Kon'nichiwa, minna!  Here is the second out of three back-to-back uploads I have for all of you!  I hope you are all happy about this! ;w;  Well, I dedicate this chapter to bookloveforever!  She's a great person, so be sure to check her out!!  I think this story will be in the thirty-chapters range!  Yay! (I guess, haha.)  Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!  And as always, feedback is very much appreciated!~  Until next time,

{я у - ¢ н α и}♡

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The others were just about to climb inside when Natsu suddenly felt the connection to Lucy being severed. Anxiety erupted in his chest along with confusion; all that was left was the connections between him and all his other friends.

"W-What just happened?!" Wendy exclaimed, fear and worry in her eyes for Lucy. "Why was the connection suddenly severed?!"

Natsu! Makarov exclaimed in his mind. What happened? We lost connection with Lucy!

I don't know!  He voiced out to the others. We can't reach her either!

"This is bad." Gray exclaimed.

"Let's hurry, Natsu!" Happy exclaimed, and Natsu nodded vigorously.

"Right!"

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Lucy felt fear and yet familiarity erupt in her chest.  This was just like back in Edolas.

"Y-You're me.."  Lucy replied again, frozen to the core.

The Dark Lucy smirked.  "Obviously."

"A-Are you from Edolas?"

The other Lucy looked amused.  "I'm from Etoiles Noires."

Lucy eyes widened even further. "The Black Stars?  B-But how?!"

Dark Lucy smirked.  "Like any of that matters.  What does matter is that you won't get in the way of the resurrection of my sire!"

"Y-Your what?"

"Daronyt.  I have served him for centuries in The Black Stars."

"But how could you do that?!"  Lucy exclaimed, bewildered and still stunned.  "That thing has no mind; it's a monster!"

A sneer worked it's way onto the Mirror Lucy's face.

Someone else stepped out of shadows.

Lucy gasped, fear envelloping her tightly. "C-Coven?!"

Coven was smirking evily.  "Did you really think you could fool us?"

"Us..?" Lucy asked.  Suddenly everything fit.  "You were the one that summoned the Dark Version of me, weren't you!"

Coven's smirk widened.  "I'm surprised you made the connection so quickly.  It's true, I confess; one of my many magical powers."

I can't believe this! Lucy thought with dismay.  If Coven summoned the dark version of me, then does that mean he--

"Lucy!!"

Turning her head in surprise, Lucy saw - with relief - Natsu and the others racing towards her.

This time Coven actually looked surprised.  "Fairy Tail.."

Everyone froze when they saw the Dark Lucy.

"Th-There are two Lucy's?!"  Happy exclaimed, shocked.

Lucy stepped up to Natsu's side.  "Don't be fooled, Natsu.  That's the version of me from Etoiles Noires."

"The Black Stars?"  Gray asked, shocked as well.  "You mean the place where there are evil opposites everywhere?!"

Lucy nodded, not taking her eyes of her other form.

"That Lucy does look strange.."  Erza murmured.  "Look at her eyes..her aura..!"

Dark Lucy's eyes were filled with malice, and her presence was evil and threatening.  The pools of her eyes were dark and churned with blackness; something that made Lucy shudder.

"So this is Coven, huh?"  Natsu asked, growling as he stepped forward.  "That means you're the one who did this to Lucy!"

"Wait, Natsu!"  Lucy exclaimed, her eyes wide.  "I get it now!"

He turned to look at her in confusion.  "Get what?"

Lucy eyes shook as she ran the theory in her mind.  "I wondered about it since I met you, Coven. How is it you know so much personal information on Daronyt, the reasurrection, and know how to summon Black Star Opposites?"

Coven looked at her with sly amusement.

Lucy's voice lowered.  "You're from the Etoiles Noires too, aren't you?!"

"What?!"  Wendy exclaimed, and everyone looked at Lucy in surprise.

Coven and the dark version of Lucy, however, looked smug.

"So who summoned you?!"  Lucy exclaimed, realizing her theory was right.

"No one."  Coven simply stated, his voice low.  "I came on my own."

"But does that matter now?"  Dark Lucy asked, smirking.  "We cannot let you pass."

Natsu rotated his arm in preparation.  "I don't care if you can't let us pass.  The real Lucy needs to get to that picture, so I'm going to make a path for her."

"Natsu."  Lucy mumured, gratefullness in her tone.

Gray and Erza stepped forward as well, and Wendy stepped to Lucy's side.

"Don't forget about us."  Gray replied, and Erza nodded in approvement.  "We're going to help Lucy too."

"Go, Lucy!"  Natsu exclaimed with determination.

Lucy nodded, Wendy taking off with her along with Carla as they raced to run past them.

Coven clicked his tongue, annoyed.  "Do you think we will just let you pass?"

Natsu suddenly appeared in the air in front of Lucy as a shield, surprising Coven who didn't think he could get over here so fast.

"Fire Dragon's..."  Natsu started, making Coven and Dark Lucy halt.  "..Roar!"

Coven dodged the blow, surprisingly swift for his built.

But where was Dark Lucy?

"Natsu, where did the second Lucy go?!"  Erza exclaimed, searching wildly for the imposter.

Natsu realized his mistake.  "Damn!"

"Way to go, Flame Spiller!"  Gray exclaimed, face-palming.

"Let's go after her.  Most likely she's heading for Lucy."  Erza ordered, and Gray nodded.

"I don't think so."  Coven grunted, dragging his arms upward and making a wall activate.  It slammed across the passageway, cutting Erza and Gray off in their tracks.

"A wall?!"  Erza exclaimed, shock filling her features.  They turned back to Coven and Natsu.

Coven smirked.  "I can take all of you pests."

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Lucy guided Wendy through the tunnels from memory, adrenaline making her heart beat a million miles an hour.

"Almost there, Wendy!"  Lucy exclaimed, Wendy running by her side.

"Oka--"

Wendy tripped, skidding against the ground with a thump.

"Wendy!"  Lucy exclaimed, stopping and turning abruptly around at her.

Rather, something made Wendy fall.

Lucy gasped as she spotted Dark Lucy standing a few feet away, black mist circling around her feet.

Dark Lucy smiled with vileness. "I found you, other half."

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Stay tuned for the next chapter, Chapter 26: Lucy vs. Dark Lucy!