Within the dark temples and crunched ruins, within the crumbling corridors, and within the magically stable hall, both mother and daughter will discuss. As well as a few Followers lined against the columns, watching through their masks.

The elite mages of Father knelt before Ivory and her mother in a circular motion. Under their powerful stares and intimidating radiating magics. They dare not say anything to set their leaders off. To have the strongest elites gathered in the hall, this was serious.

"Taft, Grimm. Stand."

The two men stood immediately.

"Milady." They say, leaning into a bow, careful to make gentle eye contact with the crimson-eyed woman.

Grimm wanted nothing more than to fix his miscalculations. Lady Evanora was so displeased with him, and he is ashamed of himself for failing her. Even with his loyalty and his dedication to her and Father, Grimm couldn't be sure he'd redeem himself.

"You ask for my forgiveness, I will grant you my forgiveness if you complete this one, little favor." Evanora smirked with her painted lips.

"Anything, anything! I'll do anything, My Lady!" Grimm stressed, looking at the woman desperately.

"Chill your tits, old man", Taft grunted lowly, rolling his eyes.

"Of course, you'll be under the watchful eye of my daughter." Evanora spared no glance at the young woman as she stepped down one step.

Taft clenched his jaw, sneering distastefully at his superior's offspring. How could she seem so smug and calm at the same time? Oh, how Ivory pissed him off! He'd like nothing but to tear her swan-like neck apart with his sharpened canines. His hands curl into tight balls, fingernails cutting into his palms, but not hard enough to draw blood.

"Use this, Daughter." Evanora slipped her fingers into her cleavage, retrieving a small vial with a small slip of parchment within. "Once you've used this, come home to me."

Ivory looked at the vial, taking it from her mother's outstretched hand. She made brief eye contact with her mother's cold crimson eyes. They were devious, dauntless, and destructive. Ivory knew her mother would do everything in her power to capture the Heartfilia girl. Evanora wanted the Heartfilia line to perish forever. The previous Heartfilia's were easy to dispose of. Their plans were suddenly frozen upon the latest Heartfilia suddenly vanished without a trace, but now that she was back, and with the new-to-be Heartfilia, her mother would be in the grandest of moods as she watched them die and raise hell on earth.

Ivory squeezed the vial in her palm, dropping it into her inner trench coat pocket.

"Alright, you two. Let's disperse."

~

It couldn't be any later than nine-thirty. Team Natsu had just arrived at their renovation hotel. It was small, but still so luxurious. Their client granted them a freebie with the hotel, so they just had to arrive, state the clients' name and they had their room keys.

Lisanna and Wendy bunked together with Gray. Natsu was going to be alone with Lisanna, but Erza refused to let that happen, something about protecting Lisanna's "chastity". The woman was hazed about the fierce determination of Erza's logic. Lisanna had made very clear to Mira, Erza, and the other female members who were trying to dig their claws into the deep, Lisanna wouldn't do anything until after she and Natsu were married.

Anyway, after the group arrived at the hotel, they decided to get a late dinner, and then after, go to a pharmacy to buy some of those motion sickness patches, well, Lisanna decided she and Natsu would just go. She wanted to talk about some things with him. Wedding details that needed to be cleared.

"You really owe me new shoes, " Lissana cast her fiancee a glare, puffing her cheeks out. "And a new halter top!"

"Ah, don't be like that, Lisa! I said I was sorry!" Natsu wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to his body, hugging her, nipping at her exposed ear. (A/N: GASP)

"N-Natsu!" Lisanna jerks away from the man, blushing from head to toe.

Natsu laughs in amusement, "I'm just kidding, Lis. You're always telling me you wanna wait."

"Let's just get those patches and get back to the hotel. I don't want the others sending out a search party." Lisanna said, browsing the shelves of the small pharmacy.

"Yeah", Natsu gave up immediately seeing the red flags imaginatively spring up from Lisanna's white hair. He let his arm fall to his side. He knew if he tried anything to her, she'd run to Mira and Elfman. An angry demon isn't something he could survive. Especially...if she tells Erza. Shivers visibly rides down his spine.

Natsu would be damned before he crossed Erza, knowing she wouldn't hesitate to clean his shoulders of his head. Just barely seeing over the medicine aisles and out of the store window, Natsu catches glimpse of, long since seen...corn-colored hair.

And there was one person who had that naturally golden hair. Natsu felt it flare again, much hotter and fierce than last time. It burned him on the inside. Clawing, biting, tussling. And it wouldn't stop.

The pink-haired man looked at his fiancee, who was talking to a late-night pharmacist.

"I'm wanting to know if you have any Scopolamine patches?"

"In aisle four, second to the bottom rack toward the end by the fountain." The pharmacist replied helpfully.

The white-haired woman returned to Natsu, a growing smile, "Let's get your patches and go to the hotel. It's been a long day."

"Hey, um, I've got take a leak, I don't see any bathrooms here, " Natsu grabbed Lisanna's shoulder, giving her a pat before leaving the aisles. "I'll see you back at the hotel."

"But, Natsu--"

He didn't hear her say the rest o her sentence. He was out of the door, sniffing the air. Millions of scents filled his nostrils. Bad body odor...Street foods...Strawberry soap...Sliced fruits...STRAWBERRY SOAP!! Natsu's eyes snapped open, suddenly averting to the left of the sidewalk running as if he were being chased by an angry beast.

The aroma was so intoxicating. It was one of his favorite smells to inhale.

It came alive.

It was taking over him.

He didn't have any control over the monster.

~

~

{Lucy's POV again}

I inhale the cool air appreciatingly, giving my arms a good stretch over my head, standing on my toes. I'm kidding. I'm not a ballerina.

I pat my purse, thinking of the prenatal pills Cora prescribed to me. It was still so foreign to me. My body knew it, but my mind still hadn't caught up to wrap itself around the information. I was going to have a baby.

Speaking of, (A/N: for any of those who are concerned) my due date: February fifth of X793. Cora's calculated date, but my baby should come in February. I rub my stomach with my right hand, my lips tugging into a small, happy smile. He/she is my world, and even though he/she was the outcome of something horrible, I feel he/she will be brilliant, beautiful, and bright. (A/N: curse me and my alliteration!! XD) I've always wanted a baby with blue eyes. Eyes as blue as the ocean or sky. With my luck, the baby will have my father's eyes.

The street lamps flicker dimly, causing me to halt my walking. I don't know why I stopped. It was a dark and empty street. Worst luck of all, I was just feet away from a very dark and eerie alleyway. There was only a little bit of ground shown from the faded lamplight, but I wasn't sticking around to find out what was going to crawl out of the shadows.

I turn to my original direction, nearly snapping my neck as bulldoze into a hard wall.

Wait...wall...?

I bring my vision up to the person. A close vest with gold trimmings. A scaly-looking scarf. Toned and muscly arms. And suddenly black eyes.

My heart bursts with the memories I worked so hard to bury. It fans frantically, wildly. Fear seers through me like a bucket of ice water is being dumped on my head. Every ounce of me is shaking horribly as this crookedly mad grin splits his face.

"It's nice to see you again, Luce."