Italics indicate thinking

Bold is for attacks

Kanji's POV

Erza and I descended the stairs to the guild's library to meet up with Gramps, Gildarts, and Mira to discuss the S-Class exam. When we got down there everyone else was already at the table and papers were strung about all over.

"Let's get started." Gramps said "This year we'll be holding the exam at Tenroujima, we'll have eight candidates."

"Are we doing partners this year?" I asked.

"Yes. I want a list of eight candidates on my desk before the end of the day." Gramps told us "I'll let you guys get to work."

Gramps left the basement and the four of sat there.

"Since I haven't been around for a few years I'll just let you kids do this." Gildarts said getting up and leaving.

Don't leave me alone with these two!

"All right let's get started." Erza said pulling out a file "Any ideas."

"Let's throw some names out and see what we think." Mira suggested.

"Sounds good." I said "What about Natsu. He's been doing a lot of work lately and he's saved our butts more times than I can count."

"But he also destroys everything." Mira countered.

"But a few years ago the three of us were just as bad." Erza said.

"Well we have all day to make a final decision." I said "Let's put him on the short list for now."

We put a picture of Natsu up on the board and continued discussing potential players.

"Let's talk about Cana." I said throwing her file on the table "This will be her fifth attempt if we let her in."

"Well she does a lot of jobs, and clients love her. She can handle herself in a fight I don't see why not." Erza said.

"I know that but she's failed the last four times. Maybe she's just not cut out for S-Class?"

"I think she should get a least one more chance. Lucy told me Cana said if she doesn't win this year she was gonna quit the guild." Mira added

"Are you saying that as her superior or as her friend?" I asked "We're supposed to do this based on facts not personal opinions."

"Let's put her on the board for now and discuss more later." Erza said "speaking of personal relationships, what about Elfman?"

"We'll I think it be best for me to sit this debate out." Mira shrugged.

"He's been on fire since he got his full body take-over powers back. Elfman's a skilled fighter, he held his own against Gajeel back at the Phantom raid and beat a member of the Element Four." I reminded them "And there's no denying his dedication."

Erza just nodded her head and threw a photo on the board.

Mira put three decent sized files down "These are the jobs Team Shadow Gear completed. Levy, Jet, and Droy. I think we should only take one. I know we said to keep it professional but I think they deserve special consideration for what happened to them."

I hummed to myself "I'd wager that stack would be much larger had they not been attacked."

"If we're only going to take one, who?" Erza asked.

"No offense intended, but Jet and Droy aren't much more then blithering idiots compared to Levy. She has the brains and skill to be S-Class." I told her.

"They mean well but look at all the reports, half them say Levy is the one who completed the intended task." Mira said shaking her head.

I stood up and taped Levy's picture to the board "Natsu, Cana, Elfman, and Levy. Let's keep going. We're halfway there…"

We debated some more people. Max came up for a brief time but was ultimately discarded as were Warren and Laki.

"We need to have a serious discussion about these three." I said placing the files of Kage, Juvia and Gajeel on the table "They've all done decent work but should we allow them up to our level? Especially after the things they've done."

"When they were in Phantom Gajeel and Juvia were considered among the strongest in the guild."

"But look at his files." Mira said "Gajeel's is practically barren."

It's because he's been doing that 'special' job for Gramps.

"Yeah I can't really get around that. It's still too early for Gajeel. Maybe next year." I said

"I don't know about Kage." Erza said "Think about it, I doubt the council would be happy with us having an S-Class wizard that used to be a member of a Dark Guild, one that I might add tried to kill people."

Mira and I just nodded our head "Well then let's discuss Juvia."

We debated about Juvia for a while before throwing her up on the board.

"Another group of three." I said passing out the information on Freed, Ever, and Bickslow.

"Do we overlook it?" Mira said "Can we trust them to be our equals if they'll so easily attack the guild like they did?"

"I think we should let Freed try." Erza said "He gave up when Mira beat him and told you where to find Laxus."

"And he did seem genially upset about what he did." Mira added "he cut his hair and everything."

"Okay Freed it is."

We discussed more before also adding Gray to the board.

"We only need one more and we'll be finished." Erza said looking down at the remaining files "It's getting late so let's try and wrap it up."

We picked files up and put them back down until we had narrowed it down to a few people.

"The only people we have left are Lucy, Bisca, Alzack and Macao." Mira said.

"Macao said he was too old to care anymore so let's move him out of here." I said putting his file away.

"I think it's a little too soon for Lucy." Mira said placing the blonde girl's file in the cabinet.

"We can only take one of them"

"Alzack or Bisca."

"Every job they did was together." Mira said "how can we choose?"

"We can't just flip a coin that would be wrong." Erza said.

"Didn't we talk about having Al compete last year?" I said flipping through the file to see if there were any notes on that.

"I think so…" "Maybe?"

"Yeah here it is." I said showing them the information "Al was considered the last two times but got cut in favor of someone else."

"Then I think it's fair enough to let him in this time." Erza said "If he's been close to competing the last two times I think we can break the trend."

We wrote down our finalized list a brought it to Gramps so he could look it over. Ultimately the decision is his and he just uses us to narrow down the candidates and see who we think deserves to be called our equal.

"Here's the list." I said placing the sheets of paper on Gramps desk "Can we go home now?"

Gramps flipped through the sheets and mumbled to himself.

"Yes you can go. I'll see you in the morning for the formal announcement."

LATER

The next morning Erza and I got to the guild and Gramps called us up and told us the final roster for the exam, it wasn't any different then what we had turned in. Gramps also told us how we'd be obstacles in this year's exam.

"Natsu, Gray, Cana, Freed, Juvia, Elfman, Levy, and Mest."

We headed to the stage and pulled the curtain back and Gramps got ready to start the announcement. The four S-Class mages stood behind Gramps as he made his decision known.

"Hurry up and tell us!"

"It's time to announce the participants of this year's S-Class promotional exam. This year's location will be Tenrou Island, our guilds sacred land. The S-Class wizards and I have been watching you all for the last year and have come to a decision on who will participate."

Gramps announced who the eight lucky people getting the chance of a lifetime were. They all looked pretty happy, except for Cana and Mest.

Something feels wrong but I can't put my finger on it.

"Since we have some new people this year I'll catch you all up on the rules." I said "You have one week to train and select a partner."

"There are two rules for partner selection." Erza added "The partner has to be a member of Fairy Tail and they can't be an S-Class mage."

"You'll find out the specifics when you get to Tenrou Island." Gramps told them "But this year the lovely couple next to me will try and stop you from proceeding."

"Kanji and Erza are participating."

"I'll be there too." Mira chimed in.

No one was happy about having to face down the three of us.

"Quit complaining." Gildarts yelled "This is the path the four of us went down."

"Gildarts is competing!"

"In one week the chosen eight and their partners will arrive in Hargeon. You are dismissed" Gramps told them.

"We should go and get our things." I told Erza "We have to go to the island in a few hours."

"Why do we have to go a week early?" Gildarts asked.

"Blame the old man not me." I told him.

"So where are you going?" Scruff asked flying up.

"Ahh I've been looking for you. Erza and I have to go moderate the exam. Unfortunately you can't come with us so you'll have to look after the house while we're gone." I told the cat.

"I really can't come." He said with a puss.

"Sorry." Erza said "Only those participating, their partners, and the S-Class mages can go. You'll be fine by yourself for a few days."

"It's sure gonna be boring."

Erza and I went and got our things before heading off to Hargeon to get on the boat that would take us to the island.

AN

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.

Till next time.