Fairy High

Chapter 11

Debut Match

Months passed since the game against Cerberus High. Gajeel became more settled into Fairy High. Levy helped him with his studies. Bacchus and Cana became closer, patching up their dispute. Rival teams came and went, easily vanquished by the triumphant Fairies.

"Oi, Shorty McShorterson!" Gajeel called, striding up behind Levy in the corridor. She sighed at the nickname, trying to let it slide off of her. He placed an object in her hands. It was a small piece of laminated paper with his photo and name on it. "I got my license!"

"Gajeel, I've seen fake driving licenses before and this isn't even close! I mean, it's laminated paper, not plastic!"

"No, you dimwit, my pro license."

Levy looked up at him blankly.

"My professional boxing license," he enunciated slowly. "It means I'm now a legally registered boxer and start taking professional matches. Soon, I'll be the middleweight champion of the world!"

"Oh, wow," Levy enthused, her face lightening as understanding flared. "That's so cool! I had no idea you needed a license!"

"These fists of mine are lethal weapons. They need regulation," Gajeel replied smugly. His normally cocky smile became unusually sincere. "I have you to thank for all of this, you know. You've really turned my life around. Levy, I have something to ask you."

"What!?" Levy asked sharply, face blooming red like a tomato.

"Will you… come and watch my debut match?" He asked, pulling out a pair of tickets. "Oi Shrimp, why've you gone all red?"

===][===

"I don't know what to do, Lu-chan," Levy moped. She sat on Lucy's bed, hugging a pillow to her. Lucy placed a hand on the blunette's forehead.

"I thought you must have a temperature to be speaking crazy like that – what do you mean you don't know!? You go to the match and cheer him on, being all cute and sexy like you do!" Levy flustered a little bit at the last part, but tried to focus on the important thing.

"Boxing's so scary. It's two men trying to kill each other. I don't think I'd have any interest in it. It's not my world."

Lucy put her finger to her lips. "This seems like an easy problem to solve. You need a book on boxing."

===][===

"Did you know that when you fall down, you have ten seconds to stand up?" Levy asked, nose deep in 'The Official Boxing Guide'.

"Well yeah, that's basic-"

"And that fighters are supposed to touch gloves at the start out of respect?"

"Yeah."

"And that if you suffer bleeding, the doctor might stop the match?"

"Shrimp."

"And if you down three times in a round, it's match over?"

"Shrimp."

"And there are four rounds for a beginner, but they go up to twelve rounds for a world championship match?"

"Shrimp!"

"And that if you don't KO it comes down to a judge call?"

"Shrimp! I'm holding you upside down! How are you still not noticing me!? How am I supposed to get your attention away from a book?" That, Gajeel, is the ultimate question in life.

===][===

Lucy accompanied Levy to the arena hall, since Gajeel had given her two tickets. She smiled at how nervous her friend was – the cutest little bundle of nerves she'd ever seen. They both looked quite out of place. As they went in, the hall was empty.

"I guess people don't come to watch the amateurs," Levy said thoughtfully. "Maybe it's for the best, I don't want to have a problem seeing over the crowd in front of me. Let's find out seats."

Both girls felt a little surprised to recognize the announcer as Jason. Apparently he did a lot of announcing work? They winced and grimaced at the early fights – featherweights and lightweights. Soon, the junior middleweight match ended after a vicious ko.

"Coool! And now the middleweight bout. Making his appearance for his debut match, weighing in at 158 pounds, Gajeeeeeeeeeeeeel Reeeeeeeeeeeeeedfox! Coooooooooooooooool!"

Gajeel strode down the aisle, form shrouded by a black robe. Lucy noted Levy blushing with a wry smile. She was smitten, alright. Gajeel looked every inch the warrior born as he advanced calmly before catapulting over the ropes. He rose his arms, beckoning the crowd to cheer. None did so loudly as Levy. She looked embarrassed afterwards, but Gajeel was smiling.

"Cooool! And his opponent, coming from the snowy country of Russia, weighting in at 154 pounds – Vorg Zangief!" A red-haired man approached the other way, his face stony and passive.

"He's Russian?" Lucy asked. "Isn't that a little odd?"

"Not really. It's common for athletes to move to countries were the sport is bigger. According to Gajeel, this guy was amazing on the amateur scene, and is an incredible technician. He's above the level of the average four rounder. But my Gajeel's also far stronger than the average!"

"My Gajeel?" Lucy asked, making Levy blush. To her relief, the bell rang, followed by the dull impact of their gloves touching for the first time.

===][===

Moments prior, Lily was talking to Gajeel in the corner. "Remember, he's amazing with his hands. He's going to be throwing feints at you constantly. It'll be hard to know where his punches will end up coming from."

"Psh. If I dodge every punch, then it doesn't matter if it's a feint or not, does it?"

"Confidence is good, Gajeel. Stupidity is not. You can't stop every punch."

"Watch me." The bell rang, and Gajeel stood. Lily snarled in annoyance but dutifully ducked under the ropes and left the ring. Gajeel extended his fist into the centre of the ring and Vorg smacked a fist into it. The boxer's way of saying hello.

Them the fight was on.

Gajeel stormed forward at blistering pace, stepping in and shouldering a left hook from a startled Vorg. A right flew out, right into the Russian man's face and he keeled over.

"D-down! Not even ten seconds have passed and Gajeel scores a blistering down! Cooooooool!"

"Gajeel's really strong!" Lucy said with wonderment.

"And in a four rounder match, two downs is the limit! If he goes down again this round, Gajeel wins! Go Gajeel!"

Gajeel felt annoyed as he waited in the corner. Vorg had swayed back, lessening the impact at the last moment. A KO had turned into a down. It was disappointing. He watched as the Russian man stood and the referee checked him. The ref raised his hands and declared: "Box!"

Vorg instantly went to rush in, but his legs wobbled, still unsteady from the punch he'd taken to his jaw. Grinning, Gajeel pressed his advantage, rushing the ailing Russian. He was somewhat surprised to be held off by a flurry of pinpoint attacks that he had to guard quickly. Vorg did have amazing hand speed and eyesight.

Legs recovered, Vorg pressed with a barrage of hooks, sweeping in low and repeatedly towards Gajeel's ribs. The taller man took one step backwards, then another, but then there was a tremendous impact and suddenly the Russian was on the floor again. The referee swung his hands over his head and the gong rang. Two downs within a minute. A flawless debut.

"W-what just happened!?" Lucy cried. "I didn't understand at all!"

"I think that Vorg was focusing too much on Gajeel's lower body. He expected Gajeel to guard or dodge, but Gajeel stepped in, shot down the next hook with his offhand and simply punched him over his attacks."

"It seems too simple. Shouldn't Gajeel's punch have been obvious?"

"Lu-chan… if a man was swinging at you like that, could you have the presence of mind to step in?"

"N-no…"

"Neither did Vorg. He wasn't expecting it. Gajeel is like a wild animal!" Levy smiled brightly, and then suffered prolonged teasing from Lucy about just how and where Gajeel had acted like a wild animal before. The bedroom, perhaps?

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"Kyaaah! That's wild! Now I really wanna fight him!" Bacchus laughed, pouring the shot glasses.

"You should have seen Levy," Cana replied with a dirty grin. "Our innocent little bookworm is so in love that she's like a little puppy dog wagging its tail. She talks about him all the time now." Cana reached out to take her shot glass and there was a moment's silence as they were downed followed by the staccato raps of them hitting the table again. "I was faster."

"Psh. As if. Round two." He began to refill the glasses. "But you know there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about. "The end of the season's coming up. You've only got one more game left in you now."

"Yeah, we're up against the Sabre's last. I hear they're good."

"Princess, we played them last game and they demolished us."

"Well don't lump us Fairies in with you Hound Dogs," Cana replied with a dirty chuckle. However, Bacchus didn't laugh.

"There's two things you need to know. When Phantom split, some of their members went to Sabre. Namely, Raios."

"Yeah, so?"

"Cana, he's almost definitely the one who hurt your little friend." Cana's eyes widened, remembering the state Levy had been in. That had been due to that guy? She tried to shrug it off.

"Levy has Gajeel now. Raios wouldn't dare hurt her again."

"You're assuming that he won't attack someone else. Or that he's sane. I wouldn't say he was firing on all cylinders having crossed his path. But anyway, I said there are two things. The second thing's called Minerva."

"Who?"

"Head of their cheerleaders. And I tell you Cana, I've met a lot of scum and reprobates in my time, but nothing has scared me as much as her. She's like a spider wearing human flesh. There's something sickly and terrifying about her."

"That's a little overly melodramatic," Cana scoffed.

"Maybe. Just remember, one psychopath ordered Raios to hurt you once. Just think what another might do."

===][===

"Sting. Rogue."

Sting shivered to hear the voice approach him from behind. The principal's daughter gliding down the corridor with that arrogant strut, black uniform sexy and deadly. The fact that she chose to indulge Raios' nickname bothered him deeply.

"As you know, this final match will decide first and second place between our two teams. Is it not wonderful that the final match of the season has so much weight behind it?"

"Y-yes, Minerva-sama."

"And I am sure that you know that second place is as good as last place?"

"Yes, Minerva-sama."

"Good. We will win this match, and we will do it by any means necessary. For example, Rogue's commendable action against the Fairy runt."

"T-that was never proven-" Rogue stopped talking as Minerva slammed him into the lockers.

"Don't fuck with me, peasant! I know what your sort are like and what you're capable of. You did it and you enjoyed it. You probably still masturbate in the shower to the memory like the pathetic piece of shit you are. I'm not asking you to do it again; I'm asking you to do it better."

"W-what do you…?"

"Break into her house, break every bone in her body and string what's left from their goalposts. That's how you send a message."