Hey guys, so chill right now. Here's the next chapter and I hope that you guys enjoy it as much as you did for the last chapter. Seriously, cheers for all the reviews guys!

This will purely be following Lucy, as every other person's story will be going along exactly the same as canon. Lucy's not influencing their choices or strength, after all.

Another note: I had a reviewer (aptly named no one) give me a rant on how terrible I was to put down the writers who wrote (only in my opinion) the terribly OOC stories in which Lucy goes off while Natsu makes out with Lisanna.

Okay, just to get a few things straight; I'm just going to have a mini rant, but you don't have to look here at all, 'cause it's not my usual witty banter or funny shit.

Firstly; I am very sorry if I insulted any writer with my rant in the first chapter, I don't mean any hardships there. I genuinely appreciate their attempts at writing literature and I applaud them for their success. Secondly; I read and enjoy A LOT of those types of stories, so I'm not being a bitch just for the sake of it. One of my favourite FT stories is the story Replaced, a story that is a MASSIVE 'Lucy goes off and Natsu realises his mistakes and love for her,' yet I still fucking love it.

So just chill the fuck out, I am not a hater on this site, I'm an appreciator that is just blunt with her words. Capishe?

I beg your pardon for this long rant and I'll leave you to the story.

Disclaimer: Me owning FT would be me making a show about Natsu and Lucy fiercely making out and, as you guys know, that's not happening right now!

Warning: A little bit of this, a little bit of that…now shake your tush *clap clap clap* I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a duck, now shake that tush *clap clap clap*

3rd Person P.O.V.

Lucy sighed in happiness as she splashed the soothingly cool water up her arms before dunking her hair underwater once more.

"This is the life," drawled Cana as she scrubbed away the sweat that had collected on her body. "Onto the next round of the trials and fucking naked in an awesomely cool pool of water; I'd say I'm pretty content right now."

"Yeah," Lucy agreed as she clamoured out of the small spring that she and Cana had come across, "but we really should be getting back to Master. He said that the last few competitors should be arriving soon."

"That's if anyone's made it through," laughed Cana as she got out of the spring and followed Lucy to the tree where their bikinis were drying. "Other people have to verse fucking Erza and Mirajane! I'd die if I had to verse them!"

Lucy laughed alongside her friend as they pulled their bikinis on and tugged their shorts and singlet (in Lucy's case) over the top. "I think the only person who would be happy to verse those two is Natsu…" The smile died off the blonde's face as she thought of her…partner? Were they even partners anymore? It had been months since their last job together, and Lucy really didn't think that she could click together with Natsu as easily as she used to. Things had changed a lot since their last battle together; she wasn't the damsel anymore and he wasn't the all-powerful dragon that she had viewed him to be; more like an insufferable idiot.

"Hey," Cana bumped shoulders with her suddenly down friend, shoving Lucy's red gloves at her, along with her belt, whip and keys. "Don't let that pink-haired idiot get to you, you're going to prove him wrong in these exams, okay? We're going to fucking blitz this competition, and then Dragneel will see how stupid he's been to underestimate you!"

Breaking out into a smile, Lucy took her belt and clipped her keys and whip to it as she slung it around her waist. She pulled on her red gloves and clenched them in determination. "Yeah! We'll show everyone what we've got, Cana!"

Said brunette clapped Lucy on the back as she sauntered past. "Atta girl, Lucy-chan! Now let's go; we've got an S-class trial to win!"

Natsu didn't know how long he had been slumped against this one rock, but he knew it had been long enough for him to sort through his fear and disappointment of losing to Gildarts – and it had been long enough for him to lose feeling in his back and ass.

The Dragon Slayer stood up and rolled his shoulders, putting on his signature grin as he turned to the collected contestants who had made it through the battle rounds. "Is this everyone?!"

"Not everyone is here," grumped Master from his cross-legged position on a rock, irritated that the strangely (read; mercifully) quiet boy had recovered his usual disposition and was back to shouting and grinning that infernal grin of his.

"It's been ages though," groaned Gray as he leant against a tree trunk. "Let's just say that Evergreen and Elfman are out, alongside Juvia and Lisanna. They've got either Mirajane or Erza, after all."

"What about Luce?" Natsu asked, curious as to why his partner wasn't mentioned; she wasn't here, so she had to be still battling. Or she's lost, whispered a part of his mind that didn't have as much faith in Lucy as he did. 'Shut up,' Natsu growled back to the sly voice, 'Lucy's strong!'

"Both Cana and I got through ages ago, you guys were just so slow that we decided to go and wash off. There's a real nice spring off in the forest there."

Speak of the devil and she shall come. Lucy came wandering out of an opening in the surrounding forest, Cana following closely after; both of their hair damp and dripping, even though Cana was wringing hers out and Lucy had tied hers back in two low pigtails.

"No way!" Gajeel growled out, "I didn't see you guys here when Squirt and I got here, so there's no way that you guys got here before me."

Cana scoffed at the taller mage as she dropped herself ungracefully onto a rock, Lucy joining her. "We got here before you, Metal Face, just by a bit, but we still got here before you. We were leaving to go search for the spring Master told us about when we heard your screechy voice echoing out of one of the paths. It made us run faster." The brunette broke off into snickers as Gajeel growled at her and the others who were laughing alongside her.

Gray stepped forwards as he tugged at his t-shirt, leaning in close to Lucy. "So who'd you verse on your path? And how'd you beat us here?"

"We ran," Lucy said simply, "and Cana and I versed Freed and Bickslow."

Gray choked and staggered back. "You beat Freed and Bickslow! How the hell did you manage that?!"

"You beat Freed and Bickslow!" Levy cried out, jumping onto Lucy excitedly. "That's amazing!"

"That's bullshit," snarled Gajeel, "how could Bunny Girl and the Drunkard defeat those two?"

"Magic," Cana deadpanned. "Besides, Lucy's already beaten Bickslow before, and with our teamwork," Cana slung an arm around Lucy and pulled her close, squishing their faces together, "we're unstoppable!"

"Happy and me have way better teamwork than you guys!" Boasted Natsu, thumbing at himself. "We'll beat you guys for sure!"

Cana smirked up at him, gaze dark and mischievous. "I wouldn't bet your money on that, Dragneel. You might be surprised to see your jewels disappearing pretty quickly."

The atmosphere tensed as the two hot heads stared each other down. It wasn't until a hand cracked across both of their heads that the tension disappeared.

"Enough of that, you two," admonished Lucy, staring at the two pouting mages sternly. "There's no need to get competitive yet, the next part of the exams has yet to start, so save it until then, okay?"

Cana sulkily nodded, death glaring Natsu who was busy staring up at Lucy. "Don't you believe I can win, Luce? Some partner you are."

Lucy's face flickered through several emotions at those words; mild annoyance, sadness, disappointment, anger and loyalty. "There is a chance you can win, Natsu, but you'd have to go through Cana and I first to get there. We won't go down without a fight!"

"Let's duke out right now then!" Natsu bolted upright and positioned himself in a boxing stance, feet dancing as his hands lashed out in mock jabs that brushed too close to Lucy's face for her own comfort. "Stop that, you idiot! You're going to hit me!" The blonde slapped Natsu's hands away from her face, "I said save it for the exams, moron!"

Seeing that the two were going to break down into one of their usual petty squabble – only, they were also accompanied by Cana this time round – the other competitors turned their attention to each other, content to chat until their Master told them that the next part of the trials were beginning.

It was the arrival of a panting and exhausted Evergreen and Elfman that broke the calm and comrade-like atmosphere.

"We…" breathed out Evergreen as she leant against Elfman, "beat Mirajane…"

"EH?!" Came the collective shout of the Fairy Tail mages. "NO WAY!"

"Today's just full of surprises," chuckled Cana as she watched Elfman and Evergreen hem and haw about how they won. "And full of people showing their inner strength."

"Too right," agreed Lucy, bumping shoulders with Cana so that the brunette could turn and see her grin. "We've already started to show them…"

"So we should finish with a bang," continued Cana. "We'll show them what we've got right here, right now!"

"Alright you brats!" Roared Makarov, interrupting the interrogation that Gray and Loke were inflicting on Evergreen and Elfman (unknowingly saving them great embarrassment as he did so). "We're going to start the next part of the trials! Are you ready?"

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu clenched a flaming fist in his excitement. "Hit me up, old man!"

Without pausing, Makarov slapped Natsu into the ground with an enlarged fist. "The next part of the trials is …what you might call, a treasure hunt." The old man coughed as he shrunk his fist and dragged it off a squished Natsu. "You must find the First Master's grave, Mavis Vermillion; here's some information for you…"

Lucy P.O.V.

It was tricky, this part of the trial, but not impossible. I just had to figure out where the First Master's grave was from the hints that Makarov said during his explanation of the rules applying to this part of the trial.

"I…I think I've got it!" I exclaimed to Cana, ecstatic with my victory. "The First Master's grave is in route E! One of the routes from-"

"The first part of the trial," Cana breathed out, eyes shining with wonder and excitement. "You're a freaking genius, Lucy-chan!" The brunette wrapped me up in a massive hug, her excitement palpable.

"It's nothing, Cana," I said in reply, returning the hug briefly before getting down to business. "We should head out now, though. Levy's smart enough to figure this out, so she and Gajeel could already be heading there."

"They're not going to win!" Cana snarled, excitement now changed into anger and determination. "Not if I've got anything to say about it! C'mon, Lucy-chan!" She didn't wait for an answer, grabbing my hand and beginning to sprint back towards the network of caves that the routes lay in. I stumbled a few steps before catching up, Cana dropping my wrist so that we could run side by side down the trails of the forest.

We were around halfway back to the routes when a flare went up in the air over the treetops, exploding in a burst of red.

I skidded to a stop, staring up at the flare. "What's that mean?!"

"Don't know," Cana bit out, impatiently pausing in her running, "but it doesn't matter! Let's go!"

"It means we have to go back to the camp," said a distinctive male voice from behind us.

I whirled around to see both Gray and Loke coming out of nearby bushes, their expressions grim. "You were following us, you assholes!"

Loke chuckled sheepishly. "Well, I knew you were smart enough to figure out the riddle, Hime, so it was only smart to follow you." My spirit came closer, picking up my hand so that he could place a kiss on it. He smiled regally at me. "Not like I wouldn't follow you to the end of Earthland already, my beautiful maiden."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere," I huffed, tugging my hand back. "And besides, there's a lot more importance in that flare that just went up."

"Yeah," Gray spoke up, still staring up at the last remnants of the flare. "The flare means that the trial has been called off and that we have to go back to the campsite to recuperate and find out why the trial's been called off. I'm pretty sure that red means that other people are on the island."

"No!" Cana suddenly shrieked. "I am not stopping here! Not when I'm so close!"

"Cana," I tried to placate my friend, "the trial could just be called off for a short while, and then we can start up again. I'm sure somebody has just accidentally wandered onto the island. We don't want them caught up in the trial, otherwise they'll get injured by all the creatures here and the magic being thrown around!"

"But then these two might beat us to the First Master's grave," Cana glared at Loke and Gray. "I don't want to take that chance. And if someone's on the island, I say; screw them! They can just move out of my way as I make my way to Mavis's grave."

"The trial doesn't matter right now," snapped out Gray, "not if it's something that's going to affect us all. We should just hurry up and get to the campsite; put away your competitiveness and selfishness, Cana."

At seeing Cana's distinctly hurt expression, I decided to defuse the situation before it went too far. "Guys, we'll settle this later, but Cana," I turned to the brunette, "we should go to the campsite. Someone could be hurt, after all, and we don't know if whoever's on the island is good or bad."

Cana sighed but nodded her head, "yeah, yeah we should. I'm sorry about getting carried away."

"That doesn't matter now," I said to her, "let's just head out."

Loke, that smartass, saluted me cheerfully, totally defusing the edgy atmosphere. "Yes, General Lucy!"

Snorting at my spirit's ridiculousness, I turned to face back where we came. "This is the way to the campsite, right?"

"I'll lead," Gray began to walk ahead, "I know where to go."

"Lead on, fearless leader," Loke sniped, dropping into step behind the Ice mage.

Laughing lightly as the two males began to banter cheerfully, I trotted behind them, only looking back to see if Cana was behind me. "Are you alright, Cana?" The brunette looked so down when she met my gaze. "Yeah, I'm fine, Lucy-chan. Just…"

"I get it," I tried to smile reassuringly at her, "we'll finish this thing, you'll see."

Cana rolled her eyes, but I could see that she was starting to relax some. "I don't need encouragement, Lucy-chan. I am the older one, after all."

"And sexier," I added, beginning to jog so that I could keep up with Gray and Loke.

"And sexier," agreed Cana.

As I ran behind Loke, I couldn't help but worry about Cana. She seemed so focused on winning this trial that it was almost scary; it was like an obsession. She wasn't focused on anything but finding Mavis's grave and becoming S-class; Cana could lose sight of what's most important with that level of focus.

"Stop!" Gray called out, causing Loke, Cana and I to skid to a stop in front of old, decaying ruins of what once could've been a stone house. "What?!"

"Look up," was all Gray said.

And look up we did.

"What the hell are those?" I gasped out, staring up in confusion at the large, purple spherical things that were drifting down out of the sky. "Are they…are they bubbles?!"

"Bubbles with people in them!" Loke yelled. "Look!"

When I peered closely at the giant bubbles that were reaching the ground now, I could make out vague forms that very well could be humanoid. "Loke's not joking guys!"

"What the hell is this?!" Demanded Cana as the bubbles began to burst, releasing a bunch of men onto our sacred island. "What do these people want?"

"We are of Grimore Heart!" One of the men declared, leering at us as he clutched a large lance. "And we are here to destroy you Fairy scum!"

The writer side of me vaguely noted how cliché that declaration sounded, but the majority of me was frankly shocked. Grimore Heart? Grimore Heart, one of the Baram Alliance? One of the biggest and most evil Dark guilds in Fiore?

"What the heck is Grimore Heart doing here?" Gray scowled at the collected Grimore Heart men, obviously not happy with the new development. "How dare you step on our holy land! Only people with a Fairy Tail marks can be on Tenrō Jima!"

One of the men snickered, lazily twirling a chain and ball. "It's a bit late for that, Fairy, we've already invaded your whole 'precious, holy island!' We're here to demolish you, and demolish you we shall!"

"Like hell you will!" I yelled out, pulling out Fleuve d'étoiles and cracking it towards a bunch of the men nearby. "We'll stop you before you even think about trying!"

"Damn straight!" Cana flung her hands out, releasing a torrent of cards that sliced many of the men and their weapons.

Loke and Gray roared their own agreement before joining in the melee, their magical attacks bursting around them in bright arrays.

I was surprised at how easy it was to take the men down. They were weak, untrained, and fell easily to our combined attacks that we rained upon them. Gray struck the last blow; a widespread Ice Make: Lance took the rest of the men down no problem.

"This is crazy!" I panted out, shaking my hands to relieve them of the phantom pain of landing against jawbones and the back of skulls. "What is Grimore Heart doing here?!"

"Gray's already said that," remarked Cana with no humour or malice, "and there's still no answer for that."

I glared half-heartedly at her before noticing something odd. "The men are disappearing! They're vanishing out of existence!"

"What the…" breathed out Loke, eyes wide as he took in the fading men.

"I have sent them back," called out a new voice, "because I will be your opponent!"

I whirled around to face the newcomer and couldn't help but gasp at what I saw. A goat. A legitimate goat. A real life goat that was wearing clothes; a midriff tailored coat and pants! A goat-man!

"My name is Caprico," the newly dubbed Caprico said coldly. "I am here to stop you from interfering in my guild's, Grimore Heart's, plans."

"What plans?" Asked Loke, looking strangely nervous and angry. "What are you and your guild here for?"

"That is something I can not divulge as of now," Caprico said shortly, "but it wouldn't matter, either way, you will not live long enough to speak of our plans." Before anyone could speak up, Caprico seemed to shimmer out of existence.

"Where'd he go-!" Started Gray before Caprico abruptly appeared in front of him, leg raised up and already swinging through the air. His foot impacted with Gray's cheek and sent him flying.

"Gray!" Both Loke and I yelled out.

"There is no time to be concerned for your friend," Caprico said, daintily pivoting on one foot so that he could lash out at Loke, who narrowly dodged. "You should be concerned for your own life."

Gray, Loke, Cana and Lucy vs Caprico

In retaliation of Caprico's attempt to hit him, Loke powered up one of his rings, letting the bright glow wash over his face. "Regulus Impact!"

"Too slow." Caprico leant away from the brilliant and deadly beam of light, sunglasses protecting his eyes from the blinding level of light. He then dove through the air to land a devastating roundhouse kick into Loke's stomach.

"Loke!" I called out in concern as my spirit was flung out of the small clearing we were in, and into the surrounding ruins. "You bastard." I glared at Caprico, gloved hands clenched. "Let's go then!"

Shoving down any fear I had of this obviously strong enemy, I charged forwards, body at the ready to attack or defend. At seeing that Caprico was still turning from where he had kicked Loke, I shifted into an attacking stance and dropped low so that I could use a sweeping kick to take his feet from underneath him.

The goat-man gently leapt over my feet, barely landing before he backhanded me and sent me tumbling back.

"What the hell?" I spat to the side as I rolled to a stop. "It felt like I was going to get him, and then it was like all my speed and force suddenly disappeared!"

"That would be my magical ability," said Caprico as he straightened his impeccable tuxedo, "Human Subordination."

"Human Subordination?" I repeated, standing up. "What kind of magic is that?"

"A magic that weakens a mages physical and magical attacks," Loke answered for Caprico, helping up a slightly dazed Gray from the ruins of what could've been a small tower. "It's an old and ancient magic."

"You are well informed," remarked Caprico, pushing his glasses up his nose. "But that shall not help you." Without warning, he disappeared again, his speed so great that I couldn't even see him moving. He appeared in front of Cana, who had been readying some card traps, and grabbed her around the waist so that he could toss him towards me.

I squeaked at the sight of the incoming girl, but quickly braced myself and raised up my gloved arms. I took Cana's body right to my chest and held tightly onto the girl as I was pushed back by the force of her impact, my sandals digging into the ground as I did so. "Are you okay, Cana?"

"Yeah," the brunette gasped back to me, untangling herself from my arms and standing upright. "You?"

"Fine," I replied, rubbing my aching feet, "but just what is this guy? He's ridiculously strong and fast. He seems to be better at hand-to-hand than Erza, and he uses some magic that reduces our magical and physical power every time we try and get close to him! This is ridiculous!"

"I agree," Cana began to edge around to where her cards lay and I followed, both of our gazes locked on where Gray was trying to trap Caprico with an icy cage, and Loke was lunging in to enact hand-to-hand combat whenever Gray slipped up. "But what should we do about it?"

"We should all hit him with our own magical attacks," I replied, "but we should get us some room to recuperate before we do so. Maybe if we hit him with a long-ranged attack…"

"Already on it!" Cana hurried over to her cards that had been abandoned on the ground and began shuffling them around, apparently searching for specific cards.

Seeing Cana so distracted, I stood in front of her, just in case Caprico decided to target her since she was basically defenceless. And it was lucky I did, since the goat-man came flickering towards me not shortly after.

I raised my arms up to block the powerful right hook that came rocketing towards me, barely standing my ground so that I didn't crush Cana behind me. Gritting my teeth, I held Caprico back with one arm as I wound the other back and slipped it under our engaged fists, driving it deep into his stomach.

"Good work, Lucy!" I heard Loke call out. "That's the first hit that's landed!"

I flushed with pleasure that I, Lucky Lucy Heartifilia, landed the first hit on a powerful opponent! But it was my moment of pride that cost me, as Caprico quickly recovered from the punch and returned it back tenfold with an uppercut that impacted under my chin. I felt my feet leave the ground as the eye-rattling punch hit me, and my teeth chattered from the excess strength as I curved backwards over Cana.

The ground hit the back of my head and spine with such strength that it pushed all the air from my lungs, leaving me gasping and wheezing as I tried to grab it back.

"Thanks Lucy!" I dimly heard Cana say. "You've given me enough time to do this!"

Unbeknownst to me, Cana had set up three of her famed cards and charged them up with enough magical energy that it released a massive burst of lightening that went arcing towards Caprico.

Although the goat-man's magical ability meant that he could reduce magical power, and his dodging skills were superb, he couldn't completely negate or move out of the way of the force of nature, causing him to be struck on the side by a few thousand volts of pure magical and electrical energy.

After I sat up – and that took quite some time – I was greeted with the sight of Caprico clutching his side, which was smoking softly, releasing the stench of cooked flesh and burnt silk clothing. "You did it, Cana?"

"Heck yes I did," replied the brunette beside me, "but…Loke! Gray! Stop standing there!" Cana pulled out some cards and flung them at the goat-man, explosions erupting around him as he sloppily dodged, "Attack you idiots!"

There was roars in answer as Loke and Gray powered up their own attacks and threw them at Caprico.

Shakily, I stood up, eyes blinded by the bright shimmers of ice, light and explosive fires that burst before them. I was definitely hurting from that backhand that Caprcio gave me, the right side of my face was now numb and I could feel it swelling, but I had to push through it. I could barely breathe, still recovering from the wind being knocked out of me, yet I couldn't stand here and try and catch it. My friends needed me, and I'd be damned if I let them down!

Tugging off any key from my belt, I was relieved to see Sagittarius's symbol gleaming back at me. He could support us from a distance with his arrows, and he wouldn't be in danger of hitting us when we engaged Caprico in close-combat due to his perfect accuracy. "Open! Gate of the Archer: Sagittarius!" I slashed the key through the air and smiled in relief as Sagittarius appeared saluting me. "Hello, moshi moshi!"

"Sagittarius!" I ordered, no time to be polite since we were in battle. "Support us by shooting at the goat-man whenever you see an opening!" As I pointed out Caprico, I heard a strangled gasp come from Sagittarius. "I-it couldn't be!"

"What?!" I demanded, taking in the sight of Loke and Caprico duking it out with their fists. "What is it, Sagittarius?!"

"Capricorn!" Returned my spirit, eyes wide in surprise. "It's Capricorn?!"

Capricorn? My eyes widened as I linked up the dots. Caprico. Caprico(rn!) It was so obvious! Capricorn, the Goat spirit! "Why is Capricorn here?"

Sagittarius answered me quickly, seeing my friends struggle to keep Capricorn engaged. "Capricorn has been missing from the Spirit world for many years. He went missing one day, but we knew that he hadn't disappeared into stardust, so he was still alive. But…although that is Capricorn's body, it doesn't feel like Capricorn!"

"Not Capricorn?" I asked, extremely confused right now; but now wasn't the time to be confused, it was the time to be in action. "That doesn't matter right now, Sagittarius! He's the enemy, so we need to stop him! I'm going to help out my friends, so I want you to back me up, just like how you did in the forest, okay?"

Startled out of his shock, Sagittarius nodded determinedly. "Alright, moshi moshi!"

Quickly giving my spirit a fleeting smile I dashed forwards to engross Capricorn in battle. There was no way we were going to be beaten here!

3rd Person P.O.V.

Loke knew that there was no way that they were going to win here. Not at all. Capricorn – because Loke knew that it was his old friend, Capricorn, not Caprico – was simply too strong. The spirit had retained his degree of mastery in hand-to-hand combat, even after all these years, and whoever the person was that had altered his old friend, had made the spirit learn an old (and forbidden) magic. Human Subordination took the magical and physical power from humans and made them null and void, making it extremely useful in close-combat and-

Humans. The magic took power from humans, not spirits!

"Guys!" Loke called back to his friends, being the only one currently fighting Capricorn. "You need to leave now! You've got to leave Caprico to me!"

"What the hell are you talking about, man!" Shrieked back Gray, sounding extremely angry as he launched several icy lances towards Capricorn. "There's no way we're going to leave you!"

"Definitely not!" Chimed in Cana, flinging more of her Shuriken cards at Capricorn, narrowly missing the goat-man himself, but tearing several cuts in his tuxedo top. "Who do you think we are; deserters? People who don't care about their nakama? Mad?!"

"You guys don't understand!" Loke replied, jumping back from Capricorn to recuperate and to talk to his friends. "Caprico is actually-"

"Capricorn," came the cold interlude from Lucy as she stepped up to stand beside Loke. "He's a Celestial spirit that went missing from the Spirit world years ago."

"You're quite right there," said Capricorn coolly, a smirk apparent on his face as he dusted himself off. "I am indeed Capricorn, but I am only the body of Capricorn."

"What do you mean by that?" Asked Cana warily. "How can you just be the body of Capricorn?"

The goat-man adjusted his glasses, the black lenses gleaming briefly in the mockingly bright sky. "The body belongs to Capricorn, but the mind and, more importantly, the soul, belong to me! Zoldeo!"

"Zoldeo?" Lucy murmured, "that name sounds familiar…" Shaking off any wafting thoughts, Lucy focused back on the task at hand. "Loke, do you know what he's talking about?"

"Not really," replied the spirit tersely, "but you guys have to leave, now! Whoever this guy is, he uses Human Subordination, which reduces people's magical and physical attacks."

"Yeah," Gray interrupted irritably, "you've already told us this, Loke, so what the hell do you want us to do what information?"

"He can't use his magic against Celestial spirits," informed Loke, flaring his magic to change his clothes from regular t-shirt and shorts, to his usual tux. His hair ruffled out into its usual length, showing his transformation from Loke, mage of Fairy Tail, to Leo, leader of the Zodiac spirits.

"I thought you were familiar," remarked Zoldeo absently, "I just didn't realise you were Leo, a Zodiac spirit."

"Yeah, well," snapped out Loke, "you better believe it. Guys," Loke said back to his nakama, "leave this bastard to me since his magic won't affect me. I can defeat him while you guys go and make sure that the others aren't being ambushed by similar people from Grimore Heart!"

"No!" Burst out Lucy, "I'm not leaving you here alone!"

"We couldn't defeat him and there were four of us!" Countered Gray angrily. "What makes you think that you, by yourself, could possibly defeat him?!"

"Don't you guys trust me?" Said Loke softly, eyes trained on the faintly amused Zoldeo who stood, waiting for them to make up their minds.

"Of course we do," Cana replied, "but that doesn't mean we would just abandon you!"

Loke heaved a sigh, eyes flickering shut, before focusing his whole attention on Zoldeo and no one else. "If you guys trust me, then you would trust me to protect you guys. It's not something about honour or sacrifice, it's logical that I fight this guy, since his magic won't affect me. So if you trust me, then you'll believe that I can win."

Gray's eyes widened at seeing his friend so determined, but they relaxed, along with his strained heart. "Okay, buddy, we'll trust you."

"Gray!" Protested both Lucy and Cana.

"No," Gray cut across the two girls, "we should leave now, so Loke doesn't worry about protecting us. We trust him, so we should trust him to win this for us. He's trusting us to protect ourselves and our nakama by finding the other bastards who've trespassed on our grounds, and beating them into a pulp for even thinking about going up against Fairy Tail!"

At seeing Gray's conviction, Cana bowed to Loke's will. "Okay then. We'll leave, but you better not die, Loke!" She yelled out to the Lion spirit who stood in front of her before beginning to walk away with Gray.

"I won't ever do that to my nakama," murmured Loke in response. "Lucy, you have to follow them."

"No." The blonde glared at him as Sagittarius came behind her to give her moral support. "If you want us to protect our nakama, then I should be here, protecting you. You're my nakama, my spirit, and my partner, I am never leaving you behind to face an enemy without me!"

"Luc-"

"Never, Loke! I fight beside my spirits, Loke, you know that. So let me fight beside you! I am strong enough to do so now, I won't let you down!"

"Lucy," Cana tugged on the blonde's arm, but Lucy tugged back, making Cana release her. "No! I'm not going to let my nakama down again!"

Loke snapped. "Just leave already, Lucy! I'm not putting you in danger, okay!"

Rather than being cowed by the Lion's harsh words like she once would've, Lucy merely straightened her shoulders and stepped up to stand beside Loke, Sagittarius dropping into place on her other side. "No, Loke. I will not stand by as one of my greatest friends puts himself in danger, that isn't how I work, and you know that. I may have once listened to you, but I would've been weak and unprepared. Now, I am strong, and I want to be strong beside you."

The Lion spirit wavered before giving into his summoner's whims. "Alright, I'll let you stand beside me, Lucy. We are comrades, and that's where we should be."

"Right!" Lucy nodded to Loke before turning around to smile reassuringly at a hesitant Gray and Cana. "It's okay guys, go. We'll handle this guy A-Okay!"

"I'm trusting you, Lucy-chan!" Cheered Cana, gaze solidly on Lucy before flickering to her two spirits that flanked her protectively. "And I'm trusting you two to keep her safe."

"Of course."

"You can count on me, moshi moshi!"

Gray merely nodded to his nakama before leading Cana away, the two dropping into a sprint as soon as they got a few paces away from the imminent battle.

But Capricorn wasn't going to let them go that easily. "Hunter of Belperaso: Samagui!" An olden style hunter appeared in a golden flash, rather reminiscent of the summoning of a Celestial spirit. "Get the two who are trying to escape!"

As the hunter, Belperaso, sprinted for Cana and Gray's retreating forms, he found his legs entangled by a glowing whip, resulting in his motion being used against him as he slowly tripped. Before his body could hit the ground, a swift arrow pierced through his side, Sagittarius dispersing the Human Subornation in a spray of golden particles.

"Good work, Sagittarius!" Cheered Lucy, high-fiving said spirit happily. "Excellent teamwork! It's like you read my mind! Well, friends working together can accomplish anything!"

"Moshi moshi!"

"I remember who you are now," hissed out Zoldeo, surprising his three opponents from their small victory celebration. "I remember you!"

"Who are you talking about?" Asked Sagittarius.

"The blonde hair…yes, so much like your accursed mother's!" Zoldeo let out a roar and surged forwards before anyone could react – especially Lucy. "I'll kill you for daring to be related to that bitch!" The previously composed goat-man began to attack in blind fury, making the three friends scatter to dodge his approach.

Sagittarius, Loke and Lucy vs Caprico/Capricorn/Zoldeo

"How do you know my mother?" Gasped out Lucy as her opponent went for her again, his large fists swinging dangerously close to her face every time she bent away from him. "And what did she ever do to you?"

"She made me like this!" Roared out Zoldeo, barely noticing the arrows he was dodging, courtesy of a determined Sagittarius. "That bitch made me like this!"

"What do you mean?!" Keened Lucy, her gloved hands deflecting several punches and kicks that left her arms stinging.

At seeing her confusion, and wishing more than anything for this reminder of the cause of his pain to know what her mother was really like, Zoldeo began to spin a tale of how Layla, slowly dying Layla, gave Zoldeo Capricorn's key to keep the Goat spirit safe for her in between exchanges of physical attacks.

Zoldeo would have to wait for the day that Lucy was old enough to wield her own keys properly before handing Capricorn over to her. But Zoldeo, festered and maddened with greed and darkness, used his magic to try and make the spirits soul and body his own, but it resulted in his soul being trapped forever in the goat-man himself. He was doomed to forever be stuck in Capricorn's body for breaking one of the taboos of Human Subordination: using his magic on someone either than a human.

"I have missed my body," remarked Capricorn as Loke exchanged places with Lucy to give her a rest, the Lion's rage at his summoner's minor injuries nearly rivalling Zoldeo's own festering fury. "And it's all because of Layla that I am stuck in this stupid goat body!"

"That's your own fault!" Loke pushed out a burst of magic in form of a Regulas Punch, resulting in Capricorn being flung back into the surrounding ruins. "You're the idiot who broke the taboo, not Layla!"

"It's all Layla's fault!" Screeched Zoldeo, rolling as he stood up to miss one of Sagittarius's arrows. "And since she's already dead, I'll kill her daughter in retribution!" The goat-man began to stumble towards Lucy, but found his way blocked by an enraged Loke. "Like hell you will!" The Lion spirit delivered a fierce uppercut to the mad man, lifting him up into the air.

Seeing his chance, Sagittarius went to shoot for the momentarily suspended body, but noticed his summoner already running towards Zoldeo, brushing by a ruined wall as she did so. The Archer spirit changed his course of aim and shot a few arrows at the wall, digging them into the wall as they went steadily higher.

Lucy was shocked by the sudden appearance of three arrows in the wall in front of her, but she noticed how they went up the wall in a step-like formation. The blonde smirked and added a mental reminder to lavish Sagittarius in praises after this was over as she reached the arrows.

Stepping up onto the first arrow at a sprint, Lucy noted of the arrows buoyancy and used it to step up to the next one. Ignoring the third arrow, Lucy bounced off the second arrow and leapt into the air, twisting to the side so that she would hover over the descending form of Zoldeo. Raising a leg, Lucy used the drop of the appendage to roll tightly to face down, rearing back her right hand as she did so. Feeling the comforting grip of her red gloves, Lucy took courage of it and plunged her hand down, impacting with Zoldeo's exposed back and sending them both hurtling towards the ground at a far greater speed.

For the second time in the past hour, Lucy impacted with the ground, but indirectly. Zoldeo's front impact with the ground and he let out a gurgling sound as Lucy's whole weight, all focused towards her fist, really impacted into his back. His body bowed in half as Lucy's fist pressed into his spine, making some of his vertebrae pop and erupt from the strain. "Argh!"

Lucy wasn't completely unscathed, though. Her entire weight was on her right arm, and as she came down, it bent the appendage to a ridiculous degree. The blonde tried twisting to the side, but she a bit late as her wrist strained from the weight and she threw herself to the side. She rolled away from Zoldeo, already clutching her burning right arm. "Ugh…!"

"Lucy!" Loke was instantly by his summoner's side, hands hovering in worry over her trembling body as it curled up around the injured appendage. "Where are you injured?!"

That doesn't matter right now, Loke!" Lucy hissed out through the pain, "just get Zoldeo, or whoever the hell he is! Now!"

The Lion spirit nodded and stood up, prepared to beat the crap out of the bastard they had been fighting, but found Sagittarius already there, pulling back an arrow and pointing the arrow point right between the goat-man's eyes.

"Sagittarius!"

"It is only a precaution, moshi moshi!" Informed Sagittarius calmly, arrow not wavering from its position. "In case he tries anything."

Loke nodded in acknowledgment, his anger barely reined in as he left an injured Lucy to advance on the gasping form of Zoldeo as he attempted to clutch his injured spine. "My…back! Argh, the spine!"

"You mean this…?" Loke asked the rhetorical question coolly as he placed a shining, polished, black shoe onto the enemies back, applying pressure slowly. Zoldeo screamed in answer, body thrashing through the pain. "S-stop it!"

"He's done," Loke nodded to Sagittarius, "there's no way he can keep fighting." The Lion spirit turned around, intent on going to his injured blonde, but Zoldeo wasn't going to let him do that.

The goat-man batted away Sagittarius's arrow and managed to swipe the Archer's feet from underneath him, the force of the fall making Sagittarius's grip on this world disappear. The spirit disappeared in a flash of gold as Zoldeo went after revenge. The delusional man then staggered up, roaring with pain and anger as he readied his magic, and lumbered towards Loke. "Prepare yourself, Leo!"

Loke turned and took in Zoldeo's stance, recognising the tabooed magic that he wasn't about to do. "Human Raise won't work on me, I'm a Celestial spirit!"

"But with my taboo," snarled Zoldeo as he charged himself with more magic, "I can take your body for my own. Human Raise!"

A dark form drifted out of the goat-man's body, lunging for Loke, who ducked underneath the form and punched the newly freed Capricorn's body with a Regulas Punch.

"You're too late!" Shrieked Zoldeo as his dark, wispy form twisted back to enter through Loke's back, making the Lion gasp and arc his back as he shudder.

"Loke!" Yowled Lucy as she looked upon her shuddering friend. "Loke!"

The handsome spirit's body straightened out and a dark look came over his face. "There's no Loke here anymore, Layla's daughter."

Lucy choked back a strangling lump in her throat and attempted to get up. "What did you do to him?! Where's Loke?!"

The possessed Loke cackled, something that was very strange and twisted on the normally charismatic spirit's face. "I've taken his body for my own, that's what! There's no more Loke inside here!" Zoldeo chuckled as he brushed his hands over his new body. "yes, this body will do nicely. So much better than that horrendous goat body."

"Mehbe you should pay attention to the goat body," came Capricorn's voice from behind Zoldeo, making the man turn with wide eyes. "Impossible! My possession of you should've wiped out your conscious! You shouldn't be alive!"

Capricorn glared at the person who possessed him previously, raising one of his arms. "Regulus is at full strength." A ring gleamed on his hand, the golden shine become more apparent as he charged more magic to the accessory. "Regulus Beam!" Capricorn thrust his hand forwards and released a brilliant beam of light that curved towards the screaming body of Loke, cutting a perfect hole through his chest as it went.

Loke's body began to fall, but not before Zoldeo's true body came tumbling out. As Loke tried to breathe and regain his strength – Lucy hovering worriedly over him – Zoldeo looked in shock at his human hands. "I…I'm free. I have my own body! I'm free!" The wicked man then seemed to realise something as he abruptly turned to a composed Capricorn. "H-how'd you even stand up? How are you still alive?"

"When Leo punched me," began Capricorn, "he transferred his power to me and gave me enough power to stand up and blast Regulus Beam into you two. I apologise for the crude method," Capricorn said to the form of Loke who was slowly standing up with the help of Lucy – well, only her left arm really, as her other arm was too injured to be of much help.

"It's fine, Capricorn," panted out Loke in reply, "it's the only thing we could do to separate us both. Regulus is holy light, so it separated the dark from light and split us out from each other."

"And gave me my body back!" Laughed Zoldeo triumphantly. "Now I can-!"

"You can't do anything," cut in Loke, "you are simply a shadow of your old body, not really in this plane of existence. You can't do anything with that new body since it won't be around long enough to do anything."

"No!" Wailed Zoldeo as he noticed dark particles beginning to flake off his torso and arms. "This can't be! This can't happen!"

"Better believe it," spat Lucy, repeating Loke's previous words.

Zoldeo snapped his head towards Lucy, eyes blinding in their fury. "You! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! I'LL KILL YOU!" Somehow staggering upright, even though his body was slowly disintegrating, Zoldeo staggered towards Lucy, murder in his eyes.

A blinding kick to his face stopped him in his tracks. "No one will hurt meh master, Lucy-sama." Capricorn kicked Zoldeo in the head, his leg passing straight through the appendage as Zoldeo's body and magic finally gave up and let go of its physical form. Zoldeo disappeared into gleaming particles of dark energy before, they too, disappeared with the lilting wind.

"It's over," heaved out Lucy, legs beginning to tremble with the effort of standing upright and supporting Loke with one arm – Sagittarius had disappeared into the Spirit world, relieving her of the strain of holding his gate open. "It's finally over."

"Yes," Loke sighed along with his summoner, exhaustion evident in his posture as one hand clutched the gaping hole in his chest that was leaking golden specks. "That bastard's gone."

"I apologise, Lucy-sama," Capricorn said, bowing to the blonde, "for my-"

"You don't need to apologise, Capricorn." Lucy smiled tiredly at the spirit. "None of that was your fault; you were controlled and unaware of your actions."

"But I wasn't there for you during all those years, Lucy-sama," Capricorn frowned behind his glasses, "even after I swore to protect you to Layla-sama."

"That's alright, Capricorn," reassured Lucy.

"It's alright," informed Loke, "if you lend your power to Lucy."

"I can not lend my power to Lucy-sama," said Capricorn cordially, "for my power already rests with Lucy-sama and whatever she fights for." The spirit bowed deeply to Lucy, "I shall give you everything I have and follow any order you give me."

"Oh, Capricorn," said Lucy tearfully, amazed by this one spirits devotion to her mother and, by default, herself. "You don't have to follow any orders; I ask my spirits to help me. I ask my friends to stand beside me and fight."

Surprised, Capricorn nodded slowly, "I understand, Lucy-sama. But if I may, could I please go to the Spirit realm, alongside Leo, of course, to recuperate? It has been seventeen years since I have been home, and I wish to see all of my old friends."

"Of course!" Lucy said, astonished at how long the spirit had been out inside her world. "Go, the both of you, and rest! You both deserved it!"

Capricorn bowed before disappearing in a flash, his key happily joining his friends on Lucy's keychain, which she fingered, equally as happy.

But Loke didn't leave yet. He whirled Lucy around to face him. "Are you sure you'll be okay? You're injured." Here, he gently touched Lucy's right, gloved hand that was already beginning to swell slightly. "And who knows who else could be out there."

"I'll be fine, Loke," reassured Lucy, "go and rest. As I said, you deserved it." And before Loke could protest any more, Lucy forced his gate close.

As soon as the spirit disappeared, Lucy slowly sunk to the ground, left hand clutching at her strained right hand. "Oh Mavis…" Her right hand was so painful that she could barely move her wrist or flex her fingers. Ironically, the pain and swelling stopped around where the gloves ended. And speaking of gloves…

"I have to get the gloves off," Lucy murmured tearfully, "or else I'll have to cut them off later on when my arm swells up too much." Tears already escaping her eyes at the mere thought of the pain that was to come from removing the glove, Lucy gritted her teeth and began to peel away the edge of the glove.

It was excruciating, the level of pain that could come from one meagre seeming injury. Lucy gasped and sobbed out breaths as she slowly pulled the glove off, revealing one scar…two scar…and with a heave and a short, muffled scream of pain, Lucy tugged off the last of the glove, almost throwing it away as she tried to get as far away from the offensive accessory as possible.

Gulping down deep breaths to calm herself down, Lucy peeked at the arm, preparing for the worst. But it was fine. Well, as fine as a slightly swollen arm could be; and the added scars that curved across the barely bloated, pale expanse.

Only Wendy, Carla and Cana knew of the scars, and Lucy would prefer that no one else would learn of them; they were a reminder of her weakness and inability to fight.

A tear dropped onto the jagged scar that cut across the pink Fairy Tail mark. "I'm still too weak…"

Ughh….fuck. That was horrible! So much research and it was so confusing with Capricorn changes names every fucking five minutes! (And there was a reason that I put 'mehbe,' and 'meh,' in Capricorn's dialogue, as the spirit actually pronounces his words like that). But it ended somewhat alright…I hope.

The fight ended exactly the same as canon, but Lucy was strong enough and brave enough to fight back against Loke this time round when he told her to leave, so she and Sagittarius were with Loke. And the order of events were slightly out of place in spots since Lucy was asking more questions and whatnot.

So I hope no one was too OOC and that you enjoyed this chapter. I probably won't release another one for a little while since school is about to start again soon. Fucking tests…

Anyway, ciao and have fun doing whatever you're doing!