I'm making a couple of changes to the Tenrou Island Arc, but nothing that interferes with the development of certain characters. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!
It was early December and most of Fairy Tail's members were off on solo jobs to improve their chances of being promoted to an S-Class wizard. Before he met Juvia, Zale was never interested in becoming an S-Class wizard, but entering his life made him rethink his place in the guild and try to live up to his potential. With the announcement ceremony about to begin soon, Zale was leaving his house for the guild hall.
"I hope the Master chooses me for the S-Class trial." He muttered to himself.
On his way, he saw someone heading the exact same way and ran up to him.
"Hey, Mest, how's it going?" Zale asked the man.
The man was a member of Fairy Tail, Mest Gryder. Even though Zale felt like he knew him, there was something bothering him in the back of his mind.
*Wait, how come I haven't noticed this guy until just now?* Zale thought. *I think I would notice anyone with a scar on their face. I try to remember him and all I know is his name and that he was in the past S-Class trials… but I can't recall who he faced or what his magic is…* "So, Mest, mind telling me about yourself?"
Mest kept himself quiet for a moment. "… I'm Mystogan's disciple."
"Huh?" Zale hummed. "I didn't know he had a disciple."
Once they were in front of the guild hall, Zale stopped as Mest continued into the building.
"Actually… Now that I think about it, Mystogan kept to himself the whole time he was in Fairy Tail. He always put people to sleep. Why would a recluse take on a disciple?"
Mest stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing those words.
"Who are you really… 'Mest'?" Zale asked.
'Mest' had a look of shock on his face and without any warning, he just suddenly vanished.
"What the-?!" Zale exclaimed. "He must have used some sort of Teleportatin Magic… Who was he? And what did he want? … Crap, the announcement's about to begin!"
Zale hurried to the guild hall where all the wizards of Fairy Tail gathered in the guild hall, anxiously waiting for the Master's announcement. Master Makarov stood on the guild hall's stage with Erza, Mirajane and Gildarts and everyone cheered.
"Ahem…" Makarov cleared his throat before making his speech. "In an ancient tradition of Fairy Tail, I present… The list of wizards eligible for this year's S-Class Examination Trial! And the location of this year's test… Tenrou Island! The sacred ground of our guild. I have spent the past year gauging each wizard's power, heart and soul… This year there will be eight participants! They are… Natsu Dragneel…"
"I'm all fired up!" Natsu pumped his fist.
"Gray Fullbuster…"
"My time has finally come." Gray smirked.
"Juvia Lockser…"
"Eh? The master chose me?" Juvia wondered.
"Elfman…"
"S-Class is the proper place for a real man!" Elfman said.
"You go, big brother!" Lisanna cheered.
"Cana Alberona…"
Cana didn't say anything and appeared to be anxious for some reason, but nobody paid attention to it.
"Freed Justine…"
"Laxus, I'm ready to follow in your footsteps." Freed said.
"Levy McGarden…"
"Me? I'm finally picked?" Levy happily gasped.
Zale was a little worried that he wouldn't be chosen this year since there was only one position left to announce.
"And…"
Zale slammed his eyes shut and waited for Makarov to not say his name.
"Zale Aeon!"
"Huh?!" Zale's eyes snapped open in shock. "R-really?! I actually got in?!"
"This time, only one will be allowed to pass the trial." Makarov continued. "The test will take place in one week! Go make sure you are in top shape! Now, since we have some newcomers in the guild, we'll go over the rules."
"During the week-long training, each of the eight wizards chosen must pick a single partner." Mirajane stated.
"There are two rules when choosing your partner." Erza said. "First, your partner must be a member of Fairy Tail. Second, you may not partner with an S-Class wizard."
"We will explain the details of the trial once we've arrived on Tenrou Island." Makarov said. "And this time, the guild's S-Class wizards will be blocking your path."
Some people felt uneasy with some of the guild's most powerful wizards acting as obstacles for the trial.
"Cut the complaining!" Gildarts said. "Everybody who's ever gotten to be an S-Class wizard has walked the same road."
*The Master's not showing any mercy with this test.* Zale thought.
"I want each of the participants and their partners all gathered at the port in Hargeon one week from today. That is all." Makarov finished his speech.
After the announcements, everyone returned to their normal activities except for Natsu, Happy, Gray, Zale, Lucy, Wendy, Elfman, Lisanna, Carla and Juvia.
"The hurdles this year are especially high." Gray said.
"I didn't expect that." Lucy said. "So this is the first test for everyone at this table?"
"I'm fired up!" Natsu shouted. "I'm gonna make S-Class this year for sure!"
"It seems really hard." Wendy said.
"Raagh!" Elfman groaned. "The road to S-Class will be long and hard for a man!"
"I'm rooting for you all!" Lisanna said.
"I didn't expect I'd actually make it to the list of candidates." Zale said.
"Have more faith in yourself, Zale." Juvia responded. "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."
"Come to think of it, has everybody decided on a partner?" Lucy inquired.
"Happy, of course!" Natsu answered.
"Aye!" Happy raised his paw.
"It isn't fair to have Happy as a partner, isn't it?" Elfman questioned. "If it turns out to be a race and you guys can fly, you'd win in an instant."
"I think it's fair enough." Lisanna said.
"I don't have any problems either." Gray added. "He'd only be a drawback when it comes to a fight."
"You can be pretty mean, Gray." Happy said before proudly standing in front of Natsu. "I'll be sure to see Natsu all the way through to his S-Class wizardship!"
"When it comes to friendship, we'll never surrender!" Natsu proclaimed. "Can't waste time here! Gotta go train!"
"Aye!"
Natsu and Happy ran out of the guild hall as Lisanna watched them off.
*Now that I think about it, I haven't decided on a partner.* Zale thought. *… Crap, I can't think of anyone! Out of the hundred-plus people in the guild, I can't pick one to be my partner! How is this possible?!*
"Um, Juvia would like to pull out of this test." Juvia spoke.
"Eh?!" Wendy gasped. "Why?!"
"Well…" Juvia started to fidget with her fingers. "I want… to partner… with… beloved…"
"Speak up, Juvia." Zale gently said to her.
Juvia continued to stutter in her speech and nobody could make out what she was saying.
"Sounds like somebody wants to be your partner." Lucy slyly whispered to Zale.
"Juvia knew it!" Juvia shouted. "Lucy wants to be Zale's partner!"
"No, I don't." Lucy corrected.
"Long time no see, everyone." A smooth and familiar voice spoke.
Coming up to the table was Loke, which surprised everyone at the table, especially Lucy.
"Loke's my partner." Gray stated. "It was a promise from last year."
"Sorry, Lucy, but I have to put our contract on hold during the trial." Loke said. "But never fear. I used my own magic to pass through the gate. So it shouldn't affect your magic in the slightest."
"For a spirit, you act on your own a lot." Lucy muttered.
"But do you still fit the rules as a member of the guild?" Elfman asked.
"I'm still a Fairy Tail wizard." Loke unbuttoned his shirt and lowered it to reveal the Fairy Tail guild mark on his back. "And I'm going to make Gray S-Class for the pride of our guild."
"I'm counting on you." Gray smiled.
"Leave it to me." Loke returned the smile.
"When did those two get so chummy?" Lucy pouted.
"Now that this detour has gotten out of the way…" Zale spoke up and turned to Juvia. "Juvia, you have an opportunity to reclaim your S-Class rank. Didn't you just tell me not to sell myself short?"
"W-well, yes, but-" Juvia mumbled.
"Look, no matter which of us comes out as S-Class, that won't change things between us." Zale continued. "If we have to fight, then come at me with everything you've got!"
Juvia just stared at Zale and her face started to turn bright red.
"Uh… I think you just took that the wrong way…" Zale said.
"You've really changed, Zale." Lisanna said. "The Zale I knew two years ago was always so awkward around girls, but now you've got yourself a girlfriend."
"She's…" Zale blushed furiously and then looked down. "… Yes, she's my girlfriend."
"Anyway, I'll be your partner, Juvia." Lisanna stood up from her chair.
"Are you serious, Lisanna?!" Elfman shouted.
"I got along really well with the Edolas Juvia." Lisanna stated. "But you're a lot nicer here, Juvia."
"Lisanna…" Juvia muttered.
"So what do you say, Juvia?" Lisanna went up to Juvia and held her wrists.
"I guess it's okay, but you might be after Zale, too…" Juvia replied.
"Geez, paranoid much?" Lucy commented.
The moment Lucy spoke, something popped into Zale's head.
*Hold on!* He thought. *Maybe Lucy will be my partner.*
Then another thought popped into Zale's head, Juvia getting insanely jealous, putting Lucy in a box and shipping her all the way to Bosco.
*… On second thought, maybe not.* Zale continued thinking. *Dah! Picking a partner is harder than I thought! Come on, Zale! There's got to be at least one person worth picking that won't turn Juvia from blue to green!*
He scanned the guild hall for anyone he that was still available, but none of them seemed to leave much of an impression on him. However, an idea just came into his head.
"Lucy!" Zale exclaimed as he came up to Lucy and grabbed her by the shoulders, which completely caught her off guard.
"Eh?!" Lucy wasn't sure how to react.
"Do you know where that Dragon Slayer girl went?" Zale asked. "What was her name again? Wendy!"
"She and Carla just left the guild hall." Lucy answered with that shocked expression still on her face. "Why?"
"Maybe I can still catch up to her!" Zale said before zooming out of the guild hall.
In the snowy streets of Magnolia, Wendy was on her way back to her room in Fairy Hills with Carla held in her arms.
"What's wrong, Carla?" Wendy asked. "You've been quiet all morning."
"I'm just a little worried." Carla answered. "I've got a bad feeling about this… About the trial… I absolutely forbid you to take part, Wendy!"
"Nobody wants to partner with me, so you've got nothing to worry about." Wendy said.
"I finally found you!"
Wendy shot around quickly and saw Zale panting uncontrollably with his hands on his knees.
"Huff… Give me a minute…" Zale held his finger up.
"Oh, you must be Zale." Wendy said. "We never got a chance to properly introduce ourselves in Edolas."
"Anyway, I was wondering if you would be my partner for the S-Class trial." Zale requested.
"Absolutely not!" Carla yelled.
"Please!" Zale begged. "There's no one else for me to choose from!"
"What about Lucy?" Carla questioned. "Or one of the other hundred guild members?"
"If I asked Lucy, I'm afraid of what Juvia would do to her." Zale answered. "And no one else comes to mind. I saw you kick ass against the Doroma Anim back in Edolas, so I'd think you'd make a much better partner than most of the guild."
"Out of the question!" Carla said. "Wendy, I forbid you from going with this man! For all we know, he could be a pedophile!"
"You know I'm dating Juvia!" Zale pointed out.
"If he's Juvia' boyfriend, I don't see why I not." Wendy said. "And if he can't find another partner, I can't just leave him be."
Carla sighed. "All right…"
Zale snagged Carla, hugged and snuggled her.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Zale said.
A/N: Sorry this one took longer than I thought. I was caught up with several other things. I decided to leave Doranbolt out of the trial, at least until after the first part of the trial. His development is still going to occur at the same time, but I also needed a reason for Zale to get on Tenrou Island. Besides, Doranbolt probably would have followed them there anyway if he hadn't infiltrated the trial selection. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!