Deep within the East Forest, nearly on the coastline, a lone person traveled. She didn't have much on her except a few heirlooms and jewels. Even for a woman her age, she still trekked through the brushes and camped into caves. Her age mattered not, no. She was more focused on keeping a special eye on the order of things.

She was obligated to protect good by her caring nature.

It was just who she was.

She sits on a stool-sized boulder, humming a soft tune as she weaves a crown of wildflowers with a ghostly smile.

As the warm breeze grew chilled, the woman looked up, seeing a tall and dark man approaching her from the side. He begins circling around a tree before stopping just a few feet away. He narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman.

"Is this what you do when a war is about to break loose? Making flower accessories?" The man scoffed at the childish weaving the familiar woman was doing.

Giggling with amusement, the woman looked at the broadening man. "Come now, Acnologia, tis a skill every being should know!"

"Every being? What are you a child?" The man crossed his tattooed arms over his chest, frowning.

"At heart, " The blonde woman returns to her weaving. "It's only a distraction."

"You know, " The blue-haired man came closer to the woman, a sly smirk playing across his lips. "There are many other ways to distract yourself."

Reflecting Acnologia's devilishly handsome grin, the woman decided to play along, "Well, Mister Distraction, what do you have in mind?"

"Humans are such degrading creatures, so full of greed...gluttony..." He snaked an arm around her shoulders, his face leaning into her hair, just behind her ear. "Lust."

The blonde woman snorted bemusingly. "How charming, Acnologia. Tell me, since when have your advances ever worked on me?"

Acnologia grunted, tensing with the realization that she was right. The man leaned away from her, lips twitching with his slightly wounded ego. "You wound me, Anna."

"Don't I know it?" Anna smirks playfully at Acnologia.

"Your...descendant is quite agile." The unruly bluenette averts with another subject. "Just like a woman I know."

"Yes, she is resilient. A wonderful quality of a Heartfilia." Anna smiled softly, clenching the last stem of the wildflower as she knotted and tried it off, finishing the crown. She raises away from her at arm's length, smiling with satisfaction.

"It's really not." Acnologia crossed his arms over his chest.

"And why not?" Anna stood up, turning to the dragon man. "It seemed to draw you to me."

Acnologia's eyebrow shot up into his marked forehead. "And your point is?"

"Oh, I don't have a point, " Anna giggled, coming closer to the man, who stiffened as she raised her arms above their heads, carefully placing the crown upon his hair. "There! Now you don't look as intimidating."

Acnologia's eye twitched. He suddenly yanks the flower crown from his head, causing a few petals to fall along with some pollen.

"Aw! I was hoping you'd enjoy my friendly gift, but oh well~" Anna moaned in false despair and then turned her back on the man, actually not hurt at all, she just wanted him to smile.

He was always frowning, and she didn't like it when he stayed stoic.

"Are you not bothered that Evanora has resurfaced?! You act as if you have no care in the world! She will come after you! She will kill you! Do you have no parry?!" Acnologia growled, narrowing his eyes, crushing the flower crown in his fist before discarding it on the ground.

Anna became unmoving, she stood as a cool breeze brushed across her clothes and long hair.

Evanora.

She hadn't heard that name in a very long while. She didn't doubt the woman still harbored unconditional hatred toward her. Even after four hundred, give or take, five hundred years. Although, it would feel much longer for her enemy than herself. After entering the Eclipse...no. She did it to protect those young children, not to mention herself.

"I do not mind her coming after me. I shall not fare in battle."

"You have a death wish or something?" Acnologia grabbed Anna's shoulder.

"Maybe I do, I've lived long enough." Anna glanced over her shoulder.

"I won't let you die. Evanora's got a screw loose. "

"Yes, but I'm the one who drove her to madness," Anna argued.

"Don't kid yourself, Heartfilia. She's the one in a freakin' cult. She did it to herself."

"Hm." Anna sighed. "I suppose it's time to leave, the winds are changing." The blonde looked at the sky, which collected clouds by the second. "The next town is a few days away, it will take a while."

The woman collected her small bag of essentials, throwing it over her shoulder.

"I bide you a farewell. It was nice to see you again, Acnologia. Stay of trouble, won't you?" She flashed him a smile as she passed by him.

"Oi." Acnologia is abrupt and rough as he barked.

Anna paused in her tracks, looking over her shoulder.

"I'm coming with you." The man stomped behind the woman as she chuckled.

~

In his office, Makarov scanned over papers briefly, signing his name on an empty signature line and setting the sheet aside. He wouldn't call it a slow day, he was doing some research or trying to. Keyword: trying. On the same line of papers sent in from the Magic Council.

Aside from the other thoughts on his mind, Makarov was half tempted to ask the Council for their...certain regards and power to look into what Lucy and the others had informed him of.

He hadn't had any luck...so far.

Before he could ponder any more, there came a rapid knocking on his office door.

"Master? May I come in? It's important!" He recognized Lisanna's voice, but it was warped in strain and croak.

"Yes, Child." He replied.

The door opened just a little, and the youngest Strauss slipped in quickly, closing the door with a soft 'bang'. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she probably saw a ghost. She was much paler than her original and natural pale complexity. Not only that but she was sweating nervously, and trembling as if she were terrified.

Lisanna quickly hurried over to Makarov's desk, nearly bumping the chairs that sat just before the desk.

"Are you feeling well, Child?" Makarov raised an eyebrow.

Lisanna couldn't exactly find her words, but instead, she broke down in heavy tears. Her sobs were silent, but her strangled hiccups were unsettling and quite acute.

Makarov raised an eyebrow, climbing onto his desk, and going over to Lisanna, and begins to comfort her.

"What's wrong, my child?" He places a hand on her shoulder.

"I...I!" She couldn't tell him right off the bat, she was hysterical.

"Whenever you calm down, then you can tell me, " Makarov smiled softly, sitting on the edge of the desk to emphasize he wasn't in any hurry.

He didn't want to do that blasted paperwork anyway.

Lisanna took in deep breaths, as well as exhaling just the same. She frantically wipes her eyes, but even with her attempt at drying them, the tears would just flow back out.

"I...Master...Something horrible has happened!" Lisanna trembled in...terror? Or was it horror?

Makarov couldn't tell, but he knew this was serious. He had this nagging feeling gnawing at his inwards and it was a bad feeling.

"What is it, Child?"

"I...It's Natsu, Master! He...he's done something disturbing an-and--!" Lisanna's breath hitched as she continued to try and calm herself.

Oh, no...did--did Lisanna know?

"Master, he raped Lucy! He admitted it to my face! And he...he beat the tarnation out of her! I saw it with my own eyes!" Lisanna regained any confidence she had. She tried to keep her voice down, but her anger and disbelief got the better of her.

"Quiet some, Child, " Makarov hushed her quickly. "I know."

"And he tried to lie to my face and ---wait, what? You know?" Lisanna began to trail off with a furious rant, but stopped, puzzled by Makarov's statement.

"Yes. I...I've known for a while now." The old man admitted.

"You knew! Why...Lucy...Natsu...what! Master, why didn't you say anything?!" Lisanna didn't really explode, she just bombarded him with a mystified burst.

Makarov sighed lightly. "Listen, Child, I cannot say much. And now that you know, I recommend staying near someone whom you are close to. Mira, Elfman, Erza, Bixlow, even Gajeel might do. Natsu...has gotten a little out of control. I can't describe how disappointed I am with that boy. He isn't exactly right in the mind at this moment, and until he is, stay away from him."

"And that's another thing...I broke our engagement." Lisanna hung her head, almost as if shamefully.

Makarov found himself not surprised, but instead of saying something, he merely squeezed Lisanna's shoulder in comfort, and then ruffled her hair.

"I am sorry you had to find out this way, Dear."

"I thought he was acting suspicious...a-and I-I stupidly followed him...by the time I...by the time I got there, he had her pinned to the wall, and he...he bit her. "

He...bit her? Makarov's eyebrows squashed together in puzzlement. Did he hear the girl correctly? Natsu bit Lucy? No, no, no. That couldn't be right! If he bit Lucy, then...If Makarov remembered...then a dragon slayer biting his potential mate...

"What happened afterward?" He found himself eagerly wanting to know.

"I-I'm not sure, I ran away from the scene...I didn't want to be next...I'm sorry..." Lisanna sniffled, wiping her runny nose with her sleeve.

"Don't be sorry, Child. You were scared. I wouldn't hold it against you." Makarov said gently.

"I just want to know, is Lucy okay?" Lisanna made direct eye contact with Makarov.

Reluctantly, Makarov nearly grimaced. He wanted to say so much more than a simple, "Yes." So, he said, "She's safe and out of harm's way."

"That's---that's great! B-but, why is she in hiding? Is she--"

"I'm afraid I can't answer your question right now, Child, " The communication lacrima on Makarov's desk, in its stand, began to burst into bright colors. "I know this leaves a hole with your questions, you can come back anytime you wish and I will try to answer the best I can."

"Um...okay. Thank you, Master, for letting me in here and everything."

"I'm happy to oblige, Child."

The second Lisanna exited his office, Makarov jolted the lacrima, almost too quickly and he nearly fell off his desk.

"Hello?"

The face of Lahar appeared, and the voice Loke was muffled in the background. He seemed to be explaining something, but Makarov couldn't make it out.

"Makarov, " Lahar greeted almost dully. "We have news."

"What kind of news?" Makarov squinted narrowly.

"Well...*sighs* I think it's best to let Leo explain." Lahar moves out of sight, and then orange hair and blue-tinted glasses appear in the lacrima.

"Loke?"

"Hello again, Makarov, " Loke shows no signs of humor or jesting, his expression tells Makarov that what he had to say was completely momentous.

"Well? What do we have?" Makarov steadily jumbled from his tongue.

"We have some...complications."