Shogunate Pride

by Bluestar076

In the region of Caelum, miles away from the guild of Fairy Tail, there's a special guild made of samurais that is always ready to dive into new adventures to save their region from supernatural threats by clashing their weapons. This is their story, as a girl that controls both light and darkness joins them (SYOC Closed.)

4. Worthy or Meaningless

Shogunate Pride Chapter 2: Worthy or Meaningless

By Bluestar076

Hello everyone! Bluestar here with finally a new chapter! After the SYOC is closed and we have gotten all the characters, we can finally dive into this story, hoping that it's of your liking! This chapter could be shorter than my usual ones, but mostly because it's a simpler one. We'll see one of the OCs and we'll get a look on some information about the guild. For this occasion, I've decided to prepare something with extra effort, so I hope you'll have a good time reading the chapter! So, without further ado, let's get into it!

Note: I do not own Fairy Tail. All rights belong to Hiro Mashima, A-1 Pictures and ClowerWorks.

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Chapter 2: Worthy or Meaningless

Fiore – Magnolia – Fairy Tail Guild

Fairy Tail.

Considered the strongest guild in all the religion of Fiore and probably even the most famous guild in all of Earthland. Even if in the past they had several challenges and drastic moment, they were always able to come out from it, by always remembering what was really important. But despite having such reputation, its members are quite ambiguous.

"GRAY! YOU JACKASS! DID YOU EAT THE STRUDEL I LEFT IN THIS TABLE!?" Natsu, one of the peak members of the guild, shouted out at his colleague and friend, Gray Fullbuster.

The other boy scoffed. "There's no need to shout out like that, of course I ate it! It was there for God-knows how long! A bit more and it would have become rotten!" He answered.

"Oh, sorry if I was out for a mission! That was supposed to be my snack and Happy's after my return! AND NOW IT'S GONE!" Natsu shouted out, making even more noise.

"Next time put it in a secure place and not put it where everyone can see it!" Gray didn't want to hear excuses and continued to counter it. Naturally, the mage of fire didn't like this answer at all.

Natsu immediately started to release flames from his fists. "FINE, I'LL DO IT! BUT NOT BEFORE I GIVE YOU A FIST IN THAT EMPTY COLD FACE!"

"I'M READY! BRING IT ON, YOU IDIOT!" Gray, on the other hand, already started to prepare ice from his body. They didn't add anything else and immediately threw themselves against each other, causing a large pile of smoke due to their fight.

The other members of the guild looked at the scene like it was normal (In fact, it was). Still, one of the other members, Lucy Heartf ilia, witnessed it and made a facepalm. "Years go by and they still act like this. It's the same scene I've seen when I first joined the guild!" She commented. In that moment Happy, the blue cat landed on the table near her.

"Well, at this point you should be completely used to that! If even their battle when Natsu was E.N.D made them stop, nothing can!" The cat commented.

Lucy then turned around to another member, a girl wearing heavy clothes with blue hair. "Why don't you say anything, Juvia?" She asked.

"Oh, it's not that much of a problem for me! If Gray-sama wants to fight with Natsu, I want him to be himself! Plus…" Juvia Lockser commented before making a delighted face. "This is a good way to see his physique…aaah, it's so beautiful!"

To hear that comment, Lucy made a sceptic face. If anything, the only one that looked at the scene with interest and no impassibility was Elfman Strauss, who always liked such sight, because of his nature. "GO NATSU AND GRAY! LET ME SEE WHO'S THE REAL MAN BETWEEN YOU TWO!" He shouted out.

"Y-You shouldn't really encourage them that much…" His younger sister, Lisanna, told him with an embarrassed smile. But the older sister, Mirajane, didn't care that much, and continued to serve at the tables like nothing. "Oh it's not that of a big deal! After all this is what makes this place home!" She then put a glass to the table where Laxus, one of the top members and his friends of the Thunder God Tribe, were playing cards. "What do you think?" Mirajane asked.

"Honestly I couldn't care less." Laxus replied plain and simple.

"Same." One of the friends, Fried, added.

"I do find it funny!" Another one, Bickslow, commented, showing his tongue as usual. And in the meantime, the small quarrel continued.

"STUPID POPSICLE!"

"FUCKING DEMON!"

"PUBBLIC DEGENERATE!"

"CLUMSY PYROMANIAC!"

The insults and the attacks continued for a bit, until they all stopped after hearing the door opening. Both Natsu and Gray stopped as soon as they saw, who got inside.

Erza was standing at the entrance, and as soon as she got in, she could see the two boys fighting, making her come closer. "Excuse me, but were you two perhaps…arguing?" She asked it apparently with an innocent smile, but the two mages knew well what really meant. They could already sense the menacing aura from her.

They immediately bowed down several times and apologized. "WE ARE WORMS! WORTHLESS WORMS!"

"Good boys." Erza told them with a friendly pat on their heads.

Lucy could take a breath of relief and make a small smile. "And as always, Erza comes up and they immediately calm down." She commented. In that moment, another girl came closer to the red-haired one to greet her, alongside a white female exceed. This girl was short and with long blue hair tied to two twin ponytails.

"Erza! You came back!" Wendy said, happy to see her friend, who smiled as well.

"Yes, it turned out that I took less time to finish the job, also because in the way, I've got some extra help." Erza replied.

The exceed, Carla, became curious after hearing that. "Help?" She asked.

"Yes, but nothing in particular. Just someone who came on their own." The girl known as Titania insisted. In that moment, another blue-haired girl arrived and approached Erza.

"Welcome back! I really thank you for stopping those two. The baby was sleeping…anyways! How was Caelum? Was it such a good place like they say in the guides?" The girl, Levy, asked.

"Well, I've only explored a city of the island, but it sure had its charm! Small but really healthy and relaxed! Well, apart from the wanted criminal I had to take down." Erza replied.

"Is that so? In case I wouldn't mind pay off a visit! Maybe during a holiday!" Wendy said, liking the idea, though her exceed wasn't of the same idea. "I don't know, usually we don't end up well during holidays…remember all those times that we, as the Fairy Girls, tried to have a vacation?" She asked.

"Y-Yeah I can agree…" Julia said, while cleaning up Gray from the dust.

"Nah, don't be that pessimistic! Not all places we go is assured to have some devious individual! …I hope." Wendy answered, trying to be positive.

"Anyways…do you know where the Master is? I've wanted to talk to him." Erza then asked. The answer came soon, as she could hear a husky voice calling out for her.

"I'm right here Erza!" It was the Master of the guild himself, Makarov Dreyar. Despite having reached 91 years of age and partially lost the legs movement after their conflict in Alvarez, he shoed to be still sprightly. He was sitting on the top of the main table.

The girl known as Titania then started to walk towards him. As she moved, she gave a look at everyone in the guild and was pleased to see that everyone were enjoying their days as usual and remained the same even if time continued to move on. Truly, she felt at home.

While she headed towards, the Master, the other members of her group (Which were Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Wendy, Happy and Carla) looked at her curious.

"Erza wanting to tell something to the Master? Strange, don't you think?" Natsu asked.

"Aye sir!" Happy replied.

"I don't see it as a problem. I mean, she usually talks to him normally since she considers him his father, so I don't see it as something wrong." Gray commented.

"Maybe Natsu's concern was more about the fact that they could talk about something serious that might have happened recently." Lucy pointed out.

"Eheh…In case I wouldn't mind at all! I'm ready to face anyone! Starting already to get fired up!" Natsu answered, making his knuckles crack.

"Chill out, nothing happened yet…" Wendy told him with an embarrassed smile.

"Hm…in case they'll let us know. I didn't see anything worrying recently in a vision." Carla added. In that moment, she could see a dead fish in front of her.

"In that case, would you like this fish?" Happy asked, all hopeful. But the answer remained the same.

"Uuuh…no, thanks." Carla declined, making the other exceed's go in a corner.

"Aaah…"

"NO NO SORRY!" Carla felt immediately bad, with the others making a small laugh.

In the meantime, Erza reached the Master, who looked at her with a relaxed expression. "Nice to see you back Erza. I've heard from the Bluegrad family that you did an excellent job in capturing that criminal. Well, I couldn't expect less from the queen of fairies after all!" Makarov commented with a caring smile.

Erza blushed a little but smiled back. "It's always nice to hear it saying from you, Master." She simply replied.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about, Erza?" Makarov then asked.

Erza didn't show any hesitation and went straight to the point. "Well, there's something I've wanted to tell you..."

Makarov remained in silence waiting for her to say it. The situation seemed a bit embarrassing. "Uhm…in private, Master." The girl then specified.

"Oh! I see. Do you want perhaps to talk about it in the waiting room?" Makarov then asked.

"Yeah, it would be better. Also…would you mind if Mest can come as well?" Erza said, catching up the attention of the mage in question.

"Uh?" As soon as he heard his name, Mest turned around and came closer. "Do you need me for something?" He asked.

"Mostly, since It's a topic that regards you highly. Well, kinda." The red-haired girl replied. Makarov didn't need to say anything else. He stood up (or at least, he did his best to do so) and turned around. "Very well! Let's change room." With those words, he started to walk towards the waiting room, with both Erza and Mest following him.

Surely, this took the attention of some of the members, who looked at them. In particular, Mirajane, Gajeel and Panther Lily were the ones who seemed most interested.

"Do you think we should sneak in?" the panther exceed asked to his Dragon Slayer.

"Nah. I don't want Makarov or Erza to get mad." Gajeel commented.

"Still…seeing Erza asking for a private discussion is something strange, don't you think?" Mirajane asked while another female member close to her, Cana, was drinking a glass of wine as usual.

"She'll have her own reason. What really concerns me is…" The Alberona mage said before looking at the Thunder God Tribe. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU USING MY CARDS TO PLAY POKER!?" She then shouted out.

The four of them remained awkwardly silent for some seconds and then… "…we didn't find a deck…" Laxus answered with a drop of sweat coming down from his head.

In the meantime, the three mages were sitting in the waiting room, and Erza started to tell them about her mission in Caelum. In particular, she told the most important issue about it: how she got helped by an unexpected encounter with a girl that turned out to be closer to them that she could ever expect, and since that, she needed to make them now her true identity.

"…And that's all the story." Erza concluded. She got puzzled when she saw both Makarov and Mest have both their mouth and their eyes wide open with purple waves in their heads.

"A-A-A-A-A-A-Ah…"

"…Master? Mest?" Erza asked. "Oh God, I knew this would have happened…" she then commented, waiting for it.

"Is…is all of this…true?" the Master of Fairy Tail asked. Seeing those reactions, Erza prepared for the worse, and answered.

"…Yes. It's true."

A moment of silence…and then…

"ZEREF HAS A-" Before Makarov and Mest could end their screaming, Erza quickly shut their mouths.

"SHHHHHHHHH! We can't let the others know that easily!" She told them. Luckily, the two men were able to calm down. But the shock was still pretty intense.

"I-I know, but how can we not get that alarmed!? Seriously? Z-Zeref had a…Had a daughter?! With the first Master-!?" Makarov exclaimed while Mest immediately stood up.

"I-I'LL GO AT ELBA WITH MY TELEPORT AND-" He immediately tried to use his teleport magic to go to Elba, but the Master of the guild held him before he could do so.

"WAIT! Let's not be too hasty." He spoke.

"Master…?" Mest asked.

"True…if this girl is really the daughter of Zeref, it's only natural that we get worried. But…not all things are taken for granted. Zeref acted out of pure sorrow and because his mind was distorted by the curse of Ankhseram. And this girl surely doesn't have the same problems of the father. With this said…I want to hear it from you Erza. Judging by your answer, we'll see if we should act or not." Makarov explained, turning around to the female mage with a more serious answer. "Tell me…is this Tsukuyomi a friend…or an enemy?" He asked.

Erza stood in silence for some seconds. She needed to answer carefully to that, since it was a delicate topic for the guild in general. But then…she remembered the discussion they had, and how she seemed really hurt by knowing the truth, but most of all…the oath she made herself in that moment.

"I wish I could show that same love to people…by helping them."

It was clear. A kind spirit like her couldn't be evil. So, with more confidence, she gave her answer.

"…Master. There's nothing to worry about her. I could see through her actions and her intentions…that she means no harm apart from those who deserve it. After all, she didn't come entirely from the dark. Just like her magic, through the union of both Zeref and Mavis, she became a girl on both sides, light and darkness. Even so, through her battle, she could show the same purity and kindness of both her mother and a Mage you could find here in Fairy Tail. You know Master…maybe she'll come to visit us in the future…and when that time comes…she'll see us as friends."

Both Makarov and Mest remained in silence to hear her words and were surprised to hear a sincere tone from her. At first, this was an alarming news, but hearing her talk like that made her feel at ease. After all, Erza showed several times to be one of the most trustworthy members in the guild, and Makarov always trusted all of his members.

"…Maybe…there's no need for me to go there on second thought…" Mest commented.

"Indeed. You know…after hearing such words…I'm quite curious to meet her." Makarov added with a pleased smile.

"You would probably like her." Erza simply replied.

"There's no need to get worried, then. We'll see what her road will bring her to. Speaking of which, what is she doing now?" Makarov asked.

"I've offered her to join our guild, but she declined since she went to Caelum to join a Guild of the place named Shogunate Pride." The red-haired girl replied.

"Shogunate…Pride?" Makarov said.

"Yes. Do you perhaps know it, Master?" Erza asked, hoping to find more.

"Hmm…" Makarov started to think about it. He had a large knowledge of the surrounding guilds, but even with his experiences…that name seemed new to him. "Hmm…I don't think I've ever heard it. What about you Mest?" He then asked to the other male member.

"Me neither. First time I hear it." Mest answered.

"I see. To be fair, I've never dug that deeply in other guilds that stand in regions outside of Fiore. Sorry Erza." Makarov then told to the girl, who remained calm.

"No, there's no problem at all!"

"Maybe there's something in our library. I remember reading a guide to all guilds in the world a while ago when I was searching for dark guilds…that is…unless the book isn't destroyed yet." Mest then suggested.

"Indeed…after all those times we got the guild destroyed…" Makarov added.

In that moment outside of the guild, Gajeel sneezed for some reason.

"But you can give it a try though!" The Master then supported Mest's choice.

"Sure!" With those words, Erza came out of the waiting room. The chat was over, but Makarov and his emissary remained there. They still had some opinions about it.

"Gee…everyday we hear something outstanding. And here I thought nothing else could happen!" Mest commented.

"Indeed. I never thought to hear that Zeref and Mavis had a kid. We already knew about the Etherious demons, but I would have never expected an authentic offspring. Well, not that is surprising, they did love each other deeply, even if their story ended up tragically. If Erza says she's a good person, there's no need to doubt her. We'll see what she'll do in the future." Makarov added.

"Though this adds another question, Master…" Mest then started.

"What is it?" The old man asked. He could see the young mage with a worried face.

"…What if Zeref had other kids?"

Makarov sweated a bit as well. "Oh shit…"

While they said this, in the spirit realm, two figures, an old man and a blonde and imposing figure turned to each other.

"…I think someone just talked about us." August said.

"Oh, so you had the same impression?" Larcade added.

In the meantime, Erza decided to follow Mest's suggestion and went to the library. Hearing what she was going to do, Levy decided to offer her a hand on searching the books. Despite the guild getting destroyed several times, a good ammount of books were saved, so the library could be still considered big. Both girls needed to use the stairs to see if the book was there and intact.

"You know, this makes me curious as well. I've never studied other guilds outside from Fiore, so this will be a funny search!" Levy commented.

"I'm glad that you're willing to help me, Levy but…are you sure you don't want to rest? I mean, maybe the baby needs more time with you." Erza then asked, worried a bit. But Levy seemed to remain in a nice humor.

"Don't worry about that! My kid is really calm, and Gajeel spends a lot of time with them to make sure that they're ok! Really…being a parent is so wonderful!" The blue-haired girl replied.

"Really? Glad to hear that Gajeel is a good daddy! I wonder what it feels like to have a kid…" Erza wondered. Levy couldn't afford to not make a joke.

"Really? Maybe it could happen someday with Jellal!" She jokingly said. Erza became immediately red (apart from her hair).

"W-WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!? COME ON!" She exclaimed.

And while they were doing so…Levy spotted a particular book that seemed a bit old. She took it and had a pleased look on her face. "Ah! There! I found it! This book has a complete guide to Earthland's guilds!"

"Great! Let's see it!" Erza replied.

As soon as they grabbed the book, the two girls sat down on a table and gave a deeper look into it, hoping to find that guild. Since there could have been the probability that it was a new-founded guild, there was the possibility that they weren't going to find it. As they browsed the pages, Erza and Levy could see both familiar and new names of guilds.

"Let's see here…Titan Nose, Phantom Lord, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Cait Shelter, Sabertooth…oh, here we are! Fairy Tail! Alright, Quatro Cerberus, Twilight Ogre, Mermaid Heel…" Levy counted some of them.

"Red Pegasus, Black Sun, Twilight Phoenix, Crow's Nest, Dragon's Den, Dragon Hart, Obsidian Shield, Vermilion Wyvern…wow, there's a lot of guilds I never heard of! Some of these are in Fiore, too!" Erza found some others.

"Guess we didn't explore everything even with all our adventures!" Levy answered. And while discussing, they ended up in the page where there was the guild they were looking for. "Oh! There she is! Shogunate Pride!"

"So it's been there for a while! Let's give it a look…" As they finally found the right page, Erza started to read loud the information about it. The result was quite surprising.

"Let's see…Shogunate Pride is a legal guild situated in the city of Elba, which stands in the island region of Caelum. It was founded in the year X686 by Amaterasu Yoshitzuni, the shogun of the emperor of the time, who also served as the first Master. Really? So, it got founded the same year as Fairy Tail! Anwyays… Through time, this guild got a high reputation for its powerful and skilled members and their sense of justice and loyalty. They were able to clear most of their missions and they fall in the category of guilds who stand out for the particularity of their membership. Much like Mermaid Heel in Fiore, who is known for being a guild made only of female members, Shogunate Pride is known for being a guild…made of samurais." After reading a piece of the description, Erza suddenly stopped and remained silent.

"…Erza?" Levy asked worried.

The girl known as Titania closed the book, stood up and started to slowly walk towards a column. Once there…she started to give several headbutts against it. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"E-ERZA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Levy shouted.

Luckily, a few minutes later, Erza was able to stop, even though her friend had to clean her face for some blood that came out.

"Gee, Erza! That's unusual from you? What made you have that reaction?" Levy fairly asked.

"T-The fact that I'm an idiot. I've got the chance of see with my own eyes a guild made of samurais, which probably included a good number of swordsmen, AND I'VE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CITY!" Erza shouted out, tearing a bit.

"N-Now now, Erza! You didn't know! Plus, nothing says that you won't get any chances in the future, right?" Levy tried to cheer her up. To her, this still seemed a bizarre situation.

Luckily, Erza wasn't someone who whined that often and could calm herself pretty quickly, even if she was still disappointed with her own actions. After the research was done, she thanked Levy and returned to the main hall of the guild, where she could see everyone enjoying their days.

"Considering what I read, the road Tsukuyomi decided to pick may not be easy. But…considering how she proved to be a gentle soul, maybe she won't have that much troubles…" She thought.

In that moment, Natsu and the rest of her usual team came closer to her. "Hey, Erza! Is something wrong?" Natsu asked.

"Uh? No, I'm ok." The red-haired girl simply replied. She thought carefully if telling Natsu about the discovery she made in Caelum. But for now...it was better to pass it by. Maybe the guild wasn't ready to know it...not yet. She made sure to tell them one day...especially Natsu, since she was a part of his family. A last remnant of his brother.

"Are you sure? Then what's that lump on your head?" Gray pointed out, but the girl cut him short.

"Nothing special to hear."

"Hmm…if you say so…hey, we have found the next mission we might take! Are you feeling to come with us?" Lucy then asked, showing her a paper.

Erza grabbed it, took a look and then nodded. "Interesting…ok, let's do it!" She spoke. The others were enthusiastic about it, Natsu specifically.

"Great! Another adventure is waiting! I'm already fired up!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy answered feeling excited. And so, as life continued on Fairy Tail, that classic team headed out for another journey and another mission.

"In case you succeed, I hope you'll get to find a caring home and family like I did. Good luck with your path, Tsukuyomi!" As she headed out with her best friends, Erza thought of the girl with the kimono, who didn't know what was coming for her.

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Caelum – City of Elba

Miles away from the famous guild, another calm day was waiting the small city of Elba. Even if they got used to such things as criminal, after Kabuto's arrest, the citizens surely felt calmer.

A few hours had passed after Tsukuyomi said goodbye to Erza when she went back to Fiore, and not knowing how to spend the time, she went around the city for a while. Even if she was more determined than ever to enter the guild of Shogunate Pride…she didn't know how to start. And they still haven't show up yet. She started to wonder if they were serious or if they were only messing around with her.

It was mid-afternoon, around 17.00 P.M., and Tsukuyomi headed to the bar where she got used to eat or drink in the few days she arrived in the city. She was sitting in the main table, drinking a shot of whiskey. Even with that, her mind was still full of thoughts, especially after what happened the past night.

As she continued to drink, she took out the small letter she got from the guild back when she sent the request.

We have accepted your proposal. Come at the city of Elba in the coming days. We'll search for you.

"Hmm…it's been already three days since I've got here, but they still didn't show up. Have I got tricked? I mean…why would a guild play around for someone who wishes to join them? Ah! No, I shouldn't think something like this! Maybe…I'm doing something wrong?" Tsukuyomi wondered before taking another gulp. In that moment, she turned around and noticed something…strange.

No one was there. She seemed to be the only costumer and the local was completely empty. It was a bit…creepy.

"Why is there…no one? The other days this local seemed always empty so…it's strange…" She tried to think about a plausible answer but in the end she shrugged. "Maybe there's a special festival outside or they just wanted to have a walk." She spoke. In that moment, she also ended up thinking of what she heard from the mage of Fairy Tail.

"So…what mom and dad told me is true…I'm really the daughter of the Great Black Wizard…and I'm also the daughter of the co-founder of Fairy Tail. Guess I'm someone important then, who knew? Though this makes me wonder…If my real parents lived over the centuries…how I come to have only twenty years old? I mean…dad told me to have found me in an ice cube but it's a bit strange…and creepy now that I think of it. I'm…technically 97 years old-? Eeeck…I don't want to think about it…" She commented with a shiver on her back. In that moment, she noticed that her small glass was empty, so she turned on the barman. "Hey, barman! Can you give me another, please?" She asked.

"I think I have some more on the in the back. Let me get it." The barman replied before leaving. Tsukuyomi wasn't in a hurry, so she remained sat down and waited.

"It's incredible how many thoughts I can make in just a couple of minutes! Maybe it's a quirk of mine…" She commented. And then…right in that moment, while waiting for just a small glass of whiskey…she could hear something.

She heard a whistle.

Confused, Tsukuyomi looked around. There was no one there, so where did it come from? The strangest part was that…it seemed calm, but unsettling at the same time. She then turned to her right…and was stunned to suddenly see someone sitting next to her. The look of that person was caught her the most.

It was a young woman of at least 175 cm with a very slender body, muscles in the right place and a pale complexion and a discreet chest. She had, long straight pitch hair that she kept loose down her back, with a lock that felt between her eyes, which were crimson red. She seemed to wear a black knight armor and a hood on her head.

Even if it all happened that suddenly, Tsukuyomi remained silent. It was a similar situation of when she faced Mukago the day earlier, but this time…she felt more on guard than ever.

"…I hope you don't mind if I sit next to you." The girl spoke out, as soon as she stopped whistling. Her tone was cold. She then took a bottle of wine and served herself a glass to drink. "Hm. The stuff they serve here is always good." She then turned to the girl with the kimono. "You're Tsukuyomi Dragneel, right?"

Tsukuyomi swallowed. "How…how do you know my name?"

The girl didn't change her tone or expression. "A silly question. After what you've done last night, it's kinda hard to miss you."

Tsukuyomi felt even more threatened. "Are you perhaps one of Kabuto's henchmen?" She asked.

This made the other woman make a small laugh "Kabuto, you say? No, thanks. I got no use for a petty criminal. The answer is simpler than you think. Your name just got caught up in my small group of friends…for quite some time by now."

The girl with the kimono was puzzled. What did she mean by that? Did she get on someone's bad eye? But she let her finish…she wanted to know the whole story.

"You see…life isn't as easy as in the stories you hear as a child. You need to get ready for every type of danger that can run towards you. They're all like wolves…chasing you down for your precious meat. And around here, we make sure that every newcomer is fit enough to stay in this place…even if it means to hurt him…especially in a physical way." The woman continued, sounding creepier.

Tsukuyomi could feel a drop of sweat falling down from her front as she kept listening to her. Her stare looked down, and she could see what seemed to be a crystal artifact attached around her basin. She could understand it.

"You…want to challenge me?" She asked.

"Good. I see you understand quickly." The girl simply replied before taking another sip of wine.

Tsukuyomi didn't need to hear more. She put her hand on the sheeted katana around her basin. "I don't intend to be rude if you want to fight. But I just want you to make sure of one thing, I'm not an easy opponent as most people think." She warned her.

"There were a lot of people who told me the exact same line you used. But they all fell down." The girl said, maintaining an indifferent tone.

"Fine…you asked for it." Tsukuyomi immediately pulled out the katana. "I hope you're ready for-" Before she could finish her line or do anything, she could see her blade get thrown and get stuck on a barrel in the blink of an eye. "…Eh?"

The other girl simply continued to drink the wine.

Tsukuyomi remained puzzled for some seconds, but then she made an annoyed face and quickly grabbed her katana back. "Ok, no more playing around! HEAAH!" She immediately dived with her katana, but the other girl moved away in an outstanding speed. It was shocking for her, but Tsukuyomi continued to attack. Still, that mysterious woman seemed to know her movements and dodged them.

"WREAH!"

"Flawed."

"GRRR!"

"Floppy."

"TSEAH!"

"Sad."

Getting more annoyed, Tsukuyomi went for a direct thrust. For a moment, she thought that she got her, but she widened her eyes as soon as she could see her katana clashing with something unexpected.

The girl was holding a red glowing blade, with the crystal artifact as its hilt.

"W-What!? A lightsaber!?" Tsukuyomi explained.

The girl pushed Tsukuyomi away and swung her own saber, which left a red trail behind it.

The girl with the kimono gritted her teeth as she dashed forward. Her body started to get surrounded by a grey aura. She didn't want to start that roughly, but due to the enemy's strength, she couldn't afford to let a moment slip away and used her magic. Still…

"GAH!" Tsukuyomi could feel a slash in her chest that made her stop almost instantly. She could see the blood falling down from her chest, as the girl came closer.

"You're not holding up the expectations, kid." The woman told her before pushing her away violently with a kick on the belly.

"AAGH!" Tsukuyomi ended up falling on the ground outside of the local, where some citizens turned around, alarmed.

"OH GOD!"

"What is happening?"

"Kh…" Tsukutomi started to stood up, with her eyes locked on the mysterious woman that assaulted her, who came out of the local to see her.

"If this is the best you can handle, then you can only let yourself down!" She exclaimed.

"W-What do you mean?" The young swordswoman asked.

"The road of the samurai isn't one open to anyone. If you want to walk through it, you need to show your strength both physical and mental. If not, how can you expect to join us in our guild?" The mysterious woman continued.

"Ah!" Tsukuyomi widened her eyes as soon as she heard it. In that moment, her eyes moved slightly to the right and she could see it.

A black guild mark…resembling the helmet of a samurai armor on her right shoulder.

Suddenly…everything was clear. The sudden appearance…the attack…everything soon started to have a meaning.

"Are you…?" She asked.

"Glad you got it. That is right." The girl answered before swinging her lightsaber. "I am a mage of the guild Shogunate Pride. The name's Revany Sith." She then introduced herself and pointed the blade at Tsukuyomi, who was still laying down. "A few days ago, we have received your request of joining the guild and we have accepted. But there's something you need to know about us if you really want to follow this trail. In Shogunate Pride, whenever a new mage wants to come in, they must prove to us that they have the right strength to be in our place. You can call it…a test."

"Now I see…" Tsukuyomi simply spoke as she stood up, holding her katana. "That is why you said you would have searched me…"

"Exactly. If you want to join us, you need to show me your skills…by taking me down!" Revany exclaimed, ready to approach her.

Revany Sith – Red Flash – Regular Mage – Shogunate Pride

Tsukuyomi stared carefully at her opponent. Now that everything was clearer, she couldn't afford to make any more mistakes. This time it wasn't about bringing a simple criminal to justice. She was standing in front of a terrible challenge right now, and if she wanted to hold the promise she made to herself to make sure that no one would have suffered the same injustices she had and follow the footsteps of her mother…

She needed to be ready.

"I'm in." She spoke. Like her enemy, she pointed the katana at Revany with a more resolved stare. "I've been waiting for this moment, and I'm willing to show you how serious I am!"

"Then bring it on. Let's see if this is the truth or you're all just talk." Revany answered. After saying it, she disappeared in a moment, confusing Tsukuyomi, who looked around while holding her katana tightly. After talking, her mouth got covered by a special iron mask.

"Where did she go!?"

Then, like nothing, Revany appeared in front of her, ready to strike her down with a movement. But the adrenaline rush made Tsukuyomi notice her and manage to block her, leaving a tough impact still.

The citizens looked shocked yet amazed somehow.

"Did you see the impact!?"

"Yes, but maybe it's better if we move away a bit…" They started to move in order to give the two fighters more space and to avoid getting hurt.

Meanwhile, Tsukuyomi was doing her best to hold the grip with the katana. Even if standing still, she could feel the amount of strength that Revany was using to push her away.

"Already better. But still on a horrible level." Revany commented.

Tsukuyomi jumped away, but kept her eyes on the target. "That crystal artifact must be the source of the sword…when I first saw her, she only had the hilt, so the blade must be the result of some sort of magic…meaning that it will be completely different from facing a normal weapon. I need to think fast, she doesn't give mercy!" She reflected on the next move to make, and just as she thought, Revany was preparing the next attack.

Revany generated a magic circle that started to shoot crystal bolts repeatedly, sounding like a machine gun, with the intent of not letting the challenger breathe. "Crystal Barrage."

"SHIT!" Tsukuyomi started to move fast, helped by her magic, in order to dodge the bullets, even if some of them were able to get her at the ankle and at the shoulders. "GH!" Even if she got hurt, she continued to ran towards the enemy and her blade started to get surrounded by a grey aura. "Dance of the Eclipse!" Tsukuyomi started to move forward while using the empowered blade to destroy the crystals aimed at her. The choreography of her attack made her look like a trail of ink coming straight forward Revany, who didn't seem to be impressed.

"Got you!" Tsukuyomi thought, as soon as she was close to the enemy. "HEAAAAH!" She went for the attack, but once again, Revany swung the lightsaber and blocked her. Tsukuyomi didn't want to stop there and attacked repeatedly with the katana filled with the power of eclipse.

The clash continued, but the mysterious girl didn't seem to falter not even for a bit and continued to contrast the attacks with her own saber.

"Her reflexes are immediate! It's almost like she knows what I'm going to do next!" Tsukuyomi thought as she attacked.

"Are you surprised? In a fight with one of us, this is supposed to be normal. Keep that in mind." Revany spoke. After Tsukuyomi tried to aim at the head, the other girl lowered her head and started to spin with the sword, slicing Tsukuyomi's chest again and pushing her away.

"GAH!" Tsukuyomi was forced to recoil, and as soon as she raised her head, she could see Revany quickly run towards her at high speed with an apathetic stare.

The armored girl jumped and tried to use a dive attack to block her. But this time, the girl with the kimono saw it through and moved down in time to avoid her. She then answered with an horizontal slash that manage to pierce through the other girl's armor, making her flinch. "Gh!"

Tsukuyomi didn't lose time and already prepared the next attack. "Double Cross Eclipse Attack!" She immediately released a double slash in the form of an X aimed at Revany, who was still on mid-air for the first attack.

The first slash managed to cut her arm, but to the second, she got able to block it with the energy of her lightsaber.

"Dammit…" Tsukuyomi thought.

"HMM!" Revany quickly regained balance and stomped her heel on the ground, making Tsukuyomi jump away.

"I've managed to attack her twice. Now I have the confirm that she's not unreachable. Still, her reflexes and attacks are even too advanced and she could end me quickly if I'm not careful…I need to spot as much openings as possible if I want to defeat her…" Tsukuyomi thought.

"It seems that she's starting to adapt herself in my fighting style. It's already something more compared to the average challengers we receive. That magic she uses seems to incorporate both light and darkness. It may be troubling to mess up with that. In that case…I'll just have to change the way to attack." Revany thought as well. Right after that, she generated two magic circles from her hands, from which several laser beams that aimed at Tsukuyomi like several tongues of fire. "Laser Hound."

"What!?" As she saw the lasers coming down for her, she got surrounded by the grey aura and started to throw several swipes made of gray energy from the katana. "Sonic Boom!"

The two attacks started to clash, causing several small explosions around the two fighters. Somehow, this didn't get closer to the civilians, who kept on looking.

"Amazing! Can you see them?"

"No! They disappeared in the smoke!"

As soon as a large pile of smoke started to rise, Revany looked around to see if Tsukuyomi had started to move. She could catch a glimpse of shadows moving around, but nothing more. Still, despite the situation, she maintained her composure and stood firm.

In the meantime, Tsukuyomi was already moving, taking advantage of the smoke and as soon as she was right behind Revany, she infused the katana with eclipse magic and went for the blow. "HM!"

Once again, Revany was able to block it with the lightsaber, and immediately answer with several slashes of the blade. Tsukuyomi widened her eyes and started to keep up with her pace.

The mage of Shogunate Pride could see that as they continued the fight, Tsukuyomi was starting to get faster. But just because of that, she couldn't let go the grip. There wasn't enough satisfaction yet.

"Continue like this! Find an opening!" Tsukuyomi thought, trying her best to break through the attacks, but then, as she continued, Revany raised a hand and generated a crystal construct that flew in mid-air. Through it, she shoot a laser that started to spin around, almost as if she was shooting several lasers, enveloping her in a mortal defense.

Due to the close distance, Tsukuyomi ended up getting hit several in several parts of the body by the laser and got thrown several meters away. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She crashed heavily against a wall before falling down.

"Ah, did you see!? The smoke got replaced by that laser!" One of the citizens commented.

"BLARGH!" Tsukuyomi had to spit blood from her mouth and when she raised her stare, she could see with horror that the irregular laser was still active. "S-She combined both her crystal magic and laser magic! That's a mortal trap!"

"Deadly Dance. This crystal allows me to unleash a continuous laser that can reach out several meters. I've noticed how you started to answer more frequently, so this could only be natural." Revany explained, making Tsukuyomi grit her teeth. "I can see that you're putting some efforts, but if you think that I'll just stand her and become your punchbag just because you've started to answer then it's better if you wake up from your delusional mind. Or you won't be able to survive."

But the girl of the kimono didn't want to hear other intimidations and quickly grabbed her katana to answer. "Don't think I've considered such a thing! It's not the first time I experience a situation like this!" She exclaimed before dashing straight while getting surrounded by a grey energy, making her look like a meteor.

"Uh?" This time, Revany was surprised to see such thing, while the other girl charged.

"ECLIPSE COMET!" Surrounded by the energy, Tsukuyomi sprinted around the laser trap that protected Revany, looking like a swirling comet that tried to get through the lasers. Thanks to the magical energy she was using, the girl was able to make herself a road through the barrier by slicing the lasers and getting closer.

"Impressive. Even after seeing such attack you didn't falter. But I still fail to see if your will to join the guild is right. Let me see if you really intend to go down the path of the samurai. I need more motivations!" Revany said, intensifying the laser energy in the trap.

"GRRRRR! I have seen many horrible things in the past. This is nothing compared to them!" Tsukuyomi answered, getting able to pass through one of the lasers.

"Ah!" Revany widened her eyes as she witnessed the other girl getting close to her. Tsukuyomi didn't lose any time and dashed against her, making her fly several meters away. "NGAH!"

As soon as the trap turned off, Tsukuyomi landed, even if badly injured. Despite the wounds, she didn't took away her glare at the enemy.

This time, Revany was genuinely surprised by this outcome. Even through all of that, the challenger was able to find a way through. But…she had still lots of energy to spend.

"Not bad. I can see that you're doing your best. But let's see how you can handle something slightly different." She warned. In that moment, she did something that Tsukuyomi didn't expect. The blade in the crystal turned off and instead, she used the crystal artifact to generate a double blade sword that split up in two different blades. Once she did that, she immediately dashed towards Tsukuyomi.

The girl tilted a bit but then took the run as well. The two clashed again, but the mage of eclipse could see that Revany's movements were starting to get faster thanks to the battle mode change. "Now that she handles lighter weapons, she can move fast! I didn't expect she could shape the weapon as she pleased!" She thought.

"Where's all that fighting talk? Show me more!" Revany exclaimed before managing to pierce through Tsukuyomi's katana and make her an X-shaped cut.

"GAH!" The other girl could feel a burning pain in the chest, but she put her foot firm and decided to answer. In an instant, she was already surrounded by her gray aura. "DANCE OF THE ECLIPSE!" She started to attack Revany with a fast sequence of sword attack.

The armored girl could feel as well that her opponent was starting to get faster, and she started to move backwards fast in order to answer to her attack. The citizens could see as the two continued to move while attacking each other, all the way up to one of the city main squares.

They were now at the center of the port, where the other people could see them. Seeing that the enemy didn't want to fall down, Tsukuyomi changed way of attack and started to generate several energy swipes in the attempt to overwhelm the enemy. "Sonic Boom!"

Seeing through this, Revany stomped her foot to generate a crystal barrier in front of her that blocked the swipes. "Crystal Aegis."

"Another barrier!?" Tsukuyomi exclaimed.

Revany then moved her arm down to make the barrier shatter into several crystal pieces that flew and surrounded Tsukuyomi. It was a bit beautiful, but the girl knew that this meant troubles. "Crystal Explosion." Revany then snapped her fingers, making the crystal pieces explode all around the samurai girl.

"GAAAAH!" Tsukuyomi found herself getting blown away by the blast, while Revany witnessed impassibly, wondering if this was enough to take her down. For a few moments, there was just silence and a pile of smoke surrounding the spot where the other girl was standing, but the armored mage wanted to see for herself if the opponent was down. And just as she expected…she was not.

Tsukuyomi came out of the smoke, ready to give another shot at Revany with the Dance of the Eclipse. Like before, the mysterious girl used the two lightsabers to defend herself, but she could notice it.

"Even through all her injuries, this girl continues to fight. It has been a while since I've seen a spirit like her…but her stamina should run out soon. It won't be long before this match is settled." She thought.

"Both her crystal and laser magic are devastating. They serve as both attack and defense, and strong ones. Even if I have the proof that I can get through it and attack her, I still need to watch where I go…and she's far less wounded than I…but I have the certainty that I can make it through! I won't disappoint you, Erza, moms!" Tsukuyomi thought as well as she continued.

At a certain point, Revany thought that it was the perfect moment to block the girl and counter her with a parry attack, so she tried to quickly generate the Crystal Aegis to do so, but to her surprise, Tsukuyomi interrupted the attack and switched it to the Sonic Boom, with the energy swipes getting her at a close distance. "What!? ARGH!" The attack threw her away and she was able to stand on her knees. Revany was ready to attack again, but just as she raised her stare, she could already see Tsukuyomi in front of her, holding the katana tightly. "This speed!"

"Double Cross Eclipse Attack!" Tsukuyomi immediately threw two attacks in the shape of an X and this time she was able to fully attack her and make her recoil even more.

"GH…" Due to the pain, Revany ended up looking down, while Tsukuyomi kept on holding the katana. Her opponent breathed heavily, but she, as well, started to feel the fatigue of not only the energies she used, but also for the several wounds she got during the match.

The citizens around watched astonished as they both show an outstanding level.

"They're both exhausted…"

"Yet they want to continue?"

"Who do you think will win this?"

"Honestly…I don't know…but the girl with the kimono seems pretty messed up."

"Anf…anf…anf…anf…" Tsukuyomi had to take several breaths in order to stand up and recover a bit. Even so, she didn't know for how long she could have resisted. Even if she was able to deliver a nice amount of damages to her enemy now, she was still probably on extremely bad conditions conditions. She needed to finish the battle right away if she wanted to pass the test. "How's that for a challenger?" She asked.

Revany slowly stood up and glared at her in the eyes. "How's that, you say? Heh…I need to give you some credit. You surely surprised me out there. To see someone getting through my several ways of attack isn't something the other members or myself see every day. I can see that you were serious when you sent the request letter. But…I'm curious now…do you think you've seen enough?"

"Uh? What do you mean?" Tsukuyomi asked.

"You got a good look of what I'm capable of and you found a way to reach out for me and pierce through my defenses. But…if I were to tell you that I still have some tricks on my sleeve…and that even all this effort wasn't enough to convince me…would you still try to fight? Or would you give up and leave?" The mage of Shogunate Pride asked.

Tsukuyomi felt alarmed in hearing that, but she knew what type of answer she wanted to give. "I don't think there's need for you to answer. If you really want me to give up, you need to take me down."

"That is great then…" Revany simply spoke. She slowly raised her head until her eyes reached Tsukuyomi's. Her stare was cold, almost as if they were searching for blood. The iron mask on her mouth made her even more terrific. The girl with the kimono could feel a chill run over her spine for a moment.

"So, if you fall down, there will be no excuses for what's going to happen next."

After saying this, Revany's body started to get surrounded by red electric shockwaves that resembled the lasers of her magic. To this sight, Tsukuyomi widened her eyes and tried to stood ready, but she couldn't predict what the armored girl would have done later.

She generated a magic circle that brought up a rotating spiral spear that went straight against Tsukuyomi at an outstanding speed, preventing her to do anything. "Crystal Piercer!"

"GAAAAAH!" Tsukuyomi got pushed away, and while she was still getting attacked, Revany immediately started to run towards her. Her eyes seemed to glow as she ran faster and faster.

"G-GH…AH!" Tsukuyomi could see the other girl already swinging the blade against her, attempting to defeat her. It was only for her defensive instinct that she was able to block Revany's lightsaber, which turned back to a single blade. The girl with the kimono tried her best to defend herself, but at this point, Revnay's strikes seemed to be unreachable in terms of speed, and the black-haired girl started to have an extreme difficulty in keeping up with her due to the sudden strength increase and due to her own fatigue for the battle. As a desperate action, Tsukuyomi infused the katana with eclipse magic in the attempt of using a powered slash. "HEAAAH!" But just as she thought she reached her, Revany disappeared, as if she left an afterimage.

"What!?" Tsukuyomi exclaimed. Soon after, she started to see a red trail of life running around her, as if it was trying to surround her. "I-It can't be!"

"There is a reason why they call me the Red Flash…I always try to finish things in a smooth and clean why…and as fast as possible." Revany voice could be heard in the square, sounding like a ghost. "Now…feel at ease as my blade will finish the match."

As soon as she finished taking, Tsukuyomi could see the red light pass near her and cut through her skin. "GAH!" It didn't stop there. The flash passed several times against the girl, causing more cuts filled with blood. Tsukuyomi resisted as best as she could, but her sight started to get blurry. "N-No…not yet! I need to see her through!" She tried to concentrate her senses and tried to spot Revany, hoping to find her. Somehow…she felt as one with everything, abandoning herself to her own senses, and right in that moment…she could see it.

She could spot the enemy in the red light.

"Found her!" Tsukuyomi didn't lose time and surrounded herself in a grey aura and dashed. "ECLIPSE COMET!" Somehow, she was able to reach Revany's speed, and the two lights started to clash, with the girl from Shogunate Pride getting forced to contrast the lightsaber against the opponent's katana.

"She reached me?" Revany thought.

"GRRRRRRRRRRR!" With one final push, Tsukuyomi was able to nullify Revany's attack and forced her to recoil. The opponent seemed to be open. This was her chance. "THIS IS IT! DANCE OF-" But before she could attack her once more…

Revany used her magic to turn her lightsaber a blade made of several swords, almost like a tree of lightsabers.

"What!?" Tsukuyomi exclaimed, blocking herself for a moment.

"Laser Cleaver." Revany apparently did one single strike that made her surpass Tsukuyomi. The girl with the kimono stood still, and as soon as the armored girl made a swift movement with the lightsaber, as if to clean it…

Several slices appeared in Tsukuyomi's body, as if she got a large attack directed to more enemies, and she lost the grip of her katana, which fell near Revany. "GAH!" This time…she couldn't make it. She fell down, almost knocked out.

"It's over." Revany turned off the lightsaber from the artifact and started to walk away. "I made sure to limit my strikes in order to not kill you. But I suggest you to stay in bed for a while." She slightly turned around. "You were determined…but not enough. The road of the samurai isn't something you can face yet. Goodbye." With those words, she started to leave…or at least she thought.

As soon as she started to walk, she could hear some struggling moans behind her. "What-?" Hearing this made her turn around, and she was astonished to see that Tsukuyomi was still moving.

"Gh-AGH…"

"Hey! Is she trying to stand up?!"

"Is she mad!? She's badly injured she can't continue!"

Some of the citizens' comments could be heard as the two were still at the center of the square.

"Stay down. You can't continue with your body reduced in such way." Revany warned.

"True…you've made me go down…but I can still fight…I…I don't intend to give up…I'll…I'll join your guild…" Tsukuyomi said. She had to make an effort even to speak at this point, as her senses started to get fizzy, and yet she was standing.

Revany didn't admit it immediately, but she was surprised to see her trying to get up, even if the outcome of the battle seemed obvious for her. Yet…she wanted to see where this was going to end.

"You really mean it? You want to continue so bad?" She asked. She then noticed the katana near her and she pushed it towards Tsukuyomi with her foot. "If so, pick it up."

Tsukuyomi looked at her own blade while breathing heavily. She meant the words she spoke, but still…she was blocked by the knowledge of her enemy's skills. Was it a wise move to actually take up the sword and continue the fight? Or was it wiser to just let it end?

"Pick. It. UP." Revany simply spoke of, demanding of an immediate answer.

Hearing it, Tsukuyomi started to breath faster in anxiety. What was she going to do? At this point she couldn't know. She kept on looking at the katana in silence. She usually had a clear idea on what to do, but now…she didn't know at all…

Revany glared at her with a disappointed stare. Another minute and she would have probably left. For her, it seemed like a waste of time at this point. It wasn't the first time she met a stubborn person, and the solution was usually to wait a bit…and then leave.

Tsukuyomi stood silent, and looked at the sword. Maybe…Revany was right. Maybe Shogunate Pride wasn't really a place suited for her and she just had to search elsewhere. Maybe she could have left for Fiore and joining Fairy Tail, like Erza offered her to. She could have found a warmer place to live and work at the place her mother built for her.

But…looking back at her katana…she thought for a second how she got it. After all…it was a parting gift…leave it down here might be disrespectful to the one that gave it to her.

"Wherever you'll go…please take this with you, so you'll know that I'll be with you once I'll close my eyes for good…"

She even thought of Erza for a moment.

"Judging by that expression on your face, you seem sincere. You really want to help the weak, am I right?"

Even if she didn't know her yet, she decided to trust her in that time, and even gave her good luck. Suddenly…the girl felt sudden calm…and felt like, even if she was badly injured…she could still stand up. She raised her head towards Revany, who kept looking at her with a cold stare…and then picked up the katana, using it to help herself stand up.

"H-Hey! She did it! That's girl is still standing!"

"I-Is she human at all!?"

The citizens were astonished by see this, while Revany…seemed interested.

Once Tsukuyomi stood up, she lowered her head. "My name is Tsukuyomi Dragneel, from the region of Iceberg. I come from a story of betrayal, abuse and blood, which left me a deep scar…and I came here in Caelum to make sure to find the right strength to finally put everything behind and help those who suffered a same fate as I did. With the challenge I sent to you, I didn't intend to offend the road of the samurai nor Shogunate Pride. Instead…I want to embrace it fully…" She spoke. Once she raised her head, Revany could see that the irises of her eyes became red and gained black rings around the pupils. She could feel that the samurai girl…wanted to give it everything out as well this time.

Tsukuyomi raised her katana and pointed it at katana. "Am I an idiot if I try to stand up after what you did to me? Yes, absolutely, a complete one. But I guess it's on my nature to not listen to anyone immediately. There are people who entrusted me the freedom to live my life how I wanted…and I don't want to let them down. So…I think we can continue our match, shall we?" She then asked with a smirk similar to those her father used to have.

Revany slightly widened her eyes in surprise. Suddenly, that girl changed completely. From panicked and cautious…she looked more confident and willing to end the battle no matter what. She didn't know if it was stupidity or sheer determination, but she was sure of one thing…

Now…she liked her a bit more.

She made a small grin under her mask and shivered of excitement. "I liked that answer…this is gonna be fun…" She then generated two crystal blocks that generated a circle laser that surrounded the two of them. And that was not only it.

Everyone could hear thunders rumbling and as they looked up, they saw black clouds that started to envelop the sky. In a matter of seconds, heavy rain started to fall down.

"Ah dammit! What's with this rain!?"

"I thought it was going to be sunny all day!"

"I don't want to get all soaked! Let's get under some building!"

Due to the water, most of the citizens went under a wall or something that could cover them. There were also some who opened an umbrella. But the two girls didn't care for it. They just stood there.

"Can't make a decent climax without a good ambience, right?" Revany asked, making Tsukuyomi imply that she was the one who caused the rain.

There wasn't anything else to add. The two girls glared at each other…waiting to make the first move. Their fingers stretched to hold their weapons tightly and their legs were light, waiting to move.

The situation remained unmovable for some seconds. And then…after the umpteenth drop of water touched the ground…

Plop.

They put the foot forward…and dashed.

"WREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"HEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

[Metal Gear Rising Revengeance OST – The Only Thing I Know For Real]

The two girls ran against each other and started to violently clash their weapons against each other. Even if she still seemed to have the upper hand, Revany could notice that Tsukuyomi's movements became faster and swifter. This could only mean that she needed to become more serious. She immediately activated the deadly dance, to limit the already limited movements of Tsukuyomi in the laser ring, but the samurai girl quickly used the Eclipse Comet to dash towards the crystal and then dive attack against Tsukuyomi, managing to push her away.

"GH! Good…" Revany commented as she switched the lightsaber mood, now in a double-bladed sword. She then started to dash surround in a red light. Tsukuyomi gritted her teeth but infused the katana with eclipse power and started to answer as well. She still felt some pression and the pain for the injuries, but she didn't want to disappoint neither her father or Erza, and so she continued, swiftly moving her blade. "HEAAH!"

(Memories Broken, the truth goes unspoken, I've even forgotten my name!)

Revany then dashed on the right and started to run around Tsukuyomi, sounding like a red disc. Like before, Tsukuyomi started to feel cuts throughout her body, but she did her best to not lose sight of her enemy and started to block the attacks with her katana. While doing so, she then decided to rotate like Revany was doing, leaving a circle of eclipse magic. "DANCE OF THE ECLIPSE!"

(I don't know the season or what is the reason, I'm standing here holding my blade!)

Revany could feel the katana slicing through her right spleen, making her jump back and change immediately attack. "That's right! That's what I wanted to see from the beginning! SHOW ME MORE! Hunting Ground!" She then generated several pieces of crystals that stood in mid-air and shoot several lasers that started to bounce everywhere and attack Tsukuyomi.

(A desolate place! (Place!) Without any Trace! (Trace!) It's only the cold wind I feel!)

"AGH!" Sensing the danger of that attack, Tsukuyomi quickly thought of a way to get rid of it, and as such, she started to shoot several swipes of energy from her blade. "Sonic Boom!" The swipes soon destroyed the crystals, leaving several small piles of smokes, and as soon as this happened, the girl with the kimono could already see the armored one in front of her, with the double-bladed lightsaber glowing crimson red. Revany immediately gave two slices with the sword and then pushed Tsukuyomi away. "GAAAH!"

(It's me that I spite as I stand up and fight! The only thing I know for real…)

Tsukuyomi planted the katana on the ground to stand up and departed immediately surrounded with the eclipse energy, ready to slice down Revany. "ECLIPSE COMET!" The mage from Shogunate Pride, on the other hand, generated the Crystal Barrier again to defend herself. But that wasn't making the enemy stop, as she started to attack repeatedly the shield with her katana, still surrounded by the Eclipse Comet.

(THERE WILL BE BLOOD! (BLOOD!) SHEED! (SHEED!) The man in the mirror nods his head!)

After several attacks, the shield broke down, and Tsukuyomi headed for the direct attack, but Revany quickly snapped her finger to make the crystal pieces explode and push the other samurai away. Tsukuyomi cried out of pain as she was forced to recoil again, while Revany was already preparing two circles of magic in order to shoot the Laser Hound to blast her away. The Dragneel mage stomped her foot and dashed with to contrast the lasers. "Dance of the Eclipse!" She made a powerful sequence of sword attacks to defect the lasers and then reach Revany again, who used the lightsaber to defend herself. But this time with a twist. Tsukuyomi was able to push away the blade and actually attack her directly. "GAAAAAH!"

(THE ONLY ONE! (ONE!) LEFT! (LEFT!) Will ride upon the dragon's back!)

"Grrr…Crystal Piercer!" To get out from that grasp, Revanu unleashed several bolts from her crystal, making Tsukuyomi block them with her katana and step backwards. The Sith mage then started to run on her own laser circle and then jumped against the enemy, who waited for her with the katana. The impact caused by the two blades generated a powerful shockwave that made the citizens get scared for a bit.

(Because the mountains don't give back what they take…)

"NGHHH!"

"GRRRR!"

Both Tsukuyomi and Revany pushed as hard as they could to prevail, and in the end, it was the girl from Shogunate Pride that was able to push away the other blade. "Laser Cleaver!" Revany then made the light saber become the intrigued weapon from both sides and quickly cut through Tsukuyomi, who was forced to jump back. "D-DAMMIT!"

(OH NO THERE WILL BE BLOOD! (BLOOD!) SHED! (SHED!)

Now, both Tsukuyomi and Revany were using their last energies, even if their using them at maximum. They needed to end it quickly. They glared at each other again and then ran.

(IT'S THE ONLY THING I'VE EVER KNOWN!)

The two of them started to move and clash their blades at outstanding speed. The continuous impacts of their blade were powerful enough to make the ground crumble. They looked at each other with an excited stare, willing to see who was going to make it through. The thrill of the battle could now be felt in the air.

"A-ARE YOU SEEING THIS!?"

"HOW CAN THEY DO THAT!?"

The citizens held themselves, fearing to get involved (Even though it wouldn't have happened)

The rumble of blades continued. No mercy, no hesitation. Just speed and strength aimed to end the battle. Tsukuyomi was going to get her place in the guild no matter what. In the end, the result was a tie and the two of them had to push again in order to prevail.

"Glad to hear that you've ended growing up during this fight! These are the reflects that one of us must have! You've understood the important ingredient for a samurai!" Revany told, looking at her enemy at a close distance.

"And what is it?" Tsukuyomi asked.

"It wouldn't be fun spoiling you the thing yet. If you defeat me, I'll tell you!" The other girl exclaimed before managing to push Tsukuyomi away and cause her a cut on her face.

(Losing my identity, wondering "Have I gone insane?)

"KAH!" Tsukuyomi was forced to let the grip, and Revany took advantage of the situation to attack her. But to her shock, Tsukuyomi regained balance in a second and defected the attack, getting to do it herself. "TAKE THIS!" The samurai girl could make a deep cut that pierced through Revany's armor.

"NGH!" Revany was forced to recoil. Seeing how her enemy developed even sharper senses, she decided to go with a directive explosive attack. She started to generate the spiral spear from the magic circle, which rotated at high speed.

Tsukuyomi widened her eyes. That attack blast her away before, so she needed to answer with something as powerful as that. "Fine…I'll let you know what lies between light and darkness…GET READY!" She warned, as she took a particular position with her katana.

"This is really the end. SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE THIS! CRYSTAL PIERCER!" Revany then released the spear that aimed directly at Tsukuyomi.

The samurai girl surrounded herself by a grey aura again and looked at the spear with glowing eyes. She was ready.

"ECLIPSE RAGING DRAGON!"

She dashed surrounded by energy, like she did with the eclipse comet. But this time, the energy took the more concrete form of a long dragon that roared out loud and clearly showed more power.

(To find the truth inside of me I must climb this mountain range!)

The two attacks clashed, making a small earthquake. The two girls used the remaining energies they had to make sure to win.

(Looking downward from this deadly height…)

But then…the spear started to crack.

"WHAT!?" Revany shouted.

In the end, Tsukuyomi's attack, managed to shatter the spear. Revany tried to slow her down by making the crystal explode. But the other girl didn't care at this point. She wanted to pass the test.

(AND NEVER REALIZING WHY I FIGHT!)

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Roaring alongside the dragon of energy, Tsukuyomi sprinted against Revany, who could only watch with widened eyes as the girl went for the decisive blow. And finally…

Swing.

A small explosion, caused from the energy dragon followed. The citizens looked at the scene, wondering what happened in the end. They could see the laser circle disappear with the clouds as well. It was nighttime, with the sky full of stars…and the smoke finally disappeared.

Tsukuyomi was behind Revany, who had a bewildered expression in her eyes. For some reason they remained still for some seconds…until Revany's iron mask got cut in two, and a vertical slash appeared in her body, making her slightly bleed.

"What…what was…that attack now-?" As she wondered this, she fell on the ground, knocked out. A small choir of gasps started to resonate between the citizens.

Once the opponent was down, Tsukuyomi turned around, soaked in water and blood. "Anf…anf…anf…see? I told you I wasn't an easy oppo-" She couldn't finish her line that she made a goofy and dizzy expression. Her body started to tremble and stagger. In the end, the adrenaline rush abandoned her, and she fell down, fainted as well.

"OH MY GOD! THEY'RE BOTH DOWN!"

"Quick! Someone gets them!"

Alarmed for their situation, the citizens took both city and started to carry them on a safer place. From that on, the night continued calmly. The imperial soldiers came to check out after seeing several piles of smoke from the distance and the citizens told them that it was a test battle for a candidate of the guild Shogunate Pride. Hearing that, the soldiers felt more at ease but complained about such ways.

And with that…that day came to an end…with a surprise waiting for Tsukuyomi.

---

The next day…

"U-Uh…" Tsukuyomi slowly opened her eyes, still feeling a huge sense of tiredness, but she could at least raise the back and look around, spotting a familiar place. "This is…my hotel's room?" Everything seemed in place…but then she heard something not right.

"Oh. You're awake. Glad to know."

A familiar voice made her turn around, and she panicked at first after seeing who it was. "REVANY!?" She shouted.

Revany was sitting on the ground close to her, with various bandages all over her body. "There's no need to panic. Our battle is over. I don't have any reason to harm you." She told her, a bit annoyed at the shout.

Tsukuyomi then looked behind her, and she could see Revany's armor. This gave her the chance to see her normal outfit: A tight black spandex suit under black pants.

"So…how did we get here?" Tsukuyomi then asked.

"It appears that among the people that witnessed our fight, there was the owner of your hotel room, who recognized you. She was the one that took care of us while we were knocked out. We slept for the whole night. She brought even some breakfast. I've already eaten my part, so the rest is yours." Revany explained.

Tsukuyomi looked down and could see a good amount of food. "And here I thought she was weird…well…bon apetit…" She commented before starting to eat. Revany sat down from the other side of the table and looked at her eat. She could see that Tsukuyomi had indeed a huge appetite. The girl with the kimono though didn't know that it was a family trait.

"Aaaah…delicious…I really needed after…well, everything." She commented before looking at Revany. "So…how did I go? You fell down but I fainted shortly after, so I don't know exactly what to say. What's…the verdict?" She then asked, a bit worried of what the other girl would have said.

Revany stood silent for some seconds before making a small sigh. She kept her cold stare, but she seemed like she wanted to tell the truth. "I'll be honest…you did surprise me…a lot. Not everyone faces the test challenge while keeping their heads high like you did. Most of the people that want to join the guild either give up after hearing of the test battle or fail to clear it and don't try again. This is why our guild ends up having a restricted number of members. We're not as closed as some may think, we just want to make sure that the ones who enter are fit enough to get in instead of choosing the first one that arrives and turns out to not knowing how to use their magic. We accept everyone, as long as they show what they're made of. You could say we're…selective. I hope this doesn't make you give a bad interpretation of us." She explained.

"No, I can understand. If anything, it scared me a bit." Tsukuyomi replied.

"See…that was the most important fact to me. Judging by your first attacks, I could see that you had something. It's the first time I see someone mix up light and darkness in a sole element. But at the same time, I could sense that you were panicked and agitated, despite showing will. This made me think that I just needed to show more of my skills to take you down and make you gave up. But you didn't…for a while I've wondered why…but after seeing you with those red eyes I could sense that you finally got one of the most important things for a samurai." Revany continued. "I said that if you were to defeat me, I would have told you…"

"And what is it?" Tsukuyomi asked, curious.

"A clean mind." Revany simply replied. The girl with the kimono didn't understand immediately so she let her explain. "When you swore to take me down before our last round, your movements became cleaner and more effective. That is because you've finally erased every bad thought or anxiety in order to take me down. To be one with their weapon, a samurai must cleanse out every type of thought that could obstruct their mind and as such, their body, and their heart. It's ok to feel stressed, but as long as it doesn't take the priority during the fight. This is what made you find a way through my attacks and let you make me faint. That…and because you could get an idea on how my magic works."

"Well…kinda…I still had a lot of difficulties on getting through it and attack you. It's really strong, you know?" Tsukuyomi commented. "But thanks for the advice. So…what does this mean? Am I in?" She then asked.

"Well…since you fell as well, the match would technically be a tie. But…I said that you needed to take me down. And you did." The other girl replied. "Though, I've wanted to know something first. Are you aware that if I say yes…this won't be the only challenge of this level that you'll face while standing in the guild?" Revany then asked with a serious tone. She did everything, but she still wanted that adding 1% to her already established 100% to make sure that she had really everything settled.

Tsukuyomi stood silent before looking at her katana and slightly unsheathe it. She was glad to see that the blade had not been nicked. This made her smile. "…Yes. Absolutely. I mean…I wouldn't have sent the letter if I wasn't serious, right? The fact is…that I come from an harsh past that made me want to improve myself and make sure that no one else will have to come through the same suffering I had, and I recently found out more about my origins and my parents. I want to be strong, with the arts and the skills I've got. That is why I came here. If there was a place that could show me a path to be strong and make me feel at peace with myself…then Shogunate Pride was the ideal one. If more challenges will come…I'll be there to face them." She explained.

Revany was surprised to hear such direct answer. She didn't admit it, but she felt a bit disappointed. She wanted to see if that question made her falter yet again and doubt her choice, but the trick didn't work. Therefore…there was nothing else to add.

"In that case…you have what it takes to be with us. You're in."

"GAAASP!" Soon, Tsukuyomi's eyes got a star shape as she awed for what she just heard. Her heart was pounding fast for the excitement. It was simply…happiness overflowing.

"HOORAAAAAY!" Even if she was badly injured, she got the energy to jump for the excitement. After that, she quickly hugged Revany. "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

Revany didn't like that at all. "Get off me right now or you'll lose your head in less than a second."

Tsukuyomi obeyed immediately. "Ok, sorry…but…thank you! In that case…" She then bowed down. "I hope we can work fine together."

Revany looked around a bit confused. Mostly because she wasn't usual with such manners, so she limited herself to…just do the same. "The feeling is mutual…I think. Congratulations for getting in."

"I can't believe it…I've made it! I've did it, Erza!" Tsukuyomi thought.

And so…everything was settled.

After they both got better, the two girls thanked the owner of the hotel and left. Tsukuyomi packed up the stuff she brought in her room and was ready to move on to the place she was aiming for. Or to be more precise, her new home until proven otherwise.

Once out, Revany grabbed a crow and tied a small piece of paper around its small leg. "Sent it to the Master." She simply commanded. The crow immediately took flight and headed towards the mountain that stood above the city.

Tsukuyomi stared at it with an intense stare. Ever since she had come to Elba, she could only see it from below, but now…she got to climb it and see that guild for herself. After all, she was going to be a part of it.

"So…we're really here. I'm heading towards Shogunate Pride…still can't believe that it's happening…" She spoke.

"Feeling anxious?" Revany asked.

"A bit…yeah…" Tsukuyomi replied.

The other girl simply turned around. "No need to worry. Once you'll get inside, you'll see that it's a more comfortable place than you think. Let's go." With those words, she started to move forward the mountain.

Tsukuyomi looked at her in silence for some seconds and nodded. She then started to follow her.

The moment she was waiting for quite a while finally arrived, and she was heading towards that mysterious yet curious guild. What was waiting her in that place? What type of adventures was she going to dive in? Was it going to be the same if she went to Fairy Tail instead?

Naturally, she couldn't know the answer to all these questions, and knowing it scared her a little. But yet…she couldn't hide the excitement and the curiosity.

The curiosity of walking through the path of the samurai…and the curiosity of starting a new life.

Still…she could make a question.

"Now that I think of it…what are the other members like?" She asked. For some reason, she could see an angry sign near Revany's head.

"…Lousy." The other girl simply commented. Tsukuyomi was pretty much confused. What did she mean by that?

In the meantime, the crow flew all the way up to the mountain and headed towards one of the windows of the upper floor of the guild of Shogunate Pride. He went inside and landed on an imposing figure's shoulder, who noticed the paper he had on the leg.

The figure took the paper and read it, noticing that it was from Revany. After reading the content, he seemed quite pleased. "Hmm hmm! Very nice!" He then stood up and looked from one of the windows, as the wind gently moved his hair.

"It seems that a new mage has joined the shogunate. I wonder what type of person she is! I'm sure she'll have a lot of fun here!"

---

And we're done! As I expected, this chapter turned out to be shorter than the first one, but in return it has a better and more intensified action (And technically this is the length I wish my chapter would have but I end up making them extra long XD). I know some of you may be disappointed with not seeing the guild yet or more of the characters, but this was a part I've studied since the beginning and I thought it would have been an interesting element to put in Shogunate Pride, also to make it slightly different from the other guilds we see in the rest of the Fairy Tail series. But still, we got to see one of them, and a really cool one if I may add!

Revany is a very well-built character in appearance, personality and magic. I've was really excited to write her in this chapter and did my best to show the unicity she could show, hoping that the one who submitted her is satisfied!

As for the fight, I've started the chapter with the intention of surpassing myself when it comes to the fight, trying to write more fluid and consecutive actions compared to the usual battle scenes I write in other stories. While the result ended up being a bit different than how I've imagined it, I can consider myself satisfied with what came out. I've really got hyped to the The Only Thing I Know For Real part! This is the second time I put an insert song in a story and it was really a bomb! That is why I adore listening to music while writing, it really pumps me up and gives me a clearer idea and stimulation to write the scenes.

But of course, I leave the final words to you! Did you like the chapter? What do you think of the first OC that appeared, Revany? What are your opinions on the battle that occurred? Did you enjoy seeing the characters from Fairy Tail again? As always, let me know in your reviews! Your opinion is always important.

As always, I thank you a lot for reading this chapter and we'll see you in the next one, where the guild and its will be fully shown! Or in alternative, we'll see you in a new chapter of another one of my stories! From Bluestar here, arrivederci!