Chapter 2
I was wiping the bar when the morning crowd came in. Among them was Freed and Bixlow who came up to the bar and sat down.
"Morning, boys. What can I get you?" I smiled at them.
"Something for this hangover, Lucy…" Bixlow mumbled before laying his head on the counter, not even bothering to use the nickname I had grown to have a love-hate relationship with.
I giggled and nodded before looking to Freed. "Answers, Miss Lucy."
I shot him a confused look as I put club soda in front of Bixlow. "On what, Freed?"
"Like where Laxus was last night."
"I was here, Freed." Laxus said as he hopped over the bar and stood next to me, placing his arm loosely around my hip. "Why do you want to know?"
"Evergreen sent this over, last night." He handed over a brightly colored flyer.
First Annual Fiore Grand Magic Games
Join us for the first 7 days in July for Guild vs. Guild events that will keep you on the edge of your seats!
Winning guild receives 30,000,000 J and the title "Strongest Guild in Fiore"!
Enter your guild by June 25!
I clapped my hands together in joy. "We should totally enter! Wouldn't it be cool to see who comes out on top?"
Laxus snorted. "A competition for guilds? This has to be a joke. We don't even know the rules."
Freed handed him a packet. "Entry forms and rules are right there. Are we doing this?"
I looked over Laxus's shoulder and down at the first sheet of paper.
1. The Guild Master is prohibited from participating. Resulting in doing so will cause the team to be disqualified.
2. Each guild is allowed to enter in two teams.
3. The teams are made of four mages of that guild with one member as a reserve.
4. Cheating of any kind will result in disqualification.
"I don't know about this. It sounds suspicious to me." He looked at me and I gave him the puppy-dog eyes. He tried and failed to look stern. "Stop looking at me like I just kicked a damn puppy, damn it. That's just not right."
"Come on! Please! Imagine the boost in morale around here! It's so sad and gloomy. The only people who talk to me are you, Gajeel, Freed and Bixlow, and sometimes Scott when he's at the guild.
"Fine, but we're only entering because we have to defend our title as strongest guild in Fiore." Laxus reasoned more for himself than us. Raising his voice so the rest of the guild could hear him. "Fairy Tail will be participating in Fiore's first Grand Magic Games. You have three month to train and prepare for Fairy Tail Team B. Only five of you make that team, and of that five, one of you will be a reserve. Fairy Tail Team A will consist of Freed Justine, Bixlow, Gajeel Redfox, Scott Key, and on reserve is my Lucy. Take jobs; train; whatever you need to do for you to be at your strongest in three months time."
The guild cheered and celebrated as the barrels of wine and beer were passed around and were the beginnings of drinking contests. I tugged on Laxus's coat. "Why am I on reserve?"
"Because I don't want you getting hurt. This 'Grand Magic Games' sounds sketchy to me. Besides, I have no idea what's going to happen so I'm putting my best men in front."
"You know what Laxus, I am so glad you think so highly of me. I've been roughed up before! I can handle myself, Laxus! I took down Bixlow during your take over!" Faintly I registered the looks of the guild members around us.
"Miss Lucy, perhaps you should calm down-"
"No, I will not calm down, Freed! I was just told I was weak. I'm not going to just take that."
"Oi, Blondie. Just quit it already. I have my reasons for assigning you to the reserve spot. You will not question it." Laxus growled as he began to walk over to his office.
"If I'm not strong enough then why don't you just kick me out?" My words hung in the still, silent air that took control of the guild hall.
Laxus turned around and looked me in the eye. His face was livid, but his eyes just looked like I had slapped him across the face. "Lucy…" He spoke my name softly. "Fight me."
All the guild members' jaws dropped. "What?!"
"Laxus… I'm not going to fight you. I can't fight you. You know that."
The guild was clinging onto every word they said.
"I know that, but you're a Fairy Tail wizard as am I and Fairy Tail wizards don't back down from a challenge."
"Natsu…" I breathed, remembering all the times I'd seen Natsu challenge all these mages. The memories hit me like a ton of bricks as tears welled up in my eyes. "You got your fight, Laxus, but don't blame me when you get hurt."
"As if, Blondie." He smirked at me, but for a split second I could swear I saw that smile again.
We moved out to the training yard where the guild filed into the bleachers. Taking our stances, we stared each other down as Gajeel counted down.
"Ready. Set. Fight!" I could hear the excitement in his voice. As Laxus shot a bolt of lightning where I was standing.
Smiling, I pulled four keys off my key ring and held them in front of me. "Open! Gates of the Giant Crab, Golden Bull, Twins, Lion! Cancer! Taurus! Gemini! Loke!"
"Alright, Princess, let's take him down!" Loke smiled.
"Who shall we-" Gemi started.
"Turn into?" Mini finished.
"Natsu, please?" I asked like the good little Celestial Mage I am.
"Shall I give him a haircut- ebi?"
"Moo! Time to protect Lucy's hot body!" Taurus yelled as his battle cry. He and Cancer launched themselves into battle as Gemini transformed into Natsu. Going back to back with Natsu as Loke joined Cancer and Taurus, I studied my surroundings. Laxus was currently dodging all of Taurus's attacks with ease. Cancer was hit with a bolt of lightning and was sent back to the Spirit World with Taurus not too far behind. With two of my beloved spirits down, I felt anger seep into y being. "Gemini, Occupy his attention. Me and Loke will come up with a plan of action. Just please hold him off. My magic can't support Natsu's for very long."
The twins in Natsu's form nodded as they engaged Laxus in a battle of dragons, just like they had a year ago, except this time we would win. Catching up with Loke, who was taking a breather, I explained to him how we were going to do this. Loke and I were going to fight with our eyes closed, much like when we had fought Bixlow a year ago. Feeling that Gemini had returned to the Spirit World, Loke began to charge up his Regulus Impact as I readied myself to hit Laxus with my whip. I knew this attack would completely drain me of my magic, but it would weaken Laxus a lot.
Releasing his spell, I heard his cry of, "NOW, LUCY!" and slashed out my whip. Opening my eyes, I see a large cut from his right shoulder to his left hip. He was panting ever so slightly, trying to keep his cool and look strong but he simply couldn't hold it much longer. Starting to wobble in his place, he took the few strides in took to get over to me.
Patting my head, he gave me that smile again and I felt my heart flutter. "You did well, Lucy, but you're still on reserve."
A tick mark appeared on my forehead and gave him the finest "Lucy Kick" I have ever produced. "What the hell do you mean I'm still on reserve?! I just kicked your ass, literally!"
The guild members in the bleachers looked at where Laxus landed as he pulled himself up. "What the hell was that for, Lucy?!"
"She kicked the Master a clean fifty feet!" One member said.
"Man, do I not wanna piss her off." Another commented.
"LAXUS-SAMA!" This one should be obvious.
Noticing all the racket that was going on, Laxus stood up and stormed over to me. He glared at me before his features went tense and he pushed me to the ground, taking the hit from the empty barrel of wine that was flung form the bleachers. The splintered wood had cut into the flesh on his forehead, creating a gushing red line of blood to seep down his face. The crowd went silent.
"Laxus! You're bleeding!" I yelled.
"I'm fine." He responded as he sat down on the ground.
The training yard went eerily silent except for my yelling and using up the magic I was just starting to gain back to summon Virgo for a first-aid kit. After she went back to the Spirit World, I got to work on his wound. Carefully wiping away the blood, I looked into his eyes.
"I'm sorry." I whispered, so only he could hear me.
"It's fine." Laxus paused. "If you really want to fight… I can move Scott to reserve."
I shook my head and began to place the bandages around his head. "If you think I belong on reserve, then I'll stay on reserve. Master knows best right? I was out of line. I just thought it was a slap in the face that's all. I've tried so hard to become strong, but I'm still not strong enough."
"You were always strong. You just didn't see it like I did." He ruffled my hair. "Now as much as I love having you in my lap, could you get up? I have paperwork to do, and you have some bar tending to do as well."
I quickly stood up and scowled at him. "You sure like ruining touching moments don't you? And if you weren't hurt, I'd 'Lucy Kick' you into next week instead of fifty feet, got it?"
"Letter for Master Laxus. Letter for Master Laxus!" There was a little bird that fluttered into the training yard and dropped a letter into Laxus's waiting hand. Opening it up, he read the contents and groaned.
"You're in charge. I want the guild intact when I get back." I sighed and nodded as I followed him back inside. He went upstairs and pulled out the spare suitcase filled with three days of clothes he keeps in his office. "There's an emergency Guild Master's Meeting in Clover. Something's happening and by the way that letter was written, it looks like it could affect us."
"Then I'm coming with you." He stopped shuffling through papers and glared at me. "Don't you dare say a word about this. I'm coming. Gajeel can watch over the guild."
"I don't trust him with the guild!" He yelled, letting his anger get the best of him. "He destroyed this guild once. He'll do it again, damn it!"
I balled my fists tightly. "You still hate him for that?! How can you?! I was the one that was beaten by his hand and I've long since forgiven him. And what's worse is that you are holding a grudge over a destroyed building. I figured at least you'd be happy that you could start you're reign as Master with a new building, but no. You have to hold a damn grudge. Grow up, Laxus. You always look at the bad in things, why can't you see the good too?!"
Laxus resumed his paper shuffling. "Go pack your stuff, Lucy. We leave in ten."
I moved next to him and kissed his cheek, then hugged him tightly. "Loosen up, you'll kill yourself if you keep acting like this." I whispered into his back.
"I know." He said softly.
I gave him another squeeze before leaving his office and going to my room. I packed three days worth of clothes before going to meet up in Laxus's office. He didn't look up when I entered, so I plopped myself down on one of his couches and relaxed my already sore muscles. After a few minutes, Laxus sat next to me and a moved so my head was on his chest, right over his heart. I listened to the beating of his heart until he broke the silence.
"I don't want to go, Lucy. I just want to leave, to run away with you. This job is stressful and I'm beginning to wonder how the old man did it."
"Master was one of a kind."
Silence.
"Lucy, what do you say to being my girlfriend?"
"I say, we are mates, right? So is that question really necessary?" I giggled.
"You're weird you know that?"
"So I'm told, Laxus."
We stood and grabbed our bags. Leaving Gajeel and Freed in charge, we left the guild hall and bound the train for Clover Town, unknowing to the hell that was waiting for us.
How was chapter 2? Do you like it so far? A few of you were wondering what happened to Evergreen. So here's the answer. She left of her own accord. The reason as to why becomes a little more apparent in either the next chapter or #4. Anyway, let me know waht you think.
I really love you guys and the support you've given me. You all are brilliant people and I love each and every one of your beautiful selves.
-Jay