Emm, I was re-reading the previous chapter and thought to myself: "Wow, what if I changed this so that Lucy and Natsu were dating, and then she died. While she was 'dead' Natsu started to rebuild his friendship with Lisanna and fell in love with her. Then the whole Kurai and future chapters would be about him trying to figure out if he loved Lucy or Lisanna. . ." And while writing that I thought of this; ". . .and then Lucy became distant after finding out about Natsu and Lisanna that she seemed uninterested when he finally chose her so he went back to Lisanna (she didn't know). And then she started dating Loki, and they want to keep their friendship intact with Lisanna and Loki but also want to date each other, so they try and ignore their feelings!" XD I got really excited when writing that! BUT I've written chapter 20 already, so dibs! I'll make it into another story. Although that would be kinda difficult since it also needs Kurai and what not. . . Ah, I'll figure it out. Maybe I'll pull a Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and do the same story with different events and such.

Sorry for the rant. Please, continue on to chapter 9!

Chapter 9- Too Soon, Much Too Soon.

Lucy had a slight headache. Whether from boredom or lack of sleep; she did not know. She just closed her eyes, elbow propped on the bar counter of the Guild, and sighed.

"Lucy-chan, are you feeling alright?" Mira asked. Cana glanced at her above her beer mug.

"You're not sick, are you?" She asked.

"No, just a slight headache." She sighed and turned around, laying her head back and onto the counter, staring up at the ceiling. "I've been here too long! I need another job!" She exclaimed.

"Why don't you check the message board?" Mire asked, wiping the counters around Lucy's head.

"I already did, nothin' good." She covered her eyes with her forearm. She sighed. Her eyes hurt. She hadn't been getting much sleep lately, the nightmares were intensifying. They were scaring her. Sure, she would wake up on the floor sometimes, Natsu sleeping peacefully in the bed, but Levy had crossed over 5 times since the first dream. She was getting scared. It was just Levy, and it was the same dream over and over.

Cana and Mira watched Lucy thoughtfully. Was she stressed out for being dead for a year and a half? They didn't know.

Lucy was getting board. "Maybe I should visits my parents. . ." She said quietly and thoughtfully. She turned and crossed her arms over the counter. "Possibly write some more of my Fairy Tail adventures." Ever since the night with Natsu she had been writing her adventures down, narrating her life and adventures with Fairy Tail. She had started writing about helping out Loki when she decided to come to the guild.

Sill, her boredom hadn't been satisfied with the simple trip. One of the sources for her boredom was refusing the quest that Gray, Erza, and Natsu went on. She had planned on doing solo quests, wanting and waiting for the numbers to pile up, but there were no good offers.

"If you really want some high paying jobs, ask Erza to tag along on her S-Class quests. You could even come with me sometime." Mira said with a small smile as she leaned over the counter.

"Really? Thanks, Mira! I should I ask Erza bout it, too." Lucy trailed off as she yawned. She wiped her eyes. Maybe she should take a nap? She was sleepy but she still wanted to do something while the day was young.

That is, until the guild's door slammed open. Lucy picked up her head. The sound echoed throughout the guild, creating a dramatic effect to the silhouette of two men. One was lean and skinny while the other was quiet large and round. The skinny one held something limp in his arms.

"Help!" One of them called, rushing into the guild. They laid down the limp figure, something yellow-or was it orange?- onto a empty table that soon crowded. Lucy frowned and stood. She walked over to the table. One glance and Jet and Droy's guilty and traumatized face told Lucy she didn't need to see what was on the table to guess what was on it.

"Levy-chan!" She yelled, rushing to the table where Levy laid still and pale. Lucy reached out to her, but retracted her hand once she touched her cold bare shoulder. "Levy. . ." She whispered, tears swarming on her eyes. Levy wasn't breathing.

"What happened?" She yelled at Droy and Jet. More members started to crowd the table, gasping and looking away. Most were crying, calling out to the name of their cold, cold friend.

"Mira call a doctor!" Someone seemed to yell far out. She ran and did as she was told.

"Where's Wendy?" Someone asked.

"Quest, she can't help dead people though." At the mention of the word dead, whoever said that began to quite down and murmer.

"We don't know, we- we," Droy said before he started crying, too.

"She just dropped. We finished, we were coming back and then she- she-" Jet was choking.

"What's going on he-" Lucy didn't want to look at Gajeel's face. She turned away, crying silently. Then she held Levy's hand, crying into it.

Gajeel looked hesitant at first, getting a clear look of Levy. He reached his hands out for her but an invisible barrister held him back. He growled loudly before turning to Droy and Jet. He picked up Jet by the shirt front- Droy was much too heavy- and shook him slightly.

"What happened? Why didn't you protect her?" He yelled. He seemed tough, but Lucy heard how is voice wavered.

"Gajeel." She said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Put him down." Her voice was stern and assertive but she really wanted to cry, and hug Gajeel. He looked at her, her wide wet eyes that held sadness. He set Jet down and walked to Levy again.

Lucy looked down, her breathing uneven and hitched. As she looked down on Levy's lifeless body something rang in her head, softly like a bell, or stick being tapped against a tin bucket.

"Too soon, much too soon." It said and all Lucy could do was cry.

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Lucy closed her eyes and ran. She didn't look back. She ran to her home, running up the stairs and slamming the door behind her.

"No! No! Levy!" She cried. She was angry. She wanted to smash her table, rip her books, destroy anything to keep her mind off of Levy. She locked her door and windows. She grabbed her comforter and wrapped it around herself. She cuddled it.

"Too soon. Much too soon." She gripped the comforter more tightly around her. She glanced up at her apartment. It was just as she had left it over a year ago. She was angry. If she knew Levy was going to. . . To. . . She wouldn't have let her go on the quest. It wasn't fair! She had just came back! She had just gotten back with her friends and suddenly one of them "drops"? It wasn't fair and plain outrageous. Lucy wanted to scream and pull her hair out.

She sobbed into her blanket. She didn't notice the time passing until her clock rang. It was 4 o'clock. She had been wallowing in there for more than two hours.

She then heard a faint tap. She knew it was Natsu at the window. Instead of letting him in, she pushed herself more into the wall, pulling her feet in closer. She buried her face in the warm comforter, hoping Natsu would leave.

But she was lying. She really wanted him to comfort her. To tell her Levy was gonna be okay. She didn't want to hear about funeral plans, it was much too early. Levy could come back any time.

"Lucy, open up!" Natsu called faintly. She muffled the sounds by covering her ears with the thick comforter.

"Go away!" She yelled. She wish she had been quiet, maybe should could have fooled him that she wasn't home, he couldn't see her in the cornor.

"Lucy!" The glass wobbled. Lucy shook her head, even though she knew he couldn't hear.

"Please Lucy, were all upset, but that doesn't mean we get to wallow in our room." That made Lucy mad.

She stood abruptly and opened the window, blocking him from entering. "What are you talking about? Levy is dead! I'm not allowed to cry?"

"I didn't say that, but you can't shut everyone else out."

"How do you know? One of you're best friends didn't just die."

"No, but my very best friend was gone for almost two years and I thought she was dead." He said back. Lucy stared at him and started crying again.

"But it isn't fair!" She cried, hugging him through the window. "Why? Why does she have to die? It was too soon! Much too soon!" She cried. The voice ran in her was again. It was like a whisper, weak and silky; "Too soon, much too soon."

She hugged Natsu tighter. He stepped in. He cooed her, softly stroking the back of her hair as she wetted his chest with her tears.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry for leaving. I hope this isn't what you felt," she sobbed. She felt him stiffen. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back. He looked down so they were eye to eye.

"You didn't do anything. You saved countless people." Lucy's eyes widened. She looked down.

"Just dropped?" She whispered. Natsu frowned and looked at her.

"What?" She looked up from the floor, eyes reaching Natsu's.

"Remember what the King said? When I died, there was no real explanation."

"You used all your magic."

"But wizards aren't really known for dying from that. It's rare, right?" He shrugged.

"I guess, but its been known to happen to Celestial Wizards." Natsu nearly choked on his own words. His tongue was thick, making it hard for him to swallow.

"So why did Levy die?" Natsu seemed to catch onto what she was saying.

"No, Lucy, I tried the same when you died. It won't work. You can't bring the dead back."

"But she wasn't meant to die!"

"And how do you know that?" He said more assertively. He didn't want her to get hung up on this idea, it would drive her crazy.

"The King said something about fate being twisted-" before she could finish, a blinding light flashed and Lucy felt like her body had been jerked through water. A cool feeling pressed around her as she squeezed her eyes tight.

When she finally had the courage to open them, she found herself in the celestial world, again. The floor seemed like a narrow blue ribbon that swerved around an empty space where the only occupants were stars. But it was strangely empty.

Lucy looked down to find herself in the outfit she had previously worn to the celestial world. It was star themed. She knew it matched with Natsu's.

"Natsu!" She called, but he wasn't there. She scanned the room, or abyss of stars. Then she spotted something pink. She rushed toward it, sliding on her knees when she ran up to him. He sat on the floor, legs crossed, and one arm pressed to his head. His eyes were closed.

The celestial was already taking it's toll, beginning with a slight tingle in the brain. She gently put her hand on his shoulder.

"Hh?" He looked up at her, brown eyes filled with concern. "Lucy?" He was wearing the other set of their matching clothes. She nodded and helped him up. They soon discovered that they weren't alone.

Scattered along the paths were 6 more bodies. Lucy let Natsu lean on her as they walked toward them as fast as they could. The first body was limp, but groaned.

"Ah! Last time I do that." It was Gray, rubbing the back of his head. Hes was wearing clothes from the Celestial world, too. "Wait, why do I have clothes on?"

Lucy sighed, dismissing her idea of helping him up. "Why am I not surprised?" She asked. Her throat wobbled as she tired not to think of Levy.

"What's he doing here?" Natsu asked distastefully.

"I don't even know what I'm doing here." Lucy said thoughtfully. What were they doing there, and more importantly, why?

"Is that Erza?" Gray asked. There were 5 more dots.

"Black, black, blue, blue, red, and white." Natsu said, like he was couring. They ran, or jogged, to each one.

Lucy helped Gajeel up from the ground. He rubbed his head thoughtfully and glared at Natsu, like somehow he did this. Panther Lily was up too, right next to him. His sword hung on his back. Despite his tough looks, Lucy could tell that Gajeel had been crying. She held his hand reassuringly, squeezing it, and pulled him up.

Gray ran to Erza, who laid on her side. She seemed to be sleeping soundly. He shook her and in a second she had awoke, pinned him down, equipped a sword, and held the point to his throat. He gulped as she tightened her grip when she saw it was Gray. Then he sighed in relief when she lowered her sword, and dispatched it. She got up and pulled him up too.

Natsu helped Wendy up. Carla, who looked a little shaken up, sat on her shoulder. Happy was in Natsu's arm as Natsu tried to shake him awake.

They were all wearing clothes from the celestial world. When they regrouped, they all had baffled looks on their faces.

"Where are we?"

"What's happening?"

"I'm hungry."

"I was just in the guild-"

"Sh!" Erza said sharply. "Were not alone." They all looked up and seemed to take a step back. The Celestial King would want to make you do that, he was so large. He watched them try, and fail, to regain their sense of reason.

"Welcome," he said. Lucy squinted at him.

"I was right, wasn't I?" She spoke barley above a whisper, but the emptiness seemed to emphasize her words because they all heard.

"What were you right about, Ms. Lucy?" Wendy asked curiously. Natsu looked at her baffled.

"How? What were you even right about?" He asked, frowning.

But Lucy ignored them, looking at the King to explain. "Yes," he said it gently, but his voice boomed in the empty space. Lucy didn't know whether to be relieved or even more devastated.

"Can we save her? Is she even dead?" The rest of Fairy Tail looked confused, picking out little to nothing on the topic.

"The world is once again thrown into Chaos, your journey has yet to begin, for you have barley scratched the surface. Your friend is not alive, but her soul is held captive. If you can find it and set it free; you might be able to save her."

"I've had enough of being clueless, what's going on?" Gray asked sternly. Lucy glanced at her friend's expectant faces.

"I was never suppose to die. I did die, but my soul didn't. I don't know much, but last time we spoke with the King he told me i wasn't ever suppose to die. Levy 'dropped'. There's no explanation why. Her soul was taken, right? That's what Malus was suppose to do, causing havoc, killing towns and their people, for their souls. Levy's got sucked out." Everything was becoming clear to her. "Do my dreams have anything to do with this?" She asked the King.

"I know not of such dreams, but you are involved in these intertwined destinies. Look around you at the cosmos of time. Empty because time is thrown out of balance. Destiny can take many courses, but it will always begin with one cause and end with one effect. It's a race, the beginning and the end are the same outcomes, but the courses in between cannot be effected.

"However, recently, someone has been changing the course of history. Doing the impossible by changing the outcomes, therefor rewriting everything. Time is destroying itself in attempt of repairing itself and the time stream. Souls being collected, the future being rewritten into a devastation." Natsu didn't really understand but he got the picture; bad things will happen if they don't stop this.

"What can we do?" Erza asked. Lucy looked around the deserted Celestial world. She knew spirits couldn't last long in the human world, so where were they?

"Fear not for your Celestial beings, they are safe. As for what you can do? Find out who is devastating time and stop them."

"So can we save Levy or not?" Gajeel, who had be quiet until then, asked. The King did not answer, his face did not waver, and he did not move.

Suddenly, Wendy winced. Then Erza and Gray. Like a line they all started getting light headed, the skulls pounding with a irritated headache, determined to be heard.

"Go now," the King commanded. "You may not last much longer before things become sever. It seems as this time devastation can affect humans, too." Lucy felt something wet drip down her face. She tasted the sickly iron. She touched above her lip, looking at her finger and saw it wet with her blood. The others watched her as she wiped it away with the back of her hand.

"Where do we begin looking?" She asked faster. She needed to hurry before she began coughing up her liver.

"Malus couldn't have been on the mountain for no reason, find out what he so desperately tried to hide." With each word, the King glowed fainter and fainter until he was transparent. "Good luck, and stay safe." Then he disappeared.

Lucy waited for a few minuets, unsure on how to leave. She was about to say something until she heard a heavy jingle, like heavy iron chains. She turned and saw Virgo, whose Pink hair seemed a little paler, and almost hugged her. "Virgo!"

"Time is undoing, you must hurry. You have ten days to save your friend, less if you spend more time here." She said. She tapped the floor with her foot, and a hole appeared on the blue ribbon road, glowing bright white. It was small, but large enough for all of them to pass through on at a time.

"Thank you, Virgo." Lucy said, getting ready to jump in. "How long did we stay here?" She was aware of the time diffrences, being there for a few minuets might have been days or weeks even.

"Time is not in itself, you will return at the exact time and place you were when called upon. Please hurry." Lucy nodded and Virgo disappeared. She turned to her friends.

"Wendy, you can go first." She offered. Wendy hugged Carla to her chest and walked onto the bright circle. She stood there for a few seconds, and then she dropped. Lucy almost called out to her, but when she looked down, she didn't see Wendy or Carla, just white.

Gajeel was next, Panther Lily standing by him on the circle. Erza dropped down, Happy and Gray, and then finally, Lucy and Natsu were all that was left. The circle began to dim and shrink.

"We have to hurry," Lucy said calmly. Natsu stepped on and held out his hand. She smiled and took it, and he pulled her into his arms. She was about to blush and move back but then she dropped. It was a sinking feeling like her stomach flying into her heart. Or maybe it was just the effect Natsu had on her.

The dropping feeling didn't last long, soon she felt her feet touch solid ground and she stumbled back.

She found herself in her room, Natsu standing close by, eyes scrunched as if her still had the sinking feeling.

"Natsu," Lucy said and he opened his eyes. He looked around, and then- realizing they were back on earth- he slumped his shoulders.

Lucy felt the silence thick around them, but she choose not to acknowledge it. She just sat on her bed. Natsu sat next to her.

"Ready to save the world again?"

"Of course."

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They all met up at the guild, which was unusually depressing. Lucy didn't see Droy or Jet. Actually most of everyone was gone.

Mira was still at the bar, but she seemed out of it. Her eyes tipped with sadness, half-heartily cleaned a mug. She glanced up when the walked into the guild, but then averted her eyes.

Lucy left the group to talk to her.

"Mira." Mira glanced up. "We think we found a way to save Levy." Mira's eyes widened, maybe in disbelief. "We don't have time to explain, we have ten days, we might be gone for a long time." Mira nodded, most likely clueless. But this should be expected now.

Lucy turned and returned to the group, and that was the last anyone had any idea about the mages' where abouts.