Master Makarov felt guilty, not extremely guilty like he had killed someone, but guilty enough to feel uncomfortable. He still hadn't told four of the couples that they were well, couples… And to make matters worse, just a few moments ago he had received his second letter from the King:
Mr. Makarov,
Everyone here in Crocus is pleased to hear your guild has accepted our invitation to compete in the Grand Couples Games. Preparations have already begun, and thousands from all over Fiore are planning on attending this Event. As we mentioned in the previous letter, a train will be arriving on the 5th to take all of you to Crocus. On the train will be a Grand Couples Games' representative, who will tell you details for where you will be staying, the rules, types of events, etc. If you have any questions, you will be able to ask her. Her name is Rosalind Skye Royale. The Grand Couples Games will not take place immediately upon your arrival. Since this is an event for entertainment purposes, we are going to put the couples through some "training". Rosalind will explain.
Also, as we mentioned before, pre-game preparations have begun. Part of these preparations is to get people to come, of course. Therefore, posters of the couples are being put all over Fiore. We have enclosed samples of the posters inside this letter. We hope they fit your tastes. We await Fairy Tail's arrival!
"Oh goodness! What happens if they see these?" Makarov muttered in despair. In his hands were seven posters of the couples. All laced with chains of flowers and hearts around the edges and The Grand Couples Games printed on the top. Six of the seven posters had individual couples posing in lovey manners, while the seventh had the guild symbol amidst another heart.
"Where did they even get these photos?" Makarov wondered out loud. On poster one, Juvia was being held in Gray's arms, while wearing a wedding dress. Makarov vaguely remembered seeing that during the Mirajane's battle with Jenny in the Grand Magic Games. Were they seriously planning this ever since the Grand Magic Games, or was it just lucky that they found the picture?
Poster two was Elfman and Evergreen, Evergreen was sitting by Elfman's bed watching him while he lied injured. "What the heck?" Makarov wondered, "How could they have seen that?"
The third poster was of Jellal and Erza kissing (or at least they looked like they were kissing, the picture was not too clear) on a beach. Makarov had absolutely no idea where or when that happened.
The fourth poster was of Gajeel and Levy dancing outside the previous guild hall. They looked like they had just come back from Tenroujima. Master was baffled, to say the least.
A picture of Natsu and Lucy covered the fifth poster. They were hugging, but well, not really. It looked like Natsu was being… choked by Lucy? Makarov fell out of his chair with laughter before suddenly realizing where they were. This was on Tenrou Island, probably during Grimore Heart's attack. Makarov was shocked, how could anyone from the kingdom know about that? He himself was on the Island and didn't see this! Who made these posters? Master was about to go write a letter asking the king when he realized the sixth poster was of his grandson.
"Ah… that letter can wait! I want to see this!" he mumbled excitedly.
"What? Aw… Really? No weird picture for Laxus?" Makarov asked the poster, disappointed. The sixth poster was picture of Laxus and Mira just standing side by side. They might have been holding hands or something, but the poster only showed their upper bodies and so Makarov couldn't tell. Also, unlike the other pictures, this one didn't have a background. It was just their bodies in front of the pink, heart-laced poster paper.
"Darn it! Oh, well at least I have embarrassing pictures of all the other brats… Hm… I got to ask Erza and Jellal when that happened; it might be an interesting story…"
"MAKAROV! YOU SHOULDN'T BE FOCUSING ON HOW THE POSTERS LOOK!" Master scolded himself. That's right, because he had a problem on his hands. The letter had said these posters had been put all over Fiore. This meant that they were probably already heading towards Magnolia right this moment. Not to mention, if one of the brats went on a job to a city that already had these posters up…
"What am I going to do?" Makarov cried in despair. "You know what, let me call some brats who already know about this thing and ask them."
Makarov walked outside and spotted Mirajane at the bar, Laxus was sitting there too.
"Oi! Mira, Laxus! Come up here for a second!"
"What do you want now Ji-Ji?" Laxus yelled back.
"Come on," Mira laughed, "Just go." She grabbed his hand and dragged him to Master's office.
"Okay, I came, now what do you want old man?" Laxus asked in a bored voice.
"First, tell me what you think of this," Master said, holding up the poster with Natsu and Lucy on it.
Laxus and Mira stared for a good ten seconds before Laxus broke into hysterical laughter.
"Did you make that!? I got to show it to the fire-idiot, he'll freak out!"
Makarov glared at his grandson. "I have one of you too," Makarov said warningly, purposely leaving out a description.
"Whoa! What!? Give it to me! I'm gonna rip it to shreds!"
"Well, that wouldn't help since there are thousands of them across Fiore."
"WHAT!?" Laxus went pale.
"Yeah," Makarov grinned evilly. "Wait, but that's not the point," Makarov said shaking his head to clear his mind.
"These posters are coming to Magnolia soon, and I can't let the others see them. What do I do?"
"First, give me the poster with me and then I'll answer."
"Fine!" Makarov yelled, exasperated. He chucked the poster at Laxus, hoping it would hit him on the head, or at least give him a semi-life-threatening paper cut.
Makarov had no such luck; Laxus caught it and without even looking at it, turned it into ash. He then grinned, "I don't know."
Makarov face was emotionless as he turned his fist gigantic and smashed Laxus into the floor.
"Mira? Do you have any ideas?"
"Um… Well you could always tell them the truth…"
"But… But..." Makarov stuttered. "Any other ideas?" Makarov asked, hoping to put off the inevitable.
"Let them find out the truth from the posters and us while you flee the country?"
Makarov thought about it and decided he liked this idea more and more by the minute. He was about to go leave and pack his bags when Mirajane spoke again.
"Or, we can all go on vacation to a place away from the posters."
"Yeah! Why don't we do that?" Laxus asked, from his spot on the floor.
"Ok… That sounds doable, but where would we go? After all, these posters are all over Fiore," Makarov wondered.
"Well I've always wanted to go to a snow-peaked mountain and play… Or how about going on a jungle adventure? As long as it's away from civilization, we should be fine…"
"Oh! And we need somewhere where Natsu and Gray won't fight the whole time." Makarov added.
"Wait, why?" Laxus asked.
"Cause then I'll have to spend all the money from these Games on repair bills…"
"Oh… Well, no matter where we go they would fight so…" Mirajane stopped talking and racked her brains for a way to solve this problem. "I guess we could have Erza watch them… but then she wouldn't be able to spend any time with Jellal… Or, we could chain them with anti-magic ropes… but then they would just fist-fight or wriggle free… Grr…" Mirajane brainstormed out loud.
The room fell in to silence before Mira asked Laxus, "Do you know of a way to stop Gray and Natsu from fighting?"
"Well, incapacitate one of them and then they can't fight right?"
Mira stared at Laxus for a couple moments before an expression of enlightenment came across her face.
"That's it Laxus!" she yelled and ran over to hug him.
"Huh?" Laxus asked, utterly bewildered.
"That's how we'll get Natsu and Gray to stop fighting! We'll incapacitate Natsu! He gets sick on transportation right? Well, then let's go on a cruise trip!" Mirajane explained, overly excited. After she calmed down a bit, she added, "Oh yeah, you and Gajeel would both get sick too, right?"
Laxus thought about it for a moment, "Well, actually, I've never had motion sickness before, but either had Gajeel until the Grand Magic Games… I don't know… BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE!"
"Well, also, should we really put Natsu through that much suffering?" Makarov added.
Mira's face fell, but then brightened back up moments later. "I got it! We can get motion sickness medicine from Porlyusica, and then threaten to not give it to him if he fights! It's perfect!"
Makarov considered this proposition. Sure, there were a lot of details that needed fixing, but honestly, he didn't have another plan… "Ok! Call in the others!"
Laxus walked out of the room and yelled, "Idiots who are participating in the Grand Cou-Magic Games thing, come up here!"
Within a few moments, all six couples filed into the Makarov's office. As Jellal walked past Laxus he said with a smirk, "You know, since you are participating too, you're an idiot like the rest of us."
Laxus looked stunned for a moment before shaking it off and replying, "I know. What have I become?"
Jellal chuckled, "Are we that bad?"
Laxus walked past as if he didn't hear, but Jellal knew he did and just laughed even harder.
"Ok brats! We're going on vacation!"
I AM SO SORRY. THIS WAS A DAY LATER THAN MY PROMISED DEADLINE. SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY. I SHOULD GO DIE IN A HOLE RIGHT NOW. AND AFTER ALL YOU AWESOME PEOPLE FOLLOWED ME! THIS CHAPTER ISN'T EVEN GOOD... cries...
