Lisanna Strauss had died due to belladonna poisoning.

Three people had purchased belladonna at the closest black market. 

1. Yoriko Yoshizaki
2. Spriggan Tuerebu
3. Chiyeko Sasada

It was a decent lead, but not exclusive enough. The belladonna could've been purchased online or another black market. With loopholes as gargantuan as these, there was a possibility we were heading in the wrong direction altogether.

Jellal had decided to call a meeting, which was why we were gathered around the firepit in the backyard. Like we were part of some secret society. Or cult. 

Either way, the fire felt nice against my face, despite the chilling temperatures of the winter air. The tips of the grass blades were already beginning to peek out of the melting snow. 

"I checked the school directory," Lucy says, powering her cell phone off and placing it beside her. "Nothing."

"Why target Lisanna?" Natsu muses, leaning toward the fire. It's like he wants to get burned.

"The only way they could catch Lisanna at such a convenient time was if one of these three-" Gray motions at the list. "-had someone at Fiore Uni working for them."

"Maybe it's Oracion Seis," Ultear chimes in. 

"I thought they were a myth," Lucy replies with uncertainty.

Oracion Seis was the biggest gang at Fiore Uni. Although the school administrators know they exist, the individuals of the infamous group remain unknown. The gang is thought to be a band of upperclassmen who sell drugs and other elixirs. 

What I find funny is how Oracion Seis manages to fit right in with the rest of the students. They don't dare tarnish Fiore University's polished reputation.

"It's possible," I say, thinking hard. "But what would Oracion Seis gain by killing Lisanna?"

"Money?" Laxus asks.

"The gang's not into violence. Anyway, they make plenty of money selling drugs." I bite my lip. At one point, I had almost been convinced to buy Adderall, a drug that supposedly increases mental focus. Freshman me was so, so stupid.

"What electives was Lisanna taking?"

Ultear answers immediately. "Theatre and Creative Writing."

"She was a happy-go-lucky kind of girl," Natsu insists, hand curling into a fist. "No one had a problem with her! So why is she dead?!"

"Natsu," Lucy says softly, placing a hand on the top of his thigh.

"I...need a damn break," the salmon-haired boy growls, getting to his feet. He looks at Jellal. "Can I check out your game room?"

~ ~ ~

Calling the game room a room was a bit modest; it was more of a game floor. A sleek sofa curved around a flatscreen TV, shelves were packed to the brim with game cartridges and DVDs- not to mention an entire cabinet dedicated to game controllers. 

There were non-electronic games too: a pool table near the corner of the room, a basket filled with board games, and, for some odd reason, a Dora the Explorer jump rope.

"Don't ask," Jellal says, a hint of a smile spreading across his lips. 

Natsu is already raiding the mini-kitchen. He successfully finds a family-sized bag of chips, a pack of Oreos, and a few bottles of Sprite.

"This is lame," Natsu mutters, ripping open the bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos. "Where's the beer?"

"Why don't you go ask my mom?" Siegrain says from the sofa. Gray and Lucy sit beside him and stare intently at the TV.

"Hell no."

I take a seat beside Lucy and pretend not to notice Jellal and Ultear sneaking upstairs.

~ ~ ~

"I think I have a stalker," Lucy says in a hushed voice.

Entranced with Siegrain's impeccable gaming style, I become startled. "What?"

She pushes her phone into my hand. This user, "flourish12" keeps following me- on everything!"

"Maybe he or she just likes the stuff you post?" I ask, taking a closer look at flourish12's profile. Nothing is posted on any of their accounts.

"Yeah, but here's the thing- none of my social media is connected. And they're all under different usernames."

"You use the same profile picture though," I point out.

"Erza," the blonde groans. "It's weird...."

"Make a completely different account and see if they follow it," I suggest. 

"And? If they do?"

"You've got a big problem."

~ ~ ~

The voice of Dalia Fernandes floats down the hall. "Jellal?"

"He's upstairs!" Siegrain shouts back.

"No, he's not!" Dalia sighs with frustration. "I checked!"

"Let's go look for him," Natsu says, leaping off the sofa. "First one to find Jelly Man gets ten hundred Jewels!"

"Where are you going to get ten hundred Jewels, stupid?" Gray chortles, racing up the stairs of the basement despite his cutting words.

"I bet ten hundred Jewels is a lot for someone like you," Natsu says, pushing his roommate aside and running ahead.

"Peace and quiet," Siegrain sighs. He taps a few buttons on his controller and the screen goes black. A tiny loading symbol rotates on the bottom left corner of the display.

"We should help find him too," I whisper to Lucy.

"What if...Lisanna's murderer got to him," she says in a small voice.

I force a laugh. "Don't be crazy. How could Lisanna's murderer know where Jellal lives?"

"How could the murderer force Lisanna to swallow belladonna?" 

I tug on her arm. "Come on. Let's go."

We rush upstairs after the two idiots.

"I'm alone!" Siegrain wails, flailing on the sofa. "I'm forever aloooone."

~ ~ ~

"You take the left hallway, I take the right," Gray whispers. I nod my head in response. From upstairs, I can hear the clumsy pitter-patter of Natsu's feet against the wooden floorboards. 

I pass by a niche holding a blue, ceramic pot with a crooked handle. I grin, wondering which of the Fernandes siblings had created it during their fruitful time in elementary school.

I creep down the hall, marveling at the numerous doors that line the beige walls. Why did a family of five need so many rooms? Toward the end of the upper floor, a lavender sign with the words "Wendy's Room" is pasted to a door.

Interest piqued, I decide to check out the adjacent room. It turns out to be Sieg's, judging by the stack of dirty clothes laying in the corner. Several game cartridges litter the surface of his unmade bed. Jellal, the more immaculate twin, must hate it in here.

The door of the next room is slightly ajar. Thoughtlessly, I step inside. Yes, I do find Jellal, standing at the foot of his bed- but I also find Ultear, standing beside him. His arms are locked around her waist, and her head is tilted back, just a bit, and-

~ ~ ~

A thumping sound echoes in my ears, but this time it's not Natsu's heavy footsteps- it's my heart; pounding with agony and anger.

Get the hell away from my soulmate, I want to say.

"Sorry," I mutter instead, backing out of the room. 

Jellal jerks away from the flushed, dark-haired woman.

"Y-Your mother was calling you," I stammer. I'm halfway out the door.

"Right," Jellal says, expressionless.

Ultear, on the other hand, notices my unease. "It's no big deal, Erza," she whispers gently. "We...weren't doing anything..."

I cough awkwardly. "Yep. Well, then. I'm just going to...leave. You two carry on."

~ ~ ~

I didn't know Lisanna Strauss and I'm not going to pretend like I did.

But sitting here, on the porch overlooking the frozen pond, I wonder if in an alternate universe she and I were friends. Maybe she and I were next-door-neighbors who went to concerts together. Or maybe she and I babysat each other's kids. Maybe she and I were enemies, and it was Mirajane who was my best friend. 

Maybe Lisanna Strauss had a soulmate in Bellum, who, to this day, continues searching for her.

I'll never know. 

Tomorrow is Christmas, a day where we exchange presents and smiles, and sit in the living room, pretending like no evil plagues our world.

Suddenly, I don't care what Jellal got me from Christmas. It doesn't matter whether he buys me a pair of socks or a box of chocolate or nothing at all. It's selfish of me, dwelling on problems that do not impact my community.

I will find Lisanna's murderer. 

The stars are unusually bright tonight.