Chapter 36: A Final Battle and Victory!
Instead of everyone fighting one on one it seemed that the runners of the GMG decided to do a large battle with every guild participating. Laxus was chosen for their team, Minerva for Sabertooth, Lyon from Lamia Scale, and Jenny from Blue Pegasus for the contestants Lucy actually knew. The arena was set up so that the eighteen guilds still participating started on a raised platform, and you had to be constantly moving. The rules to make it more interesting demanded you couldn't stay on one platform longer than ten minutes even if you were in the middle of a fight. Eighteen platforms to go between that constantly shifted in the air. There were three ways to lose this battle one was the time limit, another if you were knocked off a platform and couldn't land on another, the final if another contestant knocked you out.
Of course it seemed that the main battle everyone wanted to see was the continuation of the one between Laxus and Minerva. If things went by well enough in the two hour long battle the games might just end up being over tonight. Either way though tomorrow would be the last day Lucy was certain of that. Surprising since Lucy had heard that the games used to last far longer and this one was so short, and she wondered if it was because of the Eclipse Project being destroyed, and wanting to launch a full scale investigation into the why that the games were ending so soon.
In the first ten minutes already two teams were out having not paid attention to their time limits. Actually the only ones who didn't seem to care about the time limits and didn't have to worry were Laxus and Minerva. The two of them were flitting around through their lightning and space magic all over the arena. Only briefing stopping on top of a platform to exchange blows before hopping around to the next most of their battle being fought in the air, which as long as they landed on a platform afterwards stayed within the rules of the game. Neither of them even seemed to care when they interrupted other battles with their fierce battle, and Lucy was shocked at how serious Laxus was taking this fight.
Even though Minerva had yet to actually injure Laxus Lucy still found herself worried sick for her best friend. She knew just how despicable the other mage could be when given the chance, and even though this was a different Minerva Lucy couldn't help, but think of when the serious mage had tortured her during their water battle. Of course she knew that Laxus was strong, but it didn't stop her from worrying that Minerva might use cheap tactics and harm him. Especially after she had thrown Laxus off a little at lunch by her brief instance of flirting she knew she should have waited, but she hadn't known he would be the one battling today and couldn't help it she didn't want to keep her feelings bottled up anymore. Not that she was immediately going to jump into a relationship with Laxus or confirm her feelings for him, but she wasn't opposed to some harmless flirting until the big lug got the hint.
Lucy was vaguely aware of more teams being disqualified well her eyes were glued to Laxus and Minerva. She was lucky that becoming a devil slayer had improved her eye sight and she was probably one of the few people in the crowd who was actively able to watch the battle. Even the judges seemed to be having a hard time locating Laxus and Minerva until they appeared to exchange blows before going back to their game of cat and mouse. Laxus having a bit of an advantage of course because of his advanced senses usually was the one able to land a blow when they were in the sky away from prying eyes.
It was just good for Fairy Tail that this was a battle and that the only thing that mattered was who remained at the end of two hours; otherwise they would surely end up losing since Laxus couldn't focus on anyone other than Minerva. She knew why Minerva was going after Laxus mad that he had been able to use his brain to avoid answering her question therefore pissing her off, but she had no idea why Laxus was so intent on beating Minerva. He could just as easily avoid her and attack other guilds to narrow down the competition, so what was the point? Had she said something else to Laxus that made him mad, or was this just a stupid matter of pride to show that Fairy Tail was better than Sabertooth since that guild currently held Fairy Tail's old number one spot?
Out of the corner of her eye Lucy noticed Lyon just barely clinging onto a platform with a grappling hook made of ice his opponent having already fallen off of the shifting platform. It was only Lyon's immense control over his ice make magic that allowed him to pull himself back up and then swing onto another platform just before he would have been disqualified because of the time limit. He immediately ended up battling a fire mage who had nothing on Natsu, but was still a little hard for the ice make mage to attack since his ice kept getting melted. Actually it was probably because of the fact that each of his attacks were melted that gave him the idea to suddenly make a ton of ice that ended up sweeping the fire mage off of the platform when she tried to melt it. Not realizing that the amount of water the ice would make would be disastrous.
A roar from the crowd brought Lucy's attention back to Laxus where she watched with baited breath as Laxus sent a lightning roar at Minerva who seemed to be only barely hanging onto the platform. Suddenly looking like she was exhausted, and Lucy wondered just how much magic it took for the other mage to both attack in her little space bubbles and travel around in them considering that Minerva looked like she had been battling nonstop for hours instead of only half an hour. It seemed like it wasn't yet time for Laxus to beat her however because she disappeared again in a flash only to end up on another platform on the other side if the arena. Laxus either needed to get her with a huge attack up front, or tire her out enough until she wouldn't be able to use her space magic to dodge his attacks.
It went on like this for the next hour Minerva slipping out of Laxus's grasp at the last minute, as other guilds fell. Apparently the Sabertooth woman knew she wouldn't be able to beat Laxus the conventional way with the odd rules of this battle and she was trying to tire him out as well. Unfortunately for her a storm was coming in and Laxus was charging up whenever he skimmed through the air with his lightning able to absorb the lightning that hadn't yet started to fall. It was the pitfalls of fighting against a slayer of any type, and it was always better to try and keep a slayer away from their element if you wanted a chance of defeating them.
Soon enough it was only Minerva and Laxus left battling against each other to regain or keep the title of number on guild in Fiore. Half an hour was left for their fight and it seemed that Minerva was finally realizing that her strategy to wear Laxus down wasn't working. Therefore the true battle between Fairy and Saber began as they felt the countdown happening both of them deciding to stop their cat and mouse battle and attack each other head on.
Lightning was hitting near Minerva every few seconds the woman barely able to dodge as Laxus ran forward to attack her. Just before the time limit both of them back flipped onto another platform that was just passing by overhead, as Minerva tried to make Laxus too heavy to move by increasing the weight of the space above him, but she only succeeded in slightly slowing him down. Although she did end up managing to hit him with his speed decreased. It was too bad for Minerva that she couldn't just destroy the platforms, but the other mage probably realized that doing that would end up giving her a disadvantage in the fight as well. Lucy was also fairly certain that Minerva hadn't yet completely mastered her territory magic yet since she wasn't able to nullify Laxus's attacks at all. Perhaps that was why she wasn't originally a member of the games in Lucy's original first games because she had been away training.
Without mastery of territory however Minerva didn't stand a chance even with her increased strength and other secondary magics. She couldn't even summon her statue to fight Laxus for a break because otherwise it would probably end up fighting past the ten minute limit on a platform. That was why Lucy wasn't surprised when five minutes before the fight would have been a tie a kick sent by Laxus was able to send Minerva soaring off of the platform. The difference this time being that Minerva didn't catch herself in time, and with that Fairy Tail had regained their spot as the number one guild of Fiore.
Everyone in their guild immediately soared forward, Lucy and the rest of the team getting there first, to meet Laxus as the platform lowered itself. Tears of joy falling down Lucy's cheeks as she threw herself at Laxus embracing him tightly glad that they had won! Laxus hugging her back just as tightly as their family surrounded them. Their joy was short lived however when seconds into their celebration they heard a harsh noise and turned with wide eyes to see the Master of Sabertooth, Minerva's father, towering over her rage in his eyes and a red mark on Minerva's cheek from where he had slapped her.
"You are a disgrace to the name of Sabertooth!" her father hissed.
Natsu immediately getting upset and ran right up to the man throwing a fire dragon's iron first at him. "The only disgrace here is a man who can't accept defeat," Natsu snarled as the older man went flying backwards. Minerva looking at Natsu in shock that he would defend her in that way. "Minerva-san fought her hardest and that should be all you should ask of her!"
Giving Gemma one last look of disgust Natsu grabbed Minerva's hand and tugged her away from her father. The both of them disappearing and Lucy briefly wondered if that would be another big change, she could say she had seen weirder relationships though. Taking note of what Natsu had done the rest of Fairy Tail turned their backs on Gemma treating him like he wasn't even worth being acknowledged, as they went back to congratulating Laxus for winning back the title of number one guild of Fiore.
"With that Fairy Tail has won back their title Kabo!" Mato-kun aka the disguised King shouted, the crowd having gone silent when Gemma had hit Minerva. It seemed they would ignore the man as well since Fairy Tail was basically telling him they didn't see him as a threat by turning their backs to him. They had regained their title and those who had patiently been waiting for them were shown that they still had it, well Lucy and Laxus still had it, it was thanks to Jellal and the other two that they had kept in the top two guild spot for so long.
After their win Lucy, Jellal, Meredy, Laxus, and Ultear had all been interviewed by Jason for Sorcerer's Weekly magazine. Something Lucy had missed out on in her first GMG because of everything that had gone on afterwards. The photographer had also gotten pictures of just Lucy and Laxus, and then one of Team Sorcière, before getting one of the five of them together. Showing how despite being in different groups they had fought well enough together, although she was certain that the article on the GMG would include her fight with Laxus and then the two of them mysteriously making up.
Once they were done with Jason the rest of the guild stole them away and they celebrated until the early hours of the morning. Master of course celebrated more at the amount of the prize money, part of which was shared with the five contestants. Lucy waited until everyone was fairly drunk and Cana was distracting Laxus before she pulled Gajeel away she needed to know if he had known of their familial ties and if so for how long.
"Before you ask Bunny yeah I knew I've known since shortly after the first time I joined and saw your father's picture. Didn't know him by name and only knew him by a pic my own mom had shown me, said she and her brother had a falling out before Ciana was born. After my mom and father died I had to bring Ciana to the same facility Ultear was in Ciana's magic was just too strong for her, and she ended up passing away from their experiments. Didn't know nothing about your old man, so I decided to join Phantom Lord to protect myself eventually closing off my heart to everybody except the Rain Woman she reminded me so much of myself that I couldn't help but be her friend," he explained his eyes sad as he talked about his little sister.
"Why not tell me?!"
"Originally it was because of what I had done to you back then didn't think you'd want to know you were related to a man who had beat you black and blue for kicks. Eventually I just got so used to hiding it, and when we came back here I didn't think it mattered anymore. Even if you aren't Ciana you are still Lucky Lucy my little sister, what's it matter if there really is a blood connection between us?"
"I guess it doesn't. Love ya to Gaj-nii," she said hugging him tightly to her. Glad that he hadn't been hiding it just to spite her. Besides he was right she saw him as a brother without even knowing they were related so it wasn't like anything had really changed because he was already family beforehand and he was right that was all that mattered.
AN: Sorry for the short chapter, but this is the official end of the Grand Magic Games arc. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Now onto mysteries and missions, as well as deceit. Please tell me what you guys thought, oh and just to clarify Ciana is the name Gajeel uses for the real Luciana to differentiate between who he's really talking to, plus it was the nickname he used for his baby sister. :)