The group stays in a hotel with their moods down. Carla sits on a table and starts writing something on a piece of paper.

Natsu: *staring out the window* "I can't just sit around like this forever!" *walks towards the door* "I'm storming the castle!"

Carla: "That won't do any good"

Natsu: *to Carla* "Oh yeah! Why not!"

Carla: "Without a solid strategy in place you don't have a chance of saving anyone"

Natsu is startled at her words but then just grumbles angrily.

Wendy: "But still they were turned into that crystal and we don't even know how to change them back"

Carla: *writing on the paper* "The king will just have to tell us that himself"

Wendy: "But he'd never do that"

Natsu: "HE WILL IF WE BEAT IT OUTTA HIM!"

Lucy: "Yeah!" *looking at Wendy* "Do you think the king knows how to reverse the spell"

Wendy: "Probably"

Lucy: *fist pump* "Then we still have a chance. If we get close to the king, we can pull this off!"

Natsu: "For real ?"

Wendy: *to Lucy* "But how do we save them ?"

Lucy: "With Gemini. Remember not only do they have the power to turn into the people they touch, they can also read the minds of who they turn into. Which means if they're able to transform into the king, then they will also be able to tell us everything he knows"

Natsu: "Oh"

Lucy: "Timing is major issue with using them because they can transform into someone for no more than 5 minutes and they can only remember a couple of people at a time, literally just 2. So there's that but the real question is how are we gonna get close enough to him. That's tough "

Wendy: "Yeah no joke. He always has a lots of guards surrounding him"

Carla shows them an illustration...

Carla: *holding the illustration* "I have come up with a plan for getting within range"

The team is surprised at this.

Carla: "As with any home of a paranoid ruler when the castle was originally constructed there was a tunnel built as an escape route which links up with a mine shaft just outside of the city wall"

Wendy: *to Carla* "There is but how do you know about it ?"

Carla: *touching her head* "It's just in my head, coming to me in little bits and pieces. From the moment we set foot in Edolas, it is as if I have a mental map that is slowly being filled in"

Happy: *looking down* "Well my head is still empty"

Lucy: "If we can find that tunnel then we have a real shot of getting close enough to the king"

Natsu: *fist pump* "All right! Let's get inside that geezer's head!"

Wendy: *hands raised at the sides* "Let's go!"

Happy: "Aye aye sir!"

Carla: "Not yet"

Natsu: *to Carla, eyes popping* "WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS STOPPING ME!"

Carla: "We will go under the cover of night. Until then we should try to get some rest"

The group heads out later that night and arrive at the mouth of the tunnel.

Wendy: "Is this it ?"

Carla: "Yes. I'm positive"

Natsu: *walking in* "In we go"

Carla: "Wait"

Natsu: *to Carla, annoyed* "AGAIN WITH THE STOPPING!"

Carla: "I understand that time is of the essence. Trust me but we will need a source of light in the tunnel"

Natsu: "I got this!" *clenching his fist & cocking back his fist* "One torch coming up!"

Natsu punches in the air which does nothing.

Carla: "You seem to have forgotten again. Your magic power simply doesn't work here in Edolas"

Natsu: *sweatdrop* "Uh..." *kicks a pebble* "Oh man!"

Happy: "I can't exactly see that Lucy being the only one of us that can still use her magic as a very comforting thought"

Lucy: "Give it a rest Happy you're just jealous"

Happy covers his mouth quickly and faces Lucy,

Happy: *sweating* "I'm sorry did I say that out loud"

Wendy and Carla turn around to look at Lucy holding something.

Wendy: "What are you holding their Lucy ?"

Lucy: *chuckling lightly* "I got us torches!" *holds the torches* "I took some wood from over there" *pointing at a warehouse* "Wrapped it in cloth and dipped it in oil. All we have to do is light these babies up and we will have no problem seeing!"

Carla: "And how will we do that ?"

Lucy: *lines appearing over head* "Good question.."

Natsu and Lucy quickly get to produce some fire by the old fashioned way of spinning a wood stick against a wooden base.

Natsu: *spinning the stick* "This has got to be the most humiliating thing I've ever done in my life"

Lucy: *spinning the stick* "We've got no other choice. But it really does illustrate how convenient magic can be even for little things"

Happy: "Old timey people must be super impressive if they can make fire by rubbing a couple of sticks just like that"

Both Carla and Wendy nod at this. Natsu is spinning his stick when it suddenly snaps.

Natsu: *sitting back* "Man I suck at making fire!"

Meanwhile Lucy actually manages to create a spark.

Lucy: "Woah I did it"

Wendy: "Yeah Lucy made fire!"

Happy: "Good job!"

Natsu: "I knew you had it in you!"

Carla: *glancing at Natsu* "I find it ironic that the fire wizard couldn't even make a spark"

Natsu: "You got fire now, so just drop it"

Lucy keeps on rubbing the stick as a small flame starts from the tiny embers

Lucy: "I'm all fired up!"

Soon they alight the torches with fire.

Wendy: *holding a torch* "This will be perfect!"

Happy: "Go Lucy!"

Lucy: *sitting back exhausted* "Now that that's over. Can I rest for a little while ?"

Natsu alights his torch using Wendy's already lit up torch and just stares at it.

Happy: *to Natsu* "Is something wrong ?"

Natsu then proceeds to keep the torch in his mouth eating the fire.

Happy: "Yeah maybe eating fire will bring your magic back"

Lucy: "That's right! So did it work ?"

Happy: "Feel it yet ?"

Natsu: *pointing at his stomach* "Definitely feeling hot, right here"

Happy: "Well does it feel like magic ?"

Natsu: "I don't know but I'm starting to think it does"

Lucy: "You got a fire in your belly. Go ahead and let it out. Give us the old move"

Natsu: "You bet!" *clenching his fist & cocking it back for a punch* "Coming right up!"

Natsu punches again and nothing happens again.

Natsu: *shoulders down* "Sorry I got nothing"

Carla: *walking towards the mine* "I told that would happen"

They walk through the caves and come to what seems like a dead end. A stone wall is covered by planks of wood and a code "KY-2c" is engraved on one of them. They realize the wall is quite thick and that it's coated with Magic. Lucy summons Taurus to break through the wall. After giving it a few punches, the wall collapses and reveals a path, just like Carla said. The group walks until Natsu suddenly stops terrified scaring Lucy,

Lucy: *scared* "What's the matter! Please don't tell me there's something scary down there!"

Natsu: *giving his torch to Lucy, scared* "Just hold this thing for me, okay"

Lucy: *looking between Natsu & torch* "Why! Just tell me what's going on! Do you have to fight something!"

Natsu: "Be quiet and don't move a muscle"

Natsu forms a shadow puppet,

Natsu: *making the shadow puppet* "Heeheehee~" *dramatic voice* "We found the lair of the shadow monster" *laughs*

The entire team...

Lucy: *shoving the torch in Natsu's mouth* "THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE GOOFING AROUND!"

The group navigates the twists and turns of the tunnel through Carla's assistance and they soon arrive in a bright clearing which Carla claims is connected to the castle's basement.

Lucy: *to Carla* "I don't understand how you're doing all this but I'm so glad you're on our team"

Carla: "I'm perplexed as well but like I said the map keeps on getting more and more filled in

Happy: *looking at Carla* "You're amazing Carla"

Carla: "Well being able to find our way through here is sure to be the easy part. But what will truly be amazing will be sneaking in and out of the king's royal chambers undetected. As defenseless as we are right now, this mission will be over the moment we are spotted"

Lucy: "Now don't forget we can always use my magic. If we get into a pinch"

Natsu: *to Lucy* "So you're gonna save us, I don't think so"

Lucy: *tickmarks on head* "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING! TAURUS GOT US THIS FAR AND THE WHOLE PLAN RELIES ON USING GEMINI!"

Natsu: *walking away* "Yeah, yeah"

Wendy: *to Happy* "Is everything okay Happy ?"

Happy: "Aye"

Suddenly, Lucy is wrapped around by a strange gel.

Natsu: "Lucy!"

Wendy: "What is that!"

Lucy: *trying to break free* "Oh no.. I'm stuck"

Wendy and Natsu are trapped as well. The Royal Army then surrounds the team.

Happy: *looking around* "Royal troops!"

Lucy: "Why are there so many of them down here ?"

Happy: "How in the heck did they find us ?"

??: *walking towards the team* "So these are the magic users from Earth-Land"

The group are shocked to see Erza Knightwalker.

Lucy: "Erza!"

Erza(Edolas): "It's amazing how much you resemble the outlaws Natsu Dragion and Lucy Ashley" *to the troops* "Take them away"

Soldiers: "Yes ma'am"

The soldiers start dragging away Natsu, Wendy and Lucy.

Lucy: *being dragged* "Erza... please listen to us, wait!"

Happy and Carla were not caught and they attempt to go after their captured friends

Carla: "Wendy!"

Happy: "Natsu! Lucy!"

Suddenly Knightwalker steps in their way,

Erza(Edolas): "Great Exceeds"

The army bows to them as well as Erza.

Erza(Edolas): *bowing* "I'm honored to welcome you home"

Lucy: *shocked* "I don't understand.. What's going on.."

Wendy: *shocked* "Who are you Happy and Carla.. I thought that you were our friends"

Erza(Edolas): "We are most grateful for your help in capturing the intruders"

Carla looks shocked as she realizes what she has done.

The next day Natsu and Wendy are thrown in a prison cell by Hughes and a few soldiers from the Royal Army.

Natsu: *gripping the cell bars* "Where are the others"

Hughes: "Others ?"

Wendy: "Yeah! Our friends Lucy, Carla and Happy"

Hughes: "Who's Lucy ? Oh you mean the blonde bimbo. Pretty little thing, unfortunately we have got no use for her, so she's gonna be executed"

Natsu: *growling* "If you jerks so much as lay a finger on Lucy, I swear you're gonna pay. I WILL BURN YOU DOWN TO A PILE OF ASHES!"

Hughes: "Oh ho aren't you a scary one. So tell me something are all Earth-Land wizards just as ferocious as you are"

Wendy: "You're gonna execute Lucy, what happened to Carla and Happy ?"

Hughes: "No need to worry about the Exceeds"

Natsu: "His name is Happy! Get it straight!"

Hughes: "The Exceeds accomplished their mission, so we took them back to their homeland. In fact, I bet the little guys claimed their reward and are having a feast as we speak"

Natsu: "What!"

Wendy: "What do you mean ? What mission ?"

Wendy remembers that Carla had said she would be abandoning her mission the moment she returned to Edolas.

Wendy: "No way! That's not possible, I don't know what kind of mission you sent her on but I know Carla abandoned it!"

Hughes: *chuckles* "Oh yeah, she actually completed it like a pro"

Wendy: "That can't be. What are you making them do for you ?"

Hughes: "You mean you still haven't figured that one out yet"

Elsewhere, Carla and Happy lie on a large pink bed. Happy wakes up and looks at his surroundings,

Happy: "What the, where are we ?" *putting paw on Carla* "Hey Carla wake up"

Carla gets up and rubbing her eyes asks Happy,

Carla: "Tomcat what is this ? What in the world happened to us ?"

Happy: "All I know is we were knocked out and woke up here *gets up* I know I haven't been here before" *looks at a dejected Carla* "Are you okay ?"

Carla: "It seems my information is actually a trap"

Happy: "That's not true. I'm sure its a coincidence they found us. It wasn't your fault Carla"

Carla: "I've betrayed dear Wendy, I swore that I would protect her no matter what" *sniffling* "This is all my fault"

The door opens and a large cat with a strange face shape enters...

??: "Meow, meow. I beg your pardon are the ones who recently completed an Earth-Land mission"

Happy: *wideeyed* "IT'S ICHIYA!"

??: "Meow. Nice parfum"

Happy: "Wait a second you're a cat ?"

Ichiya(Cat): "Don't be silly I am no mere cat! I am an exceed just like you!"

A black cat that waves his paw continuously enters the room...

??: "Mr. Nichiya sir, I've been told this the first time they have been to Edolas. In fact I doubt they have ever seen another exceed before"

Nichiya: "Really. Well I had no idea *posing* Welcome I'm Nichiya, the captain of Extalia's Royal guard. Meow, meow"

??: *waving paw* "And my name is Nadi, otherwise known as Extalia's minister of state. Congrats on your mission"

Happy: "Our mission ?" *looks at a once again dejected Carla* "It will be okay Carla"

Nichiya: "I know this is rather sudden but the Queen would like to see you, follow me"

Happy: "The Queen! Seriously! *to Carla* Don't worry just leave everything to me. The first thing we need to do is to get a lay of the land" *clenching his fist* "I promise I will protect you Carla"

Happy and Carla follow Nichiya and Nadi outside. Happy is a little surprised when he sees the guards are cats as well. However, he is more surprised later as he spots a whole large town filled with cats like himself, Carla and Puss...

The Exceeds later spot Carla and Happy walking with them and realize that they must be the rumored heroes that completed their duty on Earth Land and they greet them both as well. Nadi clarifies that they're not cats, they're Exceeds. Exceeds stand over the humans and guide them and that this is their kingdom, Extalia.

Happy's group walks through the palace. Nadi states that the humans are such foolish and inferior creatures that they have to watch over them, including the ones on Earth Land. The queen can decide who dies and who lives in order to rectify the Magic in Edolas. Carla stops in her track,

Carla: "This mission your queen sent us on. I remember it's coming back to me. This mission has been imprinted since I was born. The queen chose me to help control the human population. I was ordered to eliminate the dragonslayer, Wendy"

Happy: "Huh? What's that supposed to mean Carla!"

Wendy: "Please don't ask"

Happy: "Tell me what you mean when you were ordered to eliminate Wendy!"

Happy then realizes what his "mission" really is.

Happy: "No way.. *stepping back* Does that mean.. my mission was to.. *falls down, trembling* That can't be true.."

Wendy: "I'm sorry I thought you were better off not knowing knowing the truth"

Happy: "I just can't believe it.. my mission was to eliminate Natsu!"

Carla faces Nichiya and Nadi and declares that they did not accomplish their mission nor did they have the intention to and so she asks them why their mission is considered accomplished. Nadi volunteers to explain. Six years ago, a hundred Exceed eggs from Extalia were sent to Earth Land by the Queen's human control project. Each Exceed was given "information" beforehand and once hatched, they would use that "information" to hunt a Dragon Slayer and exterminate them. The situation changed when the Anima that the humans made created new possibilities and so instead of killing the humans of Earth Land, their Magic Power would be used and among all that Magic, the Dragon Slayer's would be an exceptionally large part. For that reason, their "duty" was changed by emergency order and is now "to bring the Dragon Slayers here".

In the Royal City, the ceremony has begun. In the crowd, Edo-Gajeel creates fireworks that form the word "NORTH".

Gajeel: "The north"

Gajeel(Edolas): *walks away* "And the rest is up to you my friends"

Gajeel: *to the soldiers* "Soldiers that must be some kind of warning! We must protect the lacrima, I suspect there's someone suspicious on the north side of the plaza"