Hey guys, Myst here...so, it has been forever since I've posted a chapter and I am sooooooo sorry. I've had really bad writer's block for a while now and it has only just decided to go away. Also, Forbidden will be staying on hiatus until this story is finished, it's just too difficult for me to juggle two stories along with sports and school and family so yeah...love you guys, now to the story seeing as I owe ya very long chappie.

3rd Person POV

Things went rather smoothly for several months after that, there were arguments and jobs and rent and guild fights and even a few villains who got just a bit too mouthy and ticked off one–or several–of the dragon slayers and ended up with a rather unwanted face job. Sting moved in with Cobra, Lucy, and Rogue and stopped renting his own apartment. Things were normal, for the most part, for those months and the entire guild slipped into a sort of lull brought on by the seeming normality of it all; but of course, with Fairy Tail especially, all things even slightly normal came to an end rather quickly and with great flair.

Lucy POV

In hindsight, the first sign of trouble was the guild fight stopping suddenly midway. Erza had not intervened yet and neither had any of the other more powerful members of the guild who were wont to do so should the fight interfere with their activities (Laxus, Master, Mira, etc.). There was not a winner either, Natsu and Sting merely froze mid-fight and stopped to stare at the door a the same time as every other slayer also stopped to stare. Rogue, who had taken a part-time job at the bar with Mira stopped drying a glass; Gajeel paused mid-chew and watched from his position at the corner table next to Levy; Wendy, who had been debating healing techniques with a visiting Cheria also stopped to look at the doors; Cobra, sitting next to me at the bar watching the fight merely shifted his eyes away from the now-frozen slayers and to the doors; Laxus deep bass, which had been rumbling with laughter at something the Raijinshuu had done stopped and I could only guess that he was also watching the on the other side of the doors were, of course, our second and final warning of trouble.

Teens, one male and one female, both covered in blood and staggering, supporting each other in desperate bid for strength. Wendy and Cheria reacted first racing to our bloodied visitors, already drawing on the well of healing magic they each held within themselves. Mira and I reacted second, Mira racing to the upstairs med ward for bandages and some of Porlyusica's healing salve while I called Ares and asked her for a bed of soft wool for the collapsing teens. She obliged, and they landed face-first in a pile of fluff.

Wendy worked on healing the boy while Cheria healed the girl, both starting with wound assessment before healing anything truly major to the best of their (really very good) healing ability. Once any major wounds were closed both girls moved to treating less major wounds that bled more, such as a small cut above the eye suffered by the girl, or a small gash on the back of the boy's head (which Wendy said looked almost like a wound from falling backwards and was older than the other wounds). Once that was finished both girls were pretty much exhausted and Erza ordered them upstairs to the extra beds in the med bay so that they could rest and recover their strength while Mira cleaned, treated, and bandaged the strangers's other wounds downstairs. Once both teens were bandaged Mira asked Jet to run to Porlyusica's house to ask for her aid in any extra treatment the two might need, then asked Laxus and Gajeel to help with carrying the two upstairs into the med bay.

It's nearly a week later that the two wake up, their wounds mostly healed and the magic that I had sensed within them that first day now fully recovered from the tattered, barely-there thing it had been when they arrived. She stirred first groaning softly and shifting in a way that I knew from experience would aggravate her fractured ribs. I was right and she woke with a hiss, sitting up swiftly before realizing that hurt, too, and lowering herself gently to the bed. She notices me watching an instant later and she turns to look at me with a wariness and weariness that does not belong on the face of someone so young, she can only be 13 or 14 at the oldest and I remember myself at her age, surrounded by wealth but so alone, my only company the servants, my father an ever-present chill in the background. I can feel a sad smile tilt my lips and she relaxes a bit, relaxes in the same way Cobra or Rogue or Natsu or any of the slayers really, would after using their senses to find out if someone were a threat. My smile widens as I make a realization.

"You're a dragon slayer." It's not a question and I can tell it surprises her by the widening of her eyes. She nods wordlessly and continues to stare at me, now with something akin to wonder in her eyes. I laugh.

"My boyfriend and my best friend are both dragon slayers, as are my two other roommates and several of my other friends. I've grown to recognize the signs of a slayer pretty well." She blinks and nods again, a slow, small smile starting on her face before her male friend groans and worry shoots across her face as she turns to look at him where he lies–asleep but stirring–in the bed next to hers. I see her eyes widen as she takes in the bandages wrapped around him before she seems to realize something and looks down at herself, noting the bandages that circle her torso and limbs.

"How long?" The question has a desperate edge to it and I glance at her from where I've stood to get them both water.

"A week, you were both sedated the first few days but after that natural rest kicked in and you stayed asleep in order to heal."

"Did you stay here the whole week?" I shake my head.

"No, I took over watching you two after our healer left, she hates humans so she generally doesn't stick around long. I've been watching you guys for about five days now." She nods in understanding and takes the offered glass of water. I study her as she drinks, taking in the long, slightly knotted silver-white hair and the ice blue eyes that could be both warm and as chilly as their color suggested. There was something about her that reminded me of Wendy, but at the same time reminded me of a predator about to strike, as though there was some other side to her that was dormant now but would awaken later. I decided to dismiss it for now and moved on to slightly more pressing questions.

"What's your name?" She looked away from her companion, glancing at me as though deciding whether or not to trust me. She nodded to herself and glanced back at her companion once more before turning her full attention to me and answering.

"Chi. Chi Shiroibara Ryuu." I nodded.

"I'm Lucy, Lucy Heartfilia. So, what sort of slayer are you? First, second, or third generation?" She blinked.

"Second generation, I'm the mental rose dragon slayer, and my powers include empathy, emotion control, illusions, and mind reading." I nod again, smiling at the thought of her meeting Cobra.

"I'm a celestial mage, I have ten of the twelve zodiac keys and several silver keys as well. I can also perform a few more ancient celestial-type magics." She nods and smiles at me, seemingly happy that I'm also entrusting her with information on myself as well.

"So," I look at her questioningly, "how did you two end up all bloody and half-passed out on our doorstep? and how old are you?" She looks at me, a slightly guarded expression coming into her eyes again.

"I'm 13 and a half, and we were on our way to join Fairy Tail when we were attacked by a group of mage bandits." I can feel my eyes harden at the part about mage bandits, I'd had my fair share of run-ins with them as well and knew I would definitely be taking this up with the master after I was sure Chi was okay.

"Well, you made it to Fairy Tail, this is our upstairs med ward. As for the bandits, I'll take it up with the master about sending a few of us out to take care of them." I can see relief fill her eyes and she relaxes visibly when I show her my Fairy Tail insignia. I stand and hold out my hand to her, helping her out of bed and into a chair next to her friend's bed. She smiles at me and I smile back, squeezing her hand gently before letting go.

"I'm going to go let everyone know you're awake, but I'll make sure they stay out if you want." She nods and I grin, I know very well that they can be an overbearing group, even if they are well-meaning. "Alright then, I'll be downstairs at the bar, just give a shout when he wakes up and I'll be right up, okay?" She nods again and I turn to the door; I've just started to turn the handle when I hear a very soft, muffled "Thank you." I let my mental barriers drop for an instant allowing her to hear the returning Your welcome.

The guild took the news that Chi was awake as I had expected–noisily. So noisily, in fact, that Cobra retreated into the soundproof med bay in order to protect his sensitive ears. I followed him, closing the door behind me and grinning at the sight that greeted my eyes.

Chi was looking at Cobra with extreme suspicion while Cobra regarded her with a closed-off expression that I knew meant he was listening to her mind quite closely. They both turned to me when the door's lock clicked and I smiled brilliantly at them before going to sit on the other side of our male visitor's bed.

"Chi, this is my boyfriend Cobra. Cobra this Chi Shiroibara Ryuu, the mental rose dragon slayer. Both of you place nice, alright?" I smile again, and I can feel their discomfort filling the room. An instant later the tension is shattered by our male visitor groaning, blinking, and murmuring Chi's name. Her eyes fill with joy and hope and she hugs him tightly, murmuring into his ear softly, telling him that she's there, that they're safe, he's safe.

When Chi finally releases him I go over the same questions and information as I had when Chi woke up. I learn that his name is Yoshi Ryoshi Tokeo and that while he has enhanced senses he isn't a dragon slayer, he's a shifter, and he has some empath abilities. He's 15 and heterochromatic, but he won't tell me what color his eyes are behind the bandage he (apparently) always wears to cover them. His hair is long, falling to the small of his back in a tidal wave of black streaked through with orange. He doesn't remember the bandits, but Chi explains that's because he was pretty out of it from a vulcan attack earlier in their trip, during which he had fallen and hit his head. The full story explains the wound on the back of Yoshi's head and once they've finished I walk to Chi and help her up while Cobra does the same with Yoshi, we explain that we'll be taking them to the master and Mira so that they can get guild insignias and tell the master about the bandits. We walk close to each other so that Chi and Yoshi can have the feeling of safety they obviously provide each other while we make our way through the noisy guild. The other slayers come to flank us as soon as we're downstairs, holding back the crowd while Wendy checks them both over for any reopened wounds, despite the fact that they're already almost totally healed and the bandages are really only there so that other guild members don't get too clingy.

When we get to the master Mira already has the insignia stamp out and ready. She asks them for colors and locations and they answer rather warily before turning their attention to the master (The looks on their faces are priceless when they realize the tiny, drunk old man before them is the master of such a prestigious guild.) and tell him their story while Mira gives Chi a super pale pink insignia on her left palm, and gives Yoshi a pale silvery-gray insignia on the left side of his collarbone. The master looks properly incensed by the end of their tale and he yells for Team Natsu to go and take care of these mage bandits. Natsu gives me a quick hug and nods to Chi and Yoshi before he and Happy follow a steaming Erza and scowling Gray out of the guild. Lisanna waves quickly before following the rest of her team out. (After Cobra and I started dating I decided that I was officially leaving Team Natsu permanently and recommended Lisanna to them as a replacement as I knew that she worked quite well with Erza, Gray, and Natsu as well as Happy, and I also knew–from Mira–that she had a long-standing crush on Natsu–whom I knew from observation returned her feelings but was too thickheaded to say it. Soon after Lisanna officially joined Team Natsu, she and Natsu started dating.) I watched them go and nodded to the master before turning to my roommates and boyfriend. Chi and Yoshi were herded up to the med bay by Mira and Wendy for more rest, so I decided to take this time and tell them what I had decided.

All three agreed and so we returned to our apartment for the night. In the morning I sent Lector and Frosch to Mira with a message for Chi and Yoshi. They met us at noon outside of the apartment building where Laxus now lived, looking confused but interested. I smiled at them and gave Chi a hug before I started to tell them what, exactly, was going on.

"Cobra, Rogue, and Sting have all agreed that it would be best for you two to live together along with some older guild members, so we've decided to move to a larger apartment in this building. The apartment we've found has four bedrooms, so you two can decide to either room together with separate beds until we've got enough for a house with more bedrooms, which is something we've been saving for, or you can room together. Rogue and Sting will be rooming together either way so it's up to you." Their jaws dropped and they stared at me and the guys, their eyes bugging out. Chi was the first to answer.

"I-I well...I...I don't know...I g-guess if...if it's OK with Yoshi then...we can share but...I mean….ummm…." Yoshi turned towards her and nodded.

"I'm okay with it, it'll allow me to better protect Chi incase something should happen." He nodded again as though reassuring himself and I smiled at them both.

"Alright then, that's decided so how about we three go shopping to get you two some more clothes while these three put some finishing touches on the decor?" They blinked at me before nodding, Chi more enthusiastically than Yoshi, and I grinned, grabbing their hands and dragging them away down the sidewalk towards the little shops near the center of Magnolia.

We shopped for hours, finding outfit after outfit for both Chi and Yoshi. Chi had a fondness for long, loose skirts that were easy to move and fight in, as well as flexible black leather pants enchanted so that they worked as armor. She enjoyed pairing these with tank tops and t-shirts in dark, neutral shades such as brown, black, navy, and the occasional dark green; we were also able to find her a black leather jacket lined with a magical heating cloth that could be set alternately to hot or cold, depending on temperature. Flexible, Roman-styled sandals and conventional high tops as well as combat boots also appealed to her sense of style, and I had to admit that she was really able to pull it off. She had apparently had training with throwing knives in the past as she picked out a set of transforming bangles in many different styles and metals as accessories. They matched her personality and her style, as well as the black ring she wore on her middle finger at all times (There was writing in an ancient script curling over its surface and a tiny cross etched on the side.). We also picked up a couple packs of hair ribbons so she could tie her hair back and out of the way.

As for Yoshi, he had a fondness for more formal button-up shirts and vests with ties and slacks. Chi and I were able to convince him to pick out a few pairs of cargo pants, some combat boots, and a few tank tops. At the magic supply store he picked a trench coat lined with the same magical heating fabric as Chi's jacket, along with a small pouch, made to hold weapons and clothing, that shifted with him, unlike his clothing or anything else he was wearing or carrying. We also picked up leather hair ties for Yoshi so that he could braid his hair back or tie it up like Chi, since it was so long. By the end of our trip I had almost forgotten that I needed them to pick out sheets for their new beds. Luckily, when Frosch came and let me know that the guys were finished at the house she also reminded me to have Chi and Yoshi pick out sheets and blankets, as well as pillows, stuffed animals, and any familiars they might want.

We made our final stop on our shopping trip close to 6 o'clock in the evening and didn't leave until 7. Chi picked soft, rose-colored sheets, a pale pink and white quilt, and a fuzzy cream blanket and two soft pillows, while Yoshi picked pale blue sheets, a white and gray quilt, a fuzzy silver blanket, and a single overlarge pillow. At the back of the store, for some strange reason, they kept familiars for mages who wished for one. Chi picked out a pink Exceed with rounded ears and a gentle face, glaring at the people who had kept her (the Exceed) captive all the while (I'll admit I was giving them my Erza glare too) while Yoshi decided he didn't want one and I found a small cream-colored fox kit with nine tails and a tiny golden star mark on her forehead (I glared harder after I found her). We paid for the bedding and I talked with the manager about keeping intelligent creatures caged when if you to them kindly they would stick around anyway, making it so that we didn't pay a single jewel for the two beauties.

Once we were out of the store and on our way home, my fox announced its name Vulpeca and Chi's Exceed named herself Sugar. By the time we got home Vulpeca and Sugar were steadfast friends and had decided that they quite liked Frosch. I smiled, chatting with Yoshi while Chi laughed with our less humanesque companions. It really was a beautiful day, filled with laughter and joy as well as aggravation, but something was unsettling. There was a feeling of being watched, an icy trickle of unease in my spine that told me a storm was coming; coming fast and unrelenting, ready to destroy and renew. Something was going to happen, and happen it did.

Okay, that was about 3,000 words and it took me a couple hours to write so no complaining please. I'll try to update soon, but no promises.

Love you guys so much,

Myst 3

P.S. I still don't own Fairy Tail.

P.P.S. You guys should really try iced chai, it's amazing.