Hello again, mina!  Here is the next chapter of Fairy Tail: The Luminous Star of Caballeen!  I am going somewhere a little later in the evening, so I will see if I can update one more time, okay? ♥  I hope you enjoy this, though!  I dedicate this chapter to NightFallVP, for being a great friend and a follower of mine!  I hope you are enjoying this story, ne?  Anyways, feedback is very much appreciated, okay??  Arigato!♡  Until next time,

♥ ♡ яу-¢нαи ♡ ♥

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"Where's Master?!"  Natsu exclaimed, bursting through the doors with a loud bang.

"He's not here."  Macao replied.  "He's still at the council, remember?"

"What is it, Natsu?"  Erza asked, stepping forward.

"Look at this!"  He exclaimed, freaking out with anger all over his face.

Erza snatched it from Natsu's hands, clutching it in hers as she read the two words.

" ' I'm leaving'? "  Erza read aloud, looking up at Natsu.  She flinched when Natsu punched the top of the table, making it break in half.  "Natsu?!"

"Damn it!"  Natsu exclaimed, drawing back his hand to show splinters.  "How'd that bastard get to her?!"

"You mean...?"  Gray asked, now reading the two words over Erza's shoulder.

"She's gone!"  Natsu growled, his teeth grinding together.  "I bet it was that bastard, Zeke!  Damn it..."

"But...Lucy wrote a note.."  Wendy replied, now having the paper in her hands.

Carla looked at it as well.  "Geez, Wendy...you can tell she wrote it with shaky hands..."

"That proves it!"  Natsu roared, adrenaline running through his body.  "Zeke did take her!  Why that--"

"Calm down, Natsu!"  Erza barked.  "We need to think!"  She took the paper again, tucking it into her armor.  "Was the field ruptured?"

Happy answered.  "No, it wasn't.  Natsu checked it and it was fine!"

"What does than mean, then?"  Levy asked.  "Does that mean she left on her own?"

"No way!"  Natsu exclaimed.  "Lucy wouldn't leave Fairy Tail!"

"For once, I agree with Natsu."  Gajeel replied, crossing his arms.  "I don't think blondie would do that."

"Then let's search for her!"  Erza ordered.  "Everyone, split up and try to find Lucy!  Maybe, just maybe, this note doesn't mean what we think it does.  Lucy could have just gone into Magnolia!"

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"Lucy?"  Wendy called.  "Lucy!"

She had been walking in the city for more than half an hour now, only covering a small part of Magnolia.  Carla was with her, along with Levy.

"Levy, where could she be?"  Wendy asked, worried.

Levy had a sad look on her face.  "I don't know, but I'm really worried...Did she really get kidnapped..or..leave on purpose?"

Wendy didn't answer, but just continued to call out Lucy's name.

________________________________________________________________________

Erza stood on top of the chapel building in the middle of Magnolia, the wind blowing her hair out in a cascading ark.  She had been jumping from building to building looking for anything Lucy-like, but to no avail.  

"Where are you?  Lucy?"  Erza murmured, her eyes narrowed as she tried to see down to the ground.

________________________________________________________________________

"Damn it!"  Natsu exclaimed, skidding to a stop at a dead end.  "She isn't here either!"

I'll be fine, I promise.  I'll see you all tomorrow, okay?

Natsu clenched his fists.  "Where are you, Lucy?!"

"Natsu!"  Happy scolded.  "You have to calm down!  If you keep this up, you'll run out of energy!"

"I know, I know.."  Natsu muttered, turning back to walk out of the alley.  "But no matter how hard I try, I can't catch her scent!"  He growled.  "I bet Zeke masked it!"

"Let's fly, Natsu; maybe that might--"  Happy stopped when Natsu halted.

"What is it?"  Happy asked, flying to the side of his head.

"Lucy's...scent!"  Natsu exclaimed, surprise written on his face.  "How come I couldn't sense it walking in here..?"  

His face suddenly went stiff with determination, and Natsu took off at a run, following Lucy's scent through the crowd with difficulty.

"Wait for me, Natsu!"  Happy called, flapping his wings quickly to catch up with him.

Natsu was able to follow Lucy's scent all the way to a clearer area of people, where he could move more freely.  Still jogging, Natsu sniffed the air and made an abrupt turn to the left, making his was down another road.

But suddenly, it stopped.

Right in the middle of the road.

"What the..?"  Natsu murmured, his face strained as he moved around the area to try and catch Lucy's scent again.  "...It's gone!"

"Where did her scent go, Natsu?"  Happy asked, his face confused.  "It just disappeared!"

Natsu growled.  "I smell it."

Happy stopped.  "Smell what?"

"Zeke's scent.  He was here."

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It was midnight by the time everyone came back to the guild, exhausted.  Their faces were worried and angered, along with confused and desperate.

"We have no lead.."  Erza replied, unable to stand from all the jumping she had been doing that day.  "How are we supposed to find her?"

Natsu had his fists clenched tightly, but he was silent.

"You aren't supposed to find her."

Everyone froze, turning to look behind them to the door.

Zeke stood there.

"You!"  Natsu roared, not hesitating to light his fists and charge at Zeke.  "Give us back Lu--"  

He choked on his words, because he flew right through Zeke and into the guild doors.

Erza forced herself to stand.  "A halogram?!"

Zeke smirked.  "Yes, I am just an image."

"What do you mean, we aren't supposed to find her?"   Macao asked, his face angered.

"She doesn't want to be found is what I mean."

"W-What?"  Gray murmured, disbelieving.  "That's crap!"

Natsu stood, clenching his fists as he glared daggers at the mirage of Zeke.  "Coward.."  He muttered.

Zeke chose to ignore him, looking over at Gray.  "I'm pretty surprised you haven't found out about it yet."

"Found out...about what?"  Erza asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Zeke laughed.  "That your beloved Lucy Heartfilia has decided to join us!"

"That's crazy!"  Natsu exclaimed right after, taking a vicious step forward.  "Lucy would never do that!"

Zeke raised an eyebrow.  "Oh?  Well then what is this?"  He waved his hand, and a water-like image appeared in the air, startling everyone.

Wendy gasped.  "Lucy!"

Lucy was showing through the mirror, wearing a long green cloak.  She was pressed up against the wall, clenching her teeth stressfully as a bead of sweat dripped down her brow.

"What is she doing?"  Gray murmured, his eyes absorbed on the mirror.

As if on command, Lucy peaked around the corner of the concrete wall, peaking into an alley.

"When she came to us I was quite surprised,"  Zeke began as the image began to move.  "But, I was also very delighted."

It showed Lucy walking quickly through the alleyway, looking around her to make sure she wasn't being followed.

"The first thing I did was give her an order to hand over her keys."  Zeke's eyes were shadowed, but he smirked widely.  "She complied."

Everyone froze.  

"Lucy..gave away her keys?"  Wendy murmured, disbelief and fear on her face.

"No way!"  Jet exclaimed.

Zeke chuckled lowly.  "You want proof?"  He reached into his cloak pocket, and threw something across the ground.

It skidded a few meters, but then came to a stop at Erza's feet.

Erza picked up the object with slightly shaky hands.  "Lucy's..keys!"

"Her keys?!"

"Than that only means..."

"She just might have..."

The guild members murmured amongst themselves.

"So what?!"  Natsu exclaimed, fury in his eyes.  The murmurs died down.  "You could totally be faking it!  I won't believe you one bit, no way in hell!"

Zeke's expression darkened in annoyance.  "Try as you might to resist, but while you're here waisting time, the Junsuina and I will be making the resurrection of Daronyt happen."

"Enjoy you're last moments while you can, Fairy Tail."

And with a flash of black, he was gone.

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Thoughts?  And thanks for reading!~

Stay tuned for the next chapter, Chapter 16: Betrayal or Loyalty? { ♥ }