Hello, everyone! :D ♡ Here is the next chapter; I hope you all enjoy! ^.^  Wow, this one is a long one!!  I ended up not having Volleyball last night, which was weird. o.o  I was kinda disappointed, but that meant I was able to work on this chapter last night! ^^  So, I will continue with the dedication...I dedicate this chapter to truth000!  Again, she is a great writer, and I admire her. :)  I hope you all enjoy, and feedback is very much appreciated!  Until next time, minna-san!♥

яу-¢нαи, тнє иαℓυ ωяιтєя ☆

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"I wish you all the best of luck,"  Master Makarov replied.

Team Lucy was heading off now; they were standing outside the gates of the Fairy Tail guild.  The rest of the guild - including Master - were a few feet away, by the doors of the guild.  They were bidding their farewell, making sure they set off safely.  Cana handed Lucy the communications card, stepping back into the crowd once Lucy had ahold of it.

Natsu had his arms crossed, while Lucy and the others resided behind him.  "Ah, we'll be back soon."

"Be safe, all of you."  Mira replied, and they all nodded.

"See you all soon, everyone."  Lucy replied.  "We'll get there for sure; definately!"

Erza, Wendy, and Gray were smiling with a mix of amusement and anticipation.  

Turning away, Team Lucy set off.

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They made a good pace during the evening, but halfway through the night they stopped to rest, gaining some energy by eating and then sleeping the rest of the night.  When they set off the next day, Lucy started to get a tugging feeling inside her stomach, and she took that as a sign they were getting closer.  However, with every step they took, Lucy's stomach got worse.  At first, Lucy thought it was the fever coming back, but nothing else hurt but her stomach.  And even though it was hurting, it wasn't a normal stomach ache.  It felt different.

During their entire journey, the mountains had been in the distance, but as they approached it, the bigger and more nearer they became.  By the time they were about five miles away from them on the evening of the second traveling day, Erza asked Wendy and Natsu to fly over the mountians to find any caves.

"Wait."  Lucy replied, and they all stopped.  "There will be one specific cave that'll be different.  It'll have a mark on the top of the entrance.  I-It'll look like this..."

Taking a stick in her hand, Lucy drew a symbol on the ground, making the dirt form an impression.

She looked back up at Natsu.  "When you're looking at the caves - since I'm sure you'll find multiple - look for the symbol on the top of the cave.  I saw it in the vision, and the portal is located inside."

Natsu and Wendy nodded, Happy and Carla clinging onto them and taking off into the sky.  As they did so, Lucy focused on trying to make her stomach feel better.  Erza and Gray went to get fire wood, and Lucy was left alone.

By the time Natsu and Wendy came back, it was getting late.  Erza and Gray were sitting by the fire, eating, but Lucy wasn't there.

"Where'd Luce go?"  Natsu asked, looking around puzzledly.

Wendy sat down next to Erza, who answered.  "She went off on her own for some peace and quiet.  Her stomach has been reacting to the portal, so she went to try and take her mind off it."

"Let's go find her, Natsu!"  Happy exclaimed.  "She'll want our company!"

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Lucy was sitting under one of the many trees around her, leaning up against its trunk.  She was tired, but for some reason couldn't fall asleep.  Perhaps it was because of the fact that her stomach was reacting to the portal, or that she was nervous on what was on the other side of the gate.  Lucy most likely believed her enemies would be on the other side, but how could the two suspects have gotten on the other side?  How did they know about the portal anyway?  Thinking about the two paired mages made more unwanted questions pop into Lucy's head.

"Luucyyy!"

Lucy's eyes had been half closed in tiredness, but when she heard Happy's voice, they snapped open.  Turning, Lucy saw Natsu appear through the bushes, looking around.  

When he spotted her, he grinned.  "Oi, there she is!"

"What're you guys doing here?"  Lucy asked.  "Did you find the cave?"

"We didn't, but Wendy did!"  Happy exclaimed, flying over to Lucy.

"That's great!"  Lucy exclaimed, relieved they had found it.  "We're almost there, then..."  Yawning, Lucy felt like she could sleep then.  Perhaps the tension of finding the caves had been weighing on Lucy's mind the most, restricting sleep.

Natsu walked over to her, and she looked up at him in surprise.  "What're you doin' all the way out here, Luce?  It took us awhile to find ya."

"Sorry, I hadn't realized I'd wandered so far."  Lucy replied, pulling up her knees to wrap her arms around them.

Natsu sat down next to her.  "Well, Erza wants us to go back..somethin' about sleepin'..."  He shrugged.

Lucy scoffed.  "You never listen, do you?"

"Only to you,"  Natsu said with nonchalance, leaning back on his hands.  "Since we're partners."

Lucy sighed, but was smiling slightly.  "I don't get you..."

There was a small silence.

"It's strange..."  Lucy murmured, and Natsu looked at her in surprise.  "As soon as you came, my stomach stopped hurting..."  She blushed slightly into her arms, obscuring her face slightly so Natsu couldn't see it.  "What's up with that..?"

Natsu grinned at her, while Happy climbed onto his shoulder.

"Lucy, you seem like you're nervous!"  Happy exclaimed, and Lucy looked at him in surprise.

"How in the world did someone almost as dense as Natsu figure that out..?!"  Lucy exclaimed quietly, making a surprised pose.

"Lucy's nervous?"  Natsu asked, confused.

Lucy sighed.  "My point was proven...But I guess you can say I'm nervous, Happy."

"What're you nervous for?"  Natsu asked, surprised.

"Multiple things."  Lucy explained.  "Specifically what's on the other side of the portal."

"Lucy's scared!"  Happy teased.

"Am not!"  Lucy exclaimed at the cat, her fist clenched.

"There's nothing wrong with bein' scared, Luce."  Natsu replied impassively.

Lucy sighed.  "I'm not scared, Natsu..I know I have my friends with me, but..I guess I feel kind of like a weight."

"A..weight?"  Happy murmured, confused.  Natsu had the same confused expression on his face.

Lucy nodded.  "I hadn't realized it until now, but when I was trapped in the Endless Forest, that voice that was in my mind?  It kinda brought out my worst fear."

She laid her head back in her hands.  "Being a burden."

There was a small silence, but then Lucy shot her head back up.  "But, I don't think that anymore!  Not at all!  I know you guys would say the same, too, so..."

"Is that why've you been working so hard, Lucy?"  Happy asked, and Lucy nodded.

"I guess so."  Lucy replied, sighing afterwards.  "But there's also the fact of letting you down."

"Letting me down?"  Natsu asked, surprised.

"What if..the dragons aren't there?"  Lucy barely whispered.  "I wouldn't be able to look you, Wendy, or Gajeel in the eye--"

Her speach stopped as Natsu set a hand on her shoulder.  

"What're you talkin' about, Luce?  Even if they aren't there, I won't give up, neither will Wendy or Gajeel.  We wouldn't even be here without you, Lucy.  So don't worry; we're all here for you!"

Lucy's face softened, and she nodded.  "Right.  Thank you, Natsu.  I'll try my best; I have you and the others."

Natsu nodded.  "Yeah.  So don't be so glum!"

Lucy leaned against his shoulder, surprising him.  "Promise.  I'm all better now."

Natsu smiled, leaning against her to support half of the weight.

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The next day, they made it to the cave.  As they walked inside, the bigger the walls got and the higher the ceiling became.

"Do you know the way, Lucy?"  Erza asked as they reached a cross road.

Lucy nodded, stepping in front and leading the way.  Natsu was walking close to her side, which Lucy was grateful for.  Happy and Carla were walking on the ground, next to the others.  They reached a large cavern, and Lucy felt chills run up her spine.

"Something's...different in this room..."  Gray muttured, looking around.

"You feel it too?"  Carla asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Lucy took a step forward into the middle of the room, and light suddenly shot up from the ground and submerged her.

"Oh no, Lucy!"  Wendy exclaimed.

"A trap..?!"  Carla replied, her eyes wide.

When the light cleared, everyone looked at Lucy, their eyes widening.

"EH?!?!"  They all exclaimed, completely shocked.

Lucy was no more than a few feet off the ground.

She was a kid again.

"L-Lucy!"  Happy replied, shocked.

"What're you guys looking at?"  Lucy asked, her hands on her hips.

When she noticed her voice was much more childish, she looked at her hands.  Flinching in surprise, she looked over her body, starting to freak out.

"M-My body!!"  Lucy exclaimed, her voice small.  "What-?!"

Everyone's mouth was dropped to the floor, watching as Little Lucy ran around all over the place.

"L-Lucy is..."  Natsu stuttered.

"Lucy's a kid again?!"  Carla exclaimed, shell-shocked.

Lucy started crying rivers.  "What is going on?!  Turn me back!"

"What'll we do, Erza?"  Gray asked, his face disturbed.  "We can't continue until Lucy's back to normal..."

Happy walked up to her.  "Hey, she looks kind of cute!"

Wendy nodded.  "Why didn't you tell us you were such a cute girl, Lucy?"

"You guys are getting off track!!"  Lucy snapped, an anger mark on her head.  "Now, turn me back!"

"How're we supposed to do that?"  Erza asked, a little dumbfounded by a small Lucy standing a few feet away.

"I don't know, just--"  Lucy exclaimed, but her voice was cut off as there was a flash off light, making her change back to her normal self.

"Woah!"  Happy exclaimed.

"She's back to normal!"  Gray exclaimed.

"Was the spell only temporary?"  Carla asked.

"Alright!"  Lucy exclaimed.

"I don't know, but let's get out of here before this happens to us!"  Erza exclaimed, and they all agreed.

Running along the edges of the cave, they ran into the next hallway, stopping when they were safe.

"That was disturbing."  Gray replied.

"Excuse me!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "It's not my fault!"

"Let's keep going."  Erza replied, and Lucy resumed the lead.

Much more nervous because of that last trap, Lucy was much more cautious.  But, as they continued, Lucy and everyone else came to a dead end.

"A dead end?"  Carla asked.

Just as she said that, a light appeared.  There was a force that started pulling them forward, and Lucy knew what it was.

"The portal!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "It's pulling us in!"

Lights appeared all around them, and their bodies shimmered.  Disappearing, Lucy exclaimed loudly as they were transported.

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When Lucy blinked, she gasped loudly.  "T-This is--"

They were in a rocky terrain, with dead volcanoes in the distance.  The sky was gray, and red light shined from the ground indicating lava was around.

"This is it?"  Erza asked, everyone's faces surprised.

"We're here!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Welcome."

They all turned, looking forward.  Two people were standing there, one male and female.

The male smirked.  "Fairy Tail."

.

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Fianlly, the action starts!  After all the traveling, all the waiting...Team Lucy finally runs into Loren and Lores, a.k.a the mysterious theives!

But what do these two mages want with them?  What magic do they use?

Find out what happens next in Chapter 18: Revealed Enemies!