~Lucy~ 

The next day Eclair came over and picked me up as she wanted to show me something. Natsu was forced to stay behind as we kept walking to the Fairy Tail Guild Hall as I was glad I remembered the name of the biggest building in the Magnolia city. "How was your first day back?" Eclair asked her voice in a serious tone as I gave her a fake smile. "Fine, why?" I answered in a happy go tone as Eclair stopped making me do so as she moved her face close to mine, looking into my eyes.

"Lair, it started hasn't it?" Eclair asked as I looked way unable to look Eclair in the face. "I see why they called it a suffering" I whispered as Eclair let out a worried sigh getting me to look at her real fast before looking away again. She was disappointed I tried hiding it. "Still the same Lucy huh, you know Acnologia is back and more powerful than ever we have to trust each other and find a way to beat him this time" Eclair soon spoke as I heard her walk again as I slowly followed. I didn't dare look at her.

"We also learnt of a unknown who tried blowing up the shield but it's someone you know Lucy" Eclair spoke finally getting me to look toward her as once we got into the guild hall we headed down to a prison as we headed to the last cell as my eyes widen in shock to see Brandish. She had short green hair with two crosses as hair pins in the side of her head and was wearing a brown and gold coat, that had a purple fur trimming around the neck area and bottom. "Brandish" I spoke as her brown eyes widen and turned to face me.

She got on her feet rushing to the bars of the cell as she was wearing chains to stop her powerful magic. "Lucy" she spoke as her outfit was different you was able to see she was in a bikini that had the same look as her coat without any purple and was wearing a choker that had chains attached to the front going all the way to the back of the top of her bikini top. With the different type of outfit she had black heels. "You're alive?" I asked in shock as I was at the other side of the bars in front of her as she was smiling toward me.

"I came to find you Lucy, I thought this place hurt you and locked you away somewhere" Brandish spoke as my mind went to what my voice told me. How someone was coming to show me the 'right' path. I pushed it aside as Brandish had some dark aura around her but she was a nice person once known. She was my childhood friend, Brandish was my cousin. I knew Brandish since I was born basically. "Eclair let her out" I soon ordered turning my head to face my teacher.

"She attacked the city I cannot without anything showing she won't again" Eclair spoke as I looked toward Brandish once more. "Brandish this is my home not a place that locked me up, they freed me in fact" I informed her as she was slightly shocked but then looked away, looking like a guilty child. "Sorry about that" she mumbled as I turned to Eclair. "For me" I then begged as Eclair sighed and nodded coming over freeing Brandish from the cell and undid the chains. "Mavis won't be happy" Eclair spoke as Brandish and I hugged.

"Leave that to me" I only spoke as Eclair left us alone as my eyes watered right away soon as I heard her close the door when leaving as Brandish pulled away looking at me worried as I burst into tears hugging her again as she hugged me back, holding me as if she was my mother. "Lucy what has happened?" Brandish asked worried as I told her everything what happened. From the moment from the final battle of the war, from when Erza, Gray and Natsu freed me the first time, to what happened with Luke and to now. 

I told her about the taint. I told her about the voice. I told her about seeing myself looking evil. I-I trusted Brandish with everything and with knowing her since I was a young child I just broke down to her. "Taints....Only welders can heal once they take over do the others know them spells yet?" Brandish asked worried as I shook my head wiping the tears off my face. "They are no where near that level" I spoke quietly hating to admit it. Brandish took my hands. "I will find a way, we have to" Brandish spoke.

"Brandish is Dimaria alive?" I asked right away as Brandish nodded. "The Spriggan twelve are all alive along with our King, he saved us from the blast Luke seemed to have done" Brandish informed me as I was smiling brightly. "We need Dimaria I have someone in a Time Neon I want to free" I explained as Brandish nodded. "Get me outside and I will inform her to come and will inform everyone you are safe here and that this place is not to be harmed, Irene will most likely take this place as her territory" Brandish replied smiling.

We both smiled rushing off heading outside the guild hall as we bumped into Erza and Wendy. Erza saw Brandish and pulled me behind her pulling out one of Twin Bloods. "How did you get free?" Erza asked harshly and had a dark aura around her as Brandish bowed confusing her. "I am sorry for the attack. I thought it was you all who froze Lucy in the crystal. I did not know about what happened with Luke, please forgive me" she spoke as I moved forward to stand between Brandish and Erza.

"Brandish is my cousin, I trust her with my life and if she turns out like Luke you can kill us both" I then spoke as Erza was in shock. Brandish got up and hugged me from behind smiling. "Like hell, when I finally do die I will beat that punk up for you" Brandish then spoke smiling like a excited child as I giggled like one also smiling at her just the same. "Be like old times when he upset me" I spoke as Brandish nodded as we both laughed at the memories of beating up my older brother. 

Back then he was good. I wondered if he was tainted. I wondered if that was what changed him. "Know you will be carefully watched Brandish" Erza spoke putting one of Twin Bloods away as Brandish sighed. "Sounds like Irene" we both spoke and then laughed afterwards as Wendy was smiling toward us both. "I never seen Lucy act her age before" Wendy spoke as I was slightly shocked but remembered I never really did act my age around them. "I can bring out the real Lucy very easy, I know her spots" Brandish said smirking.

"DON'T YOU DARE" I shouted trying to get her off me as she started to tickle my sides. I was bursting out into laughter begging her to stop as my eyes were watering from laughing so much and hard. Wendy was laughing toward us as Erza was smiling. When Brandish stopped I was on my knees giggling slightly trying to calm myself down. "She is very ticklish" Brandish said giggling as she normally acted like a emotionless soldier toward others. Then again I was around. "Zodiacs do you still have Ultear's rag?" I asked finally calm.

Zodiacs pouch opened as I got the white rag from it remembering when I met Ultear getting the rag. "You still are keeping that word "I heard Gray's shocked voice as I got up and turned around to see him and Ur staring toward me shock. "I never break my word, Brandish and I are getting the God Chronos here to free Ultear as we speak" I spoke as Brandish came over looking at the rag her eyes glowing slightly. "Time Neon correct this is sacrifice magic, will be tricky" Brandish spoke as I looked toward her.

"Dimaria can do it right?" I asked worried as she was thinking. "We might need to get Grandpa to look at it first" Brandish looked toward me as she was still thinking. Brandish was taken in by a man named August long ago who was friends with Queen Mavis and the Human King Zeref. Zeref was the great human King as Brandish was a human along with August. Ever since she was taken in after her mother was murdered to me and her August became our grandfather. He loved us calling him it.

He always smiled when we did so. "I wanna see Grandpa August" I spoke excited jumping up and down remembering the past as Brandish giggled. "He grew a really long beard, I hate it" Brandish then spoke as I looked at her shocked. "I can't picture Grandpa August with a beard" I spoke trying to think as Brandish nodded. "I know what he looks like with it and I still feel like that" Brandish replied as everyone around us was confused. "Sorry, Brandish is my cousin and we are talking about our grandfather August, I haven't seen them in over 556 years" I then explained.

They nodded slowly. "I can sense you are human Brandish how are you alive?" Erza soon asked as Brandish looked toward me as I nodded informing her she could trust them. "King Zeref, the ruler of humans saved our country we all woke up from a long sleep just over a year ago" Brandish answered as everyone around us was in shock. "I wonder if Zeref has changed looks too" I whispered thinking as I was good friends with Zeref. He was known as The Dark Wizard with being powerful with dark magic.

Much like how Mira is. Zeref was more powerful with it but I sensed Mira had practiced her dark magic skills. "The King looks much the same he and Queen Mavis do have the same curse on them" Brandish replied to me as I sighed. "I gotta relook into that curse too. Too much medical and saving on the list, need to work fast" I spoke thinking as Brandish hugged my arm smirking. "Grandpa has all the answers, like he always does come on we can go see him" Brandish spoke like a excited child.

"I can't leave the city without permission from Mavis or Master Makarov" I informed her as Brandish pouted. "Never stopped you before" Brandish reminded me as I sighed. Gray had crossed his arms thinking as his mind was if Brandish was like Luke. I was slightly scared if she was but I had to have some trust, some trust my family were stronger than the darkness. "Master will let you if you have an escort Lucy" Erza spoke as Brandish then smiled. "I can go with you?" Wendy asked excited rushing to stand in front of me and Brandish.

"Wendy is an amazing welder Brandish, Irene would love to meet her" I spoke as Brandish was looking at Wendy her eyes glowing slightly as she looked shocked. "How can such a young teen have Dragon Slayer magic?" Brandish asked in shock as I laughed slightly as Wendy was slightly confused. "In our time children and young teens couldn't learn the skills it took to be Dragon Slayers, mostly because Queen Irene wouldn't let them" I soon explained confusing Erza, Gray and Ur as Wendy nodded, understanding.

"Irene is the great Queen Of Dragons, even the great Igneel bowed down to her" I then spoke as they was all in shock. "Don't tell Flame Idiot that he would fight her" Gray then sighed making me laugh as that sounded like Natsu. "Well shall we go talk to Master?" Wendy asked as I nodded. We waved to Ur, Gray and Erza heading back inside and toward Makarov's office as Wendy and Brandish were talking about the training Wendy went through to learn such powerful magic. My own mind hearing dark thoughts again.

I was struggling to push through but I kept my head high as we headed into the office to see Mavis and Makarov with Eclair. They was waiting for us. "You wish to see them?" Mavis asked sounding like they was waiting as Wendy was in some shock. "They are family, even you are close with King Zeref are you not Mavis?" I asked as her cheeks blushed as she looked away playing with a part of her hair as I smirked slightly. Makarov sighed thinking. "It will be a long deadly trip" Eclair spoke crossing her arms.

"I know that" I replied as she looked toward Makarov. "Wendy please go get Natsu" Makarov asked as Wendy nodded and rushed out as I was slightly confused on why he asked for that. "Natsu is your carer Lucy, I would like you back alive and safe after all" he then spoke as I smiled toward him. "We can go? "I asked excited as I only noticed I was still holding Ultear's headband rag. I put it back in Zodiac's pouch. "We will return with Ultear also, the main reason we are going" I then informed them.

Eclair sighed shaking her head smiling as Makarov was slightly shocked. Mavis was still playing with her hair. Soon as Natsu and Wendy returned me and Brandish were leaving as Makarov was explaining everything to Natsu with the help of Eclair and Mavis. Me and Brandish headed outside to wait as I Brandish hugged me. I was shocked at first as I slowly hugged back. "I can sense it is affecting you Lucy" Brandish whispered as my eyes watered slightly hugging her tighter. "You are struggling" Brandish then sounded worried and scared for me.

"I can handle it, I will find a way" I replied as I felt a tear go down my cheek as I was smiling. I was in great pain but she was so worried for me. I knew with Brandish around again, I would be able to fight it.