When the Jupiter cannon exploded from the inside out with enough force to rock the entire structure, Nora could not help but give a proud little smirk.

"Atta'boy," she murmured. Then, the whole thing started shifting and transforming, and it occurred to Nora that the one she was feeling such pride for might be in a heap of trouble. "Uh, should we be worried about Natsu?!"

"Worry about us!" Gray shouted as he, Nora, and Elfman ended up on the outside of a giant -well- giant!

They were clinging to the mech's chest, and Nora blinked as she looked down at the water. "Huh… Less legs to break, but I've gotta wonder how this thing is staying together." She shrugged. "Guess it's magic, or whatever."

"Uh." Elfman pointed through a window, his eyes wide. "I found Natsu."

Nora and Gray peeked through the window, their eyes widening as well as they saw the scene, then the ice-mage sighed as he clambered through and placed one hand on the opposite fist. "Don't worry, I've got it…"

The fire-mage about to strike Happy and the extremely motion-sick Natsu—one of the Element Four, Nora guessed—was suddenly encased in ice.

Elfman swiftly used his Take-Over magic to shift his right arm, and he used a single punch to knock the enemy fire-mage into the air and through the ceiling. "If you're a man, fly to the heavens and become a star!"

"Uh…" Nora raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips.

Gray patted her shoulder twice as he walked past, sighing. "Don't bother."

"You guys…" Natsu forced himself onto his hands and knees, giving a weak grin.

Happy perked up. "Too cool! Gray, Elfman, and Nora too!"

"You're so pitiful, Natsu," Gray remarked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Elfman put on a serious expression. "If you're a man, then you should make the vehicle sick."

"Heh." Nora looked at Elfman, grinning. "Now, I liked that one." She walked over to Natsu and offered a hand. "Come on."

"Thanks." Natsu took her hand, and she pulled him to his feet, though he quickly doubled-over due to the continued motion. Still, the pink-haired boy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "You were right about the power source… but I still tried to take out the cannon part first, 'cause I thought it'd save time when it came to protecting the guild… I got the idea, though… Figured it out in the end, though..."

Nora nodded. "Hey, you figured out how to stop it. That's what matters." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "That, and that you're still in one piece."

"Ain't getting rid of me, just yet," Natsu joked, and he and Nora snickered before the boy gagged.

"So, these are the remains of Jupiter?" Gray looked around.

"Aye!" Happy replied.

Gray nodded. "Good job, there."

"Huh." Natsu blinked, then he stood up straight and looked around. "It's stopped, all of a sudden."

"I'll take a look outside!" Happy volunteered, then he flew out of the hole in the ceiling which Elfman had created. After a few minutes, the winged cat came flying back in with a scream and crashed into Natsu's chest. "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

"Oh." Nora blinked. "That's... not good."

"The giant is drawing the magic circle for Abyss Break!" Happy shrieked, leaping out of Natsu's arms and onto the floor. "The others were talking about it! At the size it's being drawn, it's gonna destroy Magnolia in a wave of darkness!"

"What the heck?!" Natsu demanded. "I don't believe it!"

"Yeah?" Nora sighed, crossing her arms. "It's not like they haven't stooped to destruction of property, crucifixion, kidnapping, war, and an attempted mass-slaughter by death-cannon. Why not escalate to wiping out a town?" She looked at her friends, frowning. "It makes me wonder just how much Lucy's father is offering them, and why he suddenly wants her back so badly." Her eyes narrowed. "It can't be anything good, if he's this… ruthless."

"That's why he's not laying a finger on her," Natsu hissed with venom. "Him, or any of these Phantom bastards!"

Elfman nodded. "That's right."

"We have no choice but to split up and find the power moving this giant," Gray said, his eyes narrowed.

Nora blinked, then she sighed. "You've got a point, but that does give us the short end of the stick if we come across more of the Element Four."

"I know." Gray looked at her, nodding. "But we have to hurry."

"Man." Elfman scoffed. "Out of the frying pan, into the fire."

"Okay, then!" Natsu clenched a fist, baring his fanged teeth. "Let's do it!"

"Yeah!" Gray and Elfman shouted in assent.

Nora nodded, frowning. "I'll head-"

"Nora." Gray looked at her. "When I said 'split up', I didn't intend for you to go by yourself. Out of all of us, you are the least-experienced and you were injured recently."

Nora took a deep breath.

The injuries, she could not argue. The experience?

Yeah, magic was new—at least, this sort and strength of magic—but big baddies, dark forces, rich bastards, and evil beings intent upon destroying lives, wiping out civilizations, and taking away one of her friends to use her against her will?

That was not new, war was not new... but Nora had neither the time nor readiness to explain that in full detail, so—instead—she decided to go with something a lot less complicated and a bit more obvious in order to prove her point.

"So were you," Nora pointed out, walking over and poking his chest. "Lyon beat the snot out of you, Gray!"

Gray gritted his teeth. "Yeah—but I wasn't half-carried by Loke into the guild-hall only a couple of hours ago after being attacked by two of the Element Four, Nora. You should go with one of us." He gestured. "Happy will be going with Natsu. Do you want to go with me or Elfman?"

"I'll be fine on-!"

"We're wasting time!"

"Fine!" Nora crossed her arms, glaring up at the ice-mage. "Elfman, let's go!"

With that, the Huntress turned and stormed off with the wide-eyed Take-Over-mage following behind her.

Halfway down the hallway, Nora realized how petty she had been and her heart sank.

Gray was hurt, and she let him go off by himself.


/\


Elfman and Nora ran side-by-side down a long hallway, and the wizard could not help but glance over at the Huntress.

Ever since Master Makarov had come to him in the night and led him out to find that strange girl in the rain, he had found himself watching over her much as his sister had. Of course, he had been suspicious and even scared at first—the girl was an alien, after all!

Still, Mirajane had taken to her right away—and really, Elfman could see why. Though Nora and his sister were the same age, there was something about Nora that made her seem younger than even Elfman despite the haunted look she often carried in her eyes. She was small and sweet despite her ridiculous strength and there was a natural cheeriness to her that she fought to repress out of her guilt.

Elfman did not know why the girl seemed to feel so guilty. He knew a lot about guilt and blame, and as far as he could see, the red-haired girl had done nothing wrong. She had gotten hurt and her friends had saved her, and she did not know their fates but had enough evidence to suppose that one was definitely dead.

Nora carried the guilt of that death, blaming herself for it… but aside from that guilt… Elfman could see why the orange-haired girl might remind anyone of Lisanna, at least a little bit. Her optimism and energy were enough to make Mirajane smile, though his sister did always seem so worried for the young Huntress as she trained and started taking jobs.

So, Elfman let his guard down a bit and tried to gain a better insight into this warrior from another world who had gone through so much. He saw her strength, physical and more, and he also saw a kindness and compassion that reminded him of both of his sisters.

There was just a wildness to Nora, a recklessness that could make others concerned.

Elfman knew that he was concerned.

"... Gray's just worried," he told her, and Nora did not respond. "He's your friend. He probably feels responsible for what happened to you and Lucy, and he wants you safe."

"I've survived a whole lot worse than this," Nora reminded him, frowning.

Elfman nodded in understanding. "I know, but he doesn't—and you never know when something could go wrong, Nora."

"Yeah, that's kinda why I always assume that something will, nowadays," she remarked dryly, her eyes narrowing. "It saves time, and makes for some fun commentary."

"Tch." Elfman gave a small smirk. "You know, you're actually not very good at pessimism. Folks can tell that you force it, most of the time." His expression softened. "You're allowed to move forward, Nora. You're still here." He glanced over at her. "You don't have to punish yourself. I don't think your friends would want that."

"... They probably wouldn't," Nora agreed with him. "But… I'm scared."

Elfman blinked, then he nodded and looked forward. "Me, too." He could sense her eyes on him. "It is… manly… to admit to fear. Only the weak pretend they are fearless."

"Hm." Nora was looking forward with a small smile when Elfman glanced down at her again, and she shook her head. "I must be out of my mind, because that made sense."

Elfman reached over and tousled her orange hair, and the young Huntress snorted.

"Don't worry, alright?" He told her, then he smirked as his eyes narrowed and he looked forward as well. "The man, Elfman, will protect Fairy Tail with his life!"

'Including you,' he added silently, holding Lisanna in his heart as he considered Nora in his mind. 'Because I am never losing anyone, ever again.'

"Oui?" A voice asked, and Nora paused in her tracks and looked back with wide eyes. Elfman paused, his eyes narrowing as Nora grabbed her weapon off of her back and shifted it into a hammer. "I take it that you did not like your accommodations then, mon cher?"

"Huh?" Elfman looked back, glaring, and he watched as a green-haired man in brown burst from the floor.

"Salut!" The man greeted, giving them both an eerie smile.

"An Element Four?" Elfman murmured, casting off his boat and clenching his fists, then he glanced at Nora. She had been covered in dirt when Loke brought her in, and she had been breathing strangely… Elfman's fists clenched as he looked up at the peculiar man, gritting his teeth. "Accommodations?"

Eflman was half-tempted to put that freak into the ground and make sure he stayed there, with the idea spinning in his mind. For the green-haired weirdo's sake, the Take-Over mage had better been wrong...

"My name is Sol!" The man introduced himself cheerily. "Please, call me Monsieur Sol!"

"... Perfect timing," Elfman decided. "I'll force you to tell me how to stop this giant." He raised his right arm as a purple glyph formed above his head. "Beast-Arm: Black Bull!"

Elfman lowered the beastly arm, clenching the fist, and the strange wizard smirked. "Oh? Just your right arm? Are you sure?" Elfman's eyes narrowed, and he bared his teeth. "It seems that the rumors are true."

"I've heard enough of your blabbing!" Elfman spat, lunging and striking at Sol, but he leapt from the ground and dodged.

"Didn't you have a little sister?!" The dark wizard teased, and Elfman tensed. That allowed Sol to land on his feet and raise a hand. "Sable Dance!" Dust flew into the air and briefly blinded Elfman, and the man sank into the ground before coming up behind him and waving his arms like a conductor. "Roche Concerto!"

The rocks at Elfman's feet flew up and struck him, launching him into the air.

Nora shook out of her trance, and her aqua eyes widened as she stepped forward. "Elfman!" Her eyes narrowed as she gripped her hammer and glowered at Sol. "Oh, you're gonna be a mud-smear on the pavement by the time I'm done with you!"

"Non, non, non!" Sol sank into the ground, popped back up, and wrapped around Elfman's leg and beast arm like he was made out of rubber, still smiling. "Salut!"

"You really creep me out!" Elfman told the wizard bluntly, then he started trying to rip the Element Four member off.

"Non, non, non! Three nons, and you're in quite a sad state!"

"Unhand me, Monster Sol!"

"Monsieur!"

"Hang on!" Nora ran over, putting her hammer away and drawing her green knife as her eyes narrowed. She placed the knife to Sol's throat, glaring. "Off, now!"

"Hm!" Sol looked at her, grinning. "Someone's eager to return to her early grave!"

Nora tensed up, and Elfman's eyes widened as he glanced down at her. "Wait, he seriously buried you alive?!"

"And set up quite the monument!" Sol actually complained. "A masterpiece, it was! What a shame that it was all for naught!"

"Yeah, well…" Nora took a deep breath, then she gave a small smirk. "Guess that just goes to show that when you're putting someone in the ground, you better make absolutely sure they're ready to stay there."

The Huntress went to swipe the knife, but Sol suddenly released Elfman and kicked them both back.

Nora landed on her feet and slid back across the floor, putting her knife away and drawing her hammer again.

Elfman landed on his feet as well, baring his teeth as he slid back as well. 'This guy's way stronger than he looks.' He glanced over at Nora. 'And ruthless.' He looked forward at Sol, his eyes narrowing. 'He put her in a grave.'

The image of Lisanna's tombstone flashed through his mind.

"Speaking of monsters and putting someone in the ground…" Sole smirked at Elfman. "You failed at a complete body Take-Over and went out of control."

"I-..." Elfman froze, then his eyes narrowed as he felt rage consume him. "ENOUGH!"

Nora reached out, her eyes wide. "Elfman, no!"

"Beast-Arm: Iron Bull!" Elfman shifted his arm into a metal goliath as he lunged, but then something appeared in his vision and he faltered, his eyes widening. "Lisanna?!"

"I apologize!" Sol said, hovering behind the statue and grinning. "But as you two were stepping on me previously, I took the opportunity to slip through the cracks and read your memories!"

Elfman's fist shook. "Why, you-..."

"What a precious little sister of yours." Sol rested his hands on the statue's shoulders, grinning cruelly over her- its right shoulder. "I wonder where she might be now?" His eyes widened slightly. "Oh, how rude of me. She's buried in the cold, dark ground, isn't she?"

No, that was wrong. There was a grave with no body in it.

Something had gone horribly wrong that night, something with Lisanna's magic after Elfman had-... After he had-...

It was the only explanation for what Mirajane had seen.

Lisanna was gone...

And Sol, his memory-reading was flawed—incomplete, superficial.

Still, Elfman felt his hand shift back to normal as he stared down at the statue, his heart and mind racing.

"Oh, how sad…" Sol feigned a pout. "How could you do such a cruel thing?"

A hand grabbed Elfman's, and he looked over to see Nora looking up at him, then the Huntress looked at Sole with a glare as she gripped his hand tighter. "Leave him alone."

"Oh?" Sol tilted his head, then he smirked. "My, my, my. I'm surprised you would defend him, beast-slayer. Aren't you supposed to protect little girls from monsters like him, or have you run from that as well?"

Elfman saw Nora tense, and he blinked before looking at Sol with wide eyes.

The read was imperfect, but just how much had Sol seen?

Did he only go after the most-traumatic memories, or did he get more?

Did he know about Remnant? About Nora's secrets, the ones Fairy Tail needed to protect?

Elfman's free fist clenched.

"... There's only one monster here, and I'm looking at him," Nora stated coldly. "If you read my memories, then you'd know I've seen people get hurt in accidents before. I've seen them lose control and hurt people, and I've seen them grieve and self-destruct." Her grip on Elfman was like iron. "I've seen it take good people… and as long as there's something I can do to stop it, I'm not letting it take anyone else."

Elfman let loose a shuddering breath, then he closed his eyes and squeezed Nora's hand back, nodding shakily. "Right…"

"... Still scared?" Nora asked quietly, and he nodded again. "That's okay… It's manly to admit to fear, right?" Her hand was trembling in his. "We just have to be brave, now."

Elfman opened his eyes when he felt her tense, and he saw that Nora was staring at a statue of a boy with long, braided hair and a set of bladed guns. There were tears in her eyes, but her expression was resolved as she looked up at Elfman, and she even gave him a small smile.

The boy's statue opened its pink eyes. "You say that, but you left me to die."

"What?" Nora looked up at the statue, her eyes wide, then her eyes narrowed even as she seemed to struggle to breathe. "No, I-I didn't! You didn't give me any-!"

Elfman swatted the boy's statue to rubble and shoved Nora behind him, growling. "I won't allow this deception to continue!" That familiar golden light surrounded him as he focused. "I've got to do this!"

"Non, non, non!" Sol smirked. "You can't do that! What would happen if you made a debacle of a full-body Take-Over and you lost control? Did you forget what you did the last time?!"

All around, statues of Lisanna rose from the ground and took on lifelike forms, and they all looked up at Elfman with various expressions of reproach, fear, and hurt. "How could you forget?! Don't do it, big brother!"

As the statues continued to shout pleas at him, Elfman felt his strength fade away, and he fell down onto one knee as he gripped his arm.

He couldn't do it, he couldn't…

"Hm!" Sol grinned. "You shouldn't try to do what you can't handle! It seems your magical power has weakened considerably!"

"Elfman!" Nora shouted, her eyes wide, and she quickly moved to step between him and Sol as she gripped her hammer. "I'll handle you, you flappy freak!"

"Oh?" Sol tilted his head.

Another statue of the boy raised from the ground, his pink eyes opening and narrowing as the rest of his features colored in. He was dressed in green, white, black, silver, and gold... like Nora's clip.

The boy reached out and grabbed Nora's arm, his palm covering her guild-mark. "Nora-"

"Stop!" Nora swung her hammer and broke the statue, her whole body heaving as the stone crumbled to the ground and her eyes grew misty, but she gripped her weapon tightly. "You think I'm an idiot?! I know my best friend!" She bared her teeth. "You can make all the copies you want and have them say all the bad things you can think of, but I know how he'd treat me if he were here!" The Huntress smirked. "You really need to work on your impersonations."

"Hm." Sol's eyes narrowed. "And you really need to work on your manners."

As horrible as all of this was, Elfman was a little relieved.

Sol's illusions were focusing upon the Huntress occupation and Ren's death.

The Element Four member did not know about Remnant.

"Enough, you coward!" Elfman still spat at the dark wizard. "If you're a man, then fight me fair and square—fist to fist!"

"If I'm a man, you say? Non, non, non." Sol suddenly had a dangerous look in his eyes, and he raised his hands above his head. "I cannot let that pass." All of the Lisanna statues turned into sand which swirled into the air above his head. "Not from someone with no right to question the manliness of others, trash like you who killed his own little sister! Plâtre Sonate!"

A glyph formed, and through it, the sand behind Sol condensed and formed a stone fist which flew at Elfman and Nora.

The girl looked back at him, her aqua eyes wide, then she looked forward and braced herself to take the hit.

"Let's go home, big brother!"

Elfman stood, grabbed Nora, and threw her out of the way, taking the stone fist to his chest.

As he was sent flying back, he saw a flash of Nora's pink clothes and wide blue eyes. There was fear there, but not of him—for him.

If the hit and the subsequent crash through a stone wall had not hurt so much, Elfman might have smiled at the young Huntress.

He did something right.


Nora hit the ground and rolled to the side, grunting, then she scrambled into a kneel and looked up, stunned.

"Elfman!" She shouted frantically, seeing that the young man was lying in the wreckage of the wall with his upper-body close to hanging outside the moving fortress.

Another familiar voice suddenly screamed from nearby: "ELFMAN!

"Huh?" Nora blinked, then she ran over to the hole and peeked out. "Is that-?"

"ELFMAN!" Mirajane shrieked, held between two of the giant's massive fingers.

"What?" Elfman forced himself onto his hands and knees, looking absolutely horrified. "Why-..? Why are you there?! BIG SIS!"

"Oh? Is she your elder sister?" Sol asked from behind them, and Nora looked back with a glare as the earth-mage approached. "That means she was once the feared She-Devil, Miss Mirajane. Lost so much of her magical power… What a pity! And who could be to blame for it?" Elfman slumped onto the rock, unable to look away, and Nora looked down at him worriedly. "She is being punished for attempting to deceive us. It won't be long until she is crushed."

"R… Run!" Mirajane pleaded as the hand lifted up to give Elfman a better view of his trapped sister. "Run, Elfman!" She glanced at the Huntress beside her brother. "Nora, please: make him run!"

"... The hand's moving," Nora murmured, glancing back at Sol. "Towards us."

Elfman reached out towards Mirajane, his eyes wide. "Let my sister go!"

"You will lose your younger sister right before your eyes, just like the younger," Sol insisted, his eyes on Elfman. "And that is because you are an impotent wizard who does nothing but spout bluffs about manliness."

"And you don't know when to shut up!" Nora snapped, turning back as she drew a yellow crystal from her pocket and slapped it onto the dark wizard's chest.

"Hm?" Sol blinked as Nora kept her hand in place, but the girl smirked as her pink aura flashed and they were both suddenly surrounded by sparking, yellow electricity that turned pink as it danced across Nora's skin.

Sol yelped as he was launched back and onto the floor, and Nora glanced at the hand as it stopped moving. "I knew it, he had some control over it!" She looked at Elfman, lowering her shaking hand and clenching it into a fist. "We gotta move, fast!"

With that, Nora leapt out of the hole and onto the arm's wrist, and she quickly ran onto one of the fingers holding Mirajane.

"Nora!" The former She-Devil cried as the Huntress placed her weapon on her back and started trying to position herself. "What are you doing?! Why-?!"

"Just hold on!" Nora insisted, then she closed her eyes as she planted her feet on one finger and her trembling hands on another and started to push, grunting in effort as the fingers started to come apart inch by inch. "When you can move your arms again… grab onto the edge… and I'll climb up and pull you out…"

"Okay." Mirajane nodded shakily, grunting as she managed to wriggle freee enough to raise her arms above her head, then she paused as she grew concerned. "Where's Elfman?"

Nora opened her eyes and blinked. "He should be here. I zapped Sol, so he should have been right behind me."

Suddenly, the fingers began moving again and Nora yelped as they countered her strength and started compacting her back, and Mirajane's eyes widened. "Nora, move!"

Nora wasted no time in obeying, scrambling free and gasping at the near-miss as she sat on one of the fingers, then she looked at Mirajane in alarm before her eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath. "Okay, problem." She looked along the massive joints. "I could try to knock this thing open, but you'd fall. I have to try and force it apart, and-"

There was suddenly loud, horrified screaming, and Nora and Mirajane looked back and saw Elfman rapidly being covered in stone as Sol watched with an evil grin.

"Elfman!" Mirajane shouted as her brother whimpered. "Hang in there! Wake up!"

Nora looked down at her, her eyes wide. "What's happening to him?!"

"It's a memory-entrapment magic!" Mirajane explained. "His body is going to be turned to stone while his mind is trapped inside his worst memories!"

Nora looked up at Elfman, horrified, then she took a deep breath. "... Sometimes-..." She could hear it, Yang asking her uncle to repeat the words one night when things got low and that aging Huntsman's voice. "Elfman… Sometimes, bad things just happen!" The Huntress stood up, her fists clenching. "But you move on! You never stop moving forward!"

"Elfman!" Mirajane kept screaming even as her body was compressed further, her eyes filled with tears as she watched her brother. "Elfman, hang on! I can't… lose you, too!"

Nora looked back at the former mage, her eyes wide. "Shoot! Mira!" She forced her hammer between the fingers, trying to pry them apart as she placed one foot on the opposite finger and pushed with all her might. "Hang on… We can still get you out of this!"

"I vowed to never see my sister's tears again!" A voice shouted, and Nora looked up as a golden light glowed within the fortress. "So, what are you crying for?!"

"That light…" Mirajane whispered, stunned.

Nora glanced down at her. "Good light? Bad light?"

"DON'T DO IT, ELFMAN!" Mirajane was suddenly screaming again. "YOU CAN'T!"

Nora winced. "Okay. Bad light."

Elfman's voice suddenly snarled: "WHO WAS IT THAT MADE HER CRY?!"

The light suddenly faded, and Nora could see a massive figure within the dust created by the powerful magic. Two purple eyes glowed from within the cloud.

"A full-body Take-Over," Mirajane managed, stunned. "Beast-Soul."

A loud roar rang out, and Nora blinked. "... Okay, then. That's a new problem." She shook her head, then she looked down at Mirajane with a frown. "But one step at a time."

The Huntress could hear Sol shouting out excuses and apologies from inside the fortress, then what sounded like a very one-sided fight.

Good for Beast-Elfman, and good for them—the finger had stopped moving.

"Gotcha!" Nora grinned, finally prying the fingers apart enough.

The Huntress reached down, and Mirajane latched onto her arm with both hands and let Nora pull her up and onto the giant's finger. Mirajane looked up at Nora, visibly shaken, and the Huntress collapsed her hammer and placed it on her back.

"Hey." Nora rested her hands on Mirajane's shoulders, frowning. "It's okay. You're okay." She managed to put on a brave smile. "Like someone's gonna crush my best friend while I'm around, huh? No. I'm the only bone-crusher in your life, and that's that."

Mirajane let out a soft gasp, her blue eyes widening, then she stepped forward and pulled Nora into a hug which the Huntress readily returned.

"I-I felt so helpless," the former She-Devil admitted, hugging Nora tighter. "So useless... Oh, Nora, I-I'm so pathetic! I used to be one of Fairy Tail's defenders, and now-!"

"Mira." Nora pulled away, frowning at her friend again. "You're not helpless or useless, and you are still Fairy Tail's defender." Mirajane wiped her eyes with her arm. "I mean, I don't even wanna think about where I would be if it wasn't for you." Mirajane blinked, then she looked at Nora in surprise. "Maybe still in Fairy Tail, but-..." Nora gave a small grin and shrugged. "All you've ever done is help me and look after me, so much that it's driven me crazy sometimes because... I'm not used to having anyone like you." Her expression softened. "My teammates were close. They were my-..." She looked up at Nora. "Yeah, you can't do that... She-Devil thing anymore, but did you ever stop to think about the fact that you're still saving people every day just by being there? Trust me... I know.

Mirajane stared at Nora in awe, but then she and the Huntress were both snapped out of their moment by another crash and a powerful roar.

"Elfman." Mirajane stared at the hole in the wall, stunned, then she cupped her hands around her mouth. "Elfman!"

"Yeah, let's just call him here when we're not sure about his head," Nora remarked warily, reaching back to grab Magnhild again. "Though, to be completely fair, I don't know how things could get much worse." She shrugged. "I mean, I guess we could die."

A much-smaller beast darted out of the dust, moving at lightning speed to leap onto the arm and start making its way towards Nora and Mirajane.

Nora kept her guard raised as he approached, and Mirajane seemed wary as her transformed brother drew nearer and nearer. "So… can you… hear my voice?"

"I'm really hoping so," Nora replied as the beast landed on the finger across from the two of them and stood on its hind legs, allowing the Huntress to get a good look at Elfman's transformation. "Otherwise, he's just hungry and this is about to get awkward for everyone."

The beast growled as it looked down at Mirajane, who swallowed thickly. "Could you have lost your reason again?" When there was no response, she took a deep breath. "Elfman?"

"Elfman, you gotta let us know if you can hear us," Nora insisted as she gripped her grenade launcher and stepped between the beast and Mirajane, but the weapon shook in her hands. "Come on, buddy." She put on another frail smile. "You gotta wake up. We gotta go home."

The beast looked at Nora, its eyes meeting hers, then it reached out.

"Elfman, no!" Mirajane pleaded frantically. "Please, she-!"

Nora blinked, surprised, as the beast gently rested its hand on Magnhild and lowered the weapon, then she looked up at the beast and took a deep breath.

"Whoa," she managed, then she grinned. "... Awesome!" She blinked, then she glanced back at Mirajane before looking up at the beast again and pointing away. "Uh, I'm just gonna walk over here for a bit and let you two-..." She held a thumb up. "Yeah."


Nora stood a good twenty feet away while Elfman and Mirajane had their talk, avoiding looking at them. She did not know much about biological family, but she felt like this was best kept between the siblings.

"BIG SIS!" Elfman sobbed at one point. "I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"

Yep.

Definitely between them.

Nora swung Magnhild around, minding her own business, then she grunted as she was suddenly swept into a hug and blinked, seeing long white hair. "Huh? Mirajane?"

"Thank you," the other girl whispered. "For being here and helping me and my brother."

Nora hesitated, then she hugged back with her free arm and closed her eyes. "It's no problem, Mira. I bet you'd do the same for me."

"Hm." Mirajane pulled away and smiled at Nora, her eyes shining.

A hand rested on Nora's left shoulder, and she looked up to see Elfman looking down at her. "You were right, earlier—when you attacked Sol and the hand stopped. This giant is powered by the Element Four, and we need to go and find Air and Water now if we're going to stop it."

"Alright, then." Nora's eyes narrowed as she lifted Magnhild up again. "Then, let's-"

"And." Elfman squeezed her shoulder. "You were right, when you said… sometimes, bad things just happen." He looked down, then back at her. "And we must move on… all of us."

Nora blinked, then she took a deep breath. "I'm trying."

"I know." Elfman nodded. "I am, too. It does not end today—our effort, our fear."

Mirajane folded her hands behind her back and beamed. "But we're not alone, so it should be alright in the end."

"Hm." Nora looked between the two, then she sighed and grinned. "Come on… We better make sure Natsu, Happy, and Gray are still alive."

She was half-joking, and from the smiles on the Strauss siblings' faces, they could tell—and they chose to appreciate the part which was a joke, because they kept smiling.

Maybe things could get better.

"Wait." Elfman's expression dropped as his eyes rested on Nora's guild-mark, and he moved his hand to grip her arm. "Something's up."

"Huh?" Nora blinked, raising an eyebrow, then she looked over at her arm and saw that her guild-mark was gray and crusty—like it was covered in a fine layer of dried clay. "What the heck?"

"That's where his statue grabbed you," Elfman realized, frowning.

Nora looked up at him. "So, what? It left a bit behind?" She grew worried. "It, uh... It would be a handprint if everything was fine and this wasn't a magic-thing, huh?" The Strauss siblings' gasps when the gray spread and began to lace through Nora's scars and grow down her arm and onto her clothes were answer enough, and Nora looked up in alarm. "Guys?!"

"I think Sol cast the same spell on you as he did on Elfman," Mirajane said quickly. "But with the distance and his power diminished, it's moving much slower. We can take you to Porlyusica, and-"

"I'm not going anywhere until the guild is safe," Nora protested, her eyes narrowing. "The mission comes first. And Elfman was able to fight this, right? When it starts hitting me, I'll just do the same thing. We can't stop, now."

Mirajane seemed uncertain. "Nora..."

"Yeah, you will." Elfman squeezed Nora's shoulder again, nodding and giving a small smile. "Keep moving forward, right?"

Nora nodded, smiling. "Right... Speaking of which, we should probably start legging it."


/\


When they found Gray on a rooftop, he was kneeling beside an unconscious and flush-faced woman in blue.

"Gray!" Elfman and Mirajane shouted, their eyes wide.

Nora blinked. "Juvia?"

"Elfman, Nora?" Gray looked back at them, surprised. "And Mira, too?"

"So, this is the third Element Four?" Elfman asked as they came to a stop. "... Why does she look so happy?"

"Beats me." Gray stood and rested his hands on his hips, shrugging. "Maybe she's having a nice dream."

"Hm." Nora glanced up at him, noticing that the ice-mage had lost his shirt again. "... Uh-huh."

The Huntress looked down at Juvia, snorting and shaking her head as she gave a small grin. 'Oh, honey. I adore this kid, but... I'm so sorry. You have no idea what you're getting into.'

"Only one more!" Mirajane realized, and Gray looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "If we can defeat one more, we can stop Abyss Break!"

"The magic giant moves using the power of the Element Four," Elfman explained.

"And Natsu handled the fire-guy," Nora went on, looking at Gray with a frown. "And Elfman just took care of Sol, the earth-guy."

Mirajane clenched her fists before her chest. "We can still make it! We can do it!"

"Hm." Gray glanced at the hand. "Whoa, you're right. The magic giant's writing speed has slowed down considerably."

"Not enough," Nora insisted, her eyes narrowing as she pointed. "We need to stop yammering and get moving, or Magnolia's a crater."

"Right!" Mirajane nodded, and the four of them turned and ran.

As they moved, Gray glanced at Nora and blinked. "Hey, what's with your arm?"

"Huh?" Nora glanced at her left arm, finding that her entire left-upper arm and the arm-band resting on it were now covered in stone, then she looked up at Gray and shrugged, grinning. "You know me, I just can't keep anything nice."

"Tch." Gray grinned, shaking his head. "You're ridiculous."

"You betcha," Nora agreed, smiling. "Deal with it, Ice Queen!"

...

"NO!"

An armor-covered hand outstretched.

A burning spear of glass flying through the air.

Two wide blue eyes.

The glass crumbling away into burning embers.

She fell, but no one caught her.

"WEISS!"

...

Nora shook her head, breaking out of her trance.

Gray was rolling his eyes. "Haha." He glanced at Nora's arm again, and he blinked. "Hey, it's getting bigger." He looked at Nora's face, likely noticing what Nora was feeling as the color and sensation drained from her flesh, and he grew concerned. "Hey, you good?"

"Yeah." Nora nodded shakily. "I'm fine. Don't worry."


As the four Fairy Tail members went down a hallway, Nora's brow furrowed.

"We got fire, earth, water… It's air that's left," she said, glancing at Mirajane for confirmation, and the bartender nodded. "Air… That's the one who attacked Master Mak."

"Right." Mirajane nodded. "Aria of the Heavens. He took Master Makarov's magical power using a spell called Drain." Her eyes narrowed as her fists clenched. "It will likely be a tactic he will try against any of us."

"Oh?" Nora raised an eyebrow, widening her eyes a bit. "Will it work?"

"Will it w-?" Mirajane blinked, then her eyes widened. "Oh…" She shook her head. "No, too risky." She widened her eyes slightly. "Do not forget, you have been... growing your magical power." She calmed as Nora looked away with a soft huff. "Even without that spell, he's the strongest of the Element Four. A fearsome opponent." She shuddered. "And he gets even worse when he opens his eyes."

Gray glanced over at Mirajane. "His eyes?"

"Aria usually has his eyes covered," the former She-Devil elaborated, completely serious. "By closing his eyes, he apparently suppresses the overwhelming magical power he possesses. If we find him, we will have to defeat him before he has the chance to open his eyes—or we may lose any chance at victory!"

Suddenly, outside the windows, the Abyss Break glyph began to glow.

Nora glanced at it, her eyes wide. "Crap! Is it-?!"

...

:I have one bomb. That's all it will take.:

Those blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark as the ultimatum was given.

The hand holding her scroll trembled.

:If there is no Mantle, then there is no reason for you not to work with me.:

...

Nora cringed and shook her head, raising her hand to her right temple as her head ached.

The Huntress glanced at her left arm, seeing that the layer of stone was now covering her down to her mid-forearm and was now spreading across her collar; it was cracked around her joints, so she was still able to move.

"Not yet!" Mirajane insisted. "We have a few seconds! We can still-!"

Just as suddenly, the glyph shrank and vanished, and the entire mech seemed to drop.

"What?!" Elfman demanded as they all paused their run.

Gray looked around, his eyes narrowed. "Is this Natsu's doing?!"

"It's stopped!" Mirajane grinned. "Abyss Break has been terminated!"

Elfman looked at her, stunned. "Seriously?"

"Which means-..." Gray shook his head.

Mirajane nodded. "The power of the four elements has been cut off."

"Hm." Nora smiled, crossing her arms, then her face slowly fell. "Huh."

"What is it?" Gray glanced at her, an eyebrow raised. "You-" He noticed the spreading stone and swallowed thickly as Mirajane gasped and raised her hands to her mouth while Elfman's eyes widened. "Nora, you-..."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"You... have that face, the one where you're thinking of something bad from before," Gray managed, then his eyes narrowed. "The one where you know something that's gonna be right."

Nora looked at him, then she sighed. "... We've been running around this place, and we've taken out the Element Four. And outside, the others are fighting Shades." To this, Gray nodded. "... Where's the rest of Phantom Lord?"

"Huh?" Gray blinked.

Nora's eyes narrowed. "Where's the rest of this guild which has Fairy Tail's numbers beaten? This is war, and Jose's not exactly the protective type." She glanced towards the window. "Where are the rest of his wizards?"

"... He said he knew Lucy wasn't here," Mirajane murmured, frowning. "If he knows that Lucy isn't here, why is he wasting time?"

Nora blinked, then she looked at Mirajane with wide eyes. "Mira… He isn't." She turned to face the group. "There were five top Phantom wizards aside from Jose, right? Where's the fifth guy, the one who attacked Levy and the guys?"

"Gajeel?" Mirajane asked, her brow furrowing. "I don't know. Why-?" She blinked, then her eyes widened. "Oh, my goodness."

"This isn't a siege, it's a diversion," Nora insisted. "It's the same as the attack you guys led on Phantom Lord, only in reverse. They used your attack as a distraction, now they're attacking us as a distraction and they probably sent that Gajeel guy after Lucy."

...

A bowed head, closed eyes.

"Guys, what happened to Beacon... It was all about what happened in that Vault.

That woman, she wanted to get to the girl in the pod... and Pyrrha's dead, because she tried to stop her."

...

Nora groaned as she shook out of her memories again, then she looked up with narrowed eyes.

"I didn't see Loke have the chance to give her keys back before this started, she doesn't have them. If Gajeel has her…" The Huntress glanced up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath as she felt the stone layer start crawling up her neck. "We have to beat Jose before he gets here. That way, we can be waiting for Gajeel and get her back without her getting caught in too big of a crossfire."

"... Right." Gray nodded, his fists clenching at his sides. "Let's get moving, now!"

With that, the four started running again, and Mirajane swallowed before she glanced at Nora with misty eyes. "Where-..? Where did you learn how to strategize like this?"

"I had some good teachers." Nora glanced down sheepishly. "Training where I did, at the academies... and on the road... everyone's supposed to know basic strategic thinking before they can be sent out into the field as professionals. And my friends, Jaune and Ruby, were good at this sort of thing—and I pay attention more than most people think. If you work with folks for years, you pick up a thing or two." She flushed a bit. "And… I think I might have hinted that my teammates and I did work with a special operations military group for a little while, so I do have that sort of experience under my belt too."

"Oh." Mirajane blinked. "I see."

Gray glanced at Nora, perplexed. "Seriously, who are you?"

"A real man," Elfman stated firmly.

Nora snorted. "Glad to see you're back to normal, Elfman."

That had become normal.

Nora must have been assimilating.

"Hm." Gray looked forward, frowning. "So... you're more-experienced than any of us."

Nora shook her head. "Not really. I have a lot to learn."

A musical chime suddenly played over the magical loudspeakers. :Attention, all of you from Fairy Tail.: It was the same voice from before—Jose—again. :Please, listen carefully to this voice.:

A horrible scream of pain rang out.

"That voice!" Elfman exclaimed as the group came to a stop again.

Gray's fists clenched. "It's Lucy!"

"Oh, no!" Mirajane raised her hands to her chest, her eyes wide.

Nora's eyes narrowed. "Crap. We're too late. He's back…" She glanced at the others. "Well?! Standing here won't help her!"

Nora turned and kept running, and the other three shook out of their stupors to join her.

:We have captured Lucy,: Jose went on. :So, we have accomplished one of our objectives. Thus, we have one final goal that remains to be fulfilled: wiping you off the face of this earth, you worthless brats!:

Those near-glowing blue eyes in the shadows...

:I hope you live up to the title I gave you.:

Nora gritted her teeth, closing her eyes and taking a sharp breath, then she opened her eyes and looked forward.

'Don't worry,' she though. 'I will... I'm a Huntress, to the bitter end.'

"We can do this," she insisted, more to herself than her allies. "We can do this."

"Can we?" Gray asked, grabbing Nora's left arm, and Nora glanced over at him. "Tell me what's going on."

"Gray-"

"Memory-entrapment magic," Mirajane said grimly. "Sol placed it on her before he was defeated. It'll turn her to stone and trap her in her worst memories, but-" Her eyes narrowed. "SOMEONE refused to go to Porlyusica!"

"The mission comes first," Nora repeated her previous argument, annoyed. "And I'm fine, really!"

"You're literally petrified!" Gray protested, frustrated.

Nora rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm still human beneath the rock. It's going at a snail's pace right now, and we have other priorities." She looked forward again, her eyes narrowing. "We need to get Natsu, Happy, and Lucy and get out of here."

"... She can handle this," Elfman told Gray quietly. "I did."

Gray sighed. "You don't get stuck in your memories at the best of times."

Nora held up her left index-finger just as the stone reached her knuckles. "I heard that."


/\


Nora, Elfman, Gray, and Mirajane eventually came to a large entry hall which had clearly been ruined in some sort of altercation, and Nora first noticed a figure in green lying motionless on the floor before she saw an armored figure sitting propped-up against a pillar.

"Erza!" Mirajane cried out, and the battered knight looked up in surprise.

Gray's eyes widened. "Erza!"

"Looks like there were some fireworks here, too," Elfman decided as the group came to a stop and gazed down at the knight.

"It's you guys," Erza murmured.

...

A nameless man, bloody and broken, laid on the ground.

Wide silver eyes, shining in desperation.

"Alright, we can get him to the next village and try to find a doctor there!"

Tired blue eyes, still holding hope.

"Yeah. Ren and I can take turns carrying him there."

They did not understand.

"I don't know if he'll make it."

Those blue eyes, too often filled with tears since the Fall.

"He will. He has to."

...

Nora kneeled, her eyes narrowed as she looked over the new injuries on Erza's body.

"Good gods…"

"Nora?" Erza blinked. "What's happening to you?"

"Don't worry." Nora gave a grim smile as the stone spread across her back and chest, reaching her other shoulder. "I've got it handled."

"When did you break in?!" Gray demanded.

Mirajane clasped her hands before her chest, her expression frantic. "You shouldn't even be standing!"

"You guys having fun contributing to carbon emissions, with all that wasted breath?" Nora glanced back at them, deadpanning. "It's Erza. Unless the master's given strict orders against it, she does what she wants when she wants. I've known her for a month, and I've already gotten that much straight."

"Hm." Erza was smiling when Nora looked back at her. "Observant."

"Idiot," Nora shot back, then she sighed. "You're lucky you aren't dead."

"H-Hey!" Elfman shouted, and Nora glanced over her shoulder.

The others had noticed the man in green, and Mirajane's eyes widened. "Aria?!"

"You actually fought with wounds like that?!" Elfman asked, looking back at Erza.

Gray's eyes narrowed. "What were you thinking?" He noticed Nora raising an eyebrow and sighed. "This means…"

"You defeated Aria," Mirajane concluded.

Erza just kept smiling that tired smile. "I never wanted you to see me so weak, like this." She bowed her head, closing her eyes. "I guess I still have a long way to go."

...

Snow laid thick on the ground, but the path was clear.

Sad silver eyes, still shining.

"Haven's a long way to go."

Weary blue eyes, still looking forward.

"I know. It's the only lead we have."

"You're sure you want to come along?"

Determined pink eyes, full of resolve.

"The journey will be perilous, and whether we will find answers at the end is entirely uncertain."

They could handle anything as long as they were together.

"But we wouldn't be here if we weren't up for it."

... Right?

...

Nora shook her head, raising her hand to her right temple again, then she looked back at Erza.

"You're kidding, right?" The Huntress deadpanned again as the stone spread across her ribcage. "You just blocked a Jupiter blast and defeated the guy who took out your master, and you say you have a long way to go? I appreciate the humility, but I think you've earned the right to look a little beaten-up." Gray snorted, and Nora looked back at him. "What?"

"That, from Miss 'I Have a Lot to Learn'?" He remarked dryly, and Nora huffed.

Suddenly, the wizards around Nora tensed up, and the orange-haired girl looked up at them in confusion. "Uh… Guys?" Nora shivered, looking around. "Gods… It's freezing, in here…"

The Huntress blinked, surprised by her own words. Her aura should have protected her from harsh climates...

Nora looked up at their resident ice-mage. "Gray?"

He did not seem to hear her. "What's that?"

"That's-..." Mirajane could not finish as her brother seemingly lost the ability to produce any words at all.

Erza's eyes had widened. "I sense death!"

"Huh?" Nora blinked, then she felt a prickle in her aura and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. "Something's here…" The Huntress turned her head, and she noticed a black mist swirling in the room. "Guys? I think there's something going o-"

Suddenly, the wave of dread hit her like a spinning Boarbatusk.

...

Nora was suddenly standing in a dark forest, her eyes widening as she looked around.

"Guys?!" The orange-haired girl tried, then she gasped and looked back as she heard something approaching, placing her hand on Magnhild.

"Come on!" A young girl with wide aqua eyes cried, practically carrying a boy with black hair streaked with pink and dull pink eyes as they stumbled through the brush. "They're coming!"

"It's fine... I'm fine..." The little boy waved his friend off. "Don't worry..."

"Ren!" The girl pleaded, kneeling beneath a tree and grabbing the boy by his arms, shaking him in her desperation. "Come on, snap out of it! You have to wake up, or we'll die!"

"Hm?" The boy raised an eyebrow, then he let his head fell and hung. "What's the point? We're-... We're never making it out of here, anyway."

"Yes, we are!" The girl insisted as Nora approached her, the Huntress's eyes wide. "We are, Ren! We keep each other safe!" The girl cringed as screeched rang out in the darkness, her eyes dulling, then the light returned as her eyes narrowed. "We keep each other safe!"

...

Nora sank to her knees, gripping the sides of her head.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" She pleaded, then she felt a hand grab her shoulder and squeeze through the layer of stone, and she looked back with wide eyes. "Erza-"

"You cannot allow yourself to give in," the knight insisted, glaring at the Huntress. "I told you, you must defeat your fear!" Her expression eased a bit. "You are not alone."

The others did not seem to get the message.

"What is this feeling?" Gray demanded as Nora stood with some shakiness, drawing Magnhild and gripping it as she watched the wizards warily.

As the Huntress looked down at her hand and watched her pink aura flicker around her body, Elfman shuddered. "It sends chills down a man's spine!"

"The malice is palpable!" Mirajane agreed, looking around warily.

Nora looked down at the aura shimmering around her for another moment, confused. Her aura was not protecting her from the dread in the air and her body was being covered by stone, so what was it up to?

Nora's aura was good for physical attacks, but-

But it would not know what to do with magic, would it?

And bringing up the memories of that night...

"... That's because it is!" Nora realized, her eyes widening as she glanced at the mist, and she looked at her friends. "Guys, it's the mist! It's affecting your heads!" Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the substance. "There's a type of monster in my homeland that does something like this! You've gotta try and ignore it!"

But Nora's aura was not fighting back against this magical attack any more than it would against the Apathy, her newfound awareness was.

What was her aura doing?

"My, my. I'm quite impressed." Applause rang out, and Nora looked back as a man surrounded by an ominous purple light descended the stairs to face them. "My Fairy Tail wizards… To think I would be able to have such fun, I never would have dreamed it. Destroying the Jupiter, taking down the Element Four, and even bringing my magic giant to its knees…"

Erza's eyes narrowed. "Master Jose!"

"This guy's-..?" Elfman bared his teeth.

Gray scowled. "Phantom's master?!"

"What incredible, evil magical power," Mirajane whispered, covering her mouth with her hand and staring at the man.

Nora gripped Magnhild tighter, and Jose looked down at her with a smirk. "You're surprisingly intuitive, girl. That must be why they keep such a weak little thing around." He tilted his head. "Not that they need an excuse."

"Hm." Nora raised an eyebrow. "Say, was there a sale at the Cliché, Every Single Villain You've Ever Seen Super-Store the day you picked out your whole ensemble, or were you feeling low and down to treat yourself?"

Jose tilted his head. "There was a massive sale at the whole center, which is why I also bought up all of the extra height before you had the chance to reach it. So sorry."

"Oh." Nora blinked, then she nodded. "Okay, that stung just a bit more than it should have—but I respect the comeback."

"Hey." Elfman glanced at her, frowning. "Stop it. Just... stay back and focus on beating the spell while Gray and I handle this, alright?"

"What?" Nora blinked, then she groaned. "Ugh! Come on, Elfman! Not you, too!"

"Just get back!" Elfman shouted at the Huntress, looking at her in frustration. "Or better yet, run!"

"I don't run!" Nora snapped.

...

Nora stood in a small, dimly-lit kitchen, and she looked around in confusion before her eyes widened.

A little girl sat on a table to be closer to the light, carefully heating the tip of a needle over a candle flame before removing it and blowing on it a few times to cool it. Then, the girl took a shuddering breath as she pinched a wound on her left thigh closed and started slowly stitching it shut.

The girl's eyes were tear-filled as her brow pinched in focus, and she took shaking breaths as her hand shook. The stitches were sloppy and uneven, the needle turning from silver to shining red as the girl worked at her task. Every stitch made Nora flinch to watch, but she sighed as she walked over.

"... It's gonna get infected," the Huntress said numbly. "You'll have a bad fever, and you'll sleep too much and get hurt worse." Her next breath shook. "Aunt Lake'll come visit while he's out, and she'll find you... and she'll find Mom... and she'll take you away, fix you up and get you well herself." She gave a small smile. "She'll take you out on her boat after the fever breaks, and you'll go on hikes... She'll tell you stories..." Her face fell. "But once he knows you're better, he'll tell her to bring you back... and she will."

The little girl finished stitching the wound, and she tied it off and wiped it clean with a rag before starting to layer cartoon band-aids over the far-too-big injury. "Mmph..." The tears in her eyes spilled over, and she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them there despite the pain in the red and already-swelling injury, starting to cry. "It'll be okay... It'll be okay..."

"Hm." Nora sat down next to the girl, frowning. "... You're six, now. In a few weeks, after you come home from Aunt Lake's, it's gonna happen." She picked up a fragment of brown, bloodied glass before looking at the girl again. "Mom's gonna wait until he knocks himself out, and then... she's gonna take you and leave. You're gonna go out in the woods, and she's gonna tell you you're never going back. It'll just be the two of you... and it will be, for a while..."

"Mommy..."

"... But one night, it's gonna storm," Nora went on hoarsely. "And Mom... she's gonna fall into her head, again. You'll understand why she does that, someday." She took a deep breath. "And when those eyes glow red in the dark, and you hear those growls, she-... She's gonna get scared, and... when you freeze, she's gonna-"

Someone else sniffled in the kitchen, and Nora looked back with wide eyes.

A dustpan sat on the floor, filled with more shards of that fragmented brown glass.

A woman sat on the floor with her back against the wall, her clothes sopping with something foul-smelling and her expression blank. Tears raced down her face, all the same.

The woman's hair was long and copper, curly and pulled back into a low ponytail, and those glazed-over eyes were brown. Her shoulders trembled as she seemed to gaze at the child crying on the table without really seeing, her hands wringing the bottom of her shirt as if it were a rag.

Nora stared at her, stunned, then she gasped and looked back as a shout rang out: "HELLO?! I'M DONE EATING! ARE YOU LAZY BITCHES GOING TO TAKE MY DISHES OR NOT?!"

The little girl sprung to her feet and staggered out of the kitchen while the woman remained immobile.

Nora watched the girl go, then she looked back at the woman and shook her head. "I spent so much time worrying about you, wondering if you were okay even though you left me... Did you ever even think about me after that night, M-?"

...

When Nora shook out of that memory, she raised a hand to her mouth and gagged as her entire back was covered in stone, her eyes wide as she nearly doubled-over.

'Mom?'

"Now, I really must thank you for the fun you've given me," Jose resumed his monologue.

Nora looked up at the Wizard Saint in disbelief.

Were all of these flashes happening in instants?

Gray got into a ready stance. "Elfman!"

"Right!" The other man prepared himself for battle as well.

Jose smirked. "I'll enjoy this."

"Guys, don't!" Nora warned as Jose surrounded his hand with purple light. "Look at his face! He's baiting you!"

"ICE-MAKE-!"

"BEAST-ARM-!"

Erza's eyes widened. "Wait, don't be hasty!"

The two did not listen to Nora nor Erza, instead leaping forward with their attacks ready.

"SAUCER!"

"IRON BULL!"

Jose raised his hand. "Absurd."

A purple glyph formed and shot out multiple skull-shaped beams which struck both attacking wizards, sending them falling to the ground in a cloud of dust as Mirajane cried out in alarm: "Elfman! Gray!"

Erza started trying to force herself to her feet, but Nora placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Huh?" Erza looked up, her eyes wide.

...

Nora stood on a crowded airship, and she looked around in confusion before her eyes widened.

Blake and Yang laid side-by-side the floor, Yang unconscious and missing an arm while a teary-eyed Blake clasped the hand that remained.

An orange-haired girl sat on the floor, gasping in pain and hugging her ribs, then she whimpered as someone slid down from their seat to sit next to her.

"It's okay," Neptune said quietly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and gently lifting some of the pressure off of her body as he supported her. "Sun's gonna be back with Ren soon, okay? And Ruby and Weiss, they'll find Jaune and Pyrrha." The orange-haired girl looked up, close to sobbing from the pain and misery, but Neptune just smiled kindly. "It'll be okay."

"LET GO OF ME! LET ME GO!" A voice screamed, and those who were conscious looked up in alarm as Sun staggered onto the airship with a thrashing and fighting figure in white, green, black, and red held in his arms. "I WON'T LEAVE! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME LEAVE THEM!"

"Ren!" The orange-haired girl cried as Nora raised a hand to her mouth, the Huntress's eyes wide as a wild pair of pink eyes met with the orange-haired girl's aqua. "Stop, please! I-..." She looked down, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to leave, either... It feels like running..." She looked up at the pink-eyed boy with a glare. "But we have to trust our friends, remember?! It's not just us, anymore!"

Ren stared at his partner, then he gasped in pain as Sun set him down beside the orange-haired girl and Neptune moved away enough to give them space while still supporting Nora. The pink-eyed boy glanced at the floor, then his eyes closed as he bowed his head and put his face into his hands.

"... Keep an eye on them," Sun said softly, and Neptune looked at the blond boy in surprise as the monkey-Faunus glanced at his other two teammates. "All of you, just... keep an eye on them." He stood up. "I'll be back, soon."

"Where are you going?" Scarlet asked, confused.

Sun gave a weak grin. "Someone's gotta stick around until the others get back. I'll hang around as long as I can." He nodded. "And we'll meet you guys in Vale." When the monkey-Faunus turned to leave, a hand reached up and grabbed his. "Huh?" Sun looked back, surprised. "Ren?"

"We-..." Ren looked up, his eyes filled with tears. "We can't lose anyone else."

A hush fell as Sun stared down at Ren, then the monkey-Faunus's face fell. He moved over and sat down beside Ren, wrapping an arm around him to take the pressure off as Neptune had done for the orange-haired girl, then he closed his eyes as Ren bowed his head and began to sob.

...

Nora gasped as she was jettisoned from the memory, like she was coming up for air after minutes underwater, then she took a deep breath before she frowned at the knight while the crawling stone reached her waist.

"Stay down. You can barely move, and you'll just get in the way."

"You're turning to stone!" Erza shot back, her eyes narrowing. "I could say the same to you!"

"I'm not stone, yet!" Nora insisted, reaching up to wipe her eyes with what small part of her right hand remained uncovered. "It's just a layer covering me! I'd be fine if the stupid flashbacks stopped!"

Erza blinked, then she became confused. "Wait, how is that-?"

With a swipe of his hand, Jose conjured a line of blasts which caught Elfman and Gray up in them while also throwing Mirajane up with the force of the explosions, and Nora had enough.

The young Huntress swiftly shifted Magnhild into its grenade-launcher form, took aim at Jose, and fired. "Hey, Ghost Duke!"

Petty, but effective.

After the pink smoke cleared, a soot-covered and infuriated Jose growled at Nora, clearly infuriated as he turned to face her. The grenade had somewhat tattered and scorched his clothes and sliced his skin with the shrapnel, and Nora's mind blanked in her surprise.

Natsu was fire-proof. Erza wore armor. They were her friends, and Nora had been careful just as they had been careful.

Nora had hurt Yuka because she did not use magic, and that made sense—but she hurt Sol too with her use of Dust, left him only capable of attacking through the memories of people he had already tagged at his full might...

Wizards did not have aura to protect their skin, their clothes and weapons, their bodies. How many wizards only prepared themselves for magical attacks, thinking that magical attacks were all they would ever face?

Nora was an ant standing before giants when it came to the wizards of Fiore, but... it was possible that she was an ant which had brought a Dust-fueled grenade-launcher to a magic-fight and that was actually able to work for her.

She had considered this all before, but seeing some validity to that theory was taking Nora aback. Aura, Dust—they were truly an advantage she had, a limited advantage which could easily be depleted but an advantage all the same.

Wizards did not know how to handle Nora any more than Nora knew how to handle wizards, and wasn't that terrifying?

Especially since Jose was livid. "Why, you-!"

Erza suddenly lunged forward in her Black Wing armor, dodging an attack Jose used to try and repel her and swinging her blade at him. He caught her wrist and threw her black, but she landed on one knee some distance away from him before standing.

"Erza!" Nora shouted, frustrated.

"You." Jose was still smirking. "I'm pretty sure you took a direct hit from Jupiter. How is it you can stand?"

Nora deadpanned as she gazed at Erza. "She's running on pure adrenaline, rage, and spite towards any and all insistence from anyone that she engage in any level of self-care. Honestly, I'd be impressed if I didn't want to put her in a straight-jacket."

"My friends strengthen my heart." Erza seemed to try to answer Jose and correct Nora at the same time. "For those that I love, I'd throw away this body!"

"She's gone."

"Gone?"

An ash-covered circlet…

A dented and scorched shield…

"This is all that's left, kids. I'm sorry."

As Nora raised her hand to her head again, the stone spreading to her legs and crawling up her neck, Jose smiled cruelly at the knight.

"Strong, courageous, beautiful… It will be such a pleasure to destroy you, girl!"

Lilies the color of her hair laid at the base of the bronze statue.

"I think she knew she wasn't going to win, that she might not come out alive."

Nora felt her hands shaking as she shook her head, lowering her hand as the stone crawled up the left side of her face and covered her legs down to her knees, then she looked up with wide eyes.

'What is she doing? She's already hurt. She can't beat him, and she even admitted that she might be sacrificing herself! Is she crazy?!'

"But… she also knew she was the only one that could try."

Nora felt her breath catch, then she closed her eyes and bowed her head as the stone reached her hairline and spread across her forehead and the bridge of her nose.

'Same story, different planet?'

"So, she did."

"Maybe we should, too."

The Huntress opened her eyes, then she gripped Magnhild to steady herself as she walked over to stand beside Erza, sighing as her movements felt stiff and the stone covered her feet and right eye.

'If it's gonna be the same story, I can at least be with her until the end.'

"Yeah, well… I'm not gonna make it easy for you," she decided, and Erza looked at her in surprise. "If you want to destroy this self-care-refusing idiot, I guess that you'll have to take me out too."

"Never stop moving forward."

Nora glanced at Erza, giving the knight a small smile, then she looked at Jose with a light smirk and shrugged as her hair was completely coated in stone and she probably had what was an incredibly un-fashionable stone mustache.

"She is my teammate, after all."

"Nora?" Erza asked softly, her eyes wide and her battered body starting to shake as the adrenaline stood on its last legs.

Nora glanced at Erza, smiling and raising an eyebrow. "What? You're not alone." She grew serious as she saw the state her friend was in. "We can do this."

"... Yes." Erza nodded, producing a weak grin. "We can."

Erza suddenly reached over and struck Nora's back with the hilt of her blade, and the Huntress blinked as the stone crumbled off of her body. Her pink aura shone brightly before disappearing, and Nora blinked before her eyes widened.

That was what her aura had been doing. Her aura would protect her from the damage of attacks, just as it always had—but she would still feel as though the attack had landed. That was the rule, that had always been the rule...

The Huntress had been forced into her memories, but she was no statue.

Nora glanced at Erza, her eyes wide, and the knight hummed. "You're stronger than you think."

"Yeah, no kidding," Nora replied without thinking, then she clapped a hand over her mouth as her eyes widened.

Erza chuckled, shaking her head. "It's always something with you, isn't it?"

"What can I say?" Nora lowered her hand, taking a sharp breath. "I'm making this up as I go along."

A hush fell after that, interrupted only by the sounds made as the rest of the magic giant shaking and crumbling all the more around the room. It only seemed to grow worse with time.

Gray, Elfman, and Mirajane still laid unconscious in the rubble around the room.

Erza and Nora stood in opposition to the fallen Wizard Saint, but they did not stand alone.

"... Our dragons have run quite amok," Jose finally spoke again, analyzing the two carefully.

Erza was breathing heavily, her body still shaking as she tried to keep her sword raised, but the knight managed to speak clearly: "It doesn't seem like you accounted for Natsu's battle strength. He is just as powerful as I, if not more-so!"

"The guy does seem to break logic whenever he gets angry," Nora agreed tensely. The dialogue could buy time for Erza to recover some more, and she was still reeling from her not-really near-death experience and the accompanying memories. "He could be getting his butt whupped, but the moment his temper flares up? Look out." She snorted. "Reminds me of my friend Yang, actually." She blinked. "... We need to invest in arm-guards, for him—like, now."

"Enough with the modesty, Titania Erza," Jose mocked the S-Class wizard's praise of the Fire Dragon-Slayer. "Your magical power is indeed amazing. If you hadn't taken damage from Jupiter, I suspect that we may have had quite the match." The dark wizard raised a hand, clenching it into a fist. "I can't stand Makarov having a wizard this powerful in his or any guild."

With a dramatic flick, a purple light suddenly launched Erza back and into a wall, and Nora looked back with wide eyes. "Erza!"

"Do you understand why I didn't finish Makarov off before?" Jose questioned Erza, preparing five spheres of purple light on his outstretched fingers and thumb.

Nora blinked, then her eyes narrowed and she shifted Magnhild into a hammer, taking a deep breath as she raised her weapon and braced herself.

Jose opened fire, and-

One!

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five!

Nora batted all of the purple beams aside, though the contact left scorch-marks on Magnhild's surface, and Erza leapt up.

"Despair!" Jose shouted, firing a sonic pulse from his hand, but Erza dodged it and landed in a crouch in front of him before leaping out of the way of another purple beam.

Erza flew one way while Nora ran another, with Jose firing after Erza and always seeming to miss her due to the wizard's speed.

"It was to put him in despair," Jose continued, still smirking. "When he wakes up and sees his beloved guild and his beloved guild-members destroyed… How will he feel?" He chuckled darkly. "Crestfallen, I'm sure."

"The building's gonna be a bummer!" Nora admitted, her eyes narrowed. "But you're crazy if you think your little shadow-puppets are gonna do anything after your Element Four fell flat and your Abyss Break went up in smoke! Face it, Jose: you blew it!"

Nora slid to a stop as Jose regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "Did I?"

"Nora!" Erza shouted as Jose fired a purple beam which struck Nora and launched her into a pillar, causing the girl to hit the ground as dust flew up into the air.

Nora groaned, and Jose grinned. "I'll destroy that man with despair and sadness never-ending. I will not let him rest. He'll suffer, and suffer, and suffer some more—'til the end of his days!"

"You villain!" Erza snapped, flying forward and swiping her blade at the dark wizard, but he suddenly vanished.

"Phantom Lord was always the number one guild," Jose mused as he reappeared behind Erza, looking down as her eyes widened. "We had the most-powerful magic, the most-talented people, and the most money in the country." He looked up. "But in these past few years, Fairy Tail has suddenly gotten powerful.

Erza, Laxus, Mystogan… Those names were heard even in our city, and rumors of Salamander spread throughout the country. And, at some point, suddenly Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail became the two signature guilds of this country." His eyes narrowed. "I don't like it, especially when your guild was once crappy and weak."

"Well, boo-hoo!" Nora pushed herself up and stood, deadpanning as she gripped Magnhild. "I'm sorry your fragile ego couldn't take the hit, your lordship, but I think that we were a bit too busy saving lives and being otherwise productive to care about a change in rankings!"

"You-..!" Erza suddenly lashed out again, but Jose swiftly dodged her. "You started this war all because of some petty jealousy?!"

"Jealousy?" Jose laughed. "Of course not! I wanted to show everyone our superiority!"

Nora rolled her eyes as she shifted Magnhild back into a grenade-launcher. "Next time, say 'yes'. Save time and a little dignity."

"What a-..." Erza was disgusted. "What a worthless reason!"

The knight launched herself at Jose and swung her blade at least twenty times in rapid succession, but he dodged and prepared a blast of purple magic. He knocked her blade away, but before he could strike again, Nora fired.

"Erza, move!" Nora shouted, and the knight quickly leapt away from the fallen Wizard Saint and the surrounding pink smoke retrieved her blade.

Erza moved back to Nora's side, panting for breath, then she closed her eyes and bowed her head. "My thanks, Nora."

"I may not be a powerful wizard, but I'd like to think I'm a decent shot," Nora remarked as Jose recovered and looked up with a glare, covered in pink dust, soot, and more scratches and even burns.

Still, he was moving—too powerful to be stopped by those injuries, just as the Jupiter had not stopped Erza.

"I've long had a distaste for your guild, so the trigger to-"

BOOM!

Another grenade exploded in Jose's face, causing him to cough and hack as pink smoke billowed around him.

"He said 'trigger'," Nora joked as Erza looked at her with wide eyes. "And come on, I caught him monologuing!"

If Nora could not do more than superficially damage the Wizard Saint, she could at least distract and annoy him.

"Grr..!" Jose swiped his hand and dispelled the rest of the smoke, looking absolutely livid. "I was all too happy to go to war over a trifle!"

"A 'trifle'?" Erza asked, regarding Jose in confusion.

"A request to return the only daughter of the Heartfilia Concern," Jose elaborated. "A daughter of one of the richest families in the country, in Fairy Tail? How big must you get before you're satisfied?!"

Jose raised his hand and cast purple tendrils of energy at Nora and Erza, who both shouted in alarm as their weapons were cast aside and they were wrapped up in it. Then, red electricity started to shock them—and while Erza cried out in pain, Nora's fists clenched as she gritted her teeth.

That magic electricity, straight from the source, was different from the kind conjured by Dust or nature or even the lacrimae Master Makarov had given Nora. Even without using her semblance on those lacrimae, she could sense the magic within, and it had always felt powerful but neutral. Nora felt as though she could actually feel Jose's anger and hate through his dark magic, coursing through her veins and into her muscles in order to become raw strength.

Nora had not felt anything like this when Erza had struck her with electricity from her spear during their match, but now Nora had to dread what she might feel if she ever did manage to provoke Laxus to the point of a magical attack. She really had been playing with fire- well, lightning...

"If you bastards can use the Heartfilia's money as you wish, there's no mistaking that you could gain greater power than ours!" Jose snarled, and Nora felt the sparking around her body increase. "That, I cannot allow!"

In spite of the negativity coursing through her being, Nora almost-laughed—but she just smirked. "Oh, brother. You really don't know anything, do you?" Then, Erza cried out in pain as the electricity increased and Nora scowled as her rage spiked with it. "When I get out of this-!"

"Heh." Erza looked up, grinning. "Making such a big deal about who's on top… Nora's right: it's fragile, pitiful." She chuckled. "And you truly do not know anything! Your lack of intelligence is laughable!"

Jose blinked. "What?"

"Lucy ran away from home," Erza explained, and Nora tried to calm herself down as the electricity subsided a bit. "You think she uses her family's money?" Jose's eyes widened, and he lowered his hand slightly and further subsided. "She lives in a rented house for seventy-thousand jewel a month! She does jobs and fights together with us! We laugh together, cry together!

She's a wizard like any other in the guild!" Erza's smirk became a scowl and she bared her teeth, displaying her fury. "A trigger for war?! The daughter of the Heartfilia family?! A flower cannot choose the place it blooms, nor can a child choose their parents!" As Erza spoke, Nora's aqua eyes widened. "A fiend like you knows nothing of Lucy's tears! You can't know her!"

"... I'll learn soon enough." Jose smirked, the electricity increasing again and with it Nora's negativity. "Do you seriously think I'd just hand her over to her father? If she doesn't have any money, I'll keep her. I'll get the entire Heartfilia fortune!"

"Why, you-..!" Erza began to writhe, trying to escape.

Jose raised a hand, summoning two skeletal shapes which cackled with a malicious glee. "Don't struggle. It'll just cause you to suffer more."

"Okay, that's it!" Nora closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.

The electricity she had gathered in her body flowed into her muscles, and with a great push, Nora suddenly burst free from the purple tendril of energy and dropped to the floor in a crouch, grabbing Magnhild. She then spun and slammed her hammer into the base of Erza's prison, dissolving the purple energy.

Erza dropped just before the skeletons could reach her, the knight snatching her blade off of the ground, and she looked at Nora in disbelief. "How-?"

"Are you really worried about that, right now?!" Nora demanded, swinging her hammer at one of the skeletons as it flew her way and disbursing it.

Erza blinked, then she looked at the second skeleton with a glare, gripping her blade and raising it. "I expect an explanation later, O teammate of mine!"

"Hm." Nora smirked, standing back-to-back with Erza to keep an eye on Jose. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Zero Self-Care!"

"You're infuriating." Jose raised a hand and reformed the first skeleton, gazing at Nora in annoyance. "Perish, little weakling."

"Yeah, not today!" Nora told him, preparing to lunge at the skeleton, only to find her legs immobile. She blinked, then she looked down to find tendrils of purple energy wrapped around her legs, and Nora yelped as she was suddenly lifted upside-down and into the air. "Whoa!"

With so much danger in the room, her aura must not have been able to isolate the specific threat!

Nora cringed as Magnhild again hit the ground, and she was left hanging uselessly.

"Nora!" Erza looked back, her eyes wide, then she cried out as she was suddenly wrapped up and zapped again before the two skeletons faced her and opened their jagged mouths, seeming to inhale.

Erza screamed as her armor fragmented and a semi-transparent image of herself was seemingly pulled from her body, and Nora's eyes widened. 'Is that her SOUL?'

"ERZA!" The Huntress screamed, feeling all of those negative thoughts swirling in her body with the dark electricity.

Her panic was growing, her heart was thunder in her ears, her breathing was rapid, her vision was red.

'He's going to rip out her soul!'

"Now, shall we start the horror show?" Jose grinned madly. "Let's show how you're doing to the rest of Fairy Tail—Titania, so full of pride. If they see your pitiful state, the rest of the trash are sure to give up!"

The rage overtook the panic, Jose's attempt at torture only providing greater energy as electricity crackled around Nora's body.

It was not as powerful as that of the Atlesian facility, or Nora would have been long dead—but its properties were different, affected her differently.

Nora was taking in so much energy, but more than that: she was taking in the motivation to use it just as its master would have.

The Huntress found herself having to push away thoughts of bringing Magnhild down on Jose's head with the full force of her semblance's might.

Was this what it felt like, being one of the bad guys? It was terrifying, and she just wanted to stop. How did they do it?

"You don't know them at all!" Nora snapped. "If you don't let her go, you twisted monster, you'll only wish they killed you!"

"Oh?" Jose started zapping Nora with more of that red lightning , having clearly not caught on to the trick. "Is that so?"

"Does your wretchedness know no bounds?!" Erza demanded through a grimace of agony.

The dark wizard tsked. "You'll be looking pretty wretched yourself, in a moment."

Jose laughed, and Erza screamed.

Then, the knight's eyes opened and went to her blade.

The blade lifted into the air, but it did not go to Jose—it went to Erza's own back.

Nora did not notice the sky turning gold.

"When I got to the top of the tower, I saw Pyrrha… and Cinder…

And then, the arrow was through-..."

Nora did not need a spell for that memory to return to her.

Suddenly, all she saw was red.

Red with rage.

Red like fire.

Red like blood.

Red like Pyrrha.

The Huntress crossed her legs within the tendril of energy, taking a deep breath before sitting up and grabbing her feet. The electricity around her fueled her muscles, and Nora's eyes narrowed before she suddenly forced her thighs apart in order to cross her calves and disburse the tendril of energy holding her up.

Nora landed on her side, grunting in pain as her pink aura flickered around her, then she grabbed Magnhild and scrambled to her feet as she shifted her weapon into a grenade-launcher and took aim at Jose. "No more!"

"I agree."

A golden light washed over the room.

Erza's blade was halted, her armor was pieced back together, and she was lowered to the ground as all signs of Jose's magic vanished.

"Erza!" Nora placed Magnhild on her back and ran over to the knight without thinking, kneeling and grabbing her by the arms. The Huntress felt angry and scared and hurt all at once. "What were you thinking?!"

"Nora, I-..." Erza shook her head, then she bowed her head and closed her eyes. "I don't-..."

...

Pyrrha looked up at Ruby as she clutched a scrap of cloth, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry!"

...

Nora blinked, all of that panic and rage and hate draining from her mind, then she closed her eyes and pulled Erza into a hug, resting a hand on the back of her head. She felt a shaking hand rest on her back as the knight let out a shuddering breath.

"I-... I'm sorry…"

"Don't be." Nora opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, too... It's okay. You're okay."

"Much blood has been spilled," the new voice spoke again, and Nora looked up to see a figure floating in the golden light. "Children's blood." Makarov's narrowed eyes swept the room and took in the Fairy Tail members within. "Because of their parent's failure, the children have suffered and shed tears." He focused on Jose as he settled on his feet. "Enough of this... You and I." The old man's expression filled with rage. "We must put this to an end!"

"Master!" Erza's face lit up as Nora helped her to her feet and supported her.

Nora quickly got the knight out of the way as Jose's eyes turned black, the dark Wizard Saint smirking. "You wish to cause a disaster?"

"If it's for the sake of my guild!" Makarov conjured a sphere of golden light from his finger, and Jose suddenly cast several purple tendrils which Makarov blocked with golden glyphs. "Everyone, get away from here!"

Nora—noticing that Gray, Elfman, and Mirajane had woken up—hesitated. "But what about you?!"

Elfman and Gray tried to raise similar protests, but Erza gestured. "Do as he says! Let's go!" She looked at Nora. "We'll only get in his way by being here."

"... Right." Nora nodded, still hesitant, then she looked at the others with narrowed eyes. "Come on! Let's get out of here!"

"Leave everything to the master!" Erza told them, and Nora continued to offer her support while Elfman did the same for Mirajane, and the four of them and Gray fled the room.

'I'm not running,' she told herself' 'This isn't running. He told us to go. He'll be okay.'

Nora's heart still sank.


/\


When two Wizard Saints battled, the ocean raged and lightning flashed. The ground shook as Gray, Elfman, Mirajane, Erza, and Nora arrived back upon it, and they watched the remnants of the magic giant warily.

For several minutes, the fight went on, and then a blinding golden light spilled forth from the structure. It burned away the Shades but left the Fairy Tail wizards unharmed.

"It's Fairy Law," Erza realized.

Gray blinked. "Fairy Law?"

"Righteous lights that slays the darkness," Erza explained, smiling. "It slays only that which the caster believes is the enemy. It's a super-powerful magic, now counted as legend."

"Not righteous, then. Subjective," Nora noted, frowning as she observed the light, then she cringed. "Gods forbid Laxatives ever learn how to use it. We'd all be in trouble. He doesn't like anyone."

"True enough." Gray chuckled quietly, crossing his arms as cheers rang up all around.

Snark aside, morale was high.

They had won.

Makarov appeared at the edge of the ruined giant as everyone gathered on the cliff together, and his voice carried: "This victory is not just from my power! It is a victory for our whole family!"

"... Where are Natsu, Happy, and Lucy?" Nora asked, raising an eyebrow, and everyone blinked before their eyes widened. "Guys, we had one job."


Eventually, the cheering died down and everyone was left staring at the ruins of the Fairy Tail guild hall when Makarov arrived.

Nora had seen enough ruins for a dozen lifetimes, but she doubted that this was the end.

"Hm." Makarov sighed and shook his head, sadness heavy in his eyes. "They've really made a big mess, now."

"Um… Master?" A voice spoke up, and everyone looked up to see a battered and bruised blonde stepping forward, her brown eyes cast to the pavement as she tugged on her hair.

Makarov hummed softly. "You've really had a tough time, haven't you?"

"Don't give us that face, Lu-chan!" Another voice insisted, and Nora glanced over with a light grin to see four figures arriving, their leader being a blue-haired girl. "We're back!"

"Levy-chan!" Lucy cried out upon seeing the other girl as well as Jet, Droy, and Reedus, all of them battered but back on their feet.

"Everyone worked together to beat them," Levy reminded the blonde.

Droy glanced at the building. "Although the guild-hall was destroyed."

"We all just need to rebuild it," Jet chided.

Reedus smiled. "Oui."

"You guys…" Lucy was at a loss.

Levy smiled kindly. "Sorry for making you worry, Lu-chan."

"No!" Lucy protested immediately. "This is all my-!"

"I heard." Levy's expression became sympathetic as she gazed at her friend. "But nobody thinks this is your fault, Lu-chan."

"On the other hand…" Reedus cringed. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."

Lucy raised her hands to her mouth, looking ready to cry, then she looked up and blinked as Nora placed a hand on her shoulder.

The Huntress frowned at the runaway heiress, and Lucy looked at her with wide eyes before casting her gaze aside. "Your friend, the one who was a little like me… the one who wrote that beautiful song… did she put her friends through this much trouble?"

"... She got kidnapped by bandits, once," Nora offered, and Lucy blinked. "Nearly escaped on her own, but would've gotten cornered if our other friend Yang hadn't shown up." She snorted quietly. "She was lucky that the bandit queen was Yang's mom and that the drama there was enough to distract from a ransom."

"Oh." Lucy gave a frail smile even as her eyes continued to go watery. "You've gone on the strangest adventures."

"Yeah," Nora agreed. "I'll have to tell you about more of them, someday." She raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "Them, and some other stories I know... Might make a good book or two."

Lucy blinked again. "And you would... let me write it?"

"Yeah," Nora decided, nodding as she managed to offer a weak grin of her own. "Why not?"

"Lucy," Makarov spoke up, and everyone looked at the master of Fairy Tail. "Fun things, sad things… We can't share everything—but what we can, we should share. That's what it means to be a guild. A single person's happiness is everyone's happiness, a single person's anger is everyone's anger, and a single person's tears are everyone's tears.

You have no reason to feel guilty." As he spoke, everyone looked on with smiles. Even Natsu had returned—battered and bruised as he was—to grin at his friend, though she had covered her face with her hands and started to cry. "Lucy… You should be able to tell how everyone feels. Raise your head! You're part of the Fairy Tail family."

Lucy lowered her hands, tears streaming down her face, then she raised her head even as she began sobbing loudly.

The girl eventually sank to her knees, continuing to sob, but she did not lower her head.

"Well." Nora blinked. "Something to be said for enthusiasm."

"Hm." Makarov looked back at the ruined guild hall, his eyes wide. "We did go a bit overboard, didn't we?"

The Huntress strode over and looked at the ruins, crossing her arms and sighing. "Honestly, if you hadn't, I'd have assumed something was wrong. The way I see it, it wouldn't be Fairy Tail if it wasn't overboard."

"Heh." Makarov chuckled, glancing up at the young Huntress. "Now, you're getting it." His expression softened. "... Thank you, for fighting for my family."

Nora glanced down at him. "I'm a Huntress. That's the job." She glanced over at Gray, Natsu, Erza, and Happy—who were watching over Lucy with smiles as they lingered close to Elfman and Mirajane. "Besides… it wasn't all selfless. I had something to protect."

"I know," Makarov assured her. "And I'm proud of how far you've come, Miss Valkyrie." Nora looked down at him, and he smiled. "I know you prefer breaking things, but I hope I can count on your strength for construction."

"Hm." Nora looked up at the ruins. "... I can definitely help with hauling debris and lifting."

"Deal." Makarov crossed his arms, then he sighed quietly. "This is going to seriously anger the Council. Or wait… if it goes poorly… maybe even warrant imprisonment…" His eyes widened, then they closed as he opened his mouth and started sobbing. "WAH..!"

"Master!" Erza shouted, her eyes wide.

Nora looked over at the knight, annoyed. "Erza Scarlet, if you don't sit your battered butt down this instant, then SO HELP ME-!"


/\/\/\/\


Fortunately for Erza, Nora never got to make good on any threat.

The Magic Council's Rune Knights showed up and arrested everyone in Fairy Tail for the disturbance, dragging them to a military outpost for a weeklong interrogation.

As one of the members who went into the giant, Nora was interviewed seven times, getting more and aggravated with each pass.

At first, she was completely cooperative as she recounted everything that happened in detail and answered every question with enthusiasm. By the seventh time around, Nora had devolved into her snarkiest self, her face was in a constant deadpan and her arms were ever-crossed, and every third question was answered with "I don't know, ask Laxatives. Oh, wait—the misogynist pig couldn't even be bothered to SHOW UP!" while every eighth got a "Where is my wizard lawyer?".

Of course, it all would have been over in a heartbeat had Master Makarov not stepped in when the Rune Knights first began questioning Nora about her identity and explained that she was from out of the country and had moved to Fiore in order to join Fairy Tail. The Rune Knights recorded her name, age, affiliation, and some basic notes about Master Makarov's vague explanation, and then the interrogation was able to go on without much issue other than the occasional raised eyebrow when Nora did not understand something which must have been rooted enough in Fiore-based knowledge to avoid raising too much suspicion.

It was fun.

Finally, the Rune Knights had decided that the conflict had not been Fairy Tail's fault and let the mages off with a warning and the promise of a proper punishment at a later date (though no one was too worried about that, given the evidence), and the victors of the war were allowed to begin rebuilding their ruined guild hall.

As promised, Nora had been a big help with the clearing of the rubble—especially given how hurt most of the wizards had been in those early days—and soon, the others were able to just focus on the reconstruction and occasionally call upon the Huntress when something heavy needed to be hauled.

"You know." Erza, in full workman gear, glanced at Nora as she worked. "You still have to explain to me how you escaped Jose."

"Hm?" Nora raised an eyebrow, turning to the knight while holding a massive wooden beam on her shoulder.

Erza frowned at her friend. "He was torturing us, and you barely flinched. If anything, you seemed to grow stronger."

"Oh." Nora blinked, then she looked away with some sheepishness. "It's -uh- this thing I can do. I know you guys have mostly seen me use my hammer with the electricity and the smoke and the explosives, and you've seen how strong I can be and the sensing and pulses and the… durability bit." Erza nodded, and Nora looked at her. "There's another thing. I, um… You know how you've seen me absorb and expel energy?"

"Yes."

"... I'm not supposed to expel it," Nora confessed. "When I come into contact with any sort of electricity, I sorta get… stronger."

Erza blinked. "What?"

"I can use electricity to charge my muscles, make myself stronger," Nora elaborated. "Sort of like—I don't know—how Natsu eats fire to re-charge his magic. Electricity just sorta… charges me up, so when Jose thought he was torturing me-"

"He was helping you escape," Erza realized, her eyes wide. "This is why Master Makarov will not allow you and Laxus to fight. You possess the potential to defeat him not because you are a more-powerful mage, but because his magic is vulnerable to yours."

"Hm." Nora smiled awkwardly. "Not necessarily. I mean, I have my limits." She tugged her collar down, drawing emphasis to her scars, and Erza's face fell as Nora released her collar and looked up at the knight. "But honestly, it would be my absolute pleasure to put Laxatives in his place for even just a few seconds—scars be damned."

"Hm." Erza produced a small smile, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "You truly are a strange one, Nora Valkyrie, but I am honored to have you as my teammate." A pause, then Erza opened her eyes and looked up sheepishly. "If I may still give myself that distinction."

"Huh?" Nora blinked. "Why wouldn't you?"

Erza sighed. "Nora… You confided in me your fear regarding teams because of your loss, and the moment you decided to let me in, I-..." Her formal tone dropped, and it was suddenly another teenager rather than a knight speaking to Nora. "I almost-... Nora, I-"

"Erza." Nora's eyes narrowed. "I'm not gonna pretend I know what was going through your head, but… if making an attempt like that warrants getting kicked off of the team, then maybe I don't belong on it either." Erza looked up at her, her eyes wide, and Nora took a deep breath. "Are we okay?"

"... Yes." Erza nodded slowly. "We are."

Nora gave a small smile, nodding. "Good. Looks like we're okay, then." Her eyes narrowed, and she poked Erza in the chest. "As long as you stop running into danger when you're half-dead. I know the rest of the guild is scared of you, Erza, but I think you're an idiot."

"Hm." Erza's eyes lit up. "Fair enough."


I would like to begin with an apology for the hiatus.

I am an archaeologist-in-training, and I have been away in the field for the last several weeks. I did not have the opportunity to post or write in that time, so... yeah.

From the bottom of my heart, my bad.

... Sorry, guys.

Anyway, I tried to give you a nice, long, action and character/relationship-development-filled chapter to try and make up for it!

Nora's interacting with Natsu, Gray, the Strauss siblings, Lucy, Makarov, and especially Erza some more on her path to developing these relationships and coming into her own as a Fairy Tail wizard, and she deals with Sol and Jose as well as her own memories.

I tried to establish more of the "magic vs. aura" rules I am trying to create, herewhich is fun, as always. I had fun messing with the idea of psychological vs. physical damage as well as Nora having a little fun with Jose's use of electricity as well as being horrified by him apparently starting to rip Erza's soul from her body. As we all know, souls do come into play multiple times as the series progresses, so having Nora present and getting to see how she reacts (given how the soul is viewed and treated on Remnant) is gonna be a lot of fun.

I wanted to explore more of Nora's position as the mentor figure, soldiering on as the veteran of war and understanding diabolical tactics that make the younger and less-experienced wizards horrified to even think of when she has come to expect the worst. I also liked the idea of her finally coming to accept them just as they, especially Erza, were at their most vulnerableespecially since I have been developing this understanding in Nora that there are certain similarities between her new friends and the people she lost.

I love the idea of Nora, still just a kid herself mature in her own way beyond what she is given credit for, but still playful and growingbut also very wordly and experienced, seeing these wizards and understanding that they outclass her in power but still seeing them as kids. She tells Natsu that all that matters is that he is safe, she realizes that she was too harsh on the injured Gray, she talks Elfman through his struggles, she protects Mirajane and reassures her, she comforts Lucy with interests which were confided in her and openness, and Erza-

God, I didn't know I needed this friendship before I wrote it.

Nora looks at Erza and sees the powerful warrior, but she also sees a kid pushing herself too far and giving herself too little credit andin a brief moment of desperationshe sees a kid putting a blade to her own back. Nora's immediate reaction is panicked and frantic, but then everything that follows is comforting, understanding, supportive.

Nora has seen friends try to sacrifice themselves before. Nora has had friends sacrifice themselves before. Nora has been a kid with a blade in her hand.

Nora knows how to look after these kids not only because she has been friends with them, but because she has been them.

And Lordy, I need to write a chapter where they all get dragged to therapy by Ren's ghost or something. Good night-

Anyway, that's all for now. Hopefully, it will not be as long before my next update.

Hopefully. XD

I own nothing. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)