. Hollow Moon .

"Late at night,

When the stars don't look quite right

In the darkness

Slowly crawling over my skin…

…

There's something burning in the

Empty room inside of my head.

Fill it up with doubt.

Let it in, let it spread…

…

There's too many monsters in the backyard,

And I feel them creeping

Closer, closer, closer."

~ "Hollow Moon" by The Crane Wives

Once, Natsu had thrived in smoke and ash. He had summoned the flame that would kindle such destruction to his fingertips, controlling where and how it went with the abilities his father had taught him. He'd been able to devour the heat and feel it fill his belly. He'd thrived where others had been unable to handle the hottest days of summer, the deserts, everything in between.

Now, he wrinkled his nose uncertainly at the sight of what remained of Lucy's beloved bakery. The soot stuck to his skin in a way that was almost uncomfortable. The heat that still seemed to simmer in some areas drove him away instead of towards it. His skin, when it came in contact with an ember, burned. He hated it.

Natsu shouldn't have been there. There was police tape blocking anyone from entering the unsafe building. But Lucy had needed some things out of a safe at the back, and she'd not had time to go through the proper channels due to some meetings with the people in charge of the insurance and other such things. So, Natsu had promised to retrieve them.

It made his heart ache, the sight of the remains of the Heartfilia Bakery. At this time of day, customers should have been coming and going. Instead, there was only silence and smoke.

The safe was right where Lucy had said it would be: in her office. The office was virtually untouched except for some smoke damage on the ceiling, charring its white surface black. Natsu eyed the area, coughing a little when he inhaled too suddenly and filled his lungs with soot. Clearing his throat, he picked his way through the office and found it beneath the desk. A quick code that Lucy had given him when he'd left her that morning revealed the safe's contents.

He pulled out some documents that proved her ownership, the lease for the space, and other such important things. He tucked them safely into his pocket, ensuring they'd not fall out, and then rocked to his feet. His gaze roved the space, seeking answers. Faulty wiring, Lucy had claimed the police said. She didn't agree, and if Lucy didn't agree, then neither did Natsu.

Unable to help himself, he began nosing around, searching different spots in the building. Just as the police and firefighters had said, the worst of the damage was in the kitchen, where it seemed an oven had gone strange. The entire kitchen he'd once helped cook and bake in was destroyed. Some appliances had even begun to melt thanks to the heat of the fire. Natsu wrinkled his nose as he investigated.

It was as he was turning to leave that he spotted a small lump. It was on a corner of the counter near the stove. Knowing Lucy didn't leave anything out when she left for the night, Natsu picked his way over and studied it.

When he poked at it, he sneezed. It absolutely reeked of fuel.

Natsu narrowed his eyes.

Definitely not faulty wiring.

"So," said Natsu, spinning the chair he sat in around, and around, and around. "What'd you find?"

Gajeel had been the one to hunt him down and tell him they were going to a meeting with Levy at the museum. He'd been clear without saying a word that it wasn't a choice. Natsu would be at the meeting, whether he had plans with Lucy or not. Which he did. And coming up with a reason to not meet with Lucy and give her the important documents she needed was incredibly difficult without arousing suspicions.

Natsu was sure he'd not done a very good job of it.

Levy, adjusting her grip on her cane, sighed heavily. "I'll tell you when Jellal arrives."

It was a surprise. They'd not really involved Jellal in any of their searches for answers, though Natsu had occasionally wondered why. He and Meredy seemed a little different from the rest of them. It was almost as if they lived two lives rather than choosing one or the other. They acted exactly as they had back in the old days, though he'd heard Jellal was moving to Magnolia permanently soon, if only to be close to Erza. Natsu wondered how Erza felt about it – if she minded. Natsu doubted it.

This life or the last, Erza cared for Jellal. She'd simply never gotten the chance to show how much before Acnologia had ripped apart their future.

Natsu huffed impatiently. "I can't stay long. Lucy needs these papers." He patted his pocket, where he'd tucked them. "It's for her bakery and stuff. She was meeting with important people."

"Trust me, she'll be alright waiting for this."

Natsu gave an exaggerated sigh that made Gajeel scowl in annoyance. "Would you just shut up and sit there for a second?" Gajeel demanded. "He said five minutes. Sure it'll be less."

Rather than answering, Natsu began spinning around, and around, and around again.

After what seemed like ages but was in all reality two minutes according to the small clock on the wall, the door to Levy's office opened and Jellal Fernandes himself entered. He blinked, startled at who he found inside. "My apologies. I came as quickly as I could."

"Finally." Natsu stopped spinning his chair to hop to his feet.

"Ignore him," Gajeel told Jellal. "He's a pain in the ass."

"Hey," huffed Natsu, glaring at Gajeel.

Levy tapped the end of her cane pointedly on the floor. "Boys," she warned, scowling. She turned her face towards where she'd heard Jellal's voice come from. "You're on time, Jellal, ignore him." Natsu sputtered fiercely. "But since you're here, let's get started. Natsu apparently has somewhere to be that he considers more important."

Natsu squinted at her, debating whether or not he should respond. Lucy was more important than anything related to their hunt for answers. If it meant Lucy's wellbeing, he'd give this up in a heartbeat. Still, he settled, looking sharply at Jellal when Jellal chuckled and withdrew something from his pocket.

"As promised," he said. "I looked into the location you indicated. As I said on the phone, Levy, it doesn't exist. However," he continued as Natsu opened his mouth, knowing precisely what location he'd been looking into, "it used to. It was once a town in the far north of Fiore, several days' drive from here. According to the historical records I checked into, it was destroyed a long, long time ago in some fight that took place. The ruins left behind still exist, however, and up until a few years ago, you could take private flights," he waved the papers again, "to it. Now, you have to drive. Meredy's on her way now to investigate."

Natsu considered what Jellal was telling them, furrowing his brow. So Levy had asked Jellal to look into the ticket receipts he'd discovered in the attic. Noticing the look on his face, Gajeel said, "We're too busy to go around gettin' our hands dirty in places like that, Salamander. So we had to get someone with more time to."

"Meredy prefers her criminal lifestyle," sighed Jellal ruefully. "I've tried to convince her to try something else, but it's best for her to remain on the move. She's less likely to get into trouble this way. And if she finds something she thinks interesting, she'll bring it back, regardless of whether it's truly legal or not. It keeps our hands clean and gives her something to do other than getting arrested."

Natsu wasn't entirely sure it truly kept their hands clean, but he didn't care so long as it brought answers. "There were multiple tickets, Jellal."

"Yes, and I'm researching those, too, but there's only so much I can do at the moment." Jellal frowned, not happy about it. "Unless you're volunteering to get in a plane, Natsu–"

"Nope. Not happening." Natsu blanched at the thought. He could hardly handle cars, let alone an airplane–

Levy grinned at his response, laughing softly before growing serious again. "I've been looking for Tenrou while you've been doing that," she said, and Natsu was taken aback. He'd not thought about the island Fairy Tail had once called home. Not once. "I think it's moved."

"Not impossible, were magic to still exist somewhere," mused Jellal. He tipped his head, frowning. "It would have likely moved before magic disappeared though. I'd like to say that we'd have all felt such a thing taking place, but I suppose none of us are capable of feeling such things anymore."

Natsu wished they were. He recalled the warmth of the fire he'd once wielded, and he longed for it. "So, where would it move to?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out now," admitted Levy. She huffed. "I wish I could see," she muttered bitterly. "It'd make things so much easier."

Gajeel reached over and ruffled her hair with a gentle touch, his crimson eyes burning though his voice remained almost playful as he told her, "S'what I'm here for, ain't it? I'm your eyes."

"What's our next move then?" Natsu demanded, impatient. He wanted to go find Lucy. He had her important papers, and he wanted to make sure she was doing okay. She'd hidden a good amount of her despair well enough, but he could feel it prickling beneath her skin.

"Like I said, I'll keep looking for Tenrou," Levy said. "Gajeel will help me, apparently, and Jellal, I presume you'll continue looking into that town you mentioned. Natsu, why don't you keep doing as you're doing with Lucy? She's had the hardest time out of all of us, I think. With her bakery burning down…" She trailed off, and Natsu shrugged.

It wasn't like he'd do any good with what they were trying to accomplish anyways.

It was a good day for Lucy despite the stress surrounding her bakery, noticed Natsu when she came back from her meeting with the insurance people. She seemed more comfortable in her skin for once, and her eyes, though exhausted and grieving, were a little brighter than they had been. Natsu, having been waiting in her place for her to come back, rocked upright from where he'd been sprawled out on her couch. "What's up?"

Lucy bounced a little. "The insurance…they're going to pay out enough that I can build my own building. Not just purchase one from someone else, but build it, from the ground up!"

A grin broke over Natsu's face. "That's great, Luce!"

"I wish it wasn't necessary," admitted Lucy, her smile fading somewhat. "But…at least something good will happen now." She meandered over and dropped onto the sofa beside him, tipping her head back to look at the ceiling. Natsu made himself comfortable, too, sprawling out again. He cautiously tossed a leg over her lap, just to tease her, and she grumbled about it, gently prodding at his leg.

"Rude," she muttered, even as she snorted to hide her laughter.

Natsu's heart leapt at the lack of bitterness that had been so heavy in her mind lately.

They lingered like that for a little while, and Natsu had even begun to doze off when Lucy's phone went off. She prodded his leg off so she could go retrieve it. By the time she came back, she was speaking softly into it. "Slow down, Gray," sighed Lucy, dropping down to sit again. "I can't understand you when you talk so fast."

Curiosity drew Natsu back into full wakefulness and he lazily watched Lucy, interested in whatever conversation she was having. He doubted it was anything good. Not with the way her lips twisted into a startled, unhappy grimace.

"Alright, alright," she finally said, running a hand through her golden hair. "Natsu's here, so I'll let him know. Tell her we're around if she needs anything, would you? Yeah. Bye." She hung up, biting her lip. Natsu eyed her, impatient. Finally, she glanced up at him anxiously and said, "I guess Juvia remembers, too, now."

Natsu winced, wondering how she was handling it. Reactions had varied greatly, and Juvia had never been one with logical reactions.

As if reading his mind, Lucy said, "Apparently, she's holding up particularly well."

He couldn't help the brief grin that touched his lips. Of course she was. He dropped his head back against the sofa again, quiet. "I wonder how many more are out there," he mused. "We're missing a bunch of the others." He had a whole list of names in his head. People he'd not seen since…well, before.

"All of them, is my best guess," she murmured. "And not just the good ones."

Something didn't sit right, and Natsu couldn't put his finger on it as he impatiently rocked back and forth in his chair, ignoring the exasperated looks he was getting from Wendy, who seemed to be in the best mood she'd experienced in a while. There was still darkness to her gaze, and Charle seemed to sense that. The white cat hadn't left her lap since she'd sat down to eat.

"Natsu," Wendy finally huffed, putting her fork down.

He slammed his chair down. "Sorry."

She studied him for a few moments before picking her fork up again. She pushed a bite of food into her mouth, which made Natsu happier than he could have said. She'd not been eating much lately. "Why are you so fidgety?"

"I don't know," admitted Natsu, frowning at the table. He'd finished his own meal ages ago, but was content to sit with Wendy as long as she needed – mostly because he'd scarfed his down at unnatural speeds, which was apparently rude according to Gajeel. For a moment, Natsu recalled times in which his older cousin had made him sit there until they were all finished eating as a kid. It made him smirk to himself.

But then that strange feeling crept back in, and Natsu found himself fighting the urge to fidget again. There was just one little thing he was trying to remember, he thought, squinting at nothing in particular. He tried to remember when the feeling that something was off had started, but only kept tracing it back to Lucy's place.

"Do you ever feel like something's off, but you can't put your finger on it?" he asked Wendy.

"Every day." She pushed her plate away, frowning. "When I get really confused by my memories, anyways." Wendy glanced at him, studying Natsu closely. "Is it…are you remembering something you don't want to remember?"

"No, that's not it." Natsu groaned, slumping back in his chair. "It's the opposite. I need to remember something, I think, but it's just not…" He waved his hand. "It won't come to me."

Wendy hummed thoughtfully, resting her chin on her arms upon folding them on the table. She thought about it, too, before declaring, "I'm sure it'll come to you eventually, Natsu. Clearly, things don't stay lost forever."

Another smaller chapter, but an update nonetheless! Soon, we should be getting some answers. ;)

I love The Crane Wives.

Thanks to reviewers (xennia-x & DREAMCHASING!) as well as those who favorited and followed!