The next afternoon, Levy walked with her sister outside of Magnolia to an open field the guild members used for training. Gajeel and Pantherlily were already there waiting for them. Pantherlily was in battle mode, arms crossed against his bare chest and glaring into the sunlight. Gajeel wore a dark green undershirt and loose grey pants; his hair was tied back and on his feet, his usual large black boots. Lines of sweat were trailing down his neck, obviously having started training before the sisters' arrival.
Unbeknownst to anyone in the guild, Levy had asked a favor of her own once, and trained in this field with Gajeel before. He had been reluctant, but eventually agreed; deep down, it was a secret matter of redemption for him.
He had been stern but patient with her, pushing Levy farther than she would have pushed herself. And he managed to get results. She was stronger, but she had a long way to go still.
However, Levy was surprised that Reya had asked Gajeel to spar with her while she was in town. It seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. Two stubborn, cocky and powerful wizards who already had a bad impression of one another? Levy just hoped they didn't kill each other.
"Hiya, Stud!" Reya called as they got nearer. "Or, should I say 'Studs'?"
Pantherlily looked at her stoically, impervious to her snarky charm. He smiled softly at Levy, seeing the worry in her face.
"He won't go easy on her, but he won't kill her either. Trust me," he said, having warned Gajeel earlier that morning after learning of their appointment.
"Despite what she did, this is Levy's sister, and she did thank you for your efforts, albeit in a lackadaisical way. You cannot unleash your fury on this woman. This cannot be personal, Gajeel," he lectured the Iron Dragon Slayer.
"Yeah, yeah! Would ya let me eat in peace?"
Levy and Pantherlily sat on a fallen log twenty feet away from where Gajeel and Reya prepared to fight.
Reya had explained that, while her magic was powerful, it required close contact, so she more often relied on physical strength and prowess in her line of work. She wanted to freshen up her hand-to-hand combat techniques and heard Gajeel was an excellent teacher. (Levy had blushed, hoping Gajeel wouldn't confuse her praise for something more.) She needed someone who wouldn't hold back just because she was a girl; she needed a challenge.
Gajeel agreed after a moment's thought. It might not be revenge, but it would satisfy his need to get even. Plus, he enjoyed the fact that she was inadvertently admitting his superiority.
"Ok, rules," Gajeel shouted at Reya, who stood ten feet from him in stance. "No magic. Physical contact only. Anything goes. Use only what you can find around you as a weapon. You don't have anything on you, do you?"
She shook her head.
"So, when I say 'go', you run at me and we start. Ok?"
She grinned and nodded her head.
Gajeel glanced over to where Levy and Lily sat; their audience. He sucked in his breath and exhaled slowly.
"GO!"
Levy tensed as she watched Gajeel and her sister lunge at each other in the middle of the field. Before Gajeel reached Reya, she jumped up and slammed both feet into his chest, knocking him backwards. He grabbed her ankles and threw her down to the ground next to him before throwing a leg over her torso. He slid his body around to grab her arm but she had found a rock and smashed it into his head.
"Damnit!" he growled as she used his daze to escape.
She crouched a few feet away from him as he rose to his feet and shook off the pain in his head.
"Let's go, Stud," she taunted.
He flew at her and threw a punch to her stomach. She doubled over but recovered quickly, upper-cutting him in the jaw before launching another. He caught her fist and spun her, kicking her in the back.
"Is it almost over?" Levy whispered, shielding her eyes. Pantherlily just sighed.
Reya fell to the ground. Gajeel stepped towards her, about to grab her when she swung her leg and knocked him down. She rolled on top of him, trying to pin him but he was too strong. He rolled her over, easily pinning her down.
Gajeel's grinned mercilessly over Reya's heart-shaped face.
"If you're not careful, you're going to make poor Levy blush over there!" Reya remarked slyly.
"Huh?" Gajeel's face went blank as the image flashed in his head. Reya pushed her hands into his chest forcefully, knocking him backwards. She scrambled to her feet and danced a few feet away.
"Not fair, woman! No head games!" he shouted angrily as she let loose an evil giggle.
"Uh-uh! You know what my head games are like. Besides, you said anything around us could be used as a weapon!" she shot back.
Gajeel grunted disapprovingly before signaling Reya on. Her grin widened and they lunged at each other again with renewed vigor.
Pantherlily sniggered quietly to himself as he saw Levy's face turn brilliantly red.