After the four of you left Kaby Melon's house—which wasn't a mansion—you were traversing through a swampy area. While you and Natsu were walking through the mud, Happy was rested on his shoulder, and Lucy was inside Horologium again.

"'Hold on. Are you sure this is the right way?' She asks."

"'Happy says to go this way, so we go this way,' I say," Natsu replied.

"How rude! I am a cat, you know! Cats have a great sense of smell!" Happy defended.

"You're thinking of dogs," you said flatly.

"'What does smell have to do with pathfinding anyway?' she asks."

Soon after, the swamp ended and you all exited out of it into a small clearing.

"Why can't you just walk on your own?" Natsu asked.

"'I'm tired,' she says."

"Ugh."
A rustle in the bush closest to you drew all of your attention. Before you could move, Natsu was already diving into it.

"Who's there?!" He flew into it and proceeded to get into a fist fight.

"'You're too quick to fight!' she says."
You sighed and shook your head.

"Of course it's him. Fucking hell." You pinched the bridge of your nose.

"Get 'em, Natsu!" Happy called out. Natsu popped out from the bush with Gray in front of them. The both of them landed in front of you.

"It's Gray!" Happy exclaimed.

"'Why is he in his underwear?!' she asks."

"I was looking for a bathroom," Gray replied.

"Okay, but why did you feel the need to strip beforehand?" You asked with a sweatdrop.

"WHY WOULD THERE BE A BATHROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREST ANYWAY?!" Natsu glared at him.

"You should butt out when people are trying to use the bathroom." Gray glared right back.

"Gray. Natsu."
The two of them froze, mechanically turning their heads in your direction. The both of them screeched at your glare. "Gray... how dare you... not say hi to me, you stupid fuck!!" You zoomed over to him and swung your arm over his shoulder, pulling him into you.

"T-too tight..."
You let go of him and smiled at him, despite your earlier glare. Gray rubbed the back of his neck and avoided your gaze. Natsu narrowed his eyes at the both of you.

~
"Oh, you're on your way back from a job?" Lucy questioned. The five of you took a quick break to find food at a ledge with a small river below.

"Cutting through this forest in the quickest way back to Magnolia," Gray replied from next to you once he put on clothes.

"See! See!" Happy exclaimed in happiness.

"You braged about your nose, but you didn't even smell Gray who was feet away from you," you said, deadpanning at him.

"There are some odors I don't want to smell."

"What's that mean?!" Gray leaned forward to glare at the fishing cat.

"You're annoying. Just hurry on home," Natsu said. You rolled your eyes.

"I was planning to." Gray stood up. "We're in big trouble if we don't hurry back."
You tilted your head at him.

"Why?" You inquired.

"Erza's going to be back soon."
Natsu gaped from next to you, body going rigid.

"You mean the Erza?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"They say she's the toughest wizard in Fairy Tail besides Y/n," Happy said, a fish in his mouth. You smiled fondly.

"Wow! I want to meet her!" Lucy gushed as Gray and Natsu continued to sulk. "Oh, but I've never seen any photos of Erza in the magazines at all... what's she like?"

"Scary." The two replied immediately. You gave them a stank face.

"A while animal?" Gray whispered.

"A beast?" Natsu whispered back.

"More like a full fledged monster!" Happy interjected.

"YOU'RE GOING TOO FAR!!!" You hit all three of them on their heads. A very obvious bump was now on their steaming heads.

"Erza isn't like that at all. You're all just babies," you said, crossing your arms at them.

"Says you! You only say that because you're strong!" Natsu waved his fist at you like an angry grandma. You rolled your eyes.

"Anyway, we gotta hurry back," Gray said through your banter.

"Crap! Let's go!" Natsu stood up. You snapped your head around when you felt a burst of magic energy. An explosion went off near you all, sending you all into the ground. Through the smoke you could see the figures of five people. Lucy coughed from next to you.

"A wizard?!" Gray said, completely submerged in sand.

"Happy!" Natsu called, flipping back upright, sand falling from his open mouth. You looked around and noticed the cat wasn't anywhere. You broke out of the ground and ran back up where you fell from. You looked down. The Exceed was tied to a stick over a fire like he was a roast.

"Hey!" You yelled, drawing their attention. All of them looked up at you. "What do you think you're doing to Happy?"

"Oh, man!" The one twin cried.

"Draconia! The one who took down an underground military by herself!" At the recognition, the other three seemed to hesitate.

"You think that just because you're hungry you can eat our friend?!" You flew from the ledge. The five of them shrieked before dispersing. The troll looking one managed to summon a magic circle.

"Sand Bomb!" Sand appeared and began to circle you like a vortex, trapping you in the middle. You blinked. The magic circle appeared in your eye.

"Fifth Circle: Smite!" You swiped your arm in an X. The sand around you dispered from you. You fell towards the ground and landed in front of the guy in purple with an orb in his hand.

"You will fight an important person. I see trouble with friends and secrets in your future."
An irk mark appeared on your head.

"A fortune teller!?" You swiftly delivered a blow right to his chin. "HOW DARE YOU STAND IN FRONT OF ME!!!!" The troll guy was blown away from Natsu's Fire Dragon Iron Fist and the twins were dealt by Gray along with the chicken.
Sooner than later, all five of them were tied against the tree.

"Don't go so serious against small fries," Gray said to him.

"Want me to burn that mouth of yours?"

"You wish. Your fire's too lukewarm."

"Huh?! What'd you say?!"

"What are you two doing?"

"Nothing at all!!"

"Lulla..." You turned your head to the troll guy. "Lulla... by... is..."

"Huh?"

"Lullaby?" Gray repeated. You eyes widened slightly.

'Lullaby!? Why does he know about that!?' A shadow flew by and knocked down everyone except you. You jumped to avoid it, not getting hit. The shadow formed a hand and grabbed the five of them, pulling them underground before disappearing.

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

"Who's there?!" Natsu called out.

"I already can't sense them anymore. Whoever it is, they're fast," Gray said. Your eyes narrowed.

'That magic... Eisenwald.' You thought.

Ja ne!

{Ruby Red}