"After seeing all those beautiful dresses, we couldn't choose at least one!" Mira sighed helplessly, leaning onto Lisanna in a mope.

"Sorry, sis, I didn't feel like myself in any of those puffy princess wedding gowns." Lisanna sighed heavily, leaning onto the table where she, Mira, Erza, and a few other women from Fairy Tail sat to encourage the white-haired beauty to not give up on dress shopping.

"Aw, but I thought you looked beautiful in those dresses~" Mira smiled encouragingly at her younger sister.

"Indeed, Lisanna, " Erza spoke up with a smile. "You are a very attractive young woman who is about to be married. Take pride in your search for the perfect dress. It's better to feel good while choosing--"

"It's not me!" Lisanna suddenly interrupts the S-Class mag. Her outburst caused multiple eyes to latch onto her form. "I...I felt out of place. I didn't feel like it was right." Lisanna tried to avoid all eye contact with the women at her table.

"Are...are you having second thoughts, Lis?" Bisca asked, leaning forward, eyebrows scrunched together.

"Yes! No! I don't know, I just..." Lisanna sighed heavily, running her fingers through her short locks. "I guess I have this feeling eating away at me and I'm having doubts. I mean, Natsu's keeping things from me. And I don't feel so great about him keeping secrets. I mean, I tell him everything."

"Ah, don't let it beat you down, kiddo! Natsu is new to this romance stuff! Knowing him, he's trying to figure out his feelings or thoughts. Don't take it too personally." Wakaba said suddenly from the table behind the women, gaining their attention as he puffed out a cloud of cigar smoke.

"But isn't weird? That she's not here?" Lisanna suddenly asked the question that had been screaming in the back of her back for days. "I honestly want her to be one of my maids."

"Master went to check on her a few weeks ago, she said she was fine but has a terrible bug, " Mira said, placing a hand on her cheek frowning. "Poor dear! Colds are the worst to have! If only I knew where she lived, I'd take some of my homemade chicken noodle soup to her!"

"I know where she lives!" Erza beamed happily. "Perhaps I can take some cake for her."

From somewhere in the guild, someone (*Cough* Gray *cough*) yelled out, "Yeah, right, Erza! You're gonna eat the cake yourself!"

Erza sweat drops, hanging her head in shame because she knew the person was right. Cake was her one true love, well, if we're talking foods.

"Cheer up, Lisa! Lucy will come around, trust me, " Cana plopped in the tight space between said woman and Erza. "It's just gonna take her some time to get over it."

"I'm not saying I'm demanding her to be---what?" Lisanna went to say, but blanked, blinking in confusion.

"Didn't you know?" Levy said, she was sat across from Lisanna, her nose buried in a thick book, but she peeked over the pages warily, eyebrows knitted together.

"Know what?" Lisanna inquired, raising an eyebrow to emphasize her confusion as she looked at the blue-haired bookworm.

"Lucy crushed on Natsu for the longest time." Cana lowered her liquor bottle to the wooden table rather loudly.

"Lucy...liked Natsu?"

"Yeah, they were close until Natsu suddenly proposed to you," Cana replied, a drunken blush spreading across her olive complexion. "Well, who needs a man anyway? All you need is a nice barrel of booze--where ya goin'?"

Lisanna quickly rose to her feet, blood running cold with guilt.

"It's my fault she's gone, isn't it?"

"Lisa, what are you--"

"I need to talk to Lucy!" The woman quickly escaped from the bench, hobbling on her sandaled feet.

Before anything is done, the guild doors open, revealing Natsu, panting and paler than the shade of white, if possible. He was sweating horribly.

"Natsu? Are you all right? Why are you all sweaty?" Lisanna hurried to her fiancee, concerned for his health, putting her hands on his cheeks and then a hand on his forehead.

"Lucy..." Natsu grabbed Lisanna's wrists, gently pulling them from his skin.

"Lucy?" The name silenced the guild. It was eerie and still. "Has something happened?"

"Lucy's gone!" Natsu forced himself to sound worried, but his voice came out cracked and almost angry.

"Very funny, Natsu. Lucy is at home, resting, I assume." Erza's eyes narrowed as she rose from her seat.

"I'm not being funny, Erza!" Natsu snapped, signaling the swordswoman that he was indeed, very serious. "She's gone! Her apartment has a new residence." His lips tighten.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Why would I lie?" Natsu bit back his rage from exploding.

"But...Lucy...she would have told us, right?" Wendy said loud enough for everyone to hear.

"She must have her reasons for not saying anything to us." Carla chimed, sipping on her usual cup of tea.

"Reasons my ass!" Natsu barked. His outburst surprised the women and men who were paying attention.

"What's your problem, Ash Brains? You're getting too worked up!" Gray made his appearance, which wasn't really much.

"Gray, your clothes?" Cana reminded the Ice Mage.

"Crap, not again!" The man jumped at the sight of his boxers.

"Here you are, Gray-sama!" Juvia blubbered out, Gray's clothes folded over her arms.

"Th-thanks..." Gray sheepishly took his clothes back.

"I'm, I mean, we are Lucy's friend, " Natsu began, much calmer tone. "What reason would she have for suddenly just disappearing without telling us?"

"Bunny Girl is a grown-ass woman, " Gajeel's voice cut into the thick tension rather roughly.

"What?" Erza said, also looking at the Dragon Slayer.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe I didn't say it loud enough?" Gajeel coughed into his fist a few times. "I said, Bunny is a grown-ass woman. Maybe she didn't want you to trash her new place." The dark-haired man knew he had to keep a low profile about this sensitive information. He had to force himself to switch around his words.

"How bold of you to assume so!" Erza grunted out, now glaring at Gajeel. "Friends should visit each other."

"But, perhaps too much?" Mira suggested, interrupting the two before they began arguing. "You did always crash at her place. Maybe she wanted some privacy."

"See? It's okay, Natsu!" Lisanna looked back at the pink-haired man, Gajeel's burst forgotten, only for her blood to run cold for some reason.

His eyes were dark. No. Not even dark. Black. His eyes swirled black. She could sense panic and rage from him. She was looking into the eyes of a beast.

"Natsu...?" She murmured.

He held no reaction, but instead, he just stood there, almost like a statue. And it scared her because he wasn't saying anything.

"Why aren't you saying anything, Sweetie? I understand you're upset, but--"

"I'm fine, Lisa, " Natsu suddenly flashed his canines. "I'm just a little shocked she's gone."

He smiles on the outside, but on the inside, the fire and monster are licking the acid onto his inwards, fueling the anger within. He didn't want anyone knowing.

"Maybe we should ask Master when he returns?" Wendy suggested almost silently, but her words were loud and clear.

"Yes, we'll do just that, we mustn't jump to severe conclusions," Erza said. She too was worried about her blonde friend. Lucy hadn't come across her mind at all! Erza truly wanted to put her focus onto Lisanna and her wedding and making the girl feel special as she would say "I do" in six and a half months. Shame filled her realizing she neglected to stay in touch with Lucy. How many months has it been? Two or three?

She was torn between two friends. Lisanna and Lucy. Lucy is missing, Lisanna is getting married. Erza refused to believe Lucy would run away because Natsu is marrying his childhood friend.

"I'm sure Lucy is fine! Anyone up for lunch?" Mira skipped the intense conversation changing the long subject onto food.

"Yes! I'm so hungry right now!"

"What's on today's menu?"

"Chicken and brown rice with a dessert of apple-peach pie."