Princess Lucy was leading yet another search for Natsu and she was out for blood. His blood to be exact and words could not describe how much she wanted to see it stained on the ground but he just kept alluding her at every turn. Recently she had heard news that he had been staying in a local village but by the time she and her goblin like minions had arrived he had fled. It infuriated her but she didn't just leave the village. Oh no she stayed behind to ask the villages questions.

"I am looking for Sir Natsu!" She said as all the villagers were brought before her. "Now I know he has been living here and I'm certain at least one of you know where he's gone to. I order that one of you step forward and disclose to me where he is."

The villagers just looked at her in fear. They were terrified of her but apparently not so much that they would give up any information to where the young knight went.

"Whoever tells me where he is will be richly rewarded." She said trying a different approach. "It is usless to protect him because he is not the noble hero he presents himself. He has committed unforgivable sin, one that ruined the life of an innocent. You cannot possibly imagine the evil the secretly resides in him."

But still none of them would talk.

"If no one comes forward then there must be consequences." She said. "I will raise the taxes on this village until you all having nothing left to do but starve! Or better yet maybe I should just enslave you all! Feel like talking now?"

But not even that could break their silence. A lot of them truly did not know where Natsu was and the few who did were just too loyal to be bribed or blackmailed. This infuriated Lucy greatly and in response she declared that every man from that village be taken from their home and forced to be a slave to her.

When she returned to her castle she was seething with rage, it was like her entire face was burning like fire. And her anger only grew when she returned to her castle to vent to her minions.

"It's incredible!" She screeched. "Not a trace of him in this entire land! He couldn't have just vanished into thin air! Are you sure you searched everywhere?"

"Yes everywhere." One of her guards said. "We all did."

"And what about the town? The forests? The mountains?"

"We searched those too. Towns, forests, mountains, and all the bean plantations."

"Bean plantations?"

"Yes. You said he once owned a magic bean. We figured that if we found a magic bean then we'd find him."

"Fools! Idiots! Imbeciles!"She thundered.

She grabbed her scepter and blasted each of her guards with a blast of painful lighting-like magic.

"Get out of here! All of you! Before I turn you into newts and sell you to witches!"

They ran out of her throne room like a stampede, desperate to get away from the enraged woman before she really lost her temper. When that was settled she retired to her bed chamber and sat by window, stroking one of her pet ravens in attempt to calm herself.

"Oh they're hopeless." She said. "A disgrace to their profession Now wonder my father killed off one of them once a month."

Knock-knock!

"I thought I told you fools to leave me alone!"

"Relax your majesty it's only me."

She huffed in agitation when she saw that the person entering her chambers was Gray.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I heard thunder and there wasn't a cloud in the sky so I figured that must mean you were having another tantrum. I guess a bad temper runs in the family yes?" He said. "Anyway I thought maybe talking someone would make you feel better and since you can't destroy me for running my mouth, I figured who better than me to be the talker?"

"Go away. I have nothing to say to you. I'm still mad at you for what ruining my plan."

"Hey I didn't tip off Natsu that you were coming to that village. He probably smelled you coming from a mile away. You know he has the nose of a blood hound."

"I'm not talking about that!" She snapped. "I'm referring to when you told my former servant Erza about my plan to have her poison Natsu."

"Oh right. Sorry about that but you know how I feel about lies. I just don't think they should be used to achieve one's goal. It's a principal of mine."

"Well thanks to you and your principal I lost my only friend."

"Hold on you didn't lose that friendship because of me. You lost it because you lied and manipulated her. You couldn't bring yourself to trust her with the whole truth of everything that happened between you and the good sir knight, so you resorted to trickery and deceit which in the end pretty much shattered any trust she had for you. In other words that was your fault not mine."

"She wouldn't have helped me even if she knew the whole story. No one believes me when I try to tell them how evil he is and what I can't understand is I offer these peasants a fortune and they still protect him! why are they loyal to her and not me? I am their princess and future queen!"

"You did just enslave an entire village." He pointed out. "Look at the facts Lucy. He's a benevolent knight who helps people for nothing in return. You're an evil princess who cruelly punishes anyone who crosses you. You really expect people to love you when torture and slavery are your hobbies?"

"I am not evil!"

"Right and they call you the Princess of Darkness because you're so sweet and good."

"They call me that because of him!"

"Actually it was the son of that butcher you locked up for aiding Natsu, who started that. Face it they'll never love you. You'll just have to be content with their fear."

"I don't believe that. Once Natsu is dead they will see my kindness."

"Through the charred remains of their homes, yes I'm sure that will be perfectly clear." He chuckled.

"Oh like you're so beloved."

"Hey I'm not saying I'm any better. Tons of people hate me but I don't care. I accept it and move on. You can't and that will just make things harder for you. But since I find you so adorable I'll give you some advice. You want the people to love you, give up your obsession with killing Natsu."

"Like hell I'll give that up."

"Then get used to people hating you."

"You will not stop me from achieving my goal."

"I'm not trying to do that. I'm just telling you the truth about how things work around here. They will never love you so long as you target their savior and punish them for caring for him. That's simply the fact of it."

"I'm sure that I could find another way to gain their love."

"You've already tried bribery and blackmail. What else is there?"

"Maybe if I played the victim card a little better." She said getting any idea.

"I don't follow."

"Teach me the shape shifting spell. I'll disguise myself as a regular peasant and go to the villagers with a story of how I was victimized by the great hero."

"Ah yes more lies. I'm certain that will make things much easier."

"Can you just teach me how to do it?"

"I can but it took me months to learn it and I don't think you have the patience for that lesson right now."

"Then you put it on me."

"If I do you won't control it and you won't have any magic while the spell is working. Once you're done with your little masquerade call on me for only I can return you to your regal self."

"And what's the price?"

"I need you to cut off all trade routes with the king of Western Fiore."

"What for?"

"So that he'll blame his top merchant for the trading failure and no longer want his services."

"Still not seeing what you get out of this."

"I want him bankrupt, what's it to you?"

"Fine, fine. Just hurry up."

Gray snapped his fingers and Lucy's appearance was instantly changed to that of a different looking woman. One with short white hair and dressed in ragged clothing.

"So what do you think?" He said holding up a mirror for her to see her reflection.

"Perfect." She said in a voice that was not her own. "You changed my voice too?"

"You don't want anyone who relies on sound to recognize you do ya? Think of the poor blind beggars who made it their mission to memorize every detail of your vocal structure so they know when danger is coming."

"Nice touch."

"I know I'm brilliant, aren't I?"

"Yes but clearly not humble."

She went back to studying her new appearance in the mirror. Making sure that no part of herself was the same as how she looked before.

"You made me look so innocent too." She observed from her reflection. "Trying to make this too easy for me?"

"Actually I'm trying to make this more entertaining for me. It's not often I get to see how someone like you would be treated if you were a lowly peasant."

"You're going to spy on me?"

"Duh! How else am I suppose to hear you when you call on me to change you back?"

"Good point."

"Besides you're always so amusing to watch."

"You've spied on me before?"

"Quite often actually.

"That's creepy."

"You have your pass time and I have mine."

"Okay when this is over we need to have a serious talk."

"As you wish. Anything else?"

"No. Now if you'll excuse me I think I have a few villages to visit."

With that said she waltzed right out of her chamber, down the stairs, and out of the castle.

"Oopsie." Gray said to himself once he was alone. "I forgot to tell her that while the spell changes her appearance and voice it doesn't change her scent. Silly me. Oh well this should make things extra entertaining."

...

Elkis spent a whole hour lecturing Nasha and Greige on how that they should never ever go anywhere without her permission. She lectured them on how dangerous it was an how every time they did it each punishment would be worse than the last. For now it was no TV for the rest of the week but she promised them both that if it happened a second time she wouldn't be so lenient.

But despite this Greige was still determined to get Nasha to believe. Of course he wasn't going to wander off without Elkis's knowledge anymore but that wouldn't really get in the way of his goal.

"I think our next move is to look into closed off areas." Griege said to her the next morning.

"Why?" She asked.

"Pretty much everything that's been closed off in this town is due to an order given by the mayor which could mean that some of these places are areas where clues to the truth are hidden. Our first stop should be the old mine."

"What mine?"

"Edolas has an old mine located somewhere in the woods. The mayor closed it off years back."

"Probably because mines tend to collapse after a lot of time has passed."

"Maybe or maybe because there's something down there she doesn't want anyone to find."

"Greige I'm not going into a mine."

"We're going down there we're just going to look around the entrance. Perfectly safe."

"And you think Elkis will just let us do this?"

"She won't mind."

"You sure about that?"

"I asked her and she said it was okay."

"Really? You asked her if we could go near a closed off a mine that could probably collapse on top of us?"

"Well I didn't use those exact words when I asked her."

"What words did you use?"

"I asked her if Nakku could take us for a hike in the woods. Somewhere along where the old mine, well, and creek is. She said it was okay and didn't mention anything about staying away from the mine."

"You know it's almost scary how someone as young as you are knows the right words to use when talking to someone."

"I guess it's always comes natural to me. By the way why do you always talk to me like I'm a little kid? We're only three years apart. I'm not that much younger than you."

"But you're still younger than me so in my eyes you're a little kid."

"Nasha could you go outside and get the mail for me?" Elkis called.

"Yeah sure."

She walked out Nakku's apartment and down to the mailbox that the attendants of the apartment shared. She opened the box and combed through the envelops until she found the ones addressed to Nakku and Elkis. As she turned to go back she accidentally bumped into Lusha who was headed for her office that was down the road.

"Sorry about that." Nasha said.

"Hmm...It would seem that you have picked up some of Elkis's clumsy mannerisms and Nakku's buffoonery." The blonde said. "Such a pity."

"You know you could just say that's okay or excuse me. You don't have to crack insult about Elkis or Nakku all the time."

"What poor manners you have young lady. You shouldn't speak to adults like that. It is very rude."

"Well you're rude."

"I am not."

"Just because you speak in dignified and respectable voice doesn't mean that what you say isn't rude or mean. I get you don't like my foster mother or Nakku and you don't have to but you really shouldn't look down on them so much. They're not as inferior to you as you think."

"I always find it so sweet how children remain optimistic and look for the bright side in things or people." She said with smile.

"Alright don't talk to me like I'm some dumb kid who doesn't know what she's talking about. You're not exactly a pillar of the community lady. I know that you tried to set Elkis up so that my foster brother and I would be taken from her. And I also know that you've been stalking Greige. I don't know why you're doing this but you better stop or I'll go to the police."

"Young lady I think there's been a misunderstanding. I bear no ill will to Elkis and Nakku, I just call out on what I see."

"What coincidence so do I and you know what I see in you? A sneaky, conniving woman who uses her power and position to bully everyone. You can't fool me, I've dealt with people like you all my life. I know a wolf in sheep's clothing when I see one."

"How dare you. I insist you take that comment back at once."

"Or what? You'll hit me? Try it. Hit a kid and see what that does to your image." She said completely unafraid. "I may not look like it but I can cause a lot of trouble for a person but I don't like to do it. At least not intentionally so I'll stay out of your way as long as you don't bother me or the people I care about. You leave Greige alone, stop stalking him or else."

"Are you threatening me? Little girl?"

"Yes I am."

She chuckled.

"You honestly expect me to be intimidated by you? You're not even tall for your age and despite what you think I would never do anything to hurt you or that little boy. The thought of just harming an innocent child repulses me."

"If that's true then why are you stalking him?"

"I'm not. Where did you get such an outlandish idea?"

"I saw you last night. You were watching him from across the diner in your car. I know you were."

"I think there's been some sort of misunderstanding. I may have been parked across from the diner last night but I wasn't paying any mind to that boy. I didn't even know he was there."

"You're a very good liar lady. Props for being so skilled but I have a built in lie detector. No one can lie to me. Not even someone as good at as you."

Lusha was trying her best to remain calm and to not lose her patience with this girl. Despite all her faults hurting a child physically or emotionally is something Lusha did not enjoy doing. In fact she usually avoided doing that as much as possible if there was a chance of that happening. But this girl was really testing her. It's like she knew how to press all the right buttons to get her mad. But she wouldn't lose her cool. She had learned that every time she did that things would just get worse.

"I think I should go now." She said. "I have a lot to do and you shouldn't keep Elkis waiting. She'll probably worry a great deal about you if you don't go back inside soon."

"Okay but don't forget what I said. If you keep trying to mess with my friends you'll be sorry."

A growl slip out of her mouth on that last part. One that sounded very primal and animal like and for a moment Lusha thought she saw Nasha's brown eyes turn gold and slitted like a reptile's. At once the little girl covered her mouth in horror and embarrassment, blinking a few times as well before running back inside the apartment building.

For about five minutes Lusha lingered for a moment and stared at the building. Wondering if Nasha would come back out. When she didn't she continued on to work but she couldn't stop trying to wrap her head around what just happened. Nasha didn't really growl at her right? And her eyes didn't briefly turn reptilian like, did they? She had only seen such traits on one type of person but it was impossible for such a person have those abilities in this realm.

And there was another thing that was bothering her as well. A feeling of some sort, one that she had not felt in a long time. It was the feeling of wanting to be accepted by someone. For some reason the fact that this girl thought that Lusha was so horrible upset her greatly. She didn't know why, over the years she had learned not to let it bother her when someone had a negative view point of her. Yet she really didn't want this child to think of her in such a way at all. Made all the more strange since she barely knew her.