Disclaimer: I don't have Fairy Tail. If I had, some character would have my name.
Chapter 9: Preparations.
The next morning, Natsu felt the sun invade the room through the curtain and felt a weight on his chest. It was warm and comfortable. 'Lucy.'
He smiled to himself remembering the last two days. She came back, he confessed, she moved in with him and accepted to be his. 'I'm the luckiest guy in the world.'
Lucy felt something move beneath her that made her open the eyes. "Good morning, Natsu." She smiled at her dragon.
"Morning, Luce." He replied with a lazy smile.
"We need to get up and go to the guild." She said.
"Or we can stay here." He said, pulling her closer.
Lucy laughed. "Come on, you lazy dragon. We have to know what the Master announced yesterday and get a mission." She let go of him and ran into the bathroom, locking the door.
Natsu covered the head with the blanket and closed the eyes. 'Five more minutes.'
They arrived in the guild holding hands, walking up to where their team was. Erza and Jellal were sitting next to each other. Gray was facing them with Juvia sitting next to him drooling over him. Wendy, Charle and Happy were laughing at some slapstick that Happy did.
"Hey, guys." Lucy said cheerfully.
Gathering greetings and smiles from everyone, they joined their friends.
"You two sure disappeared yesterday." Gray said in an amused tone.
"Juvia wanted to disappear with Gray-sama." Juvia said with love and got lost in some fantasy.
Erza shook the head, noting the madness of her nakama. "You missed the master's announcement. What could be so important?" She said in a somber tone.
Trying to hide the fear climbing up the spine, Natsu tried to explain. "You see, Lucy and I were busy doing the..."
"Sucking each other's faces." Happy interrupted him.
Lucy blushed and shouted. "Shut up, cat! It's nothing like that... We were moving my things to Natsu's house." She explained, keeping a murderous look towards Happy if he decided to say something else unnecessary.
"Wow, somebody got some." Cana yelled from the bar, making Erza spit the strawberry cake at Gray.
"That's not it!" Lucy screamed.
Natsu saw her embarrassment. "I asked her to move, since soon we'll be mated, she wants to be married, we'll be married and mated..."
"Everyone understood, Natsu." Lucy covered his mouth with her hand.
Mira noticed the ring in her hand. "Oh, my God! He gave you a ring."
Natsu smiled proudly as the girls shouted their congratulations to Lucy.
Erza looked at him. "Where did you get this Natsu?"
Lucy glanced at him with curiosity. He took her hand and kissed the ring. "When I was in training, Happy and I climbed a mountain where there was a volcano, at the top of the mountain I found this stone. It was perfect, I took it to give it to Lucy. The yellow looks like starlight that looks like its magic and red looks like fire, representing my magic. "
"So Natsu kept it and completely forgot about the stone." Happy said and laughed at his friend's misfortune.
"Thank you Happy." He said angrily. This one looked at Lucy. "But then when you left and I followed you to Sabertooth. Yukino and Minerva made me see what I had to do. I remembered the stone. I did some missions and I got enough money to put it in that gold ring." He gave her a bright smile.
Lucy smiled and hugged him tightly. "That's so sweet."
"Yes, so romantic." Levy said with a sigh, earning a grunt from an irritated Gajeel.
"This is a manly thing." Elfman shouted
"So thoughtful of you, Natsu." Erza said, gaining a glint from Jellal.
"Oh, you're so lucky, Lucy-san." Juvia said leaving Gray irritated.
"I know." Lucy sighed.
Natsu smiled presumptuously at the other angry faces.
"Who would have thought Natsu could be so sweet, eh?" Cana said pushing his shoulder.
"Yes, who would?" Lisanna said smiling.
"Luce deserves the world." He smiled at her, earning a peck on his lips for the statement.
A flash of light came up bringing Loke into the conversation. "So you finally got the guts and asked her to be your mate?" He said with a smile. Loke loved Lucy, and even though he wanted a chance, he knew he would never have her and was glad it was Natsu. He knew that Natsu would take care of her and being a dragon slayer would never betray, after he branded her.
"You keep talking about mate, like it's different from normal boyfriends?" Mira asked.
"Because it's different, Mira. Dragons mate to life, they bond with a mate, sharing their magic." Levy said.
"But I want us to get married first. I know Lucy is kind of romantic, even if she denies it." Natsu said and gained a slap on the shoulder. "Ouch, Luce." He pouted.
"It just keeps getting smoother." Wendy said and the other girls agreed.
"Because you only mated with Levy and didn't marry, Gajeel?" Lily said, taking another grunt from Black Steel.
"I could give her an even better ring." Gajeel said angrily.
"I doubt it, metal head." Natsu replied.
"I can do much better than both of you." Gray said, making Juvia faint.
"I'll be much more of a man, making a ring, myself." Elfman said.
And then the fight broke loose. Even Jellal joined. Then Cobra entered the guild and got involved, pulling Laxus with him.
The girls sat together at the table, completely ignoring all of them.
"So, Erza, what was the master's announcement?" Lucy asked as she ate a chocolate cake with strawberries.
"He announced that we'll participate in the Magic Games this year, but he'll announce the participants today, because yesterday there were missing members in the guild." She said in a dark tone and Lucy swallowed the cake with difficulty.
"He also said that we'll have S-class exams one week after the games." Levy said trying to ease the tension.
A few minutes later the master caught everyone's attention. "Silence, little brats." He shouted, ceasing the quarrels and conversations in the hall. "I'm going to announce the participants of this year's Magic Games. The king was so excited that we'll to participate, that he asked us to have two teams again." The master declared with a dreamy face. When Mira cleared the throat to get attention, he stuttered. "Oh... So, Team A: Wendy, Lucy, Gray, Natsu and Juvia."
He waited for the information to be processed and proceeded. "Team B: Laxus, Freed, Jellal, Erza and Gajeel."
"You'll have a month to train, everyone else is ready, you can replace your nakamas, if anything happens, we hope nothing happens this time. Good luck and bring the money... I mean, the victory to home."
Everyone applauded and celebrated with the expectation of another victory.
Torture! Cruel and bloodthirsty torture. Being trained by Erza was just that.
"Blueberry, do something." Laxus whispered to Jellal as they flexed under the sun on Akane Beach.
"Please, do something and get us out of this hell." Lucy whispered on the other side.
"If I say something, she'll kill me." Jellal said in despair. "She takes training very seriously."
Lucy narrowed the eyes at him, willing to resort to threats to get out of that misery."I'm going to make Erick poison you, slowly. He knows poisons that can't be detected at the autopsy." Lucy threatened.
He swallowed. "Don't do that. I had to give my food to the squirrels before eating, every time I irritated he when we were together in Crime Sorcerer." He shuddered in the memory.
"Who told you about food. He could poison your toothpaste or other things." She said with an evil smile.
Laxus laughed out loud, catching Erza's attention. "What's the fun in that row?" She hissed toward them three.
Lucy looked at Jellal who understood the threat. "Erza, my dear, come here." He said getting up and placing an arm around her waist, pulling her into the Resort's hotel.
Everyone fell from exhaustion and sighed with relief.
"How do you convince Jellal?" Natsu asked, looking at Laxus and Lucy.
"Your girl is smart, Scorched." Laxus laughed.
Natsu pulled Lucy into his lap and sat on the sand. "She's amazing, isn't she?!"
"Okay, love birds, let's get away from here before the psychotic redhead comes back." Gajeel said getting up and leaving. They all followed.
The training was intense. Fifteen days passed quickly, and everyone became stronger and managed to make efficient combined attacks. So, they decided to go home and train on their own to escape Erza's torture. Leaving only the poor Jellal behind.
Natsu, Lucy and Happy were exhausted from the trip. They came back to Magnolia before the others because Lucy took a shortcut through the spiritual world.
"Nothing better than being at home." Lucy said with joy.
"The journey through the spiritual gates was incredible, Luce." Natsu yelled with a satisfied smile as he tossed it on the couch beside her.
"You say that because you don't have to catch a train." She laughed. "We can't do this every time, you two aren't celestial wizards, it's against the rules." She said pointing at both friends.
"Alright Lushy." Happy said lying on her lap.
"The best part is that Virgo made the lunch." Natsu said taking the food from the bags Virgo left behind.
After a few minutes of silence Lucy said with a little shyness. "Let's train together, Natsu? I want you to meet my new friends. You'll be surprised." She smiled at him knowing that he was probably going to freak out with what was to come.
"I was going to ask you why you didn't call them yet." He asked really curious why she had not summoned any of the new spirits during the training in Akane.
"I want to surprise everyone, I think." She tucked a lock of hair behind the ear and did not lose the affectionate way he looked at her.
He stroked her cheek. "Let's eat and you introduce me to them." He was curious to know what would surprise him but the hunger spoke louder than curiosity.
After the meal, they walked to the back of the house that led to a forest on the edge of Magnolia and once again Lucy thought about how they could take advantage of that space to expand the house. She ran the hand through the keys and in a whisper summoned Scutum and Lupus. Natsu and Happy met them, but Happy kept a distance he considered safe from the giant wolf that appeared before him. Lucy made a mental note to threaten him with Lupus whenever he stormed her about the weight.
With a little more anticipation she announced, after sending Lupus and Scutum back."I want you to meet my friend, Draco." She summoned him and in a moment an enormous white dragon appeared in the forest clearing.
Natsu widened his eyes. "He is... He is a... Is he really a dragon?" He stammered, almost breathless as he took a few uncertain steps toward the huge creature that appeared before them.
Draco assumed the human form before Natsu could touch him. "Yes, I'm a dragon." He said with a little smile.
"Can you fly?" Natsu asked expectantly and a face that looked like a child.
Draco laughed at his enthusiasm. "Yes."
"Luce, did you fly on him without me?" He pouted.
"No Natsu, I wanted to do this with you." She said with a smile.
They climbed into Draco in the dragon form and flew over the forest, avoiding being seen in the city. Natsu screamed like a child, as Lucy clutched at his waist as if her life depended on it. Happy flew above them smiling to the joy of their best friend.
"I haven't done this since I was a child. Flying with Igneel was incredible, the best thing of all." He shouted through the wind.
"I'm glad you're happy, love." Lucy said into his ear, kissing his neck. She knew how much this meant to him and was glad to be responsible for him having some connection with Igneel after he had lost him.
They disembarked after some time and Draco returned to human form, smiling. "It was a pleasure to serve you, Princess."
"He calls you that, too, eh?" Natsu smiled amusingly at Lucy.
"Blame Loke. You can rest now, Draco, thanks for the ride."
"Whenever you need, princess." He looked at Natsu with a genuine smile on face. "It was nice meeting you, new friend." Before Natsu could respond, he disappeared.
Lucy turned to Natsu. "I have another friend to introduce. Please don't kill him." Lucy put a key in the lake and called. "Cetus".
The spirit of the mermaid appeared in human form, taking Lucy's hand and giving a kiss. "My queen."
Natsu understood why she asked not to kill him. "Great, another Loke." He said pulling Lucy into his arms.
"Oh, did I interrupt something, my queen?" Cetus said with a wicked grin.
"Queen?" Natsu grumbled.
"Cetus, this is Natsu, my fiancé." Lucy tried to appease her dragon's anger.
Natsu smiled at the title and kissed her forehead.
"Oh, I have no pleasure in meeting you, Natiru." Cetus scoffed.
"I say the same, Cefus." Natsu returns, narrowing the eyes to him.
"So mature..." Lucy tapped the forehead while Happy laughed wildly.
Fifteen days flew by. Everyone at Fairy Tail left for the Crocus for the Grand Games. Participants settled in the inn where the rest of the guild was also. This time both teams were prepared for the elimination event that took place during the night.
Master Makarov was radiant when he discovered that the famous guilds were registered only to compete against them.
At midnight an alarm sounded throughout the city alerting competitors to the start of the elimination event. The little man wearing a pumpkin head appeared on a screen in the center of a giant arena and suddenly each participant had a colored flag in hands. "Hello everyone, this elimination event is called 'steal the flag', the goal is to get to the center of the arena, but to secure a place in the competition you need to have your flag in hand, be careful not to lose or you will be eliminate. Good luck!"
As the groups fell into the arena, the ground began to move, turning the arena into an uneven labyrinth.
"Of course, it wouldn't be easy." Gray shouted indignantly.
"If you're be attacked, don't steal the flags, destroy, so that the adversaries can't recover them." Lucy warned.
"What have you done to my Luce?" Natsu smirked at her ferocity.
"I ate her in breakfast." She responded by making the others laugh.
They ran through the arena, leaping up the high walls of the labyrinth, burning, tearing and destroying all the flags they found along the way to the center of the arena.
When they were almost in the center. Natsu pulled Wendy and Lucy up, while Gray helped Juvia. They only stopped running when they reached the center of the arena, panting and worn, but with flags in hand.
"Congratulations, you were the first." The head of the pumpkin announced.
"Really?" Wendy cried out in disbelief.
"Have more confidence in us, little one." Natsu ruffled her hair and she laughed with joy and satisfaction.
At the end of the event, the advertiser declared the winners of that stage.
"The winners and contenders for this year's Grand Magic Games are: 1° Fairy Tail - Team A, 2° Blue Pegasus, 3° Fairy Tail - Team B, 4° Sabertooth, 5° Lamia Scale, 6° Twillight Ogre and 7° Mermaid Heel. Good luck and win the best!"
The next morning everyone woke up and prepared for the first day of the games where they would be officially presented to the whole country.
While they waited for the announcement the anxiety took care of them. "Who chose our clothes?" Natsu did not ask anyone in particular how he adjusted the tight vest.
"I think it was Mira." Lucy answered absently. "I liked the color, it makes us look more intimidating." She added as she smoothed down the short black dress that clung to her curves. Wendy and Juvia wore a replica of her dress, but with long sleeves. Natsu wore black pants and a sleeveless vest of the same color and Gray had only black pants and a shirt that would soon disappear, everyone knew. All the clothes had the symbol of the Fairy Tail in red.
After hours of waiting, the presenter started calling all teams according to the qualification of the event the night before.
Natsu took Lucy's hand in hers. Juvia grabbed Gray's hand and Wendy walked in front of the two couples.
The entire stadium roared and screamed as Fairy Tail team A entered the stadium.
"A good change compared to the last time." Gray said sarcastically and the others agreed.
"Let's show them what Fairy Tail is made of." Natsu said, smiling.
When all other teams were announced and applauded. No one was booed this time. The Teams was settled in designated places.
The presenter with the pumpkin head rushed to the center of the Arena, having received the names of participants from the first test he shouted. "Representing: Fairy Tail - Time A: Juvia Lockser, Pégaso Azul: Jenny Realight, Fairy Tail - Time B: Freed Justine, Sabertooh: Rufus Lore, Lamia Scale: Yuka Suzuki, Twillight Ogre: Marcos Rove and Meirmaid Heel: Millianna."
All participants jumped into the stadium and found that the first test consisted of an obstacle course. The obstacles were weapons that spewed magical blasts, holes in the path, which they would only discover when it was too late to divert and a handful of other annoying things.
When the horn announced the beginning of the race, Juvia sent a torrent of water throwing the opponents back, gaining an advantage. She was determined to make Gray proud of her.
Freed rose quickly and created runes preventing all others from advancing as he ran toward the finish line with every class he possessed, when he found Juvia in the middle of the road he also arrested her. "Sorry miss Juvia, but it's a game." He smiled and run without looking back, easily winning the first place.
Juvia recalled the lesson she had about runes with Lucy and Levy, managing to escape faster than the others, securing second place.
Rufus was the first non-Fairy Tail member to find a break in the rune, coming in third.
Millianna, Yuki, Jenny and Marco failed to break the runes and won their positions due to distance from the finish line when the race time was over.
After the first test, the presenter with the pumpkin head appeared announcing to the winners and soon after the participants of the first battle. Leaving Lucy with a smile on face and a determined look.
