Finally, Magnolia is in sight, after another day of journey. Thankfully, Natsu agreed to take the train, saying that it would be troublesome to have me collapsing again. I smiled happily as we look out at Magnolia just a good distance away. I can almost cry with joy.

"We're finally near Magnolia!" I cheered.

"Yeah, no thanks to you." Natsu mumbled. I pouted angrily at him. He's been acting like a little brat lately. Was this how he was when he was nine? I sighed and looked forward again, only to notice someone sprawled on the ground a few distance away.

"H-Hey. There's someone there!" I pointed out, catching the two's attention.

"There is someone there." Happy agreed. We all ran towards the body, until we got into a closer distance, where we can finally recognize that the body was a girl's. My running became stiff and scared as I started to recognize who it is.

"W-Wha.."

.

.

.

"Luu.. Lucy.." I dropped my bag as I felt my shoulders go weak at the sight in front of me. My face going pale and my hands getting colder. How? How could this be possible? Who could have done this?! "Luu..cy.."

I snapped out of it as her held out hand dropped to the ground, the blood flowing to the tip of her fingers and soaking the ground, painting it with a bright red hue that matches the color of her hair.

"E.. ERZAA!"

A/N: I updated faster than I thought! Yay! Thanks for those who reviewed last time. You have my love and thanks! By the way, I haven't thoroughly checked this chapter out. I may have some OOC people here.

Guest: DANG :3

Anonymous: Wait no more for I bring you the next chapter! I'm happy that you liked it!

.x: Thank you! ^_^ I'm glad to see that a past reviewer still reads this!

brunette1501: Aaw, brunnette-san, you might just be the only one left from my past active reviewers/readers *cries* I'm so touched! *hugs you* Thanks for putting up with me and this story!

luckylucy77: I updated for you! Thanks for the wait. ^_^ I hope you also enjoy this!

As I feared, I lost about 3/4 of my regular reviewers from when I started. It makes me so sad. *sigh* But I am grateful to those 3 who still put up with me! And of course, also to the Guest and Anonymous XD Thank you so much! You always review! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

Chapter 11: Declaration of War

We will show them what it means to be a guild.

****'s POV

"Hm?" I slowly peeked my head out from behind the tree branches, trying to get the newcomer inside my field of vision. Ooh. Blonde hair and.. I scanned her body with my eyes, and I stopped when I found what I was looking for on the back of her right hand. The insignia of the number one guild in Fiore. There are also two kids with her. A blue haired one, who had been shaking and all teary, and a pink haired one, both with the same insignia. "Tsk."

I saw the girl tense up after that clicking sound I made with my toungue, making me tense up and push my body against the trunk of the tree more. N-No way.. There's no way she could've heard that. Thinking that it was just me getting all agitated, I scolded myself internally.

'Stupid me.. What am I getting all worked up for? Heh. For someone from a fishfry guild like Fairy Tail?'

I laughed to myself as I slowly peeked my head to the girl again, only to find her directly glaring at me, as if she was waiting for someone to appear here. The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and thick with magic as soon as our eyes met, her glare growing deeper and more piercing at the confirmation that I was indeed here. My breathing hitched as I watched her hazel brown eyes turn into glowing cool blue orbs.

"Hii!" I screeched. N-No way! She did hear me! I instantly pushed myself away from the tree, backing away slowly. I'm so gonna be in trouble with the boss, fuck! I better escape now.

"Hey, you-.." I barely opened my mouth before I find her directly in front of me in less than a blink of an eye, her hand just a few inches from my face as dark magic continuously flowed out of her body. It all happened in an instance, as I felt the temperature around us suddenly dropping to impossible degrees below zero. But before she hit me, as if on reflex, I was able to duck before jumping away from her attack. She clenched her jaw as her eyes widened for a little bit, probably not expecting me to be able to dodge.

"My, my. You sure are hotheaded." I joked as I poked the tip of my nose, which had been iced from her missed hit. I lit up the tip of my finger, melting away the ice, and I didn't miss her rather disbelieving expression.

"Who are you? Were you the one who attacked Erza?" She asked cautiously. I blinked as a thought crossed my mind.

"So what if I were?" I grinned, which only made her more mad.

"You.. Why did you attack her?" This time, it doesn't seem like a question. It sounded more like a threat.

"I dunno. I just thought blood would bring out the color of her hair more, don't you think?"

That must've hit a nerve, for a burst of yellow and black magic came spiraling around her. Oops. I guess I overdid it. I sweatdropped as I nervously looked at her. This doesn't look so good. I then noticed the presence of two golden keys between her fingers.

"Open!" She yelled, making the keys glow and greedily suck in the yellow-colored magic that's overflowing from her, creating mini cyclones around the two keys. "The true forms of the Reaper and the Shackled Virgin! Cancer and Virgo!"

I then heard two bells ringing simultaneously, before two people, both weilding big ass scythes, appeared on each side of her. I didn't have time to be nervous, as both already dashed towards me from both directions. Right and left. Above and below.

I gasped. Which one? Which one should I defend myself from?!

I decided to defend myself from both, raising my arms up as two golden rods made of pure light appeared as my shield. The spirits' weapons clashed against the rods at the same time, and I gritted my teeth as I almost got pushed down to the ground.

"Heh. Not bad blondie," I snickered, but found that she's not standing where she was earlier. I tried to look around where she is, and my blood seem to have drained from my face as I felt her presence appear behind me. I slowly turn around, before she kicked me directly on my spine, digging the tip of her shoe against my back. I coughed and got sent flying to the other direction, her spirits dodging just in time to avoid clashing against me. I skidded across the rough ground, successfully acquiring more injuries. Tsk. This is why I hate celestial mages. They gang up on you with their spirits. As if this girl isn't enough problem for me as it is.

"Now tell me," I snapped my eyes open as she appeared beside me once more, her eyes sharp and threatening. "What purpose do you have for doing that to Erza?"

I was quiet for a while, before I simply answered with a snicker. She frowned, raising a hand up as a black colored axe molded out of thin air. My eyes widened. She's serious. She's gonna kill me.

I didn't have time to react, especially to do anything. If I get hit with that, there's no assurance that I'll still be alive. But a split second before hitting me, the ground below me opened up, and I fell inside the space with a gasp, successfully dodging and escaping that vital blow aimed for my neck.

"Rei!" I faintly hear the voice of my comrade calling out for me, as the sound of my insanely pounding heart is so much louder. I know. I know I'm safe now. Because the hole that I fell into is a magic I very well know of. It is Hime's spatial magic. And based on all the weird proportions of the room I'm in, she teleported me here on her special room between time and space. I'm saved.

"Are you okay?! I'm so sorry for not being there sooner!" She apologized repeatedly and I tried to tell her that it's okay but I can't. I can't?

"MMMPHH!"

N-No way! I didn't even notice? That girl.. I thought she didn't hit me. I chuckled to myself as I lifted my other shaky and slightly stiff hand to my left face, feeling the coldness and hardnes of the ice covering it down to my neck, torso and back. This magic.. The blackened ice that's covering my body.. There's no mistake. It is that magic. I grinned inwardly.

So, Fairy Tail might be an interesting guild after all.

Lucy's POV

I silently stared at the ground where that blonde haired guy suddenly disappeared into. There's no mistaking it. He's the one who did this to Erza. It has to be him. I clenched my fist, so hard that my nails dug into my palm. But the thing I'm most curious about right now is the glimpse I got before he disappeared. For a second, I thought I saw some mark on his upper right chest. Not to mention the way his cerulean eyes glowed into golden orbs while he was dealing with Cancer and Virgo.

"Hime." I heard Virgo calling out to me, having have returned to her normal form. I know she sensed my frustration, she's my spirit after all.

"How is she?" I asked her, looking worriedly at the panting and sweating Erza. She looks pale as well.

"I did first aid on her, but she will need more medical attention immediately."

I nodded as I dismissed her. Happy offered to fly Erza to Porlyusica, using max speed to get there as soon as possible. I'm relieved that he could still fly even though he had been turned into a human boy. That unbeatable Erza. To be put into such condition, I wonder just how strong that guy is? If he were that strong, even I couldn't have done anything to him. So why did he escape? Why wasn't he fighting back seriously?

"Tch." I clenched my fist again, only to soften up when I felt a small hand rest on mine.

"It'll be fine. This is Erza we're talking about."

I looked down at him as he offered me a slight smile. Natsu.. I thought he would've been as infuriated as me, but instead he was the one calming me down and acting all mature just when he became younger.

"..pft.." I burst out into a small giggle at the thought.

"H-Hey! What are you laughing about?" He asked with his face all red as he backed away.

"Ahaha.. sorry." I smiled at him and rested a hand on his head. "Thanks for comforting me." I gave him a sincere smile and he blushed cutely before looking away. I giggled again before something clicked on my mind.

"Natsu.. You remember Erza?"

"Huh? Of course I do. There's no mistake. She just got bigger but it's her." He said with a look that is saying how obvious it is.

"Oh." So he does know that he got smaller? With memories as a child, it should seem to him like he time travelled or something. I shrugged it off though. I should report all these to Master. The place where Erza was attacked, is almost just outside Magnolia. She must've been on her way back from a mission. I frowned. But even so, no matter how hard a mission is, Erza could still fight like a monster. It's just so hard to think how Erza, someone who even Natsu and Gray fears, will get beaten up so bad like that. And from my memory, that silver haired guy doesn't have too much of an inury. Did Erza only managed to do that much damage? No way. Just what is that guy? What is his magic? And how did he disappear?

"Woow.. What happened to Fairy Tail? It's so big!" Natsu exclaimed in awe as we stop in front of the guild. I didn't even notice.

"Long story." I smiled as we entered the guild, with Natsu still looking around in awe. The moment the bar came into my view, I realize that there are a number of people injured. I know it's normal for us to be injured in missions, but some of the injuries include broken bones and stuff. What kind of missions were they taking? Natsu's constant exclamations of awe reminded me of what happened to our own mission. I guess I'm not one to talk.

"Oh, Lucy. Welcome back." Mira greeted me as soon as I reached the bar, her usual smile is a bit off and almost worried. "We heard about Erza from Porlyusica. Thankfully, it's not something that could kill someone like her. Though it seems like she was badly poisoned and lost a lot of blood."

"Poisoned?" I asked, now completely worried. The blood I saw from her mouth might be from her coughing out blood from the poison.

"That's what Porlyusica said. She said that it was a rare poison that can instantly spread and stop a person's organs from working in just a minute. She sounded pretty amazed for Erza to still be alive after being exposed to such poison for quite some time. But don't worry, she knows the antidote and she said that she should be safe now."

"Yeah.." I replied with disturbance again, having been reminded of my friend. So that's why. She must've been poisoned from the start, then beaten up while in such state.

"Lucy, don't even think about blaming yourself." Master suddenly said as he sat there with his arms crossed. For some reason, my eyes teared up, making me cover them with my hand.

"Y-Yea.." I replied with a broken voice, before wiping away my tears. I decided that I should tell them about the guy there so I did.

"He disappeared?" Mira repeated with a disbelieving voice.

I nodded. "More likely, I think he fell down. For a moment I think I caught a glimpse of a sudden space below his feet. He seemed to have fallen there."

"Spatial magic. A kind of rare and high level magic. Saying that the attacker could use such magic, they must be powerful." Master said.

Spatial magic. So that's what it was. A high level mage. Just like Erza.

"I.. also saw a guild's inisgnia.. on his wrist."

"A blue swallow?"

I nodded, wondering how Master knows what it was. I saw Master sigh as he scanned the guild, most members are injured.

"So what happened here?" I finally asked, though I have an idea already.

"Well, there seems to be a lot of casualties in our members' missions. Some were also attacked." Mira smiled sadly at me.

"A-Attacked? But who would do that? And why?" I suddenly remembered Erza. "That's just like Erza."

Mira nodded. "You see Lucy, Master had anticipated that this will happen. The moment we won the GMG, we became a candidate to join the WMG that takes place every seven years. The guilds joining there would be guilds that won their own kingdom's GMG for the past seven years. I heard that this will be Fiore's first time to join it, since the kingdom only approved of the GMG a few years back. And because of that, guilds from all over the world, especially those who aims for the top this year, wants to lessen the possible candidates by making them back down. It's like a threat. Yesterday, we received an anonymous message with a blue swallow mark on it. It says that we should back off from the WMG if we don't want any more trouble. We could've reported this to the World Council but the letter self-destructed after a minute."

"W-What? That's crazy!" What is WMG anyway? Somehow it feels like I've already asked this before. It is, uh..

"World Magic Games." Master answered my inner thoughts. "A worldwide battle of the guilds that happens every 7 years. Winners from the GMG are automatic candidates. The winning guild will receive the title as the strongest, along with 700,000,000 jewels."

"700 million?!"

If I hadn't been feeling upset for all these attacks, I would've had my eyes sparkling already. But attacking other guilds, just for the sake of money, is unreasonable. They've been hurting our friends just for that.

"Oi! Listen up, brats! Today we received two important letters. One, was an invitation to join the WMG and get the chance to win the title and 700,000,000 jewels. The other one was a threat to back down."

I blinked as I realize that Master was no longer sitting at the bar, and is now standing on the second floor.

"The guild that's been causing us all these trouble wants us to back down from the World Magic Games. If we do, they will leave us alone. If we don't, incidents like these will continue. And even if we do join, there's no guarantee that we will win."

That's true. Weighing the choices now, it seems better to back down but.. somehow, it hurts my pride, to be bossed around by some guild.

"Backing down is the best choice," Master said and everyone was silent. I think we all have the same thoughts. It is indeed the best choice. "But since when did Fairy Tail ever took the best choice?"

At that, I raised my head up and a wide smile formed on my face. Somehow, I felt relieved, and based from the other members' reactions, it's obvious that they feel the same. Master pulled out an orb from behind him. He threw it up and it glowed and projected floating screens everwhere inside and even outside the guild, all with Master's face. The glowing orb has the word "World" written in floating letters above it. It is a world broadcasting lacrima. A lacrima that will boradcast whatever Master's got to say to the whole Earthland. Somehow, this got me a bit worried.

"LISTEEN UP!" Master's voice echoed everywhere through the screens. "This is an official declaration from Fairy Tail. We will be joining the World Magic Games. Threats, casualties, or any more harm that you bring to our members will be paid back in double at the WMG. If you want to mess with Fairy Tail then bring it on! We had been through more mess than this. WE WON'T BACK DOWN."

Everyone cheered as Master raised his hand up and showed the world the hand sign of Fairy Tail, along with the guild insignia at the back of his cape.

This is it.

A declaration of war against every single guild in Earthland that aims for the top in the upcoming World Magic Games.

We will show them what it means to be a guild.

The broadcast was then cut off.

A/N: Yep. So how was it? I personally like the part with Rei. Hehe. I will post Rei's, and probably even Hime's, picture on our page so be sure to check it out!

It'll be more fun to read it while having a clear knowledge on their looks.

I have yet to type the next chapter.

Also, can anyone guess Rei's real identity? And what part did he take regarding Erza's incident?

Try guessing! Free cookies to those who will guess right!

Did I got you confused? Want to request anything? Tell me through a review! Ciao! :3

Ah, and I was watching the views and alerts/favorites. Although it makes me happy, I hope you'll drop me a review guys so that I'll know if this is still worth continuing.. That's all! I will now post Rei's picture on the fb page! Hehe I forgot to do it earlier.