A/N: Okay, so here's the continuation finally! Oh, and... well... this may end up being more than a two-shot/three-shot. I'm really thinking I might make this a whole story now because somehow Lucy and Laxus have ended up being a big part of this, and I have this whole idea for the S-Class trials mapping itself out in my head. So, this will probably continue for a few more chapters. Follow if you like that idea! And review, too!
S-Class Partnerships
Makarov gathered everyone together a week later with the details for the combined S-Class trials. Lucy stood between Natsu and Gray while the master and the four S-Class wizards stood on the second-floor balcony. Mavis sat on the railing with her feet dangling over the side. Lucy's gaze drifted to her boyfriend standing next to his grandfather, and he winked at her. She wasn't quite sure how to interpret that.
"Alright, brats. Due to the combined nature of the events, we will not be holding the trials on Tenrou Island this year."
A few people sighed in relief. Mostly it was the ones who had been left behind after the last trials. Lucy felt a little more at ease, too. She'd already lost seven years, and while that wasn't likely to happen again, she still felt better remaining on the mainland. Then again, she might not even be involved this year.
"In fact, the trials will be held over all of Fiore," Makarov continued. He held up a hand to silence the general rumble of the guild members. "It will all be explained in time. For now, we need to announce the competitors. There will be six candidates from each guild. A candidate from Fairy Tail will partner with a candidate from Sabertooth. You can choose your partner if they agree to it, but you can only choose from those six."
Lucy's brow furrowed a bit at that. She had hoped that she would be able to help one of her friends win S-Class rank this year as she had tried to do with Cana seven years ago. She sighed. Looks like I'll be on the sidelines this time, she thought.
"Now, the S-Class candidates from Fairy Tail will be: Natsu Dragneel."
Everyone clapped, but there was no real surprise there.
"Gray Fullbuster."
Juvia nearly melted in her excitement, but other than that the response was the same as for Natsu.
"Lucy Heartfilia."
"Wait what?" Lucy asked. Natsu just thumped her on the back and grinned down at her.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're my best friend," he said. Lucy blinked at him for a moment before regaining her composure.
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Flame Brain," she said with a wink.
"Gajeel Redfox."
Pantherlily and Levy both cheered loudly.
"Freed Justine."
"Oh lord, not again," Freed muttered. Bickslow laughed loudly beside him.
"And finally, Juvia Lockser."
"I must compete against my love again?" She wailed.
Everyone ignored her as the master brought the meeting to a close.
"The candidates from Sabertooth will be arriving shortly and you will be able to choose your partners during the party. You will have a week to get to know them and train together before the trials begin. Congratulations, my children."
It wasn't until Lucy climbed onto a barstool that the reality of the situation hit her. Her head instantly thumped onto the bar top.
"What's wrong, starlight?"
Lucy turned her head so that her cheek was lying on the bar and she could see her boyfriend giving her a worried frown.
"I'm going to die," she said. "I'm so insanely out-classed here."
"The old man wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you could do it, Lucy," Laxus said. "You proved during the games and in the fight against the dragons that you are one of the toughest members of this guild and ready for S-Class. You shouldn't doubt yourself. I never do."
"Well, you wouldn't doubt yourself because you're kind of a bad ass," Lucy said, but her impish smile was back as she spoke.
"You know what I meant, smart ass," he said. He flicked her nose before he pulled her into a hug. "I love you, and I believe in you. So does everyone else in the guild."
The doors to the guildhall slammed open before she could reply to the fact that he had just said "I love you" for the first time. Sting strode into the hall with several members of his guild trailing behind. Lucy only recognized a couple of them, but then, she hadn't really had much to do with Sabertooth other than the twin dragon slayers and Yukino.
"Ah, Sting, it's good to see you again," Makarov said.
Natsu barely heard anything else that was said between the two guild masters. His eyes were locked on the silver hair of the Sabertooth celestial mage. She had her back to him where he stood next to the crumpled form of Jet, who had accidentally gotten tangled up in the fight between Natsu and Gray. The world around him seemed to slow as she turned and her brown eyes met his. He remembered to breathe when Gray kicked him in the back and Natsu landed on his face.
He leaped back to his feet looking around wildly. He saw Gray prepared for him to attack, but Natsu ignored his rival for once. His eyes darted around the hall. How had she disappeared so fast? He caught sight of short silver hair near the bar and made a beeline for the girl and gripped her shoulders. Instead of Yukino, he found Lisanna. She gave him a confused look as he pushed away from her and scanned the room again. He finally spotted Lucy talking to the other celestial wizard animatedly. His eyes widened in horror.
Natsu leaped up on the bar and sprinted down it, knocking aside plates and mugs as he did. He vaguely heard Mira angrily yelling at him, but Natsu ignored her. He was sure he would pay for that later, but for now, he was on a mission. He really didn't remember the bar being this long, but it seemed to take him an eternity to reach the two celestial wizards. He finally skidded to a halt and plopped down to sit cross-legged on the bar in front of them. They both stared up at him in shock as Natsu reached over to put a hand on each of Yukino's shoulders.
"Yuki, be my partner," Natsu said.
Yukino stared up him with wide eyes. She felt herself getting lost in the intensity of his gaze. She vaguely heard Lucy sputtering something before she was dragged away by Laxus, but Yukino really couldn't focus on anything but Natsu. His pitch black eyes seem to bore into her soul, and she noticed for the first time that he had a light sprinkling of freckles across his nose. His pink locks dipped over his forehead, and she wondered how soft they would be. Yukino finally realized he was still waiting for an answer, and she nodded slowly.
Natsu grinned wider than she'd ever seen. He leaped off of the table. His hands moved from her shoulders to her waist as he picked her up off the bar stool and swung her around until they were both dizzy and laughing.
"I can't wait to get started training. I've got the best place for it, too. You're going to love it," Natsu said. He finally released her waist to pound a flaming fist into his open palm. "I'm all fired up!"
Natsu gave her a final grin before flinging himself into a brawl that had started between Gray, Elfman, and a couple of tigers. Yukino stared after him for a moment before looking around for Lucy. She felt a little guilty now that the heat of the moment had passed. She was pretty sure that Lucy had been in the middle of asking her to partner up when Natsu appeared dashing down the bar. Still, guilty or not, she really couldn't regret it. She just hoped that Lucy would understand. She finally caught sight of the blonde at a table with Laxus and one of Yukino's guild mates. She decided to join them and apologize quickly.
"So Sting stripped them of their S-Class ranks?" Lucy said. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Yukino's guild mate, Garrick, nodded.
"Orga was defeated by a wizard saint, so normally that would not have led to his rank demotion, but then and S-Class from Fairy Tail defeated the wizard saint immediately after. Orga basically demoted himself. He lost a lot of confidence from that one," Garrick said.
Laxus snickered, and Lucy elbowed him in the ribs.
"But what about Rufus?"
"Well, he did lose to Gray, a non-S-Class wizard," Yukino said with a shrug. "Again, Sting probably wouldn't have demoted his rank, but Rufus insisted he had more to learn. They're both here to prove themselves more than anything else."
Lucy hummed softly at that. Yukino fiddled with her thumbs for a moment before glancing sheepishly up at the blonde.
"Um, Lucy? I know that you probably wanted to partner up with me, but I—"
"Don't worry about it!" Lucy cut her off. "I think you and Natsu will make a great team. I don't really know any of the others competing, but I'm sure that whoever I end up with can help me take you both down."
The celestial wizards grinned at each other for a second before Garrick cleared his throat.
"Well, I'm in need of a partner if you're up for it," he said. Lucy felt Laxus stiffen slightly beside her, but he held his tongue.
"Why me, though?" Lucy said. "I mean, you saw Gray and Gajeel in the games. They were way stronger than I am."
"Strength isn't the only thing to being an S-Class wizard," Garrick said. "I believe that's the real reason that Orga and Rufus, and even Rogue, have chosen to test themselves here. For so long, Sabertooth valued nothing but strength. Now, we're all trying to piece together those other things we are lacking."
He took a deep breath and glanced at Laxus before returning his gaze to Lucy.
"I believe that you are strong. After all, not many could take the beating that Minerva gave you without begging for it to end. Even if you lack the physical strength of some of your guild mates, from what Yukino has said, and from what they write in Sorcerer's Weekly, you embody everything that makes Fairy Tail great. So you ask: why you? I say: who better than you?"
Lucy smiled softly at him. Laxus growled slightly, and she reached over absently to pinch him in the side. He glared at her before turning his angry gaze to Garrick.
"While everything you said was completely true about Lucy, why should she partner up with you?" Laxus asked. Garrick held up his hands in a peaceful gesture.
"Well, in about 2.5 seconds, I will be the only option remaining," he said.
Before Lucy could form the question, Makarov stood up and announced that all partnerships had been formed. She glanced around wildly to see Rufus and Gray standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Orga towered protectively over Juvia while a blushing Freed stood awkwardly beside a woman with dark purple hair. Gajeel and Rogue were facing each other, and Lucy thought they really did look like brothers. Her gaze finally came back around to the people at her table where Natsu had appeared to place a hand on Yukino's shoulder.
Lucy finally turned her attention back to Garrick who was eyeing Laxus warily. She giggled as she scooted slightly closer to the lightning dragon slayer and intertwined her fingers with his.
"Alright, Garrick, looks like we're partners," she said. He gave her a hesitant smile in return, and he flinched at the small growl that came from Laxus in response.
"Party well tonight, my children," Makarov said. "For tomorrow, you begin training for the trials which will begin one week from today. Good luck to you all."