~Natsu~ 

Lucy was passed out the whole drive back as Gray was driving back home thank god. Erza and I were watching Lucy in the back carefully and worried. "She is badly hurt" Erza spoke as she wasn't helping my worrying. In fact she made it worse. "One whole fight lasting a whole year, I thought she would be nearly dead honest truth" Gray spoke worried up front making me slightly relief that Lucy was stronger than we all thought. "We all need to hurry and learn the curing spells" Erza only spoke.

That soon got me thinking. Lucy cursed into suffering until she finds a lover or gives into darkness. I wanted to help her but I was unsure on how. I knew we all had two bets to make. On Mavis and Eclair or on learning the curing spells. Both where very unlikely. Lucy was soon waking up as we was coming into the city as Mirajane was waiting for us. Gray got out the truck first saying the good news to everyone as they was cheering as I helped Lucy sit up. "I didn't truly feel how deep there cuts where when in spirit forum" Lucy spoke sounding in pain, holding her side.

Erza and I helped Lucy out the truck as Mira was standing there her eyes closed smiling toward us. "Mira" Lucy spoke a little shocked as Mira opened her eyes looking toward Lucy smiling still. "Welcome home" she then spoke as Lucy smiled her eyes watering slightly. "Mhm, I'm home" Lucy replied as Mira rushed over hugging Lucy as she flinched slightly in some pain but hugged back pushing past it for the hug itself. Mira puled away holding Lucy's hands. "You look a mess, Wendy and the others should be back soon" Mira spoke looking toward Lucy worried.

"I am fine, Zodiacs will have me healed soon" Lucy replied as she was holding back how much pain she truly was in as I heard First Master's and Eclair's voices shouting getting us all to turn our heads as both rushed to Lucy as Eclair jumped into a hug pushing them both backwards onto the ground. Both were laughing loudly as First Master was smiling, her eyes watering even. "You baka, you had me worried" Eclair snapped as Lucy went slightly pale. "Sorry, forgive me" Lucy spoke hugging Eclair back.

"You tell me everything is that understood?" Eclair asked getting up and helping Lucy do so as Lucy was smiling toward her. "I am glad you never changed Eclair" Lucy spoke as Eclair put her forehead onto Lucy's, Eclair's eyes were closed. "We all change at some point, now tell me why are you giving out a slight dark aura?" Eclair asked nicely as everyone around us froze as Eclair moved her head away, opening her eyes. "Luke tainted my wings" Lucy answered as Eclair had horror on her face as Mavis rushed over.

Mavis's hand giving off a golden glow as she was holding one of Lucy's hands. "I won't give into the one thing I can't stand but if I do....Eclair I want you to be the one to strike me down" Lucy then spoke looking toward Eclair with a serious tone as we was all in pure shock and silent. Eclair on the other hand looked as if she was expecting this. "The old vow" Eclair whispered. "I made it for you so I ask for you to do it for me" Lucy replied as Eclair sighed slightly and then smiled toward Lucy as Mavis was in shock like us.

"I promise and vow if the darkness spreads to far or takes over I shall strike you down" Eclair spoke as I froze up. Michelle was able to be good while cursed. My mind was hating this vow, having this promise as Lucy soon smiled hugging Eclair. "You made it at lest, I am glad to have my teacher back" Lucy spoke as Eclair laughed slightly putting a hand on Lucy's head before hugging back. "We should leave the gate area and work on the taint right away" First Master Mavis spoke as she looked toward me, Erza and Gray.

"Well done you three" she spoke as it wasn't long until the ground was shaking and the sensors were going off. "LEVY, WHAT LEVEL?" Erza shouted her question as the short elf was rushing over holding a tablet. "Unknown a shield itself is around it meaning it ain't alone" Levy spoke checking the tablet as Mira smirked looking toward Erza. "Shall we?" she asked as we all felt fear seeing the look upon Mira's face. "We shall" Erza replied smiling as the two walked to the gate as it opened. "Be safe you two" Levy nearly shouted.

Mira turned into her Satan-Soul while smirking still. "They will need more creeps" Erza and Mira spoke rushing out the gate as I saw the look on Lucy. She wanted to join them. "For now we should let Lucy rest, Mavis and I will work on the taint today, Natsu you are to take Lucy home" Eclair spoke as she became one of the towns strategist. In end making her a higher rank but I didn't mind the order. "Hai" I replied walking over to Lucy who was forcing on a smile. "Alright I will join the work tomorrow" she spoke as Eclair nodded.

I helped Lucy walking from time to time as I took her to mine. The house she had nearly done with Lucy had to be turned into an orphanage as the city shield had gone down a couple of times in the past. "You want to join the fight or the work don't you?" I asked as she smiled slightly looking toward the sky. "I am not used to sitting around and healing" she spoke as that I already knew but her tone of voice it was showing she was in some pain. "Well we are worried about you, just want to make sure that bastard didn't hurt you to bad" I spoke as Lucy nodded looking toward me.

"Will you make sure Eclair keeps her vow for me?" Lucy asked making me shock as I rubbing the back of my neck. "Honest truth I think I would be the one holding her back from doing it, even if you turned I would get you back Lucy" I spoke as she was now in shock as I smiled toward her. "Michelle was the start of something new, not all people cursed are really evil just suffering by mind, with help they been able to be normal people" I then informed her as Lucy put a hand on her heart smiling slightly.

"Really?" she asked as I nodded offering my hand to her. "Let me show you" I spoke as she took my hand as I dragged her along to a new part of the city around the area I was being waved out by all different type of races and ages. They was all cursed but their souls and hearts were still pure and fighting. Lucy was looking around in shock. "Thanks to you I learnt my old man was right" I spoke stopping us from walking as I looked to Lucy was was looking toward me. "He used to say this was possible but even I didn't believe him" I added.

"That's right, Natsu I forgot to say something before" Lucy spoke grabbing my other hand looking excited and happy. I was confused. "Igneel is alive, he visit me, he asked me to tell you he is out there waiting for you to find him along with the other dragons" she spoke as my eyes widen in shock, a huge smile growing on my face as I felt my eyes even water. "He is alive" Lucy spoke as I just pulled her into a hug. She was at shock first but hugged back. "Thank you....Lucee" I whispered as I couldn't stop smiling.

I pulled away after a small while as her cheeks where tinted red. "I am going to get Ultear back and going to help you find the dragons" Lucy spoke with fire in her eyes as it just made me smile even more. "Then let us prove everyone wrong even more, they all say my old man and the rest are dead" I spoke as we headed back to mine and Lucy's house. Soon as we got inside as I was sent flying onto the ground to see my blue exceed on my chest. He was found half a year ago with a race known as exceeds.

Everyone thought they died out with Fairies years ago. Nature loved proving us wrong. I named him Happy, he was always smiling and hyper. "Lucy meet Happy" I spoke as Happy looked toward Lucy as she was excited. "An exceed" she spoke as Happy smiled going 'AYE!' like he normally did. It was like his signature saying. "You're Lushie right?" he asked growing fairy wings and flew into the air as Lucy smiled and nodded. "Nastu was right you are pretty" he spoke as both mine and Lucy's cheeks tinted red. 

"Happy shut it for once" I spoke getting on my feet as Happy was smirking toward me. Great. He was gonna tease both me and Lucy. "Your room is still the same Lucy" I then spoke as Lucy nodded and thanked me before heading to her room as I then glared at Happy. "You likkkeeee her" he spoke holding k and e in the 'like'. I just gave him a death glare as he flew off laughing all creepy like. I muttered some words under my breath heading to the kitchen to start dinner.

~Lucy~ 

Soon as I got in the room I closed the door and leaned on it holding my head in pain. The taint. It had been on me for a year but never affected me much in spirit forum. Soon as I was back in my body I felt the suffering everyone talked about. I moved to the ground biting my bottom lip as all I heard was dark thoughts. "You are weak, you will just get them killed like with the first welders" I heard my own voice speaking to me as I closed my eyes shaking my head. Mentally I was begging for it to stop.

My body shaking slightly as the pain was building up and up. "Who is next on the list lover boy down there or Eclair I wonder....maybe even Queen Mavis will die by our hands" I heard my own voice as my eyes burst open to see myself in front of me. She was different, her eyes were a golden colour, her hair darker blonde no longer golden blonde and her skin was much more pale. "Maybe we should of just joined Luke's new world, we both know you wanted to at first" she spoke smirking toward me as I felt sweat going down my face.

I looked away closing my eyes from the pain. "You can't resit Lucy, your fate has been sealed. Someone is coming, someone who will show you the right path not this stupid false hope" my voice spoke with a laugh as soon as I heard knocking on the door my eyes burst open I was breathing heavy as the voice was gone, the pain died down and my image of myself was gone also. I got onto my feet as I turned around as I had been leaning on the door the whole time. I opened it up to see Natsu. 

Soon as he saw me he looked worried. "Sorry I reopened a small cut, way more painful than I thought" I laughed lying to him as he nodded. "Got me worried there" he spoke as I smiled toward him, the fact he worried for me. "Dinner is on, want some?" Natsu asked smiling as I nodded. "It will be ready in twenty minuets" Natsu spoke heading off toward the stairs as our rooms were on a second floor. I closed the door taking another deep breath. I put a hand on my head as I knew this voice, my own voice was darkness.

I had to fight it. For as long as I could. Even I knew tainted wings and normal cursed people were different. I was too scared to tell Natsu that when we was enjoying ourselves today. Tainted wings will turn me into Luke.....sooner or later..