The Grand Magic Games are officially underway! Time for the Sky Labyrinth! I hope you all enjoy!

July 1, X791

It was past midnight and every single team from the various guilds in Fiore was making their way through the Preliminary Round's Sky Labyrinth. Spiral, Sakura, Hikari, Azusa and Aqua were already inside and looking around at the trippy design of the staircases which were going every which way with strange directions of gravity.

"I can find the goal no problem." Spiral said. He stepped forward, stomped his foot on the ground and felt the vibration reverberate through the structure. "… That's strange."

"What's wrong, Spiral?" Azusa asked.

"I can't seem to get a good read on where the exit is." Spiral said.

Sakura sniffed the air. "My nose isn't picking it up, either."

"This labyrinth must be messing with some of our magic." Aqua said. "Which is strange since they said how there aren't any limits to our magic."

"We'll have to sue them for false advertising." Sakura said while raising her finger.

"We'll have to map out the place as we walk." Aqua said. "There's a chance some other teams are going to be doing the exact same thing, so if we encounter them take their maps."

"Who died and made you leader?" Spiral asked.

"I'm trying to get us to win!" Aqua said. "That's why we're here!"

"Aqua, ever since we got here, you've been incredibly tense." Spiral said.

"We're up against some of the strongest guilds in the country." Aqua said. "We have to fight with everything we've got or else we're failures!"

"What are you talking about?" Spiral questioned.

"Stop it!" Hikari shouted. "Stop fighting! I hate it when we all fight like this!"

"I'm sorry I upset you, Hikari." Spiral said. "I just hope Jayden is okay."

In the streets of Crocus, Happy and a girl with short white hair were looking for Wendy.

"Wendy! Where are you?" Happy called out.

"Good thing big brother went with Natsu and the others in her place." She said. "But I do hope she's all right."

"Happy! Lisanna!"

The two of them then saw Wendy walked up to them, trying her best to carry an unconscious Jayden over her shoulders and Carla following her.

"Wendy, where have you been?" Happy asked. "We were all worried about you!"

"I'm sorry I worried everyone, but Jayden needs medical attention right away!" Wendy replied.

Wendy was about to finally buckle under the weight of Jayden's body until Lisanna tried holding him up to lessen Wendy's load.

Back in the Sky Labyrinth, Melody, Frost, Haru, Static and Xanders were in another section after arriving from their room at the inn.

"It appears my magic is no good here." Melody said. "Something's dulling the effects of our sensory magic, so we'll need to figure things out as we go."

"I don't think compasses will work either." Static said. "The electromagnetic field in this place is all out of whack."

"I'm down with that." Haru said. "That's the strategy I always use."

"We'll kick the asses of anyone who comes in our way!" Frost proclaimed.

"They're awfully excited at the prospect of beating the living pulp out of other people." Xanders muttered to himself.

"Of course." Static said. "This IS a tournament. The whole point is to prove who's the strongest."

"By the way, shouldn't you be puking your guts out by now, Frost?" Haru asked.

"This isn't a vehicle." Frost said.

Back where Spiral's group was, they were walking around the labyrinth, trying to keep their eyes on where the coliseum was outside.

"Sakura, I've noticed that ever since we got here you haven't been barfing." Spiral said.

"Now that you mention it, yeah." Sakura said.

"Allow me to explain." The pumpkin man from before appeared on a screen in the middle of the Sky Labyrinth. "We've placed a spell on the Sky Labyrinth so that wizards with ailments such as motion sickness or fear of heights can fight on equal footing."

The screen disappeared.

"I guess they decided to put them up because of how many Dragon Slayers are participating." Hikari surmised.

"That would be the only reason to have that spell in effect." Spiral said.

"Quit your lollygagging!" Aqua shouted from further ahead. "We ALL need to cross that finish line."

"Have you noticed that ever since the games started, Aqua's been acting like… um…" Azusa said, but she was having a hard time trying to find the right words.

"A bitch?" Sakura asked.

"She acted like this during the S-Class Exams, too." Azusa said. "While she earned it, I felt like she was desperate."

"Why would she be desperate?" Hikari asked.

Spiral recalled Aqua's words from when they entered the Sky Labyrinth.

(Begin Flashback)

"We're up against some of the strongest guilds in the country." Aqua said. "We have to fight with everything we've got or else we're failures!"

(End Flashback)

"I might have a theory, but we shouldn't keep her waiting any longer." Spiral said.

Just as they ran toward the direction Aqua went, they saw her holding a water sword and five wizards from another team lying on the ground, completely beaten and slashes all over their bodies.

"About time you showed up." Aqua said. "Let's get going."

"Do you think these guys were that weak?" Sakura asked as she poked the face of one of the unconscious wizards.

"Either that or Aqua's so pissed that she took them out with one strike." Spiral guessed.

They continued making their way through Sky Labyrinth.

Melody and Frost had just finished taking out five wizards and took a slip of paper from them.

"We got their map." Melody said.

"These guys were a joke." Frost said.

"Not to sound rude, but how about letting the rest of us fight next time?" Xanders asked.

"Yeah, we're all fired up and have no way to let loose this pent up energy!" Haru agreed.

Static looked to the side to see a giant head with blinking red eyes.

"I don't like the look of that." He said.

Suddenly, the entire Sky Labyrinth began to tremble as it started to shift and spin around, changing its shape and structure and any unfortunate wizards started falling to the ground.

"Great!" Spiral shouted. "This place is already enough of a maze! Now it has to make it even harder to find the exit!"

"This labyrinth is designed to eliminate over a hundred teams in one night." Aqua said as she formed water hooks to keep her from falling down to the city below.

Sakura simply formed dragon claws on her hands and anchored them onto the floor while Spiral attached an ice dome to the ground around him, Hikari and Azusa to keep them from falling. Once the Sky Labyrinth stopped moving, the gravity changed back to normal and everyone regained their footing.

"I hope Static and Melody managed to keep themselves in here." Spiral said as he looked around the Sky Labyrinth.

Static was clinging to the wall with magnetic hands and everyone was holding onto his body and legs for dear life.

"… You can let go now." Static sounded pretty agitated.

After some more time had passed and the Sky Labyrinth rotated two more times, Spiral's team finally arrived at a door that had 'GOAL' displayed above it where a hologram of the pumpkin man appeared to be waiting for them.

"There's the exit!" Spiral said.

"Congratulations!" The pumpkin man said. "You have passed the Preliminary Round! You have come in third place!"

"Yeah, we are awesome!" Sakura cheered.

"Any idea on who's ahead of us?" Aqua asked.

"All will be revealed tomorrow morning."

Aqua sighed in exhaustion and wiped the sweat from her face.

"Aqua, can you tell us why you were being such a bitch throughout the entire preliminary round?" Sakura bluntly asked.

"Sakura!" Both Spiral and Hikari scolded her.

"Let's just say I've got something to prove to someone." Aqua said with a dark look on her face.

"I wonder how the others are doing…" Azusa said.

Sometime later…

"We came in ninth?!" Static yelled at the pumpkin man hologram.

"There's no way we're that low!" Frost shouted.

"Yeah, we at least deserve first!" Haru said.

"Just drop it." Melody said. "At least we didn't come in last."

"I'm just happy with how much stronger I've gotten since I joined the guild." Xanders said.

"Anyway, do you know if another Phoenix Dawn team made it through the labyrinth?" Melody inquired.

"You'll find out tomorrow morning."

"It IS tomorrow morning!" Static shouted.

Blaise and the other members of the Phoenix Dawn guild were waiting back at the Greedy Mimic.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The pumpkin man announced to the citizens. "The ten teams have been decided! The Preliminary Round of the Grand Magic Games, Sky Labyrinth, has ended!"

"Do you think our teams made it?" Heart asked.

"Of course they did." Lionel said. "Even without us, they're strong enough to make the cut."

"I could've gotten us first place…" Vincent said. "But I still commend their strength."

"Excuse me! Is this the inn where Phoenix Dawn is staying at?"

Blaise turned to see a young boy running into the inn.

"Yes." Blaise answered as she walked up to the boy. "Is something the matter?"

"Yeah." The boy nodded. "I'm Romeo, of Fairy Tail. One of our members found one of yours unconscious. I think Wendy said his name was 'Jayden' I think."

"Jayden's injured?!" Wilbur flew by him.

"We have our guild's healer looking after him, but we wanted to let you guys know." Romeo said.

"Thank you for telling us, Romeo." Blaise said.

Romeo left and Wilbur looked up at Blaise.

"What do you think could have happened to him?" Wilbur asked.

"I don't know…" Blaise replied while pondering. "But it might be more complicated than it appears to be… We'll have to ask Jayden and his rescuer about this before we can make any assumptions." She turned back to face the entire guild. "Let's rest up for tonight! The main events start tomorrow and nobody wants to fall asleep during them."

In a dark alley in Crocus, Foster sat on a crate, locking his hands together and looking at the ground.

(Begin Flashback)

The night after Ultear was given the love letter from Kyo, Foster was by a riverbank and looking up at the stars when Meredy came by.

"What'cha doing, Foster?" Meredy asked cutely.

"Just stargazing." Foster answered. "I love looking out at clear, starry skies like this."

Meredy took a seat next to Foster. "So, Foster… What was it you've been asking Ultear?"

"H-huh?" Foster turned to her with a blush on his face.

"You can tell me." Meredy said. "Remember our conversation earlier? Before it got interrupted, that is."

"… Okay, but promise me that you won't tell the others."

"I promise."

"… Meredy, the truth is…" He looked directly into her eyes. "We grew up together over the past 7 years. We've got to know each other and we've always enjoyed each other's company. What I mean to say is… Meredy… I… I…"

Foster couldn't find the words to say it, but he was stopped by Meredy.

"I think I get what you're trying to say." She smiled.

Meredy leaned in and kissed Foster right on the lips. Foster kissed her back and the two started to embrace each other.

"… Does that sound about right?" She asked.

"That's exactly what I wanted to say." He answered before they continued kissing.

(End Flashback)

Foster smiled, stood up and walked off into the shadows.

A/N: I'm sorry this took longer than it should have. I've been busy with another story I just started and I've had school and Smash Bros. to worry about. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!