Natsu was standing in front of Emeraude, who was attempting to relax. But he wasn't going to allow that so long as he had a question only she could answer. "We're gonna talk, whether you like it or not." Natsu demanded. "I want to know what happened yesterday."

"I'd rather you just leave me alone." Emeraude said while waving a hand dismissively, to shoo Natsu away. "Even if I did opt to tell you, I doubt you would even understand the words coming from my mouth. Your brain only works in combat."

Natsu expected that response but it didn't mean he was going to back down. "My brain works all the time!"

"Just not well…" Happy mumbled. That comment didn't really help Natsu's case, but he had to say it.

"It's not a problem that concerns only you!" Natsu glared. "Lucy could've been hurt or worse back there!"

"And I'm supposed to care?" Emeraude scoffed. "Using her as a means to try and get me to talk is a foolish idea. You know that as well as I do."

"You're a bit of a jerk, but I know you're not heartless." Natsu folded his arms across his chest. What made Emeraude different than other enemies in the past was her compassion. "Even if you don't like Lucy or us, you know we need an answer to what happened."

"…" Emeraude fell silent. After she just made fun of Natsu for not having a brain, he was actually making sense. It was kind of annoying actually. This situation did include Fairy Tail, whether she liked it or not. Even if she had plenty of reasons to dislike them, she did have a responsibility as Empress and a person to be fair.

"Well?" Natsu wasn't budging.

"The point of being here is to relax. I don't intend to talk about serious matters while clad in my swimsuit." Emeraude said.

"Wh…!?" Natsu was about to groan but Emeraude held her hand up to stop him.

"If you can manage to find me tomorrow, I will tell you…and, ugh, Lucy." Emeraude had to force herself to say that last part.

"But why not today? You're not doing anything." Natsu just held a judgmental stare. Leave it to Natsu to push his luck.

"Oh come on, Natsu…" Happy was trying to get his friend to quit while he was ahead.

"I'm busy relaxing. Which I cannot do while you're here." Emeraude said again, making it clear that she did not want him around.

Luckily for the both of them, Lucy happened to notice this and had to get in and out as fast as possible to avoid an awkward scenario. "Natsu, Happy, why are you bugging the grouch?" Lucy asked, noticing the annoyed twitch on Emeraude's face. She'd take that as a small victory.

"I was trying to get her to talk about yesterday!" Natsu explained.

"Ah…" Lucy understood. It was something she wanted to ask but she knew there was no chance Emeraude would tell her. "I guess it was a waste of time…?"

"Tomorrow. If and only if you can catch me when I'm not busy." That was the catch, but Emeraude was at least being willing.

"Wow…I can't believe Natsu managed to convince you." Lucy was in shock. "You probably would've…" And at that moment, Emeraude used a chain to splash some water onto Lucy. This caused her expression to sour. "…"

"Oh? I'm sorry, I meant to splash Brandish." Emeraude snickered. Brandish wasn't even around.

Natsu looked between Emeraude and Lucy. He knew where this was about to go. Was he gonna stop it? Not at all. He just grinned because he knew Lucy was about to retaliate. Happy was the one who had half a mind to put a stop to this. "Lucy, we should go before…"

Too late. Lucy shifted to Star Dress Aquarius, using the power of water manipulation to splash Emeraude back. Harder. "Whoops…I was also aiming for Brandish."

"…" Emeraude splashed back again, much harder. This time with so much force it caught Natsu in Happy in its as well.

"WAIT WHY US!?" Natsu flailed about as he, Lucy, and Happy were swept away by the water. Desperate to grab onto something, he latched onto Lucy's top and ended up tugging it off due to his strength.

"KYAAAH!" Lucy exclaimed as she realized what Natsu had done. But before she could move to cover her chest from any prying eyes, Natsu had already done it for her.

"Don't worry, I got you covered." Natsu said with a firm nod.

"YOU'RE MAKING IT LOOK WORSE!" Lucy shrieked.

Emeraude stared with a wide eyed blush. She then glanced away and pointed at the two accusingly. "I should have you two removed for public indecency!"

"NO-NO WAIT! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" This was awful. Lucy had to elbow Natsu away so she could cover her own chest. This at least made her feel…less indecent. "Where'd it go…." She whined comically. Luckily for her, it magically appeared in front of her and she was fast to put it on.

"Honestly, you should be more careful with how you let your top fly." It was the courtesy of Minerva that kept Lucy decent. "I would've kept it, but this is my one nice act for the year."

"Thanks…" Lucy let out a quiet sigh.

"Ugh…" Natsu was just lying on the ground with an elbow mark on his face. Lucy hit him hard and steam was coming from his mouth.

Minerva just used her foot to nudge Natsu aside out of the way. That's when Happy just decided to carry his friend elsewhere. "You know…" Minerva began, looking at Emeraude and Lucy. "Your relationship reminds me a lot how Erza and I were back in the day."

"I don't like where this is going." Lucy and Emeraude said in unison, then looked at one another in disgust.

"See? While I can't claim to know every detail of your…unique relationship, watching you two interact says more than enough. I think you two need to get past this forced rough patch and who knows, maybe you'll be more than enemies." Minerva's lips held a grin. Why? Because she knew both women hated hearing this and the expressions on their face brought her joy. She really enjoyed watching their faces sour.

"Absolutely not." Emeraude shook her head. "I have no intention of even being friendly with her."

Lucy, however, couldn't say the same. Because she did try to be friendly, Emeraude just shot her down. "….Same." She ultimately replied, glancing away.

"One day you two are going to have to confront whatever lingering tension there is between you." Minerva pointed out. "Then again if we put you in a room together while in your swimsuits, then maybe…"

"NOPE." Both women walked in opposite directions. Minerva, however, was not hiding her laughing fit.

"Ah…those two are fun to watch…" Minerva couldn't stop laughing.


Erza was relaxing in a chair near a small pool. As much as she tried to take it easy, it was a bit hard for her. Her arm still stung from her battle against Lucia. Every time she looked she was reminded that her Fairy Tail mark was burned off. The mark of her home. Combined with the situation surrounding Fiore's circumstances in the tournament. Needless to say that everything was getting to her…this time off was needed but it was hard for her. "…"

"Are you alright, Erza…?" That voice came from Jellal, who was lingering in the nearby water…with the Mystogan mask on.

"Wh…" Erza turned to face Jellal, only for her expression to comically drop when she saw the mask. "…Why are you wearing the mask…?"

"You can never be too sure." Jellal stated. But he did voice his concern. "But that aside…I understand you're down, but it's not like you to stay down for too long."

"…I know you're right. Everything has just been difficult this week." Erza admitted. "Being made an example of on the very first day was a blow to our momentum. But we've managed to keep up relatively well since. I just wish I was able to do more. I know I can do more!"

"Then you simply have to do it." Jellal said with a firm nod. "I know that there's nothing that can stop you when you put your mind to it. They may have taken your mark, but they did not take the strength you draw from it. You of all people know that Fairy Tail will forever be your family, no matter what. Besides, when things get tough, I've always seen you obtain the strength to overcome."

"…" Erza managed a soft smile. Jellal always found some way to cheer her up, one way or another. For that she'd forever be thankful. "Yes, you're right. Thank you, Jellal. I feel much better already." She gave him a smile as her thanks. "Have things gone well on your end?"

"I can't say." Jellal shook his head. "I haven't heard from Meredy or Ultear since they went to infiltrate Crown Castle. I'm beginning to worry about them…"

Erza's smile faded and her expression turned more serious. "That was since yesterday…no word at all?"

"I worry they've been caught." Jellal said. "But by who? The only people I can think of are the Wizard Hunters…considering how they're spread out between two countries, Joya included, it's not difficult to come to this conclusion."

"What are you going to do?" Erza asked. "If they have been caught…going in alone to rescue them would be difficult even for you. You're one person."

"And it's not something I can afford to mess up. I've been searching for information on any potential rumors." Jellal stated, sinking lower into the water to conceal his identity. "I've heard whispers of something occurring within Crown Castle that caused Count Waltz to make a hasty return. It would explain why he was so irritated towards the end of the day."

"I see…" Erza gave a slight nod. "I doubt the Hunters will tell us anything…" She then felt a slight pinch in her arm. She let out a low grumble and rubbed the spot where the burn mark was.

"You don't need to worry about it. This is a matter I can take care of." Jellal said firmly. "All you must do is focus on winning. If anyone can lead Fiore to victory, I know it's you."

Erza managed a soft smile yet again. "Yes. I'll be certain to."

Jacob managed to sneak in and out without being noticed. He was making good time with the mission Emeraude assigned to him. "Only three more…" Mii, Lucy, and Hisui remained. While he did try to get Lucy when she was talking with Emeraude, that plan came to a halt the very moment her top came off. As such the flustered assassin had no choice but to bail and wait for a better time. But he still had time to get this done.


Luke and Reve managed to catch up to Nami, here of all places. It was a strange reunion but not one either outright objected to. "What are you doing here?!" Luke was shocked. The last time he'd seen her was after the Tartarus attack in Crocus.

"It's so wonderful to see you again! How is everyone?" Nami said with a bright smile.

"We're fine." Reve said. "Everyone's been wondering where you were. Especially Taya."

"Ah, truly…?" Nami seemed shocked. "…To tell the truth, after what happened all those years ago, I went to do some soul searching. I ended up in Minstrel during my travels. I found myself with the Martell family and I've been lucky enough to stay with them. They're all incredibly nice!"

"Tch…" Reve rolled his eyes at the mention of the Martells. "So are you going to stay there?"

Nami poked her fingers together. "I've been thinking about it. While I do miss everyone at White Eclipse…I've settled in here as well, too. I heard about what happened a year ago with Acnologia. Congratulations on finally defeating it!" Nami's optimism was a nearly forgotten breath of fresh air. "And you all have been doing so good in the tournament, too!"

"Don't be too upset when we beat down the Martell's." Reve said with his usual smirk. "White Eclipse has only gotten stronger since you left. I trust you haven't been slacking either?"

"Of course not!" Nami said with an excited nod. "I wanted to get stronger after what happened to Taya. I don't know if I'm strong enough yet to face her…I want to apologize for being unable to protect her back then."

"It's okay, Nami. Things were…bumpy since you left." Luke said nervously. Taya being a part of the enemy team during the Face incident was a bit hard to swallow even now. "But she's back with us. I'm sure she'll be happy to at least hear from you. So try to make some time for her, okay?"

"Right…" Nami was a bit apprehensive. But Luke made a good point; she had to reach out to her sister. It was only right. Her lips then curled into a sly grin. "I am rooting for you guys, but don't be surprised when the Martell's find a way to blow you away!"

"I'm surprised that team is still functioning." Luke pointed to a nearby diving board, where Tyson and David were competing to see who made the biggest splash. They were also arguing about the results, which annoyed a nearby Renae greatly. That team's cohesion was still shaky at best…


Hisui was standing at the top of a water slide. It looked a bit daunting. "Well…"

"Come on, Your Majesty!" Jenny was goading Hisui to cut loose a little bit. "It's not that bad! You should really give it a try!"

"It's…very tall." Hisui cleared her throat. It felt a bit wrong considering her condition but she gave a slight nod. "I can…I can do this! It's just a slide!"

"Yeah, just a slide!" Behind Jenny and Hisui were Mii and Polka. They were also joining in on this. Retto was keeping Polka companying and just kind of watching the madness in front of him. The other members of Joya weren't really a part of this.

"Come on, Queenie~" Mii leaned closer to her ear. "Go get wet and wild~!"

"D-Did you really have to say that…!?" Hisui's face flared up. So did…well, everyone else's.

"I forgot how bold this one was…" Jenny let out a few laughs. "I'm also surprised she's so willing to hang around…"

"I…don't mind as long as no one's trying to talk nonsense into Mii." Mii shrugged. "So, I'll even go down with you~"

"For some reason, that doesn't help." The Queen said with a sweat drop.

"I think you should do it." Lucia approached with a coy smile. "Take the risk, Queen. Life is only so short."

"It certainly is when you put a time limit on it." Hisui rolled her eyes. Of course Lucia would be here to taunt her in some fashion. Her eyes then wandered to the odd attachment on Lucia's hip. Those looked like the devices used to implant the 'bomb' within her and Emerald.

"I carry it everywhere, just for safe keeping." Lucia told the Queen. "But you have nothing to worry about if Fiore wins."

"I'd rather not have this talk now." Hisui said while glancing back at the water slide. With a firm nod she decided to go in…and she let out a cute squeal as she went down the water slide. It was a lot more rigorous than she expected, but it was…fun, too.

Mii then placed her hand on Lucia's back and shoved her down the slide as well. "You have some fun, too!"

"Huh-!?" Lucia wasn't expecting Mii to act like that. As such she let out a surprised yelp while falling down the slide on her stomach.

Mii giggled while watching the Queen and the Hunter slide down, eventually splashing into the pool below. She then turned to Jenny, handing her the two devices for Hisui and Emerald by stuffing them into her top. "Here."

"Wha!? Hey! Hands off the goods…!?" Jenny cried out in surprise. Polka watched curious awe, but Retto covered her eyes. "That's cold…!"

"Sssh!" Mii said. "I bought you a few minutes! So go and figure out what to do with these. They've got magical locks on them, but I know someone of yours should be able to figure it out."

"W-What…are you doing…" Jenny didn't understand.

"Making things easier for Fiore…and I guess Alvarez too." Mii sighed. She couldn't give an answer as to why, but after Emerald spoke to her, she couldn't sit around and let this happen… "Good people are always put through hard times for no reason. So I want to make sure the good people have less to worry about."

"But…what about you?" Jenny looked to Mii with a bit of concern. Mii was entrusting her with a lot. "Isn't this going against…"

Mii shook her head, letting out a quiet laugh. "I've been a traitor since I was a kid. It's in my blood. If you want to know why I'm doing this well…I owe them one, for what they did for me the other day. They all came to my aid and they had no reason to." Mii had a sad smile on her face. "I've done nothing but cause them trouble, reject them, hurt them…and even still…so, this is a job from Mii to Blue Pegasus. Please, figure out how to save the Queen and Em's Mom. It's…all I can do."

"You have a beautiful heart." Jenny said with a sincere tone. "Not as beautiful as me of course, but…it's up there. On behalf of Blue Pegasus, we accept this mission." The model gave Mii a nod and started to leave. Mii said she bought her time for a reason so Jenny had to use it. "Men! We have a job!"

"Are you certain that was the right thing to do…?" Origin asked Mii.

"Hah…of course it was." Mii snickered. And right on cue, those black sparks from before flared up around her body, causing her to cry out. Retto and Polka went to her, concerned.

"Are you okay!?" Polka asked.

"What's wrong!?" Retto showed his concern.

"D-Don't worry about me…this is just…what I deserve…" Mii said with a dry laugh. She was in for a world of trouble when she went back to Ashnard. This was a risky move on her part, but it was one she thought worth taking. After what Natsu, Lucy, and Emeraude did for her the other day…she had to repay the favor…


Zelos could feel what Mii was doing. It made him shift about uncomfortably for a bit. But in the end he managed to wear a smile despite it all. "There you go again, Mii-chan. Showing me up as always with your decisions…I can't let you take all the spotlight, otherwise it'll make me look bad. I may not have 'resolve' but I do have something else up my sleeve…"

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Next Time: Prelude To The Final.