Reclaiming a lost friend
By oathkeeperRoxasxNamine09
Summary: One of the many Clichéd Lucy plots done right. Lucy Heartfilia, saved by the magic of her celestial spirits, is reduced to an 11 year old and with no memory of her guild and comrades, except the names of her spirits. She is found by Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney who were with their Exceed partners. They take her in to travel with them, becoming their first real friend. Seven years later, the ones trapped on Tenrou Island are back and return to Fairy Tail while Lucy was a member of Saber Tooth. Natsu, Lisanna, Gray, Erza, and Wendy/Setsuko take part of the Grand Magic Games in order to be the number one guild in Fiore again. The team is shocked to find their lost friend as a member of Saber Tooth and not remembering them. Ever so determined, Natsu and Lisanna battle their hearts out in order to bring their lost fairy home once more.
Friendship! Sting/Lucy/Rogue
Lucy/Lisanna, Gray/Juvia, Erza/Jellal, Elfman/Evergreen, Chisame/Shigeru, and Levy/Gajeel.
Covering the entire x791 and Grand Magic Games arcs completely, with every battle, scene, and actual development and planning.
Prologue: A fairy's seven New Year's.
December 16, x784… it was a date that change the fate of everyone in Fairy Tail. It was the morning of the end for those who were present of that fated day and that fated island… Makarov Dreyar, Gildarts Clive, Laxus Dreyar, Erza Scarlet, Mirajane Strauss, Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Lucy Heartfilia , Freed Justine, Bickslow, Evergreen, Elfman Strauss, Lisanna Strauss, Cana Alberona, Gajeel Redfox, Juvia Lockser, Wendy Marvell, Levy McGarden, Happy, Carla, and Pantherlily, were all on that island when the Dark Guild Grimoire Heart attacked. The Dark guild, led by Hades also known as Purehito, was ever searching for Zeref. Together, the team defeated Grimoire Heart, but in the end, they weren't matched for Acnologia, the dark Dragon. In the end, not even the combine strength of Fairy Tail's members could beat it. The Dark dragon led out a mighty breath attack and Tenrou Island was wiped off the face of the earth, leaving no survivors of that fated day… or so everyone believed.
January 15th, x785 (Nighttime, Hargeon)…
"Hey can you hear us?" a young boy's voice asked.
"Are you sure she's alive, Sting? She wasn't moving when we found her." Another young voice said in response.
"She's got to be Rogue; I felt a pulse from her. She's can't be dead." The first one said reassuringly.
The second boy named Rogue replied in an understanding voice nodding back to his comrade, "Okay Sting, I'll take your word for it. Come on; let's take her back to our camp where Frosch and Lector are."
"Okay." The first boy named Sting nodded, picking up the young girl and carrying her bridal style as he and Rogue returned to their campsite.
The two boys named Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney were both around 11-12 years old in appearance. Sting was the tallest of the two, sporting spiky blonde hair that spiked upwards and with blue eyes. He wore a plain white short- sleeve shirt with an orange vest and blue shorts. On his feet were brown shoes and white socks that reached to his ankles. His companion Rogue had jet black hair laid out and messy with red eyes like a snake. He wore a gray shirt with a black jacket over it with gray shorts that reached his knees. Lastly were black trainers on his feet and white socks. The two boys found a young girl of eleven years old near the port town of Hargeon in the middle of the night. Her body was cold from being in the water, but Sting felt a pulse, telling him she was alive. They decided to take her back to where their fellow companions were so she should recover with them. But unknowing to them, this girl wasn't all that it seems.
January 15th, X785 (Afternoon, former location of Tenrou Island)—
(Cue Fairy Tail main theme—Piano version—Fairy Tail Original Soundtrack 2)
While it seems there were no survivors of the attack on Fairy Tail's Sacred Grounds, someone did survive the ordeal. Floating over the moving waters was a small girl with short blonde hair of shoulder length with a blue bead hair band tying a part of her hair into a side ponytail. She wore a pink dress that reached to her knees with a light pink collar and a blue tie. Lastly was a pair of brown soled shoes. The small girl looked to be around 11 years old but her face showed scratches and bandages on her body. Her body was protected by a golden bubble surrounded by a total of fourteen spirits each showing looks of concern for the girl.
"Lucy…" spoke the first of the fourteen and leader of the Zodiac, Leo the Lion or to his friends Loke. Loke was a handsome young man of average height, distinguished by his delicate facial features and his orange hair. His orange hair was long, and kept in more numerous, larger spikes jutting in every direction, with a pair framing Leo's face; due to another pair of strands, sitting on top of his head, being vaguely reminiscent of animal ears, the rest of his hair mirrors a lion's mane and his teeth are sporadically sharp. Leo's hazel eyes are covered by a pair of azure-tinted sunglasses with a thin frame. Leo's outfit consist of an elegant dark suit, with the jacket left unbuttoned and the loose pants held up by a light colored belt, over a lighter shirt with a simple red tie, plus dark shoes. On his fingers on one of his hands were two rings: one of them had an "X" shape, the other was plain and both had edges in relief. Leo looked solemnly at the girl, wondering if his order to protect Lucy had led to this.
"Will Lucy be… okay?" the second of the fourteen spirits spoke next, Aries the Ram. Aries was a female spirit which resembles a young girl with pink curly hair, brown eyes and a pair of twisted brown horns on her head. Her clothes were based on a wool-like style, white and fluffy: a white, fluffy dress, boots with a brown edge on the top, and a white wool like chocker around her neck. She spoke again with a simple, "Sorry…" in a very polite and apologetic way.
"That girl, always getting herself in these messes and forces us, mainly me to bail her out of it." The third of the spirits scoffed in a foul mood, Aquarius the Water Bearer. Aquarius was a Celestial Spirit with the appearance of a royal blue mermaid. She had a long blue fish-tail, large breasts, and dons a revealing blue and white bikini top. She had two gold armlets and wore a jewel circlet. Her right arm was in the arms of another spirit while she stared at the young girl too.
"Ah, don't be like that Aquarius; you're just as worried for Lucy as all of us." The fourth spirit said in a much kinder voice, Scorpio the Scorpion. Scorpio was a relatively tall, lean-built, dark-skinned man with short hair that was red on one side and white on the other. His tail was a large gun that is shaped like a scorpion's tail that has the word "Antares" written on it. He wore no shirt, but had a flower shaped collar that is red and trimmed with gold around his neck. He had a red sheet-like material around his waist that is kept up by his large belt that has the Scorpio symbol on it. He wore black shorts, and has bandage-like material wrapped around his arms and legs.
"I never seen Lucy so young, she was this cute little girl before growing up?" the fifth spirit asked curiously, Taurus the Golden Bull. Taurus was an extremely tall, heavily muscular and athletic humanoid whose physical features are highly reminiscent of both a bull, as his theme implies, but, most notably, of a cow. His body is covered in a black and white pattern similar to those of dappled cows, and the upper part of it, from the waist up, seems more massive than the lower one. His head is bovine in shape, with small, elongated ears jutting outwards from the sides of his head, and a pair of horns, testifying him as a bull, sitting on top of it. He had dark eyes, and his flat nose bears a large golden ring in it, similar to those carried by real bulls. His muscular chest bears six udders, two on his pectorals and four on his upper abdominals, something which makes him yet again resemble a cow. The tail sprouting from his back, ending in a dark tuft, is quite small, if compared to the large mass of his body. Taurus' massive body is mostly left bare: wearing a dark indument, similar to a pair of swim briefs, covering his groin, held up by a red, studded belt, with a circular, thin, golden metal buckle, with a pair of curved protrusions jutting outwards from it in its upper part. He also wore simple dark boots with lighter upper edges, consisting of three lines circling his legs, and has a red belt circling his neck, to which a golden cowbell is attached. His forearms are wrapped in bandages, and he wears brown fingerless gloves. Crossing his chest diagonally and passing over his right shoulder is a large, plain dark belt closed by a simple buckle, to which Taurus attaches his signature axe. While mostly a pervert to the once older Lucy, the Golden Bull felt more worried for the girl now than before.
"I remember seeing Lucy before Layla died; she really does look like her while still young, baby." Spoke the sixth spirit in calm and cool voice, Cancer the Giant Crab. Cancer dressed in a way reminiscent of a hairdresser; His hair was black and braided in red cornrows that end in a shape that resembles crab's pincers and thick lips. He wore a blue striped shirt and dark trousers with two aquamarine stripes each side, also wearing boots in his feet. In his pants there's a ring chain in the right pocket and a hairdresser tools' bag in the left side of his belt. He wears a golden necklace and it's commonly seen with his two main weapons: Scissors. The color of his eyes was unknown because Cancer also wore sunglasses with green lens. He also had six crab legs that appear from his back.
"Princess sure does look cute; I do hope she'll be the same Lucy again." spoke the seventh in a polite maid like manner, Virgo the Maiden. Virgo's appearance was that of a maid with shackles around her wrists, short, pink hair, and blue eyes. She wore a typical black and white maid's outfit and with a petite body.
"I hope Lucy will be fine." spoke the eighth spirit or spirits, Gemini or Gemi and Mini the Twins. Gemini is two individual twins of a single Celestial Spirit. They are both small alien-like creatures with blue colored bodies and two antennae. They have small, black, beady eyes with white pupils. They both wear shorts, Mini wears orange shorts, and Gemi wears black ones. Gemi has a "^" shape for a mouth, while Mini has a "v" for a mouth. Gemi had a sash running from his left shoulder to the right side of his waist and Mini has a sash running from her right shoulder to the left side of her waist. Both floated over the waters, their faces showing the same concern for Lucy.
"Lucy has always been there for us and vice versa, it's strange to see her like this after everything we've been through." spoke the ninth spirit, Sagittarius the Archer. Sagittarius is a tall, black-haired, lanky man wearing a horse costume. He had rustic, almost medieval style clothing. He carried a giant bow and has a giant quiver on his back. Like his fellow spirits, he showed concern for Lucy and held his hand up in a salute.
"Despite her appearance, we did as we were entrusted with her kindness, to protect her just as Layla entrusted her three spirits." spoke the tenth and final Zodiac key Lucy had, Capricorn the Goat. Capricorn is a tall humanoid, towering over all the Celestial Spirits, who possess many goat-like traits: his body is covered in short, brownish white fur, with longer tufts covering his lower face, resembling a goatee, and the back of his legs, which greatly resemble those of a goat, being slightly bent backwards and ending in dark hooves. He has short, thin ears sitting on top of his head, with a distinctive, elongated oval form, and horns which curve downwards and jut frontwards framing his face. From his lower back sprouts a mildly long tail ending in a dark tuft of fur, and his fingers sport long and dark nails highly reminiscent of claws. His elongated face possesses marked cheekbones and a prominent, large nose; his eyes are always hidden away by a pair of black, mirror polished shades, which were initially portrayed as having distinct, separated lenses, with an elongated oval form, possessing a hollowed part in order for them to rest on Capricorn's nose. The shades, predictably, come with dark arms, which, however, aren't shown resting anywhere, due to the Mage's ears being elsewhere. Capricorn possesses prominent, toned abdominal, and, a more massive, muscular appearance. His clothes consist of a formal twin-tail butler suit which covered his arms and legs.
"Poor Lucy, I feel bad for her." spoke the eleventh spirit, Lyra the Harp. Lyra appears to be a young girl. She has waist length hair that curls at the end, and wears a pink bonnet on top of her head. Her cheeks have round blush marks, and she wore a long dress with heart prints by her waist. She wore leather shoes as well. She had small white wings and a large harp on her back.
"If it wasn't for us, she'd still be trapped that strange sphere put up on Tenrou Island when that Dragon attack. We aren't sure what happened to her comrades or if they are alive." spoke the twelfth spirit, Horologium the Clock. Horologium was a tall brown grandfather clock with long, black arms, a glass case, a Roman-numeral clock at the center and a small face at the top with slit eyes and a thin, twirly, mustache-like mouth.
"But never in all our time could combine Celestial magic have this effect of a human being, reversing time of her body, her clothes as Cancer once mentioned are that of what she wore after her mother died, but she still carries the injuries from her battles on Tenrou Island." spoke the thirteenth spirit, the Southern Cross. Crux appeared to be an aged celestial spirit. His head beholds a giant, metal cross with floral-like golden patterns. He also had a white-haired mustache sprouting from his nostrils that also appears like tiny crosses. He seems to wear a medieval-like outfit, complete with green pants and wooden pointed shoes. His arms and legs are skinny, and appear to be tanned orange. On his arms are blue-colored knots attached to his wrists and elbows.
"Pun, Pun (Lucy…)" spoke the fourteenth and final spirit in Lucy's possession sadly, Plue the Canis Minor. Plue was a short, stout white creature with bland eyes and a golden horn-like nose (reminiscent of a carrot from the side, thus giving him the slight appearance of a snowman). He was shaking slightly but was sad thinking of Lucy no longer who she was.
"Will she be like this forever?" asked Aries shyly.
"No, she'll grow up just like any human, but there is another matter at hand." replied Leo fixing the glasses on his face while frowning.
"What's that, Leo?" asked Virgo.
"Her memory… This Lucy is the Lucy of six years ago after her mother died. Take year 777 into account and she'd be 11, but Lucy turned seventeen before coming into Fairy Tail." Leo explained.
"So what you're saying Leo is that Lucy doesn't have any memories of Fairy Tail, but the memories of her home and her mother's death." Aquarius asked, removing her arms from her boyfriend and folding them.
"Correct, it seems our little rescue affected not only her appearance but her memory too." Leo added calmly.
"Poor thing, not able to remember everything that happened in year x784, it makes me want to cry." Taurus said solemnly, wiping a tear from his eyes.
"She'll remember Taurus, Lucy will have all her memories back and it'll be like old times!" piped Lyra excitedly.
"For now, it's our choice but to let her begin anew, a fresh start. Wherever Lucy goes, we follow her no matter what." Leo decided, removing his hands from his sunglasses.
"So, what should we do about her Guild stamp?" Scorpio asked, pointing to the pink guild crest on her right hand.
Leo placed his hand through the bubble protecting Lucy and squeezes the small little hand that was hers. His hand glowed for just a moment, making all his fellow spirits confused to what he was up to. Once Leo removed his hand from Lucy's, the spirits saw the pink stamp start to turn transparent and clear, but they could make out the outline of it really well.
"I used my magic to make her stamp invisible to anyone including mages who find her. Only we can still see it, so we know that no matter where Lucy might end up, she's a member of Fairy Tail just like me." Leo explained but added on with a softer tone, "I don't want Lucy to suffer wondering what that crest is, or why it's on her hand. I want her to be happy whatever she joins, not to have painful memories of the past she couldn't remember."
"Leo…" The fellow Zodiac members all said at once.
"Lucy might be a pain somewhat, but I agree. It's for the best." Aquarius said coolly.
"Besides, she might still call on us from time to time; it won't hurt any of us." Gemi said reassuringly to the others.
"I guess so, for her sake, we'll do our best for her too." Aries said nodding at Gemi's statement.
"We won't know how strong Lucy will be now, so it's going to be interesting to say the least." Crux said before falling asleep.
"Will she still be Lucy?" Aries asked timidly, worried what kind of person Lucy might become. What if her new training she changes and is no longer the caring Lucy? What if she gains a new magic and really isn't Lucy anymore. What if they changed and aren't themselves anymore? Aries was terrified of what might happen, floating over to Leo to hug him tightly, burying her face into his suit tears falling from her eyes, "I don't want Lucy to change, I like her the way she is! The Lucy who fought anyone who misuse spirits, the Lucy who's done so much for her guild, the Lucy who saved your life, the Lucy who cares for her nakama, the Lucy who wouldn't give up, no matter how many she feels down and doubts herself! I can't bear losing that Lucy; none of us want to lose the one who brought us all together!" she cried, her tears staining Leo's suit. (A/N1-3)
The other spirits felt the worry Aries was feeling and looked sad too. Aries has being through a lot before becoming Lucy's owner: Karen, Angel, the memories of those two owners and everything they put her through was heart wrenching for all of them as well. Lucy loved her spirits, no matter what they did or do, but to lose the Lucy they swore to care for… It was horrible. They all felt tears building up, knowing that after this, this would be the last time they see their Lucy ever again.
Finally Leo spoke up, finally taking his true title of leader of the Zodiac to heart. "That won't happen; I assure you Lucy will always be Lucy. Even thought she might be small, this is the same girl who was told by her mother that all spirits are her friends, not weapons or shields. No matter what becomes of Lucy; she is still the Lucy we know. That's a promise, alright?" he announced to the spirits.
The thirteen spirits minus Aries all wiped the tears that were flowing from their eyes, each and every one of them smiling. They got to hand it to Leo to lift them up, he was the leader of the Zodiac after all and it's his job like a real lion to bring order and calmness to his pack. They all stared at Lucy, the fears of doubt and worry about Lucy's new future was vanishing. Leo look to the sobbing Aries and grabbed her shoulders, taking his ring hand and wiping away her tears. He smiled at her and she sniffed a little, still feeling the tears.
"Everything will be fine, you'll see. So don't cry, Aries." Leo assured her.
The Ram spirit took her right hand and wipes away her tears, her brown eyes looking into the hazel eyes of the Lion. She blush a little, the same color of her pink hair. She embraced the Lion spirit in a deep hug, smiling along with her eyes closed shut. "Thank you, Leo… sorry." she said softly.
"I don't think we'll worry about Lucy changing, her new girlfriend would have our heads if something happened to her. She's a sharp one, that Lisanna. I can see why she's the Demon Mirajane's sister." Aquarius joked, making everyone join in the laughter. Lisanna didn't look it for coming back from Edolas, reacquainting with her guild mates, and falling for Lucy, but she was a strong mage. The Water Bearer asked, "Does it still count, she has a girlfriend not a boyfriend."
"I think it does, Lucy finally has someone she might spend her life with, and we should all support her no matter what." Leo assured the spirit. Leo wasn't hurt by it, neither was Taurus since he can't talk about Lucy's nice body anymore. All that matters was Lucy was happy, so he's happy too. But the Lion spirit was finding love with Aries herself, so all wasn't lost.
Once their talk was over, it was time to take Lucy away from where the island was and to shore once more. The spirits used their combine powers to move the sphere protecting Lucy using their share strength to guide it back to shore. It was to take Lucy to the port town of Hargeon. In a way that's where her adventures in Fairy Tail started, a fitting start for her. As they all watched the sphere float away, they all vanished into golden light one by one, returned to the Celestial Spirit World, closing their gates. For them, three months would pass for Lucy; they hoped someone will take good care of the princess, Lucy-sama, whatever they choose to call her. Lucy Heartfilia floated along the waves of the ocean, her body safe in the sphere of Celestial magic protecting her. Her eyes remained shut, not knowing there was a new beginning for her.
(Unknown Forest in-between Magnolia Town and Acalypha Town, nighttime)—
Sting and Rogue walked through the forest carrying the small girl in Sting's arms to where their companions were. It was quiet in the forest except for the sounds of the animals living there. Sting kept his pace in in front of Rogue carrying the girl in his arms. He thought why a girl like this was in the waters in the first place? He took a quick sniff of her, and smelled so many scents. First was Strawberries and vanilla, so it meant these were her favorite flavors. Then the smell of fresh cotton and other fabrics, so it meant she was from a wealthy family, or just have nice clothes. But one of the scents made his stomach churn… blood. Was this girl in a battle and was the only survivor? He looks to her small body and saw bandages wrapped on her forehead and arms. Did someone patch her up and she was attacked afterwards? If this girl was a lone survivor, she had to be strong for her age. Sting knew that mages like him were trained at a young age to harness their powers and develop them. So if she could survive for so long, this girl was something else. The blond haired boy could see a dim light of orange flames, meaning he was nearing the campsite.
Sting, Rogue, and the unknown girl entered the small campsite where two cats were sitting by a fire. The first of the two is that of a small, mildly anthropomorphous cat standing on his rear legs, with his two front legs acting as hands of sort. His fur seemed to be dark brown in color, with most of his body being red, but his face, belly, paws and the end of his long tail being pink. He had large, pointed ears, and prominent tufts of dark fur jutting outwards in correspondence to his cheekbones, where his whiskers are. Lastly he was sporting just a blue, sleeveless button-up vest which is left open, and has three dark round buttons on its right side. The second was a small, long-tailed, green anthropomorphic cat that can stand on its hind legs too. The second (best referred to as a girl) had large, round eyes, each complete with a pair of prominent eyelashes, and rosy cheeks. The entirety of her body aside from her face is covered by a pink frog-like suit, in which the vast majority is covered by black spots. The suit sports a plain belly, webbed hands, and a hood which forms the frog's head, complete with two beady eyes resting on the hood. These cats were known as Lector and Frosch. The two cats (known as a race of flying cats called Exceeds) turned to see the boys return.
"Sting-kun!" Lector exclaimed happily to the blonde haired boy.
"Rogue you came back, I though you would not come back soon." Frosch said happily to the raven haired boy.
"Sorry we took so long, the shops in Hargeon were never this crowded at night and we had to ride the train." Sting explained.
"So we got some food, but we need to find a mage's guild so we can have more money for food." Rogue added, removing a knapsack from his back and showing it to the Exceeds.
Lector and Frosch jumped for joy and clapped their paws, but stop noticed something or someone in Sting's arms.
"What's with the girl, Sting?" Lector asked curiously, seeing the blonde haired boy walk near the two cats and placed her in front of them.
"We found her near the port and she seems hurt. We couldn't leave her, look." Sting stated, pointing to the injuries on her body. The two cats saw all the nicks and bruises on her body plus where she bandaged up. Despite being cats, they could smell the faint trace of blood. Frosch was terrified of the girl, wondering if she was alive or not. Lector was too, looking up at Sting with his black eyes.
"Is she alive?" He asked his voice shaking.
Sting kneeled down to the Exceed, patting his head. "Don't worry, I felt a pulse, she alive." Lector's worried look changed into a smile as Sting added, "We just need to wait until she awakes. Then we can find out what happened to her."
"I see something shiny!" Frosch piped up, eyeing the set of keys on the girl's belt. Sting looked down and realized it too. He must have not felt the keys on her body or the second item, a whip. Sting counted and saw ten gold keys and four silver ones.
"Gate keys, so she's a Celestial Spirit mage." Sting said aloud.
"Huh?" the three asked in confusion.
"A holder type mage, their keys allows those who are contracted with the spirits to summon them from another world." Sting explained looking at the others who nodded, "I remember hearing about this rookie Celestial mage who was the talk of the town, joining the ranks of Natsu and Gajeel." Sting eyed the girl carefully from her face to her feet. "She doesn't fit the bill."
"You didn't hear about her name?" asked Lector.
Sting shook his head, kneeling down to Rogue's knapsack and pulling out an apple to eat, "Nope, I must have forgotten. I was more interested in what Natsu was up to I didn't know most of if not all of Fairy Tail's members before that dragon Acnologia, wipe them out."
Rogue took a pear from his knapsack and held it in his hands, "December fifteenth of last year, the dark dragon attacked the island where twenty-one of their strongest members were. No one knows what happened on that island or why it came there, but all we know is that no one survived."
Sting sighed, taking a bite of the apple," It's a shame; I really wanted to fight Natsu. Oh well, if a stroke of luck happens and he's alive, I'll beat him." he added happily staring at the starry sky before looking at Lector, "Then I'll keep my promise, Lector."
Lector beamed at his partner before the four heard the sound of stirring. They gasped, looked down to see the blond haired girl Sting brought with him start to awake up. Sting and Rogue kneeled beside the girl and the cats look closely at her. Her face muscles tighten before she slowly opened her eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes were visible as her vision started to become all hazy. Her vision was clearing up, seeing the concern faces of Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch. The young girl spoke up, her voice soft and confused.
"Who… are you?" she asked, seeing their faces.
The young girl rose up from the ground, placing a hand to her head before looking around her surroundings. "Where… am I?"
"In a forest between Magnolia and Acalypha Town, we found you in Hargeon in the water." Sting said before asking, "Do you know how you end up there?"
She shook her head, but look down to her arms and legs. "Did I get hurt?"
Both boys shook their heads as Rogue spoke up this time, "Sting and I found you like this, looks like you were bandaged up before we found you."
"Do you remember who bandaged you, were you in a battle?" asked Lector.
The young girl placed a hand to her head, trying to remember where she got hurt or who tended to her wounds. But there was nothing, nothing but an empty void in her mind. She looks back to the boys and cats, speaking again, "I'm sorry, but I can't remember these injuries or how I ended up in Hargeon. All I remember was living with my father, sometime after my mother died. Then it's all a blank, nothing else I remember after that."
"When did your mother die?" asked Frosch.
"It was July 7th, x777, the year my mother died." The girl explained sadly, her eyes shaking a bit from remembering that day.
The four gasped, that date was familiar, it's wasn't coincidence. July 7th, x777, the year the Dragons disappeared along with Natsu's, Gajeel's, and Wendy's. Did her mother really die the same year of the dragons vanishing, which is really sad? Sting then looks to Rogue for support on this matter, both boys wondering if these two events were connected. But the young blonde haired boy decided to keep that question for later, but decided to ask the girl for her name.
"Do you remember your name at least?" asked Sting.
She nodded, finally forming a smile, "Yes, my name is Lucy Heartfillia."
"Lucy, that's a nice name." Frosch said smiling.
"Thank you." Lucy smiled at the frog suit wearing Exceed. She took a hand and patted the frog suit wearing Exceed on the head, smiling at her before looking at Sting and Rogue.
"So Lucy, you have no memory of how you ended up in the Hargeon, the last memories you have are your mother's death and life with your father, but nothing else?" Sting asked.
Lucy shook her head, hugging her knees to her chest and looked sadly at the grassy forest floor. She couldn't remember anything after living with her father or why she was all bandaged up. What happened to her, why couldn't she remember? There were a few memories she had, there were small but she felt like they were a part of her. She saw the faces of each and every spirit she had a contract with, even though they felt confusing to her from the different settings each of them were in. She remembered what her mother Layla told her about her spirits which they are friends not tools. It made her feel a little better, even though these were the only things she could remember.
"All I remember are my spirits, my mother's words to me, and my time with my dad. Nothing else really comes to mind." Lucy replied, looking back to her knees.
"That's a shame." Rogue and Frosch admitted, feeling bad for the girl.
"You must have amnesia, that's why you can't remember most things." Sting admitted as well, looking at the girl.
"You think so?" Lucy asked.
Sting nodded, but added, "Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce myself, my name's Sting Eucliffe, that's Rogue, Lector, and Frosch." He introduced, pointing to the second boy and the two cats. Both of the cats waved happily while Rogue made a calm wave with his left hand.
"Nice to meet all of you, but I never thought I see talking cats before." Lucy said, referring to Lector and Frosch.
"We're Exceeds, flying cats that come from another world called Edolas. It's sort of a reverse world where everyone has a counterpart to themselves that's either their opposite or the same. We use a magic called Aera to fly. A while back, our entire race came from Edolas after being sucked into Earth Land, that's what the rumors from a guild said." Lector explained, holding up his paws. "Frosch and I were of those who came to Earthland. I was raised in Edolas, unlike most Exceeds."
"Really that's amazing." Lucy replied gladly. Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise was heard in the camp, causing the four to look stunned. Lucy's face formed another smile, a pink tint now on her cheeks.
"I guess I must be hungry." She said embarrassed of her empty stomach.
Sting chuckled nervously, he didn't see that coming. Rogue turned his back from the others and grabbed his knapsack, pulling out a red apple for her. He handled to her and she said to him, "Thank you Rogue." And gladly took the fruit from his hands.
A few minutes later, the five sat around the fire eating their fruit while Sting and Rouge decided to tell the blonde haired girl about themselves. Lucy was intrigued hearing about who they were, enjoying more of the fruit she, Lector, Frosch, and the boys were eating.
"So the two of are Dragon Slayers, that's an interesting magic." Lucy said to the two boys.
"Yes, I'm the White Dragon Slayer; Rogue's the Shadow Dragon Slayer. We've been traveling together for a while now; we even found Lector and Frosch sometime before we met." Sting said his legs crossed on the ground.
"We were hoping to finally join a guild so we can earn more money." Rogue said softly; looking at the flames in front of him.
"Is it okay I go along with you, I always dreamed about joining a guild one day." Lucy asked, looking up into the night sky.
"Sure, it won't be fair if we left you, since we found you and all. Having another person along for the ride mind make our journey interesting." Sting said smiling at the girl.
"I won't mind, I'm grateful to have someone new to talk to." Lector said smiling too.
"I think it's a great idea too!" Frosch said gleefully.
"Fine by me, I don't mind." Rogue said calmly.
"It's decided, we travel together." Sting replied to the girl, holding out his left hand for her to shake it. Lucy smiled, taking hold of the fellow blonde haired boy's hand to shake it back.
It was that moment onward, the group of Lucy, Sting, Lector, Rogue, and Frosch was born. Even though the word 'friend' wouldn't be said about these five, they were now a team and a team must stick together. Once it was time to get some sleep, the boys, Frosch, and Lucy took their place on the ground to sleep under the stars. Sting and Rogue were sound asleep, the Exceeds cuddled together to the warmth of their bodies. Lucy remained awake, staring at the many stars in the sky. A part of her didn't want to sleep yet, extremely excited about finally joining a guild. Her brown eyes stared at the stars, spotting each constellation the sky. She took her right hand from her stomach and stared at the back of it, staring at it with interest. She didn't know why her writing hand was interesting, but looking at it made her happy for some reason. She thought of her mother in an instance, wondering if she is looking down on her from heaven. Then she thought of her father, but frowned thinking of his face. He was so wrapped up in his work; she doubted he noticed her missing. Placing both her hands back on her stomach, her thoughts weren't on her father, but now on the new start she had with Sting and the others.
January 23rd, x785—
It was a couple days since The Dragon Slayers of White and Shadow met the Celestial Spirit mage Lucy Heartfillia and since then, has traveled together with Lector and Frosch. During their time together, they got to know about one another more and their past. The four were amazed that Lucy was from a wealthy family, but told them she doesn't really care about that kind of stuff. When they told her of their lives with their dragons, certain 'info' made Lucy shocked, but promised to not tell anyone the full story, knowing it might make others look down at them. The four got to know her spirits she had a contract with, knowing this was the first time they've met a Celestial Spirit mage and their magic up close. They were kids so even they couldn't make an opinion about their magic, even though they could probably beat Lucy's strongest spirits in a fight. Most of Lucy's faithful spirits helped them during their travels. Virgo gave Lucy fresh clothes from the Celestial Spirit World for her to wear, once her wounds were finally healed and her old clothes were starting to smell. Taurus and Leo usually assisted them when they were attacked by the occasional thieves or monsters. Despite their magic, their bodies were still young, so they needed a little help to handle others. Lucy showed some great work with the boys, assisting them with each spirit she summoned. She felt like she was getting a little stronger (although wondering if she be even stronger once she's older). Their travels took them mostly through Fiore searching for the right guild to join. Rogue suggested Fairy Tail, but Sting decline reminding Rogue that Natsu and Gajeel were once members and it wouldn't be fair of them to join a guild of their fallen idols. Lucy suggested Blue Pegasus, a guild where some famous mages were from too. Rouge shook his head to the idea, saying something about the master on the covers of the magazine creeping him out... This made them bewildered at his statement. Quarto Cerberus was out (they felt they wouldn't fit in that guild), Mermaid Heel, a newly formed guild was an all girls' guild (they wanted to stay together), Lamia Scales was another no (even though Jura, a Wizard Saint was a member), so they choose another guild, Sabertooth. They never heard much about this guild, but heard that the masters don't stay to long around that one, but heard about a new guild master who took over some time ago. Hoping that this was the perfect choice for them, the five in question made their way there.
They walked on the quiet road to the guild, Sting in front while Rogue followed from behind with Lucy and the cats bringing up the rear. Lucy had summoned the Clock spirit Horologium so she would have a place to rest inside with Lector and Frosch riding inside as well. Sting was carrying a map in his hands, pointing to a location. He spoke up to the group, his eyes on the map.
"According to the map, we should be nearing the Sabertooth Guild Hall in a couple miles." Sting said to the group.
"'So we'll be there soon?' she asks curiously." translated the Clock spirit.
"Yes, so let's not dilly dally." Sting replied.
"Hey Lucy, can I ride in there with you next time?" Rogue asked looking back to the spirit and Lucy with interest.
Lucy gasped at this from inside the glass case speaking in a shy voice, "'M-maybe next time, Rogue.' She says shyly." Horologium translated.
"You guys are real lazy, I say with annoyance." Sting said a sweat drop down the back of his head from hearing the four not wanting to walk for themselves. He sighed to himself and continued the path to the Sabertooth guild hall.
Sometime afterwards, the five finally stood in front of the guild hall of Sabertooth, Lucy's spirit finally back in the Celestial Spirit world and standing beside Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch. The guild was located on a rocky area, with some mountains sitting not far from it. The building is identified by a large banner, covered in lines and sporting light edges, which bears the guild's symbol, held up by an horizontal staff secured via a chain to a metal ring, adorned by fang-like protrusions, which tops the high pole sustaining the emblem. Sabertooth's headquarters itself appears to be a very large complex consisting of several structures joined together, with some of them even sitting on top of the others, generating an imposing, elongated structure vaguely reminiscent of an odd pyramid adorned by a multitude of facades, windows and pillars, as well as by some pointed towers protruding upwards from its upper part. Topping the whole structure is a massive statue portraying the animal which is the guild's namesake, a saber-toothed cat with its jaws open. Nodding to one another, they entered inside the guild.
When one thinks of a guild hall they think impressive, Sabertooth was no expectation. Entering inside, the five were greeted by the usual hustle and bustle of the guild. Many people (both male and female) were sitting around tables, discussing things that they weren't able to hear. A few were around the request board looking for a job and most were enjoying a drink. From their view points, many of these members dressed in many different ways, they thought they saw many different types of clothing they never seen before. The Exceeds were amazed even just by looking around, even Rogue cracked a smile seeing the place. Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind them.
"The five of you, are you wanting to join this guild?" a voice, a young woman around nineteen years old asked from behind them. The five turned to see a young woman facing them with a hand to her hip. She was a slim young woman of average height distinguished by her Eastern look: her long, straight and glossy black hair, reaching down to her lower back, while mostly left loose, being parted in the middle of her forehead and sporting two bangs framing her face and going down below her shoulders, her hair is also tied into a pair of bun-shaped loops at both sides of her head, and a braid is present some inches below each of such loops. Her facial make up is reminiscent of that worn by a Japanese "Geisha", with her lips being covered in glossy dark lipstick, and her slanted dark eyes, possessing long eyelashes, being topped by a pair of elongated, diagonal dark spots, seemingly acting as or covering her eyebrows. Her pale figure appears to be considerably curvaceous. The woman's attire was yet again Eastern-looking, with the woman wearing a strapless dress highly reminiscent of a "Cheongsam". On her dress there is a large slit in correspondence to her left leg, exposing it all up to her thigh, and comes secured to her body by a number of dark lace on the back and to her right side, exposing a part of her right breast's back side, and by a line of metal fasteners taking the shape of two horizontally-placed triangles with their bases linked together on her front left side. Such garment is dark in its back part where the laces are, and light-colored on the front, where a large decorative motif representing a "Saber-toothed cat" menacingly lurking in the grass is present, in reference to her guild. Her outfit is completed by a pair of shoulder-length ornamental gloves again bearing dual colors, dark on the arm and hand's lower part and light on the upper one, and dark boots reaching up to her middle calves.
"Yes ma'am, we want to join Sabertooth." said Sting showing no fear to the older woman.
"I see, well come on, follow me. My name's Minerva Orlando, the daughter to Jiemma, the current guild master of this place and advisor when he's away on guild master meetings." Minerva said, gesturing the five to follow her. They did as they were instructed, following the raven haired woman to an office. It was really standard for an office, it even had pictures of past guild masters and Minerva and Jiemma on them. Sting had his gaze on Jiemma, a tall, elderly man distinguished by his massive, extremely muscular physique, untarnished despite his advanced age. The man had long light hair which is tidily gathered on the back of his head and tied in a braid, which reaches down below his middle back, and is secured near its end in a large tuft; the thick beard and mustache covering Jiemma's lower face, linked to his hair by the Master's sideburns, are untamed, with several spiky strands jutting outwards from the latter one. He has marked facial features and a long, massive and mildly rounded nose. His sunken eyes, topped by light and bushy eyebrows, are very distinctive, being almost completely white, as if they lacked pupils, and has a black underlining around his lower eyelid; something which gives him an otherworldly look. Jiemma's small, dark Sabertooth mark is located in the center of his high, mildly wrinkled forehead. Jiemma's outfit is Eastern in look: he wore a short, mildly loose and dark kimono with light edges and cuffs, secured around his waist by a light sash tied on the front with a simple knot, whose right side is casually left hanging over the side of Jiemma's corresponding leg, revealing part of the man's muscular torso. While the right part of the garment is sometimes worn normally, with Sabertooth's Master keeping his left arm in the sleeve. His legs are covered by a very loose pair of light pants, which on the front of each leg bears a vertical line composed of many dark rhombs joined together and lined up. For footwear, Jiemma dons a simple pair of sandals, and his forearms are wrapped in light bandages. Circling the Master's massive neck is a necklace composed of many large, dark spheres, reminiscent of an oversized series of Buddhist prayer beads, and topping his head is a light headgear similar to an Eastern crown, with many vertical sections with pyramid-shaped tops surrounding a massive, central semicircle jutting upwards from it.
Minerva took her spot by the table and looks to the three kids and cats, eyeing them calmly, her green eyes not leaving their gaze.
"So, why don't you tell me your magic starting with you, the boy with the blonde hair?" The raven haired woman asked, pointing to Sting.
"My magic is White Dragon Slaying magic." Sting explained confidently.
"My magic is Shadow Dragon Slaying magic." Rogue explained calmly.
"My magic is Celestial Spirit magic; I collected 10 of 12 of the Zodiac keys." Lucy explained proudly smiling up at the woman.
"Our species Exceeds' magic is Aera, we sprout wings in order to fly." Lector explained standing with Frosch nodded.
Minerva raised an eyebrow and smiled a little, intrigued by this reveal. "I see, Dragon Slayer magic, a rarity if I'm correct? Only a handful of you revealed their presence. As of now, or should I say then, there were seven Dragon Slayers: Natsu, Gajeel, Laxus, Wendy, Cobra, and now the two of you. An interesting development I must say. But what are Dragon Slayers doing with a Celestial mage." She chuckled sweetly, making the hair (or in Lector and Frosch's case, fur) stand on end, "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend."
Sting's face burned red like a tomato, along with Lucy's, "S-S-She's not my girlfriend, we found her. That's all and the truth, Miss Minerva!" Sting stammered feeling as embarrassed as Lucy. Rogue wasn't fazed by those words but merely placed his hands in his jacket pockets.
Minerva merely chuckled, seeing the expression on the boy's face put a smile on her face. "I'm sorry; I wasn't being rude about your relationship. I just found it odd that a holder type mage would be traveling with Dragon Slayers, it never occurred to me how close you five are from traveling together."
Sting merely pouted in annoyance, not liking the word 'relationship'. "But from just looking at you, I see you three want to be strong, that might get you brownie points with my father when he learns what you two are." She said, speaking this time to Sting and Rogue. She clapped her hands at once added with a smile, "Well then, welcome to Sabertooth."
The three kids and Exceeds' faces rose with excitement. They did it, they're in Sabertooth. It was easier than they imagined, but they were in. Minerva turned from them to grab a Magic Guild crest stamp, the guild's crest visible on the black brush.
"Now then, as my father's advisor, I am allowed to place the guild crest on your person. Where would you like to have it?" she asked calmly.
Sting rolled up his left shoulder sleeve to show it to Minerva. "I like it to be white and on my left shoulder." he requested to her.
Rogue removed his hands from his jacket pockets and took off his jacket, rolling up his left sleeve. "I like it to be the same place, but make mine black." he requested to her as well.
Lector removed his vest and Frosch her suit, revealing their backs to the mage. "I like mine to be yellow on my back." The male Exceed requested her.
"I wants it yellow and on my back too!" she said to the mage happily.
Lucy started to pondered where she like her guild crest, not sure where should she have to show she was a member. Suddenly, Lucy's brown eyes shot open in an instance, before a sharp pain made her head ache as well. Lucy started to scream, making everyone in the office looked concern for her, and even Minerva was concerned. Despite her own 'nature', seeing the self-pain this girl was going through made her confused too. Rogue and Sting, along with the Exceeds circled around her with panic and worried looks on their faces.
"Lucy, what's wrong?!" Sting called out with Rogue looking worried too.
"Are you okay?!" Lector and Frosch called out to the screaming girl.
Lucy continued to scream her hands to her heads her voice unhearing to her traveling partner's cries. Suddenly, something was flashing in her mind like pictures in a black and white movie lacrima. A dull colored mark appeared on a hand, waving to someone while the person was facing the other way along with being outside. More flashes of the hand were shown in her head until her mind went blank like a light.
"Lucy, are you okay?" Sting asked, holding up the blonde haired girl in his and Rogue's arms a few minutes later after she collapsed.
Lucy's eyes slowly opened as the two helped her up, her hand to her head and her head hung low. Her head rose back up, her hand still to her head. Everyone stared at her, each of them even Minerva showing concern for her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered softly.
"That's was particular, does that happen a lot?" asked Minerva.
"She lost her memory when we found her, it's only recently this happens." Sting explained his hand to her shoulder.
"I've decided…" she spoke up slowly, making everyone shocked in response. She decided even though her head was hurting? She held up her right hand, showing the back of it to the mage, "I like it to be pink and the back of my right hand."
"Lucy-san…" piped up Frosch and Lector worried for her.
It was after that interesting event that Lucy, Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch were finally made members of Sabertooth. Once the guild master Jeimma returned, there was a feast in honor of their new members. Although he didn't know Frosch and Lector were members, but though they're the three's pets they kept around. But nevertheless, they got to know every member of the guild including two other newcomers who joined some time before them: Rufus Lohr and Orga Nanagear.
Rufus was a slim young man of average height with very long, straight blond hair, reaching down below his back, which is gathered near the end and tied in a small ponytail by a large, dark band. Framing his face are two bangs, which reach down to his shoulders and then flow backwards with the rest of his hair. Rufus possesses deep, slanted black eyes, delicate facial features and a mildly prominent nose. Most of his upper face, aside from his eyes and forehead, is hidden by a crimson mask with golden edges, similar to those found in traditional Italian Commedia dell'arte and Carnival, circling both of his eyes and covering the upper part of his nose, which adds to his theatrical appearance. Rufus' outfit matches his flamboyant personality and demeanor: he wore a very long, crimson vest with golden edges, reaching down to his knees and closed few inches above his waist on the front, something which leaves his legs free, over a cream-colored shirt, with a prominent collar, whose corners are held in place by buttons, and mildly loose sleeves, ending in cuffs decorated by intricate motifs. Standing out on Rufus' chest is an extremely large, flimsy cravat tie, matching his shirt in color, which consists of three layers of cloth, each growing larger than the one above it, and is secured to his neck by its thinner part, passing below his shirt's collar. Covering his legs is a pair of mildly baggy, light-colored pleated pants, tucked inside light boots with large cuffs. Rufus' attire is completed by a large crimson hat, with a prominent brim curving upwards on the sides and golden edges, matching his vest and mask, which on its upper left side bears an extremely long, massive and spiky pink plumage, falling down from the rear part of the hat and almost reaching down below Rufus' back.
Next and lastly Orga, a pale-skinned, very massive and heavily muscular man, possesses extremely well-built arms and torso, and normal-sized legs which, in comparison, look small. He has long, light green hair, reaching down below his shoulders, which is arranged into a variety of massive spikes jutting outwards, with a pair of them going down vertically framing his face, and those topping his head pointing outwards, being held in place by a plain black band covering Orga's forehead; his eyes are shown to have white irises. He possesses an elongated, almost rectangular face, which is usually shown retaining a frowning expression, with Orga's linear eyebrows being placed diagonally at his eyes' outer sides, pointing upwards, and his mouth sporting a slight grimace. His massive shoulders and biceps are adorned by large dark tattoos, with each arm bearing a circle flanked by a pair of slender objects, reminiscent of both wings and elongated leaves. Orga's face is always shown to be adorned by dark stripes reminiscent of war paint, which have been shown to vary from time to time: when first introduced, he had four vertical black stripes covering his chin, placed one near the other, resembling an unconventional beard. Most of Orga's muscular upper body is left exposed: his clothing only consists of a light, striped pair of pants, with a large, tiger-patterned cloth with furry edges secured around his waist by a plain light band. He also wears dark armbands with light edges circling his massive forearms, each bearing a pair of small furry balls on its outer side, near the hand, and dark shoes with light soles, sporting similarly light, simple elongated motifs on their upper part. Encircling his massive neck are three golden-colored, plain ornamental rings.
Rufus and Orga asked about their magic, and they each told them about their history with their magic (but Sting and Rogue also left out certain 'facts' about their past to them and Lucy's memories of her meetings with her spirits was hazy) and got to know each other. They asked about Minerva's as Rufus describes her magic as 'special'. Once the feast was over, the five decided to find themselves an apartment to live in. After a lot of searching, they found themselves an apartment outside of where Sabertooth was located. Three bedrooms and a large bathroom, completely with pantry and old fashion stove, it was the perfect home for them. During the first night, Lucy stood awake in her room, like the night when she first met the Dragon Slayers; her brown eyes stared at her hand, now stamped with the Sabertooth mark. She didn't know why she chooses it there, or what those images in her head that made her collapse. She frowned sadly, wishing she could remember anything before drifting off to sleep.
Time-skip (three years later- x788, Lucy, Sting, and Rogue's apartment) (Lucy: 14 Sting: 15 Rogue: 15)
Three years have passed since Rogue and Sting found Lucy Heartfillia and began not only becoming members of Sabertooth with her, but becoming roommates. Since then, they spent their times outside of missions training their magic and their bodies. Rogue and Sting were now 15 years old and Lucy was 14, the latter of the three growing more lean and muscular. Lucy stared to earn her mother's look with her body looking more like she's be splitting image of Layla any day now. Her shoulder length blonde hair was tied into a back ponytail as she wore light pink sweats. Sting stood in the back of their home dressed in gray and white sweats, his blond spiky hair much spikier than when he was younger. Rogue stood by a picnic table with Lector and Frosch. Like the others, Rogue dressed in gray and black sweats, his black hair pushed back so his eyes weren't covered. Lector and Frosch were sitting on the on the picnic bench watching Sting and Lucy.
One year ago after joining Sabertooth, the Grand Magic Games started and Jiemma picked Sting, Rogue, Minerva, Orga, and Rufus to represent Sabertooth in their big debut. The team's mix of impressive magic dominates the competition, crowning the guild the now number one top spot in Fiore. Lucy didn't take part in the games, so she watched with Lector and Frosch cheering the boys on. That's what happened in the three years, Sabertooth won the Grand Magic Games for the third time and their fourth time was on its way. Now the three were training in hopes to win again this year. To help increase her magic and lack of physical strength, Lucy has had her time by time spurs with Sting or Rogue to learn how to fight hand to hand. As Sting once explained to her (or that Rogue usually tells him) that it's important to strengthen your body more than your magic. As Holder type mages aren't well known for their physical strength, it's important for Lucy to learn how to fight without relying on her sprits to back her up in any fight. She must learn how to battle in different situations, that includes hand to hand combat. When Sting wasn't teaching her hand to hand, Rogue was helping with her whip usage and a second weapon given to her by Virgo from the Celestial Sprit World: A sword, similar in material to Taurus' ax, a simple silver bladed sword with a brown shaft. She kept it on her left hip bone along with her keys. She was still a beginner to the new weapon; Rogue on the other hand was more the expert with the katana he carries.
Both Lucy and Sting were staring face to face at one another ready to fight. The two mages kept their eyes on one another, their hair lightly moving in the light breeze of the wind. Rogue, Lector, and Frosch watched them, waiting for one of them to make the first move.
(Cue invoke Magic—Fairy Tail Volume one soundtrack)
Lucy ran her way to Sting with her arms to her side as she took her left hand to punch at Sting. Sting retaliated and grabbed her fist quickly but before twisting his back and leaping up in the air slightly with his knees bent before kicking Lucy's back. Lucy went flying across the backyard of the apartment but letting her feet slide across the grassy ground, stopping at once facing Sting. Lucy panted slight, catching her breath but saw Sting coming her way for another counter attack. Taking her two arms, she guarded herself as Sting went on striking her body with his fast punches and kicks. Lucy kept her footing while Sting attacked her, feeling every blow he made to her body. Lucy didn't want the attacks to get to her yet, her training was meant to handle any type of fighting style or magic that is thrown to her. There might be a time where someone will just attack her blow after blow with magic until her body is beat up, bleeding, and bruised. (A/N 4)
"Lucy's showing some improvement these three years." Lector said, he and Frosch watching carefully at the battle.
"I agree, usually Sting would already beaten her, but it seems she's struggling to keep at it." Rouge said calmly.
"I agree." Frosch chimed in happily.
Sting continued attacking Lucy with his fists and kicks, the Celestial sprit mage still holding her ground from the Dragon Slayer's rapid attacks. Finally, Lucy uncrossed her arms to push Sting away from her, the White Dragon Slayer's feet sliding on the grass. Once Sting stopped moving, he looks up to find Lucy running up to him once more. Lucy got closer to Sting to deliver a right punch at his chest, but Sting countered it and grabs Lucy's arm before twisting it behind her back and tossing her to the ground in a spin. Lucy cried out in shock as she crash to ground, looking up into the sky.
"Well they say practice makes perfect, right?" Lector asked.
"I agree on that too." Frosch chimed in as well nodding her head.
Lucy groaned from the ground, still looking at the sky with an annoyed look on her face. "Damn and I was almost sure I beat you." She said, taking her left hand and putting it behind her head.
Sting chuckled, looking over the fellow blonde and holding out his hand, "You still got a long way to go, Lucy. You can hold your own don't get me wrong, but you do leave yourself wide open."
Lucy took hold of it and he helped her off the ground. Lucy dusted off the dirt and grass from her sweats before facing Sting. "I guess I still got a long way before I can even hold my own against you."
"You might beat me, but that'll be insane. Close to my league, I'll see it one day." Sting said releasing her hand. (A/N 5)
Lucy chuckled before her and Sting walked back to the others, the two mages taking their seat on the picnic bench. Lucy placed her arms on the bench and sighed deeply looking disappointed, "I'm working so hard to get stronger, it's not as easy as you think."
"It's not as easy to get stronger; it takes a lot of hard work to get as far as beating Sting. He is strong after all." Lector said proudly.
"You got a point there, He's a Dragon Slayer and I'm not." Lucy replied sadly.
"I think you'll be strong, don't give up." Frosch admitted assuring her.
Lucy, taking her head off the table to stare at the frog suit wearing Exceed with a soft smile, "Thanks Frosch, I feel a little better." She said before looking to her keys, whip, and sword on the edge of the table. "At least one thing came from training; I don't run out of magic easily from summoning many spirits, that's a start."
"I've seen you summon five so far and you don't get tired so easily than when we started." Rogue said his back against the table.
"You got a point; I have gotten stronger in my control of my spirits, but still need help in battling without them." Lucy said turning away from the table like Rogue did. "I guess I'll just try even harder to become stronger. I'm not going to throw in the towel just yet."
"That's good to hear." Sting and Rogue replied looking at her.
Lucy smiled at the two Dragon Slayers and hopped off the bench to face their apartment, speaking once again to the boys and Exceeds. "It's such a nice day today, how about we eat out here?"
The two boys and Exceeds look to one another, thinking if it was a good idea to eat outside today. Sting nodded with the other following suit as the fellow blonde turned to Lucy. "I think that's a good idea." He said delighted.
"Great, I'll be right back." She replied cheerfully and left the picnic table area and entered inside the apartment. She entered inside their kitchen, looking through their pantry for bread to make sandwiches. She pick up a knife and began to slice some pieces of bread when she frozen on the spot, flashes of scenes going through her mind. The knife clattered to the ground and images of someone holding different kinds of swords flooded her mind. She crouched down to the ground, her right hand holding her head as the images were unclear to who the person was and what were the swords being used for. The pain was head splitting, almost if her head was ready to burst. Finally the images stopped, the Celestial mage looking at her surrounding to realize she was on the ground.
"More of those weird images, but they're still unclear to what they are." She said softly picking up the knife and rising back up from the floor. Placing the knife on the counter, she took her hands and clapped her cheeks, making sure of herself. "Keep it together Lucy; you'll understand what these images are one day." But thought in her mind, 'these images seem to be my memories, but why is it so hard to remember?'
She shook her head and frowned, continuing to make lunch for Sting and the others. She has been with them for almost four years and every day she sees a new image in her head, but they make her head hurt even more. She never knows if these are even her memories or just painful dreams. Rogue and Sting have shown concern for her, wondering if these images could mean her memory was coming back. But she told them not to worry for her so much. She chuckled to herself, glad they do worry for her.
(July 1st, x788- Grand Magic Games 1st day- Lucy's 15th birthday)
A few months had passes since the sword wielding unknown in her thoughts and Lucy had merely shook it off until she understood what it was. It was now the first day of the Grand Magic tournament and already her guild's team was in first. She sat with Frosch and Lector as always cheering the boys and the team on, her mind far from the images. It was also her 15th birthday as well, meaning she was another year older. Not much changed Lucy on her birthday except for some new clothes she was wearing during the first day. She was wearing a simple red and blue halter top with a tan skirt along with her brown belt with her keys, whip, and sword on her waist. Lastly were the black boots and black knee high socks on her feet. She watched as Sabertooth completely stole the show during the first day events and their battle. She felt bad for Fairy Tail, but didn't know why. Seeing them struggle in the battle and event portion made her heart feel for them. Once the first day wrapped up, Lucy followed the big crowd out the arena and returned to the loggings to celebrate her birthday with the others. It was nearing nighttime with Lucy returning with a bag of extra food under her arm, Plue following beside her.
"That sure was an exciting first day was it Plue?" Lucy asked, looking over her shoulder to look at Plue.
"Pun, Pun, (It was alright, Sting and the others were great)!" Plue said excitedly hopping off the ground.
"We should hurry up before the others worry." replied Lucy to the dog spirit who nodded.
Lucy and Plue continued their walk to the loggings, the Celestial Spirit mage in high spirits of her birthday party and the rest of Grand Magic Games. Suddenly, she stopped walking and Plue alongside her, noticing someone in front of her walking too. It was someone dress in a dark blue cloak, his or her hood up over their head. The person's stature was that of someone of average height, a little taller than the fifteen year old Lucy. Lucy was curious, what was someone like that doing out at night? She didn't feel a dark presence from the unknown figure, maybe this person was a local in the town. She decided to speak up, at least ask what the person was doing out here.
"Hey, excuse me, you in the cloak!" Lucy called to the unknown stranger who snapped into focus hearing someone call for their attention. The unknown cloaked figure turned to see the person, but gasped seeing her face. The unknown figure turned their body to face Lucy, unsure of whom this was. Finally getting a good look at her in the moonlit sky, the figure started stepping backwards, seeming to be afraid of the girl. Lucy cocked her head in confusion along with Plue as the unknown stranger turned around and ran away from her.
"Wait!" Lucy called out to the cloaked figure wanting the person come back and talk, but the cloaked figure was out of sight. Lucy placed her hand to her hip, frowning in annoyance as stared where the cloaked figure stood.
"Man, talk about rude, doesn't even answer back." Lucy said, but sighed, "But he or she must have been in a hurry and couldn't speak. I guess that's it."
Plue nodded in agreement, before he and Lucy continued walking back to the logging with the Celestial spirit mage's arms on her food. "Still, who was that mysterious person? He or she just ran after seeing me?"
Meanwhile in an alleyway, the cloaked figure panted heavily after running away from the blond haired mage. The person clutched their chest feeling it rise and fall from their heavy breathing. The person was leaning by the wall before speaking softly, "No way, it couldn't be…"
The unknown person took a gloved hand and removed the hood, revealing a young man with long shaggy blue hair and a red tattoo over and under his right eye. His face was paler than a ghost, his brown eyes wide in shock. "Lucy Heartfilia… She's alive!"
"Jellal!" two voices called from the alleyway, coming up to him to see if he was alright. Both wore blue cloaks like Jellal, one of them the shorter of the two. They didn't have their hoods on like he did, revealing two young beautiful woman. The first was a pale-skinned woman with dark purple hair and brown eyes along with a white ribbon tied in her hair. The second was a girl with long wavy pink hair to her mid back, green eyes, and a black ribbon that tied her hair in the back.
"Jellal, there you are. We were wondering where you went after the first day." spoke the dark purple haired woman.
"What's wrong?" asked the pink haired young woman, seeing the pale expression on Jellal's face, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Jellal look to the two, his face no longer pale after seeing Lucy. He then spoke up, his voice as serious as he ever been. "Ultear… Meredy… I saw someone, someone who I though was dead."
"Who did you saw?" they both asked curiously. If it was someone they might knew, it could be a clue to their mission.
"Lucy… I saw Lucy Heartfilia, one of Erza's friends." Jellal admitted calmly and seriously as possible.
The two blinked their brown and green twice at the reveal and lean closer, mouths agape and replied, "What?!"
The small group of Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy couldn't believe what they heard (or in Jellal's case, saw). Lucy and all of the Fairy Tail's core members were on Tenrou Island, how she can be alive? This was getting confusing and confusing by the second, but the fact of the matter is… If Lucy's alive, could the others, could Erza, be alive too?
Time-skip one year later-x789 (Destination to Onibus Train Station, Lucy: 15, Sting: 16, Rogue: 16)
Another year has come and gone for Lucy, Sting, and Rogue since their meeting and it was two months before the Grand Magic Games. During their usual training from their guild or at home, the three and the Exceeds would shop for some more food. They take it in turns as to who goes and who stays and wait. Today it was Lucy and Sting would go out for food. Normally Lucy went alone and took the train, Sting would walk, but since it was the pair's turn, they unfortunately took the train. It wouldn't be a problem except for one little detail, Sting's motion sickness.
During the years Lucy has been with the Dragon Slayers and during some unknown time, the boys were implanted with dragon lacrima in the bodies to increase their magic, at some time Sting developed a side effect all Dragon Slayers made and it was motion sickness. Traveling even on the simplest transportation and Sting would feel sick, but he was fine on Lector flying him around. So for Lucy, after leaving the market had sat cross the sickened Dragon Slayer as they made their way to Onibus Train Station. Rogue, Frosch, and Lector would be waiting for them, but the ride there was longer and Sting didn't look like he would last long. His face was extremely pale and his voice slightly weak than how it normally sounded. Lucy merely frowned at the young Dragon Slayer and felt bad for him. Sting's blue eyes eyed the look of concern on Lucy's face.
"What are you looking at Lucy?" Sting asked weakly, his face becoming even paler.
"It's your motion sickness, I never thought just going on transportation would make you so sick." Lucy replied, keeping her eyes on the fellow blonde.
"It's nothing, just something I have to deal with myself." Sting replied back weakly, his face puffing up simulating he wanted to throw up.
"If you want Sting, you can lay on my lap until we make it to the station?" Lucy offered kindly to the White Dragon Slayer.
Sting scoffed at the request, turning his head from Lucy and facing the seat, "Don't bother, just leave me alone until we make it back to the others."
Lucy frowned at Sting's stubbornness, something she sees from time to time while living with him. Sting could show he worries for Lucy, but when she tries to help him, he goes into an 'I don't need your help' moments and walks away. Sighing deeply at Sting's decline, she rose and walked over to him hands to her hips.
"You are just a stubborn Dragon Slayer, you know that Eucliffe?" she said to him, grabbing hold of his shoulders and raised his upper body from the seat, stunning him in shock onto what she was going to do. She finally sat down on the seat, placing Sting on her lap, his head resting on her skirt and his face looking up at her. She still frowned at him, putting her head back against the seat. Sting's face was still rather pale, but he spoke up again to her.
"I don't get it, why did you not listen to what I said and still did so?" he asked weakly again.
Lucy sighed, closing her brown eyes while looking up at the train's ceiling. It was a moment of silence between the two mages, Sting waiting for the answer to his question from her.
"You probably want to know why I choose to not listen to you and want to help. It's not like you have to be proud and not offer help from time to time, it's what someone does for them that matters. What I'm trying to say Sting is why I choose to not listen to your decline." Lucy looked down at Sting opening her eyes, smiling at him with a bright smile. "It's because we're nakama."
Sting gasped upon hearing those words from Lucy's mouth, his blue eyes opened wide in shock. What was she talking about that made his mouth open wide too…?
"Nakama looks out for one another; nakama never abandon someone who is sick or hurt or in trouble. They never turn their backs from them, even if someone is weak and helpless. Nakama will always have your back no matter what. You and Rogue have looked out for me since we met years ago; it's my turn to look out for you." Lucy closed her eyes once more, smiling sweetly at the boy, "So drop the pride, okay Sting?"
Sting didn't respond back at Lucy who places a hand to his forehead, still smiling at him. Sting still remained looking up at Lucy, his eyes resembling that of a little boy confused. His face was starting to feel less pale, meaning his motion sickness was getting better and not worsen. The two mages continued their destination in silence, not speaking to one another until they made to Onibus Station.
At Onibus Train Station, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch were waiting for Lucy and Sting at the Station while sitting on a bench. Rogue crossed his arms eyeing the train tracks for the sound of the train arriving at the station. Lector looked worried for Sting, knowing full and well that he and transportation is a bad combination at best. Frosch as well was worried for Sting too, her paws to her face. The two Exceeds and Rogue remain where they sat, listening for the sounds on the train. Suddenly, Rogue rose up from his seat to stare at the tracks, now taking his right hand to his ear to listen in for something. The sound of the train tracks rattling echoed in his ear drum as the additional sound of steam blowing out a stack was heard too. Frosch and Lector hopped off the bench to stand side by side by Rogue, excitement of hearing that sound. Finally, the train came into view as it come stopping in an abrupt halt. The train's doors opened up and Frosch and Lector gasped in delight to which they saw exiting the train. Exiting along with the passenger was the slightly sickly Sting and Lucy walking off the train. Lucy had the White Dragon Slayer slung on her shoulders with the bags of food in her left hand. She looked up and smiled at the three as Lector, Frosch and Rogue walked up to them.
"Sting-kun, you're okay!" Lector said delighted activating his wings to fly up to Sting with a smile on his face.
Rogue remained calm and took hold of Sting's arm, taking him onto his shoulders; Lucy asked curiously, "Will he be alright?"
"He'll be fine; motion sickness won't last too long, just give him some time to recover." Rogue said looking down at the slightly pale Sting, "Don't worry, I've got him."
"Well now that Sting-kun's off the train, let's head home, I'm ready to eat!" Lector said still floating in the air.
"I agree too!" Frosch said jumping up and down.
(Cue Friends-Fairy Tail Volume one Soundtrack)
Lucy giggled at the Exceeds and nodded in agreement, looking to Rogue and Sting for support. Holding the bags in her hand with pride, she spoke once to them, "I agree, let's go home."
"Yeah!" cheered the cats once more, the five now making their way out the Train station and making their long walk. While the Exceeds were anxious for food, Rogue his usual calmness, and Lucy bright and cheerful, there was one of them who was deep in thought. Sting while the color was finally gone from his face, his blue eyes showed the most softness they ever shown. His face was screwed into confusion, the words Lucy said echoing his mind:
"It's because we're nakama."
'Nakama, we're nakama?' Sting repeated in confusion, blinking his blue eyes as well.
Once they returned home, the three mages and the Exceeds made a delicious meal and were full to the brim with everything they made. Once dinner was over, nighttime had come and Lucy, Rogue, Frosch, and Lector went to sleep. Only Sting remained awake, watching the sleeping blonde celestial mage with interest. The words from the train ride continue to repeat in his head.
'That's the first time someone called me nakama… But what is nakama?' Sting asked himself, still looking at Lucy before finally deciding to get some sleep as well. Sting walked to his room, the word nakama still on his mind. Lector, Frosch, Rogue, and Lucy, were they nakama? That is what was on the Dragon Slayer's mind once he drifted off to sleep.
(Time-skip one year later, x790, Oak Town (Lucy: 16, Sting: 17, Rogue: 17)
Another year has come and gone yet, again and it was another day for Lucy, Sting, Lector, Rogue, and Frosch. The five were doing some down time before returning to their training session in preparation for the Grand Magic Games. It was Lucy's idea that they take a break for a while for the day from their training. Sting and Rogue didn't mind, although it was more to do with Lucy 'getting' her way on the idea. The boys and Frosch learned one thing; Lucy is scary for a girl with no memory. The group was in Oak Town, site of the former guild Phantom Lord. Rogue talked about the stories of the guild, about the famous Gajeel and the Element four. Hearing the name Gajeel again sparked something in Lucy, but she shrugged it off not sure about it. Hearing one of the Element Four, Juvia of the great sea, made Lucy wonder what kind of girl she was. Rogue continued talking about the guild war between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, where Fairy Tail won and Phantom Lord were forced to disband since they started it, attacked their own, and took one of their own as hostage. After that the Iron Dragon Slayer and the Rain Woman joined Fairy Tail and after that, they were possibly killed by Acnologia. Lucy felt bad for them, wishing she could have met them in real life.
They were walking through the forest somewhere in town with Lucy in front of them leading the way, when a commotion caught their attention. Lucy stopped walking and looked to the boys.
"Hey, do you guys hear that?" she asked curiously.
"It sounds like it's coming from that direction, let's check it out." Sting said to the others.
Lector, Rogue, and Frosch nodded in agreement and so did Lucy. With Lucy still in front, they hurried to the source of the noise in the forest. They made their way to where the noise was coming from; poking their heads from behind a bush to see what was going. There, a group of thugs were surrounding a young girl around Lucy's age if not a year older. She was a slender, well-endowed young woman with short, light-colored hair and fringes framing her face. She wore a blue rose ornament on the left side of her head and very light casual clothes: A white blouse with a matching white skirt that reached to her knees, white boots that reached to her calves, a matching white belt and brown eyes. She wasn't nervous being surrounded by the possibly dangerous thugs, but slightly calm but seems to be going somewhere. In her right hand was a light blue suitcase that was gripped tightly while her other hand was to her side.
"Well, well, what's a cutie like you doing out in a forest like this?" One of the thugs said suggestively eyeing her.
"Look I'm in a hurry to be somewhere; I don't have time to deal with you guys." The girl said calmly but coolly.
"Aww don't be like that, we just want to show you around." Another thugs said chuckling in a not normally tone that made the hairs on Lucy's neck to stand on end.
"I really don't have time for this, I need to go." she retorted to the men.
The thugs didn't listen to the young girl's demand to leave her alone as they made their way to her. Lucy didn't want that girl to get hurt so she tried to rise up but heard the girl speak once more.
"Okay, if that's the way you want it." taking her hand to her belt, she pulled out something that made Lucy, the boys, and the cats gasp: a spirit key. It was a golden key, like the ones Lucy carries, with a very decorative bow. The center of the bow features the crest of the heavenly scales. The end of the key's blade appears to be a thicker variation of the symbol, also resembling a horseshoe. The derivative of the design of gleaming circles on the sides of the bow and the top of the handle appear to be the pans of scales. "Open, Gate of the Heavenly Scales." She announced calmly to the thugs holding the key close to her face.
"No way!" gasped Sting and Rogue in silence.
"She's a Celestial Spirit mage?!" gasped Lucy, Lector, and Frosch as well.
"Libra!" she called holding the key in the air as a blue magic circle appeared in front of the girl. Golden light appeared from the circle as something resembling a woman appeared. The woman known by the girl as Libra was a curvaceous woman with dark hair tied in an ox horn style. Her attire resembles belly dancers, consisting of a frilled and striped bikini top along with a patterned loincloth sporting pom-poms at the waist. She wears numerous bangles on her arms and legs, and her neck is also concealed by a thick necklace. On her feet are a simple pair of sandals, and her head is dressed with a zigzagged headband. Concealing Libra's lower face is another cloth that bears her sign, tied around her head. Dangling from her hands, Libra carried a pair of scales, with thin cords running from her fingertips to the sides of the scales, similar to a puppet master.
The thugs' eyes were wide in shock of seeing the beautiful spirit in front of them, blood trickling from their noses. Lucy and the boys kept their eyes on the girls, curious as to what the girl was playing at, bring out a spirit like that.
"What is it that you wish, Yukino-sama?" Libra asked her back facing the one she refers to as Yukino.
"Change the gravity of the ones in front of you and send them away." Yukino ordered still holding her key into the sky.
"As you wish, Yukino-sama," Libra obeyed and held her left hand up with the scales and something changed that made not only the thugs shocked but Lucy and the others too. The thugs felt their bodies being pressured by an incredible force that crushing them to the forest floor even breaking the ground along with it. Libra raised the scales on her hands up which caused the thugs to rise up like they were weightless as they cried out. With a single swift hand movement, the men were sent flying to the trees with tremendous force breaking them in half. Sting and Rogue were flabbergasted; they've seen the strength of Lucy's spirits, but nothing like this before. The thugs were littered on the forest floor in a mixture of tree branches, leaves, and broken tree trunks. One of the thugs rose up from the wreckage in a very pissed off way, now wielding a knife in his hand. Lucy, Lector, and Frosch were panicking for the girl's life, now that the man was willing to kill her.
"You little bitch!" he roared, running his way to Yukino. Yukino didn't move a muscle, holding yet another golden key in her hand along with Libra's key. The golden key is characterized by its marine design, in reference to the Celestial Spirit whose power it harnesses. The center of the bow of the key bears the symbol of the constellation on a dark background, flanked by two elongated fishes with large and visible fins and tails, overlapping in correspondence to their small heads and to the tails it had. The end of the key's blade takes the shape of an anchor. "Open, Gate of the Paired Fish! Pieces!" Yukino announce as another blue magic circle appeared in front of Yukino as golden light appeared as well, taking shape into two forms, a mother and a son. The mother, a slim young woman of average height possessing long, straight and glossy dark hair, reaching down to her middle back, which is gathered above her forehead in a prominent front bun, but is left to freely flow backwards on her shoulders in two strands. She possesses slanted dark eyes, each linked to the corresponding side of her face by a linear tattoo which forks in proximity to the eye, and two dark protrusions reminiscent of membranous fins sit at her head's sides. Hers is a very curvaceous figure, with her ample breasts being hugged and partially exposed by a revealing top made of massive light scales, going from her waist to her neck while baring the central part of her torso, with shoulder pads extending on her shoulders. The woman's arms are covered by light-edged dark sleeves adorned by intricate, light decorative motifs; these very same motifs are present on her full-length, mildly loose matching pants, while her feet are covered by plain, dark open top shoes. Her forehead is adorned by a light, simple crown, bearing a massive light gem on the front.
The son, on the other hand, possesses an inverted color scheme, with his dark-skinned, toned and muscular body creating a contrast with his extremely spiky light hair, just a bit shorter than his mother's, with spikes jutting outwards even on top of his head, and a pair of short strands framing his forehead. He shares the woman's tattoos, fins and crown (which, however, true to the inverted colors, bears a dark gem), but also sports an earring shaped like a shell on each ear, and a light necklace with a similarly shaped (though larger) pendant hanging from it; he, too, wears an indument made of scales, this being a massive belt which extends downwards on his legs' sides to cover the lower part of his loose dark pants. A massive, dark ribbon is tied diagonally on the left part of his chest, going above his left shoulder in close proximity to his neck, around his wrists are massive dark bracelets with light edges (the left one of which is paired with some bandages going up the corresponding arm), and yet another bracelet, adorned by a series of dark and light triangles, is found on the boy's left bicep. He also carries around a polearm in his right hand, this having its upper, offensive edge shaped like the Celestial Spirit's symbol.
Before the thug could even get near Yukino and Libra, the mother quickly grabbed the thug's knife hand in flash like a fish in water, making the man look into the dark eyes of the mother. Her eyes gave her a more menacing appearance along with a dark aura.
"Don't you dare put harm on Yukino-sama, because if you do…" The white haired mother warned the man now terrified looking at her as he dropped the knife to the ground. The son then took the trident in his hand and stabbed it into the shirt of the thug lifting him up as the mother. He struggling to remove himself from the trident, but the son would let him go anywhere even if his shirt ripped.
"We will do everything in our power to protect her!" the son yelled, tossing the main into the air before slamming down to the ground. He looked up at the two spirits was sweating like a bullet. Screaming loudly, he got up from the ground and went screaming from the area along with the others. Lucy, Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch sighed in relief that the girl was alright. Libra and the paired fish spirits look to Yukino who said, "That should scare them away, thank you, Libra, Pisces."
"You are welcome; call us when you need us Yukino-sama." Libra said bowing her head.
"Take care Yukino-sama!" the dark hared son waved to the light blue haired girl as the three spirits returned to Celestial Spirit World. Placing her keys to her belt, she said calmly to someone behind her back.
"You can come out now, I know you are there."
Lucy, Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch were wide eyed in shock when the light blue haired girl knew where they were hiding. Looking to one another, they scramble from the bush and stood in front of the Celestial mage. From standing near her, she was about Lucy's height but shorter than Sting and Rogue.
"How did you know we were there?" asked Lucy kindly.
"It wasn't easy to notice, so I figured you weren't another group of thugs." she explained before rubbing the back of her head nervously, "I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. My name's Yukino Aguria." and held out her hand for one of them to shake.
"My name's Lucy Heartfilia, It's nice to meet you." Lucy replied, taking hold of Yukino's hand and began to shake it. "These are Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney. And that's Lector and Frosch too." She introduced to the light blue haired mage. Lector and Frosch calmly waved to her while Sting and Rogue greeted her with a soft smile.
"So you're Sting and Rogue, The Twin Dragons of Sabertooth. It's nice to meet you." Yukino said looking at the two boys.
"So what are you doing here anyway?" asked Rogue.
"I was trying to find the Sabertooth guild hall when I got lost in Oak Town's forest." She replied calmly.
"Do you want to join?" asked Sting curiously.
"Oh yes very much so. I've been a freelance mage for an awhile with my keys and I've kept up the success of Sabertooth since Fairy Tail lost its members. I've always looked up to Sabertooth and I've really wanted to join. So please," Yukino added bowing her head at the group making them jump in surprise, "Let me join the guild, please!"
The two Dragon Slayers and Lucy looked nervously at the girl along with the Exceeds who were stunned of the girl's actions. Lucy looked to Sting and Rogue who either fidgeted nervously at what to say to her. Frosch and Lector shrugged too when Lucy said nervously to Yukino, "You don't have to bow Yukino-san, I think you'll fit in. Your spirits are strong to wipe out a group of thugs on your own. I think Sabertooth will fit right in for you." Lucy said but added in a dark tone making the boys look terrified at her with her eyes showing dark hue on them, "But if Minerva says otherwise, I'll show her how a queen plays than a king."
"Scary…" muttered Sting and Rogue sweat dropping in response. Lucy could be frightening when she need her to be, so they best no say anything. Sting cleared his throat and said to the second Celestial mage, "So anyway, we'll take you tomorrow to our guild hall. It's much farther from our home, so it might take the whole day if we took you now. And," he added, looking at her suitcase with interest, "You don't seem to have a place to go, don't you?"
Yukino raised her head up to face Sting, Rogue, and Lucy, her brown eyes facing them. She remained silent for a moment, look at the group and to her suitcase. The four mages waited for her to speak, but she turned away and spoke up finally to them, "I don't. Several years ago, my mother and father were killed when I was real young, and my sister Sorano was taken from me by followers of Zeref."
The group gasped, was she really serious about that? They know of Zeref, the powerful Black mage who once was known across the land. When Sting and Rogue were much younger, they heard stories of creatures from the book of Zeref, and the dark guild Grimoire Heart who were hoping to revive Zeref. It was hard to believe there were monsters like that, that someone would want to revive someone so dangerous to their world again. It made Lucy's skin crawl, not by hearing the name, but feeling she seen that guild up close before. But she couldn't remember it, even if it was a dream or a memory. Lector and Frosch were terrified, even as Exceeds from another world (or former); they heard the stories far too well to not avoid them. Rogue remembered hearing stories about a cult that worship Zeref and was involved in the construction of the Tower of Heaven (or the R-System), worked on by a man called Jellal. If he could put two and two together, then could her sister be involved in that mess?
"After that, I wanted to find her again. I spent eleven years looking for her." Yukino finished, still frowning looking at them.
"How old are you, Yukino-san?" asked Frosch smiling up at her.
"Sixteen, I turn seventeen in a few months." Yukino replied.
"And you were a Celestial mage for…" asked Lucy but Yukino quickly replied, "I was a Celestial spirit mage for nine years now. Of course, I had to stay out of site, with those who would be after my keys."
"Sting-kun!" Lector exclaimed, looking to the White Dragon Slayer. "Wasn't there someone from a dark guild that was after Celestial keys and even killed their owners?"
"Yeah, it was…" Sting replied but both he and Yukino said the same name, "Angel of Oración Seis."
"I never see anything of her, but I did hear from stories of her from Blue Pegasus and their tales from when the four guilds battled them in x784. How Angel treated her spirits is nowhere worse than Karen Lillica, who had the spirits of Aries and Leo." Yukino added, making Lucy gasped in shock and realization. Those were her keys; did they really belong to that Celestial mage? Loke (the name he told her to call him by) and Aries were the ones kept the most from her. But she didn't want to pry anything from them, if they won't tell her, it's their decision. She smiled to herself and walked up to her, tapping her on the shoulders to get her attention. The light colored haired Celestial mage looked at Lucy's smiling face, still frowning herself.
"I don't know the full story myself, Yukino. But I carry Aries and Leo with me right now." Lucy informed her, taking her other hand to her hip to show the other Celestial mage her keys. She lowered them from Yukino's viewpoint and assured her, "Don't worry, there in good hands with me. I promise."
Yukino paused for a moment before responding, a light smile on her face. "I'm glad to hear that, Lucy-sama. You know, you remind me of a Celestial mage who loves her spirits as much as you. I wish I could have met her."
Lucy chuckled softly, still smiling at her feeling a little taken aback, "For how you put it, she must be really liked to lover her spirits. Alright, let's get moving."
"Right!" everyone replied in unison and made their way from the area where the thugs once were and left Oak Town, taking the trail back home.
It was a few hours when they made back to the three mages' apartment, likely they did so or they would be drenched by the upcoming rainfall. Once inside, the Exceeds were watching the sky darken outside, seeing the clouds cover the blue sky as drops after drops were falling. It wasn't over yet as it was now pouring heavily, the many droplets splattering the windows. Lector frowned, looking to Frosch who was in agreement of the rain.
"It's a good thing we got in, or we been like wet cats." Lector said.
"I agree Lector; I hope the rain stops soon." Frosch replied, still looking at the rainfall through the window.
Lector nodded as Lucy from behind them came downstairs to the living room where Sting and Rogue were sitting there. Lucy wore a light blue short-sleeve shirt and matching blue sweats. Sting was dressed in a white shirt and matching white shorts, while Rogue dressed in red, gray, and black shorts and a shirt. She carried several sheets in her arms before speaking to the two, a sigh followed afterwards. "Yukino's in the shower right now so don't bother her right now. She didn't have much pajamas or underwear, so I let her barrow a few of mine."
Sting chuckled once he heard that, looking to Lucy with a big grin on his face. "Oh, you gave her some your 'special' garments you wear when we're not looking?" he started to laugh heartedly with Rogue looking at Sting with a 'not amused' scowl on his face. Lucy immediately tossed one the sheets at his face, stopping him from laughing any farther.
"Keep my 'special' garments out of your mind or it's going be something even harder than a sheet to be thrown at you." She warned sternly, her eyes narrowed at him.
"Sting, don't bother her with her own underwear. Just grow up; you're as childish as you-know-who." Rogue said still scowling.
"And you're as bad as him; don't talk about me like I'm not better." Sting retorted back, crossing his arms.
"I think you two are as bad as your heroes, so don't be talking." Lucy muttered, a sweat drop going down her face.
Before the two Dragon Slayers could argue with Lucy for her remark, the sound of stairs creaking caught their attention. They turned around immediately to the source, only to find Yukino standing there. She was dressed already ready for bed. In Sting's disappointment, it wasn't what he expected, thinking it would be something revealing, it wasn't. Like the others, it was regular sleeping attire: A pure white short-sleeve shirt with sky blue sweatpants. She looked a little embarrassed and nervous wearing them, as it was Lucy who gave them to her out of the goodness of her heart. Sting groaned in annoyance walking up to Lucy, "Damn, I really thought it would be something sex…" but Lucy immediately kicked Sting's shin to silent him as he groaned in pain kneeling to the ground.
"Oh, is Sting-sama aright?" asked Yukino curiously.
"Oh don't worry; he just has a leg cramp. Am I right, Sting-sama?" Lucy added, looking at the Dragon Slayer with a sweet smile with a hint of malice in it. Sting groaned in annoyance looking at her, 'you are evil, Lucy.'
Yukino lightly chuckled, speaking up to the three, "You two seem really close, kind of like siblings."
"Yeah, we're siblings alright." Sting replied sarcastically, getting up, to face Yukino. "Times she acts like the older sibling."
"And you're the childish little brother." Rogue and Lucy remarked in unison both sounding more annoyed than ever.
"Rogue, we're almost the same age." Sting retorted looking to him.
"And you wonder why I am never interested in getting into petty arguments with you Sting; it's like talking to a wall." Rogue sighed.
"And what does that mean?" Sting asked irritated at the Shadow Dragon Slayer's choice of words.
"It means that things will go in one ear and out the other with you, is that the answer you are looking for?" Lucy replied, making Sting look at her wondering if she was kidding or not.
'Six years, you are more snarkier than I am, it's scary.' Sting thought as Lucy left to the kitchen to make dinner. Lector and Frosch were hopped from the window sill and sat on the couch with Rogue. Yukino and Sting joined in and waited with them as an hour passed and Lucy finished cooking some soup and chicken and brought the bowls to the others. They sat together on the hard wooden floor, eating their dinner while getting to know one another. Sting and Rogue told Yukino about their lives with their Dragons before 'killing' them. They told her the true story in advance, the Celestial mage promising not to tell anyone. Lucy told her story on her mother's death and her being found by the Dragon Slayers with lack of any memories of anything else despite her spirits. Yukino wondered how her memories were lost, or why she was found in Hargeon in the water with injuries that befell her. There were a lot about Lucy she was curious about, and what the three were doing prior to the Grand Magic Games. Lucy offered since they had a new roommate living with them that get her everything necessary for her. While it was already a hassle to take a break from training today, Sting and Rogue figured they better listen without any auguring with Lucy. It was for one more day, they'll live… both from not training and Lucy not hanging them from her whip again.
After dinner, Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch decided to turn in and go to bed, Yukino and Lucy following afterwards after cleaning up the mess. Since they didn't have many bedrooms, Lucy and Yukino were to share a room together. Lucy didn't mind sharing a room with her, already taking a liking to her from getting to know her story. There was something about Yukino that reminded her of an old friend, just looking at her made her feel really calm for some reason. Yukino slept on her right side of her, seem to be fast asleep while remind Lucy remained awake looking at the ceiling in the dark of the night and the rain splattering the window. She was used to it; it was a time of peace to her to collect her thoughts, her memories. She frowned staring at the ceiling when thought about the events so far, in her memories and what she has seen.
'January 15th, X785, Sting and Rouge found me in the waters of Hargeon port, and took me to Frosch and Lector. I joined Sabertooth on January 23rd when I saw the pink tattoo on my right hand. That's where I choose to put my mark. I spent three years mostly training with the boys, and on the first day of the Grand Magic Games, I saw a mysterious person in a dark cloak who seem panicked seeing me and ran way. Apart from that, I haven't had many headaches or mysterious people I ran into for the past few years. I should keep calm about this. My memories will come back soon; I just need patience that's all.' She thought to herself, but blinked for a second when she heard the sound of shivering and whimpering. Lucy look to her right side to see Yukino there seeming to be crying. Her body was shaking, but it wasn't cold or anything. The Celestial Spirit mage figured she was thinking of her dead parents and her missing sister. Lucy understood how she felt, losing a parent and all. The thoughts were a little hazy, but the memories of herself crying at her mother's funeral made her feel bad for Yukino too. Not wanting her to feel anymore sadness, she turned to her side, taking her arms from under the sheets, and wrapping them around Yukino. She brought the young Celestial mage close to her, her face in the back of her light colored hair. She thought holding her to her will make her feels better, if only for one night. But being this close to the Celestial mage, made her think again to that lost friend in her memory. But thinking of the unknown face didn't make her head hurt, so she felt even better. The two Celestial mage stayed like for the rest of the night, the rain splattering the windows in the calm and cold night.
The next day, morning finally came in the residence of Lucy, Sting, Rogue, Lector, Frosch, and now the new resident Yukino. Yukino didn't asked about Lucy hugging her when she was first to awaken (her first thought was Lucy thinking she was cold). The light hair colored mage didn't remember why there were dried tears on her face, but maybe there was a leak and these were raindrops from a leak too. Sting and Rogue were second to wake up with their Exceeds in their arms. Lector yawned softly and Frosch purred in Rogue's arms, the two looking they slept well. Once Lucy was awake, the boys and Lucy made breakfast for them, the cats, and Yukino. They made eggs, toasted bread, and some orange juice and place them all on their table. They sat quietly eating, not wanting to talk while they ate. Lucy kept her eyes on Yukino, wondering if she was feeling any better from last night. Lector and Frosch noticed the odd eye movements Lucy was giving their new roommate, wondering what was up last night for her to have those sharp brown eyes on the second Celestial mage.
With breakfast finished, they left on the road to the Guild house of Sabertooth, walking in the light rain. They each had umbrellas this time around; Lucy and Yukino sharing one while Sting and Rogue had one each: a blue one for Sting and a red one for Rogue. Lector and Frosch remained sitting on their shoulders as they walked to the guild, the raindrops just sliding down their umbrellas. It was an hour though the rain when they made to the guild, two of their member Orga and Rufus there to greet them.
"Good morning, Sting, Rogue, Lucy. Usually seeing you three in the morning are a rare treat since its training and all for the Grand Magic Games." said Orga but looks to see someone with them he had never seen before, "Oh, and who is this with you?"
"In my memory, I don't remember seeing her before. Is she joining Saber Tooth?" asked Rufus, taking a hand to the brim of his hat.
"My name's Yukino Aguria. It's nice to finally meet you, Orga, Rufus." Yukino replied, holding out a hand.
"I see it's nice to meet a fan, I take it you seen us in the games." Orga responded, taking Yukino's small hand and lightly shaking it.
"A pleasure it is to meet you, Ms. Aguria." Rufus said promptly, taking Yukino's hand and like a gentleman, kisses it. Yukino lightly blush, with Rogue and Sting scoffing at their teammate. He just loves to ham it, does he? Lucy didn't say a word about Rufus, but continued their conversation about Minerva and Jiemma.
"Anyway, are Jiemma and Minerva in?" Lucy asked, looking to the two boys.
"Yes, they should be in the office right now. Go see them right now." Rufus said, with the four thanking the blonde haired man and walking into the guild, Rufus and Orga following after them. Inside, the guild members greeted the Twin Dragon Slayers and the Celestial mage with waves and calls, the four mages and the cats making their way to the office of the Guild Master and Minerva. Once inside, Sting, Rogue, and Lucy greeted the master with the outmost respect they game him and his daughter before introducing Yukino to them. Yukino didn't show fear looking at the muscle bound master and his daughter, but kept her ground like with the thugs the other day. Jiemma only spoke one thing to the Celestial mage and it was the words the guild must follow to their opponents or anyone seem weaker than them: "To make skies roar... to make earth boil... to make seas silent. That is Sabertooth."
Yukino nodded merely as Minerva came from behind the table of her father's and to Yukino. She walked around the Celestial mage eyeing her from every angle. Sting looked to Lucy wondering what she was doing, the blonde Celestial mage shrugged, She didn't know what she was doing, but this was Minerva she was talking about. The older woman came to Yukino's face and grabbed her cheeks while remained calm.
"Hmm, a little soft for our liking, but I think in due time you'll be a fine tiger in our ranks." She said to her, releasing her cheeks and folding her arms, "Well then, Welcome to Saber Tooth."
"Thanks, Minerva-sama, and Master Jiemma." she bowed, keeping her eyes fixed on them, "I won't disappoint you."
Once it was over, Minerva took the guild magic stamp and placed it where she wanted it, her left waist in white. She bowed again, announcing her leave from their presence and left the room, the boys and Lucy bowing as well to signal their leave too.
"Well, you getting your guild stamp went swimmingly than ours." Sting said, after leaving their office and following the others, Rufus, and Orga to the table to talk.
"Minerva-sama is a very interesting person up close than watching her in the games." Yukino commented too, taking a drink.
"Don't get too friendly with her; she's a sadist, a super sadist." Lucy snapped coolly.
"What's a sadist?" Yukino asked a little puzzled from what she said.
"According to my memory, Sadist is a person who has the condition of sadism, in which one receives sexual gratification from causing pain and degradation to another." Rufus noted looking to Yukino.
"So what should I do?" She asked, looking to Lucy. If Minerva was a dangerous person to be around, she should know what to do.
"Don't go near her, don't even speak to her if she speaks to you, just swear your undying life you'll stick with me and you'll be fine!" she retorted, going from warning to cheerful all in once. Yukino merely looked at Lucy like she lost it.
"Lady Lucy's own promises are the saddest things of them all." Orga mumbled his elbow to the table.
"What?" the mages and the cats asked, hearing Orga's odd choice of words.
"It's the saddest versus the sadist." He added, making them look blankly at him.
"From you Orga, that stings worse than your lightning." They all chimed in unison sweat going down the backs of their heads. (A/N 5)
It wasn't long now that Yukino got use to Saber Tooth. It was hard work, but hard work had to be done for the strongest team in Fiore. She spent many missions with her new friends (that's what she called them) or Rufus and Orga. When the Grand Magic Games came around, she sat and cheered the boys and Minerva on. After their stellar win, Lucy and Yukino went to a magic shop to buy some new keys from their collection. While they talked about their training with the boys and hopes to get picked for next year, Lucy's eyes took a gander to Yukino's belt and the key she never saw in play before, no matter the times she seen for use her keys. A golden key with a black snake wrapped around it. What this unknown key?
It wasn't long now that a whole year passed again…
Time Skip one year later—x791- March 30th (Lucy, Sting, Rogue, and Yukino's house) (Lucy: 17, Rogue: 18/19, Sting: 18/19, Yukino: 17)
Seven years… Seven years had passed for Lucy Heartfillia, ever since Sting and Rogue found her in the port town of Hargeon. Seven years she has gained some new friends, but still feeling others are missing in her memories. Those seven years had made her stronger as a person and as a mage. She changed a lot, but still felt like the same Lucy no matter what. It was the end of March and in three months was the Grand Magic Games, and it was another training session for Lucy and Sting.
The four mages, Lector, and Frosch were in the backyard like always, and like always Rogue, Frosch, and Lector were going to watch their teammates' battle. Yukino sat anxious as well, wondering how this match will go. Although they haven't changed much since Yukino's meeting, their clothes sure did change. Lucy wore a white top with a large blue heart in the front showing the top of her large breasts with a golden line on the top and hem of the top with a sky blue short sweeper with a golden hem on the collar. Her golden blonde hair was tied in two pigtails with blue bands with a few strands framing her face. On her sleeves were blue bell sleeves on either of her arms with white frills on the ends to her hands and yellow ribbons tied to her shoulders. She also wore a dark blue skirt with a V shape spilt on the left of her waist. On her feet were her brown boots and dark blue leggings up to the calves of her legs leaving a strip between her leggings/matching skirt. Lastly was the white belt and brown pouch on her waist which held up her keys, silver sword, and her skirt.
Sting donned a blue vest with golden outer edges and inner edges covered by a prominent trimming of gray fur over a short, cream top, leaving his muscular upper abdominals exposed. His arms are covered by dark blue gloves reaching up to his mid-bicep, with their upper edges being adorned by light gray bands hanging down several centimeters. He wore loose, cream-colored pants, similar to Natsu's, but held up by suspenders, which are attached to the pants' loops by square-shaped rings. Over them, he dons distinctive dark blue galosh-esque footwear that reaches up to his thighs and attach to the upper edge of his pants. The prominent soles of the "boots" are distinctive in their own right; they have rectangular protrusions pointing upwards on their front portion, reminiscent of square fangs.
Rogue wore a long, black cape reaching down to his feet, with golden edges, a much lighter collar circling his neck, and a prominent, white ribbon hanging down on his chest. Such cape bears a light Sabertooth's symbol on it, almost in correspondence to Rogue's left shoulder. Below it, Rogue seems to wear a plain greyish bluish tinted white shirt, with prominent brown cuffs and what looks like a large metal band circling each of his biceps. From a light sash circling his waist hangs a distinctive, pale blue cloth waist guard, consisting of four long pieces of cloth reaching down below his knees. Each of these pieces is adorned by a large, dark cross with fan-shaped arms. Below such waist guard, Rogue wears a pair of armored boots, which, on the front, bear plates bearing the very same motif which appears on the waist guard.
Lastly, Yukino wore a cloak clasped together by a star-shaped clip, with feathery protrusions that cover her chest, shoulders, and mid-back, over her blouse and shorts. The cloak flared at her feet, where it is divided into flowing sections secured by ribbons. She wore a black pair of socks that stopped at her mid-thighs. Her keys were on a blue belt on her right hip.
The two mages stood on the grassy back yard facing on another like their usual training sessions. The light breeze of the wind blew the blades of grass and their hair and clothes in addition. Both were staring at one another with serious looks on their face, their eyes (blue and brown) fixated on each other. Their hands grip tightly together, they readied themselves for battle.
(Cue Third Generation Dragon Slayer—Fairy Tail Original Soundtrack 4)
Lucy and Sting dashed to one another running to the center of the backyard, the two mages going into rapid hand to hand combat battle. The two were going at it, hitting each other with every blow by blow, not willing to give up. This was different from their last practice session; Lucy could keep up with the fast Dragon Slayer now. Rogue, Lector, Frosch, and Yukino kept their eyes glued to the two, surprised by how fast they were going. Lucy leaped from Sting, skidding her feet on the grassy ground as the White Dragon rush over to her once more. Sting swung his left foot at Lucy, the Celestial Mage dodging, motioning her body to the right to miss it. Lucy retaliated by delivering her right leg to Sting's right arm when he guarded his face from being hit. But before Sting could push the Celestial mage back away, Lucy slammed her other leg into the side of the Sting's face, sending the White Dragon Slayer sliding on the ground his knees bent. Sting's legs remained bent on the ground before looking up at Lucy.
"You've gotten good, Lucy." Sting admitted, smiling at her with his canine like teeth bearing.
"I have a good teacher." She reminded him calmly, landing her feet back on the ground.
The two stood back onto their feet, Sting wiping his face and smiling a little at Lucy. "That's true, and like I said, we fight for real." As he spoke, white energy begun to swirl Sting's body, his blonde hair moving in the surge of energy. "Here goes…" and inhales a lot of breath as the magic still swirled around him and as a white magic circle appeared in front of him, "White Dragon Roar!" and exhales a powerful, large white whirlwind from his mouth that traveled from his mouth and through the magic circle, heading its way to Lucy. The Celestial mage quickly cartwheel to the left as the breath attack missed her and taking up some of the ground along with it. The blonde Celestial kept calm looking at Sting after he fired his attack.
She chuckled lightly breathing from the adrenaline she felt from the attack almost hitting him. 'He's right, we fight for real. Which means…' she took from her belt two of the golden keys: Gate key of the Golden Bull and Gate key of the Lion. Holding them both in between her right fingers, she called out, the keys glowing as well, "I fight with all I got as well! Open, Gates of Golden Bull and Lion! Taurus, Loke!"
From the ground below, Taurus emerged flexing his human like bovine like arms ready for battle as light shined next to him, revealing the Lion Spirit from the golden light. He pushed his blue tinned sunglasses up from the bridge on his nose, looking calmly at the situation.
"Moo, what is you need, Miss Lucy?" Taurus, the usually handy, but mostly perverted Golden Bull asked once looking to Lucy.
"Lucy, what is it you need?" Loke asked, his back still facing Lucy.
Lucy remained silent, but pointing her right hand Sting, the two spirits nodding understandingly. Lucy walked in between two of her strongest spirits, taking her whip, Fleuve d'étoiles, out from her right hip and held in the ready. "Remember, this might be a practice fight, we fight with all we got!"
Both spirits nodded after Lucy's orders, rearing to go. Taurus reaches from behind his back and took out his doubled ax, holding the large blade in both his hands. Loke straighten his black suit and his red tie, his face still looking serious as ever. Lucy kept calm looking to the White Dragon Slayer, still keeping her whip in her hand while one side of her body faced him and her right side facing away from him. Both Lector and Frosch both looked excited seeing Loke and Taurus, Yukino and Rogue too, as this will be much more interesting battle now. Sting smiled cockily seeing two of Lucy's strongest spirits in action, knowing this will be a much interesting match. Lucy, Loke, and Taurus keep their eyes on Sting as they remained facing the Dragon Slayer. Sting still smiled cockily as he gripped his hands tightly together for the real battle to commence now. Taurus ran his way to Sting, ready to attack.
Taurus made it to Sting finally, swinging his double bladed ax at him, the Golden Bull keeping up with him as he dodged and maneuvered his body from the large ax keeping it from touching him. He continued to back away from Taurus, his face screwed into seriousness as his feet skidded from the Bull Spirit. Sting's feet started to glow with white energy where he stood, generating his White Dragon Slaying magic from below. The Blonde haired Dragon Slayer then ran up to Taurus and leaped up off the ground, exclaiming, "White Dragon Talon!" and collides his white lighted feet at Taurus, who quickly countered with his ax defending his body as sparks of the Dragon Slayer technique hitting the large ax were generating from it. Taurus remained still keeping the Dragon Slayer in place while afloat off the ground, both grunted in frustration trying to hit the other. From below Taurus' feet, the ground was slowly breaking up from below him as he led out a loud roaring moo and finally pushed him back away sending him back. The Dragon Slayer landed back on the grassy lawn with his knees bent on the ground before rising back on his feet, still facing Taurus as Lucy and Loke returned to his side, the two on either side of the Golden Bull.
'I'll admit it; Sting's as strong as Natsu. I can remember meeting the friend to Miss Lucy on Mt. Hakobe.' Taurus thought at once, thinking back to the time when meeting Natsu first hand (And getting knocked down by him in the process) was a memory he'll never forget. It was true Natsu was able to beat him, but like Lucy he was much stronger too. Their owner's strength is their strength, and Lucy's grown so much in the six-seven years. Her personality was a little different from how she was when she was seventeen back in x784. She wasn't as angry as she was, mostly calm but will change emotions when the time was right. She still dressed her own way despite lack of memories, and Sting always makes a note to pick on her about it. She was much more mature in her appearance, still a splitting image of her passed mother. She wasn't a coward anymore; her determination to be stronger was brave of her. It felt like a blessing from the Celestial Sprit King that Lucy's personality wasn't changed for the worse. Even back in the Celestial Spirit World, they pondered the worst outcomes of Lucy's personality now after seven years, and each one was worse than the last. But this Lucy was the right Lucy for them, the one they wanted, they hoped. This is the one for them now.
"Looks like Taurus can really hold his own against Sting, but we'll see how this will go now." Lector said folding his paws.
"To be able to push back even Sting's White Dragon Talon, that's still impressive." Rogue said resting his left elbow on the bench.
"Her spirits' strength is an extension of her strength; they are strong because Lucy was much stronger than before. It's an outstanding accomplishment to say the least." Yukino said hands to her lap.
"Go, Go, Go!" cheered Frosch jumping up and down from her spot.
Loke and Lucy step forward next from Taurus to go at Sting, the two only a feet apart from each other as they dashed to Sting. Loke's hands started to glow a golden light as his fists were surrounded by the gold energy. Lucy still gripped her whip tightly in her right hand, Sting keeping a cocky smile as the two made their way at him.
Loke leaped first into the air with his hands still wrapped in gold light heading his way to Sting and exclaimed, "Regulus Punch!" and dived his way to Sting ready to punch him. Sting quickly ducked and dodged Loke's punches while he backed away from him. Sting's fists then wrapped in white light as he exclaimed, "White Dragon Holy Fist!" and bash his fists with Loke. Sting and Loke then smash their fists in high fast speed that not even Rogue, Yukino, and the cats could keep up with them. Sweat poured from the spirit and Dragon Slayer as they grunted in pain feeling the impact of each fist hurting them if not minor. Sting slid his feet on the grassy backyard from Loke, keep his back facing from Loke, no noticing someone crying out behind him. Sting tuned at once to see Lucy leap over his head with her whip extended overhead (the whip now resembling flowing water) and uses it to grab Sting, tying up his arms together. Sting struggled to break free of the whip, but Lucy wasn't going to let Sting go anytime soon. With her hands holding onto the end of the whip, the Celestial mage started to spin around in place with Sting in her clutches. With all the strength she mustered, she lifted Sting over her head and spun him around and around, the whip twirling like a ribbon. Sting was crying out in agony from the world spinning around him as his face started to puff up like he was ready to throw up. Yukino and Frosch started to hold back laughter from seeing Sting in a very funny situation, but Lector wasn't laughing, eyeing the two with his feline eyes glaring at them.
"Not funny." he muttered coldly while looking back at the battle. "Sting-kun, don't let her make you sick, show her who's boss!"
Finally, Sting was launched into the sky with her whip returning to her side, the flowing waters returned into a standard whip and placing quickly on her hip. Sting's body began to flip around in the air before he returned to looking down from below himself seeing Lucy and Loke.
'Good trick…' Sting thought before holding his left hand like someone ready to throw a ball, his hand generating a white orb of white energy from as he called out, "Take this, White Dragon Holy Blast!" and hurls the white orb of energy down at Lucy and Loke. The white energy came close to Lucy and Loke, the two jumping back as the attack hit the ground causing a small explosion upon impact. Sting continued to fire more Holy Blasts at Lucy and Loke, the two dodging each blasts while the impacted attacks created more craters following after them. While they ran, Loke held out his left hand to Lucy.
"Lucy!" exclaimed the Lion spirit, holding it out as they ran.
"All right!" Lucy exclaimed back, grabbing the leader of the Zodiac's hand as Loke stopped on a dime to quickly hurl her up off the ground and flying straight for Sting. While Still firing his attack and still airborne, Lucy still managed to avoid the blasts while she quickly grab her sword from her hip as Sting gasped seeing her flying straight for him. Sting stopped firing his attack to guard Lucy's sword swing by grabbing it quickly before the blade reached him while the two were still in the air. With Lucy still grabbed, Sting tossed the Celestial Mage away from him as Lucy skid back on the ground her knees bent and sword digging into the ground along with her. Sting finally came falling back to the ground, his knees bent and slowly rose back up facing Lucy still smiling but panting lightly. Lucy rose back up as Taurus and Loke returned to her side.
"Not bad…" Sting panted, finally stopped breathing lightly to look the three more seriously. "Now let's make this even more interesting, shall we?" Sting's body started to be cloaked in an aura of bright light, his cocky smile still showing as he said calmly, "White Drive…" The fluff of his vest and his hair were blowing from the white energy remaining still looking at them. Lucy merely took a step back seeing Sting and feeling the energy radiating from the mage.
Yukino's eyes were wide as saucer plates, shocked of what was Sting was doing. "I never had seen Sting-sama use that before. What is it?"
"It's a technique that simplifies Sting's abilities and performance, like his strength, speed, and endurance. Now his abilities now harness the power that kills Dragons. I wouldn't be surprise what he'll use." Rogue said looking to Yukino.
'I best be careful now, Sting will be much faster and stronger now. Need to keep my eye out for him. Who knows what he'll do now.' Lucy thought calmly watching Sting get geared up to attack. The light disappeared from his body, but the Celestial mage could still feel that intense power surging from within him. Loke kept his fist clenched tightly, Lucy still readying her sword and Taurus his ax, the three ready for what Sting would do.
Sting ran forward at Lucy, Loke, and Taurus, his arms by his side while running at them. Lucy saw his speed and movements were much quicker than normally. Lucy blinked for only a second, but Sting was already at her face, his hands glowing again with energy. "White Dragon Holy Fist!" he exclaimed, raising both glowed fists at Lucy. Lucy quickly guarded the barrage of fast punches from her body with her sword, feeling the blows to her sword clang and causes her to be pushed back. Finally one of his fists finally connected with Lucy's exposed stomach, causing Lucy to be pushed back as she toppled to the ground.
"Lucy!" Taurus and Loke exclaimed in shock seeing Lucy getting hit. Sting turned quickly to the spirits his mouth open wide as he exclaimed, "White Dragon Roar!" and fires from his mouth not a usual breath attack but a white laser that traveled to the two spirits. Taurus and Loke quickly dodged the white laser missing it by an inch as the others ducked their heads with Rogue muttering coldly, "Can he not overdo it?"
Sting immediately stopped firing his breath attack and stood up right while Loke and Taurus returned standing together. Sting dashed over to the two once more and leaped into the air, the two looking up in anticipation onto what Sting will do next. Sting's arms were crossed like a x formation, his hands radiating a white glow before he exclaimed, "White Dragon Wing Attack!" and from his hands, generating a whirlwind of white light and energy hitting the surrounding area around Loke and Taurus, carrying them up and crashing them to the ground, Sting then on the other side of where his attack hit. The ground was picked up from where Sting's Wing Attack hit, the dirt and grass all over the place. Loke and Taurus rose back up from the ground, many scratches and dirt was on their bodies (and in Loke's case, on his suit). They were now a few feet apart from each other, Lucy rising back on her feet, panting slightly her clothes was now dirty from the dirt and grass.
'His White Drive is strong, not even using Dragon Force yet. We need to do some real damage on him.' Loke thought, pressing his glasses on the bridge on his nose from the intense sweat pouring off his face. He looks to Taurus, eyeing his ax with interest then to Sting, thinking of what to do. Then an idea sparked in his head, he had an idea on the perfect counterattack. His right hand started to gather light on it as the golden light surrounding the Lion spirit that Yukino, Rogue, Frosch, and Lector covered their eyes so they wouldn't be blinded from the intense light. Loke clenched his fist tightly to simulate he was punching someone calling out, "Regulus Impact!" and from his connected punch, a large lion's face materializes from the light and traveled its way to Taurus' location. Yukino, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch were completely baffled by Loke's attack, why was he aiming for Taurus? This wasn't like Loke to attack his own comrade, it's just not right. But then it finally sunk into what was Loke up to, when they saw the confident smile on his and Taurus' face, it made clear what they were doing. Lucy had caught on quickly what he was doing, as the Celestial mage commanded, "Taurus, now!"
"You got it!" Taurus exclaimed, taking his ax in a swinging position and when the attack came towards him, Taurus swung his ax at the attack, as the most interesting thing happened. Loke's attack was surrounding the ax in a golden color, absorbing the attack which bathes his ax in golden light with two rings forming too. Sting's eyes were wide in shock; did they perform a combination attack? Taurus turned to Sting as the golden light traveled from his ax, up his arms, and through his body, making his body a golden aura around it. With his now Regulus bathe ax spinning overhead, he called out with a roaring moo, "Moo, Regulus Ax Impact!" and with a mighty crash, a powerful fissure emerge from the impact with not only the breaking of the earth heading towards Sting, but the lion's head was traveling too. Sting stood not able to make a move as he quickly shield his face from view but it didn't help as the attack hit Sting and caused an explosion that covered the Dragon Slayer in a mixture of dust and dirt. The onlookers were impressive for the spirits' combo attack, and Lucy commanding Taurus to make the second phase. Lucy ran back to Loke and Taurus watching the complete damage from their attack and the cloud of dirt hovering around the White Dragon Slayer. Her skirt lightly blew from the dirt still flying around them hoping the attack did the damage on him. Loke and Taurus remained stern and calm staring at the dust cloud with the locks of Loke's hair moving in the breeze with his eyes narrowed. It was quiet, the still silence making everything feel more suspenseful. Rogue and Yukino looked worried and so was Lector, terrified if Lucy really beat Sting. There was no way Lucy could beat him, even with the spirits' combine attack. Lector had no issues or beef with Lucy, but he couldn't believe the student surpassing the master. His feline body trembled; fear sinking in that Sting was defeated.
"Sting-kun…" Lector said to himself feeling even more worried.
"I don't hear Sting… Did Lucy-san…" asked Fro little terrified and shaken too.
"That was a strong attack, but did it really…?" Yukino asked the same tone as the Exceeds looking to Rogue. Rogue shook his head but frowned, not sure himself either.
"Did we… beat him?" Lucy asked to her spirits, but more unsure herself. Even something like that couldn't beat a Dragon Slayer like Sting, not even a non-Dragon Slayer like her. She still kept her sword steady in her hand, waiting for the dust to clear up and reveal the still standing or defeated Dragon Slayer.
The three remained where they were still watching the dust cloud, waiting for Sting to appear. The dull silent in the back yard finally died when Lucy, Taurus, and Loke's ears perked hearing some coming from the dust cloud that covered Sting. It was the sound of eating, more like sucking something from the air. As the cloud slowly cleared up, the three, Rogue, Yukino, and the Exceeds gasped in shock of what they saw. It was Sting, and he was eating something. But it wasn't actual food, but the light around him. The six were even more shocked when it was made clear what light he was eating; the light from Loke's attack. His stomach inflated like a balloon as he ate more and more from the attack, then the light around him. He finally stopped eating and lowered his head and his arms, his stomach stopped inflating and back to normal. With his face so low that the others couldn't see it, he whipped away something from his mouth, the dirt that was present on his face. He spoke up calm and cunning, still not looking at the three.
"Thanks for the meal, Lucy…" he said slowly, rising up smiling. His body began to surge with white energy that made everyone jump in shock. Did their combine attack really fill him up? Sting took his left leg back and his right leg forward still surging with power as he exclaimed out loud, "Now that I have eaten, I'm rearing to go!" and still charged with his magic, he jet off to the center of the three aiming straight for Lucy.
(Cue Salamander- Fairy Tail original Soundtrack 1)
"Go Sting, Go!" Lector cheered, feeling quickly better and more excited than ever now that Sting wasn't going to lose this fight.
Like a white rocket, Sting came straight for Lucy and hit her with the edge of his white energy and shot her up into the air making Loke and Taurus shocked how fast he was and unable to stop him. As Sting put Lucy in the air, he arched back and struck her again and again with trails of his White Dragon Slayer magic in a X formation before diving back to the center of the X with the White Dragon Slayer exclaiming, "White Dragon Double Sword Edge!" and engulf Lucy in a ball of white light that shot her a few in the air as Sting landed back to the ground, the light developing Sting gone from his body. His feet slid cleanly on the grass below him, but he wasn't done yet as he crouched down and placed his hands together before gathering energy.
Back above in the air, the light around Lucy finally vanished, allowing her to look down to see what Sting was doing next. She gasped, seeing Sting open up his hands with a ball of white energy in the palms of his gloved hands before pointing it up into the air aiming at Lucy. The energy in his hands expands over his body as exclaimed, "White Dragon Holy Ray!" and from the expanded ball of light, released numerous homing beams of light from it and heading towards Lucy.
"Lucy!" exclaimed Taurus and Loke and from the picnic table afar, Yukino and Frosch screamed out Lucy's name too.
Lucy watched the homing lights heading straight at her, but no fear was present on her face. She wasn't scared, still showing calmest than ever. Taking her sword, she placed it in a guarding position, allowing the Celestial mage to protect once the lights finally connected with her. The lights bombarded the blade Lucy used guarding, Lucy feeling most of the attack miss her but many strays hit her exposed legs. The pressure was getting to her, but while airborne she had to keep it up no matter. Yukino, Frosch, Lector, and Rogue watch from above at Lucy, but it was hard to make out of her with the laminated lights making everything feel much darker. It was long now since the attack was fired that it finally exploded, covering Lucy in a cloud of smoke. Sting placed his arms back to his side ending his attack and light fading around everyone. His blonde hair lightly blew once he exited White Drive, feeling the extra boost of magic finally slipping away. Everyone was worried more for Lucy now, now waiting for her body to drop. Sting smirked and closes his eyes, waiting for something yet smiling very calmly and not as cocky. The others gulped, but gasped when they saw something up in the air shot out the cloud. They were stunned, no way was it true. When it made its way to Sting standing side by side in a kneeling position, it was true now.
Sting smiled, feeling his locks move in the breeze speaking to his left side. "Now that's true improvement… Lucy."
Kneeling on Sting's side was Lucy, her body all completely battle worn with scratches, bumps, and bruises. Her clothes showed several small nicks and tears on it, from the base of her top to the hem of her skirt. Her pigtails were unbound letting her hair down pass her shoulders and a few fringes covering her brown eyes. Her sword held in a back hand stance while she still kneeled, looking to Sting with a smile. "Thanks." She replied, getting out from her knee to face Sting who turned to her. He opened his eyes and grin holding out his glowed hand for Lucy to shake. Lucy places her sword back on her belt and shook it. She looks to Taurus and Loke, who smiled at her and were happy she was alright. She smiled brightly at her and said, "Thanks you guys, thanks for helping me in our sparing match."
"It was nothing Lucy, you really gotten stronger. We are just happy you're alright." Loke said, he and Taurus walking up to them. "Although, I'm glad you didn't use your 'best' on Lucy or there be more damage than her." He added with a hint of annoyance.
"It was one forest, Loke." Sting replied narrowing his eyes.
"Don't remind me." Lucy muttered sighing. Loke eyed Lucy slightly and saw the annoyed look on her face, and chuckled to himself. A part of Lucy was still there, and that was the usual annoyed look she had with her teammates Natsu, Gray, and Erza. It was brief, but it made him feel better about six years ago since the incident. Lucy was fine; there was nothing to worry about. If she gets her memory back, there wasn't anything he regretted.
The leader of the Zodiac looks to see Rogue, Yukino, and the Exceeds running up them to congratulate Sting and Lucy on their battle. As much he wanted to stay behind and congratulate Lucy, it was time he returns to the Celestial spirit world. He had a date planned after all, and a certain ram spirit won't be happy if he missed it. Smiling to the Celestial Spirit mage, he said to her, "Well I should be going now, Lucy. If you need us, you know where to call us."
"Take care, Miss Lucy." Taurus said arms folded and ax returned to his back. The two spirits of the zodiac vanished into golden light closing their gates. Lucy waved at them and said before they were completely gone, "Take care and tell Aquarius and Scorpio I said hello!"
After watching her spirits vanish and return to their world, she looked to Rogue, Yukino, Frosch, and Lector and spoke directly to them now. "Well, after Sting and I clean up, shouldn't we head to the guild? Didn't Master Jiemma have an announcement about the Grand Magic Games?"
"That's right, so we'll wait in the living room. You guys get clean; I don't think the guild needs any idea what you two were doing." Rogue said, agreeing with Lucy and walked away from where their battle was and heading inside the house with the others following after him.
"What would it be anyway?" asked Lucy getting inside.
"What's ever in Minerva's mindset that's the problem?" He replied to her.
Lucy chuckled nervously, thinking about it now. "Yeah, I get what you mean."
Once inside, Lucy and Sting took their showers and changed into fresh versions of their clothes, and followed Rogue, Yukino, Lector, and Frosch to the guild. They arrived there in a few hours were it seems Both Minerva and Jiemma were standing in front of the members of the guild. Sting and Rogue stood with Rufus, Minerva, and Orga waiting for Jiemma to speak.
Our arrival to the guild was quick and simple. Master Jiemma announced the ones who would be in the Grand Magic Games this year. Sting, Rogue, Rufus, and Minerva, those were obvious choices. But the last was a shock for me.
"Me and Yukino's our reserve?" Lucy repeated, still puzzled by the revealed team. She never expected to be chosen after six years. Sting and Rogue were more pros at this than she was, and Yukino's still a newbie. Most of the guild was a little taken aback by the news, muttering their different opinions about this reveal. Many seem excited by the change after six years, but others doubted having them since it might ruin their chance at being number one again.
"Master Jiemma, Minerva. Are you sure about this, me and Yukino?" Lucy asked walking up Sting, Rogue, Rufus, and Orga.
"Aren't you happy, Lucy? You get the opportunity to honor Sabertooth in the Grand Magic Games." Minerva replied smiling at her. Lucy scowled looking at the smile, not falling for in the slightest. The female mage came to Yukino and grabbed her cheeks, making the young Celestial mage look up at those eyes of hers. "Of course, the two of you know the consequence if you fail in the games. Isn't that, little Yukino?" she added with a sweet tone.
"Yes ma'am." Yukino nodded looking still up at her.
"You won't have to worry, Minerva. We won't fail you. It's like you said to us and Yukino as well… to make skies roar... to make earth boil... to make seas silent. That is Sabertooth." Lucy said to her, getting the mage's attention. Minerva looks to her and saw the seriousness in her facial expression and the tone in her voice. Sting and Rogue nodded in agreement and the same with Rufus. Minerva released Yukino's cheeks and she nodded again.
It was that day that Sabertooth made their team for the Grand Magic Games, the end of March, x791. It's been seven years since Fairy Tail lost its core members in a terrible encounter with Acnologia. The country of Fiore has changed, and people changed too. The world moves on from the good and the bad. Those take the news of love ones lost really well or really hard. For Fairy Tail, seven year wasn't easy for them…
While Lucy enjoyed seven years of a new beginning, seven years later for another, a young teenage boy standing in the port town of Hargeon watching the calm blue waters of the sea with a sad expression on his face. His clothes were similar to the now dead Dragon Slayer Natsu Dragneel, in admiration or a tribute to his fallen friend. He wore a long, dark, sleeveless open jacket with lighter-colored edges, revealing part of his muscular chest and held closed around his waist by a light sash, tied by a knot on his left hip. His legs are covered by loose, light-colored pants reaching down below his knees, paired with low, dark laced boots. Around his neck is a light scarf adorned by a wavy motif, mirroring the one which was given to Natsu by his foster father Igneel, but tied on the front in a large knot and his forearms wrapped in bandages. On his left shoulders was a red Fairy Tail crest, showing the guild he was from.
A new beginning begins now…
To be continued in chapter 1: Fairy Tail X971
Michael: And with that, I finally completed the prologue to my whole new project. And it took me a long time, glad the Grand Magic Games arc is finished so I wouldn't have to make any real changes. So now you're thinking, what's next? Well, for any Fairy Tail watchers/readers, it's the X791 arc. It's going to be an interesting experience to write it without Lucy's point of view, but our second heroine in this story: Lisanna. Considering all the crap she gets from the fanbase, I think this might be interesting how she'll feel in Lucy's shoes. Because I'm not replacing Lucy, Lisanna is just seeing things from her point of view with Lucy gone. So what did you think of this change of pace from the clichéd Lucy, do you think Lucy had some real development? Do you think I didn't make Lucy overpowered? I don't think I did. She still has all her normal keys and two extra ones, her regular magic and the one spell that's in her memories, and her new sword. All I gave her was increased strength, speed, magic use, and endurance. Nothing suish I can think of. What do you think of Sting and Rogue's interaction with Lucy, better than how many stories portray them, somewhat close to their post-Grand Magic Games personalities? What about Lector and Frosch, good too? And from the interaction with Rufus and Orga, despite small in this prologue, was it decent and interesting? What about Yukino, good than how she's treated? What did you think of the fight between Sting and Lucy, a good test that she's really improved?
And if you wondered why I switched Orga with Lucy, well for one, what did Orga do in the arc that was important? Apart from revealing he was a God Slayer, his somewhat battle with War Cry and Jura, he really didn't do much. Maybe after the Sun Village arc I can see more with him, but in the end, he wasn't important to many rivalries in the arc that were made. Because I gained a good feeling with the Saber Tooth members after the Grand Magic Games, I'll make sure and I promise he gets screen time too.
And I am going to allow just two OCs for this, one's Chisame and Roxie from AshK1980. The other you guys can pick from mine and his stories.
That's really it for the prologue; expect the first chapter in a few weeks or months as I am in classes now. See you then and bye-bye!
#1-3: Examples of many Lucy themed stories where she is completely different person and is such a Mary Sue. Even Asuna is more tamed than her.
#4 Spoilers to what happened to Lucy in the manga and anime.
#5: If you are already down here, I guess I will reassure you. Lucy will not beat Sting, they are evenly matched. Lucy won't beat any Dragon Slayer, S-Class mage, or Wizard Saint. She is just in league with everyone from her training. She is not this badasss everyone wants her to be, sorry.
#6: the scene in general between the members and Lucy is a reference to Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.