I just want to say that I would really appreciate feedback! I'm really trying to develop as a writer so it'd be awesome to hear what y'all think! :D Thank you!

Natsu:

"Alright everybody! Listen up! You know what time it is," Master Makarov yelled out from his position on top of the bar. He stood up as the din of voices faded and eyes turned towards him. He gave the crowd a small smile before he continued.

"This year's S-Class candidates are as follows: Cana Alberona! Natsu Dragneel! Gray Fullbuster! Mest Gryder! Elfman Strauss! Levy McGarden-"

"GO LEVY!" Jet and Droy cheered, interrupting the Master.

"SHUT UP, BRATS! As I was saying, Levy McGarden! Juvia Lockser! Freed Justine! And last but not least, Sophia Dragion!"

The Master shot a wink in Sophia's direction and she raised her empty beer mug in reply.

"All of you will have the next two days to choose a partner. We meet on the docks at noon on the third day. Good luck, my children!"

"Who's gonna be your partner?" Natsu heard Lucy ask Sophia, who shrugged in response, saying "Well, Natsu already called Happy...maybe I'll ask Lily...he's got that big ole sword."

Natsu hurried back over to the table, but spared the time to turn around and flip Gray off as he walked away.

"Yeah, fuck you too!" the popsicle called in response.

"So!" Natsu said, sliding in next to Sophia, "I hear you're gonna ask Lily! Too bad Happy loves me more!"

"HE DOES NOT YOU JUST GOT TO HIM FIRST!" the redhead argued.

"No offense to Happy, but he doesn't seem like the best candidate for a partner in a battle…"

"OF COURSE HE IS!" the two fire-dragon slayers yelled in unison.

"Whoa there! Okay then!" Lucy held her hands up in surrender.

"Maybe I won't choose anyone," Sophia mused. "I bet I can take all of you guys at once with your partners and come out on top!"

"Yeah, right."

"You do realize that Mira, Erza, and Gildarts are going to be participating, right?" Gray chimed in.

"HEY LILY!" Sophia screamed as she stood up from the table, rushing towards the black exceed and his dragon slayer.

"No way, pyro, stay away from my cat."

Lily looked up at her with a smug look on his face and shrugged. Sophia whipped back around and stomped back towards the table.

"Why was your second choice still an exceed?" Gray muttered.

"OH! I know! Lucy, summon Plue!"

"Okay…"

The celestial wizard stood up from her seat at the picnic table and began to perform her chant, but by this time Natsu had tuned out what was going on. He was staring at Sophia as she sat staring at Lucy with anticipation coming off of her in waves.

"Here he is! Say 'hi', Plue!"

"PUN PUN!"

"Plue!" Sophia said, standing up and pointing at the small snowman. "Will you be my partner for the S-Class trial?!"

"PUN PUN PUN!" Plue exclaimed, leaping into her arms.

"What the fuck," Erza muttered.

"Oh you are so going down," Gray said, laughing.

Natsu sat deep in thought, with Happy flying over from Charle and Wendy to sit on his head and stare at the scene before them.

"I can't believe you didn't think of that, Natsu!" the blue cat whispered.

"I have you! I definitely got the better end of the deal, don't worry. Plue's no threat!"

Natsu's voice was confident, but his face told a different story. One eyebrow was raised and he could not take his eyes off of Plue. You could almost see the gears turning in his head, he was thinking so hard about the threat Plue could pose.

Lucy:

Surprised as Lucy was to discover that Plue had agreed to work with Sophia, she was even more surprised when Gray announced that Loke was going to be his partner. She ran over the day's events in her mind as she walked slowly along the edge of the riverwalk towards her apartment on Strawberry St. She glanced down at Plue and smiled, glad that he was going to be able to participate, even though she was a little disappointed that she was going to miss out on the fun, but she would have the chance to take on a couple of solo requests while everyone was gone and work on her own magic. As she stepped into her apartment she knew immediately that something was wrong. There was someone else in her bathroom. She could see the steam seeping out from under the door. She froze in her tracks and began to slowly reach for her keys, managing to grab Scorpio's. She inched closer and closer to the bathroom door, careful not to make a sound. She could hear breathing…

"OPEN, GATE OF THE SCORPION, SCORPIO!"

Scorpio appeared out of thin air, busting the bathroom door down as he materialized.

"WHAT THE FUCK! LUCY, IT'S ME! CANA!"

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING IN MY BATH TUB?!"

Cana looked down at the steaming water and mumbled, "Long story."

"Thanks for coming out Scorpio, I've got it from here."

"Always a pleasure, Ms. Lucy!" he said, winking as he disappeared again.

"Cana, what's wrong?"

"I...if...if I don't win the S-Class competition this year...I'm going to quit Fairy Tail."

"What?! Why? Cana, you can't! You're such an important and vibrant part of the guild! It wouldn't be home without you!"

"I just can't keep lying to myself anymore, Lucy. I've been in this the past four years and I've failed every time. I can't… I can't tell my father that I'm his daughter until I prove that I'm a capable wizard...S-Class doesn't even compare…" she mumbled the last part, breaking eye contact with Lucy and again staring down into the water.

"Cana, it doesn't matter who your father is or what he might be capable of. He'll love you no matter what."

"But I want to prove to him that I can be as good as him.. Lucy… my father is Gildarts. I'm like a flea compared to him, how could I disappoint him so badly?"

Lucy sat down next to Cana, on the edge of the bath and leaned over to hug her, tight.

"Cana, I promise you that I will make you an S-Class wizard. Let me be your partner!"

Tears welled up in the blonde's eyes as she looked into the brunettes own teary eyes,

"Please! I can't let you just quit because of something like this! And I can't let you go on not having a relationship with your father because you're worried you're not good enough. Of course you're good enough! You're a mage of Fairy Tail!"

Cana began to tear up as Lucy continued and she slowly nodded her head, a smile spreading across her face.

"Fine. But you better do your best!"

"You know I will," said the blonde with a smirk.