Hi everyone!

Thank you for all your reviews! They mean a lot to me and motivated me to write faster :) This chapter is dedicated to the awesome XxForeverShinexX for always helping me out and giving me sound advice. Even when it doesn't seem like it, I really appreciate it!

So here's chapter 9; enjoy!

Last Chapter

The figure in the doorway of the guild walked forwards slowly, head bowed slightly. He wore a large coat over his shoulders despite the heat and had strange earphones on, with a lightning shaped scar running down the length of his face. Lucy had no idea who he was but everyone else in the guild looked at the figure in astonishment. Mira's eyes widened.

"Laxus?"

"I heard what was going on so I swung by to give blondie here a hand," Laxus explained, ignoring the astonished looks that were being thrown his way. He glanced at Mira quickly before looking back to Lucy. "But it sounds like you don't remember me...which might be good thing, to be honest. My name's Laxus Dreyar."

Lucy's eyes were already wide as she stared at the way Mira and Laxus were acting around each other but as soon as she heard 'Dreyar', she choked on her milkshake.

"Dreyar!? You…Master…"

"Grandson."

Lucy blinked at him a little. She could sort of see the family resemblance…she didn't feel any emotions really surface at his name so she assumed they hadn't known each other well before. Well, time to change that, if she was going to be the matchmaker.

Lucy stuck her hand out. "I'm Lucy. Pleased to meet you!"

Laxus looked a little bemused but shook her hand regardless. Lucy tried not to squeak. His hand could probably cover both her hands together! Laxus must have sensed her nervousness because he grinned at her a little. "So, blondie-"

"You're blond too!"

Laxus ignored her. "Where should I start looking?"

The three women looked at him blankly. Lisanna broke the silence. "Looking for what?"

Laxus raised an eyebrow. "The memories? I'm a dragon slayer too, you know."

Lucy actually spat out her milkshake this time.

While Lisanna forcefully thumped her on the back, Lucy choked out, "A dragon slayer? A dragon slayer!? Why am I in a guild of strange people? Why are there so many dragon slayers and how did we get so many? How are you a dragon slayer anyway? You're Master's grandson!"

Laxus waited for her to finish. "Lacrima. I'm second generation. Natsu, Gajeel and Wendy are first generation. Although," he turned to Mira. "Will the memory thing work if I'm a second generation dragonslayer?"

Mira glanced at Levy. "It doesn't specify, probably because second generation dragon slayers didn't exist at the time the book was written. We can send you on a mission and see if it works."

"Thanks, Mira," Laxus said, glancing at her. Lucy and Levy shared a look and giggled as a light blush graced Mira's cheeks. Lucy jerked her head a little and Levy smirked.

"Okay, well, Lucy and I are gonna go and check out this new book that came out today. See you both later!" The bluenette dragged the blonde with her, ignoring Mira's weak protests as they gave the couple some time alone.

"Gosh, have they always been like that?" Lucy pondered, scanning her eyes along shelves of books. The two friends were in a small bookshop near the guild where, apparently, they always went. "The sexual tension was killing me!"

Levy giggled. "Ah, well...Laxus wasn't always the good guy. He was excommunicated from the guild, actually."

"What!?" Lucy's wide eyes peered at Levy over a thick novel. "What did he do?"

"Well..." Levy sighed. "It's a bit of a long story but basically he broke one of the unofficial rules of the guild and tried to eliminate everyone he thought was 'weak' so he could have the perfect guild."

"Wow...I never would've thought he would do that, just from meeting him before!" Lucy placed the book back on the shelf. "But how could he create a perfect guild? He's not the master. He's powerful, yes, but surely there are other candidates for guild master once Master Makarov retires?"

Levy blinked at her. "Laxus is the Master's grandson so people just assume he'll become the next Master."

Lucy hummed in response. "I guess. It's still hard to believe he's Master's grandson. I didn't even realise when he walked in. I mean…wow, his grandson? I guess they do sort of look similar…" Lucy said thoughtfully before she brightened. "Hey, seeing as Mira seems to like matchmaking people, we can do it for her and Laxus this time!"

"Yes!" Levy cheered, before frowning. "How did you know that Mira's the unofficial Fairy Tail matchmaker? I doubt she told you herself…"

"Well, judging by her attempts to get you and Gajeel together…" Lucy smirked as she let the sentence hang, a wide grin adorning her face as she saw the blush that immediately reddened Levy's cheeks. "Bingo! So, what's the story between you and metal-face?"

"Lu-chan! Don't call him that…" Levy said before realising what she had said in his defence. "Oh! I mean, um, nothing really, we're…friends?"

"You don't sound sure," Lucy teased, as they walked out of the bookshop and into a clothing shop. Lucy expertly flicked through the clothes as Levy sat on a chair, staring reproachfully at her friend.

"We're friends! Nothing more, nothing less," Levy said with conviction, raising her head defiantly. Lucy laughed at her friend.

"Oh, Levy-chan. I was just teasing! But it's funny seeing you get so riled up about it," Lucy said with a wink.

The two girls linked arms and walked out of the shopping mall, chatting all the way, unaware of the green-haired woman holding a floating communication lacrima that showed every action of the two girls to a woman that was hidden behind the grey, stone walls of a castle in the middle of nowhere.

The dark haired woman laughed as she peered at the images in the lacrima. Her purple hair was elegantly styled and her dress spoke of nobility and wealth.

"Mikino."

"Ma'am?"

"Send Fairy Tail a little message."

"Yes, ma'am. What would you like it to say?"

There was a slight pause as the dark haired woman gave a mirthless smile. "Tell them that it's time to play."

It had been almost two weeks since the dragon slayers had left with their teams. Laxus had obviously left four days later than the others and as the Raijinshu Tribe had eagerly accompanied him, the guild was quieter than ever. Even to Lucy, the guild hall seemed depressingly empty without its usual rowdy guild members and their brawls.

"I don't even know what to do anymore…the waiting is killing me," Lucy sighed, playing with the straw of her milkshake as Mira laughed at her. There was a light thump next to her and she glanced over to see a brunette wearing a blue bikini top with brown pants. The woman grinned at her, clutching a large mug of beer.

"Lucy! Feels like we haven't talked in ages...hope your amnesia isn't making life too difficult," she said, taking a swig of beer. Lucy looked at her curiously.

"You're...Cana, right?"

"Yeah. Feels weird that you don't remember us. Oh well, Natsu will save you. He always does," Cana replied with a wink.

Luc blushed before Cana's words sunk in. Natsu will save you. He always does. "Was I really weak? As a mage?"

Cana looked at Lucy in surprise. "God, no. You were awesome. People always think that Celestial Spirit magic is weak but you were probably one of the most powerful Celestial Spirit mages. You always fought with your spirits, instead of just using them. I remember on Tenrou Island…I couldn't have gotten to Mavis' grave without you."

Lucy felt warm as Cana spoke but still felt a little like a damsel in distress. Cana glanced at her.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I know this is hard but you'll get through it. You always do. You're the glue that holds your team together."

Lucy gave the brunette a shaky smile before the guild doors banged open. The two women looked up to find Erza, Wendy and Carla standing in the doorway, looking rather pleased with themselves.

"Erza! Wendy! Carla! You're back!" Lucy cried, getting up excitedly. Mira smiled at the three mages.

"Welcome back! Did everything go okay?"

The trio walked into the guild and towards the table near the bar. "It went well. Almost everything went according to plan. We found her memories hidden amongst the rocks in the stream where Lucy fought Angel. There was a seal on the memories but Wendy managed to break through it," Erza reported, smiling at the young dragon slayer.

"Wow, nice one, Wendy!" Lucy cheered, feeling immensely grateful to her friends.

Wendy blushed. "It wasn't much, really. I don't even know how I did it. I just sort of pushed through it with my dragon slaying magic in that concentrated form and then your memories were there. I didn't look," Wendy assured hurriedly. "I transferred them to a lacrima that can store magical energy."

"Way to go, Wendy!" Cana grinned, taking another swig of beer. "You beat the boys!"

"It seemed a little too easy," Carla frowned, staring thoughtfully at the other mages. Levy nodded.

"Yes, but we're not going to complain. We'll see what's going on with everyone else before making any decisions."

Erza looked around the guild. "Have you heard from the other two?"

"Actually, it's other three now," Mira smiled, cleaning a glass.

"Three?"

Mira's smile broadened. "Laxus came."

"WHAT?" Three voices exclaimed simultaneously.

"Laxus-san?"

"That lightning dragon slayer? Hmph! He is such a bad influence."

"Why did he come?"

"Well, he said he heard about Lucy's predicament and wanted to help," Levy replied, walking up to the bar and joining the conversation. The three greeted her and she continued. "So we sent him on the last mission that we were originally planning to give to the first group that returned; getting Lucy's memories about the Grand Magic Games. We thought it'd be the Games and not the whole thing with Oracion Seis Reborn because that's when Minerva first came into the picture."

"True. Oh yeah, how did you figure out there were four missions?" Cana asked with a frown. Levy looked a little sheepish.

"We didn't. But we didn't want to say that and bring everyone's hopes down so gave each group a couple of destinations to look at, where key events took place. That might be why the others are having a harder time."

"Yes. Oh, I have the lacrima here. Where shall I put it?" Erza asked. There was a golden glow as the lacrima appeared from her armoury.

"Actually, I think it might be safer leaving it inside your armoury, Erza," Mira said thoughtfully. "It could get smashed if left out here."

"Agreed." Lucy only caught a glimpse of shimmering golden light before it vanished safely back into Erza's armoury.

The guild doors slammed open again and in walked a dripping Gajeel, anxious Lily and irate Juvia.

"Juvia! What happened?" Mira asked in concern as she took in their appearances.

"Juvia is sick of Gajeel-kun behaving like a child! He almost broke the lacrima!" Juvia cried, sounding rather distraught.

"Calm down, Lockser, I didn't break the damn thing, okay?" Gajeel scowled.

Juvia sniffed and ignored him. "Mira-san, Levy-san, here is the lacrima."

Juvia reached into her midsection as her body dissolved briefly into water before she drew out a small lacrima almost identical to the one in Erza's armoury and placed it on the table.

"Oh, thanks, Juvia!" Mira beamed. "We thought that maybe we should keep them all in-"

Another deafening bang echoed through the guild hall and the Fairy Tail mages all looked up. Gray and Natsu's voices increased in volume as they argued their way into the guild, Happy flying nonchalantly behind them.

"You could have broken it!"

"But I didn't! As if I'd stuff up Lucy's memories! If anything, you freezing the damn lacrima could have made it worse!"

"Me? That's rich coming from you! If I hadn't frozen it, it would've broken when you dropped it on the train!"

"I couldn't control that! I felt sick and it was in my jacket and it just rolled out!"

"Are you two fighting?"

The two mages looked up, saw Erza's thunderous face and immediately linked arms.

"No, ma'am!"

"We're best friends, Erza!"

"Aye!"

Lucy sighed frowned at the lacrima that Gray placed on the table. "Uh…will it still work if it's frozen?"

Natsu walked over. "I'll fix it!" And without warning, he blew flames on it.

"KYAAAH!" Lucy kicked him in the stomach and screeched as the lacrima steamed. "That could have ruined the lacrima!"

"Sorry, Luce," Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. "But it seems okay now!"

All the women sighed.

As Erza took the lacrimas, Natsu grinned excitedly. "So, Mira, Levy, can I go find the rest of Lucy's memories now?"

Mira smiled apologetically at him. "Actually, Natsu, someone's already gone to get them."

"Huh? Who!?"

"Me, idiot, and I beat you all too."

Everyone whirled around. "Laxus!?"

A lacrima was placed forcefully on the table and the lightning mage looked coolly at his guild mates. "What?"

There was a small silence. Then, Levy spoke. "Alright! Now we can start figuring out how to transfer Lucy's memories into her brain!"

Before Levy could elaborate, a piece of paper taped to a large book shimmered into existence right in front of the group. The novel was thick and old and an ancient script adorned the front cover.

Lucy gasped. "What the…"

"Don't touch it yet," Erza instructed, her eyes wary and alert. "It could contain a curse of some sort."

"What does the note say?" Wendy asked, peering curiously at the paper only to be pulled back by Carla. "Carla!"

"I have a bad feeling about this, Wendy," Carla said, her voice shaky. Mira and Erza glanced at one another as Levy examined the writing.

"It says…'Time to play, Fairies. Who is the lamb being led to the slaughterhouse? The game has only just begun.'"

And there's chapter 9! I hope you all enjoyed it; tell me what you think. Reviews are, as always, appreciated.

Also, more information about the OC 'Mikino' will be revealed next week! I wasn't sure where Erza's weapons go when she's not using them so I just said 'armoury' because that's sort of what it is.

Until next week!