I own none of these characters except my own. All the official Fairy Tail characters are owned by Hiro Mashima.
Ch 7: Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover"Okay now remember boys, we don't stab out people's eyes or aim for fatal shots in practice. I don't want a complaint from any of your parents about one of you losing a finger or something like that… We don't want the school to get sued… again."
Not that surprised, Celestia scoffed while rolling her eyes. The voice was coming from the boys locker room which was suddenly silent after a series of screams and other noises boys made. The instructor of their class was now explaining the rules to the boys and what was expected of the class. As the instructor was male, he wasn't allowed into the girls locker room which was quite vacant except for Celestia at the moment. As usual not many princesses or noble females signed up for the class so it was usually just Celestia. She didn't really need to as like the former mentioned, they had many guards trained to protect them from harm. However, Celestia doesn't seem the harm in being prepared just in case.
She had already changed into the uniform in less than a minute and locked up her gym locker which held her clothes, gym clothes, sneakers, and books for the next few periods. Her locker was located in the corner of the same wall with the exit/entrance of the building. A bench was placed right next to it adjacent to a wall and Celestia had sat herself down to tie the shoelaces on her boots. While doing so, she shrugged her shoulders to adjust the bulky chest plate. The armor would be heavy for most girls but Celestia works out regularly so it feels bearable for her. Finished tying the knot, she rose from the bench and sauntered over to the office where someone has been silently working. Popping her head through the office door, her eyes landed on a familiar redhead typing away at the computer on the desk inside.
"I didn't know you were the assistant teacher for this period. It didn't occur to you to inform me of this? I'm offended, Erza. I thought we were friends." Celestia joked in her monotonous, sarcastic manner and leaned against the door frame. Erza rolled around in her spinney chair and Celestia entered the room, peering at the attendance sheet that was pulled up on the laptop. Looks like it's full of all the athletic arrogant boys. Oh what fun. She sighed on the inside.
Shrugging, Erza responded in a similar cool but joking tone, "Whoops guess it slipped my mind. Anyways, here's the syllabus the instructor wanted everyone to have. He doesn't want it signed or anything but he would like for you to look over and understand the rules since he's unable to come in here and explain it himself."
Shaking her head, Erza handed over the paper into Celestia's open hand and continued, "Honestly though, the boys probably need it way more than you do." Letting out a small chuckle, Celestia nodded in agreement to her statement as she skimmed the page, "Yeah I don't know what I'm going to gain from stabbing someone in the eye besides a trip to the principal which my parents would be "dying" to hear out." They both laughed at this joke and she waved at Erza, deciding the conversation has gone long enough. "Well I better go. I should get out before all the other guys do so I don't catch attention. I'll see you later, Erza."
"Sure. Beat all their butts for me will you." She waved back before twisting around back to the stack of papers she needed to grade. Walking back to her locker, she unlocked it and placed the paper inside before swiftly closing it. With that, she placed her helmet carefully over her bun and head, strapped the fencing sword to her belt, and thus, departed shortly for the gym.
Wow everyone was taller than I thought. Well at least there's some freshmen here that I can blend in with. Celestia was the first to arrive in the gym and she had already warmed up before any of the others entered. Despite being on the taller side for girls, Celestia was one of the shortest in the room compared to the other males and could have easily been mistaken for one of the tiny freshmen. There was about 50 males in the mat covered room and were all now stretching or warming up in preparation for the day's lesson. The gym was pretty spacious with benches near the walls past the mats and there was a small area cleared for shoes, water, and a chair for the instructor. Celestia positioned herself in the middle of the freshmen and the upperclassmen and continued to stretch there. She took extra care in stretching her legs and touched the ground for a count of 30 seconds before switching.
"Alright you brats, let's get fencing!" A gruff voice shouted out and all eyes landed on a tiny man who now sat criss-cross-apple-sauced on the chair which seemed to engulfed him. In his hand was a cane which he pounded on the floor every now and then. Everyone instantly knelt in front of the small man who proceeded with his instructions, "Now I see most of you are return students but for the incoming freshmen, I am Instructor Makarov and I'll be instructing you all on swordsmanship. For today, I decided we will be having a competition."
Heads perked and eyes flashed at the mention of the word "competition". Tension filled the air as everyone was enthusiastic to prove their abilities. "Now there will be a prize for the winner which does not have to do extra workouts for the next two weeks…" Low murmurs bursted through the crowd at that prospect before Makarov finished his statement, "And the winner also doesn't have to do the clean up at the end." Roars bursted out after that and taunts were thrown around. Challenge accepted. Clean up was the worst thing about the class since it was 1) a class consisting of mostly men and 2) the gym floor and the equipment were plain nasty.
"Now my T.A. Erza has hanged papers on the wall. You all have to sign up for one level out of the three. Write your class number so it's easier to write your grade in. The three levels are Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Now I've said "winner" not winners so the winner has to be from the Advanced group." A dark mood instantly flew over the freshmen. "However the winner from the Beginner group gets out of doing extra workouts unfortunately I cannot promise getting out of cleanup."
Cheers shortly came from the freshmen group and Makarov smiled, "This is different from the Intermediate group. So sorry for you guys but it's a life and death match for y'all. The winner from the Intermediate group will face the winner of the Advanced group and the ultimate winner will be decided in that match. Now the rules remain the same as always. I will be overseeing the Advanced and Intermediate Matches while Erza supervises the Beginner Matches. Now if no one doesn't have any questions which you should not we will now proceed with sign ups.." No one left and simply stared back except for Celestia who silently rose from the back of the group and immediately signed herself up for the Intermediate group. Once she wrote her number, she positioned herself on one of the benches on the sidelines.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT ME FOR? GO SIGN UP!" He screeched at the boys and they all scrambled to their feet. Like a stampede of animals, they all ran over one another for the sheets and fought to sign up. Like a scientist, Celestia observed their actions from the sidelines and voiced disapproval in her head at their rushed approach. There really wasn't a point to rush since they'll all fight one another in the end. Sighing she estimated fifteen minutes wasted before they'd finally get something productive done.
As predicted, it took the exact amount of time Celestia predicted for them all to sign up and get into their sections. Most of the freshmen class were in beginner with the exception of two or three being in intermediate. A good three-quarter of the upperclassmen were in intermediate also and the remaining quarter being in Advanced. All the boys were now gathered on the benches and were trash-talking each other in the waiting period.
"Y'all are going down. The prize is mine and I don't care who stands in my way. I'll obliterate you all."
"Yeah right. You haven't held a sword before until last month. There's no way you'll beat me who's been fencing since I was five."
"Gihi. I eat iron. You all have nothing on me."
"ALRIGHT YOU ALL SHUT UP!" Makarov barked and waved his cane in the air. "I'll now choose the matches through sticks with your names on them so LISTEN UP! I'll say them once and only once."
With the matches made, the pair faced down on the mat and the winner progressed to the next round after a short five minute match. Celestia was steadily winning all of her matches and wasting little effort by dodging all the attacks until she finds an opening and hits her opponent. She finally made it to the final round breaking little sweat and was ready to face her final opponent after her five minute break. Sitting on a bench with a plastic water bottle in hand, she watched the ongoing advanced matches and tried to guess who was fighting who underneath the helmets.
The losers from the first round were resting on the sidelines close to her and they've taken off their helmets which made elimination easier. So Rufus, Bixslow, Elfman, Rogue, Orga, and even LAXUS lost in the first round. His opponent must have been strong if he's out already. She thought to herself as she crossed out the names she remembered from the list of people on Erza's attendance sheet.
Okay so that leaves Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Sting (ew). She examined the remaining two pairs which currently were sparring. Well Gajeel is obviously the towering beast in the pair on the right. He has the biggest build of all of them and I can see his messy black hair sticking out in the back. Her fingers twitched and she pressed her lips together slightly. Man it bothers me I am craving to tuck his hair or brush it. AHHH I WANT TO FIX IT SO BAD- Wait focus Celestia one of these boys are going to be your next opponent. Her gaze bounced to the next pair and she immediately recognized the fighting style of the two… and their brash childlike insults to one another.
"What was that, Ice Princess?! Are you losing your touch? I never seen such a weak jab!"
"Oh shut it, Pinky! I'll have you know your footwork is sloppy. You almost fell on your fat ass back there about two seconds ago."
God they can't stop arguing for one second. It's a good thing for the both of them that Erza is too busy refereeing the beginner matches. She thought to herself before making bets on who was going to win. Although Gray is pretty strong, Natsu would probably beat him with his animalistic instincts. At that moment, Natsu pushed Gray back over to his half of the mat and Gray misstepped with his right foot. He landed on the uneven split between the two mats and stumbled backwards. In that one moment, Natsu took advantage of the weakness and rushed forward with his sword. Attempting a desperate recovery, Gray tried to swipe his sword also towards Natsu's torso to scare him away. Natsu however had the balance and agility to sidestep before he could touch. With a poke, Gray lost the match.
Well that's the end of that match. Sting is most likely Gajeel's opponent since he's not on the sidelines… She examined the match and winced when Sting made an unexpected poke at Gajeel's torso that should have been easy for someone with good agility to dodge. However Gajeel's heavy build made it harder for him to leap away. Sighing, Celestia looked at her nail beds already knowing how the round would end.
Suddenly, a heavy weight landed on the bench next to her. Heavy breathes would come out of that person's mouth and he would yank off their helmet to utilize the cool air. "Ahhhh I'm so tired. Ce, I'm taking the water." He reached out for it and she handed it over without any protest. She cocked her head to the side as she examined Natsu's condition. He slumped his body over as he gulped the water down and she forced him to straighten his back. It was easier to catch his breath that way.
"You overworked yourself again. You're puddling." She said in a low voice and shook her head at him. "How am I going to face you if you don't have any energy to get through the next match?" She scolded lightly and used a towel from the stack next to her to wipe the sweat off of Natsu's brow. He grumbled while she did and retorted, "It's no fun if you don't go all out, Ce. Plus my first match was against Laxus and there is no way I'm letting him beat me."
"I guess that's to be expected of you… I would have made fun of you if you let him beat you too." She admitted and Natsu growled lightly and nudged her. She quietly laughed but it was hidden under her helmet.
"THE LAST INTERMEDIATE MATCH WILL BEGIN IN FIVE MINUTES. FENCERS TAKE YOUR PLACES." Makarov announced and pointed his cane at the mat.
"That's my cue. I'll see you on the mat for the last match. Don't let that Sting beat you. He's annoying." She bid him goodbye and walked over into position on the mat. Her opponent also got onto the mat shortly after her and she took the remaining time to examine and evaluate her opponent. He was shorter than her by a few inches but bulkier in muscle. She noted the awkward hold he had on his sword and inferred he hadn't much practice with this type of weapon. It's more likely he has used a heavier, thicker sword since he's using both hands to grip the handle.
"Five minutes are up! Both fencers get into positions." Makarov ordered and sat in the chair he had a student move in front of the mats. She crouched slight, bending at the knees, using her right hand. She moved her grip closer to the base of the handle so her opponent would have a harder time knocking it out of her hands with his extra strength. Taking a deep breath, she analyzed her opponent's stance while listening to the instructor.
"You all remember the rules. Five minutes is the time limit. No roughhousing and first poke wins." He listed the rules off quickly and efficiently without taking a single breath, "Alright… Begin!"
In a second, her opponent immediately slashed and jabbed his sword at her, seeming to be rushing to end the match. With her free arm and pivot foot, she easily dodged the swipes and lead her opponent twice around the mat and parried his swipes away a couple of times. While going through her matches, she counted dollars for every opening she saw and made sure to finish her opponent by the fifth dollar. She counted three dollars so far but her opponent wasn't too bad despite his uneven agility. Suddenly, he leaped forward, his blade pointing straight, and Celestia once more moved swiftly to the right. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. She pleaded silently to herself feeling bad for taking advantage of the easier level. She used her blade to cover her back and clashed against his blade shortly. She wiped around while his momentum propelled him forward, unable to change trajectory. Continuing her sword swipe downward, she poked against his calf, ending the match.
"Match end. Victory to number 18. There will be a ten minute break before the final match." Makarov shouted and made some marks on his clipboard. He then leaped off his chair to observe the final advanced match with Erza watching over. Celestia's breathing was more labored than before and she, too, was surprised at how tired she was. Her opponent was stronger than she expected and she devised a plan in her head on how she was going to get water unseen.
"Ahhhh dammit! I was so close this time! Dad said he'd treat me if I won… What am I going to tell him now!" Her opponent threw his helmet on the soft ground and he had a cruel frown hanging on his lips, his choppy black hair dripping with sweat. Celestia glanced at the commotion and raised an eyebrow in surprise when she saw who it was. Romeo. He was the boy who admired Natsu a lot. He hanged around their castle a lot when he was younger. She smiled under the helmet at fond childhood memories. His dad is one of the strongest knights so he has really big shoes to fill. He did really well though.
Without thinking, she quickly walked past Romeo and patted him on the shoulder. "You're getting better, Romeo. You almost beat me with that swipe at my thighs earlier. Fix your stance and your hold on the sword and you would have got me. I'm proud of you." She praised him in a low voice and brushed past him as if she said nothing. Romeo stared back at her and his eyes followed her as she walked away. His eyes were wide, shock clear on his face, as he recognized the voice but couldn't seem to put a finger on it.
She made eye contact with Natsu from where he was sitting on the floor and motioned with her head to the door. He nodded understanding and made his way first out of the class. After a count of two minutes, she followed him outside the door and walked down the hall towards the water fountain by the girl's bathroom. It was silent in the hallway with almost no one in the multi-use room except for the gym class, their class, and a few odd students.
Looking both ways, she made sure the coast was clear before she took off her helmet. Her hair tumbled down her back in a clump as the bun had come undone and sweat began to form along her brow. Her cheeks were tinted with a soft pink and she combed her hair with a hand. Bending over, she took long slurps from the water fountain before a shadow fell over her, the person blocking her from view.
"Having fun beating up the underclassmen, Ce? It's kind of cowardly of you to get the easy way out don't you think?" Natsu poked at her and pouted his lips as he leaned on a bent pole next to it. His philosophy is that you don't do well unless you put 110% into everything you do. Celestia gulped down a few more slurps of water and after wiping her mouth on her sleeve, she responded to Natsu in her cool manner, "You know what else is unfair the fact that I'm the only female in the class. You all have training and muscle power which I don't as a princess and the advanced class is full of men who'd probably obliterate me in a second. So tell me Nii-chanis it really unfair of me to be intermediate?"
Natsu swallowed a thick gulp from her prickly address towards him and shook his head. She chuckled at the fear on his face and using the rubber band on her wrist, she tied her long silver hair back into a bun. "So how'd Sting beat your ass?" She inquired and Natsu's jaw clenched as he roared. "UGHHH! I COULD HAVE TOTALLY BEAT HIS ASS IF… HE DIDN'T CHEAT! AHHHH HOW DID HE GET ALL THE EASIER OPPONENTS! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET HIM BUT THEN HIS SWORD JUST HIT MY BACK AND UGH! HOW'D YOU KNOW?"
"You looked angry since the beginning. You're gritting your teeth like you usually do." She listed her observation and he raked his hands through his hair. He groaned and Celestia patted his back as they walked back together to the gym. So I guess that makes him my opponent. This won't be easy. She tried to think of a strategy and placed her stuffy helmet back over her head. Natsu probably weakened him out a little bit and his previous matches must have also dealt his strength to a bearable point for me. I can't use his weight against him like Gajeel and he has the same animalistic instincts like Natsu….
"CE YOU HAVE TO BEAT HIM FOR ME ALRIGHT? AVENGE OUR FAMILY NAME!" Natsu screamed and leaped side to side. "Shhhh I don't want people knowing I'm a girl and going easy on me. And yes I'll try to restore honor to our family name." She adjusted her chest plate and Natsu smiled his big goofy grin as he draped his arm across her shoulder, "That's the spirit Ce. I know I can count on you!"
"Alright. The final match will now commence. We have the winner from Advanced Match who revealed himself as Sting Eucliffe. Surprisingly this idiot made it this far despite some of the stupid shit he did before. And his opponent is uh… well number 18." Makarov announces as Celestia and Sting stand a foot away from each on the mat. Everyone crowded around to watch the last match and Natsu was directly behind Celestia's side of the mat. He still had his big goofy grin plastered on his face and his fist clenched in anticipation.
"You'll start in ten seconds. Ten, nine, eight, seven…" They both got into stance and Celestia took note of him. His stance was better than Romeo's significantly and they mirrored each other almost completely. His grip was a little different than hers and he had a little more leap and lithe in his step. "Six, five.." He leaned more on his left side and wasn't walking as fast as before. She noticed how he seemed to drag his heels a little into the soft mat. "Four, three, two…" He also looked straight at her face though he couldn't see her facial expression. For some reason, he wasn't wearing his helmet and was facing her despite the risk of her possibly jabbing him in the face.
"One! BEGIN!" At the sound of the start, Sting widened his stance and barreled towards her, sword out poised to attack. He was underestimating her for simply being the intermediate winner and from her small build he assumed she was weak. Thinking fast, she calculated the speed and length of his stride in ratio with the distance and ran also towards him but with her sword closer to her body. With a faster acceleration, she got closer to Sting first and at the last second, leaned back and slide between his legs before he could close them. She parried his blade by pushing upwards and he used his to block his crotch. Once passing through his legs, she immediately hit the back of his legs before he could recover from the provocative, vulnerable position. Celestia has claimed her victory.
Sting fell to the ground, teeth clenched together, as he replayed the last moment in his head over and over again. It was all too fast for him. It happened almost instantaneous. He couldn't hear anything. He saw Instructor Makarov's lips moving and the crowds' mouths opening and closing but no sound. The crowds of people rushed into to congratulate the winner and Natsu was the first to lift him on his shoulders. His eyes darted to the winner and his fists closed even tighter with resolve. He vowed to beat this person and become better. His stomach then dropped when the said person removed their helmet.
"CE YOU HAVE REPLENISHED OUR FAMILY NAME! I'M TREATING YOU TO YOUR FAVORITE PLACE AFTER SCHOOL… AFTER I BORROW MONEY FROM LUCY!" He shouted and she simply patted his head. Despite winning the tournament, she didn't appear too happy or showing any emotion. Everyone was aghast and shocked along with Sting when she revealed herself. It was only Natsu and Gajeel who weren't shocked at her reveal. "Natsu please let me down. It's embarrassing up here. Also please stop yelling, you're going to lose your voice." She chided him as she tried to climb down but he stubbornly held on. Romeo was laughing at Natsu's behavior and looking in awe of Celestia remembering who she is now.
Are you fucking kidding me? Sting's teeth made a clenching sound as he sees he was beaten by none other than a girl. "Who is she? Who does she think she is enrolling in an all male class?" He growled and slammed the mat in anger. "She's the girl you dissed at lunch. You know Celestia or in your case, Ms "Selene". The 'nobody cocksucker who has no friends'." Rogue quoted behind him before he nudged Sting with his foot. "Get up idiot. You're being a drama queen." Sting grumbled at being called an idiot but still rose to his feet. His gaze still stayed strongly on Natsu who had his hands gripped tightly around Celestia's waist. He then noticed the jealous, "burning" gaze of Gray Fullbuster and the never seen grin on Gajeel's face as he ruffled her hair.
Huh I guess there really is more to her than I thought. He thought to himself as he examined her once more except deeper than before with more analysis. Who are you, Celestia Namazaki? Turning to Rogue, he murmured, "We have some research to do."