DeathValley Cave (entrance)

"Hey, let go of her!" Natsu shouted before running towards Laxus, his fists started igniting with flames. "Natsu, stop!" Happy caught Natsu's legs, but his attempt to stop the angry guy failed.

      Laxus retreated one step to dodge, before punching the fire dragon slayer hard. Natsu flew backward, and was hit by the tree behind him.

"May I remind you, this is none of your business," the lightning dragon slayer glared at the pink-haired guy who stood up immediately after he fell. "Excuse me, my wife needs some rest," he carried the unconscious girl in bridal style before summoning his lightning form to travel back to IceFlask city.

       Anger, sadness, guilt, and uneasiness took over Natsu Dragneel. He could only stand still like a frozen statue, staring at the empty sky where the lightning flash disappeared.

     Why was he angry when he saw her husband hug her?
     Why was he still sad for something he couldn't get?
     Why was he still grieved for the past that couldn't be changed?
     Why.. why this cruel fate let him watch her leave him again?

      Jellal and Erza... looked at each other, with knowing smiles crept on their lips after they had seen Laxus's action.
      Meredy... started chuckling with delight, fangirling for the blond couple.
     Carla and Sparky stared at three exceeds who were standing near their masters.

      Happy... looked at Natsu with teary eyes, "Natsu!" he called him heartbreakingly.
     Gajeel... looked at his best friend with sympathy.
      Levy... eyed at the fire dragon slayer suspiciously. Immediately after witnessing the whole situation, she realized something... she smirked.

     Juvia... glanced at her pink-haired friend and sighed slightly. A quick moment of her glance was noticed by a certain black-haired ice mage who then observed the sabertooth's gang reaction closely.

     Gray, Lyon, and Meredy looked at Natsu who was standing still without moving. They knew why... the reason was very obvious... because the pink-haired guy loved Princess Lucelia...

      The atmosphere was awfully silent for about thirty seconds. Knowing that she needed to break this quietness, Juvia looked at her seniors, "May Juvia ask why senior brothers come to Fairy Tail?"

"It's a long story," Rogue replied immediately, "How about we all go back to IceFlask?"

"Indeed better, we can talk comfortably there," Jellal said with a smile, "By the way, thanks for your help."

"The honor is all ours, Your Highness," Levy replied, slighting bowed at the blue-haired prince, "Not to mention Lucelia is my best friend." She emphasized the word 'best friend' by raising her voice a bit and looking at the iron dragon slayer and fire dragon slayer. She smiled.

      Although Natsu didn't pay attention to the bluenette, her smile made Gajeel irritated, "Why is she looking at me like that? Is she suspecting something?"

     Soon, the knights from IceFlask city, led by the city mayor, arrived to capture the defeated dark mages. Erza, Gray, and Lyon left behind to order the guards while the rest of the gang, including Sabertooth mages, went back to the city.

• • • • •

May 13th, X524 (4 PM)
Mayor's House, IceFlask city

      After hearing an explanation of how the ancient book was stolen and Lord McGarden was poisoned by Cobra from the Sabertooth gang, the Fairy Tail Crown Prince handed them the wanted book which he took from the cave before he left. Surprisingly, Cobra was willing to hand the antidote, apologizing to them for his sin.

      Not wanting to delay their departure, Rogue, Gajeel, Natsu, Levy, and three exceeds left IceFlask after one hour of rest, to go back directly to Sabertooth Crocus.

• • • • •

May 13th, X524 (9 PM)
WhiteSwan Lake near BloomThorn Forest, Fairy Tail

      The night was silent, the circular moon was dotted in the dark blue night sky. The moon was in its glory, letting out silvery rays, it was not lonely tonight because the stars also twinkled in the broad sky.
The spectacular beauty of the mirror reflection of the moon with trails of shimmering light on the clear water surface in a lake couldn't be enough to describe with words. Twinkling glitters were also playing together on the water surface.

     Despite the beautiful nature, there was someone who was annoyed, "Why am I the only one doing all works?" Gajeel cursed while collecting the clear water from the lake. "Gosh, these kids don't know about seniority, even Lily, what a traitor cat." He was irritated that his black exceed also abandoned him and took a rest in the camp.

     Gajeel sighed as soon as he heard the footsteps approaching him. He knew it was Shrimp, and he could guess where this coming conversation would lead to. He looked back to see his sworn rival standing behind him.

"I'm sorry," Levy whispered as she approached Gajeel, "Thank you."

"What happened to you?" he looked up at her suspiciously, "Did your soul swap with someone else?"

"Are you kidding me?" Levy raised her voice. The moment her brown eyes met his crimson eyes, she looked away, "I'm here to apologize to you, and is that your reply?"

     He stood up and closed the bottle lid, "Don't worry, I forgot about it long ago. Don't take it seriously."

"I'm serious," Levy retorted quickly, "I just want to apologize to you formally."

     He looked at her, " Fine fine. I accept your apology," He stretched his forehead awkwardly, "Just..don't act so kindly to me. It's not you."

"What a strange guy," Levy whispered causing the guy to frown his eyebrows.

       After a moment of silence, Levy spoke to him, "Don't you have something to tell me?"

"No, there is nothing else. Why do you think so?"

"Gajeel Redfox, do you think I'm blind or stupid to analyze the situation?"

"What," Gajeel replied, acting normal though he was nervous. After all, he was at the top of a volcano, which meant one step wrong and he would fall into the endless pit, "Everything is fine. We got the book and antidote."

      Levy let out a laugh, "Since when did Natsu Dragneel develop an unrequited love for Lu-chan?"

'There she goes,' Gajeel sighed slightly, "Well, you know, Princess is gorgeous. It's normal for a guy to fall in love with her."

"Without meeting her in person?" Levy asked, raising her eyebrow. 'Just continue your act. I want to know how far you can go.'

"Yes, it's love at first sight from what Natsu said... after seeing Princess Lucelia's portrait," he replied. He had no choice but to go with the flow, "Do you know how Natsu was heartbroken when he heard Princess was going to marry Fairy Tail prince?"

[Back in the forest, Rogue slapped his forehead because of the iron dragon slayer's reply, 'Senpai, you're making the situation worse.' He sighed heavily, regretting that he shouldn't let his senior meet the bluenette alone. With Levy-san's smartness, she couldn't be fooled easily by Gajeel. He shook his head as he continued listening to their conversation.]

"So, he made a scene this afternoon because he likes Princess? Odds," she continued, "Why is Happy crying? Because he felt pity for his master's one-sided love?"

      Gajeel sighed. With a weak voice, he replied, "Yeah, he still likes her."

     She nodded, "Poor Natsu," she looked at the dragon slayer, "I was thinking about staying with Lu-chan for a month."

[Back in the forest, Rogue coughed hard due to choking from drinking water.]

"Are you kidding me? You can't abandon your mission."

"We've already completed our mission. You guys can go back to Crocus. I will go back to IceFlask."

"Are you out of mind?" Gajeel raised his voice. The bluenette raised her eyebrow. "I mean, we should go back to Crocus together."

"I miss my best friend."

"Levy McGarden, don't you think of doing what you shouldn't do."

"Fine," dhe replied, "I'm worried because Lu-chan is getting a bit skinny."

"Maybe she doesn't like local foods."

"The strange thing is," Levy paused for a while, "When Laxus Dreyar hugged Lu-chan, I didn't see her lucky bracelet on her right wrist. I gave it to her on her sixteenth birthday. She said she would never take it off."

"No, I saw her bracelet on her left wrist," Gajeel retorted, "You didn't see it because you were standing at her right side."

"Are you sure? You're not telling lies, right?"

"Of course," he replied, "What good reason is there for me to do that?"

       Levy smiled in victory, which made the guy panicky. 'Rogue, take me away from her,' Gajeel thought.

"Of course, you have a very important reason that you must take it to your grave," she stared into his eyes with an intense glare, "I don't give any bracelet to Lu-chan. You're telling lies. Besides, Lu-chan never kept her keys in her key pouch. She had her seam pocket in her dress. Just tell me what I'm suspecting now is correct."

"You're right," Gajeel narrowed his eyes, "Stop asking me okay? Like you said, take this secret to your grave."

"Are you crazy? That girl will get killed if Fairy Tail people find out who she is," Levy raised her voice, "You guys are her friends, but you don't try to stop her. WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS DONE?"

"What are you talking about? Why are you shouting at me? We tried to stop her but-" Gajeel's eyes widened as he turned around, "Damn it," he cursed before running into the woods. Levy followed him without knowing why.

      After thirty seconds of running, then he reached their base camp. The bluenette became shocked to see the camp was on fire. Rogue was staring at the fire hopelessly, there was a book in his hand. The exceeds were covering their noses, as they choked from the smoke. There was no sign of Natsu and Happy.

"Solid Script: Water," Levy shouted as she wrote the word 'Water' in the air and sent an orb of light towards the burning tents. The orb transformed the big word 'Water' that was covered with water and extinguished the fire.

"DID HE SET OUR TENTS ON FIRE?" Gajeel shouted in anger.

"Yes," Rogue sighed, "Natsu cast an advanced fire spell to start the fire on time before he went for a walk."

"And you let him escape from your sight?" Levy asked in disbelief, "God, no surprise that he ran away."

"Because you two are talking about him. He can hear you from here, so I let him have a walk in the woods. Who knows he would set a trap and run away. He almost hurt Frosch and Lily. He also blocked his scent so that we can't follow him."

"Idiot Flamebrain. If I catch you, I will punch you hard."

"Actually, he is not an idiot. Look, his plan turns out well, impressive that he could cast a spell in timer. Besides, he had prepared a magic potion to cover body scent."

"Are you on his side or our side?" Gajeel questioned with a frown.

"We have to separate into two teams; one to follow Natsu, and the second group is to continue our mission," Rogue stated.

"I will bring Natsu back," the iron dragon slayer looked at his junior, "You two go back to Crocus. Don't tell uncle Igneel that Natsu ran away."

"Okay," Rogue replied, "Take care bro."

"Lily, let's go!"

        Rogue, Levy, and Frosch watched Gajeel flew away with Lily until they disappeared out of their sight. Then they continued their journey back to the main city of Sabertooth Kingdom.

• • • • •

May 13th, X524 (4 AM)
Mayor's House, Ice

     The sky dawned crisp and clear, with the background sky of dark blue and a tint of violet color. In one of the guest rooms, Laxus was sitting on a chair beside the bed as he read a book, and waited for Lucy to wake up. Sparky was sleeping on the bed.

      When some movements from the girl disturbed him from reading, he put the book on the chair and sat on the side edge of the bed. Her beautiful eyes opened slowly. "You okay Blondie?" he asked.

      Seeing that she tried to get her, he helped her.

"I'm fine now Your Highness," Lucy smiled, "How long I was out?"

"Twelve hours, everyone has been worried for you," the lightning dragon slayer handed her a cup of water, "Wendy has been healing you for two hours, she just left earlier. Your maid spirit told her not to pressure herself, because you are unconscious not because of the injuries. But you know Wendy, she is stubborn, she doesn't want to leave until you wake up."

      The blonde girl took the cup and drank it. Looking at him confusingly, she wondered if he, too, had been sitting here for several hours.

      Being uncomfortable under his intense stare, she started the conversation as soon as she finished drinking, "So, hmm, it seems we won the battle."

"Yeah, Brain is dead and Oracion Seis members are captured," he stopped for a while as he stood up, "I've something to show you." He walked towards the table where the zodiac keys and two crystal keys were placed.

      He took three golden keys and gave it to her... her eyes widened. Three keys in front of her were Aries the Ram, Scorpio the Scorpion, and Gemini the Twins.

"That girl gave these keys to you. She said she knows that you can take good care of them."

"But why?" Lucy asked quickly, "Why does she handle her keys to me? I mean.. a powerful celestial spirit mage like her gave up her zodiac keys... Not ordinary keys, these keys are the only thing her mother left to her. This is not what I really want, Your Highness. She is also a victim of that old fox's scheme."

      Laxus smirked slightly and ruffled her hair, "Don't overthink Blondie. She gave you because you deserve it. Don't forget that you're her lifesaver."

      The celestial spirit nodded slowly, grabbing her new zodiac keys gently, "Thank you Angel!" she whispered, "I'll take care of them my best... for them and for you!"

       Their conservation seemed to wake Spsrky up. The little exceed opened his sleepy eyes to see his Lu-chan talking to his Laxus-sama. "Lu-chan. I miss you!" He hugged her happily.

"I miss you too Sparky,"  Lucy whispered softly. A moment later, she looked at Laxus curiously, "What happened to Nirvana?"

"Well, it was destroyed by Erza, Gray and Juvia, and a group of mages from Sabertooth; dragon slayers and another blue-haired maiden. The pink-headed is your friend, right?"

      She nodded, "He's a good friend of mine."
 
    The blond prince stood up, "You're hungry, aren't you? Virgo is in the kitchen cooking for you."

"Virgo? She just got shot this afternoon and now she is in this world.. Wait.. in the kitchen? Where are we now, Your Highness?"

"In the Mayor House. We'll leave IceFlask tomorrow afternoon."

"Princess, Master Laxus," a familiar voice interrupted them, "here is Virgo's special recipe. Chicken noodle soup with egg and some veggies," the pink-haired maid spirit said as she entered the room. She was carrying a rectangular wooden tray with two bowls on it.

"Your Highness, you haven't had dinner?" She asked him, with concern.

"I'm not hungry Blondie," he replied simply.

"But, I'm hungry, Lu-chan," the exceed said, "Virgo-chan is bad, she forgets my meal," he looked inside the tray, clearly disappointed because there were only two bowls of noodle soup on the tray.

"You ate a plate of fried potatoes and a bowl of fish soup before you slept, Sparky." Laxus frowned at his pet.

"I'm hungry now." He pressed his belly.

"I can share with you, Sparky," Lucy chuckled at the little exceed's cuteness.

"Don't you dare Blondie. Don't spoil him too much."

"Laxus-sama, you're so mean," Sparky retorted with a fake cry which received laughter of fondness from the celestial spirit mage. In fact, that angelic laughter covered a hidden sadness... nobody knew that.

^_^