Heyo! What's up! Who's mad at me for not updating in forever? You guys are! Yes, you are! Please don't kill me! *hides in my little author's corner* I'm sorry, guys, really. It's just that I haven't had the Nalu motivational spark flare up in me recently. Don't get me wrong, I still ship Nalu very much, but my mind is taken up by other things at the moment. Like a new all original story idea that I thought up during seven hours in the car. I can't tell you guys what it is yet, but I'm planning on it being my big debut novel. Hopefully, but it is in part inspired by this awesome book I recently read in only two days called An Ember in the Ashes. BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!! Go read it!!!! I will bite your head off if you don't!!! Now, with that out of my system and with the conviction that you will go buy the book the second you read this, I present to you without further ado, Chapter 23!!

Lucy, Erza, and Levy met Gray, Juvia, and Cana at the front gates after Lucy changed into some of her "nightclothes" for the outing and grabbed her sword and a cloak. She was wearing a strapless, pastel, lime green top with ruffles that fanned out at the end, dark blue jeans and the small heeled black boots she wore to see Natsu every night. Over that she had her midnight blue cloak on, which was the only way she could go to town and not be noticed. Her hood was up and her left hand was sitting on the hilt of her concealed sword.

"Ready to go?" Lucy asked them.

They all nodded and clambered into the waiting carriage.

When they arrived in town, Lucy looked around in wonder. Everything seemed to be sparkling, probably the effect of not having visited the capital city she lived in in a couple years.

"It's so beautiful!!" she exclaimed.

"It's always been this way," Gray smirked.

"Yeah, well I haven't really gotten to see it recently now have I?" she huffed at him.

"Right, I forgot about that."

"Gray-sama! Can we go over there?" Juvia asked excitedly, pointing at some stand further down the street.

"I-uh," He looked at Lucy pleadingly.

"Of course you can go, Gray! I've got Erza and Cana here with me," she said turning to look at the two, then frowning. "Where did Cana go?"

Everyone turned to where Cana had just been standing.

"I never noticed her leave," Levy said, shocked.

"How did she even get her job?" Lucy asked.

"She was sober," Gray and Erza explained.

"No way!" Lucy said incredulously.

"Don't worry, we found it hard to believe too," they both said, putting their hands on Lucy's shoulders.

"Man, I gotta see that at some point."

"I don't think that's ever gonna happen, Lu-chan," Levy said.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Lucy sighed. "Well I'm sure we'll find her sooner or later. You can go with Juvia, Gray. I'll be fine with Erza and Levy."

Juvia didn't wait any longer to drag Gray off to Mavis knows where.

"Don't do anything dirty!!" Levy yelled after them, and Lucy was sure that the thud that was heard after that was Gray falling on the floor.

Lucy, Levy, and Erza snickered.

"Alright, girls. Where to first?" Levy asked.

"Cake!" Was Erza's only warning to the girls before she dragged them down the streets by their wrists.

Erza finally stopped running after she had run 15 blocks! She dragged Lucy and Levy's limp bodies behind her as she entered the cake shop.

"Irashaimasen! (Welcome!)" was heard as they entered. "How can I-Oh my! Are they alright?!"

A lady with purple hair in a pixie cut and dark green eyes ran over to check them over. Erza looked down at them and frowned in disapproval.

"Weaklings..." she muttered.

She dropped their wrists and went to sit at a booth, leaving them twitching on the floor. Thankfully though, the purple haired lady was nice enough to not leave them lying on the floor like one of their best friends did!

"I will have two strawberry cakes!" Erza barked out.

"Erik!" The purple haired lady called as she was still tending to Levy and Lucy. "Can you come take this woman's order please?"

Lucy became conscious again and sat up against the wall.

"Good you're awake!" The purple haired lady chirped.

"Aa, arigatou," Lucy said groggily.

"Erik! Could you come out here please?" the lady called over her shoulder again.

The back door of the kitchen opened and a very scary looking man came through. He had dark, reddish-brown hair and dark skin. He was quite tall and had a scar over one eye, sealing it shut. He had a white apron on over his dark clothes and he looked quite annoyed.

"What is it, Kinana?" he asked, crossing his arms over his well-built chest.

Lucy gulped and squirmed under his intense gaze. Then his eyes suddenly widened and he bowed deeply.

"Your Highness," he said.

Lucy blinked and reached back to discover that her hood had blown off while Erza had been running with them. Kinana looked confused before realization dawned on her and she bowed her head too since she was already kneeling.

"A-Ah, please no formalities!" Lucy hurriedly said waving her arms in front of her, quite embarrassed.

The now known Erik looked shocked but smirked afterwards.

"Glad to know our princess isn't a stuck up daddy's girl."

"Erik!" Kinana scolded, slapping him on the arm.

He flinched and rolled his eyes.

"Sorry..." he muttered.

Suddenly Levy started to stir. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"My head," she groaned.

"Levy-chan!" Lucy exclaimed as she squeezed her friend. "You're alive!!"

Lucy started to weep dramatically while holding Levy in her arms.

"L-Lu-chan, hanase! (let go in Japanese)" Levy whined.

"Gomen, Levy-chan," Lucy apologized, letting her go and rubbing the back of her neck.

"Where's that crazy demon?" Levy asked.

"L-Levy-chan," Lucy gulped and pointed behind her.

There standing behind Levy was Erza. Her eyes were glowing red and her hair was like tentacles floating about her. Levy gulped and mechanically turned around. She screamed at the sight in front of her and Erza grabbed her by the collar of her dress.

"Rest in peace, Levy-chan," Lucy said, bowing her head.

"Don't just stand there, Lu-chan! Help me!" the petite bluenette yelled.

"Sorry, Levy-chan. It's just that I do value my life. You will be very missed though. I'll tell Gajeel how you died," Lucy replied, smirking at the last bit.

"Lu-chan!" Levy said one last time before she finally passed out from the continuous beating she had been receiving from Erza.

Lucy looked over to her right and saw Kinana and even the scary Erik shaking and rooted to their spot. Erza let Levy's limp body fall to the floor and Lucy could have sworn she could see Levy's soul coming out of her mouth.

"E-Erza, how about we get you some cake, huh?" Lucy asked, approaching Erza with her palms facing up in a show of good will.

Erza's scary mood immediately faded away and she smiled.

"Yes, that would be good," she said.

"Okay, why don't you go to your seat and I'm sure these nice people will be glad to get you... two strawberry cakes was it?"

"Hai," she said as she strode back to her seat.

As soon as she turned around Lucy turned to the still trembling Erik and Kinana.

"I am so sorry," she said, bowing in apology. "Could you please get her two strawberry cakes though? It will calm her down, I promise you. And could one of you help my friend here?"

She pointed to the bruised Levy.

"S-Sure," Kinana stuttered and scurried to go help Levy while Cobra, still looking very shaken up, strode back to the kitchen to prepare Erza's cakes.

"And a chocolate one for me please!" she called after him.

Erik turned around and gave her the most annoyed look she had ever seen in her life, before clicking his tongue and turning away. She shivered as he disappeared through the kitchen door and went to join Erza at her table.

"So, Erza. Do you mind if after this we go to that antique book store Levy and I were talking about earlier?" she asked in a small voice, not wanting Erza to go on a rampage again.

"I'll allow it," she said coolly.

"Arigatou!"

"Ne, Lucy?" she said, turning serious.

"What is it, Erza?" she frowned, concerned about Erza's tone.

"What did he do to upset you this time?" she said he in a disgusted tone.

"Erza..."

"Nuh-uh, tell me," she commanded.

Lucy sighed in defeat. Once Erza set her mind on something she usually got what she wanted.

"It's the same as all the time. Every time he talks to me, he looks at me as if I'm not even human, as if I'm some disgusting bug that he can't get rid of. I'm his daughter! He could at least show that he cares about me once and a while, right? It wouldn't kill him, right? I just... even though I know I shouldn't expect anything from him anymore, it still hurts."

Erza reached over the table and squeezed her hand.

"I know. I haven't really had any parental experience, but a father should care about his own daughter, and I'd kick that bastard's ass if you didn't stop me," she said, glaring at her for the last part.

Lucy giggled and said, "You would probably get kicked out of the kingdom if you assaulted the king, or thrown into the dungeon, and I don't want that to happen to you."

"It's all because your father's the king..." she grumbled.

"Well, we don't choose our parents," Lucy sighed.

"True," Erza said. "Now where's that cake?"

Author's note: So, I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Cobra came in! He's the only villain I will ever like. Does he even count as a villain anymore? I don't know.

Cobra: Are you talking about me?

Meena: AAH! Cobra! You scared me! You weren't supposed to arrive until...*looks at imaginary watch* 30 seconds. 

Cobra: Nobody tells me what to do. *glares at Meena*

Meena: Right... I don't think I'm gonna live through this...

Cobra: Can I go now? I have other things to do you know. Plus, I can hear all your thoughts and I really, really don't want to hear anymore.

Meena: W-Well, that's the curse of your ability. You're gonna have to handle it whenever you talk to a fangirl. And I would be much obliged if you didn't invade the privacy of my mind. *covers her head with her hands*

Cobra: Tch, fangirls are the most annoying.

Meena: Excuse me!!

Cobra: You heard me. All they have in their head is thoughts of a lala land that probably doesn't exist, and their romantic gooey stuff. *gags* And not to mention-

*Cobra has been banished from interview dimension by Author-san, aka Meena*

Meena: I'm sorry, but he was just really getting on my nerves with his fangirl insulting. I mean honestly, can't he just shut up once in a while. I don't know what I saw in him in the first place! But he's still me favorite villain. Villain? Is he still? I don't know, let's not have this discussion. Ah, damn it! I didn't make him read the disclaimer! Ah, well I guess I'll do it. *clears throat* Meena does not own Fairy Tail *imitating Cobra's voice*, Hiro Mashima does. If she did, Cobra and Kinana would have already run away together and become canon. *now imitates Cobra's reaction* WHAT THE?! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!! *switches to Meena* Ah! No! Natsu save me! Wait, he's not here! Waaahh!!!! *runs away for dear life* *back to Cobra* Poison dragon roar!!!!! *Meena* Save me!!!! And don't forget to comment and vote! AAAAHHHHH!!!