Kon'nichiwa! ♥ Sorry to leave all of you on a cliffhanger like that on the last chapter! It's just that I needed to stop it there, so all of it would flow just right. c': I hope you all like this chapter! And woo, we get a twist in the story, haha! Didn't expect to see this character coming up, did you? I dedicate this chapter to LucyAshleyHeartfilia, b/c she incredibly amazing and such a great friend! ;w; Well, here you go! I hope you all like it! Feedback is always appreciated, and until next time!
яу-¢нαи,
тнє иαℓυ ωяιтєя χ
=======================================================================
"Luucyyy!"
Lucy's eyes had been half closed in tiredness, but when she heard Happy's voice, they snapped open. Turning, Lucy saw Natsu appear through the bushes, looking around.
When he spotted her, he grinned. "Oi, there she is!"
"What're you guys doing here?" Lucy asked. "Did you find the cave?"
"We didn't, but Wendy did!" Happy exclaimed, flying over to Lucy.
"That's great!" Lucy exclaimed, relieved they had found it. "We're almost there, then..." Yawning, Lucy felt like she could sleep then. Perhaps the tension of finding the caves had been weighing on Lucy's mind the most, restricting sleep.
Natsu walked over to her, and she looked up at him in surprise. "What're you doin' all the way out here, Luce? It took us awhile to find ya."
"Sorry, I hadn't realized I'd wandered so far." Lucy replied, pulling up her knees to wrap her arms around them.
Natsu sat down next to her. "Well, Erza wants us to go back..somethin' about sleepin'..." He shrugged.
Lucy scoffed. "You never listen, do you?"
"Only to you," Natsu said with nonchalance, leaning back on his hands. "Since we're partners."
Lucy sighed, but was smiling slightly. "I don't get you..."
There was a small silence.
"It's strange..." Lucy murmured, and Natsu looked at her in surprise. "As soon as you came, my stomach stopped hurting..." She blushed slightly into her arms, obscuring her face slightly so Natsu couldn't see it. "What's up with that..?"
Natsu grinned at her, while Happy climbed onto his shoulder.
"Lucy, you seem like you're nervous!" Happy exclaimed, and Lucy looked at him in surprise.
"How in the world did someone almost as dense as Natsu figure that out..?!" Lucy exclaimed quietly, making a surprised pose.
"Lucy's nervous?" Natsu asked, confused.
Lucy sighed. "My point was proven...But I guess you can say I'm nervous, Happy."
"What're you nervous for?" Natsu asked, surprised.
"Multiple things." Lucy explained. "Specifically what's on the other side of the portal."
"Lucy's scared!" Happy teased.
"Am not!" Lucy exclaimed at the cat, her fist clenched.
"There's nothing wrong with bein' scared, Luce." Natsu replied impassively.
Lucy sighed. "I'm not scared, Natsu..I know I have my friends with me, but..I guess I feel kind of like a weight."
"A..weight?" Happy murmured, confused. Natsu had the same confused expression on his face.
Lucy nodded. "I hadn't realized it until now, but when I was trapped in the Endless Forest, that voice that was in my mind? It kinda brought out my worst fear."
She laid her head back in her hands. "Being a burden."
There was a small silence, but then Lucy shot her head back up. "But, I don't think that anymore! Not at all! I know you guys would say the same, too, so..."
"Is that why've you been working so hard, Lucy?" Happy asked, and Lucy nodded.
"I guess so." Lucy replied, sighing afterwards. "But there's also the fact of letting you down."
"Letting me down?" Natsu asked, surprised.
"What if..the dragons aren't there?" Lucy barely whispered. "I wouldn't be able to look you, Wendy, or Gajeel in the eye--"
Her speach stopped as Natsu set a hand on her shoulder.
"What're you talkin' about, Luce? Even if they aren't there, I won't give up, neither will Wendy or Gajeel. We wouldn't even be here without you, Lucy. So don't worry; we're all here for you!"
Lucy's face softened, and she nodded. "Right. Thank you, Natsu. I'll try my best; I have you and the others."
Natsu nodded. "Yeah. So don't be so glum!"
Lucy leaned against his shoulder, surprising him. "Promise. I'm all better now."
Natsu smiled, leaning against her to support half of the weight.
"I have a feeling though..." Lucy replied, and Natsu looked down at her in surprise. "A feeling something's going to happen when we get there."
"You really do worry too much." Natsu replied, teasing her. "Of course something is going to happen! Whether or not we find Igneel, we're going to run into some trouble."
"That's Fairy Tail!" Happy agreed, popping into existence on Lucy's shoulder.
Lucy looked at the two in surprise, but then she smiled and nodded. "I believe that. It seems you two get into the most trouble!" She laughed.
Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, we aren't that bad...."
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Liar. You know how bad you two are!"
"Hey, it's all of Fairy Tail!" Natsu protested, determined to defend himself.
Lucy held back a smile. "Right."
"Natsu, Lucy! We need to get back before Erza throws us across the mountian!" Happy exclaimed, lifting an arm into the air.
They stiffened.
"Right!" Lucy replied, standing. "Let's go then. Now that I know we found the tunnels, I can sleep easier."
"Ah." Natsu replied, grinning as he stood up.
_________________________________________________________________________________
"How are you here?!" Gray exclaimed.
"Rose!" Happy exclaimed.
"How can this be? Lucy told us that you were lost in a different realm!" Erza exclaimed, just as surprised as the others.
Rose smiled with amusement. "Well hello to you all too."
"So this is Rose Valentine?" Loren asked, and Lores appeared into step beside her.
Rose turned from the still-dumbfounded Fairy Tail members, and looked at Loren and Lores. "I'm glad both of you are okay."
"I thought you two knew who Rose was." Gray replied.
Loren nodded. "We do, but we just didn't know what she looked like. Of course we knew who she was."
"You're the one that led Fairy Tail here to save us, didn't you? Rose Valentine." Lores replied.
Loren looked at Lores in surprise, and then back at Rose, her eyes widening.
Rose nodded. "Yes, I did."
Lores looked slightly confronted.
"T-Thank you very much." Lores murmured. "If it wasn't for you and Fairy Tial, we would've still been stuck in Vallen's control."
Rose smiled slightly.
Happy was the first to shake from his reverie. "Rose! Why didn't you just tell us these two needed help?! You didn't have to trick us to get us here!"
Gray stepped forward. "That's right; because of you, Lucy's--"
Rose's face went suddenly hard. "Trust me, I know what has become of Lucy." Rose's face transformed to sadness. "I understand your anger. But even if it's just for now, please let me have a chance, and I will explain. I feel nothing but hate for myself to let my family be risked - be hurt - like that."
Gray and the others stopped, deciding to let her speak.
Rose looked at them all. "To start with, I realized a little to late what I had done was wrong. The importance is is that I knew I had made a mistake. I came here to fix it."
"Came to fix it? What do you mean?" Wendy asked.
Rose glanced into the lacrima vision to see Natsu still in his collapsed position. "I've come to use my power to let another go in and assist Natsu."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"What?" Gray asked. "How?"
Lores looked shocked and confused. "How in the world are you going to do that? To let someone else in there is suicide! It'll distrupt the balance of that realm, and destroy all in it!"
Rose turned to him. "You underestimate my powers. I understand how deep into history you two are, but don't forget the things I've been able to accomplish."
"She's a force to be recconed with..." Erza murmured, agreeing with the Spirit Dragon Slayer.
Rose turned back to the others. "I desire nothing more than to save Lucy. She's very special to me. The only way to do this is by sending someone in to help Natsu through the obstacles so he can battle Vallen."
"Y-You know about Vallen as well?" Lores asked, stunned.
Rose nodded. "I know about everything. I've been watching."
"Ne, Rose?" Wendy asked. "How did you get here?"
Rose looked down at the little dragon slayer. "I worked the entire time you all were searching for the dragons. I tried to stop you; for instance, I cut off the message before Lucy could complete reading it."
"That was you?" Carla exclaimed in surprise.
Rose nodded, her long white dress flowing out past her. "Yes, it was. I tried to show you a sign that I didn't want you to continue, but it failed in reaching you."
"I see..." Erza replied.
"I was finally able to open a portal to Earthland. It took a lot of my strength, but I was successful. I should have tried earlier; after all, all realms have doors to open. Mine just took longer because of the vast expance. I got here on a awhile ago; I appeared at the portal's gate." Rose explained. "I'm still feeling the after effects."
"Incredible..." Loren murmured. "The rumors are true. You're absolutely unbelievable."
"So...how are we going to get someone inside?" Happy asked, Lucy's keys clutched tightly in his right paw.
Rose looked down at the exceed with tenderness in her eyes. "First off, I need to know who's going inside."
"Me!" Happy exclaimed instantly, and they all looked down at him.
"Me!" Happy repeated. "I'm going! I'm Natsu's partner, and he needs me there by his side! We've always been together with each other."
Everyone smiled down at the exceed, who was starting to have trouble holding tears back.
Rose nodded, smiling brightly, she dropped to her knees, her hand hovering near Happy. "Alright, Happy. Then this is what we'll do, alright? I'll use a special magic on you, and it'll keep you protected from the powers of the Etoiles Noires."
"Etoiles Noires?" Happy asked, blinking.
"What is that?" Wendy asked.
"The true name of The Black Stars." Rose defined. "It's better to call it that way. It is its true form in name and meaning."
"I'm ready!" Happy exclaimed.
Rose nodded, smiling softly. "Just remember, you'll only have a certain amount of time inside. I don't want to risk anything. Use your time wisely."
Closing her eyes, Rose rested her hand onto Happy's forehead, and Happy also closed his eyes. After a few moments, light outlined Rose's body and then Happy's body. Happy twitched his tail slightly as he felt the magic envelope his body. Rose's eyes tightened slightly, but her face remained relaxed. Light seemed to emenate off the two, and the others had to cover their eyes to shield them from damage.
When the light cleared, Rose slowly opened her eyes and breathed out. Rubbing Happy's head affectionately, she removed her palm from his forehead, stood up, and backed away slightly.
"It's done." She replied happily.
Happy opened his eyes, blinking a few times.
"How do you feel, Happy?" Wendy asked, taking a few steps towards him.
Happy looked at his body. "I don't feel anything...did it work?"
Rose nodded. "It did. You're just not supposed to feel anything."
"Alright!" Happy exclaimed. "Let's go!"
"Wait, what about Natsu?" Carla asked. "He's trapped in those illusions!"
Rose nodded, her face now stern. "I know. But don't worry; I have help."
"What do you mean?" Erza asked, and they all looked confused.
Rose smiled, like she had a secret. "You'll see."
.
.
.
===================================================
Looks like Rose is back! Is she here to stay, or just to help the situation and then return to the realm she's now responsible for?
And what did she mean by "You'll see"? Who's her companion that's going to help Natsu get out of his illusions?
Find out what happens in Chapter 13: Rose and Her Helper.