'd been messing with, eyeing it before tossing it over her shoulder. Wendy flinched, gagging when there was a loud snap when Levy found a different rib bone.

Levy smirked, snagging a stone and rolling it between her fingers. When she was satisfied, she began tap-tap-tapping away at the bone with it, trying to use it to carve into the bone. "I can scry with bones, Wendy," was her response. She hummed as she worked. "Wendy, could you see if you can find a stone that shines in the light? The clearing should be safe enough; I warded it. Something important to Lucy would help me focus my readings, Natsu."

Natsu instinctively touched his scarf, fingers resting over the necklace beneath it. He nodded at Wendy, who dumped her bags then and there and went to search the area for a stone. The cats trailed after her, tails high. "Will I get it back?"

Levy paused to throw him a reassuring smile. "I won't harm the object," she promised. "I simply need it to focus my thoughts."

Natsu hesitated for a long moment, unsure if he was ready to hand over something that had been so important to Lucy. He reached back to undo the clasp, holding it gently in his fingers. He smoothed his thumb over the metal before reluctantly handing it to Levy. He winced as she took it, smearing blood over it. Lucy would kill him if she saw that necklace now.

"Perfect," she said, seeming to recognize the necklace with a smile. She held it up so the light reflected off the metal. She gently tucked it into a pocket, ensuring Natsu saw her zip that pocket shut. Quietly, she said, "I truly am sorry for what happened to Lucy, Natsu. I understand she was very special to you."

Natsu sighed. He couldn't stay angry with her, though he knew he couldn't forget her part in everything either. "I wanted to bargain with Mavis – like Erza did for Jellal," he admitted to her hoarsely, voice rasping in his throat. "Mavis wasn't there. She wasn't where she was meant to be." He laughed bitterly, frustrated. "But if we're not where we're supposed to be–"

"Mavis is a spirit, Natsu; she's not like us," murmured Levy, returning her gaze to her work.

"I've never asked anything of any of you. Gods, spirits, no one. She should have answered me when I did." Natsu spun on his heel and stalked away to join Wendy.

Levy lifted her gaze, pursing her lips as she paused in chipping at the bone. She studied his back closely, worried that tracking a lost soul might cause Natsu to do something incredibly reckless.


Just as it had been suggested, it was near dusk that Lucy heard the hum of a boat's engine. She'd been tucked beneath the blanket she'd pulled from her bag, ignoring Loke's demands to go back to where they'd been staying for most of the day so she could get warm in favor of simply waiting on a rock, unsure if someone would actually come. A relieved smile lit her face. Lucy hopped to her feet and hastily put her blanket away, rushing to stand beside the water with Loke.

A woman steered the boat up alongside the shore, wrinkling her nose when she recognized Lucy. "You're the lady who was asking weird questions by the docks," she said warily, clearly wondering if she should bring Lucy back to Hyacinth.

Lucy sighed. She should've guessed she might not be welcomed back after that. Well, that and she'd run around like a mad woman when she'd gone looking for Wendy after she'd disappeared into thin air. And, Lucy supposed, she had simply left after all that with her weird friends.

Before she could say anything, however, Loke smiled charmingly at the woman. "Lucy's told me a lot about your town and mentioned it might be a safe spot to plan where we want to go next. Would you be so kind as to give us a ride over?"

The woman studied Loke closely. Lucy could have sworn there was some interest sparkling in her eyes momentarily before it vanished, replaced with a seriousness that came with having to be cautious in an unfamiliar world. She glanced at Lucy. "What happened to your other friends? The girl, and that guy with the pink hair?" Lucy pursed her lips, grimacing, and it seemed to be answer enough.

The woman let them into her boat. Lucy suspected that it was in part due to sympathy, but mostly due to Loke.

The ride across the channel was a little frightening in the dark, but Lucy breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the half-ruined docks. A section of them looked ruined and damaged, likely by whatever Juvia had done. Lucy said nothing about it as she hefted herself from the boat, wobbling. She grinned as she helped Loke out; he'd never been in something like a boat before, and he looked rather ill as he stumbled onto the docks.

The woman who owned the boat climbed out, too, telling them, "If you're hurt at all, you ought to head for Yukino's. She's been a little busy, but she makes time for everyone. You remember how to get there?"

Lucy nodded. "Thank you," she added.

The woman shrugged, turning her back on the entirely. She turned back hesitantly only a heartbeat later, as if reluctant to do so. "Watch out for anyone you think looks suspicious and avoid the shadows. It's…Hyacinth isn't what it used to be. Between that big storm and the ocean acting weird the last few weeks…it's kind of gone to hell. You hear me?"

Confused, Lucy agreed. Nevertheless, they set off. Lucy guided Loke through the docks, eyeing the damage as they entered the streets of Hyacinth. Juvia had really done a number on the town. "I doubt many people will be happy to see me here," she admitted to Loke as they walked. She'd not really told him much about what had happened in Hyacinth, and she wouldn't unless she had to.

Amused, Loke replied, "You seem to wreak havoc everywhere you go, Lucy."

"It's not even my fault," grumbled Lucy. She just happened to select the locations others who liked chaos seemed to occupy. She glanced at him, stepping over some rubble that had fallen into the street. "Can you tell if Mirajane's still here?"

"Unfortunately for us, she's left." Loke's face twisted with annoyance. He ran his hand through his hair, rings gleaming beneath the bright light of the moon that had begun to rise. "But we'll find someone else, I'm sure. I do wish she'd been here. It'd have been nice to pass on my information to another god."

At least Yukino and the other two were still around. She'd begun to get increasingly worried about the trio that had helped them, albeit reluctantly, since hearing that Juvia had decided to remind Hyacinth of the powers that were stronger than they were. They hadn't wanted to get involved, too happy to continue living in their safe zone, but it didn't mean Lucy hadn't hoped they were well. It would have been nice if Mirajane was there though. She might have known how to get to Natsu faster.

Yukino's shared home looked exactly as it had the last time Lucy had stepped inside, though there were some broken windows that had been boarded up following the storm. Lucy couldn't stop herself from jogging the last few steps up to the front door. She knocked a few times and a smile threatened to bloom when a familiar voice called, "One moment!"

The door was cracked open by a tired-looking Yukino not more than a minute or two after. She looked as if she'd been half-asleep when they'd knocked. The sleepiness vanished. "Lucy?" she gasped, jaw dropping.

"Hi," said Lucy, giving an awkward wave. "Long time, no see, Yukino."

Yukino glanced past Lucy, wary when she saw Loke. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously before she seemed to realize that he was with Lucy. Relaxing, Yukino opened the door wider. "Where's…never mind, we can talk inside. Come on in."

Lucy didn't hesitate to enter, dropping her backpack in the entryway. Loke entered behind her, electing to keep whatever he was thinking to himself. Lucy thought he almost seemed to glow in the dimness of the home. Yukino must have noticed, too, because when she stepped past him, she gave him a wide berth. Lucy eyed the medical room to her right, noting it was definitely slimmer in pickings than it had been previously. She hoped Yukino wouldn't mind some trading.

Yukino pointed them towards the living room and yelled up the stairs, "Rogue! Visitors!"

Loke pushed his hands into his pockets, remaining standing as Lucy dropped to sit in a plush chair. She shed her damp coat, arching a brow when Loke leaned against the arm rest. Lucy could have cried at how soft the seat was beneath her. "The woman at the dock mentioned some things were different now?" she prompted Yukino. She didn't like Hyacinth, even now. She'd come back for supplies, but felt about as safe as she had when she'd left what seemed like eons ago.

Yukino offered a faint smile, lingering by the stairs as someone began thumping down them. "Quite a bit different, I'm afraid. And it's not for the better."

Rogue appeared, stopping on the last step. A startled look flashed over his face. "Lucy," he recognized. "You're back. With…" His gaze shifted to Loke, wary. His eyebrows rose. "A different friend. Where's Natsu and Wendy? Are they alright?"

Lucy shifted uneasily, deciding she didn't want to tell them the whole story. "We got separated. I'm looking for them. I think they're okay. They were the last time I saw them. Where's Sting?" she asked, hoping to divert the conversation.

Rogue's attention didn't turn from Lucy's face. "He was helping a few others repair some areas around town today. He'll be back shortly."

Apparently not liking the awkwardness that was developing, Loke offered a bright, charming smile and nudged Lucy's foot gently with his own in a pointed way. "Yukino, Sting, this is Loke," she introduced, gesturing to him. "If he says anything ridiculous, please feel free to ignore him. I do."

"Lucy."

Despite her uncertainty of having Lucy back around with a stranger, Yukino laughed softly at the teasing. "I'm Yukino Auguria," she said by way of introduction, "and this is Rogue Cheney. Welcome to Hyacinth, though I'm sure neither of you will be inclined to stay more than a day or two."

Lucy rocked forward, bracing her elbows on her knees. "What happened?"

Rogue snorted and rather than answering, stepped down and simply disappeared down the hallway, heading for their kitchen. Yukino winced, watching him go. Quietly, she said, "Sting and I got caught up in the last skirmish. It was a close call. Rogue's not happy about it and thinks we need to leave immediately."

Lucy's lips parted. "Skirmish?"

"There was a big storm not long after you left," explained Yukino, meandering over to sit on the sofa. She dropped onto it, rubbing her temples. "It destroyed most of the eastern parts of town, and a good section of the docks, too. Some people vanished. Some died. There were a number of undead we had to ensure were sent to the sea. Those of us that were left…well, you know how people get when they're scared or angry, Lucy. Ideas are conflicting. Hyacinth's breaking apart. There's a few groups that have formed, and it's…well, it's not good. Rogue wants to leave. Sting thinks we should, too, and I…." She smiled faintly. "I wish we didn't have to. I like being safe here on the island, and I like helping the people with their ailments, but…we're heading out in the next few days."

Sincerely, Lucy murmured, "I'm sorry to hear that. I know how proud you guys were of Hyacinth."

Yukino looked at her lap, twisting her fingers. Her dark eyes were troubled as she said softly, "You're welcome to stay the night – both of you. But you shouldn't stay long. A lot of those people…well, they think that the problems started when they let in strangers. Us included."

In other words, people remembered Lucy and her odd questions, and would likely think she was in part to blame for the state of Hyacinth.

Unsurprised, Lucy sighed. Things could never go simply, could they?


We're at 50 chapters, everyone! Levy's back. ;) So much happening. I'm working my way towards the reunion writing-wise. I'm so excited.

I'm also pleased people like the way I'm portraying Juvia. She was one of the first designs I created for SF. Fun fact, if I've not said it before: Bubbles and I wove her and Gray's relationship and their god/spirit existences around Davy Jones and Calypso from Pirates, which is one of my favorite series of all time.

Thanks to reviewers (hopelesskar, InWonderl4nd, DREAMCHASING, marn-marn, galactiaconstella, Lyra121, Sir Sasquatch, ShanpaiUniverse, JayScriptMage345, & BurstingDragons!) as well as those who favorited and followed!