Okay so I've decided I'll post a new chapter every time I write one. I finished chapter 10 today so. I probably won't write chapter 11 tomorrow because I'll be busy with homework and volunteering. Anyways, the italics indicate a flashback. Not every chapter will have one but the next few will. Enjoy!

I do not own anything except what you do not recognize.

Chapter 3. The New Enemy

Lia woke up in the infirmary. Wendy said she over exerted herself fighting Erza the day before. If the fight went on any longer, she would have fainted from low magic energy. Another change of clothes was left by her bedside. When she got down to the guildhall, she was reminded at how different the world was. Everything seemed lighter and brighter and carefree. Before she was in an age plagued by war and destruction. Now she was in a world on the brink of another one-sided annihilation.

Would humanity survive?

"Good morning, Lia! Are you feeling better?" Lucy bounced up to Lia with Happy in her arms.

"Good morning Lucy, Happy. Yes, I'm fine. I feel much better, thanks."

"That's good. Master Makarov wanted me to take you shopping for new clothes today. We can go after breakfast if you want."

"That would be great Lucy, why don't we go now? We can get breakfast on the way there."

Lucy and Lia went store to store. By noon, they had arms full of bags. They stopped at an outdoor bistro to eat lunch.

"This is so nice. Usually I have food flying in my face if I have lunch with Natsu and Happy. Those two make me pay for it all too!"

Lia shoved a cake in her mouth. They shared a plate of tiny pastries.

"That's the trouble with having too many male friends," Lia said.

"You're telling me! It's like everyone in that guild has no manners."

Lia chuckled at Lucy's irritated expression. The bubbly blonde was thoroughly entertaining. They shared a love of cute clothes, books and a passion for magic.

"Lucy, you never told me, what kind of mage are you?"

Lucy reached for her belt, pulling off a set of gold and silver keys. "I'm a celestial spirit mage. I have all the zodiac keys."

"That's nice. But… I can sense a stronger magical presence from you. No ordinary celestial wizard, all gold keys or not would give that off."

Lucy fingers her keys. A deep sadness shadowed her face. She showed Lia a gold pendent with two blue waves.

"This is all that's left of Aquarius's key. When we fought the Tartarus guild two years ago, I lost her forever. I summoned as many spirits as I could but it wasn't enough. They were too strong for me. Everyone else was trapped. I was all alone. For the longest time, I was one of the weakest members of the guild. I constantly had to be saved by Natsu or Erza or Gray. Even Happy! But, that time, it was all up to me. When I summoned Aquarius, I was almost out of magic energy. She protected me. But even she couldn't go up against them. She told me the only way to win was to break her key. That would summon the Celestial Spirit King. I couldn't do it. Even though Aquarius hated me, I still loved her. I couldn't give up one of my friends.

Tears trickled from Lucy's eyes. She wiped them away with a heavy sigh.

"Aquarius convinced me. Deep down, even though she was a bitch to me, even though many times she washed me away with her attacks, I knew she cared. When the Spirit King saw how distraught I was about losing her, he granted me her water magic. I'm thankful he did. Now I'm strong enough to protect my friends. And, in a way, I still have Aquarius with me. I know she's happy, not being summoned by me anymore. The others tell me she secretly misses me though. I hope one day I can get to see her again," Lucy finished.

Lia held Lucy's hand from across the table.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. I know what's it's like to lose a friend. You are an incredibly strong girl. I'm sure Aquarius was proud to have you as a master."

Lucy sniffed. "Thanks Lia. I-"

A deafening boom from outside cut her off. Townspeople were running in every direction. Smoke blocked the perpetrator from view.

Leaving the money for their meal the two wizards ran to see the commotion.

A man with a body covered in tattoos and a tattered robe stood among the chaos. He wielded a staff with a purple stone a top. It let out blasts of magic, causing damage to the surrounding buildings. An army of goons made a tight circle around them.

"Open, gate of the lion, Leo!"

Out popped a spikey haired man dressed in a suit and glasses.

"Hey, Lucy. What's up?" Leo, the leader of the zodiac asked.

Lucy pointed to the goons.

"Take care of them. They're trashing Magnolia."

Leo adjusted his glasses.

"No problem Princess."

Leo raised his hands light engulfed him. Spinning around, he targeted the beam at the goons.

"Come on. Let's take the guy with the staff."

Lucy ran forward creating a water whip. It snapped at the tattooed man. Lucy and Lia fought the man for a while. He put up barriers with his staff, making it difficult to get a hit in. Leo jumped in to lend a hand after he was done taking out the lackeys.

Leo made a distraction while Lia spun in the air and kicked the staff out of his grasp. Leo and Lucy sent a combo attack, defeating him.

"If you think this is the end, you're sadly mistaken. Cain's Genesis will destroy Fairy Tail for interfering," the man spat.

Lia dug her heel into his chest.

"Who's Cain's Genesis?" Lucy demanded.

"Not, talking," he sneered.

"I'm sure our friend Erza would love to hear that," Lucy smirked.

The tattooed man, whose name was Leppard, was thrown around the guildhall. Erza had on her Heaven's Wheel Armor. She made her blades dance around his body, missing him by a fraction of a centimeter.

"Now, you are going to tell me everything about this Cain's Genesis guild or I'm going to shove every single one of my swords through your body. One by one until you bleed out," Erza threatened.

Leppard shrugged his shoulders. "Do it then. A wimpy fairy like you could never kill me. I ain't no snitch."

Erza smacked him with her sword. He wet himself.

"You will tell us everything you know. And you will deliver a message to your guild. That a fairy was able to make you spill everything and Fairy Tail is not the guild to piss off."

Well we've got a new villain. I wonder how they'll fare against our beloved guild?

R&R! Until next time :)