I'm sorry for the delay! I hope you don't get mad at me (I warned you). I've been with a serious lack of inspiration since June, and I needed to have my friends check my grammar and vocabulary for me (thank u so much girls, specially LauraBeyond for this job). Firsts paragraphs are notably improved by LikeCallsToLike, I'll be eternally grateful for it :)
Anyway, let's continue with Crime Sorcière and the GMG! Again, sorry for my inactivity, I hope this amends it :)
Chapter 2.
As soon as the the video went into motion and the cheerful melody of the Games blew through the speakers, Meredy turned the door closed, shooting a brief but cautious glance trough the frame. Maybe she felt a bit guilty, if not a little paranoid for checking, but she preferred to make sure that Jellal was nowhere around in case he decided to scold her for what she was about to do.
Once secured, her gaze met those of the mages sitting comfortably on the couch. The decision wasn't too hard. She crossed the room and took a seat next to Angel, who was presumably the less intimidating member of the group. Well, maybe Hoteye kept waving and cracking those strangely happy smiles at her —which wasn't creepy at all— but seating beside him implied being next to Racer, and by the way he had been acting towards her ever since they met, she could tell he didn't specially like her. She didn't feel very comfortable around him, either.
Then a weird pumpkin came into view and explained the rules that Meredy had already told them. He also added that, even though the preliminary round hadn't been recorded, it hand been a tricky test consisting in a race through the Sky Labyrinth, an aerial platform that kept changing its gravity and orientation. That was the reason why, in addition to a harsh race, the trial was tough and too difficult to succeed at.
In the end, the pumpkin disappeared and led off the Grand Magic Games.
A huge circular stadium rose before their eyes, made of grayish stone and decorated with large glorious statues of famous gladiators known by their great deeds throughout the history of Fiore. It was jam-packed with rows of people shouting excited and enthusiastically, so many that neither of them knew where to focus their eyes on. Seconds after, the commentator introduced himself and the other judges, and soon the crowds were cheering as he announced the guilds that had managed to pass the preliminary round.
The show took off with the eighth and last qualified guild, which much to their surprise had been their former nemesis Fairy Tail. All of the speechless Oracion Seis members watched as the five participants walked solemnly into the arena: they recognized the scarlet hair of Erza, the blond one of Lucy, and the unforgettable and determined faces of Natsu and Gray. Another mage, a giant male with tick shoulders and spiky white hair, stood firmly next to them, making the earth shake with each step. However, no one recognized him.
Suddenly Racer jumped of his seat and stuck his nose to the screen. "What the fuck!? Are they really the last team?" he asked, completely astonished.
Cobra laughed at his comrade. "It's not that surprising," he said, unfolding his arms in order to seat beside Midnight. "We're far way better than them."
"Hey, they beat you twice, didn't they?" Meredy interceded, rising one irritated brow on her forehead. "You shouldn't underestimate them that easily!"
The Dragon Slayer growled annoyed at her enthusiasm, but finally decided to ignore her and remained silent.
Then the audience began booing the team on the lacrima. They all froze, remained silent and quiet as the seconds stretched and the determination on their faces started to quiver. Finally, their fellows started encouraging them, and a bright smile spread across the group.
The next team that was introduced, as the seventh classified, was Quattro Cerberus. Five men appeared on scene, most of them hefty, roaring in unison a war cry, "Wild Four!", inundating the arena with their manly voices.
"They are so loud!" complained Cobra.
But neither of them had really heard about it, so they didn't drop their attention on them.
Surprisingly, the sixth classified was a women's guild, named Mermaid Heel. This team was composed of five women, some of which were waving at the grandstand with big smiles on their faces. However, there was one, with long purple hair, taking up the centre of the group, staring at her surroundings with yellow eyes as cold as ice.
"Oh? Finally some cool style" said Angel, slightly amused by their entrance on the show.
Blue Pegasus was placed fifth, and when the Trimens and Ichiya materialized on the lacrima with their usual poses, the Oración Seis members felt all embarrased for what they were whatching. Sure, they knew well who those boys were, part of the Alliance that frustrated their plans with the Nirvana, but they hadn't witnessed their weird movements outside the battlefield... And all of them wished they hadn't have to.
On top of that, beside the Trimens was a strange blue rabbit, who didn't say anything unlike his guildmates.
"What the heck is that?" asked Sawyer, startled, when he noticed the "animal" (it was obvious there was someone hiding behind the costume).
"It's creepy" Midnight pointed out.
"So are you" mumbled Meredy and Sorano, sharing a knowing look.
Their time on screen didn't extend much, because in fourth place were the members of Lamia Scale, and they certainly captured everyone's attention, with a glamourous appearance after some pastel coloured smoke cloud vanished. Lyon Vastia was at the head of the team, escorted by the famous Wizard Saint Jura and three other guildmates.
"Jura, my dear friend! Oh yeah!" exclaimed Hoteye, and tears of happiness broke out of his indig eyes, flooding his comrade Racer, who looked at him completely annoyed. "He's still awesome, isn't he?"
"If you say so..." answered Sawyer, who only wished the biggest man would stop crying on him. "I'm more interested in that little girl over there" he said, pointing a young pink-haired mage who had fallen to the ground. "She must have a strong power, if her guild let her join them that soon".
"Indeed" agreed Angel, whose face indicated she was just wondering the same.
Next turn was to the third classified, a guild named Raven Tail. Their members appeared after a cloud of dark smoke and raven feathers that would frighten every single spectator, something unusual for a legal magic guild.
"Oh?" was all that escaped from Macbeth's lips, which were often sealed. But the apparition of this new guild had woken up his interest.
Even from a long distance they could distinguish master Makarov of Fairy Tail, screaming angrily against the ones in charge of the event how could they have let a dark guild participate in the Grand Magic Games. Given the confusion generated among the onlookers, the commentator admited that Raven Tail had existed from long ago, but had been recently recognized as legal by the Magic Guild Federation, allowing them to participate in the event.
The tension between the faeries and the ravens was almost palpable even from the light that emerged from the lacrima, and Meredy gulped down loudly, shutting her words up.
After that, the most unbelievable thing ever happened. The second classified was introduced, and its name resounded driven by the wind blowing throughout the stadium. Before their eyes appeared five mages, all of their auras were strong and imponent. Two women and three males, one of them completely covered from head to toe, so his face remained unseen. Their magic power seemed to be unstoppable even from the lacrima, and the recent members of Crime Sorcière admited they were somehow familiar... Until the reporters announced the name of the second team. It was Fairy Tail B Team.
"What..." started Racer.
"...the fuck?" Cobra finished for him, opening his left eye in a exaggerated way.
Angel and Hoteye shared the same stunned faces as their comrades. Even Midnight, the usually expresionless leader of the formation, was jaw-dropped at that very moment. Their reaction was the funniest thing Meredy had seen recently, she couldn't handle it anymore and started laughing at them, echoed by the maniatic voice of Fairy Tail's master itself.
"You didn't expect that, did you?" she said, still smirking. "Makarov is a surprising master, y'all should realize it."
Meanwhile, the adversaries of Fairy Tail were as astonished as the Oración Seis. Even the original team of Fairy Tail was frozen in time, their eyes showing the deepest surprise ever. Natsu also pointed at the enigmatic figure, and the immaculated face of Gray showed true confusion, joining that of his companion.
"Why are there two teams of Fairy Tail?" asked a blond member of Quattro Cerberus, transforming the same thing all the spectators were thinking into words. "That's way too wild!"
"The rules say every guild can participate with one team, but they can participate with two if they want to" explained an old commentator, laughing at all the mess the entrance of Fairy Tail B Team had caused.
"But... Isn't that unfair?" wondered the voice of a girl. "For example, if one member of every team participates in the same event, it could be like Fairy Tail would be fighting with two teams, right?"
The older announcer started to laugh again.
"It certainly gives them some advantage-mabo."
Listening to them made Sorano finally sigh, resigned.
"I'm with her. It's totally unfair."
"Yes" admited Hoteye, who was amused by all the chaos his guildmates were experiencing. "But we shall remember it is allowed, and is not Fairy Tail's fault they have managed to drag two teams into the eight finalists."
The woman opened her mouth to reply, but she didn't have any solid response, so she finally shut it up.
Suddenly, the atmosphere changed in the lacrima record. The commentators were "pleased to introduced the last, but certainly not least, magic guild of this year's contest". Its name reverberated vigorously by the stadium, like announcing some incredibly powerful disaster.
"They are the best, invencible, and undisputed champions!" shouted the record. "They are... Sabertooth!"
All the onlookers began clapping and cheering in unison for the team as their five members entered on stage. The first one was a blond boy with a victorious smirk on his face and his arms wide open in a confident look. The second was also a boy, an extremely serious one, whose red eyes didn't seem to glow more than his black hair. His looks were emphasized with his dark clothing, highlighted by the white symbol of a feline shining at the back of his cloak. The third member was a girl with short light blue hair and hazel eyes, dressed in a coat full of beautiful white feathers fluttering with the wind. The fourth was a gigantic male with spiky green hair tied up with a band, and he was walking beside his most opposite partner ever, a delicate blond boy with long straight hair tied near its end in a small ponytail, wearing a galant red suit and a voluminous hat. The composition of the five of them was impressive enough to wake up the interest of Fairy Tail, whose expresion changed radically to concentrated ones. And why not admit it, they also awoke the attention of the Seis.
While the teams spent some time talking with each other, a slight cry was audible by the fine ears of the poison Dragon Slayer. Immediately after hearing that terrible sound, he turned his head, only to discover his comerade Angel covered in tears.
"Wha-?"
The woman didn't hear him. Or didn't want to pay him any attention, because her eyes were fixated on the images, showing Sabertooth speaking some words. As the video continued, her cry became even louder, and by the time she realized she wasn't dreaming and that she wasn't alone, all of her guildmates were watching her with a worried look. Even Meredy.
"What happened, Sorano?"
She wiped her tears off, or at least tried, before giving a mysterious answer.
"She's alive"
"She?" inquired Sawyer. "She who?"
Her attention returned to the images, and her eyes stopped at the figure of the female mage of Sabertooth.
"My sister"
I hope you enjoyed this second chapter! And thank you so much for reading it *.*
Did you notice this chapter didn't have a title? Well, I've been thinking, but I couldn't find any good title for it (I wanted to name it "Sister" for obvious reasons, but maybe the next one could be related to it, I still don't know since I hadn't started it yet). But if anyone thinks of a good title for it, leave me a comment please! It would be a nice help :)
I shall warn you again that this will update from time to time (when inspiration and time for writing reach me).
