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Disclaimer: Even though sometimes I think otherwise, Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro senpai!

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Chapter 13: Worry

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"So? What's this challenge about?" Natsu was all fired up.

Minerva raised her chin smirking at Natsu's stupidity, it was that easy to fool them with people like that. "A challenge between our school and yours. The rules are simple, we will take some of the activities here and compete."

"Taking an example…" Minerva then gestured to the 'rock climbing', where Gajeel and Cobra were already challenging each other, oblivious to everything else. "Let's say we take Rock climbing as a challenge, one of the members of our team will be against a member of yours and the first one to get up to the top is the winner, adding one point to the team." The confident girl explained. "We will have 5 challenges at total, an impair number for winning purposes, so you will need 3 points to win."

"So… How is this decided? Are you guys the ones that chose them?" Gray questioned, unsure of what the girl's objective was.

"No, all the activities will be written down on a paper and put inside a bag… your teacher will take 5 of them at random. I think that is fine with you guys right? You have the upper hand here, the ones who could possibly cheat on that would be you." She laughed, the smart girl knew they wouldn't cheat at all, they were too innocent to do so, but even if they did, it didn't matter which one they got as a challenge, they were used to do them every year and they were good at it by now, instead, it was Fairy High's first time and their ace was being beaten up at this very moment.

Gildarts sighed at this, he didn't want to get involved with students rivalry but as a gym teacher, he kind of found it interesting. "It's fine for me."

An evil smile could be seen on Minerva's lips. She saw how they were murmuring to each other to decide either to accept or not. "So? Do you accept the challenge or are you too afraid to do so?"

"We accept!" Natsu's eyes glinted.

"Oi Natsu…" Gray face palmed, but they all knew they couldn't stop him at times like these.

"Well, it shouldn't be all too bad to show them to have some respect." Ultear rebuked, adding fuel to Natsu's fire.

"So, when is this happening?" Jellal was the one to ask, not liking in any way how this was going, he was sure they were planning something else.

"The activities can be decided right now, we will start the challenges in 3 hours, time enough for everyone to rest and gather here." But Minerva was just being cautious so they wouldn't have the time to analyze the activities further down. "Also, the teams need to be decided now."

"I thought everyone could participate." Gray stated.

"They do, but only five of them, it would be a mess to have every student in here wouldn't it? Besides, since we don't know which activities are being chosen yet, it will be more challenging." Minerva laughed again, she was sure they would chose Erza as a team mate, after all it was their president and she was a big part of this confrontation, little they knew their president was certainly not in a state to do so right now.

But once they choose the team it will be too late.

"Tsk." Gray growled, not liking the idea but accepting it, it sure would be less annoying to have less people to deal with.

"Before you chose, take in consideration you won't be able to switch a member until the end of the challenge." She declared, as if it wasn't obvious. "As for Sabertooth, I already have my team."

Minerva glanced at the teacher who was now taking notes of probably what was the activities to be chosen and stared back to Natsu and the others. "Our team will be me, Minerva Orland, Sting Eucliffe, Rogue Cheney, Orga Nanagear and Rufus Lore."

"Do you really have to say all the weird surnames?" Natsu tittered.

"So, who is going to participate?" Gray asked their group on a more serious tone. "I think we should put Erza on the team, so we may as well decide for four of us to join."

"I agree, but we will have to find Erza in three hours time." Ultear added.

"So… not to be a coward but, I don't really think I want to participate at those." Lucy decided after taking a look at 'Rock Climbing' or 'Scoop ropes'. "It can be dangerous if someone gets as excited as Natsu is right now." She pointed out.

"I want to do it." The pink haired boy gushed.

"I think you and Natsu should participate." Ultear advised, facing Gray. "Both of you are good at sports, besides, I don't think Natsu will accept a no as an answer."

"Yes, I'm in." Natsu jumped around happily. "I gotta go tell Gajeel about this."

Gray sighed as Natsu disappeared as fast as a lightning bolt… He stared at Minerva and just as he spotted her smirk still in place, he accepted the challenge. He surely was looking forward to get to beat some of these people, even if it wasn't directly fighting.

"What about the other two?" Jellal asked, as if everyone forgot it was supposed to be five, not three.

"Why don't you join in?" Gray proposed.

"I don't real…"

"Okay, so we need one more right?" Ultear interjected.

Jellal sighed annoyed, this girl was always trying to tease him somehow.

"Oi, guess what?" Shouted Natsu again, running towards them with Gajeel just behind. "Gajeel also wants to participate." The pink haired boy announced as he halted in front of Ultear.

That was fast. Gray observed, blinking.

"O..kay, I think we have all five participants now uh?" Ultear stepped forward, facing Minerva. "Our team will be composed of Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Gajeel… What's your surname?" She asked suddenly glancing over the black haired boy.

Natsu laughed as an embarrassed Gajeel replied. "Redfox."

"Sorry." Ultear smirked. "Gajeel Redfox, Jellal Fernandes and Erza Scarlet… these five."

"Ok then, it's decided. How about the activities?" She glanced at their teacher again, to see if he was finished with it, her evil smirk still in place as she heard Erza's name.

"I already have all of the papers inside the bag, since your guys were so slow to decide." The teacher stated. "Shall I start?"

"Yes" Some of them replied.

Gildarts shoved one of his hands inside the bag, taking out the first little paper. Unfolding it, he announced the first challenge. "Rafting."

"Oh, there is also rafting here?" Lucy was amazed, she knew there was a river down below the map but never imagined for a second they actually did rafting there.

"There are a lot of activities that are held out of the center of the camp too." Minerva explained with a disapproving look at the blonde girl's lack of information.

"The next one is: Rock climbing." Gildarts announced the second one, ignoring their remarks.

Gajeel was screaming excited at the background.

The teacher held out a third paper. "Third one will be: Swimming Course... Ah, this one will be held at the beach." He declared lazily.

Lucy's eyes twinkled. I can't believe we got a challenge at the beach, lucky me, I may as well tag along.

"Forth one: Headband blind tag team" Gildarts was almost finished, he quickly shoved his hand again to grab the last one.

"What's th…"

"I'll explain all those at the time they will be held." Gildarts interrupted a confused Natsu. "Last one will be: Climbing tree."

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "That sounds... lame"

Gray didn't want to agree with him but it did sound lame to him as well, what challenging could be climbing a tree?

"That's all, see you in three hours here, we will start with Rock Climbing." The teacher hurriedly said, just wanting to go eat and drink again. "I will provide you all with two four wheel cars so we can move faster between one challenge to another."

And with that, the teacher left as fast as the wind.

Minerva also left without a word, leaving Fairy High Class A students murmuring and screaming - if you count Natsu - at each other. Some of them were excited, some afraid and others just suspicious.

"Let's go eat for three hours!" Natsu proposed to Lucy and Gray.

"As hell I will!" Exclaimed Lucy not believing the boy's stomach' size.

"Well, eating doesn't seem a bad idea for me." Gray said, starting to walk towards a food tent, with a happy Natsu shouting "That's what I'm talking about." Just beside.

Lucy face palmed at both but decided to follow them, she was also kind of hungry now that she started smelling some of the food's good scent. Ultear, Jellal, Gajeel, Yukino and Levy followed just behind, all of them agreeing that eating was the best option for the time being.

"Wait." Lucy suddenly paused on her tracks after realizing something. "What about Erza? Shouldn't we go look for her?"

"You're right." Levy nodded.

"Why don't you just call her?" Jellal proposed, confused.

"She doesn't have a cellphone." Lucy replied, thinking how hopeless her friend was.

Jellal frowned but didn't say anything, he maybe was wondering if she broke her last one, not knowing she actually never had one.

"But, we don't even know where she is right?" Ultear recalled them. "It's better if we just go back to the house after eating something, I'm sure she will show up there later."

Everyone agreed since they didn't have a choice and proceeded to go lunch.

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Erza had reached the center of the map, she was amazed with all the activities proposed and all the people around, definitely most of them being students but not only from Fairy High.

The president glanced around, trying to find any of her classmates but with all the people here it would be a little difficult. Her stomach growled and her head felt light all of a sudden.

I hope I can find them faster, with all the blood I lost, I really should go rest. I can't worry them anymore.

She paused at a food tent, not resisting in buying some marshmallows, they were easy to eat and they would help her stay conscious with all the sugar they provided.

Erza noticed Cobra at Rock climbing and smiled, knowing the others should be near, or she hoped so at least. She tried to get on a rock to see beyond everyone's head. After a few seconds, she spotted a known pink hair near one of the food tents, which could only be Natsu. The red head jumped down the rock and hurried to join the others before they moved, she winced as a girl ran into her, brushing on her wound slightly. The girl apologized and ran again, making Erza sigh, she hoped her wound wouldn't open as much as before, if she wasn't careful enough it could happen though. She glanced down staring at her poor marshmallows on the ground.

So much as to waste them... well it can't be helped. She dumped them at the nearest trash can and hurried to the others.

As the red haired girl arrived to the tent, she could see Natsu biting and chewing an already small hotdog at his hands, she noticed Gray just beside him, talking with Lucy. Levy and Ultear were not far from them happily eating, with a reluctant Jellal and Gajeel.

Erza smiled, she was so relieved they were fine, it seemed they were having fun. She approached her three friends as her stomach rumbled again. "Hey guys, what are you eating?"

All three of them stared at her as if they never saw her before, making her uncomfortable.

"Erza!" All three of them shouted, making the others to glance over and come join them.

Erza observed Lucy relieved face, Gray worried stare and Natsu's excited aura.

"W…What's wrong?"

"Erza… We got challenged!" Levy was the one who tried explaining.

"Challenged?" The red head asked, wanting some more details.

"Isn't this great Erza? We finally get to beat those guys in a fair confrontation." Natsu beamed.

"Sabertooth challenged us." Gray blurted.

Erza's eyes narrowed. "Was this Minerva? What kind of challenge?"

Gray blinked confused, the fact the president wasn't at all surprised was bizarre. "Yes it was her but how come you aren't surprised?"

Erza sweat dropped at his statement, she couldn't have them know what happened earlier, knowing Natsu it would be even more troublesome than it already was.

"I… crossed some of Sabertooth students on the way so I already knew they were here, but of course I am surprised they challenged us instead of creating a commotion."

"Erza, the challenge it's a five challenge way." Ultear started explaining. "Gildarts is also involved so I assume they will play clean."

Erza's eyes darted to Ultear, suspicious of Minerva's actions. "So, which challenges are on?"

"We have five challenges chosen randomly, it will be held as the same as the activities we see here but as a competition between our team and theirs." The black haired girl continued. "We have 'Rock climbing', 'Swimming course', 'Headband blind tag team', 'Climbing tree' and 'Rafting'."

"The first one is Rock climb, it will be held in 2 hours."

Erza nodded as a sign she understood all of that. "So… Minerva just came to you guys and challenged you to an all-out fair random venture…? It sounds suspicious." She stated.

Jellal smirked at her assumption, finally someone agreed with his thinking.

"Who is doing which?" She suddenly asked, most of these were bad for her right now but she would support her classmates if necessary.

"That's the thing, Minerva had us chose a 5 member team which we can't replace." Gray replied. "Obviously we put you on our team, not that she wouldn't expect that. Gajeel and Jellal are also on the team, as Natsu and I of course."

Erza glanced down, her right eye twitching… she really didn't want to participate in all those for once, fate must hate her.

"The good thing is, we can chose which member will do the task." He finished.

"Yes.. That's great." Erza mumbled, now looking at all of them. "So, we still have two hours left right?"

When they all nodded she added. "Then, see ya guys in two hours, I'll just go change first." She excused herself, thinking about to eat and rest for at least one hour before the first challenge.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Lucy asked, feeling that being with Erza would be less troublesome than these two.

"It's ok… I prefer for you to keep an eye on those two." Erza replied quickly.

"O..kay." Lucy disappointed face was seen. Guess I'm stuck with those two again uh.

"You two should also rest a little before… and don't eat too much." Erza advised the two idiots.

"But, isn't it great Erza? We must beat all those smartass!" Natsu sparkled, grabbing Erza's arms in excitement, a little too strong for her liking.

Erza winced and moved away from her friend, saying how he should be careful in touching someone while eating.

Jellal frowned at her sudden expression, and so did Ultear. They both noticed how she clenched her hand at her left arm while talking to the pink haired boy, a red tinge starting to appear at the same place she had her hand on.

"Then.. See you at 2pm here." Erza added, starting to leave

"Ok, let's do our best Erza." Gray told her. She nodded once and left the group.

Ultear was about to follow her but Jellal beat her to it. She saw, a little bit more than surprised how the blue haired boy determinately left behind their president.

She blinked and a few seconds later laughed out loud, earning confused glances from the others. The black haired girl wasn't near to imagine what could possibly had made Jellal so interested on the girl but decided to let him to it.

With a smile on her face she joined the others, ignoring Natsu asking if she was alright.

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AN: I got too excited writting this. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. And Thank you for reading! :)