"speaking"

"thinking"

On with the story

A week soon passed, Natsu was at the roof top on the school and was viewing the sky above

"must be nice…..floating above with no care of the world" Natsu said looking at the floating clouds before taking out his book and started to read it

The Magic Festival was coming as it was an annual festival that all Rank students partake in order to become a Seven Empress

The rules are simple, students will be fighting against other students in same Rank/ different Rank and reach to the finals. The seven finalists will be battling against current members of the Seven Empress. Those who win will gain their title while those who had lose will become their subordinate. There are also times when Seven Empresses will be paired against each other in a duel with no condition.

As Natsu reads alone in the roof top, Lucy came in with Mira and Kagura behind

"ah, I knew that you were here" Lucy said as the three went to Natsu who looks at them before reading his book again

"why are you guys here?" Natsu asked reading his book

"lunch, what else?" Mira said carrying a wrapped up bento box

"may we partake it here?" Kagura said as Natsu nodded while he reads

A small picnic blanket was set as Lucy, Mira and Kagura sat down with Natsu joining

"ta-da!" Lucy opened her bento box as it was a homemade bento box filled with rice, karaage, and salad

"nice looking bento" Mira said before she opened hers and hers was homemade but it was mostly filled with meat, meat, and meat

"why so much meat?" Kagura said as her bento was a balance diet of rice, egg, and small sausages "your weight is going to be increased"

"at least I work out and burn the fat!" Mira barked at Kagura "and I get a satisfied stomach from my bento unlike your daily diet bento"

"a healthy body means a healthy mage" Kagura said as she takes her chopstick and took a bite out of her rice and sausages

"what is it with you girls and dieting?" Natsu said as he reads his book "you look the same to me"

"you boys don't get it, do you?" Lucy said "body figure and weight balance means everything to us girls"

"just like how you still gained weight over the last week?" Natsu asked "I know a fat girl when I see one"

"DON'T BLURT IT OUT LIKE THAT! CANA AND THE OTHERS MADE ME GO OUT TOO MUCH AND I…I I!" Lucy blurted out as she was red as a tomato

"my my" Mira said taking a bite out of her meal "so Lucy gained weight, huh?"

"no! it's just normal fat!" Lucy exclaimed but Mira poked her side and sees her finger going in to her fat

Lucy dropped down all gloomy as she cried in tears

"alright! I've not been dieting! It's just the meals that Cana and the others forced me are too delicious! And I couldn't contain myself!" Lucy cried out

"bad for you then," Natsu said flipping another page "after school, training is going to be stamina training"

"eeeh!?" Lucy screamed "anything but that!"

"don't be like that, it's not bad once you reached 4 km on the track field" Mira said eating her meal

"easy for you to say!" Lucy exclaimed but Mira just laughed at her

Natsu sighs before he takes out a snack bar from his pocket and started eating

"that's your lunch?" Kagura asked

"it's not much but it feeds me" Natsu said taking a bite before starting to chew it

"if you like" Kagura said as she takes out a separate bento box behind her "you can have this"

"wah!" Mira looks at the bento box before to Kagura with her eyes fury in flames

"what is it?" Natsu asked taking another bite of his snack bar

"same as mine it's just that Simon had already left and didn't take this one so….if you like" Kagura said giving the bento box to him while having a small blush

"hmmm, haven't had a decent meal today, so why not?" Natsu said taking the bento "thanks"

"it's fine" Kagura said blushing a bit

"sneaky bitch!" Mira looks at Kagura as her hair was rising

Natsu takes a bite of the given bento as he chewed on the meal and shrugs his shoulders a bit

"not bad" Natsu said before taking another bite "Mira's was a bit better"

Mira had a proud smirk as Kagura glares at her

Lucy sweatdropped as she was afraid of another catfight between the two


After lunch break was over, everyone headed back to class and the teacher seems to have an announcement to make

"alright class, as you all know next week is the beginning of the Magic Festival" the teacher said while having a floating banner beside her "this is the annual festival where future and possible candidates of Seven Empresses are to be born"

"miss" Lucy raised her hand "is it alright if we don't' participate if we don't?"

"the festival doesn't force you all to participate, only those who desire to become a Seven Empress" the teacher replied as Lucy sighs in relief

"the entire week is dedicated for the festival so no class" the teacher added in "everyone! give your all and become the best"

"yes!" everyone replied before the school bell rang and class was over

"Natsu Dragneel" someone called out as Natsu looks to the door and sees Erza Scarlet "the headmistress wishes to see you"

Natsu squinted his eyes as he didn't want to know that the witch wanted with him now

He sighs before looking to Lucy who was looking at him

"head to the track field with the others, be with you in a moment" Natsu said before he went to Erza who leads him out


Natsu walks to the headmistress office with Erza as she directed him in

"enter" Erza said opening the door for Natsu to come in before she did

Irene was sitting at her desk as she seems to be awaiting on Natsu to arrive

"take a seat" Irene said as a seat floated towards Natsu

"Talk now, I've plans to do for today" Natsu said while Erza looks at him as her face shown a bit of anger to him

"Erza, you may leave" Irene said

"but i.." Erza tried to retort

"leave" she said as Erza nodded before she bowed and left the room

"you treat her like that, to your own daughter" Natsu said

"very well done in knowing it" Irene said "don't get the wrong idea, she may be my daughter but every time look at her, I get reminded of the bastard of a man who left me for another"

"yet you still have her with you, why? Is it because of motherly love?" Natsu said crossing his arms

"I don't care about her one single bit. She's just a sacrificial pawn in my eyes" Irene waved her hand as a scroll flied towards Natsu who caught it

"and this is?" Natsu said holding the scroll

"your special permission to enter the festival" Irene said taking her pipe and snapped her fingers, lighting the tip "the festival usually is for girls but you should enter in, just to make things more interesting"

"and do you really think that I would enter like you tried previously" Natsu said

"oh you might" Irene said blowing some smoke and had a small smirk "after all, Lucy Heartifillia won't be able to"

Natsu's eyes widen before they glowed red

"you witch!" Natsu shouted

"better hurry" Irene said turning around on her chair "being alone in the track field, can be dangerous for a girl like her"

Natsu growls before he left the room at high speed

Irene giggles as she inhaled some smoke before blowing it out

"how fun this year's festival will be" Irene said smiling


Lucy was at the trackfield as she was doing some warm ups by herself

A figure appeared behind her as the figure approached Lucy

"Natsu?" Lucy turns around as she thought that Natsu had come but it wasn't

"you…" Lucy muttered out before her world turned dark


That's a wrap!

Bye bye