Sting reminds me so much of my old crush, I'm not even joking- they're both douchebags ahaha. I wonder what his reaction would be if he ever found out I was ranting about him on the internet, or when he finds out I killed him off in the narrative I'm writing for LA.

I'm starting to fall for Rogue now but I MUST STAY FAITHFUL TO STING-SAMA... M-M-MUST...

Omg, Rogue's smile gets me every time. I can't wait for that one scene to be animated~

"Are you ready, Yuki?" I fidgeted despite myself as we made our way down to the arena. Sting had wished us luck a few minutes back and Yukino had showed no signs of making conversation so I decided it was best if I was the one who started the conversation.

"Every Sabertooth mage is ready for battle, Lily" was her monotone reply as she started walking at a faster pace, I practically had to run to catch up with the feathered celestial mage of Sabertooth.

I swallowed nervously as my gaze dropped and we were both enveloped into a deep awkward silence once again. It was obvious she didn't want to waste energy on talking nonsense with me. I stared at her with half lidded eyes and watched as she carried herself with her head held high and posture as straight as can be in her twisted looking cloak.

Sometimes, watching Yukino Agria made me wish that I had half the confidence she had.

Despite her words of 'encouragement', I couldn't help but shake with each step that lead us closer to the stadium. I wouldn't dare say it out loud, especially in the position I was in now with the guild in disarray after Gemma became the new Master but I was scared.

No scratch that, I was terrified.

When Sting had dragged me with him to our viewing platform in the arena, I had no idea it would've meant that I was replacing Rogue in today's battle portion- and with my current magical skill? I was nowhere close to the level Sting and them were at. I would disgrace this guild for sure. And that wasn't the worst part.

It was a tag battle and one of the opponents was from L'arc Sibyl- En. En who was my first actual best frenemy and my first partner when we joined L'arc Sibyl together as kids.

I wasn't even mentally prepared for this to happen.

I didn't even think they'd be here in Crocas during the Magic Games, I didn't think Emily was going to be this close to finding her Lilian, I didn't think at all of the worst possibilities that me being here would cause when I came to watch the Magic Games with the rest of the guild.

That was a mistake in my part and now I was paying for it.

I bit my lip nervously as the tunnel started to widen and the rising cheers of the crowd made it through to my sensitive ears.

"Lily," her voice was but a whisper when she suddenly stopped in front of me, turning around with a mischieveous light in her ears as I swallowed.

Oh please, whoever was up there watching me, if there was actually someone- please don't let Yukino see the sweat beading down my brow and my pale white shaky fists.

"Yukino," I looked back at her and nodded. Whispering a quiet good luck before we walked into the arena and the sudden change of lighting made me wince slightly.

En and Kagura were already out there, shaking hands after coming to some agreement when we waltzed our way up to them. Kagura, I noticed looked a bit disturbed after shaking hands with the guy and had wiped her hand on her leggings immediately after before turning back to us with a sort of annoyed sleepy expression written on her face.

Yukino had stepped forward, matching with Kagura as the announcer started beaming like crazy. They had stopped just a moments away from each other when the bell rang and Yukino polietly bowed as was customary to her every battle, "pleased to meet you."

The Mermaid Heel mage looked a bit surprised at her introduction as she nodded her head back in acknowledgement. It was a silent code among Sabertooth mages that whoever stepped forward first got to chose his opponent- and since Yukino had picked Kagura on impulse, that left me with

"So, do we start now?"

My eyes widened as I snapped my head towards my own situation, letting the panic settle in as I stared at the handsome matured face of my old childhood friend.

En hadn't changed a bit since I left, well as far as appearances went anyways... He still had his little mess of brown hair that made him look like a god and eyes the same blue as mine. But I bet he still had that silent dark temper of his- if L'arc Sibyl was said to be unchanging then the members would have to be too, if you really thought about it that is.

I swallowed my spit awkwardly as I examined him and shrugged, he was always a bit slow so I was pretty sure he wouldn't notice the fact that the girl in front of him had the same blue eyes he and his childhood frenemy both shared. An impossible blue that wouldn't go away, and I hoped that he somehow would have missed seeing the obvious.

I was hoping for the impossible.

There was no way I was going to win this fight anyway, I thought to myself as I stared at my hands. I was weak and I still hadn't completely understood just how my new magic exactly worked; and now here I was, expected to defeat an old friend without messing up and summoning one of my old pets that embodied what was Lilian Evan of L'arc Sibyl.

That was definitely going to be hard, I realized as En readied his bow and looked like he was about to say something when something said by our celestial mage shocked us all.

"Let's wager our lives"

My eyes almost jumped out of their sockets, sure Yukino was prideful and everyone had been making bets during the game but to take it this far? I bet my lip and was about to reprimand the celestial mage when a long high pitched whistle reverberated through the air. I winced and looked up to see Sting holding up a small trinket and mouthing a few words.

This will be entertaining.

I was about to do something in protest when a whirlwind of arrows came spiraling my way, I let out a loud yelp as I felt fiery iron dig into my skin. I fell back as I just barely managed to gain my footing when En approached me.

"Don't ever get distracted during a battle," he practically screamed over the delighted squeals of the crowd, his sharp blue eyes narrowing into a glare.

I let a smirk grace my lips then as I started manipulating the air around me, "speak for yourself, archer boy."

I launched forward then, using the air around me to propel me forward and gathering it into my hand to send a huge slap of wind into his face when I got close enough. He was sent a few distances away and I let out a quiet sigh as I slumped my shoulders.

I heard a lot of people dub my magic as Gravity Magic, while others told me it was Air Manipulation; Sting, on the other hand, liked to call it Bunny Style. And even if I tried, it was impossible for me relearn my primary magic- my first magic before Alexander drilled all those ancient spells into my head. So since there was no way to categorize the magic the bunny lacrima planted in me gave me, there was no way for me to actually do any powerful magic; since the more powerful spells required categorization and a total understanding of the magic.

Now, I was down to simple tricks, simple tricks against an experienced mage who just happened to be known to never miss a shot with his bow.

I was so going to die.

"Archery Magic: Thousand Rain!" My eyes widened as I watched the archer point his long bow towards the sky, fuelling his magic into a single arrow before it began to multiply and rain down from the clouds. I would be lying if I said I didn't panic and quickly twisted the air around me, placing my hands above my head as I screamed despite myself, "Shield!"

Sting had warned me to always make up some random name every time I battled, to make up for my lack of knowledge of what magic I had. He had told me that it was a pride thing and even though normal people would be ashamed, he understood that it wasn't my fault, somewhat.

It still didn't make up for the fact that this battle with my old best friend / enemy would be the end of me.

They're going to find out, I kept repeating to myself as I screamed random names, trying my best to dodge his arrows, they're going to find out.

"Would you stop running!" I heard him yell through clenched teeth before he sent another barrage of arrows after me. The dust had collected due to my constantly twisting the air and En constantly sending arrows after me. I looked around me quickly before deciding that if the dust wasn't enough cover then nothing would be and stopped in my tracks, swiping my hands this way and that as I watched En's arrows sky rocket closer and closer to me.

"O guardian of the four winds," I was speaking so fast that the words were but a blurb, I probably wasn't even breathing in between gaps as I placed my arms in a X formation in front of my chest, "release to me one of your kin, -"

The words caught in my throat as the dust cleared and I saw the shocked expression on En's face. I gasped and dropped my hands in horror, forgetting that there were arrows aimed towards me.

I staggered backwards as I felt an arrow pierce into my shoulder. After years of training, the pain could've easily be avoided but the look on En's face hurt me more than any other physical wound.

I watched as his shoulders shook in confusion, his lip quivering as he stared at me with a finger raised; he was about to say something, I knew it, and so did the crowd. I was about to send a blast of wind his direction when the long armored tail of a certain celestial snake sent him flying into a wall and I turned around in shock as I watched Ophiuchus attack Kagura.

And I watched in shock as the Mermaid Heel mage cut the rumored thirteenth gate in half without drawing her sword.

"Sometimes mermaids can devour tigers," I heard her mutter as she cut Yukino down. And in a sudden act of cowardice, I whispered the name of a forbidden beast and watched it knock the air out of the girl when she wasn't looking in a split second, expelling it from existence before anyone got the chance to glimpse upon the famous pet of Lilian Evan.

The bell rang then and I sank onto my knees; cradling my face in my hands as I heard crowds of people cheer around me.

I blew it.

I just blew it.

I was going to get punished for finishing a battle that wasn't mine to finish, I knew it. I felt tears well up in my eyes as a single clapping silenced the crowd and I looked up in confusion.

I wish I hadn't.

I really wish I didn't look up- like my life could get any worse.

"Presenting The Great Magic Games' greatest sponsor- Lady Azalia Arcadias Orelohr!"

My hands had dropped to my sides as I stared at the woman standing on top of the magical platform; a tall blond woman wearing a long yellow dress and a tiara smirking down at me with a knowing smirk.

It didn't even matter to me now what she was saying, everything that came out of those liquidy lips flew past my ears as I watched her in despair. No, this was not what I wanted, I didn't want to meet her under these conditions.

I must've looked ridiculous then; a shell shocked pink headed bunny girl staring up at her royal lady duchess as she congratulated her.

Not like it mattered because in the back of my mind, I had imagined my sister slipping off that exact platform and falling to her death.

I watched as my baby sister finished her speech and glared back at me, mouthing words that I wish I would never hear again.

How do I words? Ahahaha, my writing is getting worse by the day. Whelp.

Let me just say that I had written Fool's Gold before Rufus' last name was revealed, and so Azalia and Lily are not related in any way, shape or form. I'm just too lazy to change it and confuse myself in the future because I have everything related to Lily saved on my computer as Lilian Orelohr Evan. Azalia, is however related to Arcadias- the knight guy, how? Well you'll have to find out.

So um yeah, review please? I love you.