Hey guys! I hope you liked that last chapter! It was amazing I know. Sorry about the cliffhanger. I didn't know how to end the chapter. I also finished watching Naruto up until it is now! I had to read the manga to see how it ended. P.S I need another anime to watch.

Disclaimer ~ I do not own Fairy Tail

That was 3 years ago, things have changed.

I'm returning from my training with the Unknown, I haven't been to the guild in 3 years. I kinda just left without telling everyone.

I wonder what they will say. I hope they don't get mad. I think.

I should probably tell you about the current me. I'm 18 now, I've become best friends with the demon, although I already was. I learnt a lot during my 3 years of training, but I won't say what I learnt. You'll find out later. During my travels, I met a mage named Gildarts who was also in Fairy Tail, and is supposedly the strongest mage aside from the master.

As we approach the guild, I can already see it's changed. There is a bigger swimming pool, and a pool table. There's also a lot of other sports, and there's a lounge for the mages, along with the original tables and counter.

"Crystal!" I hear from behind me. I turn around and see Alex running towards me. She crushes me in a hug

"Can't…. breath," I say weakly, it's been a long time since we've seen each other.

"I'm sorry, It's just been a long time since I've seen you. Why did you leave?" Alex asks.

She still remembers that, huh. "I left for training," I reply evenly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asks.

"One, The Unknown told me not to, and two, you guys would have wanted to come with me," I say.

"Because we're your friends, and I don't really know anyone here," Alex says.

"Well, it's been 3 years, I'm pretty sure you know them all now," I say.

"Yah, but I'm talking about before," Alex says.

"Well at least you knew Team Natsu and Rin, right," I say, trying to calm her down. "And besides, I'm here now,"

"I guess that's true," Alex says. "But if you leave me like that ever again, I'll kill you."

"Consider me warned," I say, even though I'm not actually scared of her. That's when it begins to dawn on me. "Where are Natsu and the others?"

"Oh they went on a quest," Alex answers. "They'll be back soon."

"What's happened to them, has anything changed?" I ask, wanting to be up to speed about them.

"Well, only me, Mai and Rin have really changed," Alex says.

"Really? How so?" I ask curiously.

"We've all learnt a new magic, and me and Mai are going for the S-class exam in 3 months. If you impress master, maybe you can go too," Alex says.

Before I can answer, I hear a yell behind me and get tackled with a hug. It's Rin.

I bend down and hug her back. In the years I was gone, she grew so much. She's probably 14 now.

"Hey Rin," I say gently and hold her at an arm's length, to get a better look at her. She looks much older now. Her eye's are the same and her hair has grown out a lot. She looks beautiful. Tears start streaming down her face.

"I've missed you so much," Rin says in between sobs. "Please don't ever leave again."

"Hey, it's ok. I'm back now," I say and hold her while she stops crying. "Stand up now."

She stands up and wipes away the rest of her tears. "Why did you leave?"

"I had to complete some training," I say, while still kneeling.

She hugs me again, and I look up at all the other's standing around us.

Mai looks at me. "Hey, how's it going?"

I stand up and so does Rin, her face still buried in my shirt.

"It's good, how have things been here?" I ask.

"They've been good," she replies. Even Mai looks on the verge of tears.

"I hope you've all been taking good care of the guild," I say making eye contact with all of them.

That's when I realize that Natsu isn't there.

"Guys, where's Natsu?" I ask

"He had to go pick something up as soon as we got to the front of the guild," Erza says.

Something strange is going on. I think, but I can't figure out what.

Suddenly I am tackled with another hug, from behind. Someone's hands cover my eyes, and by the warmth, I can tell it's Natsu.

"Guess who," Natsu says, I can recognize his nasally voice.

"Natsu," I say, very unimpressed.

"How did you know?" Natsu asks letting go of me. "I could have sworn you were peeking."

I turn around to face him. "I wasn't, it's just that I know you."

"Yah right," He says, but relents anyways. "Where did you go?"

"I had to complete some training," I say for the millionth time. I look down and Rin and it looks like she's stopped crying, but she's still buried in my shirt.

"Oh my god! Guess what!" Mai suddenly exclaims.

"You're going for the S-class exams?" I ask.

Mai suddenly loses all the enthusiasm she before. "How did you know?"

"Alex told me," I say. "And by the way, what magic did you learn?"

"I learned sword magic," Mai says.

"Seriously?" I ask.

"Ya, why? Jealous?" Mai teases.

"No, it's just that sword magic is a lame power," I say.

"Ya, I'll let you believe that for now. And what did you learn?" Mai asks.

"You'll find out later," I say, keeping them in suspense.

"What about you, Rin?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" Rin asks confused.

"What magic did you learn?" I ask.

"Oh, I learned Ice Dragon Slayer magic," Rin says.

"Let me guess, Gray, Mai or Alex taught you that," I say.

"Alex got the lacrima implanted in me, and Wendy helped train me," Rin says.

"Alex, what did you learn?" I ask.

"I learned burst magic," Alex replies.

"That's cool," I say, trying to be kind.

"Why are you asking?" Mai asks.

"No reason," I say, because there really is no reason.

Mai eyes me suspiciously, before walking away.

I guess things have already gone back to normal, except for Natsu. He keeps following me around.

I somehow shake him off my tail, and he goes off to fight Gray.

I meet up with Lucy at the counter.

"Yo Lucy, what's up," I say, we didn't talk at all when they came in, so I figured now would be as good a time as any to start a conversation, and there's also something I want to ask.

"Oh, hey Crystal!" Lucy says cheerfully as I sit next to her.

"Hey, I thought that since we didn't talk when I first came in, we could have one now," I say.

"Yah, it's because everyone else was talking to you, so I decided I'd meet up with you later," She says.

"Ok, that's make sense," I say, trying to keep the conversation going."So how have things been at the guild?"

"They've been good, but it's been lonely without you and The Unknown," She says.

"At least nothing bad's happened," I say.

"Oh yah, by the way, Master's going to be announcing the participants for the S-class exams in a while," Lucy says.

"Really!? I should try to fit in a few jobs then," I say and am about to leave when the master, calls to get everyone's attention.

"Ok guys, first off, the S-class exams will be held in 2 weeks, because I can't do it at the original date, because I have a council meeting, so it will be held in 2 weeks, and because of that I have had to hurry up the amount of people going," He says.

Dang it, I won't be able to go for the exams this year, I guess I'll have to wait until next year. I think trying to console myself, because I won't make it in this year.

"This year, there will 10 people competing and they will be, Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Cana, Lucy, Alex, Rin, Mai, and surprisingly the last 2 are….. Crystal and The Unknown," Master says.

What!? How did we get in? I think in surprise.

"Anyway, like I said the exam will be in 2 weeks, and this time, there are no partners," Master says. "So you all will have to go solo, and you will find out the competitions during the exam. That's all, and you all better practice."

I walk to the Master and ask him how we got in.

"It's because you and The Unknown are extremely skilled mages, and as Natsu to-" I interrupt the master.

"Natsu told you!?" I ask in surprise.

"Yes, he was very praising, which is very unlike him," The Master continues. "Anyway, he told me how amazing you guys were and recommended you guys for the S-Class exams. He gave me a detailed explanation and everything about how you guys fought, so he said that you guys are more than ready for the S-class exams."

"Come to think of it, where is The Unknown?" I ask.

"You know, I haven't seen him since he entered the guild," The master says.

"Crystal, I can't believe we're all going to take the exams together!" Alex exclaims.

"I'm excited too, but have you seen The Unknown?" I ask.

"Actually come to think of it, I remember him leaving a little bit after you guys walked in," Alex says.

"Thanks, do you know where he went?" I ask, but she probably doesn't know where he is.

Just as I expects, she shakes her head.

"Well, thanks," I say and leave to go find the Unknown.

I'm about to leave when I'm stopped by Rin.

"Yay! I can't believe we're taking the exams together!" She exclaims, repeating almost exactly what Alex said.

"Ya, I know, but just know, I'm not gonna go easy on you just because you're only 14," I say teasingly.

"I'm going to try my best, so you're not going to do me any favours by going easy on me," Rin says.

"Ok, I won't," I promise.

Mai appears from behind Rin with a look of distaste.

"I hope I get to fight you," Mai says.

"Yah, I'm looking forward to it," I say.

"I hope I get to see your 'power' there," Mai says as if she doesn't believe me.

"Ok, I'll show you," I challenge.

I get greeted by everyone else competing, and a few others.

Natsu stops me. "Hey, Crystal, I hope I get to fight you,"

"To be honest, I want to fight Mai," I say and Natsu's face sinks.

"Oh," He says, his spirit broken.

"But I guess I'll settle for fighting you," I say and see his face lift.

"I'll look forward to fighting you," He says and lets me continue with my business..

I leave and after walking a little away from the guild, I see the Unknown standing against a tree.

"Yo, did you hear the news?" I ask

"What news?" The Unknown questions.

"We're going for the S-Class exams!" I yell, I'm too excited to keep it in.

"Oh," The Unknown says.

"That's it? Just 'oh'?" I ask surprised by his lack of enthusiasm.

"What?" The Unknown asks. "I just prefer to use the least amount of words possible. I thought I told you."

"Oh yea, I forgot," I apologize. "Sorry."

"Hm," The Unknown says.

"Anyways, I got to head back to the guild, see ya around," I say

This exam is going to be interesting.

Hey guys! I hope you guys liked that chapter. I'm mad cause my cousins are over again. Ughghghghghghghghghghghgh. Anyways, I'll update again next week. Thanks for reading. Byeeeee!