***
No one's POV

         Erza drew in a breath of bewilderment. Here this man was talking about his brother who kidnapped Lucy, who took Yukino's keys, who was the Guild Master of Serpent's wing...who was magic-less.

'How did a man such as Aizen accomplish such feats? He must have some prowess to be able to pull the strings up till now. Either that or his charisma is beyond understanding. Having his lackeys carrying out the dirty work must have some part to play in his schemes.' Erza thought to herself, attempting to understand the new circumstance.
The Requip mage surely thought once getting to her old friend Lucy they'd have to face a big bad boss, much like their previous endeavours. But so far this task seemed like a piece of strawberry cake.

"My brother was envious, upset when he found out he himself couldn't be a wizard." He continued, allowing Erza to hear the rest of his story.

"And when dad died," his voice faltered, most likely revisiting those events. "It made it even worse. He wanted to keep our dad's keys, but they were quickly sold off to wizards." The man gestured his hand in a spastic motion.

"And that's why your brother is targeting celestial mages." Erza inquires.

The brother shrugs. "I'd say that's a factor to his motivations, what he truly wants to do with those zodiac keys, I have no ideas. Those have no sentimental value to our father as he never owned them."

The scarlet haired mage nods.

"Aizen also attempted joining our dad's Guild, which didn't go over well either as he was rejected for his lack of magic ability...something broke inside of him. I've never seen him since. He's just gone."

Erza stands up at the end of the man's story. "Thank you so much for this information." She respectfully bows.

"I hope it was helpful."

"It was."

***

          The dragon slayer, seven-year-old boy and exceed finally made their journey to the mansion where Team Natsu's mission took place years prior. The usually dense wizard had an inkling of hope that some useful clues to Lucy's whereabouts would be found where this mess seemingly began.

It wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe those Serpent guys are here somewhere. Natsu chided himself as the trio began searching the premise. The building was long abandoned now and the atmosphere gave the dragon slayer a creepy vibe.

Natsu shifted his eyes to Luke, who was restlessly kicking at the overgrown grass as if a magical clue would suddenly appear. Things had been instantly awkward between the two, and Natsu could tell.  Why did Loke have to pair me up with this kid of all people? He would probably like Freezer brain more anyway. I mean, he won't even talk to me.

He began to sniff out a scent, in hopes his nose would recognize Lucy or a Serpent Wing guy's scent. So far it was leading him on a wild goose chase, whether the smells he was picking up on were from almost a decade or a week ago, he couldn't tell.

"Anything yet?" Happy appears from above, his angelic wings flapping in the air. Natsu shakes his head. "Looks like Luke hasn't found anything yet either, we should keep looking."

"I'll go on and check inside the mansion." The exceed says, proceeding to fly up and sneak into an open window, leaving Luke and Natsu to themselves once again.

Well, I've got to attempt to make conversation. This is Luce's kid after all. He passively thinks to himself, once again catching a glimpse at the boy, who seemed to pay no mind to him. Natsu thought Luke must be super shy, as he would barely make eye contact with the dragon slayer. It almost annoyed Natsu how little Lucy's son cared about him - was he of none importance to the celestial mage at all?

"So..." Natsu finally broke the silence that hung in the air. The blond turned to him, alarmed. "How was your life...ya' know? Before you came to Magnolia."

Luke seemed to process the question long and hard before giving a reply. "It was nice." He had simply said.

"Was it just you and your mom?"

Luke gave him a curious glance as if to say why are you asking me all these questions, mister? Natsu almost thought he was stepping over the line.

He nods.

Natsu stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying not to seem too nosy or as he cared too much about this kid's life. "What's your dad like?" Natsu would at least like to know some dirt about the guy who had stolen Lucy from him, after all. No matter how much he tried to deny, the existence of her son had created some animosity within him.

"I wouldn't know."

The answer seemed to shock the salmon haired wizard, he didn't know? Lucy got with a guy, had a kid, and the father got out of the picture?

"Did he leave or-"

"I've never met him. He was gone before I was born."

Natsu clenched his fists a bit. This dude left Luce while she was pregnant? This bastard seems like the lowest of all lows. Why would she leave Fairytail for someone like that?

"You don't know his name? What he even looks like?" Natsu begins to pry further, oblivious to the sudden edge and anger rising in his voice. He was unintentionally getting upset over Lucy's life after the Guild disbanded-why wasn't I a part of it?

"Seems like a jerk," Natsu told the boy who had looked uncomfortable at the statement.

Would this be a good time to tell him he's that jerk? Luke thought to himself, thinking if he told Natsu who his father was it'd calm him down.

"W-well, my father is-"

Before the seven-year-old could finish his sentence a figure had erupted from the nearby shrubbery. Hands reached out for the blond, who staggered away, but his hands had landed on the boy's backpack.

"Damnit!" Natsu cursed, recognizing it as another attempt from Serpent Wings to steal Luke's keys. The ambush had only further angered the dragon slayer, who immediately let his hands ignite in a bright glow of flames.

The burly looking man with a forehead Guildmark made another attempt to grab the boy, but this time the Fairytail wizard interfered with an uppercut to the head.

"Get back!" Natsu ordered Luke, who looked shaken up at the attack. For some reason, they seemed to be not only after his keys but Luke himself.

The man raised his own fists, sparks erupting from them. His ability seemed to be linked with lightning. Like Laxus. The dragon slayer bitterly thought to himself, his attacks weren't too pleasant.

Natsu narrowly dodged an electrified punch from the man, singing a bit off his salmon hair off and leaving a burnt smell in his nose. This bastard is putting more of a fight then the last guy they sent out, that's for sure. He focused his attention on Luke's backpack slung on the guy's shoulder, he had to get that back.

Flames flew from the dragon slayer's mouth, aimed at his arm in an attempt to free the bag but the man simply barrelled to the side, dodging the fire.  Why is he still fighting me when he clearly has what he wants?

Natsu sent out a barrage of flaming hot kicks, managing to hit the guy in the legs a few times which landed him on his knees. Before the salmon haired wizard could react, the Serpent's Wing mage sent a jolt of electricity through his right arm. Natsu hissed and leaped back, the backpack strewn across the lawn, far from both their reaches.

In alarm, Luke attempted to rush to Natsu's age, but he before he could get closer to the scene of the battle Natsu sent him a look which read, don't you dare.

Natsu brushed off the injury as a familiar blue exceed came rushing in. Happy swooped in at the opportune moment and grabbed the backpack and safely landed it at Lukes's feet.

"I want to help you!" The boy exclaimed, clutching his bag, wanting to reach out for one of his keys and join in on the battle.

"Don't worry, kid," Natsu huffed "I got this." It's true the dragon slayer absolutely hated lightning magic, but it didn't mean he wasn't going down that easily.

"Aye," Happy concerned. "Natzu is more than capable of beating this loser." He reminded Luke. He was one of the most powerful members of Fairytail after all.

I'm just a little distracted. Natsu told himself. Luke was just about to tell me who is father is.

"Okay." Natsu pumped his fists together. "No more playing around."

The man had risen and got back into a fighting stance, limping from the dragon slayers' previous attacks.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu lunged, ready to pummel the guy to a flaming hot pulp, but before he could do so his attack was intersected with a clang of metal. He stepped back to witness Erza herself wedge in between the two of them.

"Erza!" He called out angrily. "This guy's mine!"

"You were taking too long." She scolded, requiping an armour more suitable for electricity-based attacks. 

"But the theatrics...!" Natsu whined, alas who could argue with the might of the mighty Erza Scarlet? The dragon slayer was forced to sit back and enjoy the show alongside Luke and Happy. Mumbling some choice words as Erza had all the fun without him

Natsu could've sword he turned his head for one second before Erza was already calling out "Done." Whilst a bloody black and blue wizard lay beside her.

"Wow!" Luke exclaimed, getting up to go over to the requip mage. "That was so awesome, Ms.Erza!" Natsu rolled his eyes. I could do better than that.

Eventually, the dragon slayer joined Luke and Happy to get a closer look. The bad guy was still conscious but held to the ground by the Scarlet mage's armoured left foot. He squirmed under her grasp but she didn't seem to done with him.

"Your little pathetic Guild is hiding out at that mountain, aren't they?" She spat, Natsu looking at her in disbelief.

"How'd you figure that out?" He gaped at her but Erza kept her threatening stance.

"Is it?"

Natsu turned east to catch a glimpse of a tall array of mountains not far from this small town. That must be what Erza is talking about. Could Lucy really be this close?

"Y-yes."

                                                   ***

                                            Lucy's POV

           I don't know how much time has passed since I've gotten here. There's no way to tell, really. The only source of information where they keep me locked up is from bits and pieces of information I overhear from nearby conversations. This lack of humane contact is going to make me go insane before I know it, I'm so desperate it makes me almost miss talking to that psycho of a Guild Master. I shudder at that thought.

I'm just about ready to take another nap, as what else can a girl do here, when I accidentally hear a voice belonging to one of Aizen's lackeys. I turn to face my cell door and notice a couple of feet standing just outside, they're obviously not keen on making their conversations very private.

"I have some news," A masculine voice echoes through the room. It's hard to make out the full context of their exchange but I definitely heard the words blonde, boy, spotted, and Taro in the same sentence.

They've spotted Luke in Taro. My eyes widen in alarm once I put those pieces together, great. Well, this isn't good at all. The news lately hasn't been very eventful but this crushed my heart. As long as he's with Fairytail he should be safe. I chided myself, but then again I can't exactly make sure he even made it that far. As a mother, I should believe he did.

"What dumb plans are you hatching!?" I yell in a desperate attempt to get more information then I could receive from eavesdropping. They stop talking to turn their attention to me. If these sick assholes plan anything involving my son I will-

One of the men snaps his fingers and two female Serpent Wing mages disperse from the shadows alongside a familiar white-haired celestial mage.

I gasp in surprised, Yukino was tied up as well and it seemed she took quite the beating. Why do they have her too?

"Lucy." She breathed once noticing me, she was on her knees as the two girls grabbing her tried to hoist her up. I bent down as well, matching her face level.

"It's been forever." Yukino smiles in an airy tone as if I had bumped into her at a coffee shop.

"Now's not the perfect place for a happy reunion, is it?" I joked but smiling back as it was really nice to see my old comrade despite the circumstances. "If only we weren't tied up in some rotten cellars."

"I need two celestial wizards for my task," Another figure steps out of the shadows and I bite down an insult as Aizen Zaire makes an appearance. "I want to become the Spirit King of the Celestial Realm."

I automatically gasped upon hearing it. "Becoming King of the realm? I-is that even possible?"

"When I obtain all thirteen zodiac keys then the King must bow down to me." He states so nonchalantly it's hard not to believe him. But I had faced villains with delusional dreams before and it never worked in their favour.

Aizen sauntered over to Yukino, once again displaying a spring in his step as If he was a little kid in a candy shop. Talk about a guy who could read a room. Both Yukino and I's faces were grim with the idea that anyone could just overthrow the ruler of the celestial spirits.

"I'll summon the Spirit King with all my keys and take his place upon doing so."

His plan is flawed. I think to myself, suppressing laughter at this man's stupidity. One does not simply summon the King by possessing all the Zodiac keys. One does so by sacrificing a spirit you have a special bond with. I know from experience and I can vouch for the fact Aizen passes none of the requirements.

"How do you plan on doing that?" I spit at him. Even if he were to somehow manage to summon the King - what makes him think he's almighty enough to overthrow him?

He flashes off a smug look, one that made every inch of my skin crawl.

"You'll find out."

Hi, omg I'm not very good at fight scenes please forgive me lmao. Hoped you liked today's chapter! Online school has been a super difficult adjustment and I find comfort in writing so here I am,updating almost twice in a month!

~NaLu4Lyfe03