Hi everyone! Hope life's treating ya well. Anyways, here is the third and lastpre—written chapter. The good new is that I'll be back in action after around 2 weeks.

Also, sorry for missing out on posting on Monday, I was busy and I couldn't post the chapter.

Now, I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter Twenty Six

The Grand Race

[The City of Magnolia. Early Morning.]

"So COOL!" The announcer yelled, looking at the crowd that had gathered in Magnolia's South Gate Park. "Good morning and welcome to the highly anticipated event! Fairy Tail's mandatory for all wizards, twenty-four hours endurance road race has arrived and we are bringing you every heart-pounding second! I'm everyone's favourite 'Sorcer Weekly' reporter – Jason and I'll be your reporter for all of today's sweet action! It's filling up fast, I hear, so you better hurry if you wanna witness what's sure to be the coolest race in Fairy Tail history!" Jason announced excitedly.

Oh yes… This was the long awaited 'Endurance Race'. I was amidst the crowd of contestants, which was consistent of every Fairy Tail wizard available. I was just standing in one spot with crossed hands and I was listening intently to Master and Jason as I awaited the start of the race. You could practically smell the testosterone in the air… Well we, Dragon Slayer actually could… metaphorically and realistically. Today was the day that rivalries blossomed and the day where you proved your skill. I have been awaiting this day since the last year's race and it was finally here!

I had a cocky smirk on my face. I WILL take first place this year!

Right about now, Jason was introducing the players to the audience, which was actually the whole of Magnolia. Little lacrima machines were flying around us and they were acting as camera's, which would track every single member's position, so if something interesting happened, every single person in the city would know.

Jason suddenly gasped. "There he is folks! The undefeated champion – lighting fast Jet!" I scoffed. Undefeated? We'll see about that. "Rumor has it that he does this to compensate for being lack-luster on quests. Scandalous!" I giggled at that. Jet on the other had was a bit annoyed.

"Hey!" He looked at Jason. "Cool it, speed demon, it's only a rumor." Jason lifted his free hand in surrender. He was holding a microphone with a lacrima attached at the end of it in the other.

"Jet's still the fan favorite… Everybody put their money on him again." Gray, who was a bit in front of me, commented. Next to him Elfman, Natsu and Gajeel. They hadn't noticed me yet.

"Hah!" Natsu scoffed, lifting a fist in front of his face. I wild grin adorning it. "Well, I hope they're ready to lose it! This year's champion is gonna be Salamander!" He proclaimed excitedly.

"Big, talking morons are sure to end up in a ditch before they get close to the finish line." Gajeel said, unamused, next to him.

Natsu's smirk just grew wider. "But those morons don't have a secret weapon like I do!" He boasted.

'Oh? This should be interesting. Wonder what it is…' I lifted an eyebrow.

"Fire-breather's blowing smoke… Geez, you're such a child." The three looked at each other. Everyone accepting the challenge silently.

I could also see Lucy and Cana talking to the side. Oh, I just can't wait for the race to start!

Suddenly, I heard Master talking so I turned my attention to him. "Everyone quiet down!" He ordered, standing on a small wooden stage next to the start, a microbirdophone right in front of him. Literally just as he began speaking, the hustle and bustle that was coming from all around thanks to everyone chatting with each other, stopped in an instant. "Fairy Tail wizards know that without the proper balance of intelligence and physical endurance, they're doomed to failure. Over the next twenty-four hours, you'll use those attributes against each other." He spoke calmly, addressing everyone.

"A real man never uses his brain." Elfman commented

"Yeah, physical strength is all that matters in a race like this." Gray agreed.

"The rules are very simple." Master began. "From the starting line each of you will make their way along the pre-determined course…" He pointed at a mountain in the distance. "…ending at Mt. Igor! The summit's been peppered with heavy Wyvern Scales. You are to grab one and bring it back."

'What? This is awesome! Instead of climbing the whole mountain, I can just blink to the top and back when I reach it's bottom!' I thought eagerly. 'I'm sure to win this time!' I arched a toothy grin.

"Once it's across the finish line, you've completed the race and proven yourself a worthy member of Fairy Tail! Never forget – forfeiting is not an option for any of you! Fairy Tail wizards pride themselves on our willingness to go that extra mile. I've decided to put some new restrictions for this year's event. After numerous complaints, I've decided – the use of flying magic is now forbidden…" He said calmly. I almost laughed out loud at Evergreen and Happy's expressions. This furthermore increases my chances of winning. "teleportation magic is also out of the question!" He continued.

My giddiness suddenly turned into a gloomy mood and my eyes widened. I was just doing my victory dance inside my head.

'SAY WHAT!?'

"All other forms of magic are still permitted."

'Ok… ok, breathe… I can still do this! Last year I couldn't blink either because I didn't know the final destination but I was still an opponent who was not to be trifled with. It will be hard but not impossible!'

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Master Makarov continued speaking.

"And whoever is unfortunate enough to come in last…" His voice was a tad bit menacing. He had a face of pure joy on his face as he announced proudly. "…Will face the most horrific punishment game I've ever devised!" Most of the new members gaped at that. I was wondering if I should laugh at their expressions or cower from the feeling of dread that was now in my gut. Whatever happens, I ain't going last. Nope. Thank you. I've experienced only one punishment game created by Master Makarov and that is enough to last me a lifetime. I shuddered at the memory.

"Is it just me, or does he only put on this event for the punishment game?" Makao asked.

"Last year was beyond sadistic." Alzack commented behind Gajeel. Clearly talking from experience…

"Quit complaining ya sissies, it's embarrassing!" Gajeel looked at both of them over his shoulder. "If only one person is punished, don't come in dead last." He told them his logic. Suddenly, the person I've been looking for all morning joined in on their conversation.

Erza walked in to stand in the space between Alzack and Gajeel. She crossed her hands. "Although there is a kernel of wisdom in your words Gajeel, your phrasing could use a bit of work." They both looked at each other.

"Ya making fun of me?" The Iron Dragon Slayer asked her. A tinged of annoyance in his voice.

Erza only smiled. "I'd say - if you're competing, then do it with all your strength." I watched Erza boast from my spot with crossed hands. She quickly re-equipped into a runner's gear. She had pure yellow shorts and a red bra top. She had a sweet white and red cap on with the Fairy Tail emblem on it and some nice sunglasses. "This is custom-made equipment. It keeps muscle fatigue at bay, thus increasing my endurance." She said smugly with her right hand on her hip. Everyone around us stared at her in awe.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that she was showing off..." Gajeel commented with crossed hands and a sweat drop on his forehead.

I approached the group slowly. When they noticed me they all gasped. I think that the most obvious change for me today was my attire. I smirked as everyone looked at me in awe as well and I could also see Erza's annoyance raise as I stole the spotlight. I smirked knowingly. I was wearing a pure violet bra top with a dragon picture in white in the center. I had nice azure shorts to match the color of my powers and it also suited my top. And, I also had some sweet runner shoes. They were white with hints of blue. I put my hands on my hips. I liked my small battles and challenges with Erza but oh... Oh... today was different. We were full on rivals and nothing would change that.

"I totally agree with you there, Erza. That's exactly why the only thing you are going to be seeing today is the dust that I will be serving you." My smirk turned into a full-grown grin as I teased her. Erza's eye twitched.

"As far as I remember, you were the one who ate my dust last year." Erza crossed her hands and she smirked at me with eyes screaming challenge. Oh, it was so on. "Not this time, Red! This year, I'm going to beat you! "I yelled at her and we both slammed our foreheads to each other, much like how Natsu and Gray did it when they fought. "You can most certainly try!" She countered. Everyone took a step back from us, sensing the animosity.

"If you're so sure that you're going to win, then maybe you wanna kick things up a notch?" I asked with a teasing smile as I tried to grab her with my hands. Unfortunately, she tried to do the same and we ended up grabbing each other's hands. It was a full on brawl now.

"What are you suggesting exactly?" She raised her eyebrow.

"We will have our own personal race. Whoever finishes second, will also compete in Master's punishment game." She started sweating but her resolve didn't waver. To be frank I myself was a tad bit scared of what I was doing here but this is just how we worked.

After a moment of hesitation, she agreed. "Fine!" Everyone around us all gasped. Apparently, the whole guild heard our exchange. They were looking at us with fear and shock.

"You two are crazy…" Gajeel muttered.

Still, in our lock, both I and Erza were startled free when Master suddenly spoke, addressing us personally. I guess he heard us too. When I looked at him he was grinning from ear to ear and he had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"That's the spirit you two! This is turning out better than I expected! Now I'll have two participants!" He jumped in joy. Sometimes I really wondered how this grandpa figure could be so sadistic… I and Erza exchanged nervous looks but then we hardened our facial expressions. Neither one of us wanting to show weakness to the other. I nodded with a smirk and she did the same. The race was just about to begin so we took our positions.

Everyone took their spot and then took a stance.

"Ready?" Master asked through the micro-birdophone. He raised his index finger of his right hand in the air. "Bang!" Light burst out of it to single the start of the race.

In that very moment, I used my Arcane Dragon Shelter. Everyone around me were blown away or hit with rocks and dust when Jet took off. Thankfully I knew what to anticipate. I created the shield only to protect myself and now I was running in for second place with a considerable advantage over the others. But most importantly with a considerable advantage over Erza.

The very moment, that there was no threat I shot straight after him. "See ya at the finish line, Erza" I yelled over my shoulder as I ran. Looking back I could see Erza scowling as she got up. I turned my attention to the way forward as I concentrated on my breathing. I just had to keep this tempo. Suddenly I felt a burst of energy from behind me and when I turned back I watched with shock as Natsu was gaining up on me. He had fire coming out from his fists.

"Told ya guys, I had a secret weapon this year! This is my Fire Dragon Iron Fist booster! Watch out Anora, cause you ain't gonna be in front of me for long!" He yelled excitedly. Everyone else got back on their feet and were now running towards us like an angry mob… that they were.

"Ya better hope that I don't catch up to you cheater! Ya hear me?!" Elfman's voice boomed.

I increased my speed, trying desperately to go faster than Natsu. Sure I was mostly competing with Erza but that didn't mean that I would ignore the others.

He suddenly passed me with his trademark toothy grin. "See ya at the finish line, Anora!" He repeated my words teasingly and I just sneered at him.

"Oh no, you don't!" I yelled after him as he was now running forward into the distance. He was gaining speed on me and fast, so I acted quickly.

I smirked as I lashed my hands from the side towards him. "Arcane Dragon Ethereal Chains!" Just as I yelled, two ethereal chains burst from the space between my palms. One chain for each hand. They lashed out forward, faster than Natsu and they caught him on the shoulders. The moment that happened, I grabbed the tip of the chains but I didn't pull him back.

"What the?!" Natsu yelled, looking over his shoulder at me when he noticed the purplish, see-through chains around him.

I swiftly jumped into the air and he started pulling me along with him. As I neared the ground I used my conjuration skills and I created a purplish, see-through surf underneath my legs. I landed right on it and Natsu started dragging me along with him as a horse, the surf running along the ground after him. This would not only make his endurance waiver but it was also a free ride for me… and a fast one at that.

"I'm hitching a ride!" I yelled with my own toothy grin, even more smugly than when he passed me. "Hope ya don't mind!"

He scowled but he continued running, not wanting the others to catch up. That didn't mean that he didn't try to shake me off. Since I was on top of a surf, I couldn't fairly much control it, I could only hold on. We were still in town and if he were to swing correctly I would go straight into one of the lamps… and apparently, he knew that.

I gasped as I swung directly towards a black lamppost.

I quickly caught both chains with my left. Then before the impact with the lamp, I used my right hand to create another chain, which I attached to the lamp post on the other side of the road and I used it to pull my self out of harms way.

"You gonna have to try better than that, Natsu!" I yelled as we continued forward. We were now exiting the city.

"Ugh! Now I'm all fired up Anora!" He yelled. Suddenly, an even bigger cone of fire came out from his hands, which he was useing as propellers behind him. The fire was coming straight towards me, but with my hands occupied, I couldn't defend myself quick enough. I scowled as I jumped high into the air, still holding the chains in my hands. The ground, were I stood seconds ago was now completely and utterly destroyed, covered in hot, searing flames.

While I was in the air, I pulled on the chains and I used them to gain in on him. I quickly realized that I was going to land on him and I couldn't do anything since I was prohibited from teleporting.

I winced in pain as I neared Natsu's back. He was watching over his shoulder from the moment I pulled on the chains.

"Oh cra…" We both started saying but it was too late. Milliseconds later we were both on the ground, tumbling over each other. Before we knew it, we fell into the river that was running near and in Magnolia. I reemerged from underneath the water and I looked around me.

I swear I saw three small azure dragons flying around my head as the world was shaking. Before I could know what was going on, I saw a mob of people running from the city towards us. Suddenly I became self-aware as I remembered where I was. Natsu also reemerged from under the water and we both exchanged a look as we started swimming towards the end of the river.

By the time we got to the shore the others were already running over the bridge and I realized that I no longer had an upper up and the worst part was the way Erza was smiling at me with a devilish grin. I scowled as both me and Natsu joined in on the run with the mob. He used his speed boost again but I couldn't catch him this time because there were too many people between us for me to hit him. I growled in frustration.

'God dang it, nothing is working out for me today. And now Erza is in front of me.' I shivered as I tried to imagine some of gramps' punishment games. I quickly discarded the thoughts out of my head as I concentrated on the run.

We ran for a few hours before we reached the bottom of the mountain. No one was giving up and I was able to keep up with Erza. We were currently running side by side. We finally entered the rocky mountain terrain and from this moment forward, the only way was up, which would require more stamina. I guess everyone got the same idea as me because as soon as we got on the uneven terrain, everyone started using their magic to disrupt the others or to help themselves. Hole's started appearing in the ground. Iron rods started flying from Gajeel's direction. Puffs of pink smoke were coming from around Wakaba and even Makao was using his sticky purple flame to disrupt others.

I was able to not get too involved and I dodged as much as I could. The problem was that Erza was keeping up with me and she didn't even seem fazed by the things going around her. Either that re-equip was really good or she had the best poker face in the world. Now that I think about it, I would bet my money on both…

Throughout the whole ordeal, most of the members fell behind. Wakaba, Cana and Makao were last. Another group of people were in front of them. After that, me and Erza were keeping a moderate tempo in front of most people and the only people that were after us were Jet, Natsu, Evergreen, Bisca, Max and Freed.

Somehow me and Erza were ducking it out on pure endurance, no funny tricks. We had sort of a silent pact to see who would last longer. That and we both knew that if we started to distract each other we would surely fall behind.

Suddenly we saw Freed running up ahead. We both picked up our pace. It was like our running was in sink. It was both good and frustrating. It was good because we were keeping the same tempo but it also meant that we were both holding on our best for the finish line.

As we passed him I heard him muttered under his breath with a small smirk. "Seems these two aren't relying on their magic at all." I arched an eyebrow at that. He has probably used his enchantments. I guess, caution was advised.

Just as I thought about that possibility, I felt ethernanos unaffected by my presence right in front of me. They were embedded right into the earth, working as symbols, creating an enchantment.

Both I and Erza were a step away from falling into it but we jumped back at the same time, right as we were going to enter it.

"Somebody's playing dirty." Erza commented as a purple wall made of symbols rose in front of us.

"I wonder who…" I asked sarcastically as I turned around. Erza did so as well. Right in front of us now, Freed was standing proudly on a small rock with crossed hands and smirk plastered on his face.

"Impressive! You're intuition has served you well." He complimented us, but we would have none. We lost time and speed because of that act! "You may have avoided that trap but now…"He started saying smugly but he never finished. Dozen of swords were now flying around him, pointed at him. Not only that but a fair amount of violet arrows were also hovering around him dangerously.

Freed gasped in shock as both me and Erza turned around badass style. "I doubt that you'll be breaking our concentration again." I said smugly.

Erza started running on one spot. "Now I have to get my running rhythm back. If you don't mind, the two of us have a score to settle." We exchanged a glance and were off again.

"Wait! Don't leave! Erza! Anora!" Freed yelled desperately after us.

After a few more hours we passed through a forest on the back of the mountain and it was already getting late. I think that we have been running for about eleven hours. My muscles were a bit sore but thanks to my Dragon Slayer traits, I was still in the game, mostly in top notch state. Erza appeared to be just as up on stamina. Since we were keeping it low so that we could duke it out in front of the finish line the two of us were running at a mediocre pace. Because of that, at one point Gajeel was able to get a one up on us.

Heh, the truth was that I wasn't really using my all here. I mean, I used my magic only at the beginning… But so was Erza. If the two of us were to give it our all, I would reckon that most of the members wouldn't have had such an easy time passing us.

Long story short, we continued running and running and a few hours later we got to the top of the summit and took two wyvern scales. It was already night and everyone was partially or mostly exhausted. I reckon that Natsu would have a hard time using his fire all day but he was just as fired up as when I saw him last, though he wasn't using his boost anymore. Most of the members had upped their level as well and were now catching up to us.

On our way back, we were running as a group as well but now it was time to be using our most. This was the time to use the stamina that we were conserving this whole time. Back through the forest and up to the rocky terrain towards the bottom of the mountain. Right now it was only me, Erza, Natsu, Gajeel and Gray in the lead. Jet was probably already at the finish line. Everyone was giving it their all. Erza and I tripled our running pace and to the looks of it, Gray and Gajeel had done so as well. Natsu was once again using his booster and we were running somewhat evenly towards the bridge to Magnolia. It was already early morning by this time. Already around twenty three or so hours had passed and we were all feeling the effects of constant running, no sleep, no water and no food but no one was letting up

"Alright! I can finally see Magnolia!" Natsu commented from the side.

Suddenly a puff of dust was behind us. We all turned around to see what it was and to our total shock, it was Jet! And he wasn't running as fast as before. I guess that his magic power was low after running for so long and now he had enough speed to barely catch up to us.

"What the heck?! I thought that he would have finished already." I commented. I suddenly realized something very important.

"If he is behind us... that means that we've been competing for first place this entire time!" Gray voiced my discovery. As if those words gave everyone newfound strength, we all gave each other a glance of realization and we all double our speed, rushing towards Magnolia.

Suddenly Erza was engulfed in a bright light.

"Re-equip!" She shouted and when the light died she was still running… but in a white bunny suit… WAIT WHAT!?

"Why is she dressed like a bunny!?" Natsu voiced my concern over Erza's sanity.

"Who cares about that, she's about to beat us!" Gray commented.

"Not while I'm here!" Gajeel scoffed.

"The only thing she's gonna be winning today is Master's punishment game." I shone a wicked smile over my shoulder at Erza as she scowled at me.

Thanks to that re-equip, though, she fell behind from the four of us… What was she planning?

"Somthin's off…" Natsu said randomly, looking over his shoulder towards Erza.

"Whatdya mean?" Gray asked him.

"Doesn't she seem a little slow for a bunny?" Natsu asked.

"Maybe she just likes the way it looks." Gray sweat dropped at his own comment.

"Don't question why she is slow! It's better for me this way!" I cackled maniacally.

"That's funny, she doesn't look like someone who cares about her appearance." Gajeel told Gray.

Half an hour later we already passed the bridge to Magnolia and we were running along the streets to the finish line. At that point, Jet was finally able to catch up with us.

"If you think you're beating me, you're in for a world of disappointment!" He yelled behind us.

We were now a mile away from the finish line and it was in sight. The six of us were running along side by side. One of us getting the upper hand then another. We were all pushing ourselves to the limit here but as if it was possible, which apparently was, we doubled our speed yet again! We were so close, I could hear Jason's commentary from here!

"Jet closes the distance, just in time for the hope stretch! A six-way fight for first place! THIS IS SO COOL I MIGHT EXPLODE!" He screamed.

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist" Natsu yelled taking the lead.

Jet then caught up to him with his speedster magic.

"Re-equip!" Erza was back in her runners gear again and she caught up with them again.

'Not gonna happen Red!'

"Arcane Dragon Claws!" I yelled and my feet were engulfed with purplish, see-through draconic claws. I could feel the power boost they were giving me and when I stepped on the ground, I kicked so hard, I left a dent in it. That was enough to give me speed to catch up to them. Gray and Gajeel weren't ones to be left behind, though, so they also upped their level for the final showdown.

In an instant, Natsu's boost ended.

"Uh-oh. Natsu's Iron Fist Booster is once again out of fuel! He's out of the running for first place!" Jason shouted in the microphone.

Without it, he fell behind and now it was only the five of us in the lead, but he was actually able to catch up to us without his boost? How badly did he want to win?!

"If you think I'm letting it end like this, you've got another thing comin'!" He screamed from behind us and soon after he was once again tied with us for the first place. I swear this last one mile was longer then the whole damn race!

"Incredible! He's still with the pack! Even when he is fired up he is still SO COOL!"

"Come on! Come on! Come on! Come onnnn!" Natsu yelled as we reached the one hundred meter mark to the finish line. Victory was in sight now!

Erza was huffing like a madwoman and so was I and Jet.

"So… close…!" I was reaching my hand forwards to touch the end.

Gray was gritting his teeth so hard that I thought they would shatter and he was also growling alongside Gajeel.

The big sign 'GOAL' was a few meters away now and Mira and Gramps were holding the finish line with wide smiles.

"THIS YEAR'S TITLE IS GONNA BE MINE!" The six of us yelled simultaneously.

And suddenly, the unexpected happened. Natsu, who was behind us all by a few santimeteres, tripped! HE ACTUALLY TRIPPED! And he fell forward over to the next person, creating a chain reaction. Before anyone knew what was happening we were all lying on a pile on the ground, a foot away from the finish line! And now that our tempo was broken, all the accumulated exhaustion was seeping into me and the others with doubled effects. No one wanted to get up.

"All of them wiped out near feet from the goal!" Jason commented, shocked. "What's this? I think I see an underdog approaching! Or an undercat! It's Happy! He's closing in!" Jason yelled.

Happy slowly passed us while the six of watched in shock from the ground. "You're kiddin' me…" Natsu mumbled.

"COOL! We may have a new champion!"

And just like that Happy won the race. I tuned out all the congratulations and all that as the six of us stood up and were now watching with shock and mouths agape.

"How did this happen?"Natsu mumbled.

"We lost this race to a…" Gray began.

"That frikin' cat?" Gajeel ended for him.

I was now out of the shock, which was replaced with disappointment.

"You know," Erza turned to Jet. "You're not taking this as hard as I though, champ." She smiled at him.

"Well, the little guy did wake me up from my nap earlier…" He scratched his head. "I'll let em win this year, but next time I won't be as careless…" He smiled and I sighed, totally forgetting that we haven't crossed the finish line ourselves already.

Suddenly Carla and Wendy ran past us.

"WHAT ARE WE DOING?!" Erza suddenly yelled in realization.

"WE HAVEN'T FINISHED YET!" I yelled just as concerningly.

"They're gonna cross!" Natsu observed. And so they did! Carla and Wendy took second and third place. The crowd then proceeded to congratulate them.

Suddenly rumbling was felt and when we turned back to look, the whole guild was running down to the finish as one big stampede.

"Uh-oh!" Natsu said alarmingly.

"What's goin' on?" Gray asked concerned.

"Isn't it obvious!?" Gajeel said with shock and annoyance.

"If we don't cross the finish line before they do, we'll have to play the punishment game!" Erza finished for him.

"Worse, if I don't cross the finish line before Erza, I will have to play the punishment game!" Erza and I exchange shocked glances.

The stampede went over us but I was able to dodge most of the people. They ended up finishing… all of them. Thankfully I caught Erza sneaking up with them and I caught her with my chains before she did that or I would have been boned!

Natsu, Gray, Gajeel and Jet were down for the moment. I guess they didn't react fast enough.

Right now though, I was pulling Erza back with my chains. I had no strength left but I would be damned if I let her win and let me play the punishment game!

"Ugh! NO!" I yelled.

"LET GO!" She gritted her teeth and the she summoned a sword to cut the chain. I gripped her with another one and I used it to pull myself closer to her while keeping her in place.

"So COOL! Anora and Erza are duking it out just outside the finish line! Which one of them will cross it first!?"

I could hear everyone shouting something or other but I was not listening to anything. I had to beat Erza at all cost. It wasn't only about our rivalry now...We we this close to playing the punishment game.

Suddenly swords surrounded me and they started to come closer to my frame but I used my violet arrows to break them before they came into contact with me.

I got over to Erza and I pushed her back on the ground as I reached for the finish line. As she fell to the ground, she caught my foot and then she yanked me back to the ground while she stood up and tried to reach it for herself.

"No!" I used yet another chain and I caught her hand before it touched it, pulling it back and within the blink of an eye, I got up and jump straight towards her. I crashed into her back and we both tumbled through the finish line. Right behind us, Natsu, Gajeel, Gray and Jet ended with a tie for last place. Which meant…

"And the race comes to a shocking conclusion! We have our first four-way tie for last place and a another first two-way tie for the place before that!" Jason yelled excitedly.

"SAY WHAT!?" The four of them, Erza and I yelled in unison. Erza and I quickly stood up from our place on the ground to look at Jason with shock.

"What do you mean two-way tie!? I beat her fair and square!" I yelled at him.

"That's preposterous! It was obvious that I reached it before her!" Erza defended.

Jason totally ignored us though. "No one in a million years would've ever predicted such a dramatic outcome like the one we saw here today! Tied in last place are Natsu, Gajeel , Gray and the previous champion – Jet!" He yelled excitedly into the microphone. "And just in front of them Erza and Anora are tied for the place before the last! But it's not over for our four contestants… It's time for the punishment games! And thanks to their little deal, Anora and Erza are playing as well!" He announced to our utmost terror.

Master just stepped forward to us with the most smug smile possible. He just chuckled darkly. Even an ominous bell ring like that one in the cemeteries was heard. I swear, we were just missing the bad weather and the lightning for this to become a horror movie.

"This turned out even better than I hoped…" He said.

"We all get punished?"Natsu tried to protest.

"Oh, come on!" Gray agreed.

"Let us at least do it again for a tie-braker!" I tried myself.

"Quit complaining!" Gramps yelled. "I expected better from you. Just like real work, wizards don't get any do-overs when they muck up. You gotta learn to deal with the consequences. Painful consequences for you and fun for me!" He smiled wildly. "Yeah! Six times of fun!" He raised six fingers to prove his point.

The people around us gasped.

"Fine!" Natsu suddenly yelled, going in front of gramps with a raised fist in front of his face. "Bring it on! I'm not afraid of your punishment game! I can take whatever you dish out!"

Makarov's eyes seemed to sparkle. "That's it! Keep that resolve lad! Believe me when I say that you are gonna need it for what I've got in store!" It seemed that just that, Natsu's resolve, was faltering with each of Master's words.

He quickly whipped out a Sorcerer's Weekly magazine, with Mirajane on the cover. "Behold! Your punishment!" He yelled happily.

"I can't be the only one who's confused right now…" Gray said.

"Nope…" I agreed.

"Are we supposed to read the thing?" Gajeel asked.

"No, it's something much worse! Sorcerer Weekly will print an issue with nothing but glamour shots and the models for these pin ups will be you boneheads! That's a twenty page spread, complete with up close and personal interviews!"

All the boys screamed in shock, while me and Erza exchanged a look. We've done this before but it was never a punishment. It was something that we actually anticipated.

"Master, I don't understand how this is a punishment? We've done this many times before."

I shot her a look. At times like these a person must know to shut it! But it was too late already. Master looked at us with a wicked smirk.

"Oh, not to worry dear. After your little deal I devised a punishment specifically for you." I didn't like t all the way he looked at us. "You my dearies will be serving our honorable guest here for a week. The both of you will have to do anything he tells you for seven whole days." He beckoned at someone to come.

Me and Erza exchanged nervous looks.

Shortly after a short person came forward with a wide grin. And for our utmost horror, his name was...Ichiya

I looked at him in panic and then I looked at Erza who wasn't fairing better.

"I'm sure you already know each other so no use of introductions." Makarov smirked devilishly. Last time we had informed him of our first meeting with the man...

"Maaaan. You ladies look just as beautiful as last we met and your pafums are just as intoxicating. N'ohhhh, sniff, sniff. Sniff, sniff." He closed his eyes and sniffed the air around us for about a minute. He went forward, grabbed Erza's hand and kissed it while the red—head was frozen in place from the shock from the situation. "Be sure my dear, we will have the best week you've ever had."

Erza and I, yet again exchanged looks but this time we just nodded. Suddenly Erza kicked Ichya away from us and she yelled as she started running away from the park. "Not happening!"

"You'll never take us alive!" I yelled behind me as I ran after Erza. Seconds after, Natsu, Gray, Gajeel and Jet started running after us with Jason and Ichiya quickly behind them.

"Wait! I still need to measure you!" Jason yelled teasingly at the boys.

"Not happening!" Natsu yelled back. The boys caught up with us.

"But you're gonna look so COOL!" Jason pressed.

"My dear sweet roses, I will trace your pafums to the end of the world." Ichiya yelled after us with a dreamy voice. "And then we shall have a great time together. You're going to love it so much, that you will want to prolong our time together. Maaan."

Erza and I just shuddered at the thought, not answering the crazy little man and we kept on running and running, not stopping for anything.

And thus the pre—written chapters end. Next chapter will come out when the hiatus ends. That means no sneak peakas well :c

The good news, on the other hand is, that from the next chapter we start our journey to Edolas, so that's something. A lot of new things gonna happen and the thing everyone is excited about — we are finally gonna meet Anora's future exceed. Yay! It's gonna be so cewt...*evil smirk* or is it. Welp, one way to find out. *back to innocent smiling*

I'll see ya all in the next chapter.