The next morning, the four of them met again in the field, Gajeel and Reya unusually eager to start. A mysterious glint was in both their eyes but Levy and Pantherlily chalked it up to how marvelously alike they could were. So stubborn, so arrogant, so brutal.

They sparred especially ferociously today, a secret score to settle. Thanks to Wendy, Gajeel's rib was healed up so Reya couldn't take advantage of that again. She focused on quick kicks and jabs, trying to wear him out faster than do serious damage. Gajeel managed to block her, though she got in a few solid knocks to his shins.

She smirked as she noticed how often Gajeel seemed to glance over to the fallen log where Levy and Lily were plunked down. His nerves were raw apparently, but she decided not to press it; true to her word, she would keep their secret. But Reya needed to get some pent-up rage out before she could truly move on.

"You so distracted today, Stud!" she yelled, snapping him back to attention.

"Call it short term memory loss!"

They fought through the pain of their hangovers and regrets together and against each other. They lunged at each other again and again, releasing waves of their own bitter frustrations at one another's body; blood and sweat trickling here and there satisfyingly.

A few hours into the day's session, Reya requested a pause and jogged over to where her sister and the Exceed sat.

"I want you in there," Reya said breathlessly.

"Huh?"

"You and me. Against him and him." Reya motioned to Pantherlily and Gajeel, who stood watching, confused.

"No, I don't thi-" Levy started before getting cut off.

Reya grabbed her hand and jerked her to her feet.

"Come on! I want to see how good you've gotten!"

She pulled the reluctant Levy to the middle of the field, Pantherlily following apprehensively. Gajeel folded his arms across his chest.

"What are you doing, Shrimp Senior?" he asked suspiciously, eyeing Levy and Lily and obviously irritated at the interruption.

"Teams. Us against you two. I want to see how Levy's progressed under your tutelage," she said matter-of-factly. "And besides, we need to up the ante here."

"Oh, do we?" Gajeel smirked, cocking an eyebrow. "Fine. In that case, I want Levy."

Reya and Levy's mouths dropped simultaneously but Reya recovered quicker, a knowing smile splaying across her heart-shaped face.

"Ok," she acquiesced coolly. "Lily- you're with me."

The battle-ready Exceed seemed unsure but sided with her, leaving a red-faced Levy alone.

"Y-you want m-me?" she stuttered

"Come on, Shrimp," Gajeel cajoled. "I won't bite…probably."

They took their positions and readied themselves. No one bothered to ask Levy if she could do this: spar against her own sister in a no-holds-barred, hand-to-hand showdown with the Iron Dragon Slayer and the warrior Exceed. And now, she had to prove herself to all of them. Panic began to rise in her gut and her heart fluttered frighteningly.

"You can do this, shorty" Gajeel quietly said to her, though his eyes were locked with Reya's across the field. Had he read her mind?

"Same rules?" Reya shouted and Gajeel nodded. He and Lily grinned to each other, preparing to fight.

"I'm comin' for ya, kiddo!" Reya called mischievously to Levy.

Levy balled her fists and looked to her sister, who was smiling resolutely back at her.

Kiddo.

Little girl.

Shorty.

Shrimp.

Ok, Levy thought. You can do this.

Here goes.

"GO!"

Gajeel charged the purple-haired sprite but Pantherlily moved fast to block her. They roared as they collided, a muscular blur of swinging fists and lashing kicks. Levy was wide open though she took a fighting stance, unsure of who to tackle.

Reya saw the opportunity and she barreled toward the terrified Levy. Gajeel saw her course and separated from Lily, launching himself into her side. Pantherlily gritted his teeth, taking off towards Levy. As Gajeel tried to subdue Reya, she slammed a knee into his groin, knocking the wind out of him.

"Cheap shot!" he groaned angrily before scrambling to grab her.

She laughed haughtily at Gajeel's pain and caught up to Pantherlily. Gajeel quickly edged behind. He reached for Reya's arm but she swiftly scooted a few inches forward, causing Gajeel to slam into Pantherlily. Lily whirled around and landed a powerful punch to the Dragon Slayer's ribcage, earning himself a punch to the jaw.

Again, Reya raced towards Levy, determination set in her jaw.

Gajeel and Pantherlily stopped short, transfixed by the sisters' imminent impact. It dawned on them that this had been her plan all along, to attack her sister. Gajeel instinctively tensed but Pantherlily stopped him.

"Let's see," was all he said.

Reya was at arm's length when Levy's eyes shot open in alarm. She swung her right arm out, making contact with her sister's stunned face, blowing her back about a foot.

Reya smiled with bloody teeth, a mixture of pride and resolve flashing in her eyes. Spitting into the dirt, she composed herself and advanced on her little sister again. Reya prepared to kick Levy in the chest as she jumped up into the air, but Levy managed to block the hit and push her sister back for the second time.

A fire had been lit inside of Levy and she ran towards her sister, bracing to slam into her, knocking her to the ground. The girls wrestled, rolling back and forth in the dusty dirt, exchanging punches and grabbing each other's wrists.

Gajeel and Pantherlily still stood a few feet away, just watching. There was nothing for them to do- this was clearly not their fight anymore, as much as Gajeel enjoyed sparring with his partner. The McGarden sisters' brawl was just too amusing.

After a while, Levy rolled off her sister and they lay side by side in the dirt, panting.

Reya began chuckling, looking up into the hazy afternoon sky.

"Where did that come from, kiddo?"

"I-I don't know," Levy answered, bewildered by herself.

Although she was breathless and in a good deal of pain, she felt exhilaration in her heartbeat; Reya had taken her on and not quite won. Neither of them won, truthfully, but this was still a first for Levy. She had matched her sister, blow for blow. A soft smile crept across her face, staring into the sky too.

Reya propped herself up on her arm to look down on Levy's stunned, happy face.

"He teach you all that?" she asked slyly, glancing at the Iron Dragon Slayer who was still watching them intently.

"What are they doing?" he impatiently hissed at Pantherlily.

"I think they're…bonding?" he replied, feeling as perplexed as his anxious partner.

Levy pulled herself up to sit, and quickly looked over at the glaring Gajeel.

"I guess he did," she said slowly.

But she knew there had been something else that had spurred her on; some sort of anger she had with herself. She was tired of feeling weak. Maybe Gajeel showed her how to be stronger; maybe Reya's competition pushed her too; but deep down, it had been Levy's own instinct that kicked in.

"Well, kiddo," Reya said, standing up and brushing herself off before offering her hand to Levy. "You have definitely made progress. I am impressed."

The sisters smiled at each other before walking towards Gajeel and Pantherlily.

"That was fun!" chirped Reya as they neared the two silent men.

Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"You're nuts, Shrimp Senior. If you and Shorty wanted to catfight, why didn't you just say so?"

"Pantherlily, I've got to say- I enjoyed seeing you in action. I don't know much about Exceeds but you fight remarkably well," Reya praised, ignoring Gajeel's comment.

"Thank you," Pantherlily responded graciously. "You are very skilled as well. And Levy- you did well today."

Levy bowed her head in thanks, blushing. If she'd looked up, she might've seen Gajeel's typical smirk tinged with approval.

"What about me?" Gajeel barked, but Reya waved him off.

She looped her arm around the Exceed's, leading him off the field and back towards the guild.

"Ya know, it's too bad we're not the same species. You're just my type." Levy heard her sister say alluringly as she and Gajeel started after them.

"You did good, Levy," he said, patting her on the head.

"Thanks!" she replied brightly. "I did, didn't I?"

The sun began to set over Magnolia as the group made its way to Fairy Tail for another night of drinking and Reya's storytelling. But tonight, Levy felt a pride bubbling up inside of her that had nothing to do with anyone else.