A new chapter?! Already?!

Yup, I'm on a roll since the anime has started again and finally treated us to some tiny Mescana moments, last episode even added a panel of them together despite it not being in the manga. Fellow crackshippers willl understand it's things like this that keep us going haha

Thanks for all the support!

Extra long chapter this time, enjoy!

Exhausted and panting, Cana and Elfman dragged themselves over the finish line. Cana held onto a tree to catch some breath. They fought their way through the trial, but had they been fast enough?

She looked around and spotted Mystogan silently sitting on a log. ''You already made it?''

As expected; no response. She realized she had actually asked a rhetorical question, as it was pretty obvious he had made it to the finish already.

''Hold up,'' She said as she warily glanced to her sides. ''Just who is your partner anyway?''

Yet again, he remained silent.

''He doesn't need one.''

Out of nowhere Mest had appeared on the log next to Mystogan. He bumped him with his elbow. ''Ain't that right, Myst?''

''Mest, no!'' Lisanna yelled as she came running to the scene. ''You know Mystogan doesn't want anyone near hi-''

It was already too late. Mystogan has lifted one of his staffs and everyone around him grew dizzy and dropped to the ground.

Cana could feel her consciousness fading as she uncomfortably lay on the rock hard ground. ''Idiot.'' She murmured before falling into a deep sleep.

''Who let Natsu lit the campfire?!'' Cana screamed as she watched in horror how close the fire had come to their tents.

Lisanna rolled the logs to sit on further away from the fire to prevent them from burning. ''Sorry that was me, I thought it would be the most logical decision.''

They all sat down around the fire that had finally started to calm down. Cana silently opened up her first bottle of the evening. ''Man, I can't believe Gray screwed up his first trial, what a letdown.''

''Don't you think we got way less contestants than the last few years?'' Lisanna said as she stared up at the starry night sky.

''I think that has to do with some partners this year being former contestants.'' Mest said.

''Makes sense, still I think it isn't a lot. I mean, we lost just one team today and it's already almost over.''

Cana counted down on her fingers. ''If one team a day has to leave, that means we already know the finalists in two days.''

''Man, that sure raises the bar for us then.'' Elfman said with insecurity in his voice. Cana had her second thoughts about her partner choice. Elfman was a strong wizard but mentally he wasn't always very stable. He was very superstitious and got nervous easily despite always acting 'manly'.

''Tch, we all already know it's gonna be me.'' Natsu said with a big grin and high fived Happy. ''Aye!''

''Cana can you predict what tomorrow's trial will be?'' Lisanna asked as she clapped her hands together in excitement.

Cana was just about to take a sip from her third bottle but stopped, surprised at Lisanna's suggestion. ''I could, ya'know? But why would I share it with my rivals?''

''Please?'' Lisanna begged as she hold Cana's hands.

''I'm not sharing my info.'' She stubbornly said. ''And by the way, since when am I doing those for free?'' Her eyes awkwardly met Mest's, who gave her a confused look. She realised she was contradicting herself, as she showed him her cards as well.

With a deep sigh she put her bottle back on the ground and pulled out some of her cards. ''I'll give you guys one hint. One hint. You hear me?!''

Nobody was even surprised by her loudness by now, she had seen her more often drunk than sober.

Overdramatically she started to lay out the cards in front of her and everyone stood up to get a better look.

All the mages held their breath and the only sound shielding them from complete silence was the crackling fire.

Cana turned the first card. One with an angel. Then she turned another one. This time a star was depicted.

''Some of you,'' She let a pointed finger go from person to person. ''will have to make a choice in the very near future. One so important, it will affect you for the rest of your lives!'' She laughed maniacally.

''Cana this isn't funny.'' Lisanna said, clearly somewhat shocked by her words.

''This is what I can say about it, take it or leave it.'' She said as she stacked the cards together again and picked up her abandoned bottle.

''Alright kiddos, time for bed.'' A voice from the other side of the fire said. As he came closer, they noticed it was Makarov. ''Back to your own tents, you never know how early you have to rise for the next trial.''

Everyone murmured each other goodnight with double feelings. Their excitement had been dulled by the possibility of fighting each other tomorrow.

Before entering their tent, Cana looked over her shoulder one more time. Just in time to see Mest and Lisanna leaving to their tent as well. Somehow, deep down inside, it felt weird to see him share a tent with somebody else than her. Was it normal to feel her stomach clench now? She shook her head. Why did she keep thinking back to that mission? She had done dozens of them with Laxus and Elfman and never relived them. Was it because they had been in mortal danger?

She looked back one more time, only to find Mest doing the very same thing. She wanted to quickly turn away in embarrassment but for some reason she didn't break the eye-contact.

He smiled. It wasn't a confident grin like he had given her often when they started their mission. Oh man, how often that had driven her to anger and made her loath him. But this was different. This was the most gentle smile she had ever gotten from someone. It made her feel all warm inside and it was as if everything she worried about would be fine. She didn't even think about rejecting his gesture and just smiled back. A genuine smile. Cana couldn't remember the last time the consciously gave someone a smile like that.

Was it her imagination or did his expression change? It was hard to see in the campfire-lit forest.

He turned around and got into his tent, closing the doorflap behind him.

As soon as he closed the last button on the flap, Mest lay down on his mattress and sighed deeply, totally ignoring Lisanna's presence. She giggled.

''What's so funny? '' He asked as he turned his head towards her. She was laying on her chest and let her head rest on her hands.

''There's something going on between the two of you, isn't there?''

He felt his heart stammer against his ribs, totally being thrown off guard by her sudden question. ''W-what makes you think that?''

''Your cheeks are now even redder than they were when you closed the tent.''

He suddenly felt really self-conscious about the unfamiliar heat that has risen to his head.

''The only thing that's going on between Cana and me is a healthy rivalry, isn't that obvious?''

''Got you!'' She laughed.

He looked at her in bewilderment. Was she just joking?

''I didn't mention Cana.'' She said with a playful wink.

He instantly covered his mouth with his hand. Did he really just betray himself like that?

She smirked, obviously pleased with the result of her little plan.

''So... how long have you two been dating now?''

''We're not dating.'' He rolled over in an attempt to bury his face in his pillow. Was it okay to talk about this with her? He chose her as his partner for her trustworthiness after all. It should be fine, right?

''But...?'' She made him continue his sentence.

''It's just that I..'' He took a deep breath and grunted. Why was it so damn hard to talk about stuff like this? ''I've been feeling weird around her for a while now.'' He spit out the words so fast, Lisanna could barely make up what he said.

''How long is a while?''

''Dunno.. A few days into our mission maybe?''

''That was like a month ago already!'' Lisanna let out.

''Shhh!'' He hissed as he signed her to talk more quietly.

''Does she know?''

Only a muted ''Hm'' came from his side. Lisanna couldn't help but laugh at the situation. There were hardly any guys in the guild his age that would open up like he had just done.

''Please don't tell MiraJane.'' He pleaded, now barely audible talking into his pillow.

''Don't worry, I won't.''

Oh, did Cana's first prediction in the train come true after all?

BTW The fun thing about writing the S-Class trials in this story is that the year, winner and probably even the contestants are all canon in the manga. I always try to keep everything happening beside my own imagination true to the manga and I was lucky there was info on this S-Class trial ^^