XxChapter StartxX

Both Fairy Tail A and B sat in a semicircle in front of Eva at the river park. Eva was making a speech of some sort.

"So, before we start getting ready for the tournament, we need to figure out who's most likely to meet us in the main competition. I, personally, have no doubt that both of our teams will make it to the main event. It's who we may be facing, and counter-measures for such opponents that we need to focus on. After pooling any of our knowledge on these guilds, we devise training regiments centered around strategies for each possible encounter. Any questions?" Eva asks her audience.

Natsu raises his hand. "Why do we need to do this? Lets just get stronger and kick ass when the time comes!" He exclaims.

"Because, dumbass, I read the applications list, and one of the guilds on the list is probably the strongest guild in Fiore." Eva responds.

Erza raises an eyebrow. "Really, who are they?"

Eva exhales heavily. "Ala Alba."

"Wait, that sounds a lot like Ala Rubra." Lucy points out.

"Because the guild master is the Thousand Master's son." Eva reveals.

Silence pervades the area before Mira speaks up.

"Are they that good?"

Eva nods. "I might as well tell you now. The boy, Negi Springfield, was my second apprentice."

"What?" Gray asks. "I didn't think you taught anybody after Ur!"

"As much as it pains me to admit it, I had quite the crush on Nagi back in the day. That boy looks so much like him, I couldn't help but get close. He's strong. Very strong." She explained.

"How strong?" Gazille asks excitedly.

"Our last fight ended undecided."

"You're kidding." Gray said.

Eva shakes her head. "I'm afraid not. He's ridiculously strong. Be thankful he's the guild master and can't participate."

"Then what's the problem?" Levy asks.

"I watched him and his guild mates practically grow up. I was around and loosely taught most of them on and off for seven years. I know most of their fighting styles like the back of my hand."

"Then who are most likely to enter?"

"Well, I thought about that, and brought my most recent guild report on them." She reveals, holding up a small notebook.

Natsu looks at her, puzzled. "You have a written report on them?"

Eva nods. "I was actually the guild's first master."

Everybody stops dead, gob smacked.

"You were a guild master? That makes no sense!" Mira speaks up.

"Yeah, weren't you in Paramecia for a long time?" Gray points out.

Eva nods. "Notice how I'm saying how powerful they are, yet you've never heard of them?" She asks.

She doesn't wait for an answer. "That's because they literally came to Fiore just a month ago. About a week after I showed up. I think they want to reinstate me as master in Negi's place."

Gray scoffs. "They must not truly understand how hard the government is on you. It's not that easy."

"Exactly. After most of them graduated from the Magic Academy, they thought about ways to stay together instead of going their separate ways to make money. Forming a guild seemed like the most prudent option, but at that point, Negi was weaker than Natsu is right now."

Erza could continue that thought. "And a non S-Class mage heading a guild was not a very good idea."

"And you were the strongest mage they knew at the time." Gray finished.

"Yep. I went ahead with it, and began training the majority of them for about five years. After Negi was good enough, I nominated him as the next master and left before the council found our guild. Fast forward three years, and here we are." Eva explained.

And at that point, the notebook goes around the room, with a few of Eva's personal thoughts added.

XxPersonnel ReportxX

Guild Master: Negi Springfield.

Rank: SS-Class

Notable Skills: Extremely proficient in both Lighting and Wind magic, being able to use the former in conjunction with his Magia Erebea. Speed, stamina, and endurance are all off the charts, but is a bit lacking in sheer stopping power. Rate of growth is phenomenal, with new concepts being able to be absorbed shockingly quick. His artifact is a very rare type which allows him to utilize his attendants artifacts, which are quite numerous.

Bio: Negi Springfield is indeed the son of the "Thousand Master" Nagi Springfield. His mother's identity is kept confidential for many reasons, so confidential in fact the boy himself doesn't know who she is. He graduated from the "National Paramecian Magic Academy" in record time, staying for higher degrees while also waiting for his friends to graduate. After starting the guild, his skills began to skyrocket, allowing him to reach SS-Class status before taking the position as Guild Master. For some reason or another, his guild is primarily female. And by primarily, I mean that there is only one other male besides himself in the guild.

XxBreakxX

"So that's your report on the kid?" Gildarts asks.

Eva nods. "That's Negi Springfield in a nutshell."

"Kid sounds like he's got his bases covered. Do you have any counter-measures for him?" Gazille inquires.

Eva ponders in thought for a moment. "Hm… I'd have to say that it depends on how serious he is."

"Well, says he's just in a fight with a high-level mage. What would he be doing?" Gazille asks.

"Negi tends to really rely on Magia Erebea for most of his offense, no matter how serious he is. At higher levels, it acts as a defense as well. The boy's only as strong in his Magia Erebea form as the spell he absorbed to activate it. The troublesome fact about that is that he tends to absorb Kilipl Atrape, the most powerful chanted lightning spell known. This initiates a whole boatload of trouble in the form of an original technique he calls 'Raisoku Shundō'." She explains.

"What's that?" Gray asks.

"To be honest, it's a pure speed technique. Normally, Kiliple Atrape is just one big explosion of electricity. It incinerates you, to put it bluntly. Him absorbing it through Magia Erebea alters its effects dramatically. With all that thunder magic coursing through him, he's just a big lightning rod waiting to explode. Mira?"

"Yes?"

"Pop quiz. How does the first step of Magia Erebea work?"

"Um… Using the chants you taught me, 'Stagnet', 'Complexio', and 'Supplementum, Pro Armationem', you absorb any type of spell and utilize it's magical energy as a physical boost." She explained.

Erza gains a questioning look. "So that's what you did? I didn't hear you chant any of those words during our spar, and I didn't see you absorb any spell."

"Well, that's the second stage of Magia Erebea actually. Once you absorb your first spell after learning the technique, your body starts to take in small amounts of residual energy from the spell you absorb every time you use it. You can draw upon that energy for a quick boost without all the chanting and whatnot. It doesn't last that long, and you have to build up more residual energy the conventional way before you can use it again."

Eva cuts in. "Exactly. Now, how does the third stage work?"

"Well, I can't use it yet, it's too difficult. But from what you told me, you alter your physical form to take on the characteristics of the spell you absorbed, rather than just calling upon it's energy. The facilitation process after absorbing the spell is hard to control, so I can only use stages one and two. I need more experience to be able to use my spells that way."

Levy gains a look of understanding. "So this Negi guy can turn himself into lightning then?"

Eva snaps her finger at her. "Close, but not exactly. Every time he calls upon the energy of Kilipl Astrape, he dashes forward and attacks at the speed of lightning. That's 10,000 kilometers per second if you didn't know. He'll stop after he hits you, dash to the side, then around you until he finds a different angle of attack. It's like watching a big yellow line fly around making sharp turns before striking you. You can't react to that."

Levy, still analyzing the technique as she hears it, speaks her thoughts. "So wait, he can't curve his movements? He has to keep dashing one direction at a time before moving towards you again? Why?"

"That's the first flaw of his technique. I brought it up before. I said each time he CALLS on the spells power he gains his super speed. He's actually continually activating the spell over and over again. He actually has to stop periodically to readjust his angle before activating the spell again to dash."

"How long does he stay still?" Natsu asks.

Eva looks at him. "The boy's reflexes are sharp, so he can adjust in about a second or so."

Gazille whistles. "That's not a lot of time to counterattack."

"Yeah, but there's more to it than that. The reason he has to halt his movements over and over again, moving only in a straight line, is because his mind can't keep up with his own speed. Once he chooses a direction to move, tunnel vision kicks in until he collides with something or stops the spell. The speed he moves at is so quick that he barely keeps his balance while moving. He has to use wind magic to keep himself straight. He creates a tunnel of wind ahead of his location, so when he activates the spell he stays upright while moving, as well as stay on track."

"So where does the counterattacking come in?" Lucy asks.

"Him having to stop frequently isn't really what creates the opportunity for a counter, it's when he reactivates the technique that he's vulnerable. Just like real lightning, a little flicker of electricity, a streamer, appears at his destination point right before he moves. With good eyes, you can see this, and then meet him head on with a fist. Also, with good senses, you can feel the slight wind change when he creates his tunnel, again pointing out where he's going to be, allowing you to strike back." She explained.

"Easier said than done." Lucy points out.

"Yeah, but when he gets serious, you can't win unless you have a high-level barrier type spell on at all times. He absorbs a second Kilipl Astrape on top of the one he already has, making himself permanently in his lightning form. No pauses, no wind magic, and no mental slowdowns. He calls that 'Raiten Taisō'. It's a devastating move that can't be intercepted conventionally. He even phases through any attack you land. It's brutal."

Gray, currently in possession of the notebook, notices something strange. "What's this about an 'Artifact'?"

"It's a magical item granted through a special bond between a mage and another individual. Gildarts has one you know." Eva explained.

The entire group looks straight at Gildarts. He squirms a bit, not exactly comfortable talking about the details of his Pactio.

Natsu speaks up first. "You have one? What's it do? Who's the mage you got it from? How do you get it?"

Erza hits him upside the head. "Calm down Natsu, I'm sure he'll explain."

Gathering some courage, Gildarts tells all. "Well, it takes the form of a card. You chant a spell and the card turns into an item, or Artifact."

"Can Juvia see it?" She asks, speaking up for the first time.

Reluctantly, he pulls out the card from under his cloak. He shows it to the group.

"So, there's a picture of you on it, and you're wearing a gauntlet?" Natsu observes.

"Yeah, every card in a 'Pactio' has a picture of the attendant and the weapon the card provides. My card turns into that gauntlet, so the picture on the card has me wearing it. It's the same for others from what I heard." Gildarts explains.

Erza puts a hand to her chin. "Who did you make the contract with?"

"Oh, it was me. Two days ago." Eva speaks up.

Silence pervades…

"So, why?" Lucy asks.

Eva grins widely. "Hey old man, take off the bandages."

Gildarts sighs and takes off his cloak, showing his bare upper body. His entire left arm is covered in bandages from the shoulder, including his hand. With one swift tear, they unravel wildly to show a pristine, new, completely flesh arm.

Natsu points at him shakily. "Your arm… It's back!"

"How did that happen?" Lucy asks disbelievingly.

"So, Al was right then. Hime COULD fix your arm." Gazille states.

Eva, having had enough fun with their varying expressions, decides to just explain. "Besides being granted an Artifact, the holder of the Pactio card, the Ministra, can siphon magical energy off of the mage he or she got it from, the Magister. This system was originally designed to give magical boosts to non-mages to help them protect the mage while casting. You all know the stories about me, right? Well, a damn good dose of my magic power did the job for his arm. His leg is fine too." She explained.

Gildarts pats his lower left abdomen. "We really can't check the inside safely, but we assume the kidney's back too. It was a hell of a patch-up. It really, really, REALLY hurt."

Mira gets closer to his arm and stares in awe. "Wow…" She says while poking it."

Gray gives Gildarts a sly grin. "So, how did she get you to agree to the Pactio ritual?" He asked.

"She didn't tell me. I didn't know how it worked until after it happened." He responded with a slight blush.

Levy catches their little exchange. "How does a Pactio get made?"

Gray, feeling damn near obligated to embarrass Gildarts, happily explains the process. "My sensei Ur had a Pactio with Eva-sensei as well. The two people involved have to undergo some sort of DNA transfer within a short period. The amount of DNA transferred determines the length the Pactio will last, and the power of the Artifact." He explained, then letting Eva take over once she silently requested it.

"The easiest and fastest way to do that is a kiss. Smooch and your done. There are others ways like blood transfusions, but those are complicated and time consuming."

Erza develops a slight blush. "So you two kissed to make the Pactio?" She asked.

Gildarts held up his hands defensively. "I didn't know how it worked. I was all psyched to get my limbs back, so I was distracted and compliant. She pulls me into the circle and kisses me. Over and done."

"Sure you're not just a pedophile?" Gazille taunts.

"I'll have you know that I've been with more grown women than you'll ever even meet, brat!" Gildarts retorts.

"That's not exactly a good thing…" Lucy says with a sweatdrop.

"So, if the amount of DNA transfer effects the strength of the Pactio, and a kiss is the easiest way, then Gildarts has a bottom of the barrel Artifact?" Levy theorizes.

Eva shakes her head. "Not exactly. The DNA transfer process just determines the level of bond between the Magister and the Ministra. If me and Gildarts made renewed our Pactio with a blood pact this time, his Artifact wouldn't change. It would just get a bit stronger. Also, the DNA transfer determines how long the contract is held. A kiss goes for about a year, then the card goes blank. I mean, seriously, the amount of DNA transfer from licking your lips after a kiss is ridiculously small. It's generally a good idea to use some tongue for good measure. Since the way to make a Pactio permanent is a bit personal, this way is generally called a 'provisional' contract."

"How do you make a permanent contract? Lots of blood?" Levy asks.

"You'd die of blood loss before you provided enough DNA to make the contract permanent. You can't do it over time either, it has to be all done right in the circle. The most concentrated source of DNA the body can produce is through ejaculatory fluids, and THAT'S why there are barely any full contracts. You got to be pretty damn serious to make the full pact. The Ministra though, in the case of a full contract, is many times stronger than a provisional one." Eva explained.

"I see what you mean. Does Negi-san have a full contract with the person he got his Artifact from?" Levy asked again.

"Nope. The boy's too damn timid to get a girlfriend. He barely even sees the girl he got the contract from. She's royalty, so she's not really around much."

"Royalty? Seriously?" Lucy asks.

"Queen Theodora Hellas III. It's a long story, but when you've got VIP heritage like the boy does, important people notice you."

"The Queen of Hellas is a mage?" Mira asks disbelievingly.

"Hellas? What's that?" Natsu asks.

Gray sighs. "You have no idea what goes on in this world outside of the guild, do you?"

"Wait, Theodora? You mean that hot black chick I saw on a communication lycrima once?" Gazille points out, getting a bop on the back of the head from Levy.

Eva nods. "Yeah, her. She's a pretty decent mage, but doesn't really take combat seriously. She's really just good at everything but excellent at nothing."

Getting back on topic, Erza inquires about Negi's Artifact further. "So how many Ministra does Negi have?"

"As of my last report, he has over fifteen, so he can use all of their Artifacts in combat. The mans a walking armory."

Levy pales. "Good thing he can't compete."

Eva nods. "Exactly. And because of that, we've been talking about him for too long. We're here to talk about who you may be fighting, and I've got a damn good idea about who Negi'll send out."

"Who? Are they strong?" Natsu asks.

Eva pauses to recall the names. "I would expect Miyazaki Nodoka for sure."

"Who's she, and what can she do?" Gray asks.

"Well, she's pretty shy and timid, but her skills are undeniable. She's actually very tiny, but she'll punch you harder than anything you've ever felt before." Eva explains.

Erza raises an eyebrow. "How does that work? Is it her magic?"

"Well, basically, she doesn't really know ANY spells. She can only do one thing, and that's use her Artifact. The problem is, her Artifact, Diarium Ejus, is probably one of the stronger ones in existence, even going back to the conception of Pactios." Eva answers.

"So that makes her punch harder?"

Eva shakes her head. "Nothing of the sort. It lets her read minds."

The rest of the group looks shocking while Erza raises an eyebrow at the revelation. "So she can hear our thoughts while we fight? Lovely."

Eva sighs and continues. "There are plenty of restrictions on her Artifact that make it able to be worked around, but she solved those on her own years ago. Her Artifact is just a book, and when she says someone's name, their thoughts appear on the page. That's enough to help out an ally, but one on one it's useless."

"So how did she get around that?" Wendy asked.

"She's actually a hardcore treasure hunter. She does everything from jewel stealing to grave robbing. She found an artifact (not the Pactio kind) that most would find useless, but used it to almost completely eliminate her weaknesses."

Wendy tilted her head slightly. "So what did it do?"

Eva chuckled a bit. "It's so simple. It reads words to you."

"I don't get it." Natsu says.

Levy seemed to have a revelation of sorts. "So, she has to book read someone's mind, and she can set it aside while the item she has reads the words to her, which are the enemies thoughts!"

"Pretty much. So, she's a telepath, and that makes her very dangerous."

Natsu raises his hand like a child. "So, if she's like a bookworm and stuff, why does she punch really hard?"

Eva sighs. "Because, with only one item to send her magic power to, she has a shit-ton left over. Almost all of her magic power is unused because she doesn't know any spells. So what does she do? She sends ALL of her magic energy into marionette magic."

"What's that?" Natsu asks.

"Oh! Juvia knows! It means that because she's so weak, she uses magic to force her body to move!"

"And because every last bit of her magic goes towards that purpose, she hits really, really hard." Erza finishes.

Eva nods. "So that's why I want to designate one of you to fight her if a one on one situation arises."

"So who fights her?" Mira asks.

Eva points at Lucy, to her surprise. "She does. With your spirits on the floor, her mind reading will be a lot less effective. You're ideal."

Lucy takes her praise with a blush.

"In the event of my team facing her… You." She says, this time pointing at Gazille. "You really move off of instinct in a lot of situations, and when it comes down to it, you may be able to empty your thoughts enough to make her slip up. It also helps that you're pretty stupid."

Gazille growls lowly, but doesn't press the issue.

"Who's next?" Lucy asks.

Eva thinks for a few seconds until finding making a decision. "Sakurazaki Setsuna I would expect as well. She's a swordsman of the highest caliber. She's damn good at what she does. She uses a style known as 'Shinmeiryū'. It's a demon exorcizing art."

Erza smiles. "I assume I'm her match?"

"Definitely. Steel against steel sounds good, and in the event of my team, we'll just have to make due with iron."

Gazille grins again, liking his value to the team.

Eva, having received her report, skims a few pages before putting it down. "Tatsumiya Mana, probably. She's a marksman that has a cold attitude. She was always into some shaky stuff before joining the guild, so she won't hesitate to be brutal. She could own Alzack and Bisca at the same time with a pea shooter."

Paling at this information, the group wonders who will suffer the fate of facing her.

"Gray, you're up for this one." She reveals.

Gray points at himself. "Me? Seriously?"

"I believe that being able to make ice shields will be beyond vital when facing her at a distance. She's much better with rifles than pistols, so getting close will lower her threat level slightly. If you find your self outside close range, being able to block her sniper rifle is vital."

Gray nods in return.

Eva turns to Gildarts. "What's the situation on the recall of that Laxus kid?"

Gildarts gives her a thumbs up. "Kid'll be back in a few days. He was a bit bummed about having to abandon his first Ten Years Quest, but the idea of the tournament lightened his mood instantly." He explained to her.

Natsu does a spit-take. "Wait-wait-wait-wait-WAIT! You mean Laxus is going to be on your team too!" He asks disbelievingly.

"I hear the kid's good, and my team is one member short. Why the hell not?" She says with a grin before redirecting her attention back to Gildarts. "You sure the kid's as good as you say?"

Gazille answers her instead. "He's a bonafide monster. He could take Fairy Tail A by himself to a draw at least."

Eva whistles. "I'll take your word for it. If that's true, he's got Mana AND Yue."

"Who's Yue?" Wendy asks.

"She's Negi's direct apprentice. She doesn't know Magia Erebea because the boy's not allowed to teach it, but everything else about him she knows. Her basics kill, and her lightning magic is fucking beastly. She's probably the third strongest mage in the guild not counting Negi. That sounds only moderately impressive, but there are close to a dozen S-Class mages in that guild, and she's near the top."

Natsu jumps up and down a bit. "Who are numbers one and two?" He asks excitedly.

"Kagurazaka Asuna and Inugami Kōtarō. But Asuna won't be competing."

"Why not?" Erza asks.

"For reasons I can't tell you, she's not allowed near too much combat. A tournament situation is out of the question. That's that, and there's nothing anyone can do about it, so forget about her. Kōtarō, on the other hand, we need to talk about him."

Gray raises an eyebrow at her concern. "He's the strongest then? Besides Negi of course."

"He is. He's a close range fighter with skills even Mira would have trouble with, IN Magia Erebea. I can't handle him at all. Ranged spells help, or high endurance works too. If you challenge him to a slugfest, he won't back down until one of you drop. That's why Natsu or Gazille gets him."

"What's his magic type?" Gazille asks.

"He's a true master of Take Over magic. His wolf form is amazing to see in action. Supplement that with a few dark spells and wolf summonings and you got one beast of a mage."

Taking in the information, the group wait's a few moments before Natsu raises his hand like a child. "So, how are we training?" He asks.

Eva grins. "Okay, for you, I have you set up to spend a few weeks with me and the rest with Gildarts. I'll be teaching you some long range spells to help your range problems, and Gildarts will work with everything you already know. We'll be upping your pure speed and power along with extending your range."

Eva turns towards Gazille. "You'll be getting the EXACT same thing, and don't you even DARE complain about joint training with Natsu. UNDERSTOOD?"

Gazille turns away and pouts.

"Gray and Mira get the most one on one time with me. I'll be upping Gray's ice abilities and trying to get Mira into the third stage of Magia Erebea."

Lucy's turn. "You'll be working with the Jii-san himself to increase your magic capacity. If you can have three spirits out at once, you'll be S-Class immediately. Being able to cast Urano Meteoria without fainting helps as well."

Wendy and Erza next. "Now, it's time for some outsourcing. Wendy spends the majority of her time with Porlyusica, and Erza gets some special attention."

"What kind?" She asks, mildly excited.

"I'm sending you south to Eishun's dojo. You'll be learning from one of the greatest swordsman in existence, and he'll help you with countering Setsuna's style."

"Now for Juvia. To be honest, I really didn't know what to do with you, but Al assured me he would take care of you. Be thankful, he's a great mage once you get past his personality."

Eva claps a few times. "We've got a long few months ahead of us. You guys ready for this!"

XxChapter EndxX

Lots of filler, but important information on Ala Alba and what will be happening in the future for Fairy Tail. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, cause major training is up next!

Xeno out, peace.