After a good night's rest, Lisanna, the exceeds, and I awoke to a grand breakfast from the Blue Pegasus guild. They all smelled a bit different at the feast, and acted a bit less... strange, but I was sure a good rest and a shower could change the demeanor of anyone.

I met the guild's master, Bob—a bald, round man who was highly soft spoken, but extremely authoritative. To say he was unique would have been an understatement, and I became even more apprehensive to the group's... intimate nature after our introduction.

But the beautiful Jenny Realight really helped level out the eccentric bunch's aura. I thought if Mirajane and Lucy were combined, she could have come pretty close as the end result.

Still, Blue Pegasus was a culture shock compared to the vibe of Fairy Tail. I couldn't fight the empty feeling in my heart; the guild laid a deep imprint on me and I missed everyone so much already. Nonetheless, it was lovely to not be so alone anymore.

Lisanna talked me into allowing Blue Pegasus to take in some of the exceeds.

"It'll help us travel easier." She said, and she was right. I was just so worried about failing to keep them all safe. I owed it to Agulera, and I didn't want to help out our mysterious foe. However, I knew we had a job to do, and we had to do it as fast as possible.

We packed useful supplies to help us get on, and changed into more comfortable clothes. I was now in a white tank-top, a faded denim jacket, some matching jeans, and some brown ankle boots. I pulled my clean hair into a messy ponytail as Lisanna continued to pack up.

Then, Blue Pegasus bid us and our eleven remaining exceeds farewell.

Lisanna and I discussed plans of what would happen once we got Sabertooth on board, and most of it slipped my mind as the train ride started. Lisanna soothed me and told me to try to sleep, but my stomachaches thought in a different direction.

Finally, after suffering hours of aches and pains, we made our trip to the west for Sabertooth. When I saw their guild hall, my mouth and Sapphire's dropped to the floor. There were no words to describe it, just massive, intimidating, and poised. A kingdom on its own.

However, we arrived to a gloomy welcome from the guild's members.

"We appreciate any visit from Fairy Tail," Our female welcome-member said, "But we're missing our most treasured guild mates at the moment."

Lisanna tilted her head at the woman, "We know of Sting and Rogue going missing," She said, gaining the woman's surprised attention. Those must be the Dragon Slayors from Saber, I thought.

"But what of your God Slayor, Orga? And Yukino, where is she?" Lisanna questioned.

Yukino, I thought, I've heard of that name before... A light switch went off in my head. Lucy mentioned another Celestial Spirit Wizard she was friends with: the one who had the other two of the twelve gold spirit keys. It was Yukino.

"Orga, Rufus, Yukino, and the exceeds here have all disappeared on their jobs as well." The woman replied, and I gasped, "A lot of our members haven't responded from their taken job requests. We tried alerting the Magic Council, but something is intercepting the connection every time. We're hoping they just aren't answering to a call not coming from Master Sting himself... the alternative is..." She trailed off.

Lisanna nodded, not needing to hear anything further, "Well..." She seemed hesitant, "What of... Minerva?" She said bitterly, and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. The welcome-woman sighed, and her expression was almost a grimace as well.

"She disappeared way back, after the Grand Magic Games." She replied, and Lisanna nodded, seeming a bit relieved. Minerva? I thought, Grand Magic Games? Did Lucy ever mention those? What's going on?

Lisanna looked back at me and shook her head. You don't wanna know, I could almost hear her saying. She put a hand on the welcome-woman's shoulder, and the woman tensed slightly before relaxing. It was very subtle, and I was sure I wouldn't have caught it if it weren't for my enhanced senses. Lisanna's face grew into a small smile.

"No worries, ma'am." She spoke slowly, her tone of voice even. I could practically feel the promise in her words... it was almost overbearing. "It's why we're here. We're rallying guilds together. That'll get the Council's attention in the event they don't answer to the call I plan to have with them. And then, we can all fix this."

The woman nodded, and I noticed her expression much more serene than before. My eyebrows furrowed, and I felt confused by the sudden shift in her attitude. She must have been eager for any assurance available. We walked around their lobby, "And we will gladly help in any way we can." She said. As we walked through the guild, the exceeds started gaining attention from the Saber members.

Everyone seemed to perk up a bit at the sight of them.

Eventually, another girl approached us, "Do you mind if we play with them?" She asked, blushing sweetly at the cats. My heart stuttered.

"Sure, if they—"

"You can keep them if you want." Lisanna interrupted me. I looked at her in confusion and she nodded to the girl confidently before turning her gaze to me.

"Lisanna... I don't know—" I whispered before she stopped me again.

"We need to travel light, Jay." She said, raising her eyebrows as if to say remember?

"I know, but... We already gave up so many..." I said softly, my hold on Sapphire tightening a bit. The purple exceed hugged on to me as well, and Lisanna sighed.

"Yes..." Lisanna pressed, resting a hand on my shoulder, "But we have to move... They'll be fine, hun, and we'll be seeing them... If they all stay bunched up with us, they'll get discovered eventually and our job is far from finished."

She looked at me a long moment, insistent on the choice. I felt a sour expression etch on to my face, and I looked down to the exceeds. They looked at me, awaiting my decision on their lives.

"Would any of you want to stay here, or come with us?" I asked. I heard mixed responses, and I knew those who wanted to stay were too scared to get caught on the road, while those who wanted to go were too scared to be without me, someone they trusted. I sighed, looking at the eager guild members who wanted to keep the cats.

"We promise to protect them." The welcome-woman said, her gaze still serene and her smile light. I felt a bit trapped by her gaze, like I was being watched rather than simply looked at. I swallowed, anxiety filling me at the thought of the worst scenario.

But Lisanna was right. We needed to move, and with the exceeds being targeted, we couldn't keep such a large group much longer.

I looked at Lisanna and made a straight smile. She grinned and nodded, "That's my girl," She commended before turning to the guild members, "Take half."

Five of our exceeds ran into the arms of some members. They seemed comfortable with them already, and I swallowed uneasily again. I looked at Lisanna, and she tilted her head to me to remind me how much it would help with travel.

This whole situation demanded the trust between each guild anyway. Plus, it was clear those cheeky cats wanted to stay.

Sapphire clung to me even tighter, making it clear that she wanted to stay with me. I smiled down at her in assurance. She definitely wasn't going anywhere.

The welcome-woman and Lisanna talked over a few points for the potential-war-plan before they nodded to each other and Lisanna looked at me, resolved.

"Two down," She snickered to me, and I smiled happily as we high-fived and exited the guild. I was slightly happy to leave the daunting building.

Lisanna went to buy our train tickets for another guild, Quatro Cerberus. Sapphire, our other five exceeds, and I looked on at the outside of Sabertooth's estate.

"Are all guild halls as strange as the ones we've been to?" The green cat, Christell, asked shakily. Sapphire looked to me with anticipation. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"You all have been in this world longer than me, and these are the first experiences you've had with other guilds?" I asked in shock.

"We've never been interested in them," Sapphire answered, "The only ones in our town have been Twilight Ogre and Fairy Tail. For a time, Twilight Ogre was the reigning guild in Magnolia, and they are simply horrible. Before that, exceeds were fine living on their own and didn't care to join Fairy Tail."

"But why not?" I asked, "And what do you mean 'for a time' this Twilight Ogre guild reigned in Magnolia? It wasn't always Fairy Tail?"

"Well, at first, Fairy Tail was the best known guild in all of Fiore," Christell said, "When we came from Edolas, that was still the case. We appreciated Fairy Tail, but were content with living on our own," He explained and Sapphire pouted slightly, making me look at her in confusion, "However, when key members of Fairy Tail disappeared for seven years, the guild went downhill."

"Disappeared?" I gasped.

"Yep," Christell continued, "That's a whole other story in itself, one I'd recommend getting told about by a member of your guild. Regardless, Fairy Tail went south after those disappearances, and that horrid Twilight Ogre guild became the best one in Magnolia. But seven years after, the missing Fairy members all returned, taking back their spot in Magnolia, and later their number one spot in Fiore by winning the Grand Magic Games."

"That's what that woman was talking about back there." I said, connecting more dots, and Christell nodded. I wasn't sure if it was the influx of information or the brightness of the day or the stress of not seeing after so many of the exceeds I promised to protect, but a sharp pain shot through my head. I winced slightly before hurriedly digging through my sweatshirt's pocket and getting my pain killers. Christell continued as I took them, overlooking the action.

"Sabertooth was the number one guild in all of Fiore after Fairy Tail plummeted, and they were beaten pretty badly by Fairy Tail in the Grand Magic Games." He said, and my eyes widened at the information and the cats continued in conversation.

Before I could linger on their words for too long, I heard a strange chirping. It was so high pitched, and I could tell it was far away. It sounded fairly close to me regardless. I furrowed my eyebrows and started honing in on the sound. I could hear the electrons behind each chirp... they were mechanized. And then I heard a chipper bleep sound, and then Lisanna's soft voice say, "Transfer."

I stiffened. Who was she talking to? I honed in on my senses.

A low humming followed her voice, and the same chipper bleep sounded before I heard the bottoms of her shoes turn against the pavement and begin tapping. Her soft footsteps approached us.

I turned towards her approach, seeing her walking around a corner from the bottom of the lengthy hill we stood on top of. Her eyes met mine and she smiled before waving eight tickets in her hands. I struggled to smile back at her casually, studying her physique until she came to stand in front of me.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Who was that?" I asked back. Her expression froze in confusion. She hesitated, taking in my curious gaze.

"Who was who?" She finally asked in a chuckle, perplexed.

"Whoever you just spoke to." I said, and her eyebrows furrowed, "You said 'Transfer?'"

Her eyebrows relaxed and her eyes widened as her head tilt slightly.

"I heard chirping and beeping too... I don't know I thought you were talking to someone." I shrugged. She stared at me for another moment, before the corner of her mouth turned up slightly.

"Were you... standing here this whole time?" She asked, amusement in her voice... and something else. I couldn't pinpoint it... but Lisanna's soft voice had some sort of edge to it suddenly.

My eyebrows furrowed. I was confused as to why that mattered, "Uh, yeah?" I chuckled, "We were waiting for you to get the tickets."

"... And you heard me... when I was nearly a mile and a half away?" She said, her crooked smile lengthening. My eyes widened as I registered where her confusion was coming from.

"Oh, yeah!" I chuckled, "I don't know, my senses have been crazy since I woke up after my fall."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, like I've been hearing things, smelling things, feeling things... and they'd always be miles away from me. Things are also really defined visually here." I said, nodding as I verbally confirmed my heightened senses, "I guess this confirms it, this is not normal." I laughed.

Lisanna grinned at me, "Nope, it's not..." She shook her head.

"Nah, that's awesome, Jay." Sapphire chirped, "It'll probably really help when we find the big baddie at the end of this, huh?"

I grinned, "You're probably right."

Lisanna hummed, the grin still etched on her face, "But um... Hey, don't worry about all that back there," She said, gesturing behind her to where she's come from, "I was just confirming a few things for the trip."

I nodded, "Oh, okay." I laughed nervously, "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Lisanna chuckled, "No worries. Let's get outta here before we miss the train."

"'Course." I half-smiled, making a sicky face as we walked to the station. Lisanna and Sapphire laughed as I walked thoughtfully. Something felt a little off.

I mean... Was Lisanna not supposed to make those confirmations around me? And what was all that bleeping and chirping? Did she have some kind of communication device? Unlikely. Surely I would've seen it by now. I just didn't know... But then again when did I ever?

I shook my head to rid the uneasy thoughts creeping into it. There was no reason for me not to trust Lisanna. She was a member of my guild, and we moved with one purpose only. Whatever she was doing, I was sure she had it under control.

I instead let my mind wonder to the information Christell shared with me. So, at one point, Fairy Tail's "essential" members disappeared for seven years? And, apparently, after Edolas? The extraordinary events within the guild never seized it seemed. I wondered if Lucy or Juvia were among the missing. And what about Lisanna?

I looked up to see her eyes pointed forward as we marched to the station. I looked back in front of me, pondering if I should ask her... but then something hit me.

Why hadn't Lisanna told me that much about Fairy Tail in our time together? Why was it that the first time I heard about the guild since its destruction, I heard about it from an exceed who has had no intention of joining a guild? When I'd been with a member of the guild I wanted to learn about? When I was a newbie, an empty cup begging to be filled in about her new tribe?

As we got on, I took as many normal breaths as I could. Not only because I knew my gut was about to betray me on this train, but because I had a feeling in it that made me uneasy.

I noticed Sapphire staring outside our window aimlessly. It distracted my wave of anxiety for a moment.

I patted her head, "Hey," I called her and she turned to me, "What were you looking so sour for back there?"

She smiled softly, knowing exactly what I was talking about, "I've just never felt content with my own people," She shrugged, starting to whisper, "They did little for me after my mama died, and I couldn't help but wonder what my life would've been like if I decided to join Fairy Tail back then."

I smiled, "You'll find out soon enough, Phire." I said, and she smiled before snuggling against my side.

"I sure hope so." She replied.

"They will." I heard Lisanna say next to me. Sapphire smiled sweetly at her and I quirked an eyebrow.

"What's your experience like with Fairy Tail, Lis?" I asked, unable to fight the curiosity.

Lisanna smiled softly at me, "Incredible..." She trailed off, looking away from me to the seat in front of us, "Absolutely incredible."

I made a straight smile, "How'd you and your siblings come to join?"

She chuckled, "Oh, we've been a part of Fairy Tail since we were children... I honestly don't remember a life before the guild."

"Wow..." Sapphire gawked, leaning into Lisanna, "So, you've been there during a lot of victories for the guild?"

Lisanna looked down at her and then at me, "Well, yeah, sure..."

I studied her expression. She wasn't uncomfortable, but she wasn't telling us anything we wouldn't ask about. I noticed more people settling on the train in my peripheral vision, and acknowledged that we didn't have much time before takeoff. I wouldn't be able to ask her anything whilst sick.

"Were you among those who disappeared for seven years?" I asked quickly and Lisanna rose an eyebrow.

"Where'd you hear about that?" She asked.

"Christell." Sapphire and I said in unison. Lisanna laughed and Sapphire looked up at me in excitement.

"Ahh," Lisanna started with a fond smile on her face, "Well, yes, I was among that group." Sapphire and I gasped and Lisanna nodded, "As were my brother and sister... Natsu and Lucy... Erza, Gray, and Juvia... Levy and Gajeel, Laxus and his team... Little Wendy... Even Master, a lot of us were there."

"Where? What for?" I asked quietly, biting my lip.

"It was a test... a competition rather... You see, every once and a while, the guild participates in a trial to unearth our next S-Class wizard—"

"The highest ranking in the guild." I remembered.

"Precisely." Lisanna nodded at me, "Only eight of us were chosen to participate in that year's trial... Like Juvia. She chose me as her partner so it was my job to help her become an S-Class. Sadly, we were defeated during the competition and sent to the sidelines." She pouted a bit and I sucked my teeth. Juvia could have been on the same level as Mira and Erza.

"Everything was going well aside from that, though... But some things went down... Our guild was attacked relentlessly on the island the trial was held on." She continued, "Tenrou... It was like the homestead of our guild..." Her voice fell into a somber tone, and I waited for her to continue on her own, "One thing led to another out there... In the end, it took some... divine intervention to save us all." She chuckled softly and my eyes widened. I was unable to comprehend how dire that situation must have been, and Lisanna was right in the middle of it.

"The guild members and I were frozen under a spell on that island for seven years... It's tough to explain, but it was the only way to keep us safe from calamity. We had no contact with the rest of the guild back home, the island was deemed nonexistent, and they all had to live with the idea that we were gone forever." She explained tiredly. Sapphire looked at me with wide shocked eyes. My lips formed a tight line as I struggled to meet Lisanna's gaze. It was so traumatic.

"Luckily," She continued, and I finally looked at her, "Our guild is stubborn as hell." She chuckled, "They refused to believe we were gone, and searched everywhere for us. Eventually, they found the island and their presence lifted the spell that froze us all."

"They saved you all." I said in awe. Lisanna nodded.

"Wouldn't be the first time the guild saved my neck." She grinned, "They took us back home and we fought our way back to the top. All that time lost... and it still couldn't keep us down."

I couldn't help the victorious grin on my face.

"Wow..." Sapphire cooed, "What about the other times?" She asked quickly, nearly hopping into Lisanna's lap, "What about other adventures? Oh! Were you in Edolas? I wouldn't have remembered any of you back then, I wasn't really around all the chaos that ensued."

Lisanna's smile fell the more Sapphire spoke. I could feel her aura shift back to its somber state. I heard as she bit the inside of her cheek.

"Yeah..." She started, and I saw her eyes glass up. Sapphire took in her expression and leaned back into me. Her little face shifted to a worried one. She looked at me, and I looked at Lisanna before resting a hand on her shoulder. The platinum girl returned my gaze, swallowing down her tears before nodding at Sapphire, "Yeah, I was there." She sniffled, "I um... I was there for quite a while actually... Way before Natsu, Lucy, and the others arrived."

"What do you mean?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows. In my peripheral vision, I noticed that nearly all the passengers were seated. I hoped I would hear the end of this before the train started.

"I..." Lisanna trailed off, apparently trying to find the best way to explain the situation, "I was in... a really bad incident long, long ago... And eventually... I wound up lost in Edolas."

I sat up, "What?" Sapphire's eyes lit up.

"It was a mistake," She said, shutting her eyes as emotion built up in her quiet voice. She shook her head, eyes still closed, as if she were trying to shake away a bad memory, "It was a painful, painful mistake... And it led me there," She opened her eyes, now brimming with tears, "Took me away from everything and... everyone I loved." She looked at me and my eyebrows pinched up in sympathy, "And I had only myself to blame."

"Lisanna..." I mumbled softly, not knowing what to say. All I could do was rub my palm against the back of her shoulder as she gritted her teeth. I was suddenly a bit happier that I couldn't remember anything about my old life. What I didn't know didn't hurt me. Sure, I was more confused than I could be, but I couldn't miss things or people I didn't know I may or may not had known.

Lisanna was different. She remembered, and now she'd go on remembering.

"It's okay, you don't have to continue." I assured her, but she shook her head.

"No, it was meant to happen." She nearly exclaimed, causing Sapphire and me to flinch. Lisanna looked a bit shaken in that moment, "It had to happen so I could be here... And it didn't matter if I got lost in this world or the next, they were always there for me."

I furrowed my eyebrows, allowing her to emote without any understanding of the route she was taking. Sapphire leaned into me again.

"I'm sorry, it's just," She cried, wiping her eyes while I continued to rub her back. She sniffled and her voice came out thicker from her tears, "When you live amongst people... who would do anything... absolutely anything for you, for this long... I don't know, sometimes... Sometimes, I feel like I don't deserve it."

Sapphire looked at me again with wide concerned eyes. I bit my lip, still unsure of where this was coming from. It was like she had internalized all of this for so long and suddenly it was being let out.

I let her quietly cry for a moment before dropping my hand to hold hers, "You know... Juvia told me something when I last saw her."

Lisanna looked up at me.

"I was worried... that my past had something to do with what's happening to the guild." I explained, "I felt like... I didn't deserve to be so looked after by people I could potentially hurt..."

"She said 'It doesn't matter what you did, or where you were... Fairy Tail is a forgiving guild, and you are a part of it now.'" I said, meeting Lisanna's wide eyes, "They protected us... They saved us. And now, we have to pay it forward."

Lisanna's eyes brightened and she looked away from me.

"You love them." She said, "You love them already."

"I do."

I watched her jaw clench, and I took her expression as one of determination.