Hello there!

I'm back for another chapter!

I decided -fkoffDommiethiswasmydecisionnomatterhowmuchyoutoldmetodoit- that two weeks is too long a time between posts, so I decided to start posting the chapters weekly.

I'm actually rather happy and I *promise* to try to stick to the schedule. Every Friday, new chapter!

I'm also working on making longer chapters, so don't come at me.

kuroshiragami0, thank you for your review!

Dommie, you'll see what I can do!

On with the story, because I'm hungry and cranky.

I hope you like it :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Fairy Tail. I do however, own the rights to this story and OC characters that might appear in the future.

Chapter II: The New Recruit

X—X

The new day came with Sting coming down to the guild hall to get some food and find Dobengal, Orga, and Lector deep in thought around a board. He sniffed the air, but Ivy's scent was hours old, so she must not have arrived yet. He smiled at Yukino behind the counter, who was quick to serve him some food. Shouts and echoes came from the trio sitting down at the tables, and Orga even tried punching it.

"You break it, you pay it!" Sting shouted.

"Sorry, Sting!" Dobengal exclaimed. "This shit is... frustrating!"

"What's that anyway?"

"It's supposed to be a playing board, but our client told us it was cursed," Orga explained. "And now, we can't figure out how to break it."

The doors opened, and everyone turned to see who it was. Ivy walked inside, looking like an angel. Her hair was tied in a half-braid crown, a white crop top with a boat neckline and short sleeves, a high-low steel blue skirt that reached her mid-thighs, and brown ankle boots. There was a little jewel in a necklace around her neck, and she smiled.

"Good morning, everyone!"

"Ivy!" Dobengal waved her over. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, thank you." she nodded and walked to them. "What are you three doing?"

"Trying to break a curse." Orga frowned. "Have you met Lector?"

"No, I don't think I've had the pleasure." she turned to the Exceed and reached out a hand. "Hello, I'm Ivy."

"Good morning, Ivy." Lector shook her hand. "Nice... tattoo."

"...thank you." she nodded. "You're an Exceed, right?"

"Correct."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lector." she smiled sweetly, then turned to Orga. "What curse?"

"This right here." the tall man pointed at the board.

"Hm... may I?" she asked.

Dobengal scooted over and Ivy sat down between him and Lector. She looked at the board, a simple piece of wood with dark margins and a curvy path sprinkled with different types of drawings. She saw clouds, forests, lightning bolts, and mud pools. She moved a hand over it and a magic circle appeared with a padlock.

"Ah! I know." she smiled.

"No, don't! That burned me when I picked it up." Orga grabbed her wrist.

"Don't worry. I've got this."

She started whistling softly under her breath. Unbeknownst to her, everyone watched her intently, especially Sting. She grabbed the sides of it, and sparks burst out of it. Her song became a bit louder and the sparks faded. She picked it up and smiled, before flipping the board around. A magic circle glowed in the back, with a sideways padlock. She placed her hand over it, and a magic circle of her own sprouted from her palm. She rotated her palm to the right and a loud clank was heard.

The magic circles disappeared from the board and Ivy put it down, face up. The board began to move, the drawing gained life, and a crest showed up in the middle of the board.

"If I'm not mistaken, that's the Kirst family symbol." she looked at Orga "Did they hire you to unlock the board?"

"...no. This shady-looking guy did."

"Then no wonder it was locked. It was stolen." she explained. "Bloodline runes are a special kind of magic. If someone outside of the bloodline tries to use it, it blocks them and creates a defense mechanism. It's useless for anyone else unless you know how to unlock it."

"...are you from the Kirst family?"

"No." she giggled. "But there are ways to go around it, especially if you know how to override a bloodline rune. It's tricky, but it's very useful."

"How do you know about bloodline runes?" Lector frowned.

"My grandfather used them a lot on books of... illicit origin." she bit her lip. "The Magic Council tends to ban books on Ancient Magics, but for someone who just wants to learn about them... you find a way."

"That was impressive, Ivy. Now let's go and deliver this crap and get our money!" Orga exclaimed.

"No!" she grabbed the board again. "You either give it back to the Kirst family, where it belongs, or I'll activate the runes again."

"Ivy, it's a job!"

"It's a legacy! A family item. Something priceless to someone." she stood up and walked behind the couch. "You either give it back to the family, or you can't have it."

"Ivy."

She turned to look at Sting, standing next to her. She gasped and swallowed hard, immediately lowering her head. "Master."

"Sting is fine." he smiled. "I know you're trying to do the right thing for this family. But Sabertooth puts their reputation on the line with every job we take. If we don't fulfill a contract, people will think that they can't trust us."

"But it's not right." she looked into his eyes. "You can't think this is the right thing to do."

"I don't. Which is why..." he smirked, "I'm calling a magic council member here so that Orga and Dobengal can arrange a meeting with their client and the council can arrest them for possession of stolen property."

"But... won't Sabertooth be accused of the same?" she frowned, looking at the board in her hands.

"No, because the second we found out what we had, we called them."

"Thank you..." she looked into his eyes and smiled.

"It's the right thing to do. Now, if you'll excuse me... I need to make a call."

Ivy watched him leave the hall and blushed. She turned back to Orga and gave him the board. "Sorry."

"It's okay, Ivy." he nodded. "You have a good heart."

"Thank you." she pushed a lock behind her ear.

–X–

"So, who did you say unlocked the rune?" the mage looked up to Sting while his colleagues took the bandits away in handcuffs.

"One of my mages." the Dragon Sayer crossed his arms. "Why?"

"The family would like to know," he explained.

"Her name is Ivy." Sting declared. "If the family would like to know more, I will be more than happy to arrange a meeting between them. But under my wing."

"Since when are you so protective of your guild members?"

"Since they were the ones that wanted to do the right thing and give this back to the family, regardless of the loss of reward money." The blond sighed. "Look. Just tell them it was a mage named Ivy, and if they really want to meet her, tell them to come over. But I highly doubt they can be bothered to do so."

"...will do. Thanks, Master Sting." the council member nodded.

"Sure thing."

When Orga, Dobengal, and Sting came back to Sabertooth HQ, they were greeted with cheers and raised glasses. Minerva was quick to put a drink in their hands, and the Dragon Slayer immediately looked around to find a head of orange that was quickly becoming familiar. But she was nowhere to be found.

It had been a week since she joined the guild, and between small talk and spying on her conversations with others – yes, he was not ashamed to admit it – he had come to find bits and pieces about her. But what surprised him most was the kindness she carried for herself and everyone else.

Her scent had permanently coated the guild hall, especially after she moved in with Dobengal and Yukino's help. That was his personal heaven and hell. She amazed, not just him but everyone, with her brilliance and knowledge, and Orga had already said that the next time he took a job, she was going with him.

He moved to his office, where he sat down on his desk and eyed the small pile of paperwork he still had to do. He's been keeping a steady workplace ever since he sensed the call, but he couldn't be bothered to tackle what he had left now. There was a lot on his mind. He heard the door open and close, but he was so deep in thought that he only looked up when something smacked him in the head.

"Ouch, what was that for?!" he covered the bump that was soon to show up.

"Pay attention."

"What do you want, Rogue?" Sting leaned back and crossed his arms. "Weren't you busy moping around?"

"Until I found out you're actually getting your workload done on a relatively good time." he sat across him. "What's on your mind?"

"Do you... remember anything Skiadrum taught you about mates?"

"A little bit, yes." Rogue nodded. "Is this about what happened? I thought you had yourself under control."

"And I do." He took a deep breath.

"Then what is it?"

"Do you remember what he told you about finding them? Or how to recognize them?"

"Skiadrum always told me I'd know. That I'd immediately recognize them as someone to be protected. That my eyes would find them without knowing them."

"Weisslogia told me something along those lines." Sting sighed. "As sure as there's a sun in our skies and dirt beneath our feet, you'll know who they are."

"Poetic."

"Cryptic old bastard." the blond rolled his eyes.

"What brought this on then? Again, you said you had it."

"I do!" The Light Dragon Slayer exclaimed. "Or... I did."

"What happened?" Rogue leaned forward.

"About a week ago... I woke up with this feeling."

"You felt your mate?!"

"I think so?!" Sting ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know. I woke up with this feeling, this pressure. This... instinct that they were nearby. Weisslogia told me that the more in sync you are with your instincts, the more you can sense, and I sensed my mate a week ago!"

"Hundreds of people come to Magnolia every day, Sting. Thousands, sometimes." Rogue said slowly. "Why do you sound like you know who this is?"

"I don't. I suspect. And because the pressure hasn't disappeared, so they didn't leave. And I've been... sensing them very close."

"Who do you think this person is?"

"They arrived a week ago. They're close. And I can sense them."

A light went off in Rogue's head.

"You don't think..." but Sting simply looked at him. "No."

"Yeah." Sting moved to grab two glasses and a bottle of whisky.

"That's impossible!" the red-eyed man spoke. "But wait. What about all the other symptoms? The scent, the protection, the headaches, the pull?"

"All there. I wouldn't give two shits about a stolen artifact. I've been hanging out in the Hall a lot more. And if I thought Lucy smelled good..." he scoffed and poured three fingers each. "She's got nothing on her."

"Never thought I'd see the day. Do you think she knows what's-?"

"The old man told me mates recognize the calling subconsciously. That they feel something, but they might not know what it is." Sting took a sip. "I don't know what to do."

"Be her friend. Build a relationship. Get to know her. It's the only thing you can do." Rogue smiled. "She is kind. Sweet. Righteous. You have so much in common already."

Sting flipped him off, but Rogue continued. "Just talk to her. Let her know you. We're past the kidnapping ages."

"Fuck off." but the blond chuckled. "Do you know where she is?"

"Do you?" Rogue gulped down the drink.

"In town. Near the park." Sting took a deep breath. "Why did Gajeel-san have to pull his dick out now?!"

"You do know that sex and marking a mate are not the same thing?"

"Figure of speech, Cheney."

"Right. I'm gonna go train." he got up and walked to the door. "Finish your paperwork."

"Fuck off, Rogue." but the two shared a smile.

A/N: Eeeeh I'm trying okay!

Let me know your thoughts on this new story!

Lots of love from this weirdo,

LoneeWolf :)