If I don't update tomorrow or until this weekend, don't blame me. I've got a lot going on these days.


"Keep that rhythm up, Lucy, very good!"

The blonde growled as Virgo started digging holes in the ground, but she was fast and positively chirpy today. As the amount of digging was near her feet, she jumped in the air as high as she could.

"Urano Caeli! Fly Diversion: Enchant!" she casted, and the winds obeyed their new mistress, raising her elegantly in the air. Virgo came out of the hole she had just digged, eyeing her mistress with what seemed a hint of admiration.

Lucy smiled down at her, and spread her arms, calling forth the Wind once more. It blew on her tied hair and made her black shirt cling to her sweaty back, eventually earning such force that had Virgo and Loke tumbling to the ground. Lucy remained up in the air, feeling twirls of air around her as leverage.

"I'm getting scared, Lucy," Loke called over the strong wind, grinning. "The student has become the master!"

"What did you expect?!" Lucy mocked, unveiling her whip with a dandy smirk. Loke gulped. Whenever she brought out her fleuve d'étoiles, he knew she was getting serious.

Just like he presumed, she cracked the whip in the air with a battle cry, flying down at the speed of lightning, in Loke's direction. He positioned himself in a fighting stance, grunting when her whip wrapped around his left arm.

"Come on, Loke!" she teased, and threw him to the other side of the clearing. "Is that all you've got?!"

As if to answer her question, Virgo launched at her mistress, and both engaged in a hand-to-hand combat. Virgo was less smooth than Loke, which only contributted to Lucy's triumph over their duel. With a hiss, Virgo was thrown to the ground, and Lucy moved to attack Loke.

"It doesn't help when you've got a fuckin' whip!" Loke cursed, causing Lucy to momentarily stop to blow up in laughter. He grinned. "Heads up!"

"Oh!" she cried out, when he managed to pin her to the ground and throw her whip away from her range. "You bastard, no fair!"

"All is fair in the war of love," he winked. Lucy grimaced, scowling at him.

"Heads down."

"Ouch!"

Loke let Lucy slip out of his grasp after she roughly kicked him in the groin, scrambling to pick up her trusted whip. She had a grin in her face that made Loke groan.

"Why are you always kicking me in the crotch?!"

"Because you're a guy. I'm a girl, so hitting that doesn't necessarily make it a low blow. Well… low blow," she snorted. Loke glared at her.

"So funny."

"I know."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know, too."

"Okay, now you're being annoying."

"I know."

Loke sighed, and smirked, "That's not going to work."

"What's not going to work?" she asked, voice tone implying fake innocence. He snickered.

"You're angering me on purpose, to make me come at you with everything I've got."

Lucy stood silent for a few seconds, and then glared at him.

"Screw you."

"With pleasure."

She wailed, grasping her hair sharply. Loke only laughed.

"Looks like your plan backfired. You're the one getting angered."

Lucy's eye twitched, and avoiding the rude comment, she charged at him with her whip taut in her hands. Loke gasped, jumping away when the tip cracked next to his feet. Lucy soon enough was on him again, pinning him down with a smirk.

"And now you're the one losing," she stated. Loke raised an eyebrow, peeved.

"Ha, ha."

"Quit laughing, I'm trying to be cool here," Lucy said, glaring at him. Loke eyed her with narrowed, dull eyes.

"Ha, ha, ha."

Even the birds stopped on their tracks at the loud echo of Lucy's slap. All they saw was the blonde getting up from the ground with a satisfied smile, and a very grim and pained looking Loke following, rubbing a burning red cheek.

"Ow, ow, ow…" he mocked in annoyance. "Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"Also a punishment for seducing me and forgetting Aries."

Loke sighed exasperatedly, yet he was grinning.

"Why is it that you punish Onii-chan and not me, princess?" Virgo questioned from afar, in her usual monotone voice. Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not going to punish you, Virgo…"

"Wow, you really are overprotective of your spirits. Except for me, apparently. You don't seem to mind tearing my cheek into a poor excuse of flesh," Loke said, in a fake amazed voice.

"Shut up and fight me."

He sputtered.

"Hey, hey!" he warned, smirking, "Going 'Natsu'?"

"No way!" she protested, cheeks fuming red and eyes glaring knives into his soul. "There's no comparison, for Mavis's sake!"

"Alright."

Lucy cried out when he had her kneeling to the ground, her arms tied to her back by his harsh and yet smooth hands. Her bare knees felt the harsh texture of grass.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged behind her.

"You told me to fight you, or did you not?"

With that, he twirled her around in his arms, and they began Lucy's second hand-to-hand combat. Her breathing was replaced by panting, her muscles were pained—though she ignored it as usual—and her body was soaked in odoriferous fluids. She needed a bath, but she wanted to keep training. It made her feel stronger. Indeed, these training habits she began were working its magic on her. Lucy had noticed a few days ago, that after three months of exercise, she had lost nearly nine pounds. Also, her arms and legs began forming the slightest lumps of muscle. It wasn't very noticeable, making her look so much more elegant and beautiful than before.

Loke's hand collided with her head, provoking a hiss from her. To retaliate, Lucy pulled out a move she had been considering lately—three steps back, a tall jump, a quick spin in the air after she kicked with both her legs, and a landing with spread legs and arms bent on the ground. He rubbed his left shoulder, visibly impressed with her approach.

"Luce, you really are awesome."

Lucy blinked at the new voice, standing with a ragged breath. Sitting next to Virgo with a wide grin and a bag of grocery shopping, was Maya. And, on top of her head, a ginger striped Exceed with eyes just as green as Maya's, a small maroon colored dress cladding her small body. Her tail swung back and forth in a lazy fashion, and her eyes showed mild interest. Tullip, according to Maya.

Lucy let her lips stretch in a grin as well, waving after a huff. The brunette waved back, and jumped to her feet, Nadia following suit.

"Holy Anna, you use a lot of different magic and you are an expert at melee combat. I could learn some stuff from you, Luce," she complimented, grinning at Loke as acknowledgement. He smiled.

"Not exactly an expert, period," Lucy corrected, smiling. "I've only started training three months ago."

"Still, you're very good. Maybe just as good as Ivy."

"Quick question, holy Anna?" Lucy repeated, curious. Maya smirked.

"Anna Fitzherbert, the founder of Dragon Claw," she said. "Who was the founder of Fairy Tail?"

"Mavis Vermillion."

"Huh, I know her," she said, suddenly impressed. "She's super smart and her calculation never fails."

"Yeah, but she's sort of dead," Lucy blurted, clearing her throat, and smiled. "Hello, Tullip."

The ginger Exceed smiled, nodding. "I finally get to meet you, Lucy. Maya talks a lot about you."

"Does she now?" Lucy teased, raising an eyebrow with a grin. Maya rolled her eyes.

"Anywho… you definitely are strong."

"Thank you, but I think 'stronger than Ivy' is a bit off," she said, smiling. "Considering I haven't truly seen Ivy's magic."

Maya grinned, and shrugged.

"He's super powerful, just like you seem to be. There's only one way of finding out how far you can go, though," she said, smirking slyly. Tullip's eyes went wide.

"Which is?"

"I'll leave the splash zone now," Tullip muttered. Her wings, alike to Happy's and the other Exceeds Lucy had met, burst from her back, and she quickly flew away to where Virgo was. Lucy creased her brow suspiciously at the panicky face she had when leaving.

Maya grinned, and the next thing Lucy knew was that she had a midget brunette charging at her with a glowing green hand. The blonde gasped in surprise when she pinned her to the ground, and smirked back at her.

"We fight, of course," Maya stated, fist inches away from Lucy's face. Now she understood why Tullip wanted to leave.

"You're on," she declared, eyes glinting. "Urano Caeli: Whirlwind Fist!"

Lucy erupted her fist in the loyal winds of Aeolus, knocking Maya quite far in the field. The brunette panted while getting up from the green ground. Her gray top was already torn and dirtied at some spots by the attack, her flared skirt ripped at the side, ruining the blue polka dot pattern. She grinned, cracking her knuckles.

"Seismic Fist of the Earth Dragon!" she yelled, and punched the ground with all her might.

Lucy knitted her eyebrows, but upon the wide gaps forming on the ground and the unexplicable earthquake, she gasped, and jumped as high as she could.

"Urano Caeli!" she chanted, and spread her arms. "Fly Diversion: Enchant!"

The air lifted her up from the cracked and trembling ground, isolating her from the danger. Loke, Virgo and Tullip however, were not in an advantage. Lucy caught them struggling to keep steady on the dangerous earthquake, and waved her hand in their direction, thought Tullip just flew up with her wings.

"Enchant!" she called, and both her spirits were supported by the cold arms of the Wind, clothes and hairs oscillating lightly.

"Thanks, Lucy," Loke said.

Tullip sighed, crossing her arms. "You always go overboard, Maya…"

Maya removed her fist from the ground, consequently stopping the earthquake. She pouted at Lucy's resolve. Lucy smiled, and propped her knuckles just as she had a few seconds ago.

"Strength of the Thornado! Fly: Speed Boost!"

The Celestial mage threw herself at Maya, pouncing on her with her fists engulfed in miniature hurricanes. Maya managed to slide away from her, jumping from an edge to another. Now, an ample crack stood between them. The Earth mage grinned at Lucy's scowl.

"Roar of the Earth Dragon!"

Maya arched her back for leverage, and with a deep intake of breath, shot a whirlwind of vivid green at Lucy. She flinched. It looked it could damage a lot. When it neared her enough, she casted Urano Caeli once again, with all the power she could muster.

"Urano Caeli! Vortex: Absorbent!"

Growling, Lucy felt the force of Maya's attack being withdrawn by the Wind, but it was so strong that her feet dug more cracks into the ground, marking her steps. The Roar was so vigorous that the elastic band in her hair flew away, allowing the gold locks to float free in the violent shudders of their magic collision. Eventually, Lucy had managed to nullify Maya's attack, but was left panting heavily, with the lightest bruises on her cheeks and exposed skin. As the smoke from their magic's collision faded, Lucy saw Maya with wide emerald eyes and her jaw threatning to fall to the ground.

"No one," she started, in a breathless, astounded tone, "has ever managed to stop my Roar."

Lucy felt flattered, but she was still exhausted. Exhaling with a shudder, she fell to her knees, gripping the ground as the world spun around her. Maya immediately managed to turn the forest back to normal, the gaps regenerating into land as she hopped through all of them, to get to Lucy. Loke and Virgo also had felt her spell go inane around them, and they landed on the ground with the sole intent of checking on their mistress, Tullip not far behind.

"You okay, Luce?" Maya inquired, kneeling over her. Lucy nodded, and straightened herself on the lawn with a hand to her forehead.

"Here," Loke said, and handed her a bottle of water. Lucy popped the lid open, and drank a lavishing amount of water, leaving the contents just below the half mark.

"I'm good," she reassured, huffing as she stood up. "It's just that the spell took a lot of my strength."

"Even though you borrow the magic from the gods above, it still draws power from you, Princess," Virgo reminded. "You haven't fully mastered the Wind. Perhaps this was part of the few steps you had left to do so."

"Well, holy shit."

The five perked up at the gruff voice coming from the trees, and as the figure stepped into view, Lucy gasped in shock. His long and bristly black hair, bulky figure and studded face were way too recognizable. The Exceed too wasn't easy to mistake.

Gajeel and Lily.

He didn't hold that usual grouchy mood, but a pair of wide red eyes and a stunned reaction. He might as well had been watching the whole fight unfurl. Lucy couldn't even speak, and Loke was quite worried to see him. Maya however, noticed the fear in Lucy's eyes and the shock emanating from Loke, and glared at him.

"I don't know who you are or how you found this forest, but you won't hurt Lucy."

Before Gajeel could even respond, Maya was charging at him.

"Maya, don't!" Lucy and Tullip yelled, the blonde's voice replaced by a hoarse tone. It was too late.

"Wing Slash of the Earth Dragon!"

Gajeel was a bit taken aback, before he grinned, thrilled.

"I don't know who you are either, but damn midget, you've got spank," he said, and launched forward. "Club of the Iron Dragon!"

Maya groaned when the long hard club hit her stomach, but after a boost of confidence, she jumped over the metal, using her hands as support. Gajeel raised his brow when she started running steadily on his club, cracking her knuckles.

"Do not," she growled, green eyes glowing with power and slithering typically like a Dragon Slayer during a battle, "call me midget."

She held her fist in the air, guild mark evident to Gajeel's eyes. The shock only lasted for a split second.

"Impact of the Earth Dragon!"

He grunted when her small fist made contact with his jaw, striking him off with an incredible force, enough to make him fly against a tree. He spat to his left, cracking his knuckles and readying himself to dash forward, towards her. He was about to follow his plan as the short girl erupted in green, glaring at him, if it weren't for Lucy standing in the middle of the battlefield.

Both Slayers froze abruptly on the spot, Maya hyperventilating and Gajeel tch'ing.

"Stop it!" she commanded, and glanced at the emerald eyed mage over her shoulder. "Maya, he's not an enemy."

"But, you looked scared!" she retorted. Lucy shook her head.

"I was shocked to find him here," she explained, and then turned to Gajeel, who had gotten up. "Speaking of whom, what are you doing here, Gajeel?"

"On a mission with Lily and that's all you need to know," he said, gruffily. "What are you doing here, bunny girl?"

Lucy froze in her spot, her hands fistening as her jaw went stiff. Her voice was raspy and was hinted with fury and sadness at the same time when she answered.

"I went through with my plan."

While Gajeel raised his brow in what seemed curiosity and a slimmer of admiration, Maya frowned at Loke.

"Her plan?" she asked. He pursed his lips.

"Gajeel was one of the few to didn't ignore her, and also the first one she told she was thinking of leaving to become stronger," he explained. "That's probably the plan she's talking about."

"Good for you, bunny girl," Gajeel said, but then crossed his arms, "But I've got bad news for ya."

"Bad news?" she questioned, with a frown. He nodded.

"Natsu and the rest know you're gone."

Lucy felt such a dawning surge of panic she had never felt before, upon hearing those words. She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. She didn't even know if that was supposed to be good, or bad. She then looked back at him, cocoa eyes narrowed.

"And?" she breathed. "How did they react?"

Gajeel parted his lips, ready to tell her she should just grow a pair and go back to Fairy Tail because the brat missed her greatly. But knowing of Natsu's selfishness, Lucy's months of pain and the guild's ignorance, he reckoned this plan of hers would only help her if she was left in the dark.

"Natsu's fucking glad you're gone," he spat, avoiding her eyes. "The guild said, and I'll quote: it's a relief to have that nuisance away from us."

Maya's eyes went wide as her fists tightened, Loke glared at Gajeel in disbelief, and Lucy… Lucy didn't waver. She stood on her feet in pride, knuckles so white from the nail digging in her palms. Only Gajeel saw her tears pouring down her cheeks, her teeth gritting in frustration and body trembling with withheld sobs.

"Is that so?" she hiccuped, but she sounded firm. "Well, me too."

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, gulping ever so slightly. He was the reason of those tears, but he was in no way going to show any sort of empathy. It wasn't his style. Besides, it was for her own good. Lily only glanced at him, then at Tullip—who was glaring at him for some reason—and then back at him. He was clearly bewildered.

"You've got a mission to finish," she reminded. Gajeel raised his chin, and nodded.

"Good luck, Bunny Girl," he said, and then grinned. "You're on the right track. Gihi."

He turned, Lily hopping on his shoulder, and both disappeared into the forest. The moment they were gone, Lucy fell to her knees, and Maya, Tullip and her spirits were suddenly around the hiccupping girl.

"Lucy…" Loke said. His tone was specked with anger and worry.

"Luce," Maya embraced her, allowing the blonde to cry on the crook of her neck.

"I shouldn't be crying, I shouldn't be crying," she chanted through her sobs, but the tears rolling down her flushed cheeks betrayed her words.

"I could murder them right now," Loke muttered at Virgo. The pinkette frowned, looking down with a hint of sadness.

Lucy spent what seemed hours crying in Maya's arms, gripping her denim jacket and shaking wildly. After that long period of tears, she sniffled, withdrawing from the brunette's arms, who was staring at her with care and worry. Lucy made up her mind right then and there.

"You know what, Maya?" she said, voice broken. "Take me to Dragon Claw."


The HORROR. Well, not a horror to me. But a horror to Natsu and you guys. Don't worry, if you liked Maya and Ivy so far, you'll love Dragon Claw. Even though I agree that Lucy belongs with Fairy Tail. But you'll have to see what happens.

Tell me what you think of the ultimate events in a REVIEW. Or I'll kill Lucy. I can do that – trust me, I can be worse than George R. R. Martin.