"HOORAY! FAIRY TAIL IS NUMBER ONE!"
"The cheers of our comrades is all the support that we need" Erza said, as they watched the Fairy Tail members cheering for them. It was an encouraging act, much needed after their humiliating entrance. Never did they expected to be so fiercely shout down by the spectators.
But their grateful expressions turned into bewildered ones, as soon as they spotted the founder of their guild, who was supposed to be dead, also cheering loudly for them - as a ghost.
The Fire Dragon Slayer let out a heartful laugh. "Even Master Mavis came to cheer for us? We've got this in the bag."
"At least the ghosts like us" Gray commented with crossed arms.
Lucy was especially touched. She looked gratefully at every single member, until she came across an unfamiliar face. "Huh?"
"What is it, Lucy?" Erza asked, noticing her teammates confusion. She looked where Lucy was looking at and her eyes widened. "No way…"
After hearing the Requip mage murmuring something, the guys also looked back. And were equally taken aback.
"Is that really…" Elfman began but didn't finish his question.
The Ice Wizard didn't say anything at all, completely speechless.
"Is that…" Natsu too, couldn't believe his eyes. But the longer he stared, the more certain he was that it was not his mind playing tricks on him. A gleeful smile appeared on his face. "ROSE! YOU CAME TOO! YOU CAME TO CHEER FOR US! WE WILL WIN THIS FOR SURE!"
The Celestial mage watched as her teammate enthusiastically waved his hands to get that person's attention. "Rose…" Lucy turned her head to get a better look at that mysterious girl. To say that she was cheering for them was an overstatement. She stood there like a statue, unmoving and silent. She had wavy hair, in a golden shade. It looked really pretty, but it was obscuring most of her face. And through the strands, Lucy could make out one crimson colored iris, closely watching them. "Wha…?" bewildered, she took one step back. "And she is… a Fairy Tail member?"
"Yes. She's one of Fairy Tail's S-Class mages" Erza informed proudly.
"What?! Really? Wait, then why wasn't she with us during the S-Class trial?" her initial scare forgotten. "I mean, all of Fairy Tail's S-Class wizards were there, even Gildarts, so why wasn't she?"
The scarlet haired woman's excited expression turned into a troubled one. "Well, it is quite complicated" she started, her eyes lingering on the passive girl on the grand stand. "You see, she was-"
"Next up the team that came in 7th place in the prelims", the emcee shouted, successfully interrupting Erza.
One by one, every participating team were called in, everything went smoothly until-
"The second-place finisher… oh wow, what a surprise!" Chapati Rola, the anchor for this year's Grand Magic Games, yelled. He just couldn't hide his surprise and excitement. "This year's competition just got a whole lot more interesting, folks!"
A group of people clad in dark clothes stepped into thecolosseum, an electric Fairy Tail Emblem floating above their heads.
"It's Fairy Tail Team B!"
Sounds of growling thunder filled the arena.
"Big sis?" asked a gravelly voice.
"Gajeel!?" the Fire Dragon Slayer boomed.
"Juvia?" questioned the Ice mage.
"And Laxus? How is that fair?" the Celestial mage asked, disbelief apparent in her voice.
The crowd and the other contestants were equally confused, why two teams from the same guild made the cut. But soon enough, they also quieted down. Somewhat.
"And last, but certainly not least, is the team that came first place in the preliminaries!" the announcer continued. "That's right, you know them, you love them, know get on your feet and scream for the most powerful guild in Fiore! The one and only: Sabertooth!"
Five wizards of Fiore's number one guild strutted in, giving off an overbearing aura of pure power. Rose turned her head slightly, so she could get a better view of the guild that rose through the ranks and dethroned Fairy Tail. The arrogance almost all of the members displayed was ridiculous.
Her eye widened slightly, recognizing a familiar face in their rivals' team.
"Can't wait to bring them down" Natsu said under his breath.
"Why so serious, it's just a game" mocked the blond, wiggling his pointer playfully.
"The reason you keep gawking, pretty boy?" the pierced man asked irritated.
"Nothing important" responded the raven calmly.
And so, all the teams were introduced and it was of course Fairy Tail Team B who caused the most surprise; but without doubt, the crowd favorites were Sabertooth.
Rose' visible eye observed the verbal exchange between the participating members of Fairy Tail and Sabertooth closely. They don't seem to get along very well.
Her eyes wandered further to Fairy Tail's newer additions. Lucy Heartfilia, Juvia Lockser and Gajeel Redfox. Master sometimes mentioned them during his visits, but never said anything about Juvia's obsessive tendencies towards Gray. She stared at the Water mage, until the latter noticed and stared right back. Neither of them backed off, until the game for the first day was announced.
'Hidden'
…
It didn't go well for either Fairy Tails' Team. Rose just stared at the magical scoreboard, her eyes glued to the name on top. "Rufus Lore". A man clad in clothes, too formal for everyday use, let alone for the battlefield. But he managed to give a sensational performance in the arena nonetheless. When she looked at him, a sense of reminiscence of the past overcame her. Masquerades, ballroom dancing and keys accompanied by strings. An image of a man flashed through her heart, an aching twinge coming with it. She closed her eyes.
The battle between Lucy and Flare was even worse.
"Maybe I shouldn't have come… maybe I am bad luck…"
…
The first day of the Grand Magic Games was over and the night sky chased away the radiant sun. Without the warm rays, it was rather chilly in Crocus, but Rose didn't mind. She was always thickly clothed. She replayed the whole day in her head, thinking about the masses of people, the other guilds and the new mages she met until now.
"My, my, who do we have here?"
Rose turned around to the source of the voice. She was met with the sight of Rufus Lore, 'The Minstrel Who Sings to the Red Moon'.
"What a romantic sounding epithet" is all she thought.
She just looked impassively at him, not quite sure what he wanted from her. After a while, she realized that he actually asked her a question.
"My name's Rose… Hawthorne" she said in a monotone voice.
While slightly touching the brim of his hat, the man before her closed his eyes in content and smirked haughtily. "Yes, I memorized that name a long time ago. That name has been registered as one of Fairy Tails' S-Class wizards, but other information about "Rose Hawthorne" doesn't exist." He opened his eyes to look piercingly at her. "It is quite fascinating, but there's no data about you. No one even knew that Fairy Tail had a third female S-Class wizard, let alone how you look or your magic-type. So, forgive me my curiosity, but I had to certify if you were really the 'hidden' S-Class mage of Fairy Tail." He paused again. "You didn't do any missions, right? Or else your name would be known. Pray tell me, what did you do all this time?"
"I-" the blonde began, but was interrupted.
"That's right, Rose didn't accept any jobs since her promotion to an S-Class wizard. And the rest is none of your business" answered Erza coldly, while approaching the two of them. "Rose," the redhead addressed her guildmate "please inform at least one of us when you leave. We worry, when you disappear so suddenly."
"…I'm sorry…"
"You're safe, that's the most important thing. Now let us return." The Requip mage turned around to leave, not wanting to spend one more second with their competitor.
"…I want to…"
After hearing Rose' barely audible whisper, she stopped and looked back at her.
"…stay outside a bit more…"
Erza sighed. "Alright, I will come with you. But I'm really tired, so-"
"Alone."
"Huh?"
"I want to be alone…"
Brown eyes narrowed warily. "I don't think so." Her eyes lingered one moment longer at the quiet girl. "But Master brought you back, so he must trusts you…" Taking a deep breath, the scarlet haired woman just hopes she won't regret her next words. "You've got one hour. Be careful, ok?" And without waiting for an answer she left, probably returning to the inn her team was staying at.
"My, my, I heard a lot about 'Titania', but I'd never expected her to be such a mother hen. Not to this extent" Rufus spoke, after the armor-clad woman left.
"…" Rose didn't show the slightest inclination to response and was about to leave too.
"Leaving so soon? I hoped we could converse a little bit more. I'd like to learn more about 'the mage who just exists in name only'."
"…Erza said it's none of your business…"
He smiled slyly. "Well, then I won't ask you about your whereabouts. There's plenty to talk about. So please, let me accompany you. It's such a pleasant night, I could show you all of Crocus' most beautiful places."
"No."