Please read, vote, and comment. Sorry I haven't updated for such a long time. 

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Normal POV

Master Jiemma called everyone to Sabertooth's lodging, Crocus Gardens. When everyone arrived, they saw Master Jiemma reclining on a couch like a throne, and Minerva  standing behind him. Lucy and Stardust, however, hadn't arrived yet, and while Master Jiemma just looked around and sighed, he didn't send anyone to look for her.

"Lucy does her own thing, and shows up when she decides to," he said before glaring at all of them. "Your performances were so pitiful that I can't even cry, you scum," he berated, "Remember why we're the top wizard guild. Don't look at the insects around you. Don't talk to them. Just crush them. Our eyes are on something far greater." His tone wasn't loud but the expression on his face conveyed that he was ready to kill all of them. "Making the heavens roar. Setting the land aflame. Silencing the seas. That's Sabertooth," he finished. He valued the title of being the strongest in Fiore and he was mad, not mad, furious, that Yukino had lost to someone. He was even more infuriated by the fact that she had been that confident, and had bet her life and then lost. While Kagura had made it seem effortless, and had even taken pity on Yukino by letting her live. 

He then ordered Yukino to come stand in front of him. Everyone in the guild stood watching silently as Yukino walked calmly to Master and stand as he glared at her. "You have no excuse. You know that, right?" Master Jiemma questioned.

"I lost to a member of another guild. I brought shame to Sabertooth," Yukino admitted fearlessly, right before Jiemma threw grapes at her and ended up staining her hair.

Sting's POV

I glanced down and grimaced as the grapes slide down to the ground. "That's not what I'm talking about!" Master Jiemma roared, as my heart felt like it slid down in my chest as I saw Lector's pained expression and the tears in Fro's eyes.

Sabertooth had just started to feel more like a family, and then this was happening. "You wagered your life and lost. And not only that, the enemy took pity on you." Master growled. "On Sabertooth!"

"I will submit to any punishment," Yukino stated. I wanted to do something but I felt powerless against the Master. Lucy had just promised to make Sabertooth more like a family, and she wasn't even here.

"Throw away everything." He commanded. Right as Yukino started taking off her coat, the door slammed open, and Lucy walked in.

"Isn't that going a bit far Uncle?" She questioned, as she walked forward, while everyone parted in the middle, allowing her to stand before Master and block Yukino from his view.

"No, it isn't. We are the strongest guild, and we have no place for weaklings." Master retorted. I was glad that Lucy was defending Yukino, but shocked into silence that Master Jiemma hadn't blown up at Lucy for stepping in the way of his punishment.

"Then let me train her." Lucy stated. It wasn't a request nor was it a question. It seemed like a command as she stared at Master.

Master stared at Lucy for a while, as if he was deciding that she was serious before stating a simple, "Fine." He looked at Minerva, who nodded, before turning back to Lucy and adding, "As long as you agree to take her spot in the Grand Magic Games."

Lucy didn't reply for a while, before she turned her head to Minerva's direction, and asked, "Minmin, are you okay with me taking your spot on the team? This might mean that you might not be able to participate." This made me look at Rogue, who nodded, confirming the fact that Lucy hadn't seen the transaction that had happened between Master and Minerva.

"Of course I am. This would allow us to ensure our victory in the Grand Magic Games," Minerva stated in a soothing tone toward Lucy, to assure her that she was not in anyway upset, and I was surprised to see on her face that there was no trace of malice or jealousy that Lucy would be taking her spot and she might not get a chance to compete.

"Then yes, of course I will accept that condition Uncle," Lucy stated, as a silence came to fill the room after Master and Lucy's agreement became finalized.

However, Yukino was the one that ended up breaking the silence that had commanded everyone in the room to stay still, "No, I can't. I have embarrassed Sabertooth. I don't belong in this guild."

Lucy turned around to face Yukino and placed her hand on her shoulder. This allowed me to see her eyes which didn't seem to be focusing on Yukino's face, but was filled with such compassion that I had to suppress a gasp.

"Of course you do, Yukino," Lucy reassured her in a tranquil tone. "Even if you don't believe that fact, I do and there are others in this room that do," as Fro nodded vehemently. "If you want to leave this guild I won't argue with you, but please at least let me train you first. Make your final decision a week after the Grand Magic Games" Lucy questioned.

"A week after the games?" Yukino's eyebrow rose.

"Yes, that would give me the time to train you as I would be busy with the Games," Lucy answered, "Please consider it." Lucy, at that moment, seemed to be staring into Yukino's soul and had such an understanding look, even though Lucy positively couldn't know where Yukino's eyes were.

Yukino's face seemed to hesitate before a look of determination crossed it and she nodded, "Yes, I'll stay and make my decision then."

"Thank you," Lucy exclaimed as she grabbed Yukino in a hug. Was it weird that I wanted to be the one that Lucy was hugging? As that thought crossed my head, my entire face flushed red as Rogue growled. I turned to look at him and he wasn't looking at Yukino, he was growling at me as if he knew exactly what was going on in my head.

I didn't say or do anything in response as Master Jiemma ordered, "Dismissed." Most people scrambled to leave, while the Grand Magic Team, Lector, Frosch, and Minerva stayed.

"First, here are some keys for you." Lucy said, as nine gold keys suddenly appeared in her hand.

Yukino's eyes widened in wonder as she crossed her arms, "I can't Lucy-sama. That's too much to take from you."

"Of course you can. It's not as if I can use them, I'm a chaos dragon slayer, remember?" Lucy insisted, as she grabbed Yukino's hand and placed the keys on it.

"But you were able to summon Leo during the Grand Magic Games," Yukino refuted.

"Ah, so you were able to tell that Loke wasn't a normal human. I didn't summon Loke, he appears using his own power as he is bound to serve my family forever. That's why I can't give him to you, but it's not as if I can use the other ones." Lucy insisted, closing Yukino's hand over the keys, "And I know that you'll treat them well."

Yukino opened her hands and said reverently, "Taurus, Cancer, Sagittarius, Gemini, Aries, Virgo, Capricorn, Scorpio, and Aquarius." Yukino shook her head adamantly, "This is way too much Lucy-sama, I couldn't accept this. I couldn't take away nine of your zodiac spirits when they're worth so much."

"Yukino, the reason why I'm entrusting them to you is because I know that you'll be a good friend to them. You'll put up with them and their unique ways and you won't force them to do anything that they don't want to do" Lucy insisted as a soft smile came onto her face. I felt a smile across my face at the sight of hers.

"Yukino, stop arguing with my niece when you could already be working on making yourself stronger and worthy of the Sabertooth name," suddenly Master Jiemma's voice boomed.

At Master's words, Yukino bowed her head toward him before sweeping a low bow to Lucy. "Thank you for this. There is nothing that I can ever do to pay you back."

"You'll have paid me back by treating my friends well," as Lucy closed Yukino's hands over the keys. And that's when I slowly understood what nakama meant. It meant being able to stand up for your family even though you know that you couldn't always win.