"Hey you, Stop!" A man beaming with anger yelled as he made his way through the crowd of people. "Stop that thief!" He swung his hand out and pointed to the hooded figure that ran into the nearest alleyway. A nearby Magic guard noticed the commotion and began chase. Boxes were pushed aside as the cop rampaged through the alley, the hooded figure stopped as they neared a dead end. "There is no where left for you to go, put your hands up and get on the ground!" The figure turned around, their face still covered by the hood's shadow. "Don't make me repeat myself." The cop said as he laid a hand upon his unsheathed gun. The thief raised their hands up above their head. "That's what I-" Before the Magic guard could finish the thief kicked a trash bin, sending it flying toward the cop. He let out yelp of pain before falling to his knees when he glanced up to where the figure had stood there was nothing there, the thief had vanished without a trace.

The sky was dark and clear, as there was not a single cloud in the air, the only thing that lit the area was the ominous glare that the moon gave.

The hooded figure dashed trough several estates, boots digging up soil and grass leaving patches of mud. The thief ran through several properties before ducking through an opening in a nearby fence, they began to approach a small shack and then stopped right in front of it. Pieces of wood were barely nailed into the hut as tarps made up parts of the walls where wood had been stolen or eroded away. The figure walked over to a narrow piece of wood that had been made into a temporary door, and opened it. Inside a string hung from the ceiling connecting to a single light bulb, and the figure pulled, and with a click the room inside was filled with light. The light revealed a small room with two beds on the right and a tethered couch on the left. The figure pulled back her hood letting her light hair fall out in loose curls, she then took off her coat and hung it on a nail in the wall and made her way to the children's beds. "I'm home." The girl sat atop the wooden bed and looked at the child with shaggy brown hair, his face was red and he didn't look good. She laid her hand on his forehead and felt the heat.

"He has gotten worse since you left." A voice spoke from the other cot. A little girl with bright blue eyes said as she leaned up out of the blankets. Her blond hair was pinned up with a clip keeping unwanted strands out of her face.

"He is going to be ok, right Iris?" The little girl's voice trembled slightly at the thought of loosing her brother.

"Yes- he'll be fine, don't you worry." Iris lied, she honestly didn't know the answer to that question, without money for the proper medication, she didn't want to think about what would happen and lying to her little sister was the best option for right now. Iris reached down into her bag to reveal a loaf of bread. "Hey Hazel, look what I got" Hazel's face gleamed with excitement.

"Freshly baked bread, its still warm!" She squealed. A smile spread across her face.

"What are you guys screeching abo-" A loud cough interrupted his sentence midway. "What's that smell?" The boy stood up and wobbled over to where the girls sat on the couch. Iris tore two pieces of bread of the loaf and handed it to both of them. The children gobbled up every last crumb within a few seconds. "Its was so good, are you not gonna try it?" The little boy looked at Iris with concern.

"I'm not hungry." Another lie. "Anyway I got it for you guys." The truth was Iris was starving and just the smell of the bread made her mouth water with lust. "Are you thirsty?" She walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a little pitcher of water, and poured two glasses of water. "Here, drink up." Iris said as she handed them the cups.

"Thank you Iris!" They both said in unison. Iris walked over to the old TV they had found on the side of the road, and turned the knob, the box sparked to life. Hazel grabbed blanket for the three of them to share and they all huddled around the TV. There was only one channel on older models, most people called it the 'main cord'. The channel showed the news and silly soap operas throughout the day, but at night it streamed live the Grand Magic tournaments. The Grand Magic tournaments were basically competitions where magic users could display their power against other competitors the last fifty standing go on to the next level and as the tournaments continued the number of accepted wizards decreases until there are only six left. These six after a few months of proper training, face off against each other for a grand load of money, the winner of this fight gets to join the guild of their choosing. The process was long and dragged out but was designed that way so the producers could make more money as it was on air almost every day.

Right now they were all watching the final tournament where the last two competitors fought for the chance to be accepted into a guild and the prize of five hundred thousand Jewels.

"I hope that girl with the purple hair wins." Hazel eyes were wide as she was sucked into the fight.

"No way Nixel is way cooler." Her Brother argued. "Anyway you don't even know her name you just want her to win because you think she is pretty."

"Not true!" Hazel made a pouty face.

"Really? Then what's her name?" He waited for answer.

"Umm-, well I forgot." She said.

"Liar!"

"Chess leave Hazel alone, she can cheer for whoever she wants to."

Nixel is the air folks and it looks like! Oh my! A double combo, he is combining his storm magic with the needles left over from his opponent's last attack!

"See! Look at his technique its awesome." Chess watched with fascination.

Nixel seems to have the upper hand! But wait Uya isn't moving, the attack is going to hit directly if she doesn't defend herself!

We watched as needles flew around the arena and then aimed for Uya who was still not reacting. They flew straight for and then through her, the crowd gasped in astonishment, she vanished into the wind. A few seconds later the screen showed Nixel looking confused at where his opponent disappeared, then in a flash Uya appeared right behind him with a syringe in her hands she injected Nixel with the mystery fluid and then he fell to the ground.

The crowd is going wild! Somehow Uya was able to distract Nixel with an illusion and then attacked him from behind! Were not sure how it happened folks, but it seems we have a winner!

Chess's eyes were wide and his mouth had dropped open, Hazel looked satisfied as she watched Uya receive a trophy and a giant check.

"No way!" Chess sat frozen in shock. "Nixel was winning."

"I wonder what guild she'll choose." Iris was intrigued by this part the most.

"If it was up to me I would choose Glitter Heart!" Hazel enthused.

"Lame I would join Black Gem, they are so cool!" Chess responded. "What guild would you choose Iris?"

"Fairy Tail." Iris said softly.

"Wasn't that the guild mom-" Hazel started and then looked at Iris who watched as the girl on the screen chose Silver Erudite and then the screen went black.

"Yes." Iris said now starring back at Hazel. Iris turned the TV off and helped her siblings get ready for bed.

That night she didn't sleep she lay on a make shift bed that was in the attic of the small shack, there was little room to move, just enough to sleep there. Iris watched the stars in the sky through a small window tight next to her pillow. She imagined being in the competition, ever since she let hazel watch the tournaments she always asked why Iris didn't enter. Iris usual response was that she couldn't leave them by themselves for along period of time, it was a weak excuse since she leaves every day to work to earn money and to get food. It wasn't that she didn't want to because she really did want to be a real wizard in a real guild, but there were so many reasons why she couldn't. For one reason Chess was sick and he had to be taken care of, another reason that the tickets were too expensive. The way Iris thought of it was that everything was like trying to touch the stars, impossible and out of reach.

Iris awoke from the noise of a nearby dog barking, she was a lite sleeper so things like this usually happened. She crawled down the ladder that lead to her bed and got dressed for work, when she left her siblings were still sleeping. As soon as she closed the door she got a weird feeling, it wasn't bad it was just weird she didn't feel sick, it just felt like something out of the ordinary would happen today. She continued on her way to the café where she worked, walking through the streets she noticed a paper someone had taped to a store window. It was a sketched out figure in a hooded coat, right above the drawing was the word 'WANTED' in big red letters. Great Iris thought as she continued on her way, that stupid man who accused her of stealing put up a poster, perfect. She thought about the other day on her way home she had put her coat on since it was starting to rain and she went inside a bakery. The man was wary as soon as he saw her and when she had pulled out the loaf she had bought from the café, he accused her of stealing it. Pushing that thought aside she let herself think about the Grand Magic tournaments, she let herself imagine a world where she had all the money she could ever need and being able to afford the ticket, being able to afford a chairage that would fit both Chess and Hazel and also herself. When she walked into the café her fellow coworkers greeted her with smiles and small talk.

"Iris darling! Did you hear about the raffle that everybody is talking about?" The café owner approached Iris with a smile, she was a sweet old woman that was always very nice to Iris, she had given her a job when nobody else would and Iris felt great gratitude toward her.

"No I haven't what raffle?" Iris asked as she strapped the apron around her waist.

"Well I don't know if you have been watching The Grand magic tournament but last night they concluded the last fight, it was in fact very marvelous, anyway back to my point, uuuhhh oh ya!" The woman had a tendency to loose track of what she was saying and to over explain. "So apparently they are doing a raffle to find compedators for the next tournament, people were complaining how they were tired of rich snobby kids that kept on entering. Now if you want to enter you sign your name on a raffle ticket and they are going to draw a name from each town, cool right?" The woman was always excited when it came to anything involving wizards or magic. "My granddaughter entered, you know the one with that crazy Mohawk which is so not right like what type of parent would let her daughter get a Mohawk of all thin- What was I talking about again?"

"Something about your granddaughter entering the raffle." Iris had stopped listening when she started on about the Mohawk.

"Yes, she entered her name this morning that's how I found out." The woman was about to start talking again when somebody called her name from the kitchen. "Oh dear it seems I'm needed over there, well anyway it was nice talking to you!" She walked away and disappeared into the kitchen.

Iris was the last one to leave so she locked up. On her way home she stopped by a store that was being over crowded by people, out of curiosity she went inside to see what the whole commotion was about.

"Get your raffle tickets here! Only twenty Jewel!" The man behind the counter yelled. Raffles tickets? Is that's what all of this fuss is all about? But then again, this is a great opportunity. Instead of leaving, Iris stood in line until it was her turn and then signed her name on a slip of paper and they took a picture of her, Iris hated having her picture taken. Once that was over she gave the man twenty jewel that she had earned in tips, and watched as he put her name into the raffle jar. The jar made a 'ding' sound when her dropped the slip inside. She was then pushed aside as the next customer made their way to the counter, a group of guys in line whistled at her as she walked by and her face turned a bright pink as she was embarrassed at the sudden attention, and quickly ran out of the store and hurried home.

A month later

Hazel woke up and immediately turned on the TV. Iris had told her that she had entered into the raffle but she didn't think she had even a remote chance of winning; they weren't the luckiest people in the world not by a long shot. It had been a month since the raffle began and Hazel knew that today was the day when they announced the competitors on the 'Main Cord'. Hazel was overly excited a she ran around the house in anticipation, hearing the loud noises from down stairs Iris came down the ladder and stood in front of their TV in her PJs. "What are you doing?" She asked sleepily.

"They're about to announce the winners of the raffle!" Hazel squealed, her blond hair was messily thrown around from all the running.

"Hazel please don't get your hopes up do you even know how many people entered?" Iris hated to think of her sister being disappointed yet again.

"Iris, haven't you wanted this to be you your entire life, to be called out and be chosen for such an amazing chance to show the world who you are? This is what mom would have wanted for you, she would have done anything she could have to give you that life. I thought you wanted to follow in mom footsteps, do you not want to ever see dad again?" Hazel could be very serious when she wanted to be; it was almost like she was the older more mature one.

"Fine I guess I will risk having a little bit of hope." She replied with a big smile. Hazel was always happy when Iris smiled it was such a rare thing.

To the people out there are you ready! A man with grey slicked back hair shouted out as he opened up a golden envelope. With suspense he called out town names in alphabetical order, calling out the winner right behind the area name. The room was completely silent except for the blaring the TV and the snoring that came from the still asleep Chess. Iris heart was about to pop out of her chest as she waited for her town to be called.

From Canale our winner is…Sel Sloneberry! Iris felt like someone had ripped her heart out and stomped on it.

"I'm so sorry Iris, I thought- maybe-" Hazel began her bright green eyes became watery.

Ok so when I was writingthis I was listening to Fix A Heart by Demi Lovato I know it may seem stupid but the song really goes with this part, so if I were you I would play it while reading this next section! 3

"Please don't cry, it's my fault I shouldn't have been so naïve." Iris starred at the guy on the TV as he continued to list out the names, she didn't hear anything though she just felt numb like there was no hope left, like that was the last chance she had left in her life to ever see her father again, her last chance to make her mother proud.

Iris got up and walked outside she couldn't breath, she had been holding in all her emotions in, so her sister wouldn't see how much pain she felt. All of her concealed emotions burst out at once as her hands flew up to her face tears made her hands feel damp as she fell to her knees and dug her hands into the dark soil, tears flowed down her face as she sobbed silently. She felt so overwhelmed with sadness it was like losing her mother all over again. The wind made her tears feel like ice as they dropped on her thigh one after another, each tear that left her eyes came with a memory of her mother. She remembered sitting by her mother's side as her eyes began to close she remembered holding her mothers hand, she thought of the moment her mother drifted into an eternal sleep. She was holding Iris's hand so tightly and then all at once her hand loosened and she was gone from her life forever, It was such a horrible thing to watch your mother slip away from you when you're only nine years old. Why do I keep having hope, Iris thought. After a few minutes she raised her head and took a deep breath it was pointless to be upset she shouldn't have let herself believe that she would be picked she shouldn't have let herself have hope.

Just as she was about to stand up Hazel slammed open the door and grabbed Iris's arm screaming. "The name-no magic-the man- mistake-arrested-" Hazel was clearly out of breath as she said random words.

"Slow down and take a deep breath I can't understand you." Iris said as she was dragged into the house. Hazel pointed to the TV.

"Sel-, whatever his last name is, he is not a wizard there redrawing the name for Canale." Hazel managed; Iris felt a sting in her chest.

"Hazel it was a mistake it doesn't mean anything."

I'm sorry for the delay we have just received word that the winner of Canale has to be repacked, a mistake was made on our part and lets see, Oh yes the new winner of Canale is….

"Hazel please just turn the TV off I don't think I can bare anot-"

Iris Blacksteam!

There was silence as neither Iris or Hazel moved. "Di-did he just." Iris began and the stopped.

"IRIS THEY SAID YOUR NAME! THEY ACTUALLY SAID YOUR NAME!" Hazel yelled as she jumped up and down. "IRIS!" Upon hearing her name on the TV Iris had blacked out her heart didn't beat for a few seconds and then all at once it started again, emotions flooded into her body.

"That man he just said my name, HE SAID MY NAME!" Iris, for the first time in a while, was filled with joy. A smile spread across her face, even bigger than before as she pulled her hands through her wavy blond hair. "Hazel please tell me I'm not dreaming." Iris said starring at her sister in astonishment.

"Your not dreaming Iris, they just said your name, you're the winner of Canale." Hazels looked over to her sleeping brother and jumped on top of him. "Chess! Chess wake up you will never believe what just happened!" Hazel shouted at the now wide-awake Chess.

"Why are you screaming?" He asked suddenly very confused. Iris zoned out as hazel explained in full detail the last twenty minutes. She couldn't stop thinking of meeting her dad, telling him about her and her siblings, would he be unhappy? After a few minutes of imaging scenarios, she remembered something.

"I have to train! I only have three months until this competition starts and I haven't even started to train."

"Then I think its time that we all get some training." Hazel said enthusiastically.