"We will win this I swear what ever the games throw at us is nothing compared to what we've been through no matter the challenges we'll have our friends and family by our side" Mira stated she knew how his head worked if he wanted to tell her he will no matter how long it took, Natsu looked at Mira, the woman who had been at his side through everything that had happened the last seven years she was the main reason he kept it together and didn't just give up.
"Thanks Mira" Natsu said as he rested his forehead on hers "I love you, you know that right?"
"Of course I do and I love you" it was then that the two leaned in a kissed one a other.
"Now we need to get our rest for tommorow" Mira said as she took Natsu's hand and led him to the bed they lied down on their sides with Natsu behind Mira as they slowly let sleep take over.
Morning came quickly and after their normal routine the three Dragneels were downstairs with the rest of the guild. Natsu still seemed down to Mira while he an aged to hide it from the rest of the guild she had tried to get him to tell her what was wrong but he kept avoiding the questions, the talk was light as people were waking up but Natsu soon disturbed this.
"I'm calling the game today for team B" Natsu announced to the guild.
"Alright with Master competing there's no way we can lose" Sting said excitedly.
"Damn it I wish I didn't compete yesterday now" Gray sulked.
"If Gray's can't compete Juvia will in your place" Juvia announced, the rest of team A seemed to be ok with this and so the conversation returned to light hearted talk until it was time to head to the arena for the start of day two.
"Welcome to day two of the grand magic games" Chapati announced. "After the exciting events of day one it's hard to believe the games could get any better but we have more in store for you today own let's have a look at the scores after day one" as he finished the score board appeared on all the lacrama screens it read:
Sabretooth 1st 20 points.
Lamia Scale 2nd 18 points.
Raven tail 3rd 14 points
Blue Pegasus 4th 11 points
Fairy tail B 5th 6 points.
Mermaid heel and Quattro Cerberus joined 6th 3 points.
Fairy tail A 8th 0 points.
"It looks like fairy tail has some catching up to do but we'll see how today's games go, now let's begin teams send your competitors up" Chapati announced. Fairy tail A sent Juvia, Team B sent out Natsu, Blue Pegasus sent out Ichiya, Sabretooth Sent out Rouge, Raven tail sent out Kurohebi, Lamia sale sent out Yuka, Mermaids heel sent out Risley and Quattro Cerberus sent out Baccaus. "Looks like all teams have sent someone out now it's time to begin chariot" Chapati announced as a race course appeared with vehicles on the course.
"Now the name of this game is simple race to the finished line but don't fall of the vehicles else you'll won't receive any points pumpkin" Mato explained.
"You've got to be kidding me" Natsu said.
"He's screwed" Lucy said trying not to laugh.
"I almost feel sorry for the idiot" Gray said. Soon all the competitors were all lined up on the starting line and Natsu already looked queasy Rouge also looked a little ill, even Gajeel who was just watching from the balcony felt a little queasy.
"3, 2, 1 go" Mato announced as the chariots started moving and everyone except Natsu and Rouge shoot off the line there was a battle for first with Juvia and Risley competing for first Baccaus and Ichiya were fighting for second while Yuka and Kurohebi were fighting game for third. " It looks like the battle at the front is heating up" Mato commented. "Meanwhile the back.." Natsu and Rouge were struggling to move crawling along the floor.
"Come on" Natsu strained to say.
"What ever this is pointless" Rouge mumbled " We may as well give up"
"I'm not giving up ever" Natsu declared with determination, Rouge saw the look on his face.
"Why did you join the games it never bothered you before, why do you suddenly care about what the world thinks what happened to the fairy tail that refused to join the games?" Rouge asked still trying not to be sick.
"It for my comrades the ones I abandoned for seven years I should of been there I need to show them I'm not weak anymore I should of been there to protect them I need to show them we never forgot them not for a second" Natsu shouted while a few tears fell. The whole stadium could hear their was silence as the Tenrou team let tears flow Laxus, and Erza just smiled sadly, meanwhile over at team B Mira was shocked of course Natsu would blame himself why didn't she see it she Shed a few tears but smiled.
"Why is papa crying" Takara asked sorting on the balcony.
"Because he's am Idiot" Mira said smiling Takara just looked confused.
"And it looks like the race is over" Mato announced as Natsu managed to stumble over the line in seventh place Rouge was just behind.
"Well at least I place Natsu mumbled to himself. The track disappeared as Natsu tried to stand back up but the motion sickness was keeping him down he then felt the weight go from his body as he was picked up he looked up to see Gajeel on one side and Laxus on the other.
"That was a hell of a speech kid" Laxus said.
"You do realise I'm older that you right" Natsu managed to say while giving a weak laugh, Laura scoffed.
"Either way I'm sore I speak for everyone when I say it's not your fault, we had three dragon slayers and we didn't even put a scratch on him" Laxus said truthfully.
"He's right Salamander there's no point beating yourself up for something that would of made no difference besides you have a family now I'm sure you wouldn't five that up for the world" Gajeel smirked
"Have you gone soft Gajeel" Natsu half laughed out.
"Shut up" Gajeel said through gritted teeth.
"heh it looks like you about to face something worse than a dragon" Laxus pointed forward to show Mirajane standing inside the tunnel, she didn't look happy the two dragon slayers dropped off Natsu he was almost able to walk and left the two to talk.
"So.." Natsu started braking the silence.
"How could you of blamed yourself you were in no fit state at that time to travel never mind doing fight a dragon" Mira said she knew the dragon slayer would blame himself but she wanted to know own why.
"It doesn't matter" Natsu said smiling.
"Yes it does, if it's eating away at you I want to know why?" Mira all but demanded, she wasn't going to take no for an answer, Natsu sighed in defeat.
"These last seven years despite everything that has happened have been the best of my life you Takara Sting and the rest of the guild, and it all stared will losing most of our family" Natsu hang his head down "It came to a point I was glad we didn't go with them if we did we might never of had this" Natsu said as fresh tears fell down his face. He felt a sudden pain on his face and then arms wrap round him.
"It doesn't matter what would or wouldn't of happened all that matters is what has happened, these past seven years have been amazing but their back now we have our family back it means it can only get better so stop blaming yourself for things that didn't happen and look forward to what is going to happen" Mira said as she pulled back slightly to look straight at Natsu.
"Your right" Natsu said smiling slightly, he lent in and kissed her.
"Now promise me you'll never keep anything like this from me again" Mira said.
"I swear" Natsu said simply, the two calmed themselves down and left the tunnel Sting was waiting playing with Takara the young girl stopped when she spotted her parents.
"Momma, Papa" Takara said running over.
"Hey there" Natsu said kneeling down to his daughters level giving her a hug.
"Would it be ok to see Wendy again?" Takara asked.
"I don't see why not sweetie" Mira said. "You coming Sting" Mira asked looking at the time mage.
"Sure I don't see why not" she replied, the four walked to the infirmary when they arrived the quietly knocked just in case she was sleeping but was quickly allowed entry, they were greeted to a sight of a smiling Wendy sitting up on bed, they talked for a while before the speaker called all contenders back to the arena Wendy and Carla were going to watch today and re-join the games tomorrow , but just as they were leaving Natsu heard Carla take a panicked breath he turned to see her eyes wide open in horror.
"Carla what is it?" Natsu asked which attracted the attention of everyone else.
"A vision" she said shaking.
"What was is what did you see?" Wendy asked.
"I saw Mercurius falling, a child crying, a familiar laugh and.." Carla stopped herself.
"What is it?" Natsu asked.
"Dragons thousands of them" Carla said looking straight at Natsu.
There was stunned silence from everyone.
"That's not possible" Mira said. "There haven't been dragons sighted since July 7th X777" Mira reminded.
"Looks like their coming back" Natsu said. "The laugh you said it was familiar whose was it?" Natsu asked.
"I don't know own I can't quite put my finger on it" Carla answered.
"We can think about this later we need to get back to the arena" Sting said.
"Your right we can figure this out later" Natsu said and with that Wendy and Carla headed for the stands while the others headed back to the balcony.
"Welcome back to the athletes portion of today with the inspirational finish of this morning we hope you'll enjoy the battles today now to show the scores"
Sabretooth and Lamia Scale 1st 20 points.
Raven tail 3rd 17 points
Blue Pegasus 4th 15 points
Mermaid heel 5th 11 points
Fairy tail A 6th 10 points
Quattro Cerberus 7th 9 points
Fairy tail B 8th 7 points.
The scores read for grim reading for fairy tail but it didn't deter them they were still exited and fired up for the battles, the first battle of the day was between Lamia sales Toby and Raven tails Kurohebi it was an unbalanced match as Kurohebi made easy work of Toby but during the match tbey made a bet that if Toby won Kurohebi would tell everyone his real name while if Kurohebi won Toby would tell his 'super secret' turned out it was he couldn't find his second sock which was round his neck Kurohebi pointed it out but he went a step further when the dogman final found his second sock with was around his neck all Kurohebi did was shred it into a thousand pieces.
The second round was a bit more interesting, the match was between Blue Pegasus Jenny vs Quattro Cerberus Baccaus, Jenny put up a good fight but ultimately Baccaus beat her when they made easy there own bet, if Baccaus won Jenny would pose nude for sorcerer weekly while if jenny won Baccaus would change his guilds name to Quattro puppy for the remainder of the games. With his guilds honour at stake Baccaus got serious taking a drink activating his drunken hanging palm.
The third match was between Mermaid heels Kagura and Sabretooths Yukino, the two like the other decided to make a bet but this one was more serious they bet there lives. The fight started interesting with both mages having some way to manipulate gravity but it soon ended when Kagura easily cut through Ophiuchus the thirteenth celestial spirit knocking Yukino out of the match. Kagura decided to be merciful and spare Yukinos life but did remind her who it belonged to.
It was the forth match where things got interesting it was a match between Erza and Sting.
"Sting and Erza huh" Laxus commented.
"Its not fair I wanted to fight Erza" Mira sighed.
"Don't worry I'm sure you two will get plenty of chances" Natsu said smiling.
"Yay I get to see Er..Er" Takara tried to say.
"Erza" Mira tried to encourage.
"Yea Erza I get tk she her fight" Takara celebrated. Meanwhile down on the arena floor the two competitors were facing off, Sting had a huge grin on his face getting a chance to fight Natsu's role model Erza just stood in her normal confidant manner.
"I'm not gonna lie it's great to get to get a chance to fight you, Master told me he based most of my training in what you taught him" Sting said.
"I must say this will be an interesting fight but.." Erza paused and Requiped into her flight armour "When Natsu was at your stage he had never bested me" Erza finished with a confident smirk.
"We'll see" Sting said his grin never dropping.
"Well it looks like their both ready so let's begin in 3, 2, 1 fight" Mato announced jumping back out the way. As soon as the word was given Sting rushed straight in his fist coated in a bright white light, but Erza expected it she easily jumped out the way using hers armours enhanced movement she spread her wings and flew into the air gracefully flying over Stings head bringing her sword down only for Sting to turn just as quick blocking her strike.
"I see Natsu never taught you not to rush head long into a fight" Erza said trying to push her sword through his guard.
" Actually it's one of the things he won't stop trying to best into me" Sting admitted not giving any ground, soon Erza jumped back putting some ground between the two.
"It must a common thing for dragon slayers to have think skulls then" Erza surmised.
"Maybe but we adapt, Holy dragons roar" Sting shouted laughed a beam of pure light straight towards the red head she easily moved out the way but what she didn't expect was the beam to follow her, but she didn't waver she managed to keep dodging until Sting stopped his attack.
"Requip purgatory armour" Erza called as a bright light surrounded her, it domed to reveal Erza in one of her stronger armours holding a mace as tall as her. "Now I've got a peek at how powerful you are this should be easy" Erza said staring intently at her opponent, she swung the mace around her head a couple of times sending a shock wave towards Sting knocking him off balance as Erza leapt straight for him bringing her mace up to swing and all Sting could do is watch as the mace hit him in the chest knocking him into a nearby wall, Sting crawled out of the hole he had made seeing Erza coming straight for him he managed to dodge a series of swings but it was becoming increasingly harder due to the blow he just took eventually he was hit again as Erza sneakily Requiped a second sword in to her off hand catching his leg forcing him to the ground he looked up to see Erza menacingly pointing her sword at him, even after all that Sting was still smiling even though he was out of breath. "Submit" Erza said simply. Sting was about to give in went he felt a power over take him it was a power he had never felt before it felt dark.
"No" Sting said without meaning to his voice was deeper, darker than usual he then felt his arm push Erza's sword to the side while his other hand was sent straight towards the armoured mages left shoulder. 'What's going on' Sting thought to himself confused he wasn't able to control his own body.
'Just let it happen I'm far stronger than you' a voice said inside his head it was deep and deep down it scared Sting. 'Accept this power I'm giving you' it whispered but Sting knew he had no say.
In the stands Carla recognised team voice.
"It can't be" she whispered.
"What's wrong Carla" Wendy asked the exceed sitting in her lap.
"That voice either the one from my vision" she explained.
"We need to tell Natsu" Wendy said getting up and heading for Team B's both.
Meanwhile Erza was doing her best to fight off Stings attacks she could see the smile was gone off his face instead it was serious.
'Where's this power come from its suffocating and it feels so dark' Erza thought to herself.
Else where in the city there was Jellal he was cloaked walking through the streets he was calm until he felt a spike of dark energy coming from the arena
"This power.." he muttered to himself it was similar to what he felt the previous years but it was a thousand times stronger, he began running through the streets toward the arena.
Meanwhile in the arena Erza was struggling she was being pushed back by the mage that she thought she had beaten she was still wearing her purgatory armour, she hadn't found an opening to Requip.
"The great Titania being pushed back so easily, the legends oversell you" Stings darker self said.
"And what about you, what happened to the overly happy dragon slayer" Erza said as she finally found an opening and gripped his arm and swinging her mace in but unlike the the other times Sting caught the mace.
"That idiot not here right now, you're fighting me" the dark Sting said trying to break his arm free.
"So who am I talking to then?" Erza asked trying to keep him distracted.
"Like I would tell you that" dark Sting replied as he broke his arm free at the same time Erza put some ground between the two before requiping to her 'Clear Heart' armor along with her demon blade.
"Let's end this" Erza said simply before charging straight for Sting, the corrupted dragon slayer almost didn't react in time but he managed to block the two the proceed to trade blows.
Elsewhere Jellal was just reaching the arena he managed to find a quiet spot to activate his magic and reach the top where he would remain unseen, when he did he saw Erza rushing at Sting there was a faint felling of dark energy coming off Sting bur he carried on looking around until he saw another hooded figure on top of a statue he rushed over just for the figure to run off back to the city the Azure headed man gave pursuit until he managed to chase them to a dead-end alleyway.
"Reveal your identity I've already revealed mine" Jellal said lowering his hood, the person turned and did the same. "How that's not possible" Jellal said in eyes wide in shock.
"You can't tell them, any of them" the now revealed person said.
Back in the arena the two competitors were still trading blows neither showing signs of backing down.
"Time is up the match is a draw" Mato announced, and both Erza and Sting backed off from one another.
"I admit it's strange, I didn't expect for you to back down" Erza said keeping her eyes trained just in case.
"I don't want to draw to much attention to myself" he replied. "I'll see you real soon" he finished as he looked straight at Natsu for that moment Natsu looked straight into Stings eyes they were different he saw something, some sort of recognition but soon Sting collapsed to the floor as people stared to get worried Natsujumped down while Mora heldnon to Takara who was still excited from the fight just before Wendy got there, while Lucy jumped down from team A, in the rush a small shadow leaving Stings body went unoticed. Erza was the first to reach the dragon slayer.
"Sorry Erza I.." Sting starred to say before he lost consisness.
"Its ok Sting rest now" Erza said as the others reached them she didn't blame him she was just worried about what ever had control over him.
"Is he ok?" Lucy asked.
"He's fine just low on magic energy" Erza assured.
"What happened? Stings magic felt off somehow" Natsu asked.
"He was being controlled by someone he didn't say who he was, we should get him to the infirmary he would be more comfortable there" Erza said and with that the small group headed to Porlyusica who was slightly annoyed to get another patient when she only discharged Ultear a little while ago Natsu, Mira and Erza headed back to the Inn for the night while Lucy decided to stay with Sting for a little while, not long after they left Wendy barged into the infirmary.
"Is Natsu still here?" she asked out of breath.
"Sorry you missed him but he should be back at the inn" Lucy replied. Carla jaunt sighed irritability.
"Thanks Lucy is Sting going to be ok?"
"Yea he will he's just low on magic after the fight he should be up and around soon enough" Lucy smiled.
"That's great well I'll see you later" Wendy said as she left back to the Inn.
At the inn there were very few people left up Natsu was explaining everything that happened to Mira, Ultear and Master Makarov it was then Wendy entered.
"Natsu I found you" Wendy said in relief.
"What's up Wendy?" Natsu asked he could see the worry of the young girls face.
"Its the vision I've placed the voice" Carla said she then went on to explain what she heard from the fight.
"That can't be right" Mira said in disbelief.
"So does that mean Sting has something to do with the dragons?" Natsu asked with a neutral expression.
"I don't know my visions are never clear" Carla admitted it was at this moment Lucy walked back into the inn looking tired everyone decided to go to bed and think on it another day that was until they heard a knock on the door the opened it to reveal Yukino standing there with a suitcase a tear stains down her face, Natsu couldn't help but go on guard.
"What are you doing here Yukino?" Mira asked it was then Yukino broke down in tears again.
A/N hey guys hope you enjoyed this one it took a bit longer because important things happened in this chapter and I wanted to make sure I got it right any how I'll sEservices you guys in the next one.