Chapter 4
Darkness. That is all Lucy could see, the total blackness behind her eyelids as she slowly regained consciousness. Her head felt like someone was using it for a drum solo and her body was aching like she had never felt before. She knew there were other people in the room, wherever that was, with her as she could hear them talking softly. She couldn't quite make out who the voices belonged to but she found them oddly reassuring. Slowly she cracked open her eyes, groaning as the darkness was replaced by blinding light, before her eyes could focus someone practically jumped onto the bed and brought her into a tight yet loving hug.
Lucy didn't need her eyes to know who the person hugging her was, after all she'd never forget the scent that made her feel so safe and at home, Strawberry cake with a slight metallic tinge. "Hey" she said in a groggy yet soothing voice, "don't worry sweetheart I'm fine."
"I'm sorry I know it's silly but I was so worried" replied Erza burying her face into the crook of Lucy's neck.
"Hardly" said a voice to Lucy's right which, much to her surprise, turned out to be Poseidon sat in a chair next to her bed. "Erza it is by no means 'silly' to worry about someone you love, m'lady it is good to see you awake again, we were all a little worried even if not everyone will admit it."
Lucy couldn't help but giggle as she embraced Erza on the bed, "thanks but what happened? Last I remember I hit Ares with Night of Shooting Stars."
Poseidon nodded "you did indeed, as a result of which you passed out from extreme magic deficiency, in fact you've been unconscious for the last 3 days. As for my brother I'm afraid when he emerged from the dust cloud his armour was all but destroyed but he himself remained unharmed."
"Dam!" Lucy cursed "I thought that would've finished him."
"Oh it would have had he not had a secret advantage" Poseidon replied getting looks of confusion from nearly everyone in the room. "As he made perfectly clear he is the God of War, but if you recall I told you he was the God of War AND Bloodshed, as such he possesses a form of magic called Blood Magic.
"Blood Magic!?" exclaimed Laxus, "dam Blondie no wonder your attacks weren't doing shit! I've gone against Blood mages and they are Bastards to beat!"
"Laxus us quite correct" Poseidon agreed while nodding, "you see with his Blood Magic he can harden the blood within his skin creating an internal armour. It also allows him to heal himself hence why it appeared he had not been harmed."
Lucy sighed heavily, "I guess I failed then" she said downheartedly.
"Not quite" Poseidon chuckled extending his hand and depositing something in Lucy's open hand, "after all you've only just started your training."
Lucy looked down at the item in her hand and gasped in amazement, there, laid in her palm, was a key that looked a lot like Poseidon's but was ruby red and had a Spartan's helmet etched into the handle. "Ares?" she asked quietly.
"Ares" Poseidon confirmed "he said he was impressed by both your determination and the strength you had acquired after just 1 week of training. Oh! He wanted me to tell you that the only conditions to his contract are that if you find yourself against a strong opponent you must summon him to fight alongside you," Lucy nodded before he continued "and at some point within the next week or two he wishes to spar against Erza as a fellow re-equip mage and Laxus because of his power."
Lucy couldn't help but break out in a huge beaming smile that somehow made everyone in the room feel happy. After a couple of hours Lucy was released from the Exceed's hospital, though not before squealing at the cuteness of a cat in a doctor's uniform. Leading Lucy out of the city the group came upon a sight they had not being expecting, parked in front of them was a long, black magic mobile that could easily hold all of them in comfort with space left over to walk about in. Stood next to the magic mobile was a white furred Exceed woman that was roughly the same height as Lucy, making her extraordinarily tall for an Exceed, she was wearing a simple purple sleeveless top and dark blue bottoms as well as a white, rather regal looking robe that looked to be made of silk adorned with feathers around the neck. "I'm glad to see our saviour has finally awakened" the Exceed said, her voice was both regal yet sweet and caring.
Lucy smiled "thanks, not to be rude but...who are you?"
"This Lucy" replied Carla flying into the Exceed's waiting open arms, "is my mother, Queen Shagotte. She came to see you a few times while you were unconscious."
"She was also the one who paid your reward" chimed on Wendy.
"Reward?" Lucy asked confused, "what reward?"
"5 million jewel Blondie" replied Laxus, "that crazy BDSM maid spirit of yours took it for safe keeping after she randomly popped out with fresh clothes for everyone."
"Another million each huh? Nice, no wonder S-Class mages always have spare money to throw around" Lucy said with a giggle.
"Um actually" Erza began, "we have decided amongst us that since we did or rather we could do nothing, the entire reward would go to you and there is to be no argument on this!"
Lucy knew better than to argue with Erza when she used that tone of voice, luckily Shagotte spoke up before she got the chance, "ah such love, how wonderful. I look forward to getting to know you all at another time but the doctor said Lucy still needed rest. This vehicle should get you back to Magnolia before it gets dark but I would leave reporting back to your master until the morning if I were you."
Offering their thanks the Fairy Tail mages took their seats for the journey back home. By the time they reached Magnolia the sun had started to set, agreeing to meet at the guild the next morning Wendy and Carla waved goodbye and Laxus grunted as they headed for their homes, leaving Erza and a still slightly wobbly Lucy. "Well" Lucy started as they carefully made their way to Strawberry Street, "I guess we're not moving your stuff tonight."
Erza couldn't help but giggle, "No I suppose not, perhaps in a day or two."
A golden light appeared next to them startling them slightly, out of the light stepped Virgo clad in her usual maid attire. "Princess I have taken the liberty of moving some of Mistress Erza's belongings into your apartment...Punishment?"
"Thank you Virgo" Lucy started when she was struck with a sudden realisation, all these years that Virgo had been asking for punishment it wasn't because she had done something wrong but because it turned her on. "Well I'm stupid aren't I? Laxus is right you are a BDSM maid aren't you?" A devious smile broke across Lucy's face when Virgo nodded a little too adamantly, pulling her hand back she delivered a hard spank to Virgo's butt, making the Spirit's eyes go wide, her face blush red and her mouth open as she let out a moan of pure pleasure.
"T-Thank y-you Princess, m-may I have a-another?" Virgo practically begged.
"Not yet" Lucy replied, "but now I know just how much you enjoy it I might just have to punish you more often, if you're a good girl that is."
Pulling a paddle and a pink dildo out of seemingly nowhere Virgo smiled at Erza and Lucy's surprised faces, she stepped forward and planted a small kiss on Lucy and Erza's lips, "ready whenever you are mistresses." With a final frankly lustful look she shimmered back to the Spirit world.
"She's going to be asking for that a lot more often isn't she?" asked Erza getting a nod from Lucy before the two headed home.
The next morning Lucy was stood in the training field alongside Erza, Mira, Wendy, Carla and Gray. They had already filled the master, and a few eavesdroppers, in about what had happened which was why he and Laxus were sat in the stands behind a soundproof barrier discussing something. "Sounds like you had a hell of a time Luce" said Gray, "Flame face is going to flip his lid!...Oh well should be funny to watch, so what's the plan now?"
Lucy held Ares' key in her hand "I guess I should start training."
Open! Gate of the God of War: Ares!
Ares emerged from the same crimson vortex as before and took in his surroundings before locking eyes on Lucy. "Ready to begin your training are you girly? I'll warn you now I'm not as...easy going as my brother."
"So I expected" replied Lucy with a confident smirk "and yes I'm ready when you are."
"Very well then" Ares replied holding out his hand, "take my hand and my power shall be awakened within you." She did so without hesitation and the moment she did they were surrounded by crimson light, everyone present could feel the sheer power in the air almost like it was charged with electricity. As Lucy's body awakened Ares' power it activated her new God Form, around her eyes formed crimson markings that stretched to a point to a point on her temples and on her forehead formed a crimson symbol that looks like a Spartan's helmet. "Very good, you awakened you new power with ease" Ares praised as he released her hand and folded his arms, "tell me, what do you feel right now?"
Lucy thought for a moment as she got used to the new power within herm "strong, physically strong I mean like I've spent months weight lifting and...kind of angry but not at anything specific."
"Good" Ares replied nodding, "the strength comes from the God Form which amplifies your normal God strength. The anger however, that comes from war itself. All conflict generates hate and anger and as a 'God of War' or at least close to, you have the ability to channel that rage, that anger and that hate into your spells to amplify their power."
Feeling her new God form wear off she felt the anger leave her in an instant, "so the angrier my opponent gets the stronger I get huh? Handy."
Before either of the could continue Lucy heard her name being called by the diminutive master, who had left the confines of his sound proof barrier alongside Laxus and was making his way over. "Lucy my dear may I interrupt for a moment?" Lucy of course nodded in response, "thank you child, now Laxus and I have been discussing your current situation and if you consent we'd like to run a little test."
"Test?" asked Lucy with confusion written across her face, "what kind of test?"
The elderly master smiled, "nothing to be worried about my dear just a simple sparring match. The idea being to have you face a member of the S-Class or a couple of people at once that would add up roughly to S-Class."
"Oh, yeah sure I guess" agreed Lucy, "if you don't mind I'll take the 1 S-Class if that's alright?"
"Of course!" answered the master happily, "now who would be the best opponent?"
"I'll do it" was shouted out from off to the side of the training field, when they looked they found Mira stood there with determination on her face as other Fairy Tail members quietly took their seats in the stands. "I've been meaning to see what Lucy can do now anyways" she playfully giggled.
"Well I have no objections if you don't?" asked the master getting a shake of the head as a response, "good then the two of you can begin when ready."
The two mages took their positions across from one another and Ares returned to the Spirit World in preparation, though not before whispering a few words of advice. Soon the Master shouted begin and Mira wasted no time leaping into action.
Take over: Satan Soul!
Transforming into her signature Satan Soul Mira pushed off from the ground, gliding towards Lucy with great speed. Once she was close enough Mira flipped in mid-air and brought her foot downwards for a powerful kick. Lucy leaped out of the way making Mira's food impact the ground with great force, just as it did Mira spun on it so she was facing Lucy and charged a small sphere of dark magic in her palm.
Evil Blast
The blast hit Lucy square in the chest like a cannon ball knocking her back few feet. "Okay so no room for holding back, noted" she said to herself, she watched as Mira launched another blast but quickly dodged to the left and sucked in air.
Celestial Gods: Bellow!
The magical vortex hit Mira dead on knocking her back as well, "wow not bad Lucy" she praised in her demonic voice as she wiped her mouth with her wrist, "but try this!"
Darkness Wave!
Mira unleashed a wave of dark magic that looked a lot like Juvia's Water Slicer, ducking and rolling at the last moment Lucy dodged it and began her counter attack. She prepared her God Magic and detached a key from her chain.
Open! Gate of the Goat: Capricorn!
God Change: Poseidon!
The moment the goat like butler materialized he darted forwards to engage Mira while Lucy changed form. Capricorn being the expert close range fighter he was attacked relentlessly but, much to his annoyance, Mira was able to stay just out of reach. That is until she darted forwards and slammed her open palm into Capricorn's stomach before releasing a powerful explosion from said palm.
Evil Explosion
The blast knocked him back a good few feet leaving him fairly badly wounded and fading back into the Spirit World as he apologised to Lucy. While Lucy felt horrible for Capricorn she knew this was her chance, while Mira was distracted by the shimmering light of Capricorn's gate Lucy dashed in and struck with everything she had.
Celestial Water God's: Twilight Maelstrom!
The magic infused punch connected with Mira's stomach causing her to spit up saliva and blood before she was launched backwards into a tree, dam near snapping it in half. Not wasting any time and hoping to finish this quickly Lucy sucked in the air.
Celestial Water God's: Bellow!
The vortex of magic came hurtling towards Mira, but what Lucy hadn't seen was the practically evil smirk on Mira's face. Just before the vortex hit, Mira jumped into the air and hovered just above it before extending her hand towards it.
Evil Spark!
The demonic electricity raced through the aquatic portions of Lucy's Bellow in a second, painfully electrocuting Lucy from the inside out. Dropping to her knees panting, Lucy knew that her water based powers were just too dangerous to use with Mira able to counter them like that. Refusing to surrender Lucy did something she had never done in battle before and unclipped the ruby key from her clip.
Open! Gate of the God of War: Ares!
Ares materialized with a look of almost gleeful excitement on his face. Not waiting for instructions he re-equipped the same spear he had not long ago used against his now contract holder and darted forwards. Lucy watched carefully as Ares and Mira traded blows, she knew she couldn't use his magic yet but something was catching her eye. Watching carefully Lucy realised that Mira was getting pushed back slightly by each of Ares' strikes and that's when a plan hit her. With Mira distracted, Lucy sat cross legged and thought back to when Poseidon first taught her to use the God Change ability. She cleared her mind and began to search the magical link she shared with all her Spirits for the feeling of Ares' magic, once she found that familiar feeling of power and anger she latched onto it and forced it to flow through her, like her normal magic would flow through a gate key but this time she was the 'key'. When she felt she was ready her eyes snapped open.
God Change: Ares!
Feeling the familiar sensation of the markings appearing around her eyes and on her forehead she knew she had been successful. Looking towards the battle between Ares and Mira, Lucy could tell that Mira had no idea what she had just done but what was even better was that Lucy could now sense Mira's continuously growing frustration, which flowed into her and made her feel just that little bit more powerful. Lucy waited patiently for the perfect moment to strike as she highly doubted that she'd get a second shot. Luckily she didn't have to wait long as Ares connected a spinning strike with the staff of his spear into Mira's chest winding her, taking this as her moment Lucy rushed forwards and put all her remaining strength, enhanced or otherwise, into a single 'Lucy Kick', that sent Mira, much to Lucy's distinct surprise, straight into the Guild's wall.
Just as Mira detached herself from the imprint she had made in the wall Master Makarov stood up and raised his hands. "That's enough! The test is over!" letting out a breath of relief Lucy let her God Form fade and watched as Ares closed his own gate only to re-appear a moment later under his own power. Makarov turned to Laxus who gave him a small smile and a silent nod, turning back to face Lucy he continued. "Lucy my child you did magnificently, this test was to gauge how much your new God abilities had amplified your original powers as well as to test your tactical capabilities, given searching for these God Keys are at least S-Class quests if not SS-Class. As such it is my genuine delight, as Master of the Fairy Tail Guild, to announce that in recognition of her advancement in her magic, her overflowing kindness and compassion, her steadfast desire to defend not only this world but the Celestial World as well AND at the recommendation of Erza, Laxus, Poseidon the God of Water AND Shagotte the Queen of the Exceeds. Celestial High God Slayer Lucy Heartfillia is hereby granted the title of 'S-Class' effective immediately. Congratulations my child you have most definitely earned it."
Lucy just stood there, her mouth hanging slightly open as she tried to take in what had just been said. All around her was complete and total silence as people dealt with varying degrees of shock, after a few seconds everyone present broke out in thunderous cheers and applause. Through the cheers she could hear various people shouting their congratulations, Gray of course being the loudest since Natsu was off on a mission, Lucy looked for Erza and when she found her the look on Erza's face dam near made her heart melt into a puddle on the floor. Erza had the widest smile Lucy had ever seen on her and she was crying tears of joy, but what really got Lucy was the emotions she could see in Erza's eyes; overflowing joy, total love, heartfelt pride and complete acceptance. Not being able to take it any longer the two lovers ran to each other and enveloped one another in a loving hug, with their tears of joy running freely it was easily the most heart warming sight Fairy Tail had seen in many years.
Needless to say this was Fairy Tail and as such the congratulation party lasted several days and by the end of it most members had hangovers that practically paralyzed them for another couple of days. Natsu had returned from his mission the morning after Lucy's test and when he found out what had happened he was delighted for Lucy but pissed that he hadn't been there to see the fight. Currently Lucy was sat at the Guild's bar alongside Erza feeling like utter crap since for the last 4 days Ares had forced her to train all day until 10pm before she could start drinking, that being said she had managed to progress in learning Ares' magic quite well. "Luuuuuce" Natsu whined from behind her.
"Ugh what Natsu?" replied Lucy slightly more curtly than she may have intended.
"Let's go on an S-Class quest! You don't need permission now after all! Please? Come on! Come on come on come on!" Natsu pleaded.
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!" Lucy shouted to shut the annoying Dragon Slayer up, "if it'll keep you quite for 10 minutes while my head explodes then fine go pick one."
Natsu wasted absolutely no time in racing upstairs to the S-class board leaving Erza chuckling at Lucy's obvious annoyance, "he won't remain quiet for long" she remarked "however, this being your first official S-Class quest I will accompany the two of you if you don't mind?"
"Of course I don't mind" Lucy replied with a genuine smile, "I was going to ask you anyway to tell the truth, after all this is Natsu we're talking about and if doesn't come back with a 'take out the massive dark guild' quest I'll let Virgo punish me for a couple of hours."
The look on Erza's face was a mix of amusement and fear "wow, let's hope for you that you're right." As Natsu came racing down the stairs with a flyer in his hand Virgo appeared next to the two girls with chains in one hand, a whip in another and a look of anticipation on her face.
"Here Luce how about this one?" Natsu asked excitedly handing Lucy the flyer.
Dark Guild elimination!
Location: Vernedia City
Contact: Rune Knight Lieutenant Teerion
Reward: 20 Million Jewels
A Dark guild by the name of 'Underworld Flame' has grown too large, too bold and has become too much of a threat. They have made multiple attacks on towns and villages and have begun to rally other Dark Guilds to them which the Magic council cannot allow. Please meet with Lieutenant Teerion in the Rune Knight's barracks in Vernedia City for further mission specifics.
WARNING: recent reports indicate 'Underworld Flame' may have other dark guild under their direct control stationed near them for protection. This would mean that takers of this request may be required to combat multiple dark guilds, as such the Magic Council recommends at least 3 S-Class mages be involved.
After reading the flyer both Lucy and Erza couldn't help but giggle at Virgo's disappointed face as she shimmered back into the Celestial World. "Hmmm yeah I guess we could do this one" said Lucy watching as Natsu's face lit up in pure joy.
"Indeed" agreed Erza, "However given the warning at the end I would suggest asking Gray and Wendy to join us as well."
"Good luck with that Red" said Laxus striding over from the dark corner he had been sat in upstairs, "Wendy is still here but the Stripper went out on a mission with Juvia to keep her happy for a while."
"I wish she'd stop calling me 'Love Rival'" wished Lucy, "What about you Laxus? Wanna come along?"
"Well I was thinking of taking that job myself so yeah sure why not" agreed Laxus with a smile that he only gave to a select few people once of which was his 'Little sister' Lucy. The group got Mira to sign off on the quest and, after asking Wendy if she wanted to join, set out to start their latest job.
Watching the group from high above on the roof tops were two figures, though they kept completely in the shadows if anyone had looked they would have seen that one was very thin with two horn shaped things attacked to his head that looked to point straight up from his forehead, the other was slightly shorted and a lot more round. "Good" one of the two figures said to the other, "Our Master's enemy has taken the bait and soon with be eliminated" the figure smiled revealing gleaming white sharp looking teeth that seemed to shine through the shadows as the figures watched and listened to the random shouts of "Shut the hell up Flame Face!" and "I'm gonna kick your arse you lightning git!"
