Hello, mina!  It's nice to have weekend~  Oh my god, it seemed like such a long week!  x.x I also didn't get home from a track meet until 1:30 last night! Dx  But I was able to get some sleep, which is good...I'll still sleep a lot during the day, though!  I'm soo tired!  And it was really cold last night, so I think I've gotten a little sick. :c  But who cares, right? |D  I don't think most of you read these anyways;; |3  Well, I dedicate this chapter to fairytailnalu1!  Thanks so much for the follow and complements on my stories! ^^  I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and until next time:

♥ ♡ яу-¢нαи ♡ ♥

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"Loke!"  Everyone exclaimed with surprise, staring wide-eyed as the light diminished.

"What're you doing here?!"  Natsu asked, but he suddenly realized something.

Natsu grabbed Loke by the collar, pulling him right up to his face.  "Where is Lucy?!  Where did she go?!"  He asked, his eyes wild.

Loke swiped Natsu away, making him skid back a few paces.

"Why you.."  Natsu muttered, leaning back on his hands.

Loke looked mad and slightly annoyed.  

Wendy stepped forward.  "Loke, how are you here?"

Loke rolled his eyes, slipping his hands in his pockets.  "Geez, have you forgotten already?  I can come and go as I please, remember?  Besides--"  He nodded to Lucy's keys.  "--those aren't even Lucy's keys."

Everyone froze.  

"What?"  Gray asked, slightly surprised.

"I see.."  Master Makarov replied, the keys now in his hand.  Everyone flinched as he crushed them, anger slightly coating his face.  "What a dirty trick..."

"Where is Lucy?"  Natsu asked again, urgency in his tone.

There was a small silence as Loke stared at him, as if trying to decide something.  "Lucy - along with us - went to Beltran."

"So..Lucy really did go to Darkauroral?"  Wendy whimpered, clutching Carla to her chest.

Loke scowled.  "Like I said, you guys are complete idiots!  How could you even doubt Lucy even slightly?!"

"What do you mean?"  Macao asked, sweat on his brow from stress.

"She left to save all of your asses!  ....She left because she wanted to stop the future and your deaths!"

There was a dead silence, everyone too stunned to speak.  Loke's anger simmered slightly, but he was still annoyed.

"What do you mean 'our deaths'?"  Natsu muttered, his face strained.

Loke sighed.  

"Lucy didn't just get the visions of Daronyt through Zeke's magic.  She also got the percentage of all deaths that would occur during the insineration, including yours.  When she had a dream a few nights ago, she saw something that could possibly help figure out how to stop the resurrection and figure out what being the Junsuina meant.  Even dealing with the sacrifices and suffering of leaving you, Lucy took the chance to try and stop the future, which she envisions every single day.  Tell me you wouldn't do what she is doing!"

"But why would she not tell us?"  Gray asked, his hands clenched.

"Because Lucy knew we wouldn't let her go on her own."  Erza answered in Loke's stead, who nodded with approvement.

"So this is what she has been doing this entire time.."  Master Makarov replied, his arms crossed as he sat on the top of the bar counter.  "Well then, we'll just have to send a team to go on out and get her."

"Even if you fetch for her, you don't realize how serious this is."  Loke countered, his face strained.

Makarov had his eyes closed, but he opened one dignantly.  "Of course I know how dire this is.  And who said anything about stopping her?"  

Natsu and the others smirked once they realized where Master was going with this.  

Makarov fully pulled his eyes open.  "We're going to help her!"

"I was hoping."  Loke joked, now smiling as well.  He turned the other way, making his back face them all.  "Lucy doesn't know I came here."

"Can't you tell us where she is now?"  Natsu asked, taking a step forward with anticipation running through his veins.

Loke shook his head.  "If I did, Lucy would be delirious.  However--"  He looked over his shoulder, his glasses glinting in the sunset's rays.  "--I suggest you find her before Zeke does."

And with that, he disappeared.

"Master!"  Natsu exclaimed, turning around.

Makarov nodded.  "You four will leave and chase after Lucy in the morning, when the next train is boarding.  Until then, get prepared!"

"Right!"  They yelled.

Suddenly Natsu stopped, growling deep in his throat as he turned back to the door.

"What is it, Natsu?"  Erza asked, watching him.

"Zeke's scent..."  Natsu muttered, anger on his face.  "He's here."

Everyone watched with stunned expressions at the doors, but then they turned hard and waited for the doors to open.  And as if on command, Zeke slammed them open, stepping inside with a dark and disturbing aura radiating off of him.

"It's nice to see you again, Fairy Tail."  Zeke emphasized, disgust dripping in his words.

"Zeke..."  Natsu growled, scowling heavily.

"What does that bastard want?"  Gray murmured, ice filming on his hands.

"No."  Erza whispered, stretching her arm out in front of Natsu and Gray while looking at them over her shoulder.  "We just rebuilt the guild, remember?  No fighting unless necessary."

"But he--"  Natsu started, but Erza cut him off.

"We know those keys were a fake, Zeke."  She replied, her eyebrows creased.  "What is your plan of action?"

Zeke smirked, rubbing his hands together.  "I'm surprised you figured it out so quickly.  I would have thought my substitute would have lasted longer."

It just might have if Loke hadn't shown up..  Erza thought, narrowing her eyes.

"But it doesn't matter anymore."  Zeke replied, shrugging.  "The plan is almost in motion, and I will finally have all the materials I need to serve my sire for the resurrection."  He blinked, dangerous emotions in his eyes.  "With Lucy's betrayal, she'll finally be persuaded to follow us."

Natsu snapped.

"Lucy isn't your tool, and she most definately didn't betray us!"  Natsu exclaimed, pushing past Erza and lighting his palms on fire.  "You wanna know something, Zeke?!"  He charged at him, swinging at Zeke with increased velocity.

He's faster than I thought..  Zeke thought, scowling as Natsu's fire barely grazed his nose.  

"Stop, Natsu!"  Erza exclaimed.  "You can't--"

"I'll take this outside, then!"  Natsu interrupted, fury written on his face.

Zeke grunted in surprise when Natsu slammed his leg into his back, making him fly out the doors and into the open wilderness.

Natsu slammed his feet into the ground as Zeke stood up again, slightly angered.

"I'm really sick of your crap!"  Natsu exclaimed, the now-dark sky shadowing his face.  "Don't you ever insult Lucy again!"

Zeke smirked.  "Looks like I angered the dragon slayer."

"Shut up!"  Natsu exclaimed, the fire in his hands intensifying.

"I think I will have fun playing with your mind and emotions..."  Zeke murmured, standing in a combat position.  "...Just like I did with that girl!"

Natsu roared, charging like a freight train towards Zeke.  "I won't let you touch her again!"  He exclaimed, dancing with Zeke in dangerous circles.  "Lucy didn't leave us to join you, so you can just get that out of your head right now!  She left to save us; to find a way to stop you from destroying Fiore!"  Natsu grazed Zeke's shoulder, making him flinch.  "I know she's doing this because she loves us!"

Thank you, everyone.  I love you all!  Lucy's words rang through Natsu's mind along with everyone elses.

Except Zeke's.

"So I'll be there every step of the way, along by Lucy's side!  She's been suffering this entire time, alone!"  Natsu slammed his fist into Zeke's gut, making him stumble back quite a few paces.  "I won't let that happen again!"

Angered, Zeke lunged back this time, unable to help himself.  He slammed his fist - much more faster than ever before, which surprised Natsu incredibly - into Natsu's face, making him fly backwards and land on the ground with a thump.

Natsu started to pull himself to his knees.  "I promise her, even if she isn't here right now..."  Lucy's face flashed through his mind.  "That I will always be by her side, and protect her if she needs it!  That I won't doubt her ever again!"  He threw his head into the air, roaring with increduble intensity: "Because that's what I know Lucy would do for me!"

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Lucy stopped, turning to look behind her.

Did I...just hear Natsu?  She wondered, her eyes widening in surprise.

Lucy shook her head.  That's impossible...I guess I'm just going crazy.

She continued on through the woods, disappearing into the shadows.

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Zeke dodged another blow from Natsu, annoyed incredibly.  "It disgusts me, your relations!  Bonds are meant to be broken, not kept as treasures!  But I see now..."  He suddenly jumped back, landing a ways away from Natsu, who had stopped.  

He smirked.  "..that this is a race to see who can get to the Junsuina first.  I hope luck is on your side, Salamander."  His smirk widened with vileness.  "You'll need it."

Natsu watched him, his face impassive.

With one final look, Zeke disappeared in a wave of shadows.

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"You've really gotten yourself in quite the situation while I have been gone, haven't you?"  Coven asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zeke nodded, smiling slightly.  "I trust that your trip went well?"

Coven nodded, sitting in his throne.  "I have prepared everything, yes..."  He wandered off, his eyes dragging back to Zeke.  "Find the girl, Zeke;  otherwise there will be dire consequences not only to the plans, but to yourself."

It was as if Zeke had transformed; he was completely submissive.  "I understand.  It's good though, isn't it?  Fairy Tail still hasn't noticed there is an incredible leader above me."

Coven smiled vilely this time.  "Yes..yes, it is.  We will have the element of surprise, that is certain."  He looked down at his hand, holding the Caballeen Artifact once again.  

"We also have this.."  He murmured, lifting it to eye level.  

"This is quite a huge advantage as well."