Sorry for practically disappearing (again), procrastination is my Achilles heel. So Feb 12 was when this fic first got published; which was also when I was supposed to finish this year. But seriously- procrastination, my one true enemy.

Looking back at this story really makes me want to cry, Sting is all sorts of OOC and even though that's mostly because I started this like two weeks after his debut or something, you guys still made it this far. And just wow, I love you all.

This last chapter is for all of you gorgeous human beings.

At first I didn't suspect it was Sting's doing when I finally left the castle grounds and found myself hauling around a bag of rocks.

I just thought it was a mere coincidence that each person that I bumped into, which happened to be everyone I knew and talked to since the games began this year save Auguston and En, handed me the same golden rock after a short conversation.

And for the life of me, after Ken laughed at my daftness and Miki's mysteriousness; I felt an odd frustration well up in me as I stared at the bag and kicked it with a loud yelp.

"You shouldn't let your anger out on inanimate objects," someone said behind me and I spun around to stare at a familiar looking dark haired girl before me, "people might think you're crazy."

It had already been almost two hours since I left Mercurius and already I managed to bump into a grand total of seven people in the most wonderful ways ever.

The first person I bumped into just so happened to be two people actually- Ken and V. And I had quite literally bumped into the two of them the moment I swung over the gates encasing the castle from the outside world and landed on the older boy. That conversation was definitely something and it made me smile to know that they looked to be recovering from the trauma caused by (not really) killing my alter ego. A little pushing at my knowing the Bunny Girl might've been the cause though, but it was definitely something.

"Here, some merchant guy gave me this and I thought it would've been better if you had it." Ken had said after we exchanged words, and I found myself with a small bag in my hands and staring at the two small golden rocks inside. I gave him a weird look only to be scoffed at before he walked away and left me with a bed head and V.

She smiled at me, tired and trying as she said, "you know that really reminds me of you and a certain someone~"

I felt my cheeks warm up at her teasing and she laughed and ran after the hacker. I honestly didn't know just how I could've made of that encounter after that as I made my way through Crocus, bag in hand.

I really should've realized it was only going to get weirder from there when I bumped into Alexander, Cece and Ace when I entered a bookstore, thinking that it was Sting who I just followed in when it was really just Ace

Now that was plenty awkward, as we all managed to get banned for life from that particular store in the twenty minutes that were spent catching up. Even though we did talk a few during the picnic, it never occurred to me that maybe small talk didn't really count as talk after all.

"You're such a moron," Cecilia was saying as we all hung around after being kicked out of the bookstore. Her arms were crossed over her floral dress and she had to look up to glare at Emily's overprotective 'older brother'.

"I wasn't insulting him, Cece. I was just describing the guy," I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing as Ace quarreled back. My old mentor was smiling as the mages began biting at each other's heads. Or maybe it was just Cece baiting him in her subtle charming ways.

Alexander's smile must have been contagious because soon I found myself grinning from ear to ear as I watched the two of them go at it.

Have I ever said how much I missed scenes like this? Because Sabertooth was never like this, never this open. Holding together a friendship was hard enough without the expectations Gemma constantly drowned us with.

I didn't realize I was scratching my arm violently under the straps of the bag until I felt my fingers slowly being pried apart. I looked up to see Alex carefully tear my fingers away from the raw skin before holding it in such a way that the palms were faced upwards.

I was just about to ask what he was doing exactly when I felt a light weight drop onto my palm before I let my fingers be curled around it.

"You'd want it to keep these," he whispered ominously with a hint of mischievousness evident in his voice. I stared at him suspiciously before he raked his fingers through my hair and messing up the updo I just managed to do a few minutes prior.

Alex was never one to care for people, though I loved him like a brother (heck, he was a spartan teacher but he did raise me in a sense) - he was just too uncaring and cocky to be taken seriously. It was at this point as Cece and Ace caught on to my old mentor's actions and also dropped things into my hand that I realized that something was definitely going on.

Because getting the same thing from five people just couldn't be a coincidence, right? That would just be too much.

What was it with pyrite anyways?

I was staring at their backs as they grew smaller and smaller the more they walked further away into the park when the third encounter happened.

Truthfully, I didn't even know if I really spent two hours outside the walls of Mercurius; time seemed to pass as quickly the more I bumped into people.

Miki and Mauve were no exception.

The only difference was that this time, I didn't bump into them.

They were the ones who bumped into me.

Which you know resulted in a semi-awkward encounter.

Because Miki Yamamoto and Mauve Ashe knew Lily not Lilian.

"Urgh, sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going..." I muttered quite sadly before I felt myself being hoisted onto my feet. There was no reply as I regained balance because the moment I felt steady, one of them grabbed me by the arm and ran like mad.

To say that I felt exactly like a rag doll then would be exactly right.

"Why did you do that?!" Mauve's voice sounded from the right of me as I was yanked this way and that through the park. She sounded almost irritated, but there as a laugh in her voice that made me think otherwise.

"Same reason you said yes to the request!" Miki answered back quickly and they continued to run until they were out of the park and into the street.

I took the time then to observe the two mages with a confused façade.

Miki hadn't changed since I met her. Not at all, she still wore her signature outfit- the yellow dress we bought together that one day over top of a blue t-shirt. Quickly observing my surroundings, I realized she was the one with the strong grip on my arm. The feeling of the cold metal of her magic bracelet-scythe against my skin was kind of hard to miss after all. She was kind to me, my friend. And staring at her now, did I realize the tired expression her face carried. How her muscles seemed more relaxed and surrendered.

Mauve, on the other hand, was someone Lily had only talked to probably only four times. She was Seira's friend and I really didn't think we could've got along well anyways. She was wearing her black hoodie- the same one I saw her in last time, a rose necklace hung loosely around her collar as she sprinted through the crowds of people. She and I hardly ever talked; to think she could've been affected with the death of Lily Harvard was a foolish notion.

But judging from this run, it seems like I was wrong.

Mauve never really talked much; she just always stuck to her own little world until Seira came along. She was polite enough to a point, and was raised somewhat strangely (I didn't really know all the details). Today, however, she seemed more talkative than she was before.

Or ever in her life.

But I wouldn't know- I, Lily, had only talked to her only a handful of times.

I didn't realize I was still clutching onto the bag until I felt my arm give a slight tug downwards and I was thrown into a nearby potato sack.

"You really do look like Lily," I heard Miki say in wonder above me as I groaned. Mauve snorted somewhere beside her.

I didn't realize my eyes were closed until I felt someone prodding at my cheek; quickly swatting the offending finger aside, I looked up to see Mauve crouching beside me, slipping a rock into the bag.

"That's it?" She said dully, turning to Miki as she gave a nod and gave me a final look before walking off. Mauve was still crouched beside me when I finally found the guts to call out after the girl.

"Lily was glad she was friends with you!" The air turned sharp as those words tumbled out of my mouth, and I winced as if breathing cut my throat with tiny shards of glass. I really don't know why I felt the need to say that out loud.

Sting and I had accepted that the masquerade would be no more, but even that didn't change the fact that someone had died and the noble body of Crocus decided to honor that death. Friends, guild mates and former team mates all mourned my- her death. To say she didn't actually die, to say she was still alive, and to say that she was standing right in front of you would be an insult. It wouldn't solve anything and it just...

Miki was giving me a look, her eyebrows curved and it looked like her eyes were just about to water up. She didn't say anything for the longest time ever, just stared at me from head to toe lying against a potato sack. It was one of those knowing looks. One that made me start to doubt myself.

"I know," she whispered, voice shaking and hands fumbling with a slow rhythm against her dress. She turned away and Mauve stood up, hoisting me onto my feet as well as the other girl began walking away.

I didn't know how I was supposed to react to that; I was so confused and it felt like everything was blowing in over my head. I almost didn't realize Mauve leaning into my ear before she whispered,

"Come visit sometime," and she was gone. They were both gone.

Breathing was suddenly a whole lot harder.

Time ticked by like trickles of sand in a sandstorm, whirling past me and hustling violently against my lost form. Time was deadly, and I really didn't know how much of it had passed since they left me gawking in disbelief. Was it an hour and a half now? Or maybe two hours? Past that...?

There was an internal grown let out in the back of my mind as I felt frustration well up. What was this?

It was then that I realized they had placed two more pyrites into my bag that I let out an angry growl.

"SEI-" I caught myself in the midst of calling out Sabertooth's animal spirit summoner's name. I kept having to remind myself that I wasn't Lily anymore and that the last time I had encountered her, I thought she was going to jump off a bridge. Normally, people don't take cheerfully to that. Did she even give me her name? "S'hey!"

Luckily, she didn't pick up my screw up and helped pick up the discarded bag, scowling as she handed it to me before taking something out of her own pocket and placing it in with the rest of the rocks. "Looks like you've got quite a collection."

"Well, people can't stop giving them to me," I replied steadily, giving a nervous laugh as I watched her through my eyelashes. No actually, how the hell did she get that anyways.

And what was with all the rocks?

"Um, Lilian right?" The sound of her voice shook me out of my thoughts and I looked at her outstretched hand.

With a quick nod, I shook her hand. "You're Seira-"

"The girl who was thought to jump off a bridge and into a shallow river? Yeah that'll be me," she joked and let loose a short string of giggles. My chest gave a small pang of pain at the sight.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to bump into Seira any time soon. I knew she was a wanderer and I counted on her knowing that this was the town where one of her friends died would be enough to drive her away to lands far far away. But she was still here. And it wasn't like I wanted her away; I just wanted to know why she stayed in this big town for such a long time other than for the Games.

But I would be a fool to ask, I was Lilian- not Lily and it wasn't my business.

Even if I wanted to confess to her of who I really am, I wouldn't dare do that to her.

"You look lost," I was shot out of my inner thoughts once again to the sound of her voice and a light tugging on my arm. My head snapped towards her direction and I really didn't count on the sight that I was met with.

She looked concerned, concerned for a stranger- a total stranger. My heart wrenched and my chest threatened to cave in on itself. I felt like I was having trouble breathing, like my throat was hot iron and my eyes stung. Heads rolled, the world beneath my feet shook with great tremors. And in my ears- screaming, screeching, high pitched wails that made me want to run and hide.

When in reality, I only just stopped walking and froze in place. A clouded expression fell upon my façade as I stared down at her. She shook my arm one more time and before I knew that my lips were moving, I said in a hushed whisper that sounded so muffled and confused,

"home is where the heart is."

She let go of my arm and it was like everything just crashed down on me. My hands shot up to cover my mouth and she was looking at me with a sort of incredulous expression and I panicked. Oh shoot, I've done it now, I kept kicking myself in my head as we both stared at each other with wide eyes.

I couldn't place the look she gave me then, her eyes weren't watery but she didn't look happy either. It was blank, yet it was filled with emotions untold. Even after her features relaxed, I still didn't know how she really felt when she finally spoke up, "oh god. He was right."

Maybe it was then that I should've started piecing it all together, but I was just so confused as Seira held up the bag and replaced it with a box that was pulled out from god knows where.

"You should head back," she was saying as she handed the medium sized box back to me with a smile. In the same breath, she added, "we should catch up sometime, I'm in town for a while."

And she left just as quickly like Mauve and Miki did when they revealed that they knew.

My heart clenched but it didn't jump. The antsy feeling that was beginning to pool up in my chest was just that as I stood there with the box of pyrite and scattered thoughts.

It wasn't really that late when I finally returned to my room.

By the time I was walking past the gates and caught a glimpse of Krued's cape bellowing out as he headed for patrol, I realized that them knowing was a good thing. If not anything else, they did react well? to it. They didn't gang up on me or tell Rufus (who thank the heavens hadn't caught sight of me as I made my way back), they just smiled and talked like all was back to normal and dropped rocks into the bag Ken had handed me earlier.

What I did have to concern myself with was why they all gave me golden rocks.

Heck, when I bumped into Emily, Rogue and Frosch, they all laughed at my misfortune and added to my collection after telling me to hurry along.

I was every level of confused as I set the box onto the queen sized bed and folded my arms across my chest.

Thoughts were swirling in and out of my head, clouding my senses so much that I almost didn't realize a human shaped shadow had loomed over my room. I was just about to leave when I heard three sharp taps against my balcony window, as if someone had used a multitude of small objects and aimed it at the glass and whirled around.

My eyes grew as wide as saucers as I headed towards the balcony doors, swinging them open just as Sting skillfully flung himself to stand on solid ground over the ledge. There was a look of determination written on his face and I found that just looking at him gave me the confidence I needed when I went out on the walk and forgot myself.

"Sting? Wait, what are you- ?!" I whisper-shouted in surprise, and mentally cursed myself for not saying what I had in mind first instead.

The white dragon slayer only let a small smirk cross his features as he handed me a small box. You couldn't blame me for the suspicious look that I shot him as I gingerly took it from his hands and the other look as he laughed at my reaction.

With dainty fingers, I pulled at the string encircling the box and lifted the lid.

"That was you!" I squealed as a million different emotions whipped past my head. Sting! It was Sting all along! He- that snake! I just about to throw the box with the golden rock in it at him when I saw the look he had on his face.

My hands fell to my sides almost immediately as he took a step towards me, I didn't move. Didn't dare to.

"Lilian, look- I... I'm sorry." He whispered but it didn't sound broken, instead it sounded awkward, like the words weren't welcome on his lips, in his voice. But he didn't break eye contact, even if he looked somewhat nervous like all the words had escaped him, "the pyrite..."

The short distance between us was no more at those words; without another thought, I strolled forward and wrapped my small arms around him. I had to stand on my tippy toes as I laid my head on his shoulders and let a small giggle escape my lips when his muscular arms wrapped around my much smaller frame and lift me off my feet if only by a little to ease the height difference, "I said I wasn't going to leave you for the world."

"You're a fool for loving me, Lilian." He said into my hair and I couldn't help the loud chuckle that erupted out of me.

"I know," I shifted just as he did and found myself lightly knocking foreheads with him. Neither of us moved as we stared at the pools of colors filling the other's eyes. There were no tears coming out from this, from these words. Instead of distress, or broken heartedness, I felt a soft feeling settle into my chest.

Peace. I felt at peace in his arms.

I knew I shouldn't have been that easy but just being wrapped in his embrace was enough for me. I had already forgiven him for everything the moment he let those words out. I loved him too much to stay angry. He was Sting, and it was near impossible for me to cry and curse him for these feelings a second time.

"I'm only going to hurt you," Sting whispered finally, leaning forward if only by a little and letting his nose brush past mine.

"But that's what love is, isn't it? Hurt." I replied, and I felt his chest rumble as he chuckled, "I love you."

I accepted it a long time ago. I'll stay by his side even if he didn't love me back. I acceptance it all earlier that I knew better than to cry and sob and fall apart.

Instead of frowning like I expected him to, his lips stretched into a wide grin. My patched up heart skipped a beat at the sight, "I would be a fool if I said I didn't love you back, huh?"

"You're already a fool." We both giggled at that and he happily kissed me on the cheek, on my forehead, on my nose, and on the corner of my lips. I was red all over as I giggled at the feel of his lips on my skin. It was ticklish and the action made me feel so childish. Pulling away, I stared at him with a small smile on my face, "do you really?"

I'll smile even if he said no. I'll laugh if he dropped me. I would be happy for him. Because I loved him.

"You know I thought you wouldn't listen to me when I came here," Sting started as he touched my forehead again. I didn't frown at his words, but I didn't smile truly either, "I thought you'd be too angry at me and that I'll lose you for real. So when I finally saw all the things around us, I just..."

The words were just too romantic for him, too romantic for his voice, for his lips and I just had to laugh. I snorted and giggled and I didn't realize my grip on him tightened when I heard him laugh along with me. I laughed harder when I saw that his cheeks were colored a rosy pink as well.

It was just so out of character of him and it didn't miss my attention when I saw that he cringed with every word.

"Fool's gold, really?" I finally said when I regained my nerves and he laughed, "that's so cliché."

"I try," was my reply and I let loose another laugh as he shifted me in his arms and I had to wrap my legs around his waist and hold onto his shoulders to keep from slipping loose. "Lilian?"

"Yeah?" The position was a tad too intimate for my tastes and I felt all the blood rush into my face. My thoughts was all over the place as I stared back at Sting in confusion.

"Can we start all of this over again? Change everything just so it'll be you and me?" Another laugh rippled out of me as I ducked my head and let his free hand cup my cheek. The way he put it made it sound like a shameless pickup line. It sounded so different when he said it. And I almost couldn't believe I was in his arms until I wrapped my own fingers around his hand.

"Is that a yes I hear?" I replied sheepishly and watched as his pink cheeks vanished and his shameless remarks be replaced by something more serious.

"Only a fool would reply to that."

And there it was- Sting Eucliffe. So filled with pride, proud and strong. We laughed bitterly before leaning down and kissing each other fully on the lips.

It was without conflict- giving up our demons and forgetting the world as we held on. There was no more testing the waters, no more problems plaguing us, it was just me and him.

I could almost taste the giddiness on him as our lips danced. There were giggles here and there and every time we broke for air- only then, were there tears in our eyes.

If you told me that one day I would kiss Sting Eucliffe, I would've told you that would be fool's gold.

OHMYGOD THE IS. S CREAMING AHHHH I CANT AN YMORE N O ENGLISH. T HE END.

I want to thank Raging Akuma D , Vnight , CelestialxXxAngel , CupcakesandCats17, Aspect1 , Princess Happy , tenshi-no-akuma-81 , Riku'sgirl19, NadiaMiki, JackoLillie, ItoMichie, NightCraver, BrOkEnToYbOx, Shini Jez, Pisinoe, Red Appassionata, 666AnimeFan666, LuckyandStars, Hades8Hades, Beautiful-Liar360, QuietInspiration, WaAiri, Last Assassin's Shadow, tori20444, .9256, UNICORNSPOORAINBOWS, PockyKIss, hiraikoneko, Lady Syndra, Heat Haze Days, Guests, fantasyblast, animefreak1208, KandyMiraj, Banana's and Pie, Bumblebee1013, CHINKINESS-ROCKSn CirceanPoison, Crayola Hearts, CrimsonSnowScarletFate, Death x Berry , Ginga no Yousei, Hunter Knight, LadyShinkukaze, Lumihiutale89, Monochrome-Life, 93, Natsuki Death, NikkiSauce, PikaJunCoke, SUPAfast JeLLyFisH, Sebastian The Devil Himself, Shelia13, Skyla642, SongEunJae, Sylphid Reverrieze, TheRubyValentine, Thexinfernalxgames, VongolaLMC13, dreamwalker91, dsi user, fantasyblast, hazelstorm92, kittypmp, ohbabyitsrina, rappscallion11, witchlouise, xPurgeOnMUTE, xXxDarkShadowWolfxXx, Divine Psyche, Kagome Echizen Fan, KanashiYuuki1408, Kyoichi Amaya, LittleLiar666, 93, Ms Silent Pianist, Nephthys835, Neru-neko, PouringRain-BlazingStorm, Sasuna123, Starmz, TheBananaMonster, TheDeadlyRoseThorn and xasianbuddyx (I think I might've reposted some lol) for reviewing/favouriting/alerting Fool's Gold. I honestly wouldn't have finished this story without all you people's support and just wow.

I also want to thank heavenlyXblueXangel, Vnight, raging akuma d, CupcakesandCats17, Nadiamiki, JackoLillie, Aspect1 for submitting OCs and just, I know I've done a terrible job at including them into this story but you people really did make it easier for me.

Special shoutout for raging akuma d for being a faithful reviewer. Seriously dude, stay awesome.

I've always had a problem finishing stories and with this one, I had made a bet with myself that really made me a bit too attached to this story. It sort of became my outlet and every time I wanted to just quit and rewrite and do anything that prevented me from going forward, that promise kept me rooted. If I hadn't gotten the sort of motivation seeing messages about this story gave me then I wouldn't know where I would be now.

So really thank you.

No sequels here but if you guys demand it, I might get started on that Rogue/OC short I've been planning. And when I say short, I mean really short ahah.

Till next time.

Stay beautiful