Lucy walked into the guild quietly. She had just returned from her fifth S-Class mission, and wasn't even tired. For the past three months she had been becoming stronger. Now she could summon all of her spirits at once (though that rarely proved to be efficient because they would fight with each other) and had found the other half of her magical personality. Each wizard had a set of magic that intertwined with who they were as a person, there for called their magic personality. Normally, a person only unlocked most of their personality and not all. However, you had a lot of free time to do these kinds of things when you've been kicked out of your team.

It had been a week since Lisanna's return, and already Lucy had been forgotten. The whole guild was so busy welcoming the thought-to-be-dead mage back that they had completely forgotten about Lucy. At first she was shocked, and began waiting for the time when the party would end and things would go back to normal. However, after the first month she realized they weren't, so she began going on solo missions. She had a rent to pay after all. It was during that month that she began going on S-Class missions. This way she had an excuse to be away from the guild for long amounts of time and earn a nice, full, reward. After Lucy's return from her third S-Class mission she was greeted with stares around the guild hall. All of them focused on her and Team Natsu who stood formally in front of her.

"Hey guys, what's up?" She asked as calmly as possible. However she was screaming and fighting on the inside to uphold her smooth demeanor. Natsu broke off from the team and approached her. Then, with a voice lacking any kind emotion, he spoke.

"Lucy, we want you off the team."

Bang! The words stabbed Lucy's heart violently. However, she remained calm and sophisticated on the outside.

"And why, may I ask, has the team desired this?" She asked using her old Hearfillia graces.

"Because, you're weak and bringing the team down. Every time we go on a mission you are always the one lacking in power and strength." Erza answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Lucy began to feel the stinging in the back of her eyes as tears threatened to make an unwelcomed appearance. She would be damned if she was going to cry in front of her old team though.

"Besides, I thought you knew that you were only a replacement for Lisanna." Natsu began again. He stretched his arm out, beckoning for Lisanna to join him. She shuffled out of the crowed awkwardly. As she reached Natsu he put his arm affectionately around her. "So now that she's back, you are off the team." He finished. At first Lucy didn't feel anything, but then came the rage and hatred. She felt a sudden urge to rip the mage in front of her head off.

What the hell? Where did that come from? She thought as the thoughts vanished as fast as they had come. She looked Natsu strait in the eye, and put on her best doll smile she could manage.

"But of course. Thank you for allowing me to partake in the apparently horrid adventures with Team Natsu." She replied with a small curtsy, her Heartfillia instincts taking control. Then, with a noticeably different, real, smile she faced the shocked Lisanna. "And I wish you the best of luck girl! I know you'll love this team!" Then she gave the surprised white haired mage a large hug. Unsure of what to do, Lisanna just stood there at first. But then, as she realized Lucy meant everything she had said with the best heart, she returned the hug with a loving friendship squeeze.

"Thank you so much Lucy!" She whispered so only Lucy could hear.

"No problem!" Lucy replied, equally as quiet and happy. After the long hug, they two girls pulled away. Natsu grabbed Lisanna's hand and looked at Lucy dully.

"You are now officially out of Team Natsu." He spoke coldly. Lucy couldn't help but chuckle inside. Was he trying to make her upset? Well if that was his little game, she was going to win. So, with another one of her award winning smiled she lowered into a deep curtsy before Natsu.

"Thank you." Then, as she stood up and witnessed all of the shocked faces she let out a deep, short chuckle and walked over to Laxus who was guarding the stairs to the second level. That level was where the S-Class and higher ranking missions were pinned, and strictly forbidden for every mage other than S-Class mages. She approached Laxus and spoke easily.

"I request access to the second level."

Laxus looked down at her with a board expression. "Show me your mark of approval from gramps."

Turning around so he could see her back, Lucy moved her hair to the side so Laxus could see the mark of approval on the back of her neck. It was a simple black circle with a black S inside it. Erza had the same one on the back of her neck as well.

"Cool. You can go up then." Laxus replied simply, and then he moved out of her way so she could climb the stairs into the shadows of the second floor. The entire guild stared at her until she could no longer be seen, and then some. Finally, it seemed that the flood gates were opened as hushed whispers broke out among the guild. They were things like,

"Did you see how calmly she reacted to Natsu?"

"I never knew Lucy was on S-Class level!"

"She was so nice to Lisanna just now? How can she be that strong!?"

Team Natsu just stood there in their places, shocked at Lucy's actions. After two minutes of this hushed commotion it suddenly died down as Lucy walked down the stairs and into the light. She was clutching a tattered piece of paper with dark, illegible scribbles stained on its surface. Her sophisticated smile was gone and instead replaced with a blank, emotionless expression. Her eyes glistened with threatening tears as she walked over to a very surprised Mira.

"I would like to embark on this mission please." Lucy asked in a polite, quiet voice, all of her earlier bravo gone and replaced with a fragile innocence.

"O-of course Lu-Chan." Mira replied with a stutter. Then, taking the paper softly out of Lucy's shaking hand she un-wrinkled it the best she could in order to see what Lucy had picked out. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Lucy! This quest is to destroy a whole dark guild in the northern forest!" She gasped. The guild watched in shock as tears began rolling down Mira's cheeks. She threw the paper down onto the bar and grasped Lucy's fragile shoulders. Her head was bent down so her hair cast shadows over her eyes, hiding them. "Lucy, you can die on this dangerous quest! DIE! Do you understand me?!" Mira continued shouting in rage. When Lucy didn't look up she began to cry even harder. "You don't have to do this! Please don't do this!" Finally, Lucy lifted her head slowly out of the shadows so you could see tears glistening off her pale cheeks.

"Please Mira." Was all she said before she hung her head again. Now almost every one of Lucy's friends were watching her with tear filled eyes. Being as how kind Lucy was to everyone, all of her friends consisted of almost everyone in the guild. Pulling her hands away from Lucy, Mira sobbed as she stamped the back of the mission violently and chucked at Lucy.

"If you die doing this mission, I will never forgive you!" She screeched with sadness induced anger.

Lucy just stood there as the paper bounced off her head. Then, she slowly bent down and picked it up off the ground. Then, without picking her head up, she gave a small 'thank you' to Mira, and walked out of the guild.

Three weeks after leaving for the quest

Lucy proudly walked through the guild hall. All eyes turned to her as her presence became known. At first no one could believe their eyes as they saw how much Lucy had changed. Three weeks ago she walked out of the guild a fragile, crying, weak girl. Now, returning three weeks later, she was a powerful force of nature not to be trifled with. Her once sweet smile was now replaced with a cocky smirk. Her hair was still done up in its normal style, but now it was pulled back with a deep blue pony tail with an elegant design printed on it. Her once green tank-top was replaced with a deep, blood red one, allowing everyone to see all of her scars and bruises from her first S-Class mission. Her skirt was replaced with tough formfitting denim jeans. A long, elegant blade gleamed against her thigh as it rested in its sheath. Her black boots were nearly the same, only this new version was lacking a heel and went up to mid shin. They were laced up with thick, white laces. Her keys and whip still rested on her hip, but along with those were new additions. As was previously stated she had a new blade strapped to her free thigh, an elegant bow and a quiver of arrows was strapped across her back. The bow itself was a glistening white as pure as she was. It had the same elegant design carved into it as her pony- tail did. Her arrows upon closer inspection could be found without tips. Another thing you would only be able to see with a very practice eye at finding these sort of things were the thing blades tucked into the bottom of her thick rubber soles. However, the most peculiar thing about her new outfit was the elegant sword hilt bouncing against her knife on a silver chain. It was just a simple black hilt with, once again, the same design as her bow and hair tie.

As the guild took this all in, she strode proudly into the guild hall with her semi-sweet grin. She marched strait up to the bar and sat down in her normal seat in front of Mira. Everyone was relieved to see that her voice and personality were the same, maybe a little tougher, but still as friendly as they last heard.

"Hi Mira! How were things like while I was gone?!" She asked brightly. Mira just stared at her in shock. Finally, she regained her composure and replied, her shocked expression still on her face.

"Things were great I guess. Levy and her team finally picked a mission and came back four days ago. Elfman and Evergreen began dating; Laxus and Freed earned some cash to pay for all the damage done by Team Natsu..." All of sudden Mira clamped her mouth shut as she realized what she had said. She looked at Lucy to see how she would react. Lucy just looked curiously at her.

"Really? What did they do? And why didn't they pay for it?" Lucy asked, not the slightest bit concerned that she was talking about the team that had so rudely kicked her out. The whole guild went quiet. Finally, Mira gave a reply. It wasn't one Lucy had been expecting.

"It might be best if you ask them yourself."

Lucy, shocked, hopped off her stool and stood up so everyone could see how armed she was. Hey eyes scanned the tables and walls as she searched for Team Natsu. Finally finding them in one of the center tables, she walked up to them. Almost everyone was watching her, just like the last time she had been in the hall. Little did any of them know that that would be the last time they paid Lucy any kind attention.

"Well?" Lucy asked leaning against the table. None of its occupants looked up at her.

"Well what?" Natsu snarled back, still messing with the fire in his hands.

"Well what happened?" Lucy replied evenly, even though she was angered by his snotty attitude.

"Why is it any of your business slut?" Grey hissed, playing with the ice in his own hands. Lucy just stared at him as she tried to figure out why he had insulted her. It wasn't that troubling to her. After all, she had just come back from a deadly S-Class mission as was still recovering from some serious injuries. However, and insult was an insult, and she was not going to take such rude behavior.

"Strong words coming from a stripper." Lucy replied coldly. His head snapped up and he stared at her.

"What did you just say to me, you little witch!?" He demanded, standing up and slamming the table in anger.

"I think you heard me Grey, or are you going deaf?" Lucy replied evenly as she straightened up. Without her heels, she only came to Grey's chin height wise, but that didn't make her presence any less threatening.

"What do you think you're doing insulting me like that?" Grey growled, closing the space between him and her, making it so that they were almost chest to chest.

"I'm just asking a simple question is all." Lucy answered, not backing down. Before her mission, she wouldn't even think about challenging Grey like this. But now she was a whole lot stronger. She had discovered her whole other half of her magical personality. She had found herself and now felt whole. Sure, she felt great with just her spirits, but she was never fully comfortable fighting because she felt like she was missing something. Now with that giant hole filled, she was a force not to be messed with who could outdo Team Natsu as a whole without breaking a sweat. Too bad for Grey that she hadn't had time to share this information with her old team before she was insulted.

"Grey! That's enough!" Erza barked as she stood up. Grey continued to stare into Lucy's eyes, hatred clear in his. Fine, guess we have to finish this staring contest quickly Lucy smirked in her head. She began to tap into her magical energy that she was fighting to keep hidden, and forced it into her eyes. Suddenly Grey jumped back as he threw a blade of ice at Lucy's head. She caught it easily.

"Her eyes! They just turned black and gold!" He stammered as he tripped onto the table. Lucy then pulled her magical energy back and pushed it deeper into herself. She looked at Grey and smiled with concern.

"Sorry, I guess I just wanted to show off my new magical energy a little. Are you okay?" She asked as she reached out with concern. Her skin was suddenly scorched as Natsu snatched her wrist.

"Stay away from him witch!" He snarled. She ripped her arm back and examined it. He had just given her a third degree burn. Her eyes widened as she saw what her "friend" had just done. All of a sudden she was aware of a small white haired mage grasping her arm in concern.

"Natsu! What do you think you're doing!?" Erza cried with outrage. Lisanna just had time to look up into Lucy's eyes before Natsu yanked her away. The message was clear in them though. She had missed Lucy and was deeply sorry for something.

"What was that for Natsu?" Lucy asked with shock. It wasn't that it didn't hurt, but she was just more shocked than feeling pain.

"For being a wretched witch." Natsu hissed with hatred in his voice.

Lucy had no reply to that. She looked down at her wrist, and then focused all of her magical energy on the burn. Slowly and painfully it began to heal until it was just a small scar. However, it left Lucy feeling tired. She had only gotten this immense power a few weeks ago, so she was still getting used to controlling it. The guild all stared in shock as this happened. Not even Erza had enough Magical Energy to heal already made wounds. She could use it like armor, but never to heal. Finally, she looked up at Natsu.

"You never answered my question." Lucy reminded. At this Grey smirked.

"You really want to know slut? Well, fine. In truth we burnt your apartment to the ground." Grey snarled. Lucy just stared at him his utter horror.

"W-what?" She finally whimpered. Grey just kept smirking at her.

"What's the matter Lucy, going deaf?" He mocked.

"I am SO sorry Lucy! I couldn't stop them!" Lisanna yelled with sadness. Lucy looked up at Lisanna with warm eyes.

"I know you did Lisanna, and I thank you so much." She spoke sweetly. Then she looked at the rest of her "friends"

"Why in the world did you burn down my house?" Lucy seethed though her teeth. Her hold on her magical energy was seriously slipping as she felt it threaten to spill out of her in waves.

"To show the whole guild we were serious about cutting our ties with you. You are the laughing stalk of the guild, and we're sick of your name bringing us down." Erza replied sharply. Lucy just stood there, and then slowly began to smile, and then began to chuckle.

"So, this is what you do to someone who let you come over uninvited, unannounced? This is what you do to someone who bonded the team together in the first place!?" Lucy snared with rage. The team just glared back at her. "Well then I'm happy you destroyed the place because I don't want to have to deal with the fact that I have been betrayed every time I step foot in my own house!" Still the team glared. Realizing how bad she must have looked at that moment, Lucy regained her composure and continued asking questions.

"That still doesn't answer my second of question though. Why was Laxus and Freed the ones who had to earn the money to pay for the damages?" Lucy continued.

"Because, Master expelled them from doing missions for a month after they did that." Levy's voice chirped. Lucy turned to her left and smiled at Levy.

"Thanks Levy. I don't think they were going to tell me." Lucy replied warmly and non-offensively. Then, she sighed and faced her old team again. "I can tell that we aren't friends, so I won't treat you like ones. Well, accept for Lisanna." She continued, smiling warmly at Lisanna. "So I'll get out of your hair." And with that she left the guild in order to find a new place to live.

*Back to the present*

As Lucy took her normal seat she softly tapped on the bars wood. Mira turned around and sighed as she poured a shot of fire whisky into a shot glass. She placed the tiny thing in front of Lucy, along with the bottle knowing how Lucy drank. Lucy downed the shot, frowned, and then slowly began to sip from the bottle. She sighed with delight. It wasn't the fact that she was an alcoholic, she was anything but, she just liked the taste of the beverage and the burning sensation it caused as it slid down her throat. On her last mission she had taken out a powerful dark guild, and had already given half of the reward money to the guild fund so they could pay for all the damages Team Natsu inflicted on their missions. They were now limited to two missions a month because of all the destruction they were causing. Even with Lucy's large donations, there still wouldn't be enough money to cover damages from more than two missions. But even with these large donations, Lucy was easily the richest girl in Fairy Tail. Really, it was kind of ridiculous. Even though she was paying for a mile of forest in all directions of her house (her house was located in a clearing in the nearby forest) and for food, fun things to do, weapons, and new furniture she still had a lot of money left. So she stashed it away in a secret compartment in her house. If the guild ever needed any help, she would be ready with that large collection.

People think that just because she was kicked out of Team Natsu that she hated Fairy Tail. But in all reality it was the complete opposite. Now that she was on her own and thriving, she wanted to protect Fairy Tail with every ounce of her being.

She took another swig from her bottle when someone slammed their fist against the polished wood of the bar next to Lucy's seat.

"Well looky here, isn't it the famous Lucy Hearfillia sucking on a bottle." The voice mocked. People in the guild began to turn their attention to the new threat. Lucy set the bottle down and turned her head to see she was staring into the burning eyes of the one and only fire-dragon slayer.

"What do you want Natsu?" Lucy sighed. She really wasn't in the mood to argue with him today.

"I want to know why the hell you're so strong!" He hissed back. Lucy just looked at him and shrugged.

"I don't know. I was born with a gift and I trained my ass off in order to use it correctly." She replied evenly. She could tell that wasn't the answer he was looking for.

"Yah? Well I think you're just faking it!" He hissed as he yanked her hair, making her fall off her stool and onto the floor. She sat there for a moment, and then grinned evilly as a thought came to her mind. She stood up slowly, and stared into his eyes with a sort of crazed expression. This was the face she wore when she was about to destroy her pray. This was the face that said she was thirsty for blood and death.

"Yeah, well then why don't we fight? Me vs. Team Natsu?" Lucy posed. Now everyone in the guild was listening, and the rest of team Natsu gathered around the hot-headed mage. They all agreed up to the challenge. Even Lisanna had a grim but determined look on her face.

"Deal." Natsu smirked, then they made their way outside to the arena.

In the arena

When challenges were being carried through, they were always done in the magical area. This is because there is an enchantment over the arena so that anyone who was watching the fight would be in no danger of being hit with a deadly spell. All of Fairy Tail was here today, no one wanting to miss what was surly going to be the best fight Fairy Tail has ever seen. In the pit where the competitors were, Team Natsu stood in a line at one end of the dirt floor, and Lucy stood at the other end. As Levy sat down to watch as her friends were about to fight, she couldn't help but feel that something big was going to happen today.

Lucy

Lucy stood at her end of the field, gazing lazily at her opponents. This was going to be so easy. As the crowd quieted down she began walking to middle of the field as she saw Team Natsu do the same. The rules were simple. Begin when the gong sounds and don't stop till someone cries mercy or dies. As she reached the middle of the field, she stared at each one of her competitors. She heard the countdown as they gong was being ready to be rung. Five. No turning back. Four. She was ready for this. Three. This is what she wanted. Two. She'd be damned if she lost. She was going to win.

One.

The gong rang out in the air and immediately Erza began changing into a set of armor. However, Lucy wasn't really in the mood to fight that day, so she didn't even let Erza finish her transformation when she grabbed her by the hair and threw her into the concrete wall to her right that lined the stadium. Grey started at her in shock, then he grabbed hold of himself.

"Ice Make:" He began, but Lucy smirked and took on the same stance he was doing.

"Ice Make: Dragon!" She cried, and suddenly a gigantic dragon made of ice swooped down on Grey and swallowed him whole. Knowing that would keep him busy for a while, she faced Lisanna who had given herself tiger claws. Lucy dashed forward so fast you couldn't track he with her eyes and popped in front of her.

"Do I really need to hit you?" She asked a very shocked Lisanna. Smiling grimly, Lisanna responded.

"Try to go easy on me okay?" She asked. Lucy nodded, and then flicked her in-between the eyes. Lisanna went down like a the buildings Natsu destroyed. Speaking of Natsu, Lucy saw him charging at her at full speed. He quickly raised his fists to his mouth as he prepared to do his famous dragon roar. Lucy did the same. Was he going to be surprised at what was about to happen.

"Fire Dragon: Roar!" Natsu and Lucy both screamed together, and then there was a blinding light as red flames irrupted from Natsu's mouth, and bright blue ones from Lucy's. The flames crashed together in a heated inferno, but it was clear that Lucy was stronger than Natsu and so her flames destroyed his own and sent him flying into the walls as well. Lucy heard Erza let out a long cry and she charged Lucy with a sword. Because Lucy had interrupted Erza when she was trying to equip armor, she could no longer equip until an hour when the damage was healed. So, she was left with the sword she had carried into the arena. Turning to face the charging Erza, Lucy quickly snapped the sword hilt off her key chain and got ready for Erza's attack. This was going to be fun.

Right as Erza swung down, supposedly to chop Lucy's head open, a thick, and razor sharp blade of darkness filled the hilt so that Lucy now had a sword of Darkness. Erza gasped as Lucy smirked, and easily cut through Erza's metal blade. With Erza now on the ground in order to save her life, Lucy quickly re-attached the hilt back into her chain and kicked Erza in the ribs. Hard. She could feel her bones crack as Lucy's foot made impact. Then, Lucy picked Erza up by her hair and punched her in the face, officially finishing her for the day. Two down, two to go.

Grey was now free from Lucy's ice dragon, and was charging at Lucy. He had an ice bow in his hands, and was getting ready to fire a shot. The bow made a plucking sound as he shot the arrow, a pathetically slow thing to Lucy, and missed her be a mile. Quicker than light she had her bow off her back and drew four arrows. She loaded them into the bow, and as she shot them all at once the tips became blazing points of blue fire. Grey, to slow to dodge the arrows, was pinned against the wall. Lucy ran up to him, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and then punched him in the gut. She felt his bones crack as he slumped against the wall, being held up by the amazingly strong arrows. Only one more to go.

Lucy heard more than saw Natsu coming, but he was so slow his pathetic attack was easy to dodge. Using his momentum against him, she tripped him and made him crash into the nearly dead Grey. She walked up to him slowly, then, setting her fist on fire, she gave him a final punch in the face which finished him for good. All in all, the fight had lasted for two minutes, and Lucy had won without a scratch. She then turned and faced the majority of the crowd.

"Mages of Fairy Tail, now you have seen how much I have matured, and now I think you need to see how much your ignoring me had actually hurt. You thought that I was a week, sniveling child. Once upon time you were right, but things have changed, and you need to realize that. So, on that note, I am giving the leader of team Natsu a choice. You can either accept defeat, or you can accept death." Lucy ordered as her hand lit up with black and golden flames. "It's your choice."

Natsu, who was now wide awake and staring into the Celestial Mages eyes with a burning mixture of fear and hatred, spat up at her.

"I would rather die than admit defeat. You of all people should know that, Lucy Heartfilia." He hissed. Then, he gave her his signature smirk. "Besides, you wouldn't have the guts to kill me. You talk big game, can even back it up a little, but I know your still the week, emotional girl I brought back with me."

Everyone was staring into the arena now. Lucy stood there for a second, then smiled. It wasn't a cruel smile, but one of love.

"You're right Natsu. I haven't changed much on the inside. I've only truly learned who that person is. I have learned that I am emotional, and I do care too much for others. But I have also learned that there is a fine line between being kind, and being a doormat." She finished with a determined look. Then, it turned into her famous, evil smirk. "So, I ask you once again. Will you accept defeat, or will you accept death?" She asked.

"And once again, I give you my answer." Natsu smirked back at her, truly looking like he had lost all sanity. "Please, kill me."

Lucy nodded, and raised her flaming fist into the air, preparing to deliver the final blow.

"NO!"