Ch. 9 The Battle of Fairy Tail
The rain drizzled nonstop on the small rural town of Inaba. The time was now 8:30 a.m. and all the students were in homeroom. All the male students wore the uniform with the black coats and white shirts that had stitching done to the outside. The girls had the same jacket, but wore skirts and yellow handkerchiefs around their neck. The homeroom teacher had just finished counting her students for attendance. She had light brown short hair with brown eyes and red lipsticks. She had an attractive figure while wearing a pink long sleeve blouse with a dark purple skirt. "Alright, my students. Before we start class, I want to introduce a new transfer student."
"Ms. Kashiwagi," a student raised his hand, "Where did he transfer from?"
"That is an excellent question," Ms. Kashiwagi stated, "He just moved from overseas, so he may not be fluent in our native language yet. But my, is he a handsome one." Noriko Kashiwagi could feel goose bumps overcoming her as she hoped to sway him with her charm. The students sweat dropped. "Let me introduce your new classmate; Mr. Ortega!" A tall, skinny boy with sunglasses walked into the classroom with his unbuttoned school jacket and his backpack hung over his back. His hair was brown and somewhat clean cut. Compared to the other students, he seemed to look like a punk.
"Hey, I'm Julio Ortega, but call me Prowl." No one spoke a word. He turned to the teacher. "Are they deaf or what?"
"Watashi wa, mōshiwakearimasenga orutega-shida. Shikashi, kono kurasu wa anata no gengo o rikai suru koto wa dekimasen," Ms. Kashiwagi replied.
"Oh yeah," Prowl pulled out an English-Japanese Dictionary. "These guys don't know what I'm saying." Once he found the words he was looking for, he tried his best to speak to the class. "Ahem…my name is Jurio Orteaga….how you doin?" The class chuckled. "Close enough." Prowl took the seat next to the window in the third row. "I can already tell this is gonna be a pain in the ass. I actually have to study for once."
Magnolia
"Pikachu!" Jolt chowed down on the delicious feast before it. The succulent steak filled Jolt's mouth with barbecue and well-done meat. Meanwhile, Lucy stared at the man in front of her while he completely engulfed the large bowl of noodles. They sat in a restaurant where they decided to have supper. The place looked almost like a fancy diner with hanging lamps and comfy red chairs. The reason she took Rai out to eat was to find out more about him and what Makarov was concerned for. After devouring the last ounce of juice, Rai covered his mouth with his fist. The warm belch escaped his breath.
"Woo! Man, that was good," Rai smiled at the now empty plates that stacked between both him and Lucy.
"I never knew that Celestial Reapers had such a huge appetite," Lucy sweat dropped.
"Nah, I'm just starving since I hadn't eaten lately. Not to mention the fact that I had to clean up the mess we made." Rai rubbed the animated sores that glowed red from his arms and legs. "So…this is Magnolia, huh? And I guess that makes everyone here some kind of 'wizard', right?"
"Yep!" Lucy answered. "Like me, I'm a Celestial Wizard that can summon Celestial Spirits from the spirit world that helps in com…"
"Yeah that's interesting are you gonna finish that?" Rai pointed to a chicken leg. Jolt picked it up and swallowed it whole. "Hey, that's mine!" Rai and Jolt started to glare comedic at one another.
"I imagined a Celestial Reaper to be more…I don't know…menacing," in the back of Lucy's mind was a terrifying image of the grim reaper in its ripped cloak and glowing red eyes that held on to a crooked scythe that extinguished human souls. Instead, she was watching a young adult fighting with a mouse over a fried drumstick. Rai paused for a moment.
What a minute, he thought, Why didn't that girl mention anything about the reapers?
"Uh, Rai…" Lucy called out for his attention.
"What? What's wrong?"
"I was thinking," Lucy started to blush, "If you could…make a contract…with me." Rai and Jolt looked at one another, then Rai looked back at Lucy.
"Lucy, I appreciate the offer," Rai pulled his collar, "but I think you're going to have to take me out to dinner first."
"That's not what I meant!" Lucy shouted in embarrassment, "and I thought you were paying for dinner!" Rai looked at his wallet as he tried to find a means to pay for the food.
"…You think they take VISA?"
After dinner, they started to walk back to Lucy's apartment. On the way, Raimundo told Lucy the story of how he got picked for the role as a Celestial Reaper. He gave her some small information about his world and how things were much different compared to here. Lucy managed to explain the details about Fairy Tail and what it was along with the guilds, the magic council, and different spells everyone uses. During their walk, Lucy would balance along the ridge of the waterway, Jolt would get picked up and played by kids, and they stopped by a tailor shop to have Rai's clothes repaired. As an added bonus, the man added a customized look to his shirt with dark grey streaks running down the sleeves. His pants were also changed up to have extra pockets around the sides of his shins.
The sun had set and they were now relaxing in Lucy's room. Lucy had on a white shirt, short pink sweats, and her hair was untied and long as it rested past the back of her neck. She sat at her desk while Rai just finished showering up. "Sorry to be barging in your place, Lucy," Rai apologized. He came out with is new washed clothes. Jolt walked out with a towel around its neck.
"It's no problem," she replied. "It's nice to have welcome company, unlike some people I know." She had a dark sensible aura around her. Rai sweat dropped from the vibes he could sense {anger}.
"Changing the subject," Rai suggested, "Those people back there were part of your guild?"
"Yeah, we all do jobs and take on requests that people put up. Then, we take the job and often times get rewarded."
"Oh, so it's like taking on missions or doing community service?"
"In a way, I suppose it is." A small white figure walked up to Jolt and waved hello. It looked to be a miniature snowman with arms and legs, including a carrot nose. Jolt smiled back and gave it a high five.
"If I'm guessing, this is one of your Celestial Spirits." Rai looked down at the two.
"Yep, that's Blue." Lucy held it in her arms. "Who's a cutie platooty?" {Cute}
"Small, but subtle." In a flashing yellow light, Blue evaporated back into the spirit world. Rai sat on the bed as Jolt jumped on his lap.
"How long have you had Jolt?" Lucy asked.
"Probably a few weeks," Rai responded. "I found him in another world just before I came here. Back there, people caught them and used them for battling, training, or just keep them as pets." Lucy went over and petted its head. "They're like Blue, but more like animals."
"Well, it sure is the cutest one that I've seen." Lucy thought out loud. "I'm surprised that someone like you is capable of doing something like that." Jolt enjoyed the comfort it was receiving.
"Cha!"
"I will say it's more interesting than standing behind a register, hehe," Rai chuckled. "By the way, I should pay you back for dinner, somehow."
"No it's fine," Lucy offered, "you don't have to worry about it."
"Yeah," Rai gave a look around the pad, "but this apartment looks pretty expensive." Lucy started to frown.
"The truth is I may not be able to pay for rent if I don't find a job that pays well. I probably won't be able to keep living here." Rai knew he had to find a way to thank her for earlier. He did remember her asking something about making a contract. Rai stood and bowed while Lucy looked in confusion.
"Ms. Heartfelt, I shall offer you my temporary services as a Celestial Reaper. I may not know how Celestial Spirits perform, but I shall follow any request given," he jested.
"Uh…thanks?" Lucy smiled faintly, "and it's Heartfilia." Jolt started to yawn and take its leave under the pink, fluffy sheets. "Guess it's time we turned in."
"Seems like a good idea," Rai yawned. Jolt started to rustle underneath the covers. It popped out with a white, checkered cloth placed in its mouth. "Hey Jolt, what's that?" Rai started to pull on it. As he tugged even harder, Natsu and Happy began to lean out of the bed. Natsu's head landed on the floor, while Happy simply rolled to the ground. Lucy shrieked at the sudden intruders in her bed.
"Good morning," Natsu spoke drowsily.
"I think you mean 'good night'," Rai corrected.
"Don't play cool!" Lucy shouted furiously. "What are you doing in my bed in my room with your cat?"
"Aye," Happy cheered lazily.
"Go away!" Lucy took the scarf from Rai and pulled it off Natsu. He began to spin around rapidly until he landed back into bed, unaffected by the dizziness.
"Just five more minutes," he muttered.
"You must be dreaming," a comedic vein popped over Lucy.
"Give Natsu his scarf back, you meanie," Happy sighed as he rubbed his eyes.
"Is it important or something?" Rai asked.
"I've never seen him without it," Lucy responded. "He never takes this thing off, huh?"
"Nope," Happy explained, "He got it from Igneel so it means a lot to him."
"What is he, a dragon?" Rai joked.
"Actually, he is," Happy smiled. Rai was dumbfounded. "He's the one who taught Natsu how to use Fire Magic." Natsu started to grunt in his sleep. He looked to be in a restless mood.
"Hey, are you sure he's gonna be ok?" Lucy asked.
"Aye! He's probably just feeling a little sick because he ate all that Ether Nano."
"Is it bad for him?"
"With a name like that, it's no surprise," Rai added.
"Aye, one time he ate a bunch of Laxus's lightning," Happy continued. "And the same thing happened."
"So, eating anything other than fire makes him sick?" Lucy asked.
"This guy…eats fire?" Rai pointed out. The others nodded to him. Rai thought for a moment, and then started to understand the name calling. "Guess that's why Ice boy called him Lizard breath yesterday."
"Wait, so why would he eat Laxus's lightning?" Lucy asked.
"Well, he didn't want to eat it," Jolt sat next to Happy, "They fought and Natsu got his butt whooped pretty bad." Rai imagined the scenery of Natsu being electrocuted by the man he saw at the park. Natsu had his eyes large and white while Laxus stood dignified as his razor teeth laughed at his pain.
"Wow, I had no idea he was that powerful," Lucy spoke nervously.
"Aye, he's super-duper strong," Happy continued to rant on. "Who knows, maybe Mystogan may be able to beat him now. Actually Mira helped out back in the day. She even had the nickname; The She-devil!"
"But she's so sweet!" Lucy shuddered from the thought.
"We should have a big tournament to decide who's the strongest. It might be fun to find out where you stand, huh?" Happy suggested.
"I'm fine not knowing, and besides I don't like the idea of ranking my friends."
"I wonder how Gray and Elfman would do…," Happy continued on with his ideas and thoughts. Lucy whispered into Rai's ear. He gave her the thumbs up. "Gajeel and Juvia are pretty awesome too." Rai slowly grabbed Happy by the green pack on his back and pulled him off the bed.
"Yeah, sounds like everyone at Fairy Tail is pretty strong," Rai concluded. "I think it's past your bed time, so go get some sleep, okay?" He sat Happy on the window sill over by Lucy's bed.
"Okay," Happy complied. Rai suddenly noticed a sliver of paper sticking out of Happy's backpack.
"Hey, what's in the mini pack?" Rai asked.
"Oh!" Happy recalled. "I forgot I was supposed to show this to Lucy!" Happy turned to her. "You need money for rent, right?" Rai unfolded the paper and looked over the information. Lucy and Jolt nudged over to see what was written. On the top in bold words it read: MAGNOLIA HARVEST. "Fairy Tail is gonna be part of the Harvest Festival!" In a cartoon appearance, Lucy popped out of a small green circle, followed by Jolt, then Rai.
"How does that help me?" Lucy asked.
"Pika Pika!"
"Hey, look down at the bottom," Rai assured. When Lucy read the last of the page, there was a special event that emphasized the…
"Miss FairyTail Contest?" Lucy wondered.
"Aye!" Happy looked impressed. "And as you can see, the winner gets 500,000 Jewels!"
"Oh my Gosh!" Lucy took the paper from Rai and read the fine print. "If I can just win that prize money, I can cover rent for the next seven months!"
"You might even have a little extra left over," Rai considered.
"Not to mention Mira and the others are entering the contest too, you might still have a shot at it," Happy jumped across the group. A spotlight shined on top of Lucy. She moaned at the possible threats ahead.
"If Mira's competing, I don't stand a chance," she groveled. "She's a bikini model for Sorcerer Weekly."
Hey, where did the lights go? Rai thought.
"But wait!" Lucy grinned slyly, "I'm younger than she is which makes me the exciting new model! I can do it! YEAH, BRING IT ON!" Lucy declared her goal as the shining flare of determination showered behind her. "THAT PRIZE MONEY IS AS GOOD AS MINE!" After her declaration, the reality returned as she stood over Natsu's sick body while everyone else just sat there staring at her.
"You're against ranking your friends unless there's money involved. Is that it?" Happy asked.
"I wonder if this pageant will all go straight to her head," Rai thought out loud.
"Oh boys, would you like some delicious food?" Lucy gave off a generous smile as she held one hand with a large pink fish; the other had a massive T-bone steak.
"I see," Happy smiled seriously, "Your guilty conscious is getting to you, huh?"
"For shame, Ms. Heartfilia, for shame," Rai added. Lucy's expression changed to an unsatisfying smirk.
In a small, quiet town, everyone was closing down their shops and turning in for the night. Houses were scattered over nearby hills. The town shifted landscapes as it expanded forward with green fields and bushels of trees. The homes and buildings would rise over hilltops until the dirt road vanished into the nearby forest.
This is the town of Shirasumi. In its northern corner lies its dark guild known as Ghoul Spirit.
A tall, dark castle stood over a large graveyard. Dead trees and crumbled tombstones littered the front. The dark clouds shrouded the night sky, giving the structure a terrifying appearance. The front gate was designed as an arch with iron bars ready to close off any passengers. Like any dark castle, two large towers stood to the side of the taller center tower with a large pole sticking out of the top.
Punch!
A man was sent flying back to his guild members. He skidded on the floor of the guild until he came to a complete stop. The rest of the guild looked in worry as they stared against their opponents.
"You laughed at us, didn't you?" a voice called out near the entrance. "Big mistake." Three people stood within the shadows. The group of thugs only encouraged the three trespassers to come at them.
"If you're looking for a fight, you got one!" one man called out. The first two men charged in. One had on a grey sweater and a sluggish-like haircut as he swung around a large samurai sword. The other lacked hair and wore a green shirt; using only his fists as weapons.
"To think that a pack of rats would have the audacity to mock members of a proper guild," a female voice casted. The woman was slender as she wore a green skirt with the upper being worn as an elegant dress. She had on green gloves that covered over her forearm and up toward her bicep as a thick layer of cloth ended it. She wore rectangular glasses and had her orange hair tied in a ponytail with a purple flower binding the end. On the lower half of her body, she had on blue stockings and white heeled shoes. On her back she had on what looked like light-magenta wings that hanged loose. In her hand, she held a frilly, maroon fan over her face like any high class person would. "What is this world coming to?" As she pulled down her glasses, her eyes lit up with yellow energy. The two men froze in their tracks as the power surrounded them in a rainbow aura. In a matter of seconds, they were turned to grey sculptures.
"What happened?" A man cried out.
"They turned to stone!" Some of the men only became even angrier. "You'll pay for that!" The rest of the entire guild rushed in at the three.
"Come on babies…let's party!" the man on the far right cried. His body was wrapped in a black jumpsuit with white line patterns running down his body. His wrists had green guards and his eyes were covered by a mask worn by knights. On his shoulders were images of skulls. Around his waist were four square clothes; each bore a large blue X. He had on large blue parachute pants and wore sharp white and blue boots. Five small yellow tikkis with brown wings were summoned into the air. Each one had a different face for a different emotion: happy, anger, and so on. From their mouths, they fired a green beam of energy toward the enemy. Everyone scrambled to escape the rapid lasers. The man chuckled at the sight of his opponents fleeing in terror.
"I think that's enough, Bickslow," the middle man ordered.
"What?" Bickslow asked his team member. "You mean we're done already?" His partner had on a red double-breasted coat with four buttons that reached down to his knees. It had large-whiter collared cuffs with dark lines around his wrists. On his waist he had two buckled belts where his long sword was attached. He had a pair of loose pants tucked inside his boots making him look like a nobleman of some sorts. As physical appearance goes, he had light green hair that ran down his back as two bags went over his front shoulders. At the top of his head, two strands of hair stuck out like little antennas. Under his left eye he had a mole that was very distinguishable.
"Let's not waist our time with these weaklings," he announced, "I don't even know why they formed a guild."
"But we can't leave just yet," Bickslow suggested, "My little babies are looking to have more fun." The little tikkis swarmed around their master and cheered in unison.
"More fun! More fun!"
"Be patient, I assure you," the man replied, "they will see plenty of action soon enough." As he stroked his hair to the side, he revealed a green Fairy Tail symbol on his right hand.
"So, we're going through with Laxus's plan?" the woman asked, "I suppose it's about time." As she lowered her fan, she revealed a red-chained necklace around her neck. Over the right of her bosom, she had a lighter-green Fairy Tail symbol as well.
"You better not be jerking my chain," Bickslow smiled, "cuz I've been waiting for this…my babies too, hehe," His tongue dangled out of his mouth and revealed a black Fairy Tail symbol on his taste buds.
"Who the heck are these guys?" A large afro man yelled out. The guild members started to regain consciousness from their wounds. "There's only three of them. How could they take out our whole guild like that?"
"Hold on!" another man shouted out, "That's the Thunder Legion! Some of Fairy Tail's best! And Laxus's personal guards!"
Meanwhile, Laxus's sat over a large cliff as he looked down over the town of Magnolia. He chuckled over his amazing scheme that was about to unfold. "The Thunder Legion will be back soon," Laxus's stated. "Looks like my time has finally come. Your little fairies are gonna be eating each other alive. Hear that, old man? Your era is about to come to an end!"
The Next Day…
Everyone in town was now preparing for the Magnolia Harvest Festival. Posters were being hung, balloons were inflating, and decorations continued to cover the entire town. Passing all these people were two members of Fairy Tail that had just finished their shopping for the festivities. "The whole town is getting into the Harvest Festival spirit," Makarov noticed.
"And everyone at the guild is getting ready for the Fantasia Parade!" Mirajane included.
"Of course!" Makarov had his head up high, "People come from over the country to see our parade. We can't let our fans down, can't we?" Instead of his guild attire, he had on his mature clothing that came with a white, long sleeve shirt, a brown vest, black pants, and brown shoes.
"It would be nice if Laxus would join us for once."
"The less I hear about that bum, the better," Makarov's tone changed to a disappointed one.
"I heard from Levy that he's back in town. Even if he says no, it wouldn't hurt to ask him."
"He came back?" Makarov was surprised by the news. He stopped in his tracks to think.
"Something wrong?" Mirajane asked.
"Of all times…why did he have to show up now?"
Years Earlier…
"Hey Gramps! Gramps!" Young Laxus called out to Makarov. He had a smile on his face as well as blue shorts and a red shirt with a yellow thunderbolt imprinted. "Wait up!"
"Oh!" Makarov turned to talk to his grandson who was the same height as him. He had on a white cape that covered his formal wear. "Hi Laxus."
"You're not gonna join the Fantasia Parade with everyone else?"
"Now why would I do that when I promised to watch it with you this year?" Makarov smiled.
"Alright!" Laxus cried with joy as he charged on ahead toward the crowd cheering. "You're going to let me join the Fairy Tail Guild someday, aren't you Gramps?"
"Sure! When you're a little older." Laxus ran up to the spectators enjoying the festivities. He tried his best to see past the crowd, but came up short. "Aw man, I can't see!"
"Well, that is a problem," Makarov pointed out. Laxus frowned for missing the big event. He was caught off guard when Makarov placed him on his shoulders as his body expanded to a large round shape that overlooked the people. "There now you can see, right? The wizards from Fairy Tail are pretty cool, huh?"
"Oh yeah!" Laxus cheered, "They're the coolest wizards in the world! You're the best guild master ever, Gramps!"
Present…
"When I grow up, I'm gonna join Fairy Tail and be great, too!" a boy passed by a pondering Makarov.
"Oh are you, now?" The elder approved, "That's great!"
And so, on the day of the Harvest Festival…
The Cathedral Bells echoed through the town of Magnolia. The celebration had begun and people around started to play games and enjoy the celebration. However…
"Food…" Natsu grumbled as he tried to walk a straight line.
"Aye!" Happy cheered.
"Must eat…must eat everything in sight."
"Chow Time! Yeah!" While those two decided to go after all the meals, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Rai and Jolt simply watched from afar.
"Natsu still hasn't recovered, huh?" Lucy asked. She had on the same outfit from yesterday, but had over a pink sweater to keep her warm. Gray had on an orange V-neck with a black jacket, blue pants, and brown shoes. Juvia and Rai were dressed in their normal and comfortable attire.
"He does seem rather ill, doesn't he?" Juvia noticed.
"He'll be fine once he eats, trust me," Gray explained.
"You do have to give him points for determination," said Rai.
"You haven't changed a bit, Gray," a voice called out from behind. A tall man with an orange and red sweatshirt with white pants, shoes, and black shin guards waved hello. He carried with him a bag over his shoulder. His hair was combed over so it hanged over to the right of his head.
"Hey Warren, it's been a while!" Gray noted. Jolt noticed a nearby concession stand filled with delicious candied apples.
"Didn't think I'd make it in time for the festival, but here I am!" Warren greeted. Gray decided to introduce him.
"This guy takes on so many jobs we hardly ever see him," said Gray.
"Wow," Lucy was impressed.
"Hello, I'm a new recruit," she spoke, "My name's Juvia."
"Oh, so you're the one I've been hearing about," Warren confirmed. "It's nice to meet ya."
"I'm…"
"Raimundo Ortega," Warren intervened, "You're the Celestial Reaper that showed up with your mouse friend, right?"
"Yeah," Rai was stunned, "but how did you know?"
"Meet Warren Rocko," Gray informed, "He's a master of Telepathy Magic."
"No way!" Rai was anxious, "Alright, what am I thinking." Warren stood for a moment, and then came up with an answer.
"You're wondering if there are any tacos being sold."
"…I'm convinced." Juvia looked around the festival.
"This festival is quite a sight," she said.
"No kidding," Lucy agreed, "What a crowd!"
"It's a pretty big deal," said Warren, "People come from all around to see the Fantasia Parade."
"I can't wait to see it myself!" Lucy cried with excitement.
"You're in the parade, remember?" Gray pointed out. He turned over to Rai. "You are going to be in it too, aren't you?"
"Me? I thought it was only for Fairy Tail members?" Rai assumed.
"I'm sure the master will let you in if you ask," Warren added.
"That's right," Juvia included, "Master Makarov wished to speak with you at the guild. It seemed to be important."
"Really?" Rai had a hunch something was up. Makarov had already known about Celestial Reapers when he came into this world; it could be involving his duty. "In that case, I'll meet you guys at Fairy Tail." Rai started off for the guild. When Jolt came back to the group, it had four candied apples in its hands. Lucy started to stare off into space.
"Wasn't there something else I was supposed to be doing?" Lucy asked. The idea had struck her. "I forgot all about the Miss FairyTail Contest!" She charged off at top speed after Rai. "MY RENT MONEY!" A bright blue aura started to release off of Juvia.
"A contest," she declared, "I refuse to be outdone by that bimbo."
"So I guess you'll be entering too," Gray deduced.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu licked the apples.
Fairy Tail
"The long wait is finally over ladies and gentleman! Welcome to the one and only Miss FairyTail Contest! Where your favorite fairies fight in a battle of beauty! I'm Max Alors, Sand Wizard extraordinar and I'll be your host for this exciting event!" The crowd cheered with excitement, ready for the contest to begin. Gray, Happy, Natsu, Jolt, and Elfman sat near a table to watch within the crowd.
"I expected to see Elfman here," Gray looked to Natsu, "but why you?"
"Cuz he's a man!" Elfman announced. Rai quickly made his way past the people over to the group. He took a seat near Gray to enjoy the competition.
"Yes, just made it!" Rai cheered.
"Hey, where did you run off to?" Gray asked.
"Uh…nowhere," Rai answered, "The guild master just wanted to ask me a few questions. So, the contest didn't start yet?"
"Almost. Do you like this kind of stuff?"
"I may be a person with pride, but I can't be a man if I don't enjoy the one thing that makes us happy!" Rai declared with honor.
"Now that's how a man should be!" Elfman agreed. "Just like you're mouse friend." Jolt looked to Elfman who had no idea what he was talking about.
"Pika?" Max was now ready to begin the show.
"Now let's meet entry #1: The Exotic Beauty who will drink you under the table every day of the week! Cana Alberona!" In Cana's performance, she had on brown, leather pants tucked inside her boots, a blue bikini top exposing her bountiful cleavage. She carried with her a blue, furry purse that had a long sash wrapped around her shoulder. Around her hips, she had a pink loose belt while she wore dark blue braces around her upper arm. Her long, brown hair relaxed around her neck as her pose showed she can take a shot of tequila anytime. On her waist, she had the black insignia of Fairy Tail. The crowd continued cheering as Cana acquired their full attention. "Now bust out your magic and show us your stuff!" Showing her skill, she raised a fan of cards in front of herself. The cards began to fly rapidly around as they escaped her hand. "She's centered her spinning! What could she be doing behind all those cards?" As more cards appeared, Cana had become shrouded in a bright light. Once the light vanished, Cana had now changed into a two piece orange and green striped bikini while wearing laced heeled shoes. "She changed into a swimsuit!" Her pose had her prey being drawn in.
"The prize money can cover my tab, Mmhmm" Cana announced. From behind the stage curtain, Lucy was looking in worry about the competition.
"A swimsuit?" Lucy cried, "No fair!"
"That's a clever idea," Erza popped her head out from underneath Lucy. "Maybe I should do the same."
"You're in this too?"
"Hmm…whenever I hear the word contest I get all worked up." Tears started to rain down from Lucy.
"Bye-bye rent money," she whined, "it's over for me."
"On to entry #2: She may be new to the guild, but her magic is S-class! A radiant beauty in rain or shine! Juvia Lockser!" Juvia was presented in her original outfit; however, her body began to precipitate into water as she began to change her form.
Please, Juvia wished, let these feelings reach you my beloved prince! As the wave of water came crashing down, Juvia now wore a matching bikini top and bottom that were blue with white polka dots. On the left of her thigh she had a light blue symbol of Fairy Tail.
"A fabulous swimsuit for a fabulous day at the beach!" Max proclaimed. Juvia's eyes sparkled with romance.
"Look at me Gray! Do you like what you see?!" Juvia cried.
I have a strange feeling that girl has a thing for the guy in his underwear, Rai thought.
"Another swimsuit?" Lucy raised her small fist with rage, "Come on! Give me a break!" Erza only nodded her head.
"Up next is entry #3: Fairy Tail's famous centerfold! Her beauty has stolen the hearts of men and women all over the land! Mirajane!" In her performance, she had on a long red elegant dress complete with red heeled shoes and pink bows and frills around the waist and her shoulders. She had on a blue pendant and relaxed her white, long hair with a small ponytail sticking out at the top of her head. She simply smiled at everyone and waved. "Now go ahead and show us your stuff!"
"My specialty is transformation magic," Mirajane explained, "so I'll show you a new side of me." Everyone was pumped up to see her transformation. In a poof, her face turned into Happy. "This is my happy face! Aye!" Everyone's dreams were crushed. "This my Gajeel face. Pretty cool, huh?" Gajeel, himself, was freaking out by his double ganger. Happy and Jolt were rolling on the table with laughter as Elfman simply had his jaw dropped. Natsu continued to chew on bread.
"I'm glad at least someone is enjoying this," Gray pointed out.
"She's a man?" Elfman uttered.
"Someone should tell Spiderman that, Haha!" Rai busted out laughing.
"Oh well, less competition for me," Lucy held in her giggles. Erza nodded in response.
"Entry #4: The Fairy Queen who needs no introduction!"
"That's my cue!"
"Erza Scarlet!" With a quick front flip, Erza landed onto the stage with diligence. She stood proud in her armored chest plate and armored gauntlets along with her shoulder guards. She had her long blue skirt, long black knee socks, and brown shoes. On her armor was a yellow cross that overlapped the red symbol of Fairy Tail. The crowd cheered from her entry.
"Wow, she's really popular," Lucy noticed. {Excited roar}
"Let me show you a requip that you don't get to see every day," Erza announced.
Requip? Rai thought, Is that what it's called? In a gale of pink dust, a huge wind enveloped Erza as she put her full strength into summoning her…outfit? She had on black boots and knee socks with a white ring around the thighs. Erza now had a black, frill skirt with a white blouse. An over layer long sleeve allowed her chest out while two small straps buckled around her arm. Her hair was now tied back by a big, black bow. As themes go, she looked to be a maid ready to serve her master.
"Gothic Lolita!?" Lucy cried.
"Looks like I win," Erza announced in satisfaction.
"Never thought I'd see her dress like that," Macao blushed in response.
"Oui!" Reedus agreed.
"And here is entry #5: Petite and cute! This fairy is smart as she is charming! Let's hear it for Levy McGarden!"
"Levy!" Droy and Jet cheered for their idol. Rai smiled and waved to her. Levy winked back over to him.
"Now let me show you my solid script!" she announced. With a green ring appearing, words appeared into thin-air. They were put in font as to what the word said: SNOW, FLOWERS, BUTTERFLY, METAL.
"Levy!" they cheered.
"And now we have entry #6: The Sniper with her sights on your heart! The one and only Bisca Mulan!" She had on a purple bikini top along with a purple bikini bottom. Bisca had light green hair that waved down her back and was clean cut with no split ends. In her hand, she had four gold round coins fitting into each space between her fingers. On each coin was the shape of a heart. With a flick of her wrist, she grabbed them in her palm and tossed them into the air.
"Aha! Requip time!" she called out. "The gunner!" In a green summoning ring, a sniper rifle materialized into her hand. This girl knew her way around a shooter because once she aimed down the scope, she blasted dead center right through each coin at once. As the coins fell from above, Bisca grabbed them in her hand and showed them again in between her fingers with holes.
"That's hot!" Alzack praised with hearts in his eyes.
"How am I gonna top that!" Lucy hesitated.
"Let's move on to entry #7: Fairy Tail's rising star…"
"Here we go."
"She shines as brightly as the spirits that guide her way! Lucy Heart-"
"NOOOOOOO!" Lucy screamed as she interrupted Max. "Pleases don't say my last name out loud!" People in the crowd were beginning to wonder who Lucy was.
"Hey, who's that?"
"She's cute!" Lucy nonchalantly waved back to the people.
There's no way they'll give me the prize money if they find out who my dad is, Lucy realized.
"Now show us what you got!" Max pronounced. Lucy brought out two pink pom-poms from behind her back.
"Me and my Celestial Spirits are gonna do a cheer for you guys!" Lucy announced. Everyone cheered for joy at the promised routine.
"Entering #8," a female voice spoke.
"Hey, hold on!" Lucy yelled furiously, "I haven't even started my cheer yet!"
"I am the very definition of Fairy," the woman spoke from behind. Lucy turned to see a woman in a green skirt dress with a maroon fan. "Not to mention the definition of beauty. I'm the only woman hear that embodies everything men desire. Therefore, the winner is…me! The Lovely Evergreen! Now, this idiotic contest can end!"
"WHAAAAAAAAT!" Lucy cried in shock.
"Whoa!" Gray froze, "She's back?"
"Then that means Laxus must be nearby," Elfman stated. Makarov stood with fear in his eyes. Rai ran over to the stage.
"Can't you go mess up a different contest?" Lucy was now frustrated. "Give me a break here; I really need this prize money!" Rai jumped onto the stage.
"Hey, I was watching a good show!" Rai declared, "You mind leaving so we can finish?"
"Lucy, Rai, don't look her in the eye!" Lucy and Rai turned over to Gray, then back over to Evergreen.
"I'm sorry," she lifted her glasses," who are you two?" Rai quickly turned his head. He shut his eyes as tight as he could.
"Dude, what's with this chick?" Rai asked. He could only hear the gasping coming from the audience. "Lucy, do you know-," Rai turned to Lucy. He opened his eyes, but saw Lucy encased in grey stone. "The hell!?"
"Is that her trick?"
"What happened to her?" Max quickly shouted over the intercom.
"This is bad," he yelled to the people, "Everyone, get out. NOW!" Everyone scrambled to leave the guild hall. Makarov made his way toward the front.
"What do you think you're doing, Evergreen?" He demanded, "You'll ruin the festival for everyone!" She only chuckled at his plea.
"On the contrary," the curtain opened behind her, "I believe things are going to get interesting." All lined up were the female participants of the Miss FairyTail Contest.
"No…Mira!" Elfman cried.
"She got Erza too!" Happy added.
"Don't be a fool!" Makarov ordered, "Return them to normal this instant!"
"I got her!" Rai raised out his scythe. Evergreen smiled.
"Such a lowly barbarian." Lightning blasted from the ceiling and sent Rai on his back straight to the floor. He fell with a back pounding THUD!
"Pika!" Jolt rushed over to Rai.
"Well, it looks like all your fans decided to head home," Laxus grinned. Rai picked himself up.
"Yeah, thanks to you guys," Rai stood.
"Pity, cuz now the party's about to start!"
"I should have known," Makarov concluded. Gray looked to his left and saw the nobleman.
"Freed?" Gray the switched over to his right to a man sitting on the balcony with his tongue out. "Bickslow too?"
"The Thunder Legion," Macao muttered under his breath.
"What the heck are you trying to pull?" Wakaba asked.
"Come on, let's have some fun!" Laxus offered.
"I've had about enough of your nonsense," Makarov was no longer playing games, "Turn them back or else!"
"You better play nice if you want these ladies to join the parade." Lightning struck down over Lucy's statue.
"NO! STOP!" Makarov cried.
"CHU!" Jolt's Thunderbolt counteracted Laxus's lightning and caused an explosion over her head.
"Apparently, you didn't hear the old man the first time," said Rai. Jolt glared at Laxus while he began to walk over to Lucy. "Get away from her!"
"Apparently, you didn't hear me cuz I'm taking them hostage," Laxus smiled. He wrapped his arm over her soldier. Rai gripped his scythe harder. Static continued to escape Jolt's cheeks.
"Raimundo!" Makarov shouted. Rai turned to him. He shook his head to try and warn Rai not provoke Laxus. He looked around the guild to see they too were concerned for their safety. Rai sighed and dropped his scythe to the floor.
"That's it," Laxus was pleased, "You break the rules and I'll shatter these chicks one-by-one. Or I can smash them all right now."
"I'm not amused, Laxus," Makarov shouted, "Stop fooling around."
"Oh, I'm serious old man." Freedman jumped over to the stage by Laxus.
"I've always wondered who was the strongest in the guild," Freedman announced. "Now it's time to find out." Bickslow joined the group.
"Yeah, let's have some fun!" he cried out. The tikkis agreed in unison.
"Fun! Fun!"
"There's only one rule: Whoever is left standing in the end is the winner! IT'S A FAIRY TAIL BATTLE ROYALE!" A burning fist pounded into a nearby table.
"Nice and simple," Natsu approved, "That's just how I like it! I'm fired up now."
"Glad you can see it my way," Laxus agreed. "If nothing else, you got the right attitude."
"Natsu!" Makarov didn't approve.
"This is a festival, right?" Natsu asked, "Let's party!" He began to walk towards the front of the stage.
"Have you already forgotten how badly he beaten you the last time you two went at it?" Warren asked.
"I was just a kid back then."
"What do you mean? That was last year!"
"Yeah, but since then I've become a man!" Natsu jumped over to Laxus.
"On the other hand," Laxus spoke, "That attitude is gonna get you into a world of hurt. Why don't you sit back down?" Lightning rained form above as it electrocuted Natsu into a smiling unconsciousness.
"Natsu!" Gray yelled.
"I told you," Warren pointed out.
"He's no man," Elfman added.
"Poor guy and he was finally feeling better too," Happy floated.
"Naturally," Evergreen advised, "If you want me to turn the girls back to normal, you're going to have to defeat us first."
"But those odds aren't bad," Bickslow added, "There are four of us and like a hundred of you guys, Hahahaha." The tikkis chanted.
"Lots of you! Lots of you!"
"You have three hours and not a second more," Evergreen notified. "After that, these pretty statues will be reduced to dust."
"You gotta be shitting me," Rai whispered.
"All of Magnolia will serve as the battlefield," Laxus decreed, "The fight will begin when and if you can find us."
"Laxus," Makarov gritted his teeth, "How could you?" He began to grow almost fifty feet tall. "I WON'T STAND FOR THIS!"
"NOW, NOW, SIMMER DOWN, OLD MAN!" Laxus proposed, "IT'S ALL PART OF THE FESTIVAL, RIGHT!?" A bright light blinded every person within the guild. "IT'LL BE FUN!" Everyone shielded their eyes. "LET THE BATTLE OF FAIRY TAIL…BEGIN!" Once the light vanished, Laxus and his crew had disappeared from the guild.
"So it's a high steak hide-n-go seek, huh?" Macao assumed.
"Let's go!" Elfman shouted. "We gotta man up and save our girls!" Almost every man in Fairy Tail charged out of the building. Alzack looked up to the statue of Bisca.
"Bisca, hold on," he promised, "I'll do everything I can to save you." He ran out the front door. Makarov stood with frustration. He started to run for the exit to join the others.
"You…insolent brat!" he yelled. "Just wait! I'll stop you with my own two hands!"
"Wait, hold on pops!" Rai chased after him. As soon as they took a step out the door, Makarov and Rai went into a full body plant in mid-air. Gray and Jolt stopped in their tracks to turn around.
"What's wrong?" Gray shouted.
"Pikachu?" Makarov pushed against an invisible wall that blocked their path. Rai continued to try and ram his way through.
"We can't get out!" said Rai.
"Don't be crazy, there's nothing here!" Gray tried to pull Makarov, but there was a strong force that kept him from leaving. Jolt pulled on Rai's foot, but it wouldn't go past the entryway. "Man, what's the deal?" As Gray looked up, he noticed some purple scriptures that floated in the air. He dropped Makarov as he continued to stare. "Hey, what's that floating above us?" Rai looked to see it as well.
"I can't read that," Rai seemed confused, "It looks like something out of a computer."
"It must be one of Freed's Enchantments," Makarov analyzed.
"Is that some kind of magic?" Rai asked.
"It's a barrier formed by magic ruins," Makarov explained. "Anyone who steps inside is bound by its rules and the only way to escape is to follow them."
"Any idea what it says?" Gray asked. Makarov deciphered the enchantment.
[Stone statues and anyone over the age of eighty years shall not pass]
"Whoever writes the rules wins the fight, huh?"
"Perhaps, but enchantments like these take time to write and as such they would be useless on a one-on-one battle. Still, as you can see, they're quite effective if set up as traps."
"You guys are really stuck," Gray summed up, "you can't break through."
"By the looks of it," Rai looked at the words, "we're not going anyway."
"Well, I guess that settles it. Looks like we're going to have to go in this fight without you, gramps."
"I'm sorry," Makarov apologized. Gray was now given the main objective of taking out Laxus.
"I won't show mercy," Gray declared, "even if Laxus is your grandson. He's gonna pay for this." Gray took off into town.
"Jolt," Rai asked. They looked to one another, and then nodded their heads. Jolt took off after Gray.
I don't know if Gray or anyone else in the guild is strong enough beat him, Makarov thought. Erza, perhaps, but not in her present condition. He looked up to Rai. This boy might be able to do it, but not while he's trapped in here. Makarov changed his attention to Reedus who hid behind one of the beams in the guild. "…I see you," Makarov pointed out. Reedus slunk deeper behind the pillar. "What's wrong Reedus?"
"Well...uh…I'm afraid Laxus is gonna hurt me," Reedus replied.
"It's alright. Why don't you visit Porlyusica in the East Forest?"
"Oui."
"She may have a potion that can cure the girls of their petrification."
"Oui!" Rai looked over to Happy and Natsu. As he walked closer, he noticed Natsu was starting to wake up.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Natsu screamed. Rai jumped back from the sudden reaction.
"Ah Dios mios!" Rai yelled. "I swear I'm gonna have a heart attack one of these days!"
"You're awake!" Happy cheered.
"Hold on, where'd Laxus go?" Rai walked over and picked up his scythe. "Actually, where'd everyone go?"
"Man, everyone already left," Rai answered.
"What!"
"Natsu?" Makarov noticed his awakening. If he got serious, he might be strong enough to pull it off. Rai and Natsu made their way to the master. I'll have to put my faith in his raw talent. "Now listen up! The festival is underway! Laxus is hiding somewhere in Magnolia." He pointed at the exit. "FIND HIM AND BEAT HIM!"
"ALRIIIIIIGHT!" Natsu screamed with joy. "Just you wait Lax-!" Natsu rammed face first into the invisible wall. Everyone gasped at the shock that Natsu couldn't leave as well. "Huh? What the heck?"
Magnolia
"You find anyone, Alzack?" Jet called out. Running right beside him was Droy.
"No, no luck here," he replied. "What about you?"
"Sorry, we got nothing," Droy answered.
"Damn it!" Alzack swore, "How dare they do that to Bisca!" He gripped his pistol tightly.
"Whoa, just try to take it easy, man."
"Take it easy? We only have three hours!" A line of purple inscriptions began to block off both paths around them. The words expanded from the floor to magical walls that surrounded the area. "What the…?"
"A trap!" Jet noticed.
"An enchantment," Droy specified.
"Are you telling me they put these things all over town?"
"It must be Freed's work." As the letterings disappeared, a small paragraph formed to apply the rules of the fight.
[The wizard who proves himself to be the strongest is allowed to leave this barrier]
"But what does that mean?" Droy asked.
"I think he's trying to make us fight each other," Jet assumed.
"That's a dirty trick, Freed!
"…Alright," said Alzack, "sorry…but I've gotta save her!"
Fairy Tail
"Why can't you both get through?" Makarov was still flabbergasted. Natsu and Rai continued to push their way against the wall that blocked them in. "Obviously, you're not stone statues! Don't tell me you're over eighty!"
"I don't think so," Natsu mumbled.
"I may be growing a beard, but I'm not that old!" Rai pushed with brute force. They looked up at the words written in the air. "What the hell does it say now?"
[Battle of Fairy Tail Status Report]
[Jet vs. Droy vs. Alzack]
"Is this some kind of joke?" Makarov yelled out.
"I don't understand why those guys would be fighting against each other?" Natsu questioned.
"You think they're being forced to?" Rai asked.
Magnolia
Alzack fired off two rounds. The smoke began to clear from the blast. At rapid speed, Jet zoomed in on his opponent and prepared to launch his signature move. "Falcon Heavenward!" He lunged in for the kick, but Alzack jumped at the last second. Droy launched his seeds in the ground so to catch him off guard.
"Knuckle Plant!" The green fists fired off from the ground to strike. Alzack leapt from each vine to avoid being hit. He readied his pistols as soon as he was high enough.
"Guns Magic: Tornado Shot!" He fired off an orange light out of his guns straight through Droy and Jet.
Fairy Tail
[Winner: Alzack]
[Jet and Droy: KO]
"What?" Natsu, Happy, Makarov, and Rai all stood shocked at the sudden results.
Magnolia
Alzack looked over the bodies of his fallen comrades. He started to walk away. "Please…forgive me."
Laxus walked with stride down a long aisle in a building filled with columns and glass windows on the walls. "Let's see how long who can endure this game of fairy eat fairy, you old geezer."
Fairy Tail
"Damn it! We gotta stop this now!" Rai yelled out. Natsu grinded his teeth as his burning fury took control.
"LAXUUUUUUUSS!"
-To Be Continued-
Natsu: The Thunder Legion is finally ready to fight!
You mean Ms. Green fairy, Iron mouth, and Fancy pants? They may be weirdoes, but they look pretty strong.
Natsu: Just thinking about it is getting me all fired up!
Happy: Don't forget, you can't do anything because you're still stuck inside that barrier.
Sorry man, looks like you're out of the action for a while
Next Time: Defeat Your Friends to Save your Friends
Happy: I think Gajeel might be stuck inside the barrier too. Why don't you guys get to know him better?
I think I'd rather just end it off here. All rights reserved to the original creators and material belonging to their respective owners.
Natsu: Right! Be sure to comment and leave a review!
Happy: See you guys later!