Weiss=Sting; Lucy=Rebecca


September 1st, x777

Veilstone City

10:45 AM

Lucy found her meditating on top of her hotel bed. Capricorn had urged her to complete some last-minute training before the double team tournament began. The Goat spirit had recommended the same to Sting, but the dragonslayer declined with a remark about his restless nature. Lucy agreed. Besides Wendy, Laxus, and possibly Rogue, she couldn't see them sitting for long. Then again, Levy mentioned something about Gajeel sitting under a waterfall.

The Stellar Mage slowed her heart rate with each soothing breath until she reached a pleasant level to focus her concentration. Her magic power flowed around her. With each inhale, Lucy's magic became peaceful, and each exhale led to a small release in power. Her thoughts began to pass through her mind, and Lucy allowed her mind to wander to the thoughts she tends to force in the back of her mind. The memories of friends' death flooded her consciousness. The petrifying scream Lisanna let out when Elfman was clawed to death as he protected Mira's massacred body. The deafening pleads Romeo shouted out to everyone to save his unresponsive father. The despair in Levy's eyes when Gajeel threw himself in front of the Script Wizard. Wendy's blood-stained body as she held a cold Carla. Juvia's tears when the dragon effortlessly broke through Gray's Iced Shell spell. She needed to face these memories in order to grow. Lucy wanted to save her friends from this fate with her own two hands. This mission required her to be stronger than how is she now.

This Celestial Wizard wanted to make things right and make her guild proud. She won't rely on Sting to fight all the battles, no they will be equals.

"Princess, the tournament will begin at noon." Virgo poofed on the right-hand side of the bed with two outfits in her hands. "I took the liberty of bringing matching clothes for you and Master Sting."

"Thank you, Virgo," Lucy smiled softly at the maiden. "I always loved the Celestial World's wardrobe, but please, you don't need to refer to Sting as Master. He's your equal."

"Princess, he requested that I call him Master or 'Your Sexiness'," Virgo answered innocently before handing off a pair of dark purple elbow-length gloves and a dress resembling the one she wore during the fight against the dragons. "I believe this will fit you very nicely."

Lucy felt her right eye twitch in aggravation. That is the last time she allows that damn dragonslayer to use Virgo for anything! "Oh really, well...I'll have a word with him. Don't worry about calling him either of those titles."

"Very well Princess, I wish you luck in your battles today." Virgo bowed once again before excusing herself.


September 1st, x777

Veilstone Stadium's Battleground

12:00 PM

Lucy and Sting themselves waiting in a hallway that led to the center field. The blacked haired girl managed to get him dressed without strangling him the purple tie Virgo had left for the dragonslayer. It took almost all of her strength not to jump him when he returned from his morning run.

The stadium was more modern than one used for the Grand Magic Games. It was built in a hexagonal dome with a glassless roof, so the sun was shining down on the battlegrounds. From Lucy's viewpoint, the center monitor was comprised of three screens, one large hexagonal in the center and two smaller hexagonal screens, one on each side. There appeared to be three levels of seating with the bottom level surrounding the entrances to center. The rooms for the competitors were located on the highest level with a bird's eye view. There were floating stepping platforms to the battleground that appeared to be maintained by some lacrimas.

"Welcome Fiorians to the 77th annual Veilstone Tournament!" The announcer's voice boomed through the stadium. The sold-out stadium roared with applause. "Let's not waste any time and introduce our sixteen participants! Starting with the rising stars of the Rune Knights: Cosmos and Kamika!"

Lucy's eyes widened when she recognized the two women as the two female Garou Knights. The long and messy pink-haired teenager and the slick black-haired woman wore a matching a long, high-collared, sleeveless dark robe over light and long shirt with wide sleeves and a pair of baggy pants, the customary attire for a rune knight. Cosmos was enjoying the crowds' attention while Kamika seemed to be more reserved with the small smile she gave the audience.

"Welcome our two mysterious wandering travelers: Wiess and Rebecca!"

She trailed closely to Sting as he raised his fist in the air. The dragonslayer let out a mightly vocal roar that startled a few of our competitors. Lucy knew he was more comfortable with the spotlight than her, so she was more than ready to leave it all for him. Given their situation, this was the first time in a long all eyes were on them.

"From the legendary Blue Pegasus guild: Karen Lilica and Ichiya Kotobuki!"

Oh dammit, Lucy groaned to herself as they found a space on the edge to stand. Why was Karen of all people here? She shouldn't be able to compete since she was only a Celestial Wizard. In order to participate, Lucy and Sting had to prove they had a functioning magic skill. Unless...no. "Does Karen have a key already?"

"Got any ideas on which one it is?"

"No, but I'm kinda scared as to who it is." She whispered lowly as Karen shot Lucy a smirk. "There are only four options, and we might be in trouble with any of those spirits."

"Give a rowdy round of cheers for Detective Saisuke and Detective Kiriyo!"

The level headed man kept his hands in his pocket as he and his partner entered the arena. Detective Kiriyo was a slim woman with long purple hair. She wore a black trenchcoat that matched Saisuke's jacket. Underneath her coat, Lucy noted a white collared dress shirt and a tight pencil skirt. The male detective tipped his hat in their direction before standing on the opposite end of the battleground.

"Detective Saisuke knows magic?!" Sting whispered in Lucy's ear.

"I sensed some magic from him, but I never thought he would enter a tournament like this," Lucy answered as she tried to understand why he would join. "Whatever his reason is, we can't that distract us from our goal."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Get Aries and Libra."

"Will the adventure ever end for this guild? Ladies and Gents, I present Fairy Tail's shining stars: Freed Justine and Evergreen!

Lucy blinked twice when she saw Freed and Evergreen fly out of the hall. They couldn't be any older than maybe thirteen, fourteen was pushing it. Wait, how old are they in x791 if they're teenagers now? Counting the seven-year skip, that would put them somewhere around their twenties, maybe early twenties. Weird, Lucy always thought Freed was older than her or Bickslow. She made a mental note to keep an eye on those two since neither of them ever had an interest in Celestial Magic before. Could it be for Bickslow?

"There's a lot of familiar faces today, huh?" The dragonslayer grinned.

"Well, given the participants so far, we have our work cut out for us," Lucy sighed lowly. "All we have to do is win three battles, and we'll have two more keys in our possession."

"The big question is which asses do we gotta kick." Sting's magic flickered with anticipation.

"Veilstone's renowned martial mages have graced us with their presence. Allow me to present: Luka and Rilo!"

A man with slick back hair and a short-haired woman appeared from the southern entrance. The pink-haired woman had a frame similar to Erza's while Luka was more of Loke's frame but slightly more muscular. They wore matching blue and black gi. Rilo and Luka seemed to be reserve people since they didn't react to the crowds. The martial artists shared a smile with their competitors, and Lucy, Sting, Saisuke, Ichiya, and Evergreen spared them a returning smile.

"In the darkest hour, the guild Tartarus will arise! Give Nyx and Thanatos a round of applause!"

The crowd waited for them to walk through the gate, but there was a long pause. Suddenly, the ground quaked underneath their feet as a large shadow consumed the battlefield. Lucy hovered her hand over her side pouch, ready to summon Sagittarius or Virgo to her aid. Sting put her at ease by assuring her that he noted no immediate danger. Two deathly skinny figures arose from the shadow. Although Lucy didn't note any evil intent from the figures, she was worried about their health. Their clothes were hanging off the duo, and their faces had a ghostly complexion. Lucy had a hard time deducting which one was Nyx and which one was Thanatos.

"What the hell is Tartarus? I never even heard of that guild." Sting raised an eyebrow.

"Could it be the same one aligned with Grimoire Heart and the Oración Seis? But, why would they expose themselves in a tournament like this? They'll be arrested onsight." Lucy folded her arms across her chest.

"Tremble at the might of not one but two S-Class Wizards from Fiore's strongest guild, Titanium: Loki and Serpent!

A thick mist seeped out the entrance for this duo. Through the fog, Lucy managed to make out two distinct figures, one tall slender male and an average-sized hooded woman. The slim man had fiery red hair that almost seemed to flicker as he walked. Loki wore a long black cape with a dazzling red jewel his collar, a pair of extremely baggy pants and a sleeveless top that matched his hair. Serpent was the personification of sex appeal. Her fluffy blond hair with purple tips came down to her shoulder blades. Her ample chest poured out of her amethyst dress. She moved with the confidence of a goddess and loved the attention the men gave her. Although Lucy had never heard of this guild before, the crowd erupted louder than ever before. The Celestial Wizard turned her head to her companion for his opinion.

Unsurprisingly, Sting had the same damn ready-to-throw-down-any-second grin as Natsu plastered on his face.

"Alright, with everyone accounting for, let's remind everyone what's this year's prizes are!" The lacrima screens showed off Aries and Libra's dazzling keys with a large sum of jewels stacked behind the keys. "Thanks to an anonymous donation, we are proud to present two rare Golden Celestial keys. One key on its own can leave a person living large for the right price, but two?! The only limit is your imagination. Let's see quarterfinal's matchup!"

Freed and Evergreen v. Karen and Ichiya

Rebecca and Weiss v. Cosmos and Kamika

Loki and Serpent v. Saisuke and Kiriyo

Luka and Rilo v. Nyx and Thanatos

"So, we're facing the executioners first?" Lucy asked herself the sixteen wizards read the main screen.


September 1st, x777

Veilstone Penthouse

12:45 PM

Six of the eight duos were led to a spacious room, big enough to accompany the group. There was a glass window with a metal railing that allowed them to see the battleground from the third floor. On Lucy's right, she noticed a full bar and a few clothed tables scattered around the room. A few servants entered through the side doors with carts of gourmet dishes.

Lucy left Sting to eat alone at their table since Karen's battle had her attention. If she could participate here, then someone must've signed a contract with her. But who? And how many? Could she possess the remaining four? Either way, Lucy would have to eventually fight Karen for her keys.

"Rebecca was it?" She turned her head to the voice and found Luka with his hand extended out.

Reading the situation, Lucy accepted his hand with a small smile. "Oh Luka, did you need something?"

"Nothing more than a simple conversation," The martial artist let out a chuckle before he leaned on the metal railing and studying the battle. "You have a very interesting aura, you know that right?"

"Aura?"

"Yeah, I use aura magic, so I'm able to sense the energy around me. " Luka answered as the Fairies and Pegasuses entered the battlefield. "I never met someone who had more than one aura at a time, though."

Lucy blinked twice before she realized what he was referring to. "Oh, that! I'm a Celestial Wizard; I think you're caught the aura of my spirits by mistake."

"Then, I guess you're in for the keys and not the jackpot."

"Jewels would be nice, but my eyes are on a different prize," Lucy replied as she focused on Karen's movements.

Ichiya had taken the vanguard position and inhaled what Lucy assumed was an earlier version of his muscle enhancement perfume. Freed did not wield his usual sword, instead, he held a small dagger in his left hand. Evergreen flew high above her opponent as she summoned a barrage of light bombs. Karen smirked to herself as she revealed a golden key.

"I call upon thee! Open! Gate of the Scorpion! Scorpio!"

Scorpio appeared with his usual wicked grin as he folding his middle and ring fingers back while keeping his index and little fingers extended, ready to take on his foes. He was a relatively tall dark-skinned man who had a weaponized tail-cannon attached to his tailbone. The Scorpion was wearing, as always, no shirt but had a flower-shaped collar that is red and trimmed with gold around his neck. Scorpio had a red sheet-like material around his waist that is kept up by his large belt that has the Scorpio symbol on it, and he wore black shorts and has bandage-like material wrapped around his arms and legs.

"And with Karen's spirits and the prizes, that makes nine keys," Detective Saisuke and Kiriyo appeared on Lucy's right. "It's nice to meet you again, Rebecca."

"Detective Saisuke, I never thought you would join something like this?" She said as she shook his hand and introduced herself to Kiriyo. "Are you investigating something?"

"Oh, do you two have some history?" Luka raised an eyebrow while he eyed them.

The detective let out a hearty laugh. "Nothing too extreme, she lent a hand in a few of my cases. Rebecca is stronger than she leads on. After all, she took down a whole human trafficking operation with Wiess."

"That was nothing special really. We didn't go in expecting to stumble onto any of that," Lucy flustered at the compliment.

"You should be proud of it, nevertheless." Saisuke chuckled as we watched the battle rage on. From the looks of it, Ichiya had Freed on the run since the Pegasus left craters in his path. "But, to answer your question, I am investigating. There have been reports of light guilds receiving illegal items."

"Illegal in what way? Like contraband?" Luka frowned.

"Specifically, magic enhancing drugs," Kiriyo spoke up in a soft tone. "Our superior wants us to determine if any of the participating guilds have any traces of enhancements."

Lucy held her comment to herself. It was obvious to her that Fairy Tail and Blue Pegasus were clean. Makarov would never allow any of his children to come into contact with banned items, and Blue Pegasus wouldn't last if a scandal such as this existed. That only left Tartarus and Titanium as potential suspects.

"I'll do what I can to help." She replied with Luka nodding in agreement. The detectives tipped their hats us as they excused themselves.

Rebecca and Luka watched the remainder of the match in silence. Ichiya had finally caught Freed by the boot and slammed him into the ground. With a powerful scream, the S-Class wizard pinned his opponent to the ground and successfully incapacitated the Fairy Tail wizard.

Upon seeing this, Evergreen went into a fury. Skillfully dodging Scorpio's Sandbuster, she sent a barge of Leprechaun Bomb at the Celestial Wizard. Karen gritted her teeth in frustration and summoned Scorpio directly in front of her to intercept the attack. The scream Scorpio let out caused Lucy great heartache. To hear about Karen's abusive nature was one thing, but to watch it live, that was whole another experience. Lucy could nothing at the moment, but she promised herself one thing.

She will save Scorpio.

The battle raged on as Ichiya lent Scorpio a hand. Using their combined strength, Ichiya rode the scorpion's sand tomb and collided with Evergreen in the air. The manly man's fist of fury took down the elegant Fairy with ease, and with that, the first battle of the round was complete.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The Fairies fought hard, but Blue Pegasus's Ichiya and Karen came out on top! Up next is Wiess and Rebecca versus Cosmos and Kamika!"

"Good luck," Luka said as I stretched my arms. "Those two girls are extremely dangerous. I heard rumors of them executing those who go against the king's wishes."

Lucy had back her urge to sweatdrop. Those rumors are probably true given what their future career is. "Thanks, Luka! I'll try to finish this quickly. Dragging out a fight in the first round won't do us any good when the battles are back to back."

"I'll be cheering you on!"


Keys Obtained: Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius

Keys Needed: Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

A/N: I'm sorry that this is coming out much later than usual. I wanted to complete this subarc before I released any parts, but I didn't want to leave y'all hanging for an entire month. I believe I went through at least five Norse Gods before I settled on Loki and Serpent. I'm almost done with this arc, so there shouldn't be too many hiccups.

ALSO! IMPORTANT!

Leave a review about your thoughts on Quatro Puppy in the games. Positive or negative? How do you feel about their role in the Grand Magic Games.