"Alright, Sting?" Kinana asked, moving to stand beside the last Dragon Slayer, surrounded by Exceeds.
"I don't know. Something about this trial seems off, Kinana," Sting hugged Lector tightly. "And why wasn't I chosen! I thought I'd gotten stronger! Both Wendy and Rogue got picked as partners! Even Lilith got to go, and she's a hatchling! And I'm not jealous or anything, but- aren't I strong enough?"
"Of course you are Sting! You're super strong!" Frosch smiled.
"Frosch is right. Besides, while they're gone you can train, and when they come back you'll be even stronger," Pantherlily reassured the blonde.
"Hmph. I still think Wendy was beyond foolish to go with that Mest character," Charla crossed her arms.
"Fufu. You're just angry she hasn't spoken to you in two weeks because you were being a meanie," Belletokia smirked behind her hand.
"SHUT UP!"
"Either way, I think Sting may have a point," Kinana chewed her lower lip worryingly. "Stay on guard. I have a feeling this trial won't be as simple as we hope it will. And you know Lilith isn't even going to be near any battles, but Mira is a challenger and she can't be away from her hatchling for too long,"
When the Master had asked Mirajane to participate in the S-Class promotion trial this year, since she had her magic back, it had been a long conversation. Though Mirajane wanted to, she refused to be away from her daughter for so long, but there weren't any other S-Class mages. So, the Master agreed to watch his great-grandchild during Mirajane's battle, and Lilith would then be with Mirajane as she manned the make-shift infirmary.
"Did you see something too? Charla said she saw something, and that it wasn't pretty," Frosch tugged on the skirt of Kinana's green dress.
"No, I can't see things the way Charla does, I don't have clairvoyance. I just listen," Kinana smiled softly at the green cat.
"Whatever it is, doesn't stand a chance!" Monmo beamed. "They've got most of Fairy Tail's strongest and brightest members on the island!"
"Come on, let's head back to the guild. If Macao and Wakaba drink everything before Cana gets back I'll be in for an earful," Kinana sweatdropped, herding the group back to the guild hall.
Be safe, my love. She said to him as she walked through the streets of Magnolia.
"Erik-nii, your face is all red," Rogue deadpanned, pulling on the end of his brother's cloak.
"Sh-Shut up, runt!" Erik blushed darker. 'Course she says it just before being out of range' he thought to himself, arms crossed.
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
"I can't believe Rogue used his shadow teleportation!" Wendy pouted, landing on the island shore and setting Mest on his feet.
Wendy, you're aware that we were the fifth group to get here since you can fly, right?" Mest pointed out as they began walking.
"Yes, but now I won't be able to use magic for a while," Wendy explained. "It's not flying so much as manipulating wind currents,"
"Nice job, Runt. Been working on that move?" Erik grinned as he and Rogue ran through the trees.
"Kinda. It makes sparring with Sting more fun because his light can vanquish my shadows, but if I teleport behind him he can't," Rogue explained. "So we just follow the path? No battles or anything?"
"I hope not. I'm in an ass kicking kind of mood," Erik retorted.
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
"Come on, Gajeel! Hurry up!" Levy was practically bouncing from where she stood farther down the path.
"Quit yappin', Shrimp. What're you so nuts over?" Gajeel grumbled, crossing his arms as they continued walking.
"Nothing, just," Levy smiled and closed her eyes, "It's been so long, you know? Nearly seven years since I've been here, Juvia and I both," She opened her eyes, glancing at Gajeel just after he'd turned from staring at her, red-faced.
"Yeah, well. Focus on the trial. I wanna fight!" Gajeel responded, to which Levy rolled her eyes but continued on.
They'd been walking for a few minutes when Gajeel noticed something. Every other step, Levy would make a motion as if she were about to jump in the air, but stayed on the ground. An eager look was on the girl's face.
Two minutes of Gajeel watching this and his eyebrow began to twitch because, honestly, what. The fuck.
"What the hell are you doing?" Gajeel finally asked, exasperated. Levy's eyes widened, turning to look at him.
"What?"
"That little jump thing. What're you doing it for?" He gave a pointed look at her feet. Levy halted for a minute before looking up at the sky.
"My wings were cut out by my biological mother," Gajeel's eyes bulged at the words. "Obviously, the genetic code for wings is in my blood, so I can use them still, just not physically. I am a fae after all. But being half human, my mother was horrified by what she'd done. Half humans were considered abominations by the fae people.
"So she cut out my wings and left me on the ground to bleed out. I was two or three at the time. My mom, Hindaidit, found me then, and Sorgina found Juvia. We were raised together. I can still fly, my magic will form wings on my back so I can be in the air again. But I only use them in desperate situations," Levy looked down at the ground, a sense of nostalgia filling her. "And who needs it, anyway? I'm happier on the ground, most Earth Dragons are. But the feeling's still there. Maybe, being the last of my kind, I don't want to forget my roots. I never really thought about it, and I don't look at my wings when I do use them. I can't. Juvia thinks they're beautiful, but I always liked my Mom's wings better. Pale yellow with different shades of green,"
"Ya didn't need to tell me yer whole life story," Gajeel mumbled, pointedly looking at a tree.
"I know," Levy shrugged before she continued walking.
o - o - o
"So what's going on between you and Juvia? I sense a connection," Loke asked as he and Gray walked from the battle with Mest and Wendy.
"Loke, honestly, shut the hell up before I murder you,"