The guild was acting off for about a week now. Lucy and Marie, in the midst of the chaos, tried to grab a job request when she was rudely shoved to the side by an eager mage. Lucy lost her balance and fell backwards, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms. She peered up to see Natsu's cheerful face. She blushed as he gently stood her up straight.
"Thanks Natsu. Jeez, everyone is so pushy these days. Do you know anything about it Natsu?" She asked him as he ripped off another peice of paper. He and Happy gave each other a certain look before turning back to her.
"You should ask Mira about it. Anyway, I'll see you around Luce! Stay out of trouble!" He cackled, running out the guild, shouting his mission to Mira so she could check it off the list. Lucy pursed her lips and frowned. Stay out of trouble? Since when did she get herself in trouble? He was the crazy, fight loving pyro!
"Hey Mira, can you explain why everyone is acting so crazy? I can't get one job in without someone grabbing it out of my hands and running off with it! Marie and I are starved for something to do!" Lucy asked the barmaid as she scrubbed down the bar counter. Mira giggled and nodded.
"Well, the S-Class trials are about to start!" Seeing Lucy's confusion, she continued on. "It's a trial that takes place on a sacred island. A group of wizards are chosen to compete against each other for the title of S-Class wizard. So don't worry, it gets like this every year." She explained simply. Lucy nodded slowly.
"Wow, what's the trials like?" She questioned.
Mira shrugged. "I'm not sure. Things are a little different every year!"
"I see..." Lucy hummed, laying hed head on the bar counter. Marie put her paws on her hips and glared at the blonde.
"Lucy! Now that you know this, why don't we start going on jobs so you can be chosen!" Marie exclaimed in a huff. Lucy sat up and contemplated it for a moment. It sounded a little appealing, but she didn't really want to fight for a job request. And besides, S-Class was just a title. It didn't make the wizard. In the end, she shook her head.
"I don't want or need a title to show how strong I am. I'm not an S-Class wizard and not a regular wizard, I'm just a wizard who wants to be in a guild surrounded by my friends." Lucy smiled. This brought one to Marie. The gave each other a high five as they laughed.
"Lucy that's so sweet!" Mira sniffled, wiping a tear away.
"Eh- Mira don't cry!" Lucy whined, trying to calm down the blubbering wizard. They then were rudely interrupted by a wizard shoving a job request in Mira's face.
"Here Mira, check this one!" A Fairy Tail member shouted. More and more people started to crowed around them, pushing into Lucy. She was starting to seriously get sick of the shoving. In incredible speed, Mirajane was able to check off every quest presented to her. And in no time at all, everyone was off. Lucy gasped with widened eyes.
"That was really impressive Mira!" Lucy grinned.
"I've had a lot of experience with crowds like that." Mira giggled, continuing her usual duties. Lucy turned to Marie, only for her eyes to land on the back of the exceed's head. Lucy frowned and followed Marie's gaze. It was Makarov standing on the stage, waiting as everyone gathered around him. Lucy gaped as she noticed Natsu was already back from the mission he just took. He was impressively fast.
"Listen up brats! I'm going to announce this years S-Class participants!" Master had shouted. "This years participants are Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Levy Mcgarden, Juvia Lockster, Kana Alberona, Elfman Strauss, Freed Justine, and Mest Gryder! You may all choose one partner a to help you compete, but your partner can not be an S-Class wizard or fellow S-Class participant!" He announced. While others sighed in disappointment, Natsu cheered and searched around the room.
"I guess you're not going to be S-Class after all." Mira hummed almost disappointingly. Lucy sighed and nodded with a bittersweet laugh.
"Yeah, but I can't help slightly wishing I was chosen." Mira giggled at Lucy's words as Lucy managed to glance away for a moment, notcing Kana's depressed expression. "By the way, why does Kana look so upset?" Lucy whispered.
"She always gets like this during this time of year. Maybe you should ask her?" Mira smiled softly, going back to work. Lucy pursed her lips as she overheard Wakaba and Macou talking about how she's been chosen four years in a row, prior to now. No wonder Kana seemed so depressed, no one wants to fail four years in a row. Deep in thought, she didn't notice the arm wrap around her neck.
"There you are Lucy! Didn't you hear!? I was chosen!" Natsu shouted happily. Brought out of her thoughts, she turned to him with a smile.
"Yeah I know, I'm happy for you. I know how much you want to be S-Class. So, who are you going to choose as your partner?" Lucy asked curiously.
"Happy of course!" Lucy nodded knowingly. She laughed at his enthusiastic tone and looked around to see others pairing up as well. She wondered briefly who Kana will choose? Levy of course picked Gajeel, Elfman with Evergreen, but that was only because Fried chose Bickslow, Juvia and Lisanna, and Gray with Loke...wait what?!
"Loke!" Lucy shouted in protest. How was she supposed to go on missions with her strongest spirit out of comission?!
"Sorry Lucy, but I told Gray that when he was chosen that I'd help him. Don't worry my princess, because I'll be using my own powers to be here so you won't waste any magic power." He said smoothly, grabbing her hand and leaning down to kiss it. Suddenly, she doesn't remember what they were talking about. She could feel a dark aura surround the two for a split second, but it disappeared as soon as Loke dropped her hand.
"Are you even part of Fairy Tail?" Elfman asked skeptically. Loke smirked and grabbed the back of his shirt, lifting it up to show the group his green Fairy Tail guild mark that was centered on his spine. He lowered his shirt as Elfman nodded, pleased with the answer. As time went on, Lucy listened as the guild mates around her talked excitedly about the trials. But she supposed it was getting late now. She waved and bid Loke and the others goodbye.
As she trudged along the river, she wondered if Natsu was going to be home. He had left hours ago to go train, but he didn't say where. Just as Lucy was going to head out of town and into the woods, she noticed a snow covered body. Upon closer look, she realized it was Kana.
"Kana! What are you doing here?!" Lucy screamed. But Kana couldn't understand a word she said. She was totally wasted. Lucy groaned as she picked up the chilly woman and laid her against her back as she jogged her way back to her home. She kicked open the cottage door and set Kana down in front of their fireplace. Lucy then clumsily gathered up some wood and had a fire going.
She wrapped a warm blanket around the brunette and sighed with a shake of her head. "Kana, what were you doing out there. You could of froze to death!" Lucy scolded, handing her a cup of warm tea. Kana took it gratefully and gulped it down.
"Sorry to worry you Lucy, I just...I had a lot of things on my mind."
"Like what?"
"Well, I'm thinking about leaving the guild. For good, this time."
It was as if time stopped for Lucy. She stared wordlessly at the card mage. She didn't know what to say to sooth her friends troubles. Lucy sat down in silence as Kana began to explain why she would do such a thing. Though Lucy didn't want Kana to leave, she could understand her sadness.
"That's why if I can't win this year, I'm leaving the guild. I won't ever be able to face him and tell him the truth if I'm not S-Class." Kana finished with a sniffle. Although it wasn't her that was crying. Lucy wiped her rapidly running tears and shook her head. She couldn't speak, couldn't find her voice just yet. She swallowed the lump in her throat and stood up, giving Kana a determined look.
"Please Kana! Let me help you make it to S-Class! I know I may not be the strongest guild member but I won't stop until you'll be able to tell him the truth!" Lucy cried, planting her hands on Kana's shoulder. She leaned into the her face and stared into her eyes until tears formed into Kana's. Kana nodded many times, more for herself than for Lucy.
"Yes."
...
Lucy let out a groan as she leaned over the side of the boat. It was the day of the S-Class trials. And currently, the teams were placed on a boat to sail to the sacred Tenrou Island. Lucy, despite her sickness, was super excited. She asked Makarov many questions about the island before they took off, and was delighted to find out about the many rare species of animals taking home there.
"You two are pathetic. Who could get motion sick that bad?" Gray scoffed. "The only thing that's making me sick is this damn heat!" He groaned as he took a sip from his glass of water. Loke nodded along with him.
"I agree, but do you really have to strip naked?" The spirit sighed.
"I don't- urg, care about the heat. Oh man, why does this boat have to rock so much." Natsu mumbled, holding his hands over his mouth.
"Heh, Natsu, if you're going to be this weak during the trials- ugh, Kana'll win for sure!" Lucy tried to boast, but fell short in her taunt when she threw up over the side of the boat. She sat back and wiped her lips before holding her head in her hands. She really hated this curse.
"Like you're one to talk! At least I'm not spittin' up chunks yet!"
"Shut up!"
They glared at each other, suddenly feeling better about their sickness. But Lucy could feel herself losing this battle, the heat was just too much for her. She turned away from him swiftly, though instantly regretting it when a wave of nausea hit her. Natsu cackled in victory, high fiving Happy. Lucy just rolled her eyes, not bothering to argue with him any further.
"This heat is painful enough, your flirting on top of it isn't helping." Gajeel snickered, placing his elbow on top of Levy's head. Levy muttered an embarrassed apology to Lucy and began to scold Gajeel on his behavior. Lucy sighed, trying to ignore Gajeel's words. And thankfully, it was forgotten when Master Makarov made himself present. He fanned himself as he stood above everyone on a railing.
"We've arrived at Tenrou Island. So, I think it's time to explain a few things before you start the trials," Makarov explained. "Firstly, there are eight tunnels, each with a letter. Each team with take one path only, and once you step in, you cannot leave unless you either lose or you make it through. I've chosen three random pathways that hold an S-Class member in each one. If you're unlucky enough to choose one of those, you must defeat said S-Class member before continuing on."
"Wait really!?" Gray exclaimed. "So you mean Gildarts is hiding in one of those paths. Oh man..." Gray moaned.
Ignoring his panic, Makarov continued. "There is one pathway where you can skip the fighting all together and make it through easily. The rest of the tunnels are where you'll be fighting each other. Good luck my children, and may the best man win!" He cheered, signaling with a flare gun that the trials had started. Lucy grabbed Kana's hand and went to jump off the boat, only to bounce back.
"What the hell!" Lucy growled, banging on the invisible barrier keeping them locked in. She watched Bickslow and Fried fly off in the distance. She figured it was those two, they were always pulling tricks to get ahead.
"Damn. He set a barrier." Gray scoffed.
"Yeah, for five minutes." Levy said, reading over the runes.
"Well, they aren't the only ones who know how to alter runes." Evergreen smirked as she altered it and jumped away, along with Elfman. Unfortunately for the rest of them, Evergreen only let herself and Elfman leave.
"Urg, the cheaters!" Natsu screamed, tapping his foot impatiently. Lucy watched as Levy rewrote the tunes rules as well, only allowing herself and Gajeel to leave.
"Ugh! Levy-chan!"
"Sorry Lu-chan!" Levy giggled.
Five minutes passed slowly, it seemed like forever. But once the barrier disappeared, all hell broke loose. Everyone jumped off the boat at the same time, diving into the water. Lucy and Kana tried swimming as fast as they could, despite not having any leverage like Lisanna and Juvia would have. Unfortunately, they were the last to make it. So they had to take the last path left for them.
Immediately, they started to hear noises ahead of them. "I really hope it isn't Erza!" Whined Lucy, following after Kana after she picked up her pace. She paled as she stared at the two in front of her. Bickslow and Fried.
"I was hoping we would run into you."