A/N: Hello, readers! Yes, I am finally updating this book after a year! Sorry it took so long!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER TWENTY: HATRED AT NIGHTFALL

If there was one thing Lucas hated about Sabertooth, it was Master Jiemma's views.

He was currently at Sabertooth's inn, standing between Sting and Rogue. Yukino was up front. "Throw away everything." Jiemma ordered.

"Yes. I will do exactly as you say." Yukino complied, removing her clothing.

"Yukino..." Frosch muttered.

"Please be quiet, Frosch." Lector said.

Ace took a glance at Lucas. "I know he hates this part more than anything. I know that he wants to stop it, but he can't." He noted.

Yukino's Sabertooth emblem was on the right side of her stomach. "Erase your guild emblem." Jiemma demanded.

"Yes, sir." Yukino said. "I wasn't here for long, but thank you for everything."

"Get out of my sight, trash." Jiemma said.

Later, Lucas was walking with Sting and Rogue with their Exceeds in front of them. "Our master sure does go to extremes, y'know?" Sting said.

"It couldn't be helped. This is why we're the strongest guild." Lector reminded him.

"Fro is sad..." Frosch said.

Rogue stopped in his tracks. "Is this what a "guild" is?" He asked, making Sting look back at him. "Yukino was a comrade."

"She's gone 'cause she's weak. The strongest guild didn't need her, right?" Sting countered.

Lucas scoffed. "And that is the one thing I dislike about you, Sting." He said, making Sting look towards him in confusion.

"What if I never left and I got kicked out, huh? Or what if it was Rogue? Would you be so quick to call us weak then?" Lucas questioned.

"Luke-"

"Shut up and let me speak." Lucas interrupted Sting. "This whole "kicking out the weak" is what forced me to leave in the first place. God Pegasus may be the second strongest guild in Fiore, but we don't do shit like this. We treat each other like family. Isn't that what a guild is supposed to be?"

Lucas huffed in irritation before walking away. "Come to think of it, I hear the lady is replacing Yukino-san." He heard Lector say.

"Oh! Now that's what I call the strongest five members!" Sting cheered.

"Are you seriously mad at me?"

Lucas glanced up to see Sting walking in, closing the door behind him. Sting sighed before walking over. "So that's why you left Sabertooth." Sting said.

"I was tired of having to walk on eggshells all the time. Figured if I just left, I wouldn't have to worry about that anymore." Lucas shrugged.

Sting frowned and wrapped his arms around the brunette. "You know if something like that ever happened to you, I would step up without hesitation. I would quit the guild if that was to happen." He claimed.

"Because of our mating bond, right?"

"We were best friends before we found out we were mates, Luke. I would do the same for Rogue." Sting stated.

Lucas smiled. "How in the world did I get so lucky?" He asked.

"I'm the one who's lucky, Luke."

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Erza turned around and spotted Atlas walking towards her. "Atlas, I thought you went back to your inn." She said.

"And leave you alone? What kind of friend would I be if I did that?" Atlas smiled. "Still thinking about your conversation with Millianna?"

"...how long will it go on?" Erza asked, making Atlas frown.

"I can't say I blame Millianna or Kagura."

"Atlas!"

"I'm serious, Erza. I could care less if he's "changed" or whatever, he's still an escaped convict and he still hurt you." Atlas said. "Hell, when we were meeting up with him, I had to control myself from killing him right then and there."

"I won't kill you for Erza's sake. But I swear to God if you make her cry again I'll kill you without hesitation. Do you understand, Jellal?"

Atlas clenched his fist as he remembered his threat towards Jellal. "Not many people are as forgiving as you are, Erza." Atlas told her. "You have to accept that Jellal did a lot of horrible shit and hurt a lot of people."

"I know that." Erza said.

Atlas sighed before embracing Erza in his arms. "You can't change the way Millianna feels about him. Only she can do that. Same with Kagura." He stated.

"I know. Thanks for being here for me, Atlas." Erza said, hugging the God Slayer back.

Atlas blushed. "Y-Yeah. Don't mention it..." He mumbled.

"What are you doing out here, Erza?"

Atlas jumped at the sound of Gray's voice as him and Erza quickly pulled apart. "Gray..." Erza muttered.

Gray's eyes widened at Atlas. "Hey, aren't you-" He began.

"A member of God Pegasus? Yes. Erza and I are old friends." Atlas interrupted, making Gray nod.

"Why are you out here alone?" Erza asked.

"Until now, I was in the middle of some tug-of-war between Lyon and Juvia and I have no idea what it was about." Gray replied.

"You have no idea what it was about? I wasn't there, but even I have a pretty good idea of what the deal was." Erza claimed.

Atlas snickered. "Man, I'm not even in your guild and I could take a good guess on what the issue was just by seeing it in the Games." He added on before smirking. "Being in a love triangle must suck."

"It's not a love triangle!" Gray argued with an irk mark on his face.

"Whatever you say."

Erza smiled. "It's late. Let's get back to the inn." She told Gray.

"I should start heading back too. Oh, and Erza." Atlas said, causing Erza to hum. "About earlier, I'll ask Lucas when I get the chance."

Erza nodded at him before she left with Gray. Atlas walking in the opposite direction towards the inn his team was staying at.

Two loud bangs woke both Sting and Lucas up. Along with Lector and Ace. "What the...?!" Sting questioned as Rogue soon came barging in.

"Intruder!" He announced.

"Lector, Ace, wake up!" Frosch added on, flying beside Rogue.

"Intruder?!" Sting repeated while Lucas stood up, grabbing his shirt from the ground and putting it on before he buttoned it up. "All the members of Sabertooth are stayin' at this inn!"

"Who the hell is it?!"

"I don't know... but they must not be expecting to leave here alive!" Rogue replied.

Lucas snorts. "They're not really smart if they're attacking Sabertooth at night." He said before a Sabertooth guild member soon came flying down the hall in front of them.

"Where's... your master?!"

Lucas widened his eyes upon seeing Natsu was the intruder. "Where is he?!" Natsu asked again as Jiemma stepped forward.

"You have business with me, kid?" Jiemma questioned.

"Are you the master here?" Natsu asked. "I hear you kicked someone out for losin' once? That gets me all fired up!"

"In that case," Natsu continued as he pounded his fists together, flames coming out. "if you lose to me, you're outta this guild!"

A/N: Whoo! Finally back in business! Sorry it took me so long! I don't normally write on this platform anymore, but I'll at least try to update my SYOC stories. The other ones... I'm not too sure.

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.