~*****~

Olga heaved me upwards with a loud, boisterous laugh. "Good to see you back in one piece, Princess!" Olga cheered.

"Quit callin' me that!" I hiss at him, bonking him on the head with an aggravated snarl.

"What took you so long?" Sting asked as he approached me, patting his extended belly as if it pained him.

"Took on a bounty," I retort with a shrug. "There was a guild-on-guild war between Lamia Scale and Orca Fin--"

"Orochi Fin--" Ballad corrected me.

"Whatever!" I complain loudly. "Anyway, they had Bluenote Stinger working with them, so I took the opportunity, kicked the crap out of him, and collected a hefty sum."

"And we saw Natsu!" Ballad chirps. I grimace and palm at my face. Sting just smiles with a friendly look about him.

"Must've been hard. D'you wanna talk about it?" Sting asks.

I sighed and palmed at my head. "I don't think I can even look at you right now. Please start working out, Guild Master."

"Stop calling me that! And I told you, losing weight like this takes time!" Sting complains loudly. "C'mon, I'm a good listener!"

"I hardly think she wants to tell you anything," Rogue comments dryly. "You know she only confides in Frosch."

"Miss Aria likes to tell me personal stuff while she brushes through Ballad's fur!" Frosch coos.

"Technically, I tell Ballad these things, you're just the cutie who sits in the room with us, staring at the book of frogs I got for you." I explain impishly. "Anyway, thank you for your concern, guys, but I'm perfectly happy and completely over that irritating, insufferable, no good, moronic jerk." I list out.

"Me thinks she doth protests too much," Minerva chirps in an uncharacteristically sweet tone.

"Please, don't ever use that tone with me, I think I almost threw up." I comment dryly.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "You're as love struck for that fool as you ever were. Stop denying it." I snort loudly and turn on my heel, biting out a comment that I'm going to sleep.

~*****~

"I can't believe Avatar is stirring things up again," I mention lightly as I peer down at the flyer from Rogue. "You think they'd learn their lesson when other guilds kick the crap out of them."

Rogue nods. "Yes, I was thinking that, too." Rogue hums. "I do appreciate you coming with me. Minerva offered, but I'm afraid she's come down with a nasty cold."

I hum. "A cold, huh? She's probably feeling bad about that stupid comment she made last night about Ballad being too sweet for her own good."

"I think Ballad is very sweet!" Frosch chirps happily. "She makes the best cookies!"

Ballad smiles. "Aria makes the best cookies, I just help!" Ballad retorts.

"Hey, Rogue!" A familiar voice shouts.

"Is that Natsu?" Rogue hums in confusion as my entire body jumps in shock.

We both turn in confusion before Natsu hooks his arm around Rogue's neck. "Let's have a chat!"

Natsu blasts by, carting Rogue with him. I glance down at my hand and stare at the empty space where the flyer had been just recently. "Hey!" I bellow, raising my fist and shaking it. "You can't just take off with my partner and my job!"

"You're choking me!" Rogue shouts irritably.

"Hey! We're right behind you!" Lucy chimes loudly.

"Don't just run off without us!" Happy cries.

"What the hell is going on?!" I snap at them. "What are you doing here?! I thought you were looking for Gray!"

"Maybe they're here to talk!" Frosch beams.

"Sorry, but this is a private conversation between me and Rogue only!" Natsu calls out from down the street.

"I don't think so, you bastard!" I bellow, shaking my fists again. "Here, take this--" I bark as I toss Ballad over my head. She gives a surprised squeal but is nonetheless caught by Lucy anyway. I barrel after the two, screaming out obscenities. "GET BACK HERE WITH MY JOB!" I manage to find the two in the gardens of the city, hiding in front of the statue. I snatch Natsu up by the shirt, tightening my fists as I growl. "Talk! Why the sudden interest in my partner!"

"Yeah, why the hell did you drag me all the way out here?" Rogue asked irritably, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I wanted to see your job request!" Natsu chirped nervously as I held him higher, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Say what?" I hum, settling him down as my brows furrowed.

"Just show me the flier!" Natsu barks urgently.

I grimace and scratch at my head. "It's a job regarding the destruction of Avatar." I explain as I hold up the flier and snatch it away quickly as he tries to take it.

Natsu stares at me for a long time. "I gotta take that one for you guys!" Natsu states firmly.

"HELL NO!" I bark loudly. I jab my finger in his face. "You better tell me just what is going on, and I am not handing over anything until you do! And besides, that was contracted with Sabertooth! You're not a part of a guild anymore!"

"You bet I am," Natsu grins. "I'm a member of Fairy Tail! And so are you! I don't care what emblem you got stamped on ya! And I'm gonna take this job. Only thing I want out of it is to destroy this Avatar. The bounty's yours. But Rogue and Frosch can't leave town until I get back. I want you to swear you'll keep them here." My brow twitches, and suddenly, Future Rogue's words come back to me. It has been a year since then. And perhaps this is the trail to Gray.

"You've lost your mind," Rogue hums. Natsu charges off anyway. I glance down at my hand and shout in anger. He somehow snatched it from me without me noticing-- which was impressive. "Where are you going!?" I peer after Natsu, brows twitching irritably as I scrub at my head. "You can go, you know." Rogue mentions softly as I take a step back. I feel his hand clasp onto my shoulder. "I'll tell Sting you're officially back in Fairy Tail."

I grit my teeth painfully and growl out in anger. "God, I hate him!" I bellow. "I'll come by to visit sometime, Rogue! Thanks a bunch for the hospitality!" I exclaim as I press a quick kiss to his cheek and barrel after Natsu.

~*****~

I find the trio in the forest outside town, sitting around each other while Happy reads the flier. "Hey, Natsu? Do you have any idea what this Avatar thing is that Rogue and Aria is supposed to destroy?" Happy asks.

"Beats me," Natsu grunts.

"They're a black magic cult," I comment loudly as I approach them slowly, brows drawn in frustration. Ballad pops out from my hair and chimes in a greeting. "After the other dark guilds were defeated, Avatar rose up to take their place. They're obsessed with Zeref."

"Zeref?" Natsu questions, brows drawn in confusion.

"I don't know if he has anything to do with them, but the members are serious freaks for him." I explain as I snatch the flier away from Happy.

"So, they're just a bunch of Zeref flunkies?" Natsu asks, peering at me impishly. "This is gonna be fun!"

"But I still don't get why you think Gray would ever join up with a creepy group like that," Lucy hums softly.

"Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me." Happy adds.

"Actually, if you do think about it, it kinda does," I mention with a shrug. "Gray's a demon slayer now. Just like his father, who infiltrated Tartaros just to destroy every demon inside."

"He's like a double agent!" Ballad chimed in.

"But I'm only guessing it's because of what Future Rogue said, isn't it?" I ask as I perch on the rock Natsu had been sitting on.

"Wh-When those dragons came?" Lucy asked.

"He said, in a year's time, Rogue would lose Frosch, and he would be swallowed by the darkness forever. We were told to warn Rogue to protect Frosch from the one who will kill him. From Gray Fullbuster." I recite, angling my leg over my other to get comfortable. "Honestly, you should've did some digging without swiping my job from me."

"Hey, I said you could have the bounty!" Natsu complained as he plopped on his butt in front of me.

"SINCE WHEN DO I CARE ABOUT MONEY!?" I bellow. "I'm coming with you. Rogue and Frosch will remain in the guild hall for the time being, but I'm not sitting this out just to babysit."

"Is Sabertooth okay with letting you go on this job with us? I mean, we're two different guilds now." Lucy hummed nervously.

I grimace and pinch my lips together tightly. Natsu just grins. "You decided to come back to Fairy Tail, didn't you?"

I snap my eyes at him and glare. Natsu curls up on the ground, as if he'd been struck by lightning. "I'm not joining for you, Natsu. I'm gonna tear Avatar down. That is my goal." I comment pridefully.

Natsu sat up and rubbed at his arms, commenting I almost looked like a certain wizard in armor.  "But what about joining Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked. Happy plopped onto my lap, peering up at me anxiously.

I grimaced again and shrugged off my cloak, brandishing my bare shoulder. "If you'll have me." I murmur meekly.

"And me!" Ballad chirped, pulling her cloak down to show the empty space along her back.

Lucy gave a shrill squeal of delight before tackling me in a tight hug.

~*****~

My nose twitched lightly at the subtle, dank air permeating the dark forest we traipsed through. "Well, that's the place. No doubt about it." Natsu hums.

"It's creepy. Like an old church swallowed by the forest." Lucy murmurs.

"And cliche," I retort bitterly. "I was expecting something cooler, givin' all the damn trouble they've stirred up."

"Okay, what now?" Happy asked.

"Trusty ol' Plan T, of course!" Natsu chirped with a bright smile.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, no you don't. We're not gonna go storming in, got it? We're gonna be stealthy about this." I retort quickly as I wave my hands at him. Natsu grunted irritably. I ignore his irritation and turn to Lucy. "Since you've clearly been training, you and Virgo will create our entry point."

Lucy's cheeks flushed. "You noticed?"

"I told you when we first met; A wizard should have an immediate feel for other wizards." I explain. "Your magic has improved, and so has the bond you have with your spirits."

Lucy smiled fondly. "I'd say you've been training, too."

My brow quirks and I smile for the first time since rejoining the group. I don't comment on it and start looking for a good entry point. "Summon Virgo so we can get this show on the road."

Lucy nods excitedly and brandishes Virgo's key. In a brilliant light, Virgo appears on the ground, tied up. "I think she needs help," Happy commented.

"Whoa! What happened? Are you okay?" Lucy cried.

"I think she's just being her usual kinky self," Ballad mentioned happily.

Lucy hummed in disappointment. Virgo just smiled bashfully. "I wasn't busy, so I thought I'd punish myself." She explained as she stood up, the ropes slipping off her body easily.

"You gotta be kidding me," Lucy whined.

"There's a lot I don't know about Celestial Spirits," Natsu grumbled, rubbing at his head.

"It's a pleasure to see you," Virgo chirped. "I hope that you four are doing well."

"All right, anyway... Let's get back to work!" Lucy beams. In another bright light, Lucy's outfit changes. "Star Dress: Virgo Form!"

Natsu and Happy flinched upright in shock. "She transforms now?!" Natsu cried.

"I'm getting flashbacks of a scary armor wizard!" Happy whines.

"That outfit grants some of my special abilities, increases her magic power, and boosts her sex appeal. Additionally, Aria's Seer magic has access to some qualities of the Star Dress forms, although, I don't know of another Seer who's tapped into that power." Virgo explains.

I wave my hand at them. "No time. There's a soft patch of ground under here. From the vibrations I'm picking up, it should lead straight into the basement." I explain, tapping my foot on a patch of concrete.

"Okay! You ready to rock, Virgo?" Lucy asked.

"I live to serve, Princess." Virgo hums. "So let's go!"

My teeth buzzed uncomfortably at the sound of Virgo and Lucy drilling through the ground. "Let's go," I snap over my shoulder and leap in behind them. We follow for quite a while until my face is stopped by Lucy's butt.

"Looks like the basement," Lucy hums.

"Move your big butt--" I snap. Lucy shifts and Natsu's head slams into my butt, sending me hurtling upwards with a bark of annoyance. There's a shout of pain before we're all in the basement. Natsu is hunched on the ground, nursing the bump on his head while I'm seething with my nose turned up in the air.

"I can't help but wonder what kinda stuff the Avatar guys do down here." Happy mentions.

"I sure don't." Ballad retorted, sinking into my hair.

"They're probably just fartin' around." Natsu comments.

"Let's see if we can dig up anything on Gray before anyone finds out we're here," Lucy hums.

Gray's subtle scent wafts across my nose and just as I make a move, Natsu's shouting at the top of his lungs. "Gray! Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Nonsensical fool!" I shout, slamming my fist atop his head and sending him crashing into the ground. "You haven't changed a bit, you loudmouthed moron!"

"I believe this calls for punishment," Virgo chimes. "Feel free to use this on me. I swear, I'll behave." She chirps anxiously as she gestures to the wooden horse.

"There's no time for your kinks, Virgo!" I exclaim as I shake Natsu back and forth by the shirt. I sigh loudly and lower him almost painfully. "But, as dumb as that move was, it certainly shook out some of the older smells from the walls. Gray's definitely here." I mention as I trail towards the door, palm pressing against the wall. "Someone's here."

"Goodness, how'd you know!" A childlike tone calls out. "Also, what are you doing inside our hideout? I hope you came to play, cause that's my favorite thing in the world!"

My gaze snaps up. "Is that who we're fighting? Wait-- I know that doll!" Lucy cried.

"Mr. Cursey!" Happy stammered.

"Oh, man, it's all coming back to me now!" Lucy whined. "It belonged to that big pasty guy we fought on Tenrou."

"Yeah, you and him had a whole lot of fun with it." Happy commented.

"I would never call that fun!" Lucy snapped.

"So you've already had a chance to play with Mr. Cursey, huh?" The child jumps down. "He's one of the best presents I ever got. From one of the heavyweights of the Grimoire Heart. This little guy's magic power is so awesome, it's scary!"

I peer at the child before stalking towards him, my boots thudding against the stone. "Just looking at that thing makes my skin crawl!" Lucy whines.

"Be careful, Princess," Virgo urges. "He's small, but he's an extremely strong--"

Her words are cut off as I raise my leg up high, standing in front of the small being, and let it slam down. "Where's the big guns? I'm not lookin' to do battle with a tiny tot." I retort bitterly. "Better yet, bring down that pervy stripper."

"Abel!" A new voice shouts. A man rushes into the basement, takes one look at Abel still trapped under my boot and wails in anguish. "Oh, you foolish intruders have got my blood boiling over with rage! You won't leaf here! Because in this room, I keep all my instruments of cruel-tea!"

"Is he serious?" Ballad murmured in annoyance.

"I bet he's talkin' about your novel, Lucy." Happy chirped.

"Prepare to experience brew-tal torture the likes of which you've never seen!" The man exclaims as several torture devices lifted into the air.

Virgo began to drool at the sight. "I'm thirs-tea for punish-mint!" She chirped.

"That's not a good thing!" Lucy cried.

My talons swiped through the air, knocking the devices away and sending them hurtling towards the wall effortlessly, my brows drawing tighter in annoyance. My world darkens as something sharp and cold snaps around me. My breath hissed out in a soft plume of mist. The metal around me starts warping, slipping away from each other as the frigid cold starts creeping over it. Cracking echoes out as my fingers slip through the gap in the doors. "The iron is warping?! How?!" The man cried.

The iron maiden snaps apart, shattering into a million pieces. The man stumbles back in response to my body whirling around, the thick, fridged scales of my tail suddenly scraping across his face and sending him flying into the wall. "Pour me--" He groans.

"That's two--" I hum. The hairs on my neck stand on end as I feel the air shift behind me. I duck forward, leg kicking out as my body sinks lower.

A wave of heat coasts over my back. "Three!" Natsu chirps, his palm bracing on my back as he uses it as leverage to attack the person coming from behind.

"Goodness, they still work together flawlessly," Virgo hums.

"That's our Dragon Duo!" Happy cheered.

"Always ready to serve up some punch!" Lucy agreed.

"What a bitter way to end. We were the top wizards of Avatar--" The man grumbles from the wall.

"It's obvious you were in too deep, Gomon." Gray's voice rings out. My brows quirk at the sight of him. "Leave them to me."

Natsu just grins. "Hey. Long time no see, man." Natsu hums, his hand bracing on my arm. "Mind if I take this one?"

I peered at Gray for a long time before snorting. "I've no interest playing with the dolled-up Stripper anymore." I comment. "He's all yours."

The fight starts almost immediately as I approach the others, my finger pushed in my ear to pick at the annoying ringing noise suddenly invading it. "Stop it!" Lucy cried. "Would you guys cut it out already?"

Gray and Natsu ignored her. "You made a big mistake comin' to this place," Gray hums coolly.

They collide again, and there's nothing bringing that smile off of Natsu's face. "That's funny! 'Cause I was about to say the exact same thing to you!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want!" Gray snapped, swinging his fist out. Natsu evades it and swings his legs out, leaving a burst of fire after it.

"You're wrong!" Natsu barked. "Juvia's waiting for you! As a matter of fact, we all are! We're gonna get Fairy Tail back together! And we can't do it without you!" Gray lands a hit against Natsu's face, sending him tumbling backwards.

"You're such an idiot," Gray sighs. "Don't you realize Fairy Tail is gone?" There's a chill to the room as a large glacier sprouts up, covering Natsu from head to toe.

It's gone as quickly as it came, filling the room with steam as Natsu easily breaks free. "No, it's not. All the memories we share and the friendships we've made, they haven't gone anywhere. Fairy Tail's still here. It lives in our hearts." Natsu claims as he presses his fist to his chest. "Always has... and always will."

Gray snorts. "Sure, okay, if that works for you. But it seems to me like that should be enough, so leave me out of it. Let me follow my own path from now on."

"Gray..." Ballad hums sadly.

"Fairy Tail is in my past. And that's where it's gonna stay." Gray states. "We used to be friends, but everything has changed. I can't pretend it hasn't."

I hear Lucy sniffle lightly behind me as I start tromping forward, hands shoved into my pockets. I stop in front of Gray, angle my head up and snort. "Keep the melodrama shit for someone who believes that crap." I say as my hand rushes forward and snatches Gray by the chin, my nails angling into his cheeks. "We're friends. Always have been, and always will be. You can't say you don't feel the same." My grip tightens unexpectedly as a strange feeling burst into my belly. I release his face in case I accidentally squeeze too hard and cut him. "What the hell--" I murmur, cheeks flushing as the strange feeling morphs into pain.

"What's happening?!" Natsu barked.

"Are you okay?" Lucy chirps worriedly.

"Feels like knives in my gut--" I grit out.

"It must be you, Mary," Gray hums. My gaze snaps over to a girl standing just a few feet away from us. I hadn't even heard her come in.

"Oh, am I interrupting something, Gray?" Mary asks in a cheery voice. "Looks like you're catching up with some old friends. Probably from that guild that went belly up, aren't they? Ha!"

"What the hell are you doing to Aria?!" Natsu growled as I collapsed to my knees, arms curling around my belly.

"Simmer down!" Gomon exclaims, and suddenly, Natsu, Virgo, and Lucy are chained up.

"I think these chains are made with Sealstone!" Virgo gasps.

"I'll help you!" Happy chirps.

"Me too!" Ballad cries as she worms her way from my coat. She gives a startled squeak as Gray steps in front of her, peering down at her as if he hated her guts. Happy yelps and starts getting thrown around the room from a seemingly invisible force.

"Mr. Cursey loves to play!" Abel chuckles.

"Y-Yeah, I know--" Happy groans.

"We were having a little difficul-tea--" Gomon hums.

"Now, I wouldn't even bother trying to fight away the pain if I were you--" Mary hums as she kneels down to me. "'Cause you're weak. I'm like so totally stronger than you. And my black magic power is the bomb!"

"All right, Gray!" Natsu growls as he tries to charge forward.

"These chains are blocking his magic power." Gomon strains against Natsu, trying to keep him held back. "How strong is he?!"

I flinch my head to the side as a newcomer approaches, angling his sword by my face. "Stop right there," He hums softly.

"This is what happens when you don't mind your own business, Natsu." Gray mentions lightly.

"You're not yourself, man!" Natsu barks. "It's obvious there's some kinda demon that's taken over you!"

"No. I'm in control of myself," Gray retorts. He sheds his cloak and presses his fist against his chest. "The Fairy Tail emblems gone. I made the choice to get rid of it. So I can find my own answer."

"I can't believe he'd do that," Happy whimpered. "He erased his guild mark!"

"You'll regret that!" Natsu growls.

"You can fool everyone in this room, you bastard--" I hiss to Gray. I press my cheek against the blade besides it and wince at the stinging cut it leaves. "You forget I see everything!" Gray's brow quirks for a moment before he turns on his heel and leaves the rest of his group to restrain us.