Bixlow's POV: 

"Well that was a total blow," I said as I rubbed my aching head, and sat up. Freed and Laxus sat up too, also rubbing their heads. 

"You're tellin' me. Damn, that girl can pack a punch," Laxus groaned, and I nodded. 

"Indeed she can. That's why I like her, though," Freed said, and sighed. We agreed, and stood up. I put my helmet back on, and called my babies out. 

"She beat you, she beat you," They chanted, and I growled at them. 

"Shut it, babies!" They went silent. I sighed, and fixed my helmet a bit. 

"Imma head out, now. Hopefully not make 'er mad anymore," I said, and walked out with my babies. 

~ ~ 

"We're back!" I called as I slammed the doors open, and skipped over to the table where everyone else was at. 

"We're back! We're back!" My babies copied. 

Erza, Lucy, Levy, Juvia, Evergreen, Freed, Laxus, Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, Lily, Happy, and Wendy all sat at the table with Metallica, while Wendy sat in her lap. Man, how I envy that little girl. 

"Oh, hey, Bixlow. What's up?" Levy asked with a smile and a wave. I laughed and stuck my tongue out as a response, and sat next to Metallica. She huffed, and turned away from me, only to face Laxus. He smirked, but she looked forward. 

"Hey, baby," I whispered in her ear, and she whipped to face me. She growled at me, then turned back around. 

"Don't talk to me right now, Bixlow," She grumbled, and asked Mira if she could get some iron. Mira came back a few minutes later with a cart of iron, then divided it evenly between Gajeel and Metallica. They went to eating, and Wendy watched as she did. I watched as well as Freed and Laxus. 

"Why the hell are you guys starin' at my sister? Haven't cha ever seen someone eat iron before?" Gajeel asked with his mouth full, and Metallica cringed. 

"Yo, don't cha have some manners? Swallow before ya talk, dumbass," She hissed. I smirked, and leaned back over to her ear. 

"I know something else you can swallow," I chuckled, and flicked my tongue out to lick her earlobe. She growled again, and took a bite off a pipe. Then she turned to me. 

"I will shove this pipe so far up your ass that it'll come out your damn nose," She threatened, and the whole table burst out laughing. Natsu fell out of his chair, along with Gajeel. Natsu sat back up, and reached for a high-five, which she declined. The whole table had another wave of laughter, and soon everyone was either on the ground, or close to it. 

All except Metallica. 

She rolled her eyes at us, but pat Wendy on her head. 

"Tch. Stupid kid," I mumbled, and Metallica's head whipped my way. Her red eyes held a murderous look. 

"The hell'd you say?" She asked lowly, and I straightened in my seat. 

"Nothin'," I grumbled, and leaned back in my chair. I lifted my arms above my head, and saw Metallica looking at my arms and stomach. I smirked, and stuck my tongue out. She rolled her red eyes, but her face turned a light pink. It was adorable, really. 

"Nothin'! Nothin!" My babies chanted. 

"Bixlow likes her! Bixlow likes her!" They said, and I whipped around to face them. 

"Shut it, you talking blocks of wood!" I whisper-shouted, and thankfully, no one noticed. Except Metallica. Of course. 

"What was that, metal face?" She growled, but didn't face me. She was looking down at her iron as she shoveled mouthfuls in. 

"N-Nothin'," I stuttered, and glanced away from her. 

Damn, she's gotten a lot scarier. 

~ ~ 

! Laxus's POV: ! 

Jeez, she really hits hard. My head still hurts from last night. 

"So, are you thinking about going on a job, Metallica-san?" Erza asked out of the blue. Metallica shrugged, and continued to eat her iron. Weird. 

"I dunno. Maybe. I still gotta get a place of my own. I don't really like living with someone as dense as iron," She glared at Gajeel, and he grumbled something under his breath. 

"What was that? Hmm?" Metallica mocked him, her red eyes narrowing into evil slits. Gajeel's own red eyes widened, and he shook his head. She smirked in victory, and leaned back with her arms behind her head. 

"That's what I thought, Screw Brain," She chuckled. We all laughed as Gajeel formed angry tick marks above his head. 

"Ya wanna go, Metal Head?" He challenged, and her closed eyes snapped open. Her features shifted from amused to anger, then amused again. 

"Aw, is the little Dragon Baby angry? Come at me, bro. I've been waitin' for this since I found you're ass," She hissed, lifted Wendy up, and sat her back down. Metallica popped her muscles, and walked out of the guild, all of us following. 

Oh, dear Mavis. What the hell's gonna happen?

~ ~ 

* Metallica's POV: * (Sorry for the POV switches) 

I stalked out of the guild, all of my table buddies following. I could hear the angry footsteps of Gajeel behind me. 

"Alright, Brother of mine," I seethed, and turned around. I ducked just in time to avoid eating Gajeel's Iron Sword, before standing back up. 

"Oh, so you wanna play dirty? I can do that," I growled, and charged him. He wasn't expecting me to recover so fast, so my action caught him off guard. I hit him with my iron fist, instantly knocking him back. He collided with the dirt, and grunted. 

"All I've had to do was fight dirty. All those years I was locked up there, they had me fight and defend myself against these man-eatin' monsters," I stalked towards him, like a predator closing in on it's prey. 

"Where'd they take ya?" He coughed as he stood up, and I stopped walking. I activated Iron Dragon's Scales on my body, instantly turning my skin into iron scales. Gajeel copied my actions. 

"Shadow Stock," Was all I said, and he gave me a confused look. 

"What? What the hell are ya talkin' 'bout?!" He shouted, his scales disappearing. I took it as my chance, and planned my next attack. 

"Steel Dragon's Sword!" I swung my steel sword at him, effectively landing the hit to his side. It wasn't hard enough to break skin, but hard enough to send him flying to the right. He let out a pained scream as he slammed into a tree. 

"I knew ya didn't care for me like ya said. I was just another dead weight to ya. Just a reminder of the dad that left us," I snapped, and placed my foot on his chest. I pressed down, cracking the earth beneath him. He gasped as a trail of blood ran down the corner of his mouth. 

"This isn't near the pain I experienced as I waited for ya. I waited for a stupid knight in shiny armor, but ya never came. 4 years, and ya still didn't find me. They said that cha didn't care, that cha wanted me gone. 3 years after that, it stuck with me. I believed it. 7 years, and you had forgotten about me." I pressed down harder. He choked up more blood. 

"No, Metallica. Shit happened, and I couldn't-"

"Shut it, Iron Boy! I don't care for your excuses! That shit's over, and here ya are, tryin' to act like an overprotective brother!" I shouted, my anger growing inside me. 

Suddenly, Gajeel's hand reached up, and snagged my ankle. I kicked up, and smashed my foot into his face. I stumbled back, and he got up. 

"I didn't want my baby sister gone. None of that shit is true. I did try to look for ya. Ya meant the world to me, and I let those damn bastards take you."

"You watched as they beat me unconscious! You fuckin' watched!"

"I fought back! It's not my fault that I was weak!" 

"Yeah, it kinda is!" 

"At least I didn't get all depressed and did something after Metallicana left!" 

...

"The hell'd you say?" I whispered. Gajeel's eyes widened when he realized what he said. Then he reached out to me. Another sense of deja vu washed over me, but I stepped back. 

"How dare you?" It came out breathless, and I took several steps back. 

"Wait, Metallica. I didn't-"

"Just, leave me alone, Gajeel."

With that, I turned around and walked away. Away from the people watching in shock. Away from Fairy Tail. 

Away from Gajeel. 

* * * * 

^ Lucy's POV: ^ 

What just happened?

"Metallica-chan!" 

Carla held Wendy back as she tried to run after her. 

We all watched as Metallica walked away from us, and then looked at Gajeel. 

Anger swelled inside me. 

I marched over to him, and grabbed him by his collar. Usually, I wouldn't have done this, as it would've costed me my life. 

"What the hell?! Why would you say something like that!? How can you call yourself her brother!? I thought you were better than that! But no! You're just like you were before!" I screamed in his face, until I felt arms wrap around my waist, and pull me away. 

"Natsu! Let me go! He can't get away with that!" 

"And he won't. See?" I looked back over to Gajeel, and saw that he had fallen to his knees, his face shoved into his hands. My expression softened, and Natsu set me back on my feet after dragging me back to the guild. 

"What are we going to do?" Wendy cried, and hugged Carla to her chest as she comforted the Dragon Slayer sadly. 

"She needs time to cool off," Gray said, and shoved his hands into his pants pockets. 

"Yes. For now, let's all just leave her alone," Erza agreed, and we all walked back into the guild. I glanced back at Gajeel, and saw that he was still in the same position he was in as we left. I heaved a heavy sigh, and followed the rest back through the doors. 

I sat back in my seat with the others, and stared at my marked hand. I thought back to the day when I first got stamped, and allowed a small smile to grace my face. 

"Well, it's starting to rain again, so how about we all just hang out here before going on a job?" Erza suggested, and the 3 of us nodded our heads, Happy giving a soft 'Aye'. 

"What would you guys like for lunch?" Mirajane decided to make an appearance at our table, hands clasped in front of her, and a large, beautiful smile on her lips. 

"Nothing at the moment-," I was cut off by Natsu as he and Happy ordered everything they could pronounce. I sighed as Mira ran off to get their order, plus Erza's strawberry cake. 

"What are we going to do with you guys?" I asked, my eyes closed and my voice cracked slightly as a frown folded my lips. 

"What'd you expect? Dragon Slayers have large appetites. And apparently their cats, too," Gray raised his arms above his head as he sat next to me, and I rolled my eyes. 

"Gray! Your clothes?" I exclaimed, and he shot up out of his seat to begin his search. I groaned, but smiled. 

Man, I sure have some weird friends. 

"Hey! The rain let up! Let's go on that job now!" Natsu shouted after scarfing down his table-full of food, and shot up. He grabbed my hand, and dragged me out of the guild. Erza and Gray chuckled as they followed us, and out of the corner of my eye, I could've sworn I saw Juvia in a bush. 

~ ~ 

"Why'd I come along, again?!" I screamed as I continued to run down the dirt path, the giant monster thing chasing after me. 

"AAAAHHHH!" I screeched, tears of terror fall from my wide eyes. Sweat drops were coming off of me in waves. 

"Open: Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" I rushed out, still crying and running. Virgo appeared, and dug a hole big enough for the giant 20 foot monster to fall in. It tumbled down in, giving a surprised rumbling sound as it copied my expressions from earlier. 

"Thanks, Luce! You just made it easier for me to roast 'em!" I glanced up at the mention of my name, and began to panic as Natsu came shooting down from the sky. 

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!" He shouted, and fire instantly came firing down into the hole, where the monster was. I guess I was standing too close to the hole, 'cause when the fire was gone, the front half of my clothes were burned. 

"AAAAHHHH!" I screamed again, and a pair of new clothes were held in front of my face. 

"Here you are, Princess. I've come prepared," Virgo said monotonously, and I thanked her before closing her gate shut. I changed in the Celestial Spirit clothes quickly before anyone saw, and released a sigh of relief. 

"Hey, Lucy!" Natsu waved as he approached me, and I could hear the sound of the monster's pained moans coming from the hole. Smoke rose from the ditch, and I sweat-dropped. 

"Hey, Natsu," I said gloomily, and he gave me a confused look, before Gray and Erza showed up. 

"Nice work you two. Now, I heard that Metallica has finally showed back up at the guild. Shall we go?" Erza questioned, and we set on our ways back to Fairy Tail. 

Sure, it's only been 4 days. But I expected Metallica to want to be alone a lot longer. I mean, yeah, I like her; she's my friend. But this just doesn't seem like her, to come back so soon. 

Did something happen?