A/N: Wow look at me being productive today! Thank you again to all my readers for having so much patience with me as I fumble with technology and post the same chapter twice. Here's the real ninth chapter! And because I have no idea how to go about training for a gang war, I apologize to all you aspiring gang leaders out there because I'm going to gloss over those parts.

I apologize for an typos, I do my best.

All rights to Hiro Mashima.

Heart Spar

Lucy stalked down the hall, Zeref's book tucked under her arm like it had always been since it was discovered. Leo and Virgo scrambled to keep up with her and people in front the way dove to the side in an effort to escape the fury that was rising in clouds from the petite blonde.

"Hime-sama!" Virgo called out a tad breathlessly. "Hime-sama, slow down. It's not going to change anything!"

Lucy's steps did not slow. If anything they sped up. "It changes everything," she hissed. "I cannot believe that my mother-" Lucy cut herself off and slammed open the door to the war room where the planning took place and all intel was stored.

The occupants looked up and paled. Makarov and Gildarts had been discussing the best way to infiltrate Grimoire Heart with Capricorn, who had once upon a time been employed there. The three men stepped back as Lucy slammed the book on the table and drew a knife. She went to the map and stabbed the blade into the table. Leo and Virgo stood just at the door, ready to interfere should Lucy lose her temper.

"What is this Lucy-sama?" Capricorn asked carefully, keeping an eye on his volatile mistress.

"That fucking bastard," she hissed, glaring at Zeref's picture on the wall and pitiful sheet of information hanging under it. "He fucking raped her," Lucy spat.

Gildarts and Makarov exchanged nervous glances as the usually cheery and calm blonde began to pace and spit such impressive curses that their ears began to burn.

"Who raped whom?" Capricorn asked and ducked as a blade went spinning in his direction.

"Zeref fucking raped my mother," Lucy ground out, "and she didn't fucking report it. She didn't even fucking care. It wasn't rape. It was an affair."

Now everyone was confused. Lucy wasn't making much sense and she wasn't in the mood to explain.

"How about we go out to the fields and spar a bit?" Leo suggested tentatively, at odds with the confident, cocky way he'd been acting.

"Fairy Tail is currently training though," Virgo pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," Lucy said as she stopped. "I need to work it off so I can think calmly. Virgo, get Aquarius, I want Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn, Leo, and her on the field in five. Everyone else on standby and get that little medic girl ready."

Virgo bowed and took off, Leo, Taurus, Scorpio, and Capricorn hot on her heels. Makarov and Gildarts exchanged glances, then followed the Zodiacs out of the room. Lucy stood for a moment, then pried open a section of the floor. From it she pulled leather shoes with small metal spikes on the bottom, brass knuckles, various knives, and a pistol. Lucy grabbed her rapier from the corner and buckled it to her belt next to her whip. She jumped out the window and headed for the fields in the back where Fairy Tail was being trained by members of her guild.

Hestia, a Goddess, caught sight of her coming and called halt. All action paused. Lucy entered the field and waved everyone off. Her Gods and Goddesses, the Blue keys, that were training Fairy Tail ushered everyone off the field and gathered around Lucy curiously.

"I'm sparring with some Zodiacs. Any of you who want to join at some point, go suit up and come back here. I know the eight of you don't enjoy fighting too much, but I could use the practice and so could you. All of us will have to fight in the upcoming war, then I don't care what you do," she instructed.

"Hai, Lucy-sama," they said and bowed.

As the eight Blue keys left the field, Lucy caught a glimpse of the fire smoldering in the backs of their eyes. All of them would be coming back to join the fray. Scorpio, Taurus, Capricorn, Aquarius, Leo, and Virgo all reappeared in battle gear. Their faces were closed and focused, not a movement was wasted. Lucy smiled. Her Zodiac was getting just as restless as she. In a week Fairy Tail would be going after Grimoire Heart. After that would be the test joint mission and then the final battle.

Lucy's blood had been boiling, ready for action, since she'd read the book and begun to formulate strategies. Plan after plan had come to mind with every bit of intel Lucy garnered. But nothing was working. Every scenario ended in far too many deaths and it was only making her anxious.

"Ready?" Lucy asked, drawing her rapier.

"You honour us, hime-sama," Virgo replied, setting her chains swinging. "We are ready. We shoot for the stars and pass the heavens."

"We shoot for the stars and pass the heavens," the others echoed. Lucy grinned maliciously.

The gathered members of Fairy Tail shivered at the looks on the faces of those before them. Lucy had always been so cheery after that first day, only serious in the war room. The others had been open, but distant. Now bloodlust leaked from all and no hint of warmth shone in the depths of Lucy's brown eyes.

"Ophiuchus," Aries whispered reverently. She was in the group of the Celestial gangsters who were not currently on the field, but were standing ready to replace fallen comrades.

"Who's that?" Makarov asked. He was standing near the group, close enough to hear Aries.

"Lucy's alter ego," Pisces explained. "She bottled up all her bloodlust and violence and it split off to become a different person. Someone cold, malicious, and merciless. Ophiuchus is the opposite of Lucy and the true leader of the Zodiac of the Celestials. She is also insanely powerful and doesn't know the meaning of holding back. Watch."

Lucy was now surrounded by six of her Zodiac and not showing any signs of fear or worry. Instead a maniacal grin formed and she cackled madly.

"You're going to need better tactics than that my lovelies," she crowed in delight. "Now let's feast!"

With that she dove to the side, blade flickering up at the last minute. Virgo barely dodged in time and had no time to counter attack as she focused on not getting hit by the lightning blade.

"Deary, that's not going to help you! You need to attack!" Lucy sang.

Virgo had a grim look on her face and she performed a back handspring to get away. Leo leapt in from the side and sprang back yowling in pain, blood oozing out of a shallow cut. Taurus and Scorpio worked together to attack and forced Lucy on the defensive for a moment while the others regrouped. Soon enough the blonde escaped their crushing attacks, leaving behind a myriad of bloody gashes on the two. She dashed at impossible speeds for the others and forced them to scatter. Flashes of silver and a groan indicated that she'd thrown knives that met their target. Aquarius had a dagger in her right shoulder, Leo had one in his left. Virgo and Scorpio teamed up with Taurus and Capricorn to distract Lucy as Leo and Aquarius bandaged themselves up. Leo flung the daggers back at Lucy as soon as he had the chance, but she merely plucked them out of the air.

There was a great whir of movement then and Lucy was flung back, a knife imbedded in her leg. Virgo crashed into the crowd, groaning. Blood was spilling from her side. Pisces raced onto the field and Aries bent to examine the injury. Makarov watched in awe as Lucy stood up again and tossed her now broken rapier to the side. She drew brass knuckles and charged back into the fray. It was in that moment that Makarov realized that the Zodiacs were fighting each other when not trying to defeat Lucy, switching effortlessly between being enemies and allies. Fairy Tail members had gathered on the edges to marvel at the level of skill being displayed.

Taurus was incapacitated next as Lucy engaged in a furious hand-to-hand fight with Capricorn and Leo as Pisces and Aquarius dueled on the side and occasionally threw attacks at the trio. Aries and Libra joined as Capricorn limped off the field. It was Lucy versus everyone on the field again.

After nearly three hours, Lucy stood triumphant in the field surrounded by six bodies lying panting in the dust. She grinned, though she, too, gasped for air.

"Once more," she puffed out, "Ophiuchus is the winner. I feel so much better."

Lucy fainted then, having over-reached her body's capabilities too much. Fairy Tail members swarmed the field and helped the Celestials to the infirmary. Natsu carried Lucy there, marveling at how tiny such a fierce fighter could be. She was almost the same size as Levy! Well in height anyways.

"I've got it!" Lucy exclaimed the next day, slamming the door open.

She'd woken up in time for dinner, cleaned and bandaged. After eating, Lucy had locked herself in the war room and not opened the door except to admit Aquarius around 2AM. The two of them had been in there since and it was now well into the afternoon.

Leo, who'd been taking his turn watching over the door, bolted upright in shock. "Got what?" he asked.

"The solution!" Lucy exclaimed delightedly. "Tell Fairy Tail that we're picking up the pace. They attack tomorrow and you'll be going with them."

Leo pointed at himself. "Me?!" he asked in horror.

Lucy nodded, grinning. "You're my right hand man, plus you know these guys the best."

Leo sighed. "Alright, but you two ladies should go eat something. It's been nearly twenty-four hours since you last ate."

"You know as well as I that I can go much longer without eating." Lucy said softly, but she called to Aquarius and the two of them went to the bar and got food.

Leo headed to the Master's office. He knocked and entered without waiting for an answer. Makarov looked up from the documents on his desk and smiled kindly. "What can I do for you Loke?"

Leo tried to scowl at the old man, but had to smile instead. "Lucy says that we're moving the schedule up. She won't say anything, but she and Aquarius had a breakthrough last night. Fairy Tail is going for Grimoire tomorrow and I'll be going with you."

Makarov blinked. "Well then. And you are sure we're ready?"

Leo nodded. "Lucy might be a bit cold-hearted occasionally, but she would never willingly send an ally into a battle that they are not guaranteed to win."

Makarov folded his hands. "Very well, Fairy Tail will storm Grimoire Heart. Gildarts and I managed to finalize our plan of attack. We'll brief the members tonight and go tomorrow."

Leo bowed and left. Out in the hall, he grimaced at the floor. Lucy was not always so predictable as he'd made her sound and would occasionally forget the strength of those she was dealing with. Those mistakes were fatal for the ones involved in the plans. He hoped with all his heart that this was not one of those times.

He also hoped that this war with Zeref would end soon. It was wearing on Lucy's humanity. If it didn't end by the time the year was out, the woman's mask would crack completely and Ophiuchus would take over completely, devouring Lucy. It was a danger ever since Ophiuchus had been born all those years ago in the basement of Zeref's mansion as he tortured her day in and day out.

Sighing, Leo headed to the temporary Celestial headquarters to inform the others of the change and the unknown discovery.

A/N: Alright. Making progress. I decided to start to make things happen. So the next chapter will be Fairy Tail vs. Grimoire Heart.

Thanks for reading!

Artistofthemind