Sorry for the delay. College is slowly killing me. Hope you enjoy chapter 3! Let me know if it's any good. :3

Chapter 3

Bittersweet

(Lucy pov)

I clung to the haze of sleep as it started to fade, reluctant to wake up and face the day's problems. I was having a wonderful dream about riding a beautiful Friesian horse through the Celestial Realm, my friends and family waving happily at me from the side of the starry road. Growing up, I always enjoyed horse riding. My favorite at the time was a pitch black Friesian with a wild temper. Though he was a bit unpredictable, Starless Night was rather affectionate when the mood suited him. I spent many hours with him until a pompous asshole visiting my father took him for a ride. He ignored the stable hand's warnings about the mountain pass and rode Starless hard. They ended up falling from the trail and sliding down the side of the peak. They hadn't gone too far up, so the peacock didn't die. Though the man unfortunately lived, my favored horse's leg was broken. I wasn't told of his death until after the peacock had left to keep me from gouging his eyes out. I still missed Starless Night. He was a dear companion that helped me through the loneliness without yelling and griping at me about visiting him. Aquarius only showed her softer side once and that was when I first heard of my mother's death.

Movement against my back drew me from the embrace of sleep. I snuggled into Natsu warmth and took comfort in the arm thrown over my waist paired with the soft breaths on the back of my neck. Draco's gift and Loke's meltdown over it really had me worried. What could be so bad about Dragon Riders? The questions were endless and it seemed that the only ones who had the answers weren't willing to share.

I cracked open my eyes, thinking of my other Spirits, and froze.

Natsu slept peacefully two feet from me. His back was turned to me and I couldn't see his face, but I'd know those salmon locks anywhere.

I was used to Natsu sneaking into my room, wherever I'm staying really, and crawling into bed with me. Contrary to my actions, I didn't mind it. I have been alone for so long that it felt nice knowing that someone was willing to sneak into my home just to be with me. I hated being alone and Natsu kept the ache away, even in his sleep. Seeing Natsu sleeping next to me was a habit by now. It was normal.

Natsu was happily snoozing in front of me, without a care in the world.

So who the fuck is behind me?

I feel so stupid! Natsu is hot! Overbearingly so. The subtle heat should have tipped me off that I was not cuddling with my partner! I didn't dare turn around and risk waking the stranger at my back. I used all my other senses to try and feel out and identify the creeper. The arm holding me to what felt like a broad chest was large and muscular. Nothing, no scars or tattoos, decorated his arms to assist in my investigation. Just when I was about to turn my head to inspect my second bedmate, a snore from the foot of the bed startled me. I peeked down, as best as I could with the heavy arm inning me to the bed, to see the sprawled form of none other than Cobra, aka Erik. His purple hair was wilder than usual and tousled from sleep. He wore only a pair of purple pajama bottoms with little, happy snakes printed on the flannel. I couldn't help but notice his rather nice torso. The tan skin was interrupted by lighter scars, both old and new, but did not detract from the perfectly formed six pack. Not as great as Laxus' eight pack, but still nice. Then I noticed Gajeel dozing away on the couch. Sting and Rogue were curled up on the the twin sofas across from each other. Orga was happily snoozing on the chandelier, not at all bothered by the fact that he was sleeping on the chandelier!

I didn't even realize I had started screaming until everyone jumped to their feet, or in Orga's case fell to the floor, and searched the room for any intruders. Laxus had taken me with him and held me tightly to his chest. I only knew it was him because he flipped me in his hold so that I faced his torso. I recognized his tattoo. "Laxus! Put me down this instant!"

The Lightning Mage set me on my feet and yawned. "What the hell, Blondie?"

"Me? What the hell are you doing here?! What in the fucking hell are all of you doing in here?! Sneaking into my room is normal for Natsu! What in the name of the Stars encouraged you morons to to follow his example?!"

Gajeel looked around the room in confusion. "To tell the truth, I have no fucking clue how I ended up in here. I fell asleep in my bed and then had this weird dream about… You know what? I'm just gonna stop right there."

Rogue, the poor dear, had the decency to look embarrassed. "I'm terribly sorry, Lucy. I honestly have no inkling as to why I have come to be in your room."

"Whatever. I don't want to know and I don't really care. Now if you all would be so kind as to leave so that I may shower and get ready for a day of finding out what the…." A drop in my Magic container cut me off. A disturbance in the air, a Gate opening on it's own with more than a little help from me, drew everyone's attention to the center of the room. "That's funny. Usually Loke and Virgo have no trouble opening their own Gates."

Natsu sniffed the air and blanched. "It smells like…"

With an explosion of Magic discharge, Aquarius appeared in my room. Her wide, panicked eyes pinned me to the floor. "Lucy! Is it true?!"

"Uh… I…"

The mermaid flew to my side and held me up for inspection. She scoured my body. My guess would be that she's searching for the tattoo that both Loke and Crux flipped out over. "There is a rumor going around the Celestial Realm that Draco created another Rider and Loke has been locked in an argument with the glorified lizard. Please tell me that you're not the new Rider!"

I fidgeted in her grasp, uneasy with my Spirits' reactions to Draco's gift. I was almost scared to admit to my first friend that I was, in fact, a Rider now.

But I didn't have to say anything. My sheer nightie did little to hide my body or the tattoos adorning my thighs, back, and shoulders.

The second Aquarius saw the black vines curling over the side of my neck, she dropped me to get a better look at my back.

"No…"

I eyed her quivering arms uneasily. "Uh… Aquarius?"

Her blue eyes froze over in anger. "I told you to get a boyfriend! Not a harem!"

I began to panic when she hefted her urn over her shoulder in a very familiar sign of aggression. "N-N-Now Aquarius. Let's talk about this."

"This is not how it was supposed to happen!"

I felt Natsu's arms around my waist and clung to him just as hard. Both of us were shaking in fear of the terror before us. "Aquarius, please…"

Her eyes flashed. "Unhand Lucy, you jackass! I'll drown you all!" Water spouted from the urn in waves. The Slayers around me, brushing off my Spirit's appearance at first, screamed as we were blown through the windows and carried down the streets in the Celestial river. It was hard to stay afloat with Natsu clinging to me the way he was and I blacked out from lack of oxygen. I woke up the second time this morning to a hard slap on the back, forcing me to expel the water from my lungs. My chest burned with each hack and I fought for every breath I took. Warm arms held me as my breathing began to even out. I looked up to see Laxus glaring daggers at Natsu.

I looked at around to see how far Aquarius' attack carried us. "Is everyone okay?" A series of coughs and curses answered me. "Good. We're not too far from the castle. Let's get up and start heading back. I'm hungry and this teddy isn't exactly designed for conserving body heat."

Several eyes focused on me. Sting actually got up and stalked towards me. "If you're feeling cold, I don't mind sharing my body heat with you."

The Light Dragon Slayer was struck down by Gajeel's Iron Club. "Annoying twit."

I rolled my eyes and climbed to my feet, only using Laxus to keep me steady. "Whatever. I'm going back to my room and then I'm going to get some breakfast. I want to be in top shape when I call Loke down here. I want answers and he's going to give them to me whether he likes it or not."

Erik lifted his hand. "Are we going to ignore the fact that we almost drowned at the hands of one of your Spirits? Why in the fucking hell are you all acting like this is completely normal?"

I didn't bother looking back as Natsu responded. I just wanted to get out of my wet clothes. "This is normal. Aquarius tries to kill us every time Lucy calls her out."

"Why the fuck are we acting like this is okay?!" I smiled at Cobra's little freak out.

And screamed when I was scooped up into a bridle hold. I flailed in the arms holding me prisoner, but they held strong. "Stop struggling, Bunny. You really shouldn't be walking outside in this. You're practically begging to get jumped."

I stopped wriggling and accepted Gajeel's help. "Thanks."

He nodded. "Don't mention it."

I peeked over his shoulder. "Where's everyone else?"

He shrugged. "Arguing or heading for their own rooms."

I snuggled into Gajeel's chest, enjoying the ride back to the castle.

Everyone was in the giant dining room, feasting on the mountains of aromatic food on the long table. The Slayers were tearing through their meals, some more cleanly than others, as if they hadn't eaten in days. Conversations echoed off the walls, creating a steady buzz in the air. I sat near the end of the table, near the doors, picking at my plate. I wasn't feeling hungry, but I knew I needed energy for today's proceedings. I was going to summon Loke and interrogate him. Draco said he gifted me with the powers of a Rider, but my family's reactions said that it is anything but a gift. I needed to know why. Everything was quiet on my end until another body decided to occupy the empty seat in front of me.

"Yukino… How did you sleep?"

She shrugged and bit into an orange wedge. "I've been better. How about you?"

I suppressed the shudder that threatened to overcome me. I didn't want anyone's pity. "Fine, I guess. Heard a lot of screaming in the other rooms."

Yukino closed her eyes and nodded, eating more of her fruit. "I wanted to ask you something about what happened yesterday."

"Shoot."

She finished off the wedge and sucked down another one before continuing. "How were you able to summon a Spirit without its Key? I thought that was against the Celestial Law or something along those lines."

I put down my fork. I wasn't eating anyway. "I wouldn't say it's an official law. More forbidden or taboo. Usually, a Celestial Mage that attempts to summon a Spirit he or she has never contacted without a Key dies in the process. It takes a lot of Magic to summon a Gold or Platinum Spirit, even more so when you've never even met them. My friends tell me that I am the first one ever to have done so twice."

Yukino gasped, "Twice?!" She lowered her voice after I shot her a warning glare. "What do you mean twice? Draco…"

"Is the second Spirit I've summoned without a Key. Loke was the first."

"But… Draco is a Platinum Key. How did you do it? Those Keys are rumored to take way more Magic than a Gold Key since they are the fabled monsters. How are you still alive? You helped me close the Gate and I could barely stand after that!"

I shrugged and picked up my fork again. "I don't know."

We both sat in tense silence as we continued to pick at our breakfasts. "Do… Do you know what a Dragon Rider is?"

"If I knew what it was, I wouldn't have asked the Dragon Slayers for help." Yukino shrank back under my harsh tone. I immediately felt guilty. "Forgive me, Yukino."

"It's alright. You closed the Eclipse Gate, fought off Dragons, summoned a legendary Monster, and gained a new Magic that no one has even heard of before. I think you have a right to be a little grumpy. I would be too if I had to master a form of Magic I knew next to nothing about. Especially with Draco's parting words ringing in my ears. What does that even mean? 'You'll find out.' What's up with that?"

"Not sure."

We both jumped at the quiet voice. I turned to see Rogue steal the empty seat beside me. "Rogue? Weren't you eating with the other Slayers?"

"I was until I remembered something that Skiadrum told me about Dragon Riders."

My heart raced in excitement. Finally, some answers! "What did you remember?"

He settled into his chair, stroking Frosch's green fur. "It's not much, so don't get your hopes up. I told you yesterday that Dragon Riders are extremely rare. That only one is made for every generation of Dragon Slayers, and not the Natsu, Laxus, and Sting kind of generation. What I just now remembered is that there can only be one Dragon Rider. The reason for this I don't remember, but I do know is that were heavily guarded by Slayers. Anyone who tried to touch her was eliminated quickly."

I leaned forward, entranced by his tale. "Do you know what they can do? Or why there hasn't been one in over a century?"

He shook his head solemnly. "I'm sorry. All I know now is that they were treasured."

"Hm. I wonder why, though. What is it about a Dragon Rider that would set Dragon Slayers on high alert?"

"I don't know."

Me and Yukino screeched in fright. I turned to see Laxus occupying the seat on my other side. "Why would you do that?!"

He smirked. "Because I can. It's funny to see you all flustered."

"Dick."

"I have one, yes. You wanna see it?"

"Go fuck yourself in the ass!"

He arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"With a cactus." I finished with a whisper.

I heard a deep chuckle behind me. "Ouch."

I jumped again. "The next person to sneak up on me is going to get a Lucy Kick to the dick! I don't give a fuck who it is!"

Yukino blushed heavily and Gajeel cackled as he walked into my line of sight. "What if they don't got one?"

I glared at him. "Then they get a swift kick in the crotch. What the hell are you doing over here?"

He scooted Yukino over and moved a chair to take her spot opposite of me. "I saw Shadow and Sparky over here and I decided I wanted to be apart of it."

I choked on the orange juice I was sipping. "What does this look like, a slumber party? When the fuck did I invite any of you over here? Not you, Rogue." A hand came down on my shoulder. I grabbed it, shot to my feet, and delivered a swift and hard kick to the groin of the poor sucker that had the balls to sneak up on me. I regretted it as soon as I saw my lion Spirit on the ground. "Loke! Oh Mavis! Are you okay?!"

His only response was a watery glance from the floor. "Why….?"

He faded back to the Celestial Realm.

I stood there, frozen with the weight of my guilt. A familiar laugh ripped me out of my thoughts. "That was funny, Luce!"

"Shut up, Natsu! I just hurt one of my Spirits! I feel awful!"

Yukino nibbled on her toast, resembling a nervous chipmunk. "Well, you did say you were going to crotch kick the next person that snuck up on you. You were only following through with your threat."

I sighed heavily, "I made a promise, so I kept it. Now I feel guilty."

Sting jumped over the table and sat beside Yukino. "Well then, I'll just sit over here. Away from the crazy lady that kicks groins."

I glared at the cocky blond. "Why couldn't it have been you?"

"I was on my way over here when that Spirit of yours showed up. And I was planning to yell in your ear. Good thing I didn't."

"I hate you. Rogue I like, but I hope you're eaten alive."

He pouted around his bacon. "That's not very nice, Blondie."

"And you are very stupid, Light Weight."

He bellowed with laughter. "Oh Blondie, I ain't no light weight."

I arched an eyebrow. "Really now? Well let's find out, shall we?" I peered down the table until I spotted a familiar head of brown hair and the more distinctive barrel she was holding up. "Hey Cana! Sting here says he could best you in a drinking contest!"

Sting sat up in his seat. "Woah woah woah! I didn't say that!"

"Too late now, Bondie." I smirked evilly.

Cana threw an arm around my shoulders. "So, you think you can beat me, huh? Only one way to find out." She slammed two barrels of ale on the table and took my seat. I stared at the wooden crates and wondered where the hell she hid them.

Sting gaped at the barrels with trepidation. He turned towards his dark haired partner and silently begged for help. "You got into this mess on your own. I'm not getting you out of it."

I cackled evilly as Cana began to explain the rules. My diabolical plan was interrupted by the frivolous entrance of a Spirit. Virgo stood poised on the table top and whistled to gain the attention of the room. All chatter came to a stop as their focus narrowed on the stoic maiden. "May I have your attention, please! Would the Guild Masters of Fairy Tail and Sabertooth, their S-Class Mages, and the Slayers please follow me. The royal family has allowed us use of a conference room and The Celestial King has important information to divulge." The crowd began whispering, questioning what was kind of secret the mysterious Celestial King was going to share. One by one, S-Class Mages stood and made their way to us followed closely by the Guild Masters. The Dragon Slayers around me looked at each other and joined the others. Yukino and I watched them with envious curiosity. Virgo looked down at Chellia. "All the Slayers. That includes you." The little pinkette jumped to her feet and clapped her hands excitedly. I bet the young teen was psyched to be included on super sensitive secrets. Chellia bounded over to Orga and waved at Wendy. Virgo dropped to the floor and shot me a look. "You as well, Princess."

I arched an eyebrow and followed my Spirit as she led our rather large group through the elegant hallways. "Virgo, does this have anything to do with Dragon Rid…?"

Virgo spun on her heel and clapped a hand over my mouth. "Don't say that name. Not out here where anyone could be listening. Yes, it's about… that. You'll get your questions answered as soon as we are behind the sound barrier." She resumed leading us through the castle halls. Wendy skipped up to my side and brushed against my arm.

"Don't worry, Lucy. We're here for you."

I smiled down at the young woman. "I know you are and I am very grateful to have friends like you by my side."

Wendy beamed up at me. A frown slowly overtook her face as the situation seeped in. "Lucy, why did your Spirits get mad? Dragon R… your Magic can't be that bad. Does it make you dangerous now? Are Slayers your natural enemy now?"

"I don't think so, Wendy. "Rogue said he remembered his Dragon parent said that Dra… that people like me were highly treasured by the Dragon Slayers and protected with a vengeance. Supposedly just looking at a… person like me would get them killed."

Virgo opened an ornate door and waved us in. The room was large. Not as large as the dining hall or ballroom by any stretch, but big enough to hold a horseshoe table, plenty of chairs to seat the crowd, and a dais behind the table. Perched upon the opulent throne sitting on the dais in the back was Princess Hisui, overlooking the proceedings with thinly veiled curiosity. Capricorn sat me at the peak of the table, the very center, with Erza and Mira to flank me. The Slayers took up one side of the room while the Makarov and temporary Master, Sting, took the other along with the S-Class Mages. The few left without seats were on their feet, tensed and ready for any possible threat. All of my Spirits were either standing or floating near the front wall and arguing with each other in a language long forgotten. Virgo shut and sealed the door, placing another sound barrier over the one already embedded into the walls, and silenced the other Celestial beings. It scared me a bit that Loke was tied down to a chair and gagged. Virgo and Cruz glared at each other, speaking without uttering a single word, for a few minutes before he caved in and handed her a small crystal. Virgo reverently placed the small, clear orb on a small table between the Slayers and the Masters.

"Let it be known that everything said in this room remains secret. Should anyone of you reveal this knowledge, you will be executed along with whoever you told and all of those in the vicinity." She glared at Hisui in particular. I guess the Celestial's didn't trust the princess of good intentions. "The first thing you have to know is that Dragon Rider Magic is lost for a reason. Many lives have ended prematurely, both Rider and civilian. After Aurora, Draco decreed he would never create another Rider and all information was hunted down and erased. The only place you'll find a book on Dragon Riders is in the Celestial Library, and that is only so that this mistake could never happen again. Dragon Riders, whether intentional or not, bring nothing but pain and destruction."

Natsu was on his feet and pounding his flaming fist on the table, no doubt leaving scorch marks. "Are you saying Lucy is a mistake?! Lucy would never do anything to hurt anyone! Never! Not even if her life depended on it!"

Lyra, a usually soft-spoken lady, snapped at my partner. "Cool it, Dragon Slayer! We aren't saying that Miss Lucy is a mistake! We are saying that each Rider, save the first, has died within a year of becoming one and…"

"Lyra." The harpist flinched at Virgo's hissed warning. The maiden turned back to us, to me, and held her hand above the lacrima. "Many Spirits are against us sharing this information with you all, but I believe Princess has a right to know along with the Slayers since this involves them as well."

Hisui's eyes widened. "I am honored to know that…"

"I was speaking of our Princess, Lucy."

Hisui blushed and clenched her hands in her lap.

Sting scoffed, "Then why the hell are they here?" He pointed to the S-Class Mages across from him.

Scorpio shot the coldest glare I have ever seen at the suddenly fearful Slayer. "They're here for the Princess' safety."

Gajeel didn't take that to well. The Iron Mage was seething. "Are you suggesting that we are a danger to Bunny Girl?"

"ENOUGH!" Virgo barked furiously. "I think the best way to explain the situation is to start from the very beginning. To when the first Rider was made."

She touched the crystal orb and it flared to life. A rainbow of colors danced beneath the surface a burst into the air. The colors floated aimlessly for a few seconds before darting around and forming a picture of a large group of people. There were nine men and two women, one a gorgeous woman and the other a young lady close to Wendy's age. Each person was wearing a smile of some sort and had their arms slung around each other. The ones that stood out from the group was the woman and the dark haired, red eyed man with his arms wrapped around her waist. They stood in the center of the group, looking like any other happy couple.

Virgo looked at the image with an odd gleam in her sapphire eyes. "This is the first true pack of Dragon Slayers ever formed."

"I don't see what all the fuss is about." Gildarts laid back in his chair. "They all look perfectly happy to me if a little roughed up."

"They should be. They had just defeated a demon straight from the pits of Tartarus." The crowd gasped in shock. Virgo silenced the whispers before they could start. "Yes. A demon. One that scared even the Dragons for it had so much power. In an act of desperation, Draco created a Dragon Rider. The purpose of the Rider was to unify the Slayers and supply them enough power to kill the demon.

"It worked perfectly. Everything went according to plan and the pack became an unstoppable force of nature. Even after their defeat of the demon, they remained in the world and used their power to protect the people. They policed the Magical World and took out many Dark Mages that attempted to follow in the moron's footsteps. The same Dark Wizard that summoned the demon in the first place. The pack helped establish the kingdom of Fiore and even the Magic Council, a fact that has been long forgotten after so many centuries, before their mortality caught up with them and took every member."

Mira studied the image with a soft smile on her face. "Well that's good, isn't it? If a Rider is supposed to be a good thing, why are you so scared?"

All the Spirits tensed. Capricorn came forward and waved his hand over the lacrima. The image dissolved and formed a series of images this time. Each of a woman. The first was the woman in the picture and the others, I guess, were the Riders that came after her. Even a perfect image of me appeared in the air.

Virgo leveled a deceptively calm gaze at me. "Princess, look at these women. What do these five young women have in common?"

I arched an eyebrow. "They're all Riders?"

She nodded, "Yes, but that's not it. Look closer."

I sighed and roamed the figures. Each woman was different. The first Rider was a lean red-head with bright green eyes and dressed in light, ancient armor. The next was a short blue-eyed brunette that resembled Levy with her flat chest and wide hips and dressed conservatively. The third was a tall, bluenette. She had small, soft curves and warm violet eyes. The fourth Rider reminded me of Erza with her battle hardened exterior, but kind eyes. She had pitch black hair and bright yellow eyes like that of a hawk. The girl looked very fast on her feet with very little curves to slow her down. And then there was me. I was short and incredibly curvy and flaunted the figure unlike the last four females. My blonde hair stood out, made brighter by my coffee brown eyes. To be perfectly honest, I hated my brown eyes. They were so…. ordinary. Dull. I wish I had eyes like Mira or Cana. Instead, I'm stuck with eyes the color of shit. I shook the thoughts out of my head and focused on the girls once more. Really, we couldn't have been more different if we tried. They were all so conservatively dressed, appeared ready for battle at any moment, while I left my skin open to the sun's rays. The only thing all five us wore was a belt carrying…. I gasped at the little pouches clipped onto their belts. "They're all Celestial Spirit Mages. Just like me! But why is that?"

"Celestial Mages are very versatile in their Magic and can work with anyone. That is what makes them the perfect Dragon Rider." Crux woke up long enough to explain before falling back into a light sleep again.

"Okay. So Celestial Mages make good Riders. Now could you tell me where the whole death thing comes in because, from what I can see, there isn't really a reason…"

The images changed again. The first and last Rider faded away, leaving three woman in the air. The once proud, healthy women were now… dead. The second Rider was riddled with cuts and holes and metal fragments and was burned in several places. The third's sun-kissed complexion was gone. Her skin was sickly pale and dark blotches encircled her eyes. The blunette's neck was cut open and blood stained her ragged sheath dress. The final photo scared me the most. The fourth Rider's skin was heavily bruised. Her armor was gone, along with her sword, leaving her in a short shirt that made her appear more vulnerable than if she had been naked. A short dagger stuck out of her chest, both of her hands cupped around the handle. It was blatantly obvious that the once proud warrior took her own life. The little amount of breakfast I had threatened to make a second appearance. I turned into Erza's embrace to block out the images. Not that it did any good. Their faces, their bloody bodies, were imprinted on the back of my eyelids, the dark red blood glowing in my mind's eye.

"What the hell is your problem! Can't you see it's bothering her?!" Natsu's outburst calmed me a little. It's good to know that my partner was thinking of me.

"Okay! We get it! All the Riders died young! What's your point?!"

Orga surprised me. Honestly, I had no clue as to why he was even here. Though he is a Slayer, a God Slayer yes, but a Slayer nonetheless. I wonder if other types of Slayers were included in this Rider business or if it's just restricted to Dragon Slayers. What other types of Slayers are there?

Cobra's chuckle had me glaring at the ex-convict. The sly bastard had the audacity to grin and turn away. The prick is lucky he could 'hear' my attacks.

"I don't think you all seem to understand." Virgo snapped viciously. "After the first, each Rider died within months of being cursed! Their lives were not the only ones lost! When Ac….. the last Alpha caused a lot of damage. He wasn't exactly right in the head. The death of the Rider only pushed him over the proverbial ledge."

I groaned and stood up, placing my hands on the table and pinning my most trusted Spirit with my gaze. "Stop stalling, Virgo. You're holding something back and I demand to know what it is that is scaring you all. Why did the Riders die so early? If Dragon Riders are so bad, why did Draco gift me with it?!"

My Spirits, my family, shared a look. Loke was screaming into his gag and doing his damned best to escape Virgo's professional knots. The pinkette flared her Magic and the images changed again. The second photos appeared in the air, each subject standing proud and tall. Virgo stared at the image, gathering her thoughts, before turning to face me. "Draco created the Riders to unify the Slayers and get them to fight as one entity, using each other to fortify any weaknesses and build on their strengths. A Rider has the ability to connect the minds of the pack, making strategizing so much easier without anyone overhearing their plan. With a Rider there to keep them connected, a pack can become an unstoppable force force of nature."

"Yes yes, we got that. Can we get to the point, please?"

Virgo nibbled her bottom lip. "To establish such tight bonds within the pack requires a bit of… intimacy. A Rider connects the pack and the Alpha policed them to keep the others from abusing his Rider."

I stared dumbly at the maiden. "Huh?"

It shocked me to see Aries come up behind Virgo and tap her on the shoulder. The Ram shifted uneasily. "The Magic involved with a Rider is…. Not exactly illegal, but close enough considering the laws of Fiore. If the Magic Council were to hear of this, there is no doubt that you would be arrested."

Natsu burst into flames. "Ha! Let them try! No one is going to take Lucy away from Fairy Tail! I'll kick their asses if they try!" Fairy Tail whooped in agreement and unleashed their Magic into the air. Sting rolled his eyes while Rogue smiled at their rambunctious display of loyalty.

Virgo shushed them until the room grew quiet once more. Once she had our attention, she picked where Aries left off. "While not illegal, it is still highly frowned upon by the Council and even by the social norms of this day and age. It was a much darker time back then and the requirements of Riders was viewed as an act of power and was encouraged."

Virgo was still stalling. "What was viewed as 'an act of power'?"

Virgo's eyes roamed the room, avoiding my gaze. "Rider Magic is fueled by… intimacy. The closer the Slayers and Rider, the stronger the pack."

I rolled my hand, encouraging her to continue. All of a sudden, Cobra started chuckling. His giggles snowballed into a full-blown maniacal laugh. He clutched his head between his hands, his fingers gripping locks of his purple hair. My glare went unnoticed as the Poison Slayer finally lost whatever bit of sanity he had left. "You wanna share with the class, Nightshade? I'm not seeing the humor in this situation."

Erik's eye held a lewd gleam. "I fucking get it! Oh god! You're a Dragon Rider! Bhahahaha!" Erik burst into another fit of laughter.

Cancer took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. "Well, looks like one of them figured it out, baby."

I threw my hands up. "Figured out what?! I don't get it!"

Aries' face darkened to a deep red. "Riders… um….. They... um….. The Alpha and the Slayer…. become….. one."

I blinked slowly, trying to make sense of the hesitant statement. My lips twisted into a soft smile when everything began to click. 'That couldn't be right.' "What?"

"Oh, for the love of…." Aquarius floated in between the tables. "IT'S A FORM OF SEX MAGIC! DRAGON RIDER MAGIC REQUIRES SEX!"

Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUH!

Hope you all enjoyed my much delayed update. Wish me luck on my HP stories. And Chemistry.

-SPN :3