I'm REALLY happy with this chapter. I'm very positive that alot of you will feel the emotions that I want you to all feel. Despite it not being as long as some of my other chapters, we have alot happening here. Things I think that you, the reader, will truly enjoy.

I would really, REALLY like to hear your thoughts on the chapter as a whole, so if you could leave a review telling us what you thought/felt while reading the chapter, I would be very happy about that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach of fairy tail. Those belong respectively to Tite Kubo and Shounen jump and Hiro Mashima and Weekly shounen magizine. This is just for fun!


Bambietta Basterbine was one step short of being exhausted. The Quincy could not recall a time that simple training had exhausted her so thoroughly. Yet, as she walked down the streets of Magnolia slumping forward and trying to catch her breath, the Quincy was beginning to realize that training with Erza Scarlet was the furthest thing from simple.

The mage was strict, perhaps even more so than Jugram Haschwalth had been, having begun Bambietta's training in the art of non-lethal swordplay at four in the morning. It had been this way for several days in a row, much to Bambietta's dismay. Each and every day had Erza taken Bambietta to task for eight hours straight. It had been a week since Bambietta had asked the S-Class wizard for help and now she was beginning to question her sanity in having done so.

It had been hard at first, Bambietta finding herself reluctant to even draw her sword against Erza in earnest. The Vandenreich had made it very clear that it was a tool made for killing. To hear Erza speaking of it as nothing more than a tool to protect others, that felt like nothing more than sweet and innocent talk. Yet Bambietta wanted to understand her soul's weapon like that. If only for the sake of the others around her.

Slowly but surely had Bambietta begun to fight against decades worth of instinct, managing to aim not to kill but to wound, to disable. However it had taken many lectures from Erza, many moments of pure trial and error. However, no matter how difficult and unwieldy Bambietta had been as a student, the stern wizard had not relented. For a time had Bambietta wondered if she had found a taskmaster on par with Robert Accutrone.

It had all taken a toll on the Quincy, however. She was spent from the daily training, unable to go out on missions. That had left it up to Lucy and Wendy to work towards making enough money to pay the monthly rent, as well as other necessities. They had been gone for three days now, having joined Liltotto, Natsu and Gray on a mission to find a known thief that had stolen an heirloom from a wealthy family in a nearby town.

However, there was one other issue that concerned Bambietta. "I'm sorry, Erza," Bambietta began to say, "about scratching your armor."

"Think nothing of it," the red haired woman replied. "It's nothing I can't repair with some help from my favorite blacksmith. I'm just glad it was only a scratch to the pauldron atop my right shoulder. It's a clear sign that you are... relearning your craft."

Despite her exhaustion, Bambietta slowly began to smile. Erza was speaking the truth; she was gaining a newfound power over her sword. Yet the part that did make the Quincy happy deep down was the fact that she had managed to damage Erza's Heart Kreus armor. It was a far cry from the Bambietta that Erza had battled on Galuna Island. "Yeah, I-"

"Bambi! Erza!"

The two mages looked to the side, catching sight of Lucy and the others fast approaching. They all looked filled with jubilation, even Liltotto to some extent, a sign of a job well done.

"You okay?" Lucy asked as she approached her roommate. "You look a little tuckered out."

"Me?" Bambietta said, trying to perk up and act energetic. "No, I'm-"

Bambietta suddenly cried out in pain as Erza's right arm snaked around her, the mage dragging Bambietta in close so that her head inadvertently collided with the harsh metal of a breastplate.

"She is becoming a finer warrior day by day!" Erza exclaimed. "A tribute to her talent!"

"Yeah," Bambietta whimpered. "Never... better..."

"Uh, Bambi?" Lucy brought a hand forward, holding up only her index and middle fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Bambietta tried to concentrate, to look past the glazed affect that had claimed her eyes. "Eight?"

Lucy became concerned then, turning to face those she had returned to Magnolia alongside. "Say, Wendy, I think she might need some healing."

"No, no, I'm good," Bambietta managed to say as Erza let her go. "So how'd the mission go?"

"Well," Lucy began to say, "it did get a little out of hand."

Bambietta was not surprised, her and Erza slowly making their way into the group as they all began to the walk towards the guild hall. "That's Fairy Tail for you, right?"

"Uh huh," was all Wendy had to offer. "I was hoping it'd be a simple job, but then the thief turned out to be in a dark guild and... we had to fight them..."

"Oh man!" Bambietta quickly grew upset. "I missed fighting a dark guild?"

"Oh please," Liltotto interjected. "Haven't you fought enough dark guilds already? Seriously, I was hoping for a job request that was a little more varied from the rest."

"We totally kicked their butts though!" Natsu suddenly shouted, the Dragon Slayer reaching out and pulling Liltotto in close. "Their number one guy was tough, but me and Lil totally wrecked him!"

The blonde Quincy went red in the face, her expression one of embarrassment mingled with confusion. Bambietta could see it clearly, that her friend had no idea how to properly handle the present situation. Her cheek was resting directly against Natsu's bare chest, having slipped past the vest he wore. She could all but hear his very heart beat, a commodity that the former Stern Ritter had forgotten all about having spent the better part of her existence in the realms of the afterlife. It was almost intoxicating to her.

"That whole mess was still a hassle, Natsu," Gray said as they rounded a corner. "Especially when Lucy here had to go distract us all by getting her shirt torn off during all the fighting!"

"Hey!" Lucy suddenly shouted. "The last person who should be lecturing me about wardrobe malfunctions is you!"

"I missed that too?" Bambietta lowered her head. "Darn."

"Are you blushing a pretty pink?" Liltotto asked, her cheek still pressed firmly against Natsu.

Bambietta shot her a dirty look in return. "Are you?"

Liltotto nodded slightly. "Fair point."

Happy suddenly flew between the two Quincy, smirking devilishly. "Is it because you love-"

Bambietta shot the flying cat an even harsher glare. "Shut it, furball."

The group continued to converse among themselves, speaking of the mission in detail, as well as Bambietta's training. Yet it was soon broken up as the group rounded the last corner that would take them to the guild hall.

"What... what happened?" Wendy asked, looking on at the building.

It was in complete chaos in a way that even Fairy Tail was not used to. The structure of the building was severely damaged, massive metal piping extending outwards as if it had pierced through the complex from every angle, from the roof to the walls.

"Master."

Erza was quick to move then, walking past her fellow members of the guild and storming the damaged front door. Natsu and Gray took off just as quickly, Liltotto at last free.

"What happened?" Wendy asked, the Sky Dragon Slayer bringing her hands up towards her face, both hands clasped together.

Bambietta was not sure in the slightest, yet her expression was a cold one. It was something that both Liltotto and Lucy took notice of, the former not surprised while the latter was simply worried.

"Bambi?" Lucy asked with some degree of hesitancy.

Bambietta knew what this had to have been, the Quincy remembered well when the Vandenreich had assault the realm of Hueco Mundo. They had gone right for the capital, right for Las Noches. They had torn it to the ground and left it in ruins. Was this the same actions from a dark guild? Had Erigor taken his promised revenge? Or was it another force at work?"

Bambietta knew that two months ago she would have shrugged at the sight of this devastation at most. Now, however, things were different.

Without a word she moved into the damaged guild hall, stepping over the fallen sign that lay before the entrance. Lucy, Liltotto and Wendy were soon to follow.

Inside the group found more of the same, the main hall destroyed beyond recognition, the pillars they had seen outside having pierced directly through. It was madness, the type that made Bambietta want to find the one responsible and kick him down into a pit. She watched on as Erza and the others were looking about, the lot of them clearly concerned.

"Oh, you're here!"

Bambietta looked towards the back of the disheveled guild hall, catching sight of Levy moving up from a staircase. Acting on an impulse that went past her own expectations, Bambietta moved towards the blue haired woman. Without a second thought, Bambietta wrapped her arms around Levy. "You okay?"

"I'm... fine," the woman replied, caught off guard by the sudden action. "Everybody's fine, honest. We just... came to the guild hall this morning and found it like this. Right now Master Makarov and the others are in the basement trying to work out what to do next."

Erza suddenly moved past Bambietta and Levy, the S-Class wizard disappearing out of sight as the sound of her footsteps on the stairway echoed about.

"Hey, wait up!"

Natsu and Happy were quick to join their guild mate, leaving the others to start to follow them as well. Bambietta pulled herself away from Levy, the two of them doing the same.

Downstairs they found a familiar sight, if only terms of people and not the decorum. Those who called Fairy Tail their guild were conversing with each other, Mirajane spiriting around the random groups, acting as cheerful as ever. Then there was Makarov, the guild master sitting alone at a counter against the far wall.

"Master Makarov," Erza said as she approached. "What has happened here?"

"It appears our home received a visitor during the hours of night," Makarov answered simply enough. "And clearly one who took issue with hour much Mirajane keeps it nice and clean after you kids make a ruckus."

"This is no laughing matter," Erza continued, leaving even Bambietta to be caught off guard by the anger in her tone. "I wish to know who did this to our home."

"It was Phantom Lord," Mirajane suddenly said quite solemnly as she approached.

Bambietta remembered it well, the man known as Totomaru. "And there go all my fantasies of him not being an absolute jerk. So what, did that guild leave a dastardly note or something?"

"No, not at all," Makarov replied. "I simply recognize the form of magic that was used to destroy our home. It is one that only Phantom Lord has access to."

"We need to take it to them!" Natsu suddenly shouted. "We can't let them push us around like this! We need to show them that if you mess with Fairy Tail, then you-"

"That's enough!" Makarov's sudden yell took Bambietta and Natsu by surprise, as well as all those around. He quickly calmed himself them, having obtained their attention. "Though our rivals in Fiore may act recklessly, I will not allow Fairy Tail to stoop to their level."

Natsu was flabbergasted. "But-"

"The Magic Council will look into this matter," Makarov continued, "and Phantom Lord will be justly punished. I will not have my family sully their hands for petty revenge. We are better than that."

Family. Children. Home. Those were all fine words that Bambietta had heard Makarov speak of in the past, but she did not believe it for a second. The Quincy liked those around her, but a family? That was a foolish sentiment and nothing more, a dream that she dared not consider. Those who shared Bambietta's blood had died for her or betrayed her. Those she took on the blood of had done the same if not worse.

"Come on, gramps!" Natsu protested. "We can't just sit back and do nothing!

"We will wait for the Magic Council to act on our behalf," Makarov interrupted, the older man sighing as he closed his eyes for a moment. "That is all, Natsu."

Bambietta could feel her temper flaring, the Quincy growing irate with each and every passing second. It finally came to a boil then, Bambietta snapping and speaking through grit teeth. "You're making us all look weak."

Makarov opened an eye and cast its gaze upon Bambietta. "What was that?"

"Phantom Lord comes to your town, it destroys your guild hall and you're just going to sit here in this basement and act like nothing happened?" Bambietta asked, her voice raising. "You're making Fairy Tail look pathetic! You're making me-"

"Bambi." Liltotto was there suddenly, speaking softly and putting a hand on the Quincy's shoulder to try and calm her. While she knew well that Fairy Tail, as well as most any guild in this world, was different from the Vandenreich, she was not accustomed to seeing her friend speak up against a leader.

"This ridiculous!" Bambietta continued, no less angry. "How can you sit here doing nothing? Don't you have any pride as a guild master? Stand your ground and fight!"

"You sound no different than Laxus," was all Makarov said in return. "But a guild cannot succumb to such violence by reacting by doing the same. We-"

Bambietta interrupted, the Quincy completely exasperated. The comparison to Laxus had not helped in the least. "My old guild master wouldn't have let this stand! He would have marched right to Phantom Lord's door and gave them exactly what they were asking for!"

"I will not hear a word spoken of what the 'guild master' you and Liltotto once served under would do under these or any other circumstances," Makarov said sharply. "Do you understand?"

Bambietta glared at Makarov then, growing even more annoyed. She still did not entirely know what details Liltotto had given Makarov, but she knew well what she had told him about the Vandenreich the first day they had met. Worse, she was still ticked off by being compared to Laxus of all people, having not gotten along with him at all, and Bambietta was tempted to hit Makarov where it might hurt with her own words. "I suppose Fairy Tail has no pride! Is that it?"

Bambietta paused then, feeling another hand on her shoulder. "That's enough, Bambietta."

The Quincy turned to see Erza looking at her, a stern expression etched upon the mage's face.

"Fine," Bambietta said, pulling her shoulder away. "Forget it. You can all cower down here and cross your fingers the Magic Council does something, but me? I'm going to stay right where we should all be."

Not saying another word, the Quincy began to move back upstairs, leaving all those that had become her guild mates down in the basement. She moved through the carnage, finding the remnants of a table. It was covered in debris but otherwise fine. That was enough for Bambietta. She pulled out the chair beside it and sat down. Folding her arms across on the table, she leaned forward and buried her head up to her nose within her limbs.

It was quiet upstairs now, leaving the Quincy to truly survey the carnage that Phantom Lord had caused. She remembered well the first time she had come to this guild hall, as well as every time since. It was pure chaos in the purest and yet most entertaining sense, something Bambietta had taken for granted. Now it was a cold and foreboding building, one that had been drowned in pure silence. For a brief moment, outside of the destruction that had been wrought, it reminded Bambietta of the Vandenreich's fortress.

It did not sit well with her. Not in the least, yet Bambietta knew she could not do a thing about it. As much as she was upset with Makarov's stance on the matter, she was not willing to defy his wishes. Not now at least, not with her level of power. The Sanrei Glove had made her stronger, strong enough to defeat Schwarzwald of Eisenwald, but there was no doubt a world of difference between a lowly dark guild and one of Fiore's best. She knew enough of Phantom Lord, that they were Fairy Tail's chief rival guild, so if they had wizards that compared to the likes of Erza, then Bambietta knew she could not simply go there herself and fight them all at once. A scolding from Makarov she was willing to handle, but defeat at the hands of an entire guild? No.

So Bambietta sat alone then, lost in her mire of thoughts. It did not last long, however, a voice calling out to her.

"Bambietta Basterbine."

The Quincy looked up to see Erza Scarlet approaching, the same stern look from before on her face. "Go away."

"I cannot," Erza replied simply as she sat down across from Bambietta. "As your mentor, I feel it's my duty to help you right now."

Bambietta sat up straight, looking Erza dead in the eyes. "You're teaching me how to handle a sword safely, not how to understand why we should just let another guild walk all over us."

"I share your frustration," Erza began to say, "but you have to understand this from the master's perspective."

"Look at this!" Bambietta shouted, pointing towards the iron pipes still present all throughout the shattered guild. "This is an act of war!"

"It is simply the actions of a rival guild," Erza corrected. "For all we know, the one responsible did this without his guild master's knowledge and consent."

"One or a hundred," Bambietta hissed, "somebody is responsible for this. And the best way to deal with a transgression is with aggression."

"An eye for an eye, is that it?" Erza asked.

"Exactly," Bambietta said coldly. "Someone hurts you, you hurt them back."

"How unfortunate," Erza replied, looking down at the table for a moment. "I thought you wanted to learn how to use your sword for something better than just hurting others."

"I do, but..." Now it was Bambietta's turn to close her eyes and lower her head. "Liltotto told you what happened to me, right? Every little detail?"

Erza did not like where this topic was going. "She told me enough."

"Do you have any idea what I want to do to the person who hurt me? Who killed me? Who tortured me and took away everything?" Bambietta's voice began to shake, not out of fear but honest anger. "Because of you I'm alive again, but... I don't think I'll know true freedom until I kill her for what she did."

"That's enough!" Erza's armored hand suddenly struck the table, having closed into a fist. Her tone suddenly lowered then, the mage having seen how her gesture had made Bambietta nearly jump. "My apologies, but... I can't bear to hear someone I know talk like that. I..."

Erza stopped herself short, the mage looking towards Bambietta.

"I believe I know what you're feeling, Bambietta," Erza continued, "so I am the last person to speak of true forgiveness. But-"

"Someone betrayed you once," Bambietta interjected. "I'm... sorry."

There was a moment of silence between the two, neither finding room to maneuver verbally. Yet, in time, Erza did just that.

"After what you've been through, you considered Fairy Tail a safe haven, didn't? That is also something I can relate with."

"I suppose you're right," Bambietta replied. "And... this all just... pisses me off."

"You're right to be angry," Erza said. "And don't let the master's remarks fool you. He is just as upset as you. However-"

"I know, I know," Bambietta interjected. "We can't just throw our weight around whenever we feel like it."

"Exactly," Erza said. "In the end, the Magic Council will do what they must to reprimand Phantom Lord if they were directly complicit, or simply punish the offending wizard if he was operating alone. Meanwhile, Fairy Tail simply needs to stick together. We all need to look out for our family, that's all."

There it was again. That word. Family. They all kept saying it, right from the first day Bambietta had arrived. The Quincy was in no position to argue the belief of those in Fairy Tail, but at the same time she had little reason to believe it for herself.

"Thank you, Erza," Bambietta said. She may not have believed it, but she was not willing to act terribly rudely about her feelings on the matter. "But you're right. This... this is my safe haven I suppose. And I... I don't like seeing it taken advantage of like this. That's all."

Bambietta stood up then so that she could head towards the stairway and back to the basement. Erza was not far behind.

"You are all right, yes?" Erza asked, still concerned in her own way.

"Yeah," Bambietta replied. "I just need to tell Makarov I'm... sorry for my little outburst. And Erza?"

As they continued their trek down the stairs, Erza looked at her. "Yes?"

"I know I haven't been too great about opening up about my past and stuff," Bambietta said, a little hesitant, "but if you ever need someone to vent to about the friend that betrayed you, I-"

"I appreciate it," Erza said bluntly, "but no."

Bambietta grew the slightest bit upset by the dismissal, yet still she tried to stay understanding. "I get it. I'm one of the Fairy Tail rookies and all that."

"No, it's not that," Erza replied. "I simply... do not wish to speak of that matter at great lengths."

"I get it." Bambietta could not argue that point. The past could be such a cruel, ugly beast for herself and others. Sometimes it was simply best to close the door on it and move forward. It was the one benefit Bambietta could lay at the feet of the Zombie schrift. It had muddled those very memories of hers, perhaps for the best.

Still, despite that, Bambietta could not help herself. It had been the same ever since her battle with Schwarzwald. Whenever she shut her eyes, either to sleep or simply to blink, she saw it. A momentary flash of vicious yet deserved cruelty. Different in form but the same result each and every time. Of Giselle Gewelle in a corner begging and pleading for mercy as she was covered in countless wounds. Of the wretched Stern Ritter screaming in pain as a sword tore through her throat, leaving her to choke on her own worthless blood. Of her body torn to shreds, barely recognizable.

They were pleasing images to the darker aspects of Bambietta Basterbine, the Quincy realizing that her suppressed tendencies were rebelling against her attempts to fit in with Fairy Tail.

For a moment did Bambietta wonder if Erza felt similar for the person who had betrayed her, but the Quincy already knew the answer to that. Erza was, after all, a good person deep down.

Bambietta, however, did not consider herself the same.


"Wait, this isn't the right place!"

Bambietta and Levy stood outside the restaurant they had chosen to dine at for lunch. It had been Levy's idea from the start, the Solid Script mage having decided to treat Bambietta, knowing full well that she had been unable to make any jewel since training with Erza. Bambietta had been leery at first, but she also knew full well not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Yet now they could find no sign of Mario's Pizzeria, instead a sign was there welcoming the Fairy Tail members to Talon's Pizzeria.

"Well, it's still a pizzeria even though it's got new owners," Levy said faintly. "The more things change, the more they stay the same, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Bambietta said with a hint of irritation. "First the guild is in ruins and now this? I guess I can't catch a break today."

"Bambi," Levy said, "the guild means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

"What?" The Quincy looked at Levy, watching as the Solid Script wizard began to open the door to the restaurant. "Levy, I- You don't have to do this, you know?"

"What? Treat a friend?" Levy asked. "Come on, if I remember right, we're a day away from your two month anniversary of the joining Fairy Tail. Let me at least do this for you when you're in need."

"All right," Bambietta said as she began to enter the restaurant. "If you insist."

"Hi!" Bambietta and Levy were both caught unawares, a young lady possessing bright red hair quickly approaching them. "My name's Maron and I'll be your server tonight!"

"Well, the service is certainly faster here now," Bambietta whispered as she leaned over to Levy's ear, holding her hand up as she did so.

"And more energetic," Levy offered as well.

Maron guided the two to a table and left them with menus and a smile. Bambietta and Levy began to look them over, the Quincy looking over the selection. Yet as she cracked open the menu, her mind began to wander, her thoughts focusing on Liltotto and the mysterious book that had been sent to both of them a week ago.

Bambietta had never been one for written lectures, the Quincy more preferring active lessons, and had to hope Liltotto was doing well processing and deciphering the treasure trove of information.


Liltotto was sitting within the basement of Fairy Tail, her eyes pouring over the contents of the book full of Quincy skills and spells. Most would have wanted to get as far away from the chaos of a guild such as this if they sought to learn, but Liltotto was not one of those people. She had worked alongside Bambietta, Meninas, Candice and Giselle long enough to grow accustomed to trying to concentrate during bouts of insanity and madness. For all intents and purposes she had found such things made her efforts easier. It was strange, yes, but Liltotto had grown accustomed to it.

"Wow, this is a nice spell," Liltotto said as she stopped on one page. "This could even give the Soul Reaper's Kurohitsugi spell a run for its money. Bambietta would love to learn that one."

Liltotto's eyes suddenly widened, the Quincy envisioning Bambietta laying waste to enemies and the environment itself with destructive waves of power that could rend space and time itself.

"Maybe I should keep that one a secret," Liltotto whispered to herself. "At least for now."

Liltotto continued to look over the book, turning the pages until she found herself in the category of defensive spells. That piqued her curiosity greatly. She began to scan the lines of text, trying to find the start of the incantation, as well as the form in one would have to manipulate their spiritual powers while doing so.

"Hey, Lil, up to much?"

"Oh no," Liltotto said, a little exasperated. "I'm just trying to take make myself and Bambietta more powerful is all."

"That's cool," the voice said as it grew closer and suddenly was right beside Liltotto. The Quincy could feel a shift on the bench she was sitting on. She turned to her right to see just who was interrupting her.

"Natsu." Liltotto's face suddenly got warm, her heart beat suddenly increasing. She quickly looked back to the book, hoping the Dragon Slayer did not catch on that she was blushing.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Natsu asked, honestly concerned. "You getting a fever or something? You're looking kind of flush."

"N-no," Liltotto stammered. "I'm fine. Really. Truly. Honestly. Yeah, nothing wrong with me."

"So this the book you and Bambi got in the mail?" Natsu asked, looking down and turning a few pages. "Uhhh..."

"Yeah, it's a bit complicated to understand," Liltotto said. "If you want, I could... teach you how to read the Quincy symbols used in some passages."

Natsu's eyes widened a bit in fear. "You... you'll be gentle with me, right?"

Liltotto was confused. "What?"

"Erza taught me how to read and..." Natsu began to shiver. "That was... a dark time in my life."

Liltotto was unsure how to approach this situation, the Quincy doing her best to mimic a memory of hers, one of a time when Meninas had tried to console Bambietta after her date with Askin had gone badly. Liltotto gingerly reached out with her left hand, patting Natsu on the back. "There, there."

Natsu took a deep breath then, looking down at the book with some degree of determination. "I'll right, I'm ready for anything."

"Okay then," Liltotto said. "You see this symbol here? That's a-"

Liltotto suddenly paused, the Quincy feeling a sudden weight atop her head that she had not expected. She suddenly heard the sound of what she could only guess was contented purring. Liltotto reached up with her right hand, feeling atop her white hat. Sure enough she could feel something furry that had curled up atop her head.

"Wow," Natsu suddenly exclaimed. "Happy must really like those hats you and Bambi wear. He fell asleep on her head a while back too."

Liltotto smiled a bit, completely content with the cat she had found cute resting comfortably. She slowly took her hat off, Happy going along for the ride, and set them both down on the counter. She stared at the cat for a moment, watching as her cheeks puffed out as he breathed in his sleep, his whiskered flaring out every time.

"So anyway," Liltotto said, trying to get her mind back on track as she looked at the book once more, "this symbol right here? Yeah, there's a long story behind that one to be honest."


Levy watched in horror as Bambietta continuing to rapidly consume the food she had ordered, the Quincy tearing through personal sized pizza just as she had the caesar salad before it. Levy, meanwhile, was simply picking at her salad still.

"Mmmm, so good!" Bambietta was not quite able to contain herself, yet the Quincy was quick to catch on to her antics. As she took another massive bite from her slice of pizza, she caught sight of the shocked expression on Levy's face. The Quincy slowly put down the food, swallowing what she had already taken with some reservation and spoke once more. "My bad."

"No, it's all right," Levy replied, mostly speaking the truth. "I mean, you probably did work up an appetite sparring with Erza all morning. I imagine she's a harsh teacher?"

"She has her moments," Bambietta answered. "I've had nicer... and nastier."

"That... worries me," Levy said in return as she put her fork back down. "I mean, I saw her teaching Natsu how to read and... sometimes I shiver just thinking about it."

"That bad, huh?" Bambietta covered her mouth with one hand, fully intent on suppressing her body's reaction to eating too quickly before speaking once more. "Maybe I'm getting off easy then."

Levy took a few bites of her salad again, knowing that there was one subject she wished to broach with Bambietta, one that she was not entirely sure how to get underway. She took a deep breath and did her best. "Bambi, there's something I do think we need to talk about."

Bambietta suddenly became apprehensive. "Look, you know I'm not usually this much of a pig when I eat. It's just I was famished is all."

"It's not that," Levy said with a sigh. "It's just... I've noticed you sneaking some glances at me."

Bambietta's eyes widened. "No, you got to be mistaken, Levy."

"Oh?" Levy began to say slyly. "What about a few weeks ago? You know, when I had to bend over to pick up the book I dropped. I caught you and Loke both glancing at me. Him I'm used to... that's probably why I pick up on those sort of things. But then I saw you too."

"Oh no, no, no!" Bambietta exclaimed in a slight panic. "You got the wrong idea! I was just curious what book you were reading, that's all!"

"And what book was it?" Levy asked, the Solid Script mage trying her hardest not to giggle.

"Well," Bambietta began to answer, her hand running through the back of her hair nervously, "that is, well.. it was short?"

Levy only grew confused at that. "The book was short?"

Bambietta blushed slightly before looking down. "Your dress."

Now it was Levy's turn to go red in the face. "I never... thought it was that short... Bambi, you didn't-"

"It was white," Bambietta said, only adding to Levy's embarrassment.

"Bambi!"

"The book cover," Bambietta replied, the Quincy taking note of how flustered Levy was getting. "The book cover was white."

"Oh, okay," Levy said, slowly calming down. "Well, anyway... the reason I brought this up was... you like Lucy, don't you?"

Bambietta truly snapped to attention then. "Wait, what?"

"Come on, Bambi," Levy said, trying hard not to tease her, "ever since I caught you looking my way, I started to notice things. And your eyes have been wandering her way quite a lot."

"You're imagining things," Bambietta said with a slight degree of hesitancy. "Name one time my line of sight wandered in her direction."

"That's easy," Levy began to say, much to Bambietta's dismay. "Remember when we all went to the Magnolia Fitness Center? And Lucy started to work up a sweat with a jump rope while you were on the treadmill?"

"It was... distracting..." Bambietta recalled it well, even if she did not want to. The Quincy had all but stopped moving while the automatic treadmill had not, and she had end up falling off and pitching forward directly on her face. "Can we not talk about this?"

"It's nothing to be upset about," Levy continued.

"I'm not upset," Bambietta retorted. "And I still contest that you're imagining things."

Levy continued to dig at the conversation nonetheless. "Weren't you upset that you missed out on seeing Lucy lose her top on that mission?"

"And about not getting the chance to fight a dark guild," Bambietta interjected before quickly grabbing a slice of pizza and consuming it as if it would show she was trying to ignore Levy.

"And!" Levy all but squealed. "You said and!"

Bambietta scowled, her cheeks puffing out as she slowly chewed her food. She swallowed it harshly, not content with things at all. "You're just reading into things that aren't there."

"Loke said you told him you were bi," Levy quickly said as she casually took a forkful of salad into her mouth. "Something about you were going to be his wingwoman or something like that..."

Bambietta's jaw dropped. She had never said such a thing of her own admission, her Quincy friend having done so instead. Her voice lowered then, Bambietta growing a bit more distraught. Her teeth grit together as her lips curled back, a vein on the side of her head threatening to burst. "Liltotto..."

"Again, I'm not sure what you're getting upset about," Levy continued. "So you're in love. What's the big deal?"

"I suppose you have a point, but..." Bambietta tried to calm her nerves. "Romance... never ends well with me. I mean, when it comes to guys..." Bambietta paused for a moment. "Not that I've actually ever seriously acted on how I feel for the ladies..."

"You're so cute when you're dead! I love you so much!"

Bambietta's mind and face went blank for a moment, a momentary trace of clouded memory playing out across her thoughts. She held silent in response, her a shiver or revulsion playing across both her spine and her skin.

Levy noticed it quite readily. "Bambi?"

"It's... nothing," Bambietta replied as she snapped back to attention. "Nothing worth remembering. But, anyways..."

Levy could see the untold doubt and concern etched upon her friend's face nonetheless, the Solid Script mage wondering if perhaps Bambietta was thinking of times long past, of incidents she had alluded to the night they had first met. She was determined to get her friend's thoughts directed elsewhere. "So what do you like about Lucy? I mean, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Are talking superficial like huge tracts of land?" Bambietta asked. "Or a something more substantial?"

Levy's expression sunk for a moment. "Substantial."

"Well, I mean..." Bambietta was never one for outwardly expressing herself so honestly. "I mean, she's nice but not exactly shy or a push over or anything. She's got bite with how she acts."

Levy had heard it. Shy? A push over? She was not wanting to make Bambietta fall for her or anything, but she was readily hearing what the Quincy was seeing in Lucy and not her. Speaking out of turn and unsure of why she was even saying it, Levy voiced her concerns. "I can bite."

Bambietta blinked. "Huh?"

"Never mind." Levy shook her head. "So you like that-"

"You can bite, huh?" Bambietta continued, the Quincy unrelenting now that her brain had processed what Levy had said. "My, my, my. I never pegged you as the kinky type."

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Levy replied, all the while unwilling to give what Bambietta had implied any true attention. "Now like I was saying, you like that Lucy's spunky or something?"

Bambietta shrugged, the woman completely unsure of where this conversation was going. "Well, yeah."

"Well, maybe you should tell her how you feel," was all Levy could say. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

Bambietta grew silent for a moment. "I could lose a friend if things go south. Besides, people like her... people like all of you Fairy Tail wizards... you're all too good for me. She's too good for me."

"Now what the heck brought that up all of a sudden?" Levy shook an index finger at Bambietta, as if the Solid Script mage was no more than a mother dealing with an unruly child. "I won't be hearing any of that, you got me? You're Fairy Tail now, so-"

"That doesn't change who I've been in the past," Bambietta said, interrupting Levy. "I didn't exactly bat an eyelash over being in a dark guild, you got me?"

Levy simply looked at Bambietta with some hint of reservation exuding from her eyes. "But you regret it now, don't you?"

Bambietta said nothing at first, the Quincy unsure of how to answer that properly. "I regret how things ended there, yes."

Levy was not foolish; she knew just how much of a non-answer she had just received. However she also knew what kind of member of Fairy Tail the Quincy had become in a short time. "Anyway, I really don't want to hear any of that 'I'm not good enough' stuff anymore, all right? I mean, I don't know exactly what went on in the past but... you've changed, right? So why don't you just tell Lucy how you feel?"

"You make it sound like it's so simple," Bambietta contested. She glanced down then, becoming unsure of herself. "Levy, do you know what I cherish most?"

"Kicking butt?" Levy asked, trying her best to lighten the mood. "Or staring at mine maybe?"

Bambietta did not laugh, no, but she did involuntarily smirk. That was enough for Levy.

"Well, okay, those are nice," Bambietta said. "But after everything that happened, all I want is friends. Honest to God friends. And if I tell Lucy what I'm feeling..."

Levy was decidedly blunt. "What? You're afraid you'll lose her as a friend if things don't work out?"

"Yes." That was all Bambietta had to say on the matter.

"I don't think you're giving Lucy enough credit," Levy countered. "I mean, okay... Maybe she won't feel the quite the same for you. Maybe she's not the type in general. But I don't think she'd cast aside your friendship over it. Wasn't she the person who found you sleeping on a street bench and gave you a place to stay?"

Bambietta replied softly. "Yeah."

"Speaking of that," Levy began to say, "why didn't you just come to me? I mean, I already had snuck you into Fairy Hills once before. I would have done it again until you were on your feet."

"I know," was all Bambietta said as first. "But I didn't intend on becoming an inconvenience if I could help it."

"You took Lucy's offer full time, didn't you?" Levy replied. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not hurt or anything, but-"

"She didn't have to sneak me past that Evergreen witch to get me in her apartment," Bambietta interrupted. "So I just... thought it was easier for everyone involved. That's all."

"You don't have to explain it," Levy continued. "I just... I'm not happy to hear you went out on the street instead of just asking for help."

Bambietta looked at Levy then, the Quincy's face quaking for a moment, as if she was trying to fight her innermost feelings. "I know, I just-"

Levy smiled and took a deep breathe. "You're my friend, Bambi, and I just want you to be happy. That's why I think you should tell Lucy how you feel." The Solid Script mage suddenly glanced away then, her eyes losing their luster for a moment. "And that's why I... I hope someday you'll tell me everything."

Bambietta heard exactly what Levy had said, the Quincy unsure of how to properly respond. "Everything?"

"The day we met," Levy began, "you told me about how you'd been betrayed and... you couldn't go on. I understood and I left it there. But I want to help carry that burden for you, Bambi. I want to help share your pain if that's what it takes to make you content."

"But... Everything?" Bambietta lost herself in that moment, her voice lowering to nothing but a whisper. "Then you wouldn't be my friend anymore."

Levy shook her head gently, closing her eyes for a moment as she did so. "Try me. Not know, but... someday. When you're ready."

"Levy, I..." Bambietta looked at Levy then, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'm... grateful that you were my first friend here."


"Now this symbol here? This means that a Quincy needs to- Natsu?"

For the longest time had Liltotto been going over the mysterious book of spells both to herself and Natsu. She could not help but appreciate his willingness and curiosity, the Quincy even more so simply content to have him by her side.

"So did that make any sense?" Liltotto paused for a moment, receiving no response. "Natsu?"

The Quincy looked to her side and could see that the Fire Dragon Slayer's ambitions had clearly been more than his concentration could handle. His head was resting on the table, his eyes closed as he lay before Liltotto sleeping.

The Quincy did not grew irate, not in the least. She knew well that despite his bravado earlier, the battle against the dark guild had taken a great deal out of Natsu. He deserved his sleep. Besides, Liltotto could not help herself. She took her eyes away from the book before her and propped her elbows on the table. Her chin resting within her palms, she simply looked down at Natsu, watching as he continued to sleep. All the while did Liltotto's face begin to take on a pink hue, her blood running to her cheeks.

"Don't... hurt Fairy Tail, you got me?" Natsu suddenly mumbled in his sleep, catching Liltotto off-guard. He continued speaking despite his slumber, his face shifting slightly as if he was experiencing a terrible dream. "We already... I already lost Lisanna, so... please..."

Liltotto's expression fell then, the Quincy noting the faint amount of moisture that was forming at the corner of Natsu's closed eyes. She looked away then, feeling guilty for staring at the sleeping Dragon Slayer, as well as for overhearing something he no doubt did not intend for another to have fall upon their ears.

Feeling equal parts guilt and sorrow for the young man she had grown to like, all Liltotto could do was whisper his name with sympathy for his pain evident. "Natsu..."


Despite how the day had begun, the rest of it had progressed in a rather lackadaisical manner. Bambietta had spent the better part of it with Levy, parting ways only when then sun had begun its descent over the horizon. Bambietta had taken that cue to return to the apartment she now shared with Lucy, Wendy and Carla. Yet now that she stood outside the inner doorway that led to the apartment, the Quincy was still.

"Levy, I know you said you want the best for me," Bambietta began to whisper under her breath, "but it's too soon. And... I can't risk it."

Shaking her head, Bambietta used her key to unlock the door and to step into her home. It was a pleasant site, one that was completely untouched unlike what had become of her home away from home, the guild hall. Lucy was simply sitting on one end of her sofa, Wendy on the other. All the while did Carla rest upon the Sky Dragon Slayer's lap, softly purring as the young girl gently scratched at the nape of her neck.

Lucy, meanwhile, was simply reading the hardcover book in her hands to Lucy, making certain to tweak her voice as best she could when it came time to speak a character's dialogue. Bambietta watched in utter amusement from the doorway, trying not to bring attention to herself.

"It was then that Bobo found himself, a particularly unremarkable individual, on a truly remarkable adventure and- Hey, Bambi." Lucy gently closed the book and looked to her friend and roommate. "I guess you and Levy had quite the day, huh?"

"Not really," Bambietta said as she hung her hat and cloak on the coat rack, her white jacket joining not long after. "We just talked about stuff. Nothing serious."

Bambietta suddenly yawned then, the Quincy stretching her arms up over her head as she did so. It was sheer happenstance that it had happened now, but she took advantage of it. Bambietta arched her back slightly, slowly opening her eyes to see if Lucy happened to glance her way. There was nothing, however, leaving the Quincy to admit defeat.

"I guess the whole training bit with Erza did take a lot out of me though," Bambietta said as she moved further into the apartment. "I ache in places I didn't even know I had."

"I'll take your word for it," Lucy said, trying not to let that part of the conversation grow in front of Wendy. "So I guess Levy is doing okay despite what happened to the guild hall?"

"Yeah, she's fine," Bambietta answered as she sat down on the sofa in between Lucy and Wendy, the Quincy's arms hanging over the head rest as she leaned back. "She just seemed to want to celebrate my being in Fairy Tail for two months." Bambietta paused for a moment. "Huh, it's hard to believe it's been that long already. Time flies when you're actually allowed to have some fun."

Bambietta felt it then, Wendy suddenly moving closer and leaning her body against the Quincy's own. Bambietta glanced down and could see Wendy yawning slightly, her eyes closing.

"Poor kid," Bambietta said under her breath. "I guess she had a rough day, huh?"

"Well we did fight a dark guild out of the blue yesterday," Lucy whispered. "And then spent all night walking back to the guild because Erza said time was wasting or something. And then when we got here-"

"The guild hall," Bambietta finished. The Quincy had been upset to no end about what happened, yet at the same time had been reveling at the thought of fighting Fiore's other major guild in retaliation. However, as she sat here in the comfort of her own home, a friend one on side and a sleeping child who looked up to her on the other, Bambietta was regretting her desires.

A battle with Phantom Lord was no place for the likes of either Lucy or Wendy. They did not bask in the thrill of battle or desire violent glories. That was Bambietta's problem, one she knew was born out of a sense of damaged pride.

"She's been worried about it all day," Lucy continued. "She mentioned how this never happened in Cait Shelter, but... I tried to keep her mind preoccupied with my favorite little series of adventure novels. And she was getting sleeping, but... she wouldn't go to bed. Not until you came home."

"Me?" Bambietta looked back down at Wendy once more, noting the peaceful look on her sleeping face. "I'm the last kind of person she should be looking up to."

"I just think she finds your presence comforting is all," Lucy offered up. "Especially after today."

Bambietta gingerly moved Wendy away, the Quincy standing up so that she could lift the sleeping Wendy in her arms without disturbing her. She was careful to make certain that Carla did not fall from the young girl's lap, and the Quincy began to move towards the bed she had sacrificed to Wendy since her first night in Magnolia. She sat her down gently and began to pull the blanket up towards her chin, only to be surprised when Wendy's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Bambi?" the Sky Dragon Slayer groggily asked, once more yawning. "Is everything going to be okay?"

"Of course it is," Bambietta said gently as she lay a hand atop Wendy's head. "One of Phantom Lord's wizards is just being a bit of a meanie, that's all. There's nothing you have to worry about."

"Okay," Wendy said, smiling as she looked up at Bambietta. "I just... I don't want us to have to fight Totomaru's guild is all."

Bambietta paused for a moment. "You must hate me for bringing you here, huh?"

"What?" Wendy had never expected to hear that in response.

Lucy was no different. "Bambi..."

"Don't be silly," Wendy pleading. "I've had so much fun here and made so many new friends. You, Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Liltotto... everyone has been so nice in Fairy Tail. Before this I... I only really had Carla as my friend."

"But you said it yourself," Bambietta replied. "You're worried."

"I am," Wendy replied, "but that's life, isn't it? I can't... be sheltered from the good and the bad. Not when I can help people in need."

"Such a smart kid." Bambietta gently patted Wendy on her head. "But don't even worry about it. We're all legitimate guilds, so I'm sure everything will work out fine in the end. Now get some rest, okay?"

"All right," Wendy said as she closed her eyes. "Thank you, Bambi. For everything."

The Quincy smiled faintly as she watched Wendy fall back into slumber. She turned away then and looked to Lucy. "So..."

"So..." Lucy repeated, having noticed the pause in Bambietta's tone of voice. "I take it the training with Erza's going well?"

"Yeah," Bambietta answered, realizing she had lost any possible chance of the moment. She was content with that however, the Quincy still unsure when or if she could brooch the topic on her mind. "I think I've got a handle on how to use a sword more safely in combat. Between that and the Sanrei Glove... oh, I'd give Natsu a heck of a fight now."

"You do like to fight, don't you?" Lucy asked, giggling slightly as she already knew the answer.

"Maybe too much," Bambietta said as she looked back down at Wendy. "I'm pretty sure me and Natsu would have stormed Phantom Lord earlier today if we didn't know Master Makarov would be upset with us."

"Well, it's just because you care about the guild, right?" Lucy offered up as she stood from the sofa and began to walk towards her bookcase. "So I wouldn't feel bad about that."

"But I made a scene," Bambietta continued. "Now don't me wrong, I'm not upset about that, but... I probably put even more stress on Master Makarov."

"Erza set you straight, huh?" Lucy asked as she slipped the hardcover book on a shelf. "She tends to do that."

"Oh yeah," Bambietta replied. "Understatement of the century."

"You're okay though, right?" Lucy said as she began to move towards the kitchen. "I mean, I know you were upset today."

"It's nothing," Bambietta said as she followed Lucy. "Just my stupid pride that gets me in trouble all the time."

"And Levy?" Lucy asked as she began to look through her refrigerator for something cold to drink. "She's taking everything all right?"

"In stride, yeah," Bambietta replied. "Hey, you think you could get me a bottle of water while you're in there?"

"Sure."

Lucy began to crouch forward as she reached into the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, leaving Bambietta to her own devices. The Quincy was quick to notice that Lucy had bent over to do so, Bambietta shaking her head and turning her gaze away from Lucy's backside. "No, no," Bambietta mumbled to herself. "Let's not keep doing that to my friends..."

"Huh?" Lucy asked as she stood up straight, a water bottle in each hand as she used her right foot to close the refrigerator door. "You say something, Bambi?"

"But of course not," Bambietta replied slightly frantically as she watched Lucy sit herself down at the table. The Quincy graciously took the water bottle from Lucy and began to open it. "So, uhhh..."

"So spill with me, girlfriend," Lucy suddenly said with a sly expression on her face. "What did you two gossip about?"

"Girlfriend?" Bambietta very nearly choked on the water she had just tried to swallow. "Oh, nothing much. I just had a little bit of a problem that Levy noticed and was really helpful about. That's all."

"Oh?" Lucy leaned forward on the table, her shirt revealing much cleavage as she did so. "Come on, you can share. Maybe I could help to."

"Uhhh..." Bambietta tried to focus on Lucy's eyes and nothing else. "It's all good, nothing left to worry about. We were just talking about something I kind of longing for."

"Oh," Lucy said, smirking all the while. "Like?"

"Well, uh, a rematch with Natsu!" Bambietta suddenly exclaimed. "What else?"

"Huh, figures." Lucy moved back into her seat and began to drink from her water bottle at last. "And here I was hoping for something juicy."

"Anyway," Bambietta began to say as she looked down to the table for a moment, "Levy told me I should go for it if I think it'll make me happy."

"Smart advice from a smart lady," Lucy said as pulled her water bottle away from her lips. "Seriously, she's right, Bambi. Only those who chase dreams can catch them."

Bambietta smirked at those words as she turned her gaze upwards. "Nice words. I guess that must be the aspiring writer in you-"

Bambietta paused then, having caught sight of the white material that made up Lucy's shirt having gotten rather wet. "Oh darn it," Lucy muttered. "I knew I was in a rush to drink but I didn't plan on spilling some all over myself. It's a good thing Natsu and Gray aren't here to see this."

Lucy sat her water bottle down and began to remove her shirt right before Bambietta's eyes. The Quincy tried to look away as the now-damp garment moved up over Lucy's head, leaving on display the lightly colored blue bra and the voluminous cleavage it supported. Bambietta shook her head and forced herself to close her eyes as she mumbled under her breath. "Must think clean thoughts..."

"I guess I'll be doing the light laundry tomorrow," Lucy said as her shirt passed over her head, her long blonde hair falling out of it and back down over her shoulders. She noticed Bambietta had her eyes closed and was quick to comment on it. "Oh, don't be like that. I saw your underwear on our first job together, so fair is fair."

"Okay, sure." Bambietta did as Lucy requested, the Quincy forcing herself to look the Celestial Spirit mage in the eyes once more. "Honestly, I totally forgot about that."

"Anyway..." Lucy said, pausing to take another sip of water. "Levy helped you out, huh?"

"Yeah. I'll... chase that dream someday, but..." Bambietta said, pausing for a moment. "She's been good at that ever since I came here. And I..." Bambietta paused. "She's been nice to me since day one and I really need to do something to show my appreciation."

"Like what?"

"Well, you and her are bookworm buddies, right?" Bambietta asked rather simply.

"We prefer the term literary connoisseurs," Lucy replied, "but yeah, we are."

"I was thinking maybe I could get her a nice hardcover book," Bambietta said. "I almost grabbed one today, some best seller called 'Fifty Gradients of Color', but I wasn't sure. I mean, it seemed like a good adventure novel, since the back of the dust jacket said it was a story full of nice katanas, but..."

"Okay, one, I'm glad you didn't get her that book," Lucy began, bringing up an index finger that was soon followed by the middle. "And two, I know exactly what you could get her."

"See, I knew I made the right call," Bambietta replied. "It seems to me that you're the expert, Lucy."

"Okay, now there's one book I know Levy's been fangirling over for the last couple of weeks," Lucy said, nodding in approval as she did so. "It just came out last Tuesday and I know she hasn't gotten a chance to go to any of the local book stores to get it."

"Perfect, Lucy," Bambietta said with a smile. "Now all I need is a title and I'll be good to go bright and early tomorrow morning..."


A good night's sleep was precisely what the doctor had ordered and Bambietta had begun the next day refreshed and rejuvenated. Her mind was no longer centered on either the demanding training she had gone through with Erza or the actions of Phantom Lord. No, now she was simply walking down the streets of Magnolia with a smile on her face and a paper shopping bag from the local Noble Barnes book store. In it was the precise hardcover book Lucy had suggested, the latest in the line of Clandestine Edifice books authored by one Steven Monarch.

"I can't wait to see the look on Levy's face when I give her this," Bambietta said under her breath, her eyes beaming.

The Quincy could not recall the last time she had gone out of her way to give a gift to another, the years having gone by in a flash. No, not years, it had been decades. Yet it did not matter now. That was the past and this was the present and Bambietta was bound and determined to do something gracious for the one who had done right by her and become her friend. Levy had been under no obligation to befriend the newcomer, especially after the spectacle she had caused by bringing in a decapitated monster's head as a show of strength, yet the Solid Script mage had done just that.

Bambietta's thoughts were focused entirely on the immediate future, the Quincy unable to contain herself. Yet as she moved down the streets, an individual in clear distress came running over. "Hey, you're from Fairy Tail, right?"

"That I am," Bambietta replied, the Quincy planting her hands on her hips and trying her best to look awe-inspiring, even assuming a voice rather unfitting for her. "So, good citizen, how may I help you today? Cat stuck in a tree? Or even better, a dark guild you need fighting?"

"No, it's... Please, go to park. You're fellow wizards, they're... Oh God..."

Bambietta felt a chill on her flesh, her heart all but freezing in place as she stopped in place. Her thoughts began to swirl around in her head, the Quincy finding her breathing beginning to go out of control. She grabbed the man by the shoulders and began speak quite forcefully. "Where the hell is the park?"

"It's... two blocks to the south of here," the man replied, clearly distraught from whatever he had seen. "Please, you have to worry! I'll go tell-"

Bambietta was gone then, Hirenkyaku taking her away in an instance. The man was left on his own, still in a panic.

"- The rest of Fairy Tail."

He moved as quick as he could then, heading towards the guild hall.


The world was a blur for a moment, Bambietta unsure of what exactly she was going to find in Magnolia's South Gate Park. She was unsure why she was so concerned. Fairy Tail itself was a means to an end, nothing more and nothing less. Those she cherished the friendship of were wizards who could fend for themselves; the likes of Natsu, Lucy and Erza had nothing to fear. Certainly Liltotto could handle herself from most any threat.

Yet there was the sinking feeling in Bambietta's stomach. An empty sensation that left her soul to become numb. There was one who immediately sprang to the Quincy's mind, and so help her, if anything had happened to Wendy, she would not forgive herself for being the caretaker the soul of a dearly departed man had chosen.

"Please don't be Wendy," Bambietta whispered as her view of the world began to stabilize, the movement of Hirenkyaku finally coming to an end. Bambietta could see it, the field that was South Gate Park, one that was cut through with multiple walkways and streams. Yet then she could see it, a rather large tree right before her. "Please don't be-"

Bambietta froze on the spot then, the Quincy's eyes widening as she saw three forms come into view. None of them belonged to Wendy Marvell, yet there was no joy on the part of Bambietta. She knew the three before her well, even if only one of them mattered to her world. It was the trio of Fairy Tail wizards, Shadow Gear. Jet was to the left, Droy to the right. The both of them crucified to the tree by a series of metal scraps covering their arms, bolts holding them to the tree. The two were bloodied and bruised, yet Bambietta's eyes were consumed by tunnel vision. Only one of the three on the tree called to her attention.

"Le... vy..."

Bambietta's voice was low at first, the Quincy alone in the park to witness the sight before her. Her hands grew slack, the bag containing the book she had purchased falling to the ground with an impact that echoed through the quiet field. Levy was left there against the park, her arms held outwards by the same bolts that suspended the bodies of her teammates. Her head was slumped forward, blue locks of hair dangling forward, streaks of red staining them. Bambietta could see her body was bruised and broken all over, cuts and abrasions joining the injuries.

Bambietta's emotions began to coalesce then, the quiet shock shifting and contorting into sheer outrage. The Quincy's hands moved up and clutched at the opposing arms, her eyes widening as her pupils dilating. Then, without warning, Bambietta began to scream.

The sound pierced the air, deafening Bambietta's ears even as the roar of agony left her throat to go raw, to bleed in response. Bambietta could taste that very same blood, yet she did not care. She stopped only when her body gasped for breath, the Quincy panting as she looked at Levy's still form.

Her mind was in tatters, her spirit wavering in madness. The Quincy took several tentative steps forward before breaking into a stride that took her before Levy. Her hands became empowered with Blut Arteria and Bambietta began to grab the metal scraps that had wrapped around Levy's arms, tearing them and the bolts free from the bark in a frenzy. Levy's form began to pitch forward and Bambietta quickly cradled it with her arms, allowing both their bodies to drop to ground.

"No, no, no..." Bambietta could see it clearly, blood adorning Levy's face, all of it pouring out from a wound that had been slashed across her right temple. Worse was the simple movement that overcame Levy's body, gravity forcing her head to tilt back. "You can't be... Levy, You can't..."

Bambietta's lower lip began to tremble, the Quincy's heart and soul becoming awash in sensations she had not experienced for decades. There was no anger, no desire to lash out. All that had overwhelmed her was a profound sense of loss, something she had not been forced to experience since she had been a child.

"Levy, please... Don't... Don't..." Bambietta pulled the unmoving body close to hers, the Quincy's body convulsing as her eyes shut tightly, the tears struggling but still escaping from their prisons nonetheless. Her voice worn and hoarse from the scream, Bambietta could only talk in a rough whisper, every word causing her throat more pain. "Don't die, don't die, don't die..."

Over and over again did the Quincy repeat those two words, her pained voice echoing within Levy's ears. Bambietta's mind began to flood with memories then, of the young lady who had greeted her within Fairy Tail only two months earlier, of the night that followed when Bambietta had come close to barring her soul to a complete stranger, to their journey to retrieve the treasure of the McGuffin lineage.

Yet it all kept returning to that first memory, over and over again. The fleeting memory continued to loop across Bambietta's thoughts, just as her words continued the endless cycle of pleading.

"Don't die..."

"You'll have to forgive Gray. It's a force of habit he hasn't been able to quite break since as long as I've known him. He didn't mean any harm by it."

"Don't die..."

"I'll try and take that as a compliment. I'm Levy McGarden..."

"Don't die..."

"Bambi? That's a cute name."

"Please..." Bambietta pleaded as her face contorted tightly in uncontrolled sorrow, her tears falling upon the shoulder of the body. "Don't leave me, Levy..."

"Bam... bi?"

Bambietta felt it then, a hand weakly touching upon her back. The Quincy let out an audible gasp, her tears of sorrow slowly becoming that of happiness. She pulled away from Levy then, her sobbing continuing nonetheless, and she could see that the Solid Script mage's eyes had opened. It was a faint light within them, yet she was breathing slowly nonetheless.

"Levy, you're..." Bambietta's face continued to stain with tears, a smile of sorts causing the corners of her open mouth to curl upwards. "Oh, Levy..."

Bambietta pulled her close again, unwilling to let her go for an instant. She was not willing to risk it, not again.

"Are... Jet and Droy... okay?"

Bambietta could hear it, Levy's faint words issuing forth. The Quincy had admittedly not concerned herself with that question, having been lost in a sea of anguish. Yet now she was relieved and could think more clearly. For Levy's sake she reached out with her spiritual senses and could feel the life force, no matter how weak, emanating from their bodies.

"They're alive," Bambietta said, her voice cracking as she continued. "And so are you..."

Yet there was something that left Bambietta's soul in a state of unease. She could see it now, Levy's life force faintly glowing in the darkness. She could feel the trace spark that had been left, the Solid Script mage having been left in the same shape as her friends by the attacker. It enraged Bambietta, to see one she cared about treated as she had been, to be left for dead as a warning to others.

"What has happened here?"

Bambietta gently let go of Levy and looked over her shoulder, catching sight of Makarov, the guild master standing before her, his walking staff held firmly. Around him were the others of Fairy Tail. Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Liltotto and all others.

"Bambi," Lucy said softly. "That scream. Was that you?"

Natsu's eyes suddenly came alight with anger, the Dragon Slayer glaring at Levy. However, it was clear to Bambietta that something else had taken hold of his attention. She looked down then and could see that the mage's shirt had been torn open, revealing her stomach. It was the emblem painted upon her flesh, however, that had truly gotten ahold of Bambietta, Natsu and all the others.

"That mark," Bambietta whispered, recognizing it well enough. "It's the same as the one Totomaru had."

"This was Phantom Lord's doing?" Erza asked. "Do those fiends have no honor? How could they stoop to this level?"

Bambietta face began to lose all focus, the very emotion draining from it altogether. Her eyes, however, carried a light that overcame that dull sensation, a quiet rage burning behind them.

Phantom Lord. It had wounded her pride, having attacked what had become her home. It had made those she had surrounded herself look weak. It had made her look weak. That was more than enough to spark the Quincy's ire, but she had relented to Makarov's foolish wishes.

Now, however, things were different. She had not acted, she had not fought and she had not retaliated. What lay before her was the result. Levy had been hurt, she had been broken and battered by an unfeeling force that had clearly not gotten enough. Bambietta could blame Phantom Lord all she wanted, something she would certainly do, but she also could not do anything but shoulder the blame. She had listened to a fool, she had allowed herself to fall into the trap that was his ill-advised and ridiculous notion of family and stayed her hand.

This was the result.

Bambietta did not care what Makarov had to say now. He could banish her from the guild, he could send his very best against her. He could even have the Magic Council look to punish her.

Bambietta did not care. She would make Phantom Lord pay for this. Not as a member of Fairy Tail but as the woman who had once been the merciless Stern Ritter E of the Vandenreich. She did not have the Explode, but buried within her heart and soul lay dormant the woman she had once been. It was beginning to awaken now, moving past the barriers of morality that Bambietta had inflicted upon it.

Liltotto could feel it in the very spiritual energy enveloping Bambietta, the blonde Quincy unable to recall a time she had sensed such cruel intentions from her friend. Bambietta was prone to anger, prone to fits of rage, but this was truly different. She was not angered by her own sense of wounded pride, but instead she had been provoked by another's pain. To the former member of the Vandenriech it was terrifying to experience such spiritual energies.

Despite her lack spiritual awareness, Erza's keen eye had noted the change in Bambietta's body language. The woman's who's life she had played a part in offering salvation to was clearly lost in her infuriated state, Bambietta perhaps regressing to a state of absolute cruelty. The S-Class wizard knew she would have to keep a close eye on the Quincy. She had no desire to see her fall back into the abyss she was a part of before joining Fairy Tail, not after the leaps and strides she had made in the last two months.

Caught up in her fury, Bambietta did not even begin to realize she was being watched and judged by two others in particular. All she could do was visualize the absolute pain and suffering she intended to subject the members of Phantom Lord to. She would see it through, even if it meant throwing away everything she had gained in this world, even her newfound attempt at life itself.

"Bambietta." The Quincy could hear it, Erza's voice. She did not look at her at first, suddenly feeling the woman's armored glove upon her shoulder. "I told you before that I understand how you feel about all that has happened. Now is no different. But-"

Bambietta looked at Erza then, the coldness in her eyes giving the armored wizard a moment of pause. Erza could not recall a time she had seen such a tranquil fury building within another, not since her childhood. It left the wizard feeling a moment of despair, one that she had wished never to feel again.

Unable to say another word, her inner composure lost in the moment, Erza stepped away from Bambietta then. She left her to cradle Levy's injured body, all the while knowing that she would have to truly keep a close eye on the Quincy. The past could not be allowed to repeat itself.

"Bambi, I can make this better," Wendy said as she approached. "This is why... why I'm here, isn't it?"

The Sky Dragon Slayer reached out with one hand encased in the swirling healing magic of the air itself, the power slowly beginning to reconstruct the torn flesh that was the side of Levy's face.

Bambietta watched the slow process continue, the Quincy happy to have Wendy at her side. Still, she had to speak. "Wendy, I'm sorry."

"For what?" the Sky Dragon Slayer asked.

"I told you everything was going to be all right," Bambietta continued to say, "and I was wrong."

"Don't even say that," Wendy replied. "I'm going to do my very best to make things all right."

For a moment the Sky Dragon Slayer's youthful optimism began to peel away at the hidden rage that simmered within Bambietta. "Wendy..."

"This action..."

That very anger came to the surface once more however when the Quincy heard Makarov's voice. She did not care. He would simply be the doddering old fool she had come to take him as in the last day. He was nothing more than a foolish individual who would rather rely on the very same Magic Council he had spoken against two months earlier, all so he could keep his hands clean.

"This action," Makarov continued to say, "has hurt my children."

Bambietta's mind snapped to attention then, the Quincy catching hold of the shift in tone that was evident in Makarov's voice. She could feel it as well, a wave of anger permeated the air around her now.

"I can accept the destruction of my guild hall," Makarov continued, his voice trembling with a slowly building fury. "Stone and wood can be replaced. However, I refuse to allow harm to come to my children without taking my revenge!"

Bambietta could see it then, Makarov's hand tightening as golden magic began to encircle his body. The staff he held splintered apart then, the elder wizard's face contorting with a fury that Bambietta dared not imagine he could assume.

"Phantom Lord will pay for what they have done!" Makarov yelled. "We have no choice now but to go to war!"

Bambietta's quiet rage began to subside, a twisted smile beginning to adorn her face as her anger began to broadcast outwards.

Now Makarov was speaking her language.


Now that was quite the emotional ending now wasnt it?

I sure as hell wouldnt want to be in Gajeel's shoe's right now. The guild hall's destruction pissed off Bambietta sure, but that was more to her seeing it as an attack on not only her pride, but a safe haven. Levy though? That made it VERY personal and doing that to Levy was a very, very, VERY bad idea. She's more mad now than she's ever been and he's going to take the brunt of it.

But just making this more personal to our main character isn't the only difference the phantom lord arc will have. Oh no, I have ALOT of things happening here that will make this a very fun, unique, experience.

But enough about Phantom Lord, lets talk about the other important aspect of this chapter; Romance!

As you may have noticed, I have decided to pair up Bambietta with Lucy Heartfillia. Now why is that? After all, Erza was leading in the poll. Well, I did say that the poll was going to help us in this decision, but I never said it would determine the pairing. Erza was First Place, with Lucy in 2nd.

So why Lucy? Well, Bambietta need's someone who's rather smart, has common sense, and a bit of spunk to her. Lucy has all of that. She's also one of the few SANE members of Fairy tail, and Bambietta needs a SANE influence in her life.

Yes, Erza could prevent her from making bad decisions, but I feel that Erza works better as a Mentor for Bambietta than a romantic partner. She's someone who Bambietta has alot of respect for, but also someone she wishes to surpass. Its a good dynamic, but not one feel I can add Romance too.

There are other reasons of course, but I feel that this proves my point well enough.

However, there was another romance going on in this chapter now wasn't there? Liltotto and Natsu.

Well, romance is the wrong word for it. Liltotto has a crush on the dragon slayer, but this being Natsu, he naturally dosnt notice it. The two of them have great chemistry, far better than I thought they would.

The brilliant yet lazy Liltotto and the energetic and not all that bright Natsu. It's so fun to read the two of them interact.

However, I want to make this clear. This is at the moment a very one sided crush. Nothing more, nothing less and I plan on it staying that way. Why? Well, its going to be very important for Liltotto's character development. Besides, I have someone else planned for Natsu.

I cant wait to see the reviews for this chapter, I really, REALLY want to hear what you guys have to say!