Chapter Title: Of Capture/Kidnap the Flag/Ball, Morals, and Shipping
"For this first game you will not fight alone! Everyone draw these sticks here." Zeref requiped a cup, reading some list in his hands as he went. Everyone drew a stick. "Alright, who has a one!"
Kagura and Sting came forward. "Who has a two?" this time Eve and one of the new guilds. "Who has three?" Lyon and another one of the new members came forward. Zeref sighed as he stared at Wendy she could see the black wizard felt sorry for her. She was left with Warcry. "Each of you who have the same numbers are a team. Wendy, I'm afraid, you must fight alone."
"What about me!" Warcry cried.
"Alone…" Zeref said again.
"But that puts us at a disadvantage!" Natsu called from the balcony, looking ready to go down there and fight himself. Zeref shrugged.
"Unfortunately, this is what the rules say."
"But… I'm here." Warcry said with a groan.
"I'll try my best." Wendy said determinedly. Zeref nodded.
"Alright then, this game is called…" Zeref squinted at the sheet, moving his eyes over it. "But… it's, capture the flag." He muttered.
"Uh… Sir-Cries-a-Lot?" Sting asked with a raised eyebrow.
"They're calling it kidnap the ball, but it's capture the flag!" he gripped the tiny paper angrily.
"I think he's mad." Lucy whispered.
"Ya think?" Natsu said with a sigh. "It's alright he'll calm down after he rages for a moment."
Lightning struck the battlefield and everyone jumped. "It's capture the flag!" he cried again, his shoulders shaking in rage.
Wendy backed up a bit with the rest of the teams. Clouds loomed over head for just a moment and then it all disappeared, like it was never there to begin with. "Alright punkin, this game is called kidnap the ball!" he shouted. "The rules are…" he started explaining like he hadn't nearly killed a few people with lightning a minute ago. "Everyone has been paired into teams. Your goal is to protect your ball while capturing everyone else's as well. The last team standing with all four balls is the winner! Any questions?"
"We are allowed to use magic, aren't we?" Wendy asked timidly.
"Yes." Zeref said. "Any other questions?"
"Can we jump down from the side lines and help because all of you are cheaters making someone be alone while the rest are in teams?"
"But… I'm here." Warcry said.
"No." Zeref said to Natsu. "Does anyone have a question that perhaps isn't stupid?"
No one asked a question and just stared at him. "Very good." Zeref said. Now, I will give each of you a color. This is the color of your ball. First, you will have to find your ball, and then, you can steal others balls."
"So the first part is a race." Kagura stated.
"Yes, you're very right punkin." Zeref said cheerfully. "Your goal is to find the ball so you can steal everyone else's. And if that person hasn't even found their ball, that's too bad. Your cards, with your ball colors will x out if your ball is captured and you will come back to the arena. The setting for this will take place in a simulation of town. Very clever isn't it. Now, is everyone ready?"
"Yes!"
"Line up then." They all stood side by side, lined up. "Alright, on your marks, get set…" Zeref paused. "Goat!" the crowd groaned and the wizards slumped back. "Go!"
As a result, it took the contestants more time to gain their bearings before running off into town. "My color is blue." Wendy muttered as she stared at her flag color. "Alright." She took off and immediately tripped over a rock. "Why is it always me?" she muttered, sighing, getting up. Then, she kept running.
Meanwhile, the Fairytail team was keeping a close eye on the screen, hoping Wendy would be okay, even if she was alone. "So," Gray said. "Things are getting serious now."
"Yep, from now on this story is going to be completely serious and the audience will never laugh again." Natsu declared, glanced at Gray who stared seriously back, and then burst out laughing. "Nah, we've got a theme going here! A comedy theme!"
"I thought theme in a story was supposed to be like… family is important, or whatever." Gray said.
"That's the moral. All stories have a moral." Natsu said.
Well… what's the moral of this story?" Lucy asked. Everyone froze.
"Um…" Natsu trailed off."
"Well…" Erza didn't fare much better.
"Uh…" Gray failed the worst.
"I've got it." Natsu said, a light bulb on top of his head.
"Seriously, how do you guys do all this supernatural stuff?" Lucy asked with an exasperated sigh.
Natsu didn't answer and raised his fist toward Gray who was already moving to defend himself. Then, Natsu promptly punched himself. "What the…" Lucy trailed off, staring at the pink-haired boy.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.
"What did you that for you idiot!"
"I'm giving this story a moral." Natsu said, standing up as he had knocked himself to the ground. "And now we can teach the kids something." Natsu turned around and stared off into nothingness and he said, "The moral of this story is, don't be stupid, it hurts!" he said.
"Morals aren't supposed to come in until the END of the story." Lucy said.
"Well you should've said that to begin with." Natsu pouted and complained. Lucy rolled her eyes.
"If you'd listen for a moment in your God forsaken life." Lucy muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing…"
"Now, you've officially broken the fourth wall." Gray sighed.
"I broke the fourth wall from the start, remember." Natsu said. They all stared at him. "You know, that speech I'd always do. 'Hey guys, ready for some more Fairy Tail. Just make sure that when you're watching, you turn the lights on in the room. And don't sit too close to the TV!' right?" Natsu said.
"Oh yeah, I do remember that." Lucy said. "You stopped doing it like, halfway through the season."
"Yeah, I guess the developers got annoyed with me." Natsu said with a shrug.
"Or they just forgot." Gray muttered.
"Whatever the reason… it doesn't matter." Lucy said. "The point is you can't go around breaking the fourth wall."
"Sure I can. Reader! Yeah, you, reader! How much do you guys hate Gray?" Natsu paused. "Yeah, I know, he's a jerk and an idiot." Natsu said. Another pause. "Aw, you hate him too? How sweet."
"I don't hear anything flame brain."
"Most of them probably think Gray's hot." Lucy conceded. Natsu looked hurt.
"Lucy! How could you say that!"
"It's just a fact. You can't really know what they're saying or thinking. I bet most of them actually like Gray."
"Most of them?" Gray asked.
"Ha! Only most of them! Because unlike me, whose got everyone on my side, you've only got most of them!"
"Actually, I've seen the lists. Gray's usually higher than you on the 'cutest guy in Fairy Tail' list."
Natsu's mouth dropped open. "Hah!" Gray cheered. "I'm the hottest guy in this guild!"
"Yeah…" Lucy muttered. "Girls apparently like half-naked guys… can't say I mind it some times myself." The last part was muttered.
"Lucy! I'm ALMOST half-naked!" Natsu whined. "I mean, all I've got was the vest and it shows off my abs!"
"Uh… yeah, that was true for like, the first few seasons, but then you went and changed your style, and now all we get is a view of your bicep." Lucy said flatly.
"Meanwhile I'm still here, stripping away." Gray said snarkily. Natsu pouted and kept complaining to Lucy.
Wendy, meanwhile, was actually doing productive things with her life, and was focusing on winning the battle for her team. She was hoping no one had found her ball yet. Wendy couldn't see anything over the tall buildings so her first instinct was to climb up on one, however, she knew that would end in disaster because the town was an illusion. Then she saw it, in the air, a blue ball hovering just above the ground. Wendy took a deep breath and touched it. She wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to do after finding the orb, so she figured if she touched it, then it would register. It did and gave her a few more instructions, such as to keep the ball safe, and to hold on to it, to carry it around with her, as she stole other balls from other players.
Wendy bit her lip and took the ball, resolving to help her team, no matter what. So, with her ball in hand she turned, and walked away to search for other players. She knew she was at a real disadvantage since she only had her, and the other teams all had some super strong people. How was she supposed to compete against people like Kagura, Sting, and Lyon? Plus, the other, new people. She wasn't even sure how strong they were, but if they made it to the GMG they must've been at least formidable.
As Wendy was walking she heard voices in another direction, loud voices, almost like arguing. She frowned and followed the voice, wondering why the team was arguing. "We're going this way?" Warcry asked. Wendy jumped. She'd forgotten that Warcry was there.
"Oh, yes." She said. "I hear arguing this way."
"I don't hear anything…"
"Trust me, it's there." Wendy said. She started walking toward the noise and finally came across Eve and the new member of his team, who were arguing about how best to proceed now that they'd found their flag. "We can ambush them." Wendy whispered, glancing at her partner who only nodded.
"Ready?" she asked. "Then let's go!"
"I didn't even…" but Wendy was already moving quickly towards Eve and that new member. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" she cried. Eve and the member were blasted backward.
Eve, who had the ball in hand, dropped it when he hit the ground, rolling a few feet away from it. "Grab it!" Wendy cried. Warcry lunged for it, but Eve, blasted him back with a snow blizzard, which surrounded the two.
Wendy cringed as the snow bit at her body. "Ah!" Wendy let out a cry. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" she let the air fly around her, blowing the blizzard away.
"Hey, look at Wendy." Erza said, cutting the argument the other three were having, off. They turned to watch the screen and did indeed watch it for about five minutes, until Eve got blasted away and Gray made a crack about how Eve wasn't a real man.
"Elfman's gonna kill you for using his catchphrase." Lucy chastised. Gray shrugged.
"If you say so." He said.
"I do." Lucy said and Gray shrugged.
Wendy and Warcry were able to distract Eve and that girl long enough to grab their ball and make them the first out of the game.
As time went on, everyone started meeting and Wendy and Warcry did really well, especially with such strong opponents, but in the end, their ball was taken by Kagura and her and Sting won the game, despite their constant one-sided argument.
"I don't get why Sting is arguing with her." Lucy said amusedly. "Wouldn't it just be easier if he followed her orders?"
"Sting's not an easy guy." Natsu said with a shrug. "He's not the 'follow orders' type."
"For once I agree with you flame brain."
"At least I'm not an ice princess." Natsu scoffed. Gray glared at him and they started arguing.
After the points were awarded, everyone started back to their balconies. "I'm sorry guys, I wish I could've done better." Wendy said softly.
"It's okay, you were up against some really tough guys." Lucy reassured her.
"I would've kicked them to the curb!" Natsu pumped his fist in the air and Lucy scowled at him.
"At least we've got info on the new guilds."
"Yeah, but we don't really know their names. I mean, they from the guilds Shelby, and Poope. Poope kind of sounds like French. Like it's spelled with an e but it sounds like a."
"If only they'd change it to sound like a y and then it'd say poopy."
Lucy knocked Natsu on the head. "Only you would come up with something so childish." Gray said, shaking his head.
"You know you were all thinking it!" Natsu shouted, rubbing his head.
"We can do some research tonight on the guilds." Erza said. "I'm sure we can find out the members names, or just hear them when the get announced for the one on one fights."
"I like the idea of researching." Lucy offered. "That way, we can get the info before anyone else does, if we search enough."
"That's a good idea." Wendy said, smiling.
So, after the GMG day 1 was over they all went started walking back to the dorms. On the way they met Mavis. Natsu wished he could say that was the strangest thing they'd seen on the way, but it wasn't. Before meeting Mavis they had first met Lyon, who was standing on his head because apparently he liked the rush to his head. Then Ichiya, who was testing his parfume and the combinations made a very unpleasant odor. Then, into Lector and Frosch who were arguing about whether Sting or Rogue was better and finally, the two said mages making out in broad daylight.
"More yaoi!" Lucy cheered.
"Can we just go?" Natsu complained, pushing Lucy along while the two boys pulled back, their faces aflame.
"It's not what it looks like!" Rogue cried as they walked away.
"What do you mean? It's exactly what it looks like!" Sting cried. "Are you EMBARRASED of us?"
"Well, no, I just…"
"God help him." Gray murmured, saying a silent prayer for Rogue's soul as screams and shouts soon erupted from the blonde male.
Finally, they made it to Mavis, knowing a bit too much about their opponent's personal life. "Hey guys, I was watching the games." Mavis said. "Wendy you were so great out there." Wendy blushed.
"Thanks." She murmured, slightly embarrassed by the praise.
"And Zeref was so adorable out there." Mavis gushed. "Everything about these games is just… is just perfect!" she cried.
"On the subject of the games, first, did you notice anything about our new opponents?"
"Yes, actually. I happen to know of their guilds. They have been rising in the ranks. Not as popular as the most powerful guilds in Fiore, but getting there. I assume you already know the guild names, so first I will speak the names of their members. The guild Shelby is probably the stronger of the two. I doubt they will pose much of a problem, but you should watch out just in case. This team is composed of five members that include, Narcissa, Roldo, Tanaka, Hala, and Tika." Mavis said. "Narcissa is female with a knack for growing things, or in other words plant magic. Roldo is male with never-ending food magic."
"Never-ending food? I want to be his friend!" Natsu shouted.
"I guess that's nice magic… for when someone's starving." Lucy muttered. Mavis just giggled lightly.
"Tanaka is male with animal magic. He can speak with all animals, and use them to aid him in battle. Hala is female and has sound magic, she can split your eardrums in half."
Natsu held his ears protectively. "And lastly for guild Shelby is Tika. She has color magic which can blind you, encase you in darkness or any color of her choosing as well as blind you with whatever she sees fit."
"That'd be annoying." Natsu said, frowning. Mavis nodded.
"And dangerous too. As for the guild Poope."
"Poopy." Natsu snickered.
"In this guild there are five members. Tropocle, Sen, Colso, Dropo, Minsa" Mavis said. "Tropocle is female with Sticky magic. She can make you stick to anything or stick anything to you. Then next Sen who is male with straw magic."
"Straw magic." Natsu burst out laughing.
"Yes, straw magic. He has some anger management issues. Think of the saying, 'the last straw', after he gets super mad and will destroy anything that gets in his way. Next, is Colso who is male, he has problem-solving magic. Give him any problem of any kind, and his magic will give him clues on how to solve one. Dropo is male also, he's blind. So, normally, when someone looses one of their senses their other senses are heightened. Dropo, however, takes this ability to an extreme and all his senses besides his sight are super-human."
"Woah…" Lucy said quietly. "These magics sound interesting."
"They are, stuff I've never seen before." Mavis said. "The last one is Minsa, who is female and she has wall magic. At any time she wants she can make a wall from seemingly nothing, and can also mess up existing walls to an extent."
"Are you sure these people aren't tough?"
"I never said they weren't tough, I said that I didn't think they were tougher than you. There is a difference."
"I suppose you are right… thank you first, this knowledge is very helpful. Erza said gratefully. Mavis smiled,
"I'm very pleased I could help."
Just then, from around the corner, Zeref appeared, his pumpkin hat in his hand, hair plastered to his face, as well as a look of utter exhaustion. "I have a new respect for mascots. This helmet is stuffy and I must've sweated buckets out there. Also, how can someone be so dang happy all the time? It's utterly exhausting!"
"Aw, you poor thing." Mavis said with mock sympathy, though Zeref didn't seem to pick up on this and only nodded.
"Also, is there a reason why Sting and Rogue are screaming at each other? Or rather, why Sting is screaming at Rogue while Rogue looks at him, annoyed? Sounds like me and Natsu, honestly. And just so we're clear, I'd be Rogue in that scenario."
Lucy tilted her head. "Uh, you don't happen to know what they're arguing about, do you?"
"No."
"Well, me, Gray, Natsu, and Erza caught them kissing in the hall and Rogue said it wasn't what it looked like and then Sting got mad because he thought Rogue thought their relationship was embarrassing."
Happy snickered. "You just compared yourself and Natsu to an established romantic relationship."
"Oh…" Zeref looked embarrassed at the misconception. "Oops. Ha ha…"
"Ha, my Naref dreams could still come true yet!"
"Gratsu!" Mavis shouted.
"It's Zeray!" Lucy said
"Shut up all of you and stop prattling on about such nonsense!" Erza shouted. They all stopped and glanced at her. She paused and then continued, "Especially when it's so obviously GraNatZer." She said.
"I keep telling you, Gray's right there!" Natsu whined.
"It's a ship name ya ding dong!" Lucy shouted. "Gra-Nat-Zer!"
"What! But me and Zeref are brothers and Gray's an ice queen!"
"Don't care." The girls chorused.
Their argument was cut off by a loving, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"And I didn't mean to make you think I was embarrassed of our relationship when I'm not."
"Oh God, it's happening!" Lucy squealed. "A yaoi couple, finally!"
"We're out of here." Gray, Natsu, and Zeref said at the same time and walked off. The girls paused, staring after them and then Lucy giggled,
"They're probably going off to make out."
"ARG!"
A/N So it's a shorter chapter, but I wanted to update and was running out of ideas for this one. I own both of the original guilds, I own all the names, and I'm pretty sure I own most of their magical abilities. Regardless, I own these OC's and as for the names I spat out basically whatever came to my mind in that moment. So, I hope you enjoyed it. I'm always open to suggestions for future dealings. Oh, and I decided Stingue because it seemed cute even though I've never read about it, and I wanted them to help lead to more craziness. So, thanks for reading, I shall see yo next week. Reviews/follows/favs all appreciated and welcome! Bye!