Italic = narrating

"Speak"

- Thought

"CAPS LOCK" = SCREAMING

Disclaimer: not owning Fairy Tail nor the original fairy tales


Jellal and the armor clad princess

After the match between Elfman and Bacchus, our heroes who had yet to fight fought and succeeded. As the day continued our heroes continued to win as well without any harder effort. But as the amount of wins exceeded, so did the quality in ability of the remaining fighters. The matches grew longer and there were shorter breaks between each fighters´ turn.

"Not many left now, is there?" Natsu asked out loud to no one in particular, but Gray answered anyways.

"Doesn't seem like it."

"We might be up against each other next time."

The brothers looked at each other for a moment before saying at the same time: "I won't lose!"

"Winner, Julien Titan!"

The same names were repeated more and more often. Gray had even started to lay some of them on memory – Julien, Lucien and Ezra Titan, Gajeel Redfox, Bacchus, Lyon Vastia, Siegrain Fernandez… the last one was someone Gray had been wondering about. He had the same first name as his stepbrother but the last name was different so it seemed unlikely it was him. But on the other hand, Gray had never thought that Siegrain was a common name.

"I think it might be us soon", Natsu said. "Neither of us have had a fight in some time."

"I know. I just hope we´re not up against each other", Gray muttered.

"What's that? You're not afraid are you?"

"I thought we had already settled this since long – I'm not afraid of you and I will win. It would just be boring, we trained together and thus, we know each other's moves."

"Mhm", Natsu only answered, probably not listening at all.

"Next match is between Gajeel Redfox and Natsu Dragbuster!"

Natsu didn't move.

"Natsu, you're up", Gray said.

"What?"

"You're next."

"Did they say Gajeel Redfox?"

Gray nodded and something dark passed over Natsu's face.

"I thought I would never see that bastard again", Natsu muttered grimly before pulling his helmet down.

"What did he do?"

"He ate the last of the feast!" Natsu roared and then entered the field.

Gray stared after his brother.

- He truly is an idiot, no doubt.

Standing in a corner at the crowd-area, a figure looked out over the arena grounds and watched as the two men entered.

"Don't do anything stupid now, Gajeel."

Running out on the field, Natsu was still fuming with anger. He hadn't really told Gray the whole reason for the anger, though the feast was a part.

Standing in front of each other, Natsu glared at his opponent. Taller and broader than Natsu himself, with dark, long and messy hair in a pony-tail so to not have it in the way. His red eyes gleamed and he was showing of a confident grin, not even wearing a helmet.

Natsu pulled his own off. "You're going down, bastard."

"Bring it on, Salamander."

"We're using swords in this tournament guys. Whenever you've finished quibble like old ladies over tea-break we can start this", the blonde referee rolled his eyes. The competitors stayed silent this time. "Alright, prepare yourselves. Begin."

The referee had barely said the last word before the young men's sword clashed.

"So you can wield a sword after all?" Gajeel taunted. "Maybe even fight with it?"

"SHUT UP!"

Natsu hit with more force and Gajeel had to take a step back to regain his balance.

"A long time has passed since then."

"And you're still as weak, Salamander."

That name still made Natsu's eye twitch as he remembered older times.

"I couldn't defend them, but I will defeat you."


I'm so very sorry for the long wait! I don't even have a good excuse for leaving you guys hanging for so long so I won't even try... hope you liked it, and I warn you, my dear readers, that the next update might take a very long time, even longer than this. You see, lately I haven't really felt like writing... but we'll see, maybe it'll come back :)

Anyways, thanks for the read and sorry for the long wait. Thanks for sticking by guys!

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Anonymous: Thanks for updating on the last chapter and I hope you'll be around to see this - I wouldn't want to lose my readers, but I have been gone for long...

About the Mavis x Zeref ship... heard about Lumen Historie? Who knows what will happen...?

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Anonymous 13: I was only planning to do the ships in the description, but if requested by the readers, I might add a side couple that will be in and have a minor roll :) But you will have to wait for Jellal's butt-kicking. Don't worry about you phone's auto-correct, it happens to all of us. And yes, it's an idea but unfortunately I haven't really found anyone else to ask for advice.

I hope I'll see you comment in this two, would hate to lose my readers, but I know I've been gone for long... Anyways, I thank you for updating on the last chapter! ^-^