Guess who's back and on time! Yeah, me. Applause please. This is a huge achievement for a professional procrastinator like me. Sorry for the bad quality, but, what can you do.

Leave a review, they make me all warm inside~

Hiraethe


What the hell is going on? Vala Maria thought, her confident grin turning into an ugly scowl. They sent a kid to do the dirty work? They sure are underestimating us. She smothered a sadistic giggle, cracking her knuckles as she approached the blue haired fairy.

This'll be done in an instant.

"What's the matter, little girl?" Val asked, holding out her arms. "Are you scared? Didn't you come here to defeat me?" Wendy immediately snapped out of her daze, giving her opponent an angry glare. She immediately summoned her magic.

"I know it won't be easy to beat you," she said. "So I'm going to be fighting all out from the beginning." Vala Maria laughed dubiously at her statement.

"Okay then, kid. Let's see what you can do." Wendy broke into a run.

"Fast wind that run the heavens...VERNIER!" she yelled, increasing her speed tenfold. She brought her hands to her mouth, craning her head backwards. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" The impact of the attack forced Vala Maria back a few inches, and the dark mage let out a pained moan. Wendy landed back on her feet, straightening.

And, in the dust, she saw something.

"Angel Soul: Kalopsia."

Vala Maria grinned at the stunned look on Wendy's face. The dark mage had requipped into a tiny white dress, and her feet, which had originally been placed in high heels, were bare. On her back there were sprouted two large, alabaster wings. The blue haired girl could not fathom the situation.

"This is Mira-san's magic," she said, her shoulders shaking. "Where did you learn this?" Vala Maria laughed, brushing back her hair with an air of superiority.

"I was born a goddess," she said. "And, as a goddess, I will kill you." She raised her hands above her head, a large ball of white magic slowly accumulating in her grasp. Carla's eyes widened, taking a step back.

"She's too powerful, Wendy!" she said. "We need to call Master!" Wendy gritted her teeth. Vala Maria aimed the large ball of magic at the two fairies, her smile wide and malicious. The dragon slayer immediately brought Carla into her arms, feeling her knees collapse under her.

"This will show Makarov not to underestimate us ever again." With effort, she heaved the extremely large ball of magic in Wendy and Carla's direction.

"Goodbye, kid. It was fun...," she whispered. "ANGEL BLAST!"


"Hey, you know," Natsu said, bursting into laughter. "I've thought of this amazing prank I could play on Gray." The trio, which had been making their way down the seemingly endless palace halls, hadn't stopped talking since their departure.

"Do you want to hear it, Lucy?" Happy asked, covering his mouth with a knowing glint in his eyes. The blonde rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Sure, why not?" Lucy said sarcastically.

"Okay. So it starts with you taking off your clothes, and then-"

"That's enough, thanks. Remind me to beat you two up later," Lucy said again, and Natsu shot her an unimpressed glare.

"You know, you're always complaining about Gray and I seeing you naked, but, I mean, YOU'RE the one who has no clothes on," Natsu said. Lucy punched him in the head, her eyebrows twitching in annoyance. Happy moved away from the blonde.

"Lucy, you're scary. I think you may be turning into Erza."

"TWO MONSTERS!" Natsu said, holding his head in despair. They walked in silence for a few more minutes, until the dragon slayer stopped his teammates in front of an elaborate oak put his hand on the door handle, releasing it quickly. Lucy gave him a concerned glance, pressing her palm against the rough oak material as well. Her eyes widened.

"Party time," Natsu said, thrusting the door open with a manic grin on his face. "MWHAHAHA! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM, YOU BASTARDS!"

Two figures looked up from their card game.

The first was a small girl. She had long golden locks and turquoise eyes that widened considerably when they met Lucy's eyes.

The second was a teenage boy, a little younger than Natsu, with shaggy black hair and a noticeable tan. He put his hands on the cards. Immediately, they exploded.

"You've finally arrived!" Amber said, pressing her hands together and giving them a toothy smile. "Zeroth and I have been waiting FOREVER for you guys. Literally."

"Not literally," the black haired teen added, looking exceedingly uncomfortable. Natsu ignored their comments, looking over at Lucy. His eyes widened.

She didn't look scared. Not one bit.

"Lucy, we can do this," Natsu said. "I'll get Zippy, and you'll get that blondie over there." She nodded, approaching Amber with her keys clasped tightly in her hand. The dark mage looked at it with interest, entranced by the golden tinkle of its quality.

"Are those keys to the celestials zodiacs?" Amber asked, much as a child would, and Lucy nodded wordlessly. The dark mage laughed, pointing a jeering finger at her opponent.

"So that means you're basically weak, right? Right?" Amber said. "What a lame magic!" Lucy approached Amber with wavering steps, fingering one of the keys out of its holder.

"You're right, I was weak," Lucy said. "I do rely on my spirits. But I'm stronger now! I've trained all this time, so I could defend myself without my spirits. So I could beat people like you!" Amber's eyes widened, and her mouth sombered into a pensive frown.

"You're one hundred years too early," she said. "Destroying Fiore is Mercury's dream. And I will do anything to help him achieve it."


"You know," Natsu said, "I'm still pretty pissed that I don't get to fight those top guys, while Gray is having all the fun. So, sorry if I don't go easy on you." Zeroth snorted at his lofty remark, picking his nose.

"I can't believe I'm fighting this guy," he said. "This will be way too easy." He extracted a huge booger from his nose, flicking it Natsu's way. The dragon slayer looked at it in horror for a moment, before the area around him exploded. Zeroth examined Natsu's now unconscious body, shrugging.

"Mission accomplished."


"I told you this wouldn't be any fun, Seraphim," Mercury sighed, his arms crossed against his chest. His white haired companion nodded, standing at his side with an impassive expression on her face. Erza saw Gray stiffen at their words, and she put a hand on his shoulder.

Use that anger. Use all those words, those laughs, those mean sneers, and use that to strengthen your love for your comrades. Use that to defeat them.

"Certainly, Mercury-san. If they even wanted a chance, Makarov, Gildarts, or at least Mirajane and Laxus should have come," Seraphim responded. Gray gritted his teeth and the temperature in the room dropped to dangerously cold levels.

"Well, Titania will give us some fun," Mercury said, smiling at Erza. She didn't smile. He shrugged, turning to Gray. "And who the hell are you?"

"I'm the guy who's going to kick your ass."

"Gray, shush," Erza said, staring Mercury in the eye. "We'll have one and one duels. Me and you. Gray and Seraphim." Gray rolled his eyes in annoyance, but could not deny the logic in her statement. Erza was stronger than him. Seraphim sighed in disappointment, looking the nobody (Gray) in the eye. He was easy on the eyes, if that was any comfort.

"I will get you back later, Mercury-san. I would have loved to fight Titania, at least once, before her death."

"Well, you get the nobody. Yo, kid, why are you stripping?" Mercury asked. "Is this fight a freaking joke to you?" Erza cracked a smile, because, no matter what, Gray would be Gray.

And that was some comfort.


That was so short-I am sorry. Hey, at least I got it on time, right? I was actually expecting to be very late (since I didn't start until an hour ago), but, sometimes you surprise yourself. Anyway, xoxo! See you next week (or sooner) !

~Hiraethe