"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
The week had gone by as the day before the Magic Competition came
Natsu carried a bag over his shoulder as he and the others were preparing to leave
Éclair and everyone else gathered up to bid them on their journey as they will be gone for the entire week
"good luck, Lu-chan!" Levy said as she cheered for her best friend
"I'll be going, Levy-chan!" Lucy said with a determined face before getting hugged by Cana who was drunk and laughing
"fight for our part too" Ikaruga said with Ultear beside her as Erza, Kagura and Mira nodded before they look to Minerva who just looks away to the road
"we'll be cheering on for you" Éclair said to Natsu who nodded before she pecks his cheeks "be careful"
"I know" Natsu said with a smile before he kisses her lips
"no fair~!" Cana exclaimed as she lunged at Natsu and kisses his lips while pushing him down
"Cana!" Lucy and Levy exclaimed as they pulled Cana off Natsu
"hahahaha~!" Cana laughed drunk as Natsu got back up while dusting off his shirt
"we're not letting her have it all" Ikaruga said as she and Ultear kisses Natsu's lips "do be careful, the Competition is unlike the Magic Duel of Belserion High"
"I know that" Natsu said before a big bus came to a stop in front of them
"that's our ride" Mira said as the door opened and she with the others started boarding on
"we'll be going" Natsu said as he walks towards the buss while the others waved at him
Getting on the bus, the door closed before it drives off
Watching the bus leaves, Éclair and the others prayed for their friends
Getting on the bus, Natsu and the others see that participants from other school was riding with them
"talk about tense" Lucy muttered out as everyone's eyes were on them but specifically to Natsu
Natsu spotted their seats at the back as he leads first with the others following back
Reaching to their seats, Lucy, Lucy spotted a blue haired man who looks back at her
"Gray!?" Lucy exclaimed in surprise while pointing at the man
"Lucy!?" the man exclaimed back while pointing back at her
"you know him?" Mira asked to Lucy who nodded
"he's Juvia's boyfriend" Lucy replied as Gray's face went red
"d-don't say that!" Gray exclaimed as people near him laughed at his reaction
"Gray? As in Gray Fullbuster from Lamia High?" Erza said as Lucy nodded
"I see, makes sense that one of the two Ice Prince of Lamia High would come for the competition" Kagura said
"don't you mean two, White Ribbon?" a voice spoke as everyone looks to the side to a white hair man who sat at the other side
"Lyon Vastia" Kagura said as her eyes keened on him
"long time no see, faring well I see?" Lyon said with a smile
"is he another Lamia High student?" Mira asked as Kagura nodded
"Hyotei Lyon Vastia, he's an Ice Mage and not one to be underestimated" Kagura said as Lyon smirks
"I'm flattered by your words" Lyon said "but I won't be holding back if we have a rematch"
"that's my line" Kagura said while placing a hand to her sheathed sword
"my my, we have more weaklings to kill" Minerva said while leaning against the window "do wake me up when we decide to take them out"
"you're still acting like this?" Erza said sighing a bit
"I won't be underestimating anyone here, Minerva Orland" Natsu said as the man had his arms crossed and his eyes closed before he opened them and looks to her "especially those who keep their silence"
Minerva keen her eyes at Natsu before scoffing and looks away
It took nearly 3 hours as the bus arrived at a train station
Everyone got off the bus as Natsu and the others did too
Holding their bags, they all headed to the train as it was going to be a whole night trip
"all aboard! The train will leave for Crocus in 10 minutes! Please show your ID and Ticket!" the Train Conductor exclaimed as passengers got on board the train
Natsu and the others went in line as they were getting their ticket and ID check
Just as Natsu was about to get his ID and Ticket checked, Sayla walks behind him, causing his eyes to widen
He turns around to look as she was gone already
"where…" Natsu looks around before the Train Conductor tapped his shoulders
"Ticket Please" he said as Natsu looks at him and gave him his ticket that got hole "please go onboard"
Natsu nodded as he took one last look to where Sayla was before he went on board the train
As Natsu got on the train, Sayla appeared in the shadows behind a store
She looks at the train as she looks at the window where she sees Natsu and the others going to their seats
"Natsu-sama…" she muttered out as she disappears into the shadows that instantly looms around
In the train, Natsu sat by the window as he rested while Lucy and Erza sat beside him and were discussing with Mira and Kagura, Minerva had gone away to who knows where
"the competition will hold an Elimination Round, and it's a given that it would be a hard task for all of us" Erza said as she explained to Lucy the Competition's basic structure "last time, there were 90 schools invited to the Competition and only 20 passed the elimination round."
"in just one round!? That many schools were eliminated!?" Lucy said in surprise as Erza nodded
"that's last year, there's now 110 schools and you can guess that only 10-15 schools will able to pass the elimination round" Kagura added in
"that's not all" Mira said as she took out her Lacrima Phone and showed Lucy a recording of last year's Competition and another that is different "they always make a different Elimination round, so we don't know what we might be facing against"
"that doesn't give us an advantage at all!" Lucy said before feeling the train move as it was departing
[Crocus! Heading for Crocus! All passengers please be at your seats!]
The PE voice out as the Train leaves the station
"once we enter the competition, it's going to be an all out war" Mira said "you can't be safe even against someone you know from another school, that's the first rule of this competition"
"sounds like I'm in for a slaughter fest" Lucy said with a sweatdrop
Natsu woke up as the man yawns a bit
"good, you're awake" Erza said looking at Natsu "we'll fill you all in on the competition"
"don't need to" Natsu said as he stomps his food and a blue magic circle shined bellow them before shattering into pieces "the competition already begun"
"what the heck was that!?" Mira exclaimed in surprise before they heard yelps of surprise everywhere as many groups of mages disappeared
"Teleportation Magic!?" Kagura said as many of them started to disappear while some still remained behind
"duck" Natsu said as he pushed his head down
Everyone looks confused before they snapped their head down when metal claws nearly grabbed their heads
"what's going on!?" Lucy exclaimed as some students got grabbed by the metal claws that pulled them out and throws them into a hidden trap door
"do you not know an Elimination round when you see one?" Minerva said appearing on her seat "they're already picking off the weaklings and leaving the best ones behind"
"the Elimination round already began!? Why!?" Mira exclaimed before Natsu pushed her back to her seat as a magic beam nearly hits her
"my guess, is the number of schools in the competition!" Erza exclaimed as they dodged magic beams that nearly hits them "they're going to thin down the numbers!"
"until how many!?" Kagura exclaimed as the magic beams stopped firing before mechanical chain snakes sprang out everywhere around them
"questions later" Natsu said as he snaps his fingers and all the mechanical chain snakes, burns in flames and melted "just move to the farther end of the train"
Everyone started heading out as they started running to the front cart
As they run, they see some students tangled up by the mechanical snakes as they were immobilized
"stop" Natsu said as multiple green magic circles appeared and mechanical iron knights appeared out of them "Sentries for elimination"
"leave them to me" Mira said cracking her knuckles while having a grin
She transformed into her Satan Soul before charging up a black energy sphere in her hands
"Evil! Explosion!" Mira exclaimed as she fired the black energy sphere, taking out all the mechanical iron knights in a big explosion
Mira grins before Natsu knocks her head hard
"what was that for!?" Mira exclaimed while holding her head
"that" Natsu said as her attack destroyed the cable connector to the train
"we have to get across!" Lucy exclaimed before Natsu grabs her and carried her up
"after you then" Natsu said as he throws Lucy
"Aaaaahh!" Lucy screams as she landed on the other cart
Erza and the others jumped as they landed to the other cart safely
Natsu jumped up but chains sprang out of the ground and ties him down
"Natsu!" Erza exclaimed as Natsu's body ignites in flames, causing the chains to melt
The train started to accelerate as the gap between the two carts were getting farther away
"hurry! Before the train accelerates even more!" Kagura shouted out as Natsu looks at the side, seeing many participants heading to the front
Natsu soon jumps high and ignites his fists in flames, acting as thrusters that boost his speed
He landed on the other cart as everyone looks to the end of the cart that went to a stop, leaving some participants behind
"that was close" Mira said as they were now away from the other cart
"we're not in the safe yet" Erza said "we still need to get to the front of the cart"
"right, there are some dangerous obstacles for us to come against" Kagura said
"dangerous like that!?" Lucy exclaimed while pointing forward as a flaming wheel saw was coming at them
"move" Natsu said going forward as the flaming wheel saw came at him
Natsu took a deep breath before blowing out a heavy gust at the flaming wheel saw
The heavy gust, blew the flames and stops the wheel saw from spinning as Natsu stops it with a single finger
"impressive" Minerva said with a smirk "you are full of surprises, are you not?"
"let's move" Natsu said as he leads the way while everyone else followed
At a dark room, a giant magic hologram screen showed many images of peoples in the competition in it
"hohohoho, we have some very interesting teams this year" a figure spoke while looking at the screen with an amused smile "who do you think might be in the top 8?"
"it would be anyone guess, but I have favored some famous school of Magnolia" another figure said watching the screen as he looks to one that showed Natsu and his team "especially that of Belserion High"
"ho? Belserion High, is that famous all girls school, isn't it?" the first figure said rubbing his chin
"yes, but recently they went Coed" the other figure replied as to look at Natsu who knocks out some participants that tried to attack them "and he is their first male student"
"he is a rather unique looking young man, is his hair dyed pink?" the first person asked
"it's Salmon, actually" the other person said "but yes, he is rather unique; his magic that is"
"father" a feminine voice called out as the two figures look to the side and sees a young woman with greed jade hair, wearing a green dress, coming in "is the Competition faring well?"
"oh! Hisui! You're just in time!" the first person spoke as he is Hisui's father, Toma and his aid, Arcadios "we have reached to 20 teams that still remains! Come! you must watch!"
Hisui went beside her father as she looks at the screen that showed the remaining 20 teams and the number went down to 16
"none of them are giving another a chance to retaliate, it seems" Hisui said watching the screen before to the image screen that showed Natsu and his team "which team is that?"
"Belserion High, their teams are one of the 8 favored teams and last year's top 10" Arcadios answered her as Hisui hummed and looks interested
"I know of the other members but there are two I do not know" Hisui said as she looks at Natsu and Lucy
"the blonde girl is Lucy Heartifillia, she's a Celestial Spirit Mage." Arcadios answered her again "and that young man is Natsu Dragneel, I've heard that he is a unique Fire mage of some sort"
"Unique Fire Mage?" Hisui said looking a bit confused
"they say that his magic is a lost magic and a very rare one" Toma told her "Dragon Slayer Magic, Magic purposely created to battle and slay dragons with the power of one"
Hisui blinked her eyes a few times before she looks to Natsu who fiercely took out a participant who tried a sneak attack on Lucy
"Natsu…Dragneel" Hisui muttered out
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
