Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Chapter two; Titania

The red-haired woman stopped eventually when they reached the train station. They said nothing to each other as they walked, only a comfortable silence was found between them. Then as they stopped, Lucy spotted a small man that the redhead seemed to zoom in on. Since the redhead didn't seem to make any move, Lucy decided to speak up.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to our guild," came the answer without hesitation. She didn't even turn to look at her.

Lucy thought about that as they waited. Tanner had used that term once before; she had heard Kelly use it as well, and the town folks had said it now and then. Hadn't Kelly said something about their group being a former guild, too? Questions ran through her head, memories. She wondered just exactly what this woman wanted with her.

"Master," the woman said next, her voice filled with respect. The blonde turned her gaze to see a small man in front of them. His arms were crossed and he looked at her inspectingly.

"You did a fine job, Erza, bringing her. Now, child, care to tell me your name?" The mans face suddenly cracked up in a big, goofy grin, even his eyes seemed to smile.

"My name is Lucy." She took a deep breath as she frowned at them. "What exactly do you want with me?"

"Want with you?" the man echoed, smiling softly at her. "There is hardly anything we want with you, Lucy, anything but help you. You are a mage, am I correct?"

Lucy nodded. "I am a Celestial mage."

The man nodded. "That's a rare magic nowadays."

"Apparently we are of high interest to others." Both nodded in response, looking thoughtful.

"Would you care to tell why you were… being a prize?" the redhead asked.

Lucy shrugged. "Tanner said he could help me."

The man smiled softly. "Now I will say the same, Lucy," he said, "we have a place where you can come to, where other mages are as well. We can all help you."

Lucy only blinked. Then she looked at the redhead, her supposed-to-be new master.

"Will you join our guild, Lucy?" The redheads smile was warm and gentle, leaving the blonde dumfound and gaping at them. After running away from home, the girl had experienced many things, leaving her with mistrust. Surly it had to be something they wanted to use her for.

Yet Lucy had long ago understood how to survive in this cruel world; she should do what her master wanted her to do. She wasn't sure why they wanted her, but she picked up that they wanted her to come with them. "Sure."

Pity and sorrow flashed through Erza's eyes as she quickly nodded and headed for the train. Lucy followed without a word, keeping her gaze at the ground. The tiny man didn't follow them, but that hardly mattered. The armored woman, whoever she was, had been the one to beat Kelly. That meant that she was Lucy's new master, not the old man that seemed to have ordered her so called rescuer.

Once inside the train, sitting in the cabin, the redhead turned to the blonde, looking shocked and sorry at the same time. "I forgot to tell you who I was, didn't I?"

It was more of an rhetorical question, but Lucy answered, "You did."

She shook her head and sighed. "I am Erza Scarlet, also known as Fairy Tail's Titania."

Lucy's eyes widened. Even she had heard of the great Titania, who hadn't? Sure she didn't know much about neither Titania nor Fairy Tail, nothing but both having a large reputation and the Guild containing some of the strongest mages in all of Fiorie.

It had been her childhood dream to be able to join a guild like Fairy Tail someday.

"Is that really so." The blonde covered her face with her bangs, hiding the smallest of smiles. She was actually with the great Titania, one of the strongest mages in all of Magnolia. Surly Tanner wouldn't be so stupid as to try and get her back? He could some ancient spells, yes, though nothing so great as to go up against Erza Scarlet, let alone Fairy Tail.

Maybe… just maybe… she finally could catch a break?

A/N: Thank you all so, so much for the support - comments, favs, follows and simply reading alike, it's honestly all because of you that I manage to continue this story. As that is said, I am terribly sorry for the late update.

I'm not sure where this story is headed, but with all of your support, I look forward to see it myself. Thank you all so much!