Chapter Twenty:

"Since this is the 25th anniversary the team battles will be a bit different," Yajima began explaining as the competitors from the last round began filing into their dugouts. Strom immediately got to healing Roman and Bianca, though he listened intently to the instructions.

"The first being that while in previous years only select members of each guild were allowed to compete, this year the entire guild is allowed to join in the battle" Yajima continued.

"I'm not sure I like where this is going," Cato commented.

"In Crocus, there are 80 buildings that we would classify as skyscrapers. That' ten buildings for each guild," Yajima continued."Each guild will be given ten buildings to defend, with one member stationed to guard each at the beginning of the game. Once the game starts the remaining guild members will have two choices. They can either join their guildmates in defending their skyscrapers, or they can try to take over another guild's skyscraper."

"The battle round will last for twenty-four hours!" Chapati continued. "The guild with the most skyscrapers under their control at the end of the round will in the game!"

"Furthermore," Mato continued. "The number of points added at the end of this round will be determined by how many buildings each guild has. So a guild ending the round with twenty skyscrapers under their control will get twenty points!"

"This sounds difficult…" Storm muttered.

"Not to mention dangerous," Cato added.

"Alright, let's go!" Koree cheered.

"Before we send the guilds out into the field, we'll give them thirty minutes to pick their ten guards as well as come up with a strategy," Yajima said.

"Alright, well, Roman and Bianca are wiped, so they can't go in there," Storm said.

"So, that leaves me," Persephone said as she began typing on her screens. "Koree, Cato, Storm, Farrah, and Benedict. We still need four more…"

"Hey!" Igneel shouted. "Layla and I took on some big wizards and won!"

"You took on Twilight Ogre, that's not exactly impressive," Meeko scoffed.

"Hey, you try-"

"Okay," Persephone nodded. "With Layla, Igneel, and Meeko that gives us nine. We still need one more…"

"If Nashi were still here it would be perfect," Layla mused.

"But she's not, so we'll have to make do," Persephone sighed.

"What about one of us," the triplets raised their hands.

"But which one?" Roman asked.

"Minette."

"Minette."

"I don't know-WHAT!?" Minette shrieked.

"Face it, Minnie, you're the strongest out of the three of us," Eva shrugged.

"But, me? Go out there alone? Without you two?"

"We'll come straight to you once the game starts," Von assured her. "We just need you to save a building for us until we get there."

Minette smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll go!"

"Alright, we have our ten," Persephone nodded. "Now, which buildings are we going to choose."

"The biggest ones, duh!" Koree said.

"No," Farrah shook her head. "Everyone will be going for the big ones. Plus they'll be harder to guard. We need to pick smaller ones and some that are close together. Persephone?"

Persephone nodded as she pulled up a map of Crocus, marking the 80 skyscrapers.

"Once someone gets inside one of our buildings it will be harder to get them out," Farrah continued explaining. "It will be easier to take them down before they get inside. So we need a collection of smaller towers close together that we can form a perimeter around, preferably in the center of town. That way we can slowly work our way out, taking over new buildings while still protecting our home base."

Farrah scanned through the map a little bit longer, then smiled. "Here!"

She pointed to a group of shorter towers in the business part of Crocus. The buildings weren't that impressive or fancy, they looked like office spaces, but they would still count.

"Hm," Persephone hummed as she studied the location Farrah had chosen. "Looks like there's only one main road in or out. Other entrances and exits are smaller roads that would be easy to block. This would make it even more difficult for someone to take our base. Good pick Farrah."

"Our main focus really shouldn't be taking new buildings, though," Storm said. "Without the adults here it will be hard for us to take new terrain. Our best bet would be to hold down the fort and hope the lead we've got is enough to keep us from being overtaken."

"Way to liven the moral, bro," Bianca scoffed.

"I'm just saying," Storm shrugged. "Let's try and be realistic until we here from Nashi-"

"Hey, guys!"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"We're getting close," Mavis called as she, Zeref, and Nashi continued walking through the forest.

"Really?" Nashi asked, excited. "We're almost there?"

"Yes," Zeref smiled. "You're almost there."

Nashi grinned from ear to ear. Finally, she was going to have her Mommy, Daddy, and the rest of the adults back! This nightmare was about to be over!

"Hey guys, I've almost made it to our parents!" she called out through the archive link.

"Really?" the rest of the birthday gang called.

"Yeah, I'm almost there!"

"Great!" Persephone cheered. "Your timing actually couldn't be more perfect! We're about to enter the team battle rounds! We'll come up with a plan on how to get everyone together and make sure Uncle Gray can get those marks off Carmen and the rest of them before Elena can activate them."

"See you soon!" Cato called as Nashi turned her focus back to following her aunt and uncle.

Her footsteps lightened, almost to a skip. She was finally going to get her Mommy and Daddy back! She was a bit confused though, as she looked ahead she didn't see anything that looked like a camp of any sort. Were they really that close?

"There it is!" Mavis cheered as she pointed.

Up.

Nashi craned her head back. Floating in the sky was a giant black, clue, purple, and gray sphere, pulsating and churning as if it were a thunderstorm caught in a bubble.

"They're up there!?" Nashi screeched.

"Yup!?" Mavis smiled.

"Oh…" Nashi should have guessed it wasn't going to be so easy to get her parents back. "Well, guess I should get going, thanks for-" she stepped forward, her wings reappearing until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hold on," Zeref said. "You're not going up there alone."

"Can you guys fly?" Nashi asked, curious.

"Not exactly," Mavis giggled. "But we have no one who can."

A shadow passed over them. Nashi looked back up and gasped. "HOLY SMOKES, THAT'S A DRAGON! THAT'S A DRAGON!"

A massive red dragon landed in front of Mavis, Zeref, and Nashi.

Zeref chuckled. "Hello, old friend. May this bring back memories!"

The dragon lowered his head, humming. "Hm, it most certainly does."

"Uh…" Nashi stuttered. There was no way! Could this be…?

The dragon turned to her, the light of a smile in his yellow eyes. "Hello, Nashi."

"Uh, are...are you my grandfather?" Nashi asked.

"Heh," the dragon chuckled. "Smart girl. Must your mother, because your dad wasn't the sharpest knife in the kitchen."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? He's still your son, after all!" Nashi protested.

"Ah, there he is," the dragon chuckled.

"You'll take good care of my niece, won't you?" Zeref asked.

"Of course I will! She's my granddaughter!"

"So, so you're the one my brother Igneel was named after?" Nashi asked.

"Yes," the dragon, Igneel, answered. "That would be me. Now come on."

Dragon Igneel lowered his head to the ground. "The longer we stand here yabbering, the longer your folks are stuck up there."

"O...okay…" Nashi stuttered as she stepped towards him. She stopped mid stepped, turned around, and threw her arms around Mavis and Zeref.

"Thank you Uncle Zeref, Aunt Mavis. I'm glad I got to meet you."

"We're glad we got to meet you too," Mavis smiled as she returned the hug.

"Take care of yourself, Nashi," Zeref said as he patted her hair. "We're proud of you."

"Really?" Nashi asked, eyebrows praising.

"Very proud," Mavis nodded.

"C'mon, kid," Igneel called. "We're losing daylight!"

"Okay," Nashi said as she hopped onto Igneel's back.

"Bye guys!" Nashi waved. Zeref and Mavis waved back, both smiling.

"Hang on," Igneel said as he took off into the air.

"Ah!" Nashi screeched as the wind whipped past her.

"I said hang on," Igneel said.

"I am," Nashi answered. "I'm just not used to riding on a dragon."

"Well, today's you're lucky day," Igneel chuckled. "Make sure you've got a good grip because we're about to speed it up!"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Alright, the thirty minutes are up!" Chapati announced.

The ten elected children got in line at the front of the dugout.

"Since Fairy Tail won the game round, they will go first to claim their ten stations," Yajima explained. "Each guild will be sent out in thirty-minute increments to stake their claims before the games finally begin!"

"Alright guys, let's get ready to go!" Farrah announced.

"Yeah!" the kids all cheered.

Just then the door opened and a mailman came in.

"Eh, what?" Farrah asked.

"Is there a Farrah Lee-Dreyar here?" the mailman asked.

"Yeah, but I'm a bit busy right now!" Farrah screeched.

"Well, here," the mailman passed her a letter.

"Okay, thanks," Farrah took the letter and stuffed it into her pocket.

"Alright, Fairy Tail, GO!" Chapati cheered.

"Let's go, guys!" Farrah yelled.

She, Benedict, Storm, Cato, Persephone, Koree, Layla, Igneel, Meeko, and Minette all ran out of the arena and into the city. It took them a few minutes to make it to their selected area. Rather than immediately go to their selected buildings, though, Meeko and Koree went about blocking off all the smaller roads.

"Ice make, Wall!"

"Iron, Jail!"

Slabs of ice reaching high over a man's head filled in the space between the ten buildings, all but across the main road in and out of their circle. Iron rods fall from the sky, encircling the entire area.

"Open, Gate of the Rose, Fyllo!" Layla called. Fyllo appeared, wrapping thorny vines around Koree's poles, creating a spiky hedge.

As for Meeko, Koree, and Layla went about setting up the barriers, Persephone began laying archive screens all around the inside of the ice, iron, and thorn fences.

"If anyone other than a Fairy Tail wizard manages to get through, they should let us," she explained. "They'll set off an alarm if someone without a Fairy Tail mark steps on them.

"Good," Farrah nodded her head in approval. She then turned her focus to speaking through the archive link Persephone set in all of them before heading out. "Cato, how are you doing up there?"

"Alright," Cato answered from where he was positioned at the top of the tallest building in their base. "I've seen Koree and Meeko's spells plenty of times, so it shouldn't be too hard for me to recreate them if someone breaks through the barriers. Layla and Fyllo's is the only one that might give me some trouble."

"Hear that, Layla?" Farrah asked. "Go ahead and put Fyllo away. We may need her if Cato can't recreate her thorns, so try to use your other spirits for any fights we might face."

"Got it," Layla replied as she sent Fyllo back to the Celestial World.

"Igneel, Storm, how are you guys doing?" Farrah asked.

"Looks good up here," Storm said from the top of the third tallest building.

"Same here," Igneel said from the third tallest.

"Good, Storm, remember, you're only acting as a sentry until someone else gets here and takes over. You're the only healer we've got so we've got to keep you safe."

"Right," Storm nodded.

"Igneel, remember you're right next to our main entrance. Once Koree gets to her position across from you it will be up to you two to smell or hear any incoming attacks and let us know. Now Koree's going to be pretty busy making sure our barriers stay up, so when it comes to fighting intruders off you'll pretty much be on your own. I'll be at the back making sure no one sneaks in through the exit."

"Got it," Igneel nodded.

"Okay," Persephone said as she walked to Farrah's side. "I think we're set."

"Alright, everyone get your positions," Farrah ordered. "Persephone, let Nashi know the plan and then call Carmen."

"Right," Persephone nodded as all the children split and went to their buildings.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Woo-hoo!" Nashi cheered as she and her grandfather sped through the sky.

"Having fun back there, kiddo?" dragon Igneel asked.

"Yeah!" Nashi called.

"Heh, you remind me of Natsu when he was younger," the older dragon chuckled.

"Hey, Grandpa, what was my dad like when he was a kid?"

"A pain in the butt!"

Nashi rolled her head back and laughed.

"Ah, he was a good kid. Just a stubborn troublemaker, is all."

"Sounds kinda like my brother, Igneel," Nashi stated.

"And your old man had to go and name the little rascal after me," the dragon shook his head. "Figures."

Nashi giggled.

"Hey, Nashi?" Persephone's voice called through the archive link.

"Yeah?" Nashi answered.

"You know where the business center of Crocus is?"

"Uh," Nashi pondered for a minute. "Not really…"

"Didn't think so. Hang on a sec."

Nashi waited a few seconds until a map of Crocus appeared in her mind.

"See the ten buildings I've circled?" Persephone asked.

"Uh-huh," Nashi nodded.

"Storm's going to be in the second one right here, ready to heal any of the adults who need it. This is also where we'll be bringing Carmen and the rest of the kids."

"So that's where I need to open my portal at, huh?" Nashi guessed.

"Yup. And make sure Uncle Gray goes first. We'll try to sneak Carmen's group in but we're not sure how long it's going to take before Phoenix Grave realizes they're missing."

"Right," Nashi nodded.

"Here we are," Igneel called.

Nashi leaned forward on his back as he flew and hovered over the top of the sphere. Nashi gulped. This thing was massive! And the thunderstorm like field covering it looked thick and dangerous.

"How am I supposed to get in there?" Nashi asked.

"You'll have to drive a hole through the outer layer to get inside," Igneel answered.

"I'm not sure if I can do that and have enough energy to open a huge portal once inside…" Nashi whimpered.

"I know, that's why you won't have to," Igneel answered.

Just then four bright lights appeared around Nashi. She gasped as her grandmother, Makarov, Mavis, and Zeref appeared around her.

"We'll open a gateway for you," the older Layla said.

"Once you're inside, though, you'll be on your own," Zeref said. "There'll be nothing more we can do for you."

Nashi shook her head. "I won't be alone. My parents are in there."

"That they are," Makarov nodded as he took one of Nashi's hands in his. "You're a brave young girl Nashi, we're so proud of you."

"Make sure you tell everyone we said 'hi,'" Mavis smiled.

"I will," Nashi promised.

"Alright, get ready," Igneel called.

Nashi nodded, taking a deep breath, summoning her wings as Layla, Makarov, Mavis, and Zeref held a hand out towards the sphere.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Farrah took a deep breath to still her beating heart as she made her way to the top of her building. Now all she had to do was wait for the game to start. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, trying to keep herself from fidgeting too much. As she did so, she felt something smooth rub against her hand. She pulled it out. It was the letter the mailman had given her before she ran off. She had been so caught up in the games she didn't even look to see who it was from.

It was from Ivan.

Farrah gasped as she ripped it open and read:

"Farrah, you and the rest of the kids are in grave danger! Mace, Elena, and several other criminals broke out of jail a few hours ago! They are on their way to the games. Their plan is to use the final battle round as a cover to assassinate as many wizards as possible. I don't care if you end up throwing your chances at winning, under no circumstances should you compete in the final round! Especially the Orlando children. Their father stated he was going after them personally! Get to the Rune Knights and tell them what's happened now!"

Farrah's hands began to tremble. She activated the link and called out.

"Benedict! Benedict, can you hear me? You're in danger, your dad's out of jail!"

There was no answer.

"Benedict?"

Still no answer.

"BENEDICT!?"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

A hole slowly began to appear in the outer layer of the sphere. Nashi took a step forward, but Zeref grabbed her shoulder.

"Not yet," he said.

The hole began to grow bigger, and bigger.

Nashi held her breath as she watched.

A light began to slowly shine through the hole, growing steadily brighter.

"Not yet," Zeref told her again.

The hole grew all the larger, and then the light shined brighter.

"Now!" Zeref let go of Nashi.

"Go, quick, we won't be able to hold it open for long!" Mavis shouted.

"Okay, thanks guys," Nashi said as she jumped off Igneel's back. "I won't forget you!"

"And we won't forget you," Layla smiled.

"Good luck, child," Makarov called after her.

"Tell your old man I'm proud of him," Igneel said as Nashi dove headfirst into the hole. Cracks of lightning and thunder trembled all around her as she flew straight through a tunnel of light. As she flew the tunnel began to shrink. Nashi gasped. They weren't kidding when they said they wouldn't be able to hold it open for long. She flew all the faster, trying to reach the end before for it closed in on her and crushed her.

The tunnel disappeared just as she flew out the other end.

She'd made it!

Barely, but she'd made it!

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"BENEDICT!?"

Benedict could hear someone calling his name through the archive link, but he didn't have time to answer as he ran through the rows of cubicles in the dim room, finding one to duck inside of.

He gasped, trying to quiet his breathing so his pursuer couldn't find him.

SPLASH!

"Augh!" Benedict screeched as a splatter of acid burned through the side of his cubicle, forcing him out of it.

He scrambled to open, his blood turning cold as he spotted a menacing figure standing ominously at the end of the aisle.

"I say it's time we had some man-to-man time, don't you think, son?" Mace asked, grinning evilly.

"Leave me ALONE!" Benedict shouted a sonic boom erupted from the last word.

The attack blew the cubicles away, flying towards Mace. The criminal simply sidestepped all the flying debris, sending another shot of acid towards Benedict.

Benedict dropped to his stomach, dodging the attack as it flew over his head and burned a hole in the wall behind him.

"But I've waited so long for this moment," Mace hissed as he began stomping towards his son. Benedict jumped to his feet, swinging a fist towards his father's face. Mace simply grabbed him by the wrist and tossed him through the hole in the wall he'd just created. Benedict slid against the floor, crashing into a glass barrier blocking out a staircase banister. It cracked but didn't break, as Mace stepped through the hallway after him.

"All these years and you still haven't learned to respect your elders, have you boy?" Mace asked.

"Respect!?" Benedict shouted.

"Oh?" Mace arched an eyebrow. "Did you forget what you did to me all those years back?"

"You tried to kill mom!" Benedict screamed as he stood to his feet. "You tried to kill me! And the girls! I was just protecting us!"

SMACK!

Benedict's head spun as he fell over…

...and down.

Down at least ten stairs before stopping at the bottom of a platform.

"That was none of your business!" Mace shouted. "She should have never brought children into adult affairs, and you should have behaved enough to keep your nose out of it!"

Benedict shakily climbed to his feet, only for Mace to kick him in the gut down ten more steps to another platform.

"And all these years later, you still haven't learned your lesson…" Mace sighed. "Why did the fates torment me by giving me such a repulsive son."

"I'm not your son!" Benedict shouted as he stood to his feet, a deep frown on his bloodied face. "And you're not my father."

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that, you-"

"Because I'm not just a little kid anymore," Benedict hissed, his voice wavering slightly from fear, but still firm. "And I've gotten stronger since the last time we met."

"Ah," Mace chuckled. "So you think you're a man now. Alright then," acid began dripping from every pore of Mace's body as he stalked towards Benedict. "Let's see what you've got…"