Sorano's grip on the pillow tightened as her body jerked forward, then shook. Ugh, what the hell was he doing back there?

Johan, Gale Dragon Slayer supposedly of some renown, was going to town on Sorano, thrusting like he was some sort of woodpecker and spanking her ass like he didn't know what else to do with it. She'd tried showing him how intense she liked it the night before, but, he clearly got the wrong message.

Worst of all was how it was giving her a headache, though, it was better than the alternate. At least she could try focusing on the pain in her head more than her heart, as all day, she'd thought of nothing and no one else other than her dearly departed sister.

Anger rushed through Sorano while Johan made another beast-like grunt, begging Sorano to tell him he liked it.

It was just so boring—both the Empire and the sex. She hoped that Johan, who'd been away for some time and was looking for a good bit of action, would deliver. Last night seemed promising, but on reflection, Sorano had been the one doing all the work, and the heavy haze of all their drinks muddled the memory in her mind.

But no. All of the sex lately was terrible, from both the men and the women. It was as if the entire city's sense of a good, enriching experience went placid once Fairy Tail came around and ruined everything.

Truly, they had! Yukino was gone. There was no one left for Sorano to chat with on any level deeper than the slimmest bit of the surface. With Sting gone, Sorano had no way of even knowing where Yukino may have run off to. Rumors were circulating that she was some sort of traitor—that she'd not only abandoned the Empire but aided in Fairy Tail's escape.

Sorano pursed her lips, unable to follow that line of thought much farther as Johan pounded her, but not in any way she found joyful or remotely pleasurable. She was about ready to buck forward, turn around, and punch him in the head.

Instead, she decided not to waste her own time. Sorano, fluidly, did move such that he slipped out of her. Confused, Johan tumbled. Sorano grabbed him by the wrists, flung him into the bed beneath her, and rode him. He still didn't grab her boobs or play with her body like she wanted, but at least this way she could control the pace and grant herself some sort of climax while he smiled like the biggest idiot in the world.

What the hell did his wife see in him, anyway?

Agh, Sorano thought. Thinking of his wife, one so bland she did little about getting fucked up the ass on the nights he wanted to feel like something big and important, made Sorano remember her own upcoming meeting with the other Twilight Division people, what with how boring they were. Damn it. They'd been having so many of those lately. Was August getting lonely—?

Ah! Sorano almost let herself smile as Johan clamped up, and then climaxed. Sorano rode herself to something of a satisfactory finish, no thanks to him, then quickly dismounted.

"You are…so good," Johan said.

"I know," Sorano said. She found her top, remorseful she even took it off in the first place and slung it on. Her underwear was beneath the sheets.

"Come back again tonight?"

"No."

Johan raised an eyebrow. "No? Come on, Sorano, don't be a prude. What else you got going on?"

That, Sorano thought, spoke volumes. The city was so boring, so inept, without Yukino that she had nothing else to do but lay down with boneheads from the Dragon Division on a slight reprieve from their Fairy hunt.

"More than you," Sorano lied and found her underwear and bottoms. She slipped them on, shimmying to fit them just right. "Have a nice day, Johan, make sure to punch a few kittens on your next mission."

Johan grumbled something stupid and rose out of bed. Sorano opened the door, slipping out of the room. She almost bumped into someone who looked suspiciously like Johan's wife but kept going.

If she looked back and realized it was that woman, and saw the look of distraught betrayal on her face, she may feel guilty. At least Yukino wasn't around to scold her over it.

No. Not enough.

She needed her sister back. Damn it, Yukino. Had to be self-righteous, had to think just a bit about how much worse off the world was and how it still needed help. Sorano shook her head, ignoring the shouting coming from the apartment she'd left, and made her way to the meeting.

Everyone was in attendance this time, and thankfully little Lucy wasn't there. Even Dimaria was around. Blood was under the woman's fingernails. She had a hunger in her eyes that hadn't yet been sated.

August stood at the head of the assembly while Soranot took up her seat next to Brandish, who appeared as bored as Sorano was. Alok looked dour as ever and Invel was busily rifling through paperwork that Neinhart was tossing his way. Little Levy was right behind August.

Sorano kept her eyes on the woman, particularly her blue hair, as August started talking. It wasn't necessarily a striking or deep shade of blue, but it was one that she wore.

Johan's wife.

Sorano closed her hand into a fist. She didn't think about her time with Johan, how he felt, how he made her feel. None of that mattered. He didn't matter.

He was a body, a tool she could use for a bit of pleasure every now and then. Toys didn't cut it. She wanted to hear them, to know she could satisfy them. She had to claim a victory over a city that had none to offer her.

Hunting rebels was droll. Where was the satisfaction in culling the weak and helpless, when she could instead fill herself with the joy of another's pleasure, or pain?

To that end, none of it had come at a cost. She typically met with the men and women she lay with at a place of their choosing. Few came so boldly to Sorano to ask her for their time together; Sorano often proposed it to them.

The first time she had sex in the city was with one of Brandish's assistants, a woman who was roughly a few years older than Sorano who appeared about as down on her luck as possible. Sorano broke her.

The woman, whose name Sorano forgot, had screamed with such eerie pleasure that even Sorano was thrown off. It was as if all of the turmoil, the dread, that the city instilled in her was suppressed beneath an intense experience where he could finally feel something good.

Ever since, Sorano hunted that. Man, woman, it didn't matter. She drew upon their experiences like a vampire while she helped the Empire burn its brand across all of Fiore. But once the conquest was done, and there was only the pleasure of others, Sorano found it harder and harder to push herself into those experiences.

Johan was nothing to her, but the eyes of that woman, his wife, were everything.

From beneath blue hair, they haunted Sorano, staring through the woman who afflicted fulfillment on those left unsatisfied by their daily lives to the one who stared down the dark armored soldiers obliterating the prison of the Magic Council in search of the dark wizards once enslaved to the Tower of Heaven.

Zeref had come with them, seeking out those who once were experimented on and toiled in darkness in his name. At last, he could give them the freedom they were lied to about for so long. Sorano had never felt such an intense emotion in that moment:

Fear.

Fear that it was all true, that her life, what she'd been told about resurrecting Zeref, was all leading to something.

But he dissuaded her from that thinking. No, it hadn't amounted to anything beyond sharpening the steel that was her mind, to forge her into the great wizard she finally allowed herself to become.

She was, under his eye, going to at last be an angel. Yet, to do so, she would not adopt the fine, light-feathered wings she once believed an angel to have.

Instead, she came in the form of shadow, her light emanating from a heart bent toward helping that which would rule the world. In that way, as she sought pleasure, she knew she could derive it from pain. All others who were with her had to understand that, and she ensured they did, never going so far as to perform unspeakable things to them, but to go as far as they understood Sorano's intent.

That woman, that blue-haired woman, would never know what that meant. There was only one thing she would know:

Sorano was just another piece of the Empire reminding her that it was all shit, it was all darkness and the only ones allowed to step into the light of the Emperor's grace were the ones strong enough to do anything about it.

She was married to a General. She did whatever he wanted. It was as simple as that. If Johan commanded her to watch as he and Sorano went to town on one another, she'd have to. If he ordered her to be banished from the city and jump off the nearest cliff, she'd have to.

It was, after all, how Axel got away with the deaths of all those women. They were simply following orders. They were doing their diligence to the men executing the will of the Emperor.

She would hate Sorano, that woman, until her final breath, because, perhaps, she forgot that her life was stagnant. Maybe things weren't so bad, maybe they were only okay. Maybe she never wanted Johan's touch and he sought out one who could provide him with what he wanted. But, she didn't need to know that.

It was one thing to suspect infidelity, and another to be entirely aware of it, to know that your life was forfeit and useless in the eyes of a partner.

Sorano attempted to bring her attention back to the fold as she heard Meredy's name mentioned, along with a few other members of the old Seis. Something about hunting Dark Wizards and wiping out more than the council in the room anticipated. But it didn't get through to her. It didn't matter to her.

Like the woman, Sorano was trapped. Yukino got away because of her stubborn heart, because of her need to be free of the shackles Sorano so happily accepted. Here, Sorano had the life she always wanted. It was all before her, and if the Empire never changed, she wouldn't ever be truly disappointed.

Then again, she would also never be happy. Did that matter, though? Did it matter if she was happy so long as she was able to continue living?

Once, she believed life was a sin, a stain on a beautiful world until she came to understand that life could be manipulated and twisted into what she wanted out of it.

And what she wanted, in that moment, was to forget that woman existed. But she couldn't. And she could only ever think of the other countless men and women that'd unknowingly suffered at her hands as a result of what she'd done, how she sought her pleasure.

Levy left the room, and Sorano finally let herself breathe. The meeting adjourned. She stayed seated until Brandish hollered at her to stand, and Sorano did so, glowering at the imposing woman. Brandish didn't care. That was a woman who could use some of Sorano's touch, but there was so much going on there that Sorano didn't want to crack open.

With the rest of the Twilight Division leadership, Sorano left. To do what?

She had no idea.

And it'd probably be quite boring.

Fairy Tail and Yukino stood at the shores of Akane Beach, the ruins of the casino just a bit further east on the shoreline. "Ruins" was probably the wrong word for it. It was simply abandoned—and replaced with a much more luxurious, massive resort. It was as if the old one was a reminder of what the world was without the Empire.

Natsu found the big one pretty distasteful, even though it wanted to look cool. It was as if it sucked up all the life and joy that should've been in other places of the Empire and was just flashing it all over the place. He could only imagine how obnoxious it'd be at night.

Yukino stared at it. Natsu nudged her out of her thoughts.

"Ever been?"

Yukino jolted and shook her head. "No. Never had the time, or, really, interest."

"We went to the old one. Then we got kidnapped and sent to the Tower of Heaven."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Erza's old friends did it. It was pretty crazy."

"What happened to them?"

"Well," Natsu said. He couldn't remember their names. "They didn't want to join our guild, and kinda just sailed off. Not sure what happened to them. One of them had a big chin. Another was a cat girl. And one more looked like just a normal guy, I think."

"They must've been powerful."

Natsu shrugged. "We beat 'em. And then there were those weird assassins. Beat them, too. I mean, technically, we also beat Jellal."

"You beat Jellal?" Yukino asked.

"I did!" Natsu exclaimed. "With my Dragon Force."

"That explains it, then," Yukino said. "I knew you all had an experience here, not one quite so dangerous."

"I'm kinda the one that brought the whole thing down," Natsu said, smiling and folding his arms.

Gray strode by and rolled his eyes.

"The Etherion Cannon did that, you idiot," Gray said.

"Etherion?"

"Oh yeah, we survived that, too," Natsu said.

Yukino blinked. "What sort of manic life did you all lead before the Empire?"

"Manic?" Natsu and Gray asked. Happy landed on Natsu's shoulder.

"It was just another day in the life," Happy said.

"I'm trying to wrap my head around that," Yukino said.

Natsu laughed and clapped her back. She lurched but caught herself. He laughed again and was more than happy to see the warm expression spring up on her face.

Much as he wanted to, he couldn't help comparing her to Lucy. He, sometimes, thought about that decision to leave her behind. But Lucy was smart, one of the smartest people in the world. She'd take care of herself, and know to reach out to Fairy Tail if she needed help.

Yukino could never be Lucy, but she could still be a great friend. She'd never fill Lucy's void, even if their magic was similar, but could, at least, be her own person on the team, and Natsu hoped that she felt the same way.

"I just have no idea how we'll get there," Gray said. "I suppose I can try making us a boat out of my magic."

Mystogan, Erza, and Wendy were all further downshore, contemplating such a move. Juvia lingered behind Gray like his shadow, never able to fully leave him. Carla sat in the sand with Happy.

"What good is getting to the Tower if we're supposed to get to Edolas, anyway?" Natsu asked. "Don't we want to go through the Anima portal?"

"I believe there is some hidden magic left around the tower that we can use," Juvia said. "But I'm not entirely sure what."

"How did the anima portal work last time?" Yukino asked.

Natsu sighed. "Beats me."

Gray glowered at him again. "Dude. We know this. That geezer king was trying to rip open the Anima so we'd go through and he could take our magic."

"Mystogan was merely making it so the portals stayed closed," Carla said, "until he banished all magic from Edolas."

"So that's the problem," Gray said. "Last time, the door opened from their end. Now we have to figure out a way to do it."

"I just don't get what's at the tower," Natsu said. "The whole thing fell apart. One big lacrima just…splash! Right in the water."

"It became a lacrima?" Yukino asked. "Is that how you attained Dragon Force?"

"Yup," Natsu said, once more standing proud.

She considered this. "So. That must be it! Jellal must have used all that power stored in the lacrima and forced open the portal!"

"And doing so dragged Mystogan over here," Gray said. "It's so obvious!"

"Yeah," Natsu said, "but doesn't solve our problem."

"And what's that?"

Natsu jabbed a finger at Gray. "Thatthisicicle thinks I'm getting on a boat he'd gonna make. I'll melt right through it!"

"You really think your little sparks can melt my ice?"

"I know it!"

Yukino rolled her eyes. "Would you both stop it? Bickering amongst ourselves isn't going to—"

Gray and Natsu lunged at one another and slipped down the shore in a tumble of shouts and shoves and struggle. Happy tried to break them up and only served to get himself in the mix. Natsu didn't give Gray any ground and Gray did the same, until a long shadow loomed over both, and in an explosive gust of wind, both boys flew away, still tangled up.

"Enough!" Erza boomed, and the two once-enemies were best of friends with their arms wrapped around one another. "This isn't the time for horseplay."

"It'll take some time to get to the Tower but our best bet is to do so now, while the tide is with us," Mystogan said. "Our best option is to get a ship and get moving."

"Wait, please," Natsu said and dropped to all fours. "I'm begging you all. We've traveled so much, please let's find an alternate route."

"What, do you want Gray to freeze the whole ocean?" Happy asked.

Natsu balled his fists. Damn it. There had to be some way. Any more travel and he'd lose his mind and his stomach.

"Well, I—suppose I can try something? Perhaps I can wrap us in a bubble and push us along the waves, and with Wendy's help I can probably get there quicker," Juvia said.

"I can help, I have some skill with water magic manipulation," Yukino said.

Natsu leaped at the two of them wrapping both in a tight embrace.

"Thank you—agh!'

Juvia leveled a swift strike to Natsu's side, sending him flying away.

"No man may touch me besides my beloved!" Juvia exclaimed. "Gray, my darling, I hope you see, that was no infidelity, it was an impulse of your rival!"

Gray sighed. Yukino scrambled and helped Natsu up so he could recover from that strike of pure love.

"That's a great idea, Juvia," Erza said. "Let's get into position, then, everyone. Wendy, Yukino?"

The two assistants nodded. Natsu joined the others as they gathered around the waves lapping around them. Juvia brought the ocean in around them, and after some moments of concentration, managed to fit them in a bubble that floated along with the water. However, she had no ability to control its motion.

That was where Yukino came into play. Natsu watched them, eagerly, while she transformed into her Star Dress, Pisces form. Wendy held her arms outside of the bubble.

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!"

The winds burst around them shooting them forward. Yukino quickly took control at the front of the bubble alongside Mystogan, using her magic to part the waves a bit and create more of a flat road for them to travel on. Juvia absorbed the water around them into the bubble to lessen the blow and rocking of the ocean.

Natsu whooped and cheered while they shot across the sea. This beat traveling in a train by a million miles!

The group washed ashore after quite a bit of travel. Wendy, Juvia, and Yukino all slumped onto the shore. Erza helped Juvia and Yukino while Natsu quickly caught onto Wendy.

Giant slabs of lacrima lay scattered around the place. Erza tried not to look at the empty sands they trod on.

The Tower of Heaven was no more. Not a hint of it remained, yet as she stared at those sands, ones that had no doubt changed in the years she'd been there, she could not help the familiarity. The sinking feeling in her heart.

Yet, the last time she had been there…had been with her friends. Fairy Tail.

And, in that way, she didn't find the strength to smile but to at least feel secure in their presence.

Mystogan glanced at the great lacrima around them. It was impossible not to feel its presence once they were on the island. Coming into the island, it appeared as if they were simply headed for a great mass of sand.

"Alright," Mystogan said, turning to the others. "I can sense something. It feels like…like that sense you get when you look in the mirror."

"You feel Jellal?"

"Our connection, certainly. That might be how he was able to open up the rift in the first place. I'm going to try that."

"Do we all have a means of getting up there?" Natsu asked, pointing to the sky.

Mystogan shook his head. "This time, I can control where the portal is. The problem is that I'll have to hold it open until you all get back."

Erza set her jaw. "Meaning that other things can come out if possible."

"Right," Mystogan said. "Or get in, unless I can stop them."

"Sure you can," Natsu said. "You're pretty tough!"

Mystogan chuckled. "I'll do my best."

"Then we can't delay any further," Erza said. "Each moment may be another Jellal slips further and further into Edolas, away from where we're going to land. Mystogan, we're ready when you are."

Mystogan nodded, then moved and arranged his five staves in the ground around him, pointed around the island. Fairy Tail backed up at his word, Erza pushing a few back while she held onto Juvia and Yukino, still. Everyone watched with amazed yes as Mystogan slammed his hands together, magic shot at him from his staves, and then, at once, back out, striking as much lacrima as it could find.

The magic supercharged, blaring in an iridescent light that reflected at once back toward Mystogan who surged his arms forward and seemed to catch the beam. In doing so, the beam continued to bounce back and forth until it collapsed on one of the massive lacrimas in front of him.

The gem itself didn't shatter or anything, but it merely opened, revealing a massive thoroughfare of startled people staring back at their King proudly before them.

Many gawked, gaped, and called his name. They even pointed at the various wizards watching.

"Oh, oh, there you are!"

The voice was familiar, distantly, in Erza's memory. Mystogan seemed to ease. He sat in the sand, letting his arms relax at his side. The portal remained open. Tiny strings, nearly invisible, clung to his back and shot out toward the staves that held together the magic necessary for prying open the portal.

A young woman appeared in the opening, gasping at what she saw.

"Hey!" Natsu exclaimed. "It's Coco!"

"Coco!" Happy shouted.

Indeed, there stood the young woman that'd befriended all of them—after some misunderstandings of course—still in her usual attire. Her hair was in two tails at her side, and while at first she was concerned, her tone quickly shifted to excited.

"King Jellal! And, Fairy Tail! Hello! Uh…what is, um, happening?"

"It's hard for me to explain," Mystogan said. "Erza, do you mind?"

"We can speak more in private if that's okay," Erza said. "First we need to get into your world."

Coco, eyes wide, nodded. "Hey, I don't see Lucy anywhere."

Erza grimaced. "Much has transpired in our world since we last got to see you, Coco."

"It's great to see you!" Natsu shouted and led the charge through the portal to Edolas. Happy followed. Carla and Wendy sprinted through as well, all managing to wrap Coco in an embrace. Yukino stood at the edge of the portal, simply astounded.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Gray asked Mystogan.

"Positive," Mystogan said. He rested his hands on his legs and shut his eyes. The pressure around the island quelled. A calm descended around them. "I'll hold this meditation for a while. Miss Porlyusica taught me ways of resting my body without needing to sleep. Be quick, and good luck."

Gray nodded. He led Juvia through the portal. Erza clasped Yukino's shoulder. The girl had to be scared out of her wits. Erza certainly couldn't blame her. Edolas had been intimidating to them on their first blush, too. At least Yukino would've had the kingdom out to get her this time.

No. That'd happen when she returned. Hopefully, though, they'd do so with a grand ally.

"Natsu told me of some wild things you all used to get up to," Yukino said. "But this?"

"This is just another thing," Erza smiled. "Come. Let's introduce you to some friends we've not seen in quite some time."

The village was just beyond the ridge, yet Gajeel and Lily halted before the clearing. A group of men stood at the entrance of the village, none distinguishing themselves as wizards but all wielding guns of some sort. The two leading the group were the largest and had oddly shaped ears.

"Lots of them," Lily muttered. "But they're not too close to the villagers."

"Good," Gajeel said. "The hell are they doing here?"

"They don't appear to be with the Empire," Lily said.

"Doesn't mean much," Gajeel said. "Guys with guns around the village ain't a good sign."

"Should we get closer?"

"Let's do one better. Come on!"

The Iron Dragon Slayer leaped away, taking to the sky and clearing the small ridge before landing in the opening of the Exceed village. Several of the gunmen spun around, startled, while the Exceeds that were out and about looked toward him, confused.

"Who the hell is he?" asked the tan one, with big ears and bigger sunglasses on his head.

Gajeel quickly scanned the area. A closer inspection told him much more than being further out. More gunmen were stationed around the village. The large group at the front hadn't just arrived—they'd been in the village for some time and were stationed as a means of preventing anyone from leaving.

"Wait a second," Gajeel said, standing up straighter.

Lily joined his side. He didn't draw his sword yet.

"I recognize these losers," Gajeel said, drawing sneers from the crowd.

The Exceeds gasped, gleefully, at the sight of Panther Lily.

"These guys are Naked Mummy," Gajeel said.

"How do you know?"

"The guns are a giveaway," Gajeel said. "My old guild master Porla used to keep tabs on some Dark Guilds in case he could take advantage of them. Those two up there are Zatō and Gatō, pretty good shots if you let them aim."

Zatō quickly drew his gun, aiming it at Gajeel.

"Yeah? And who are you just dropping in here?"

"I came here to check up on some friends," Gajeel said. "Didn't expect you guys. So what do you want?"

"Dealing with these pests," Gatō said.

"Why?"

"Why not? Got word from some people in the Empire's Tartaros division to go nuts, so when we heard about a village of little kitty cats, naturally we wanted to go see what was up."

Gajeel nodded. "Alright. Makes sense."

"If it's alright with you," Lily said. "Allow me to make the first move."

"Sure," Gajeel said.

"Just two of you?" Zatō asked. "Yeah right. Do you think just two wizards can beat us? You ain't Fairy Tail."

Gajeel barked a laugh, but Lily didn't find it so funny. He blasted at the gunmen, punching him hard across the face. Teeth flew out of the man's mouth as he flew out from beyond the boundary of the village. Gatō got knocked back by the mere swing of Lily's sword. Gajeel then dove in, easily taking out several of the gunmen before they could even draw their weapons.

The rest, that they hadn't gotten to, did the same thing: they ran off, tails tucked between their legs, guns left behind.

It was a good snack for Gajeel as the Exceeds poured out of their huts to congratulate, and welcome, the two Fairy Tail wizards into the village.

The Queen emerged, having been safeguarded by what remained of the elite guard. Lily quickly bowed before her. Gajeel bowed his head.

"It is an honor for you both to be here with us," Queen Shaagotte said. "Those vile wizards sought to take advantage of us. We cannot thank you enough for your efforts."

"You don't need to," Gajeel said. "Lily and I wanted to come check on you. It might be best if we relocate you all for the time being."

Queen Shagotte shook her head. "I understand your concern. But those men are not of the Twilight Empire. We should not be on their map whatsoever."

"Then," Lily said, "until we can be sure of your safety, that those men don't come back with reinforcements, we will stay here with you."

"We'll let you get back on your feet," Gajeel said with a shrug.

Shagotte touched Lily's shoulder assuredly. "Thank you, dear friend."

Gajeel glanced around the village. The cats were basically defenseless. Perhaps their guard had some might behind it, but it was nothing compared to even a horribly weak Dark Guild. He grimaced.

If the Twilight Empire ever found out about them, they'd be sunk. Gajeel sighed. They'd probably be there for a little bit, then.

After all, they had no idea who else could've had their eye on the cats, especially with Dark Wizards running loose. It was bad enough dealing with at least a concentrated enemy. Rogue guilds?

It was just like the good old days, before the Empire.