Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS! Read at your own risk. There's still original stuff in here, but if you haven't gotten to this point in the anime/manga, then some things may be ruined for you. I advise catching up to the anime/manga if you haven't already (for more reasons than just reading my story)! Thank you and enjoy!

Fairy Tail—The Master and the Dragon

Chapter 111

The moon was high in the sky, casting its illuminating light over the capital city of Crocus. The streets were far emptier than they had been only a few hours earlier during the Grand Magic Games. Other than a few people wandering around, most people were back home and resting up for what was sure to be another thrilling day of competition tomorrow.

Near one of the canals that flowed through the city, using the cover from a bridge to remain unseen, Erza and Jellal were meeting in secret. It was a scheduled report to discuss their current shared objective.

"You don't sense the magic power?" Erza asked, her arms crossed.

Jellal was currently wearing his cloak and a thick cloth was around his neck. To help keep his identity as a wanted fugitive safe, he had been walking around with his hood pulled all the way up and the cloth was wrapped around most of his face, though he wasn't wearing them for their conversation. He nodded. "Correct. I haven't sensed the power we felt every year that was similar to Zeref's. At least, not yet."

"What do you think it means?"

"I have a few theories. If the magic has been coming from a person, they might not be in Crocus this year. Or they could be here but may be refraining from using their power."

"With that theory, it's also possible that they're a contestant and haven't had the chance to participate."

"Another theory is that the magic is coming from a device or a set location. In that case, the device may not be in operation, or perhaps there's now a filter that keeps the magic from leaking outside."

Erza sighed and leaned against the wall. "Well at any rate, as long as you don't sense that dangerous power, nothing should happen."

Jellal ran a hand through his messy blue hair. "I hope you're right about that. Still, I may keep a close eye on the organizers starting tomorrow."

"Just don't do anything to stand out."

Jellal smirked as he pulled up his hood. "I know. Ultear already reminded me when I said I was coming into the city to speak with you and investigate."

Erza smiled at him warmly but also with slight worry. "And try not to get yourself killed."

Jellal nodded as he reset the cloth over his face. Only his eyes could be seen now. "Right. Good night, Erza." He silently left the cover of the bridge and stepped into the moonlight.

Erza watched him walk away for a while before taking her leave as well.

Jellal paused and looked over his shoulder. As he watched Erza leave, a warm feeling spread through his chest. 'I never thought the day would come when we could talk normally like this. Thank you, Erza.'

Erza walked in the direction of the Bar Sun, where her guildmates had been throwing a celebration yet again. She smiled. "It's gotten so late. I wonder if the dinner party is already over?"

"At last, I found you!"

Erza froze at hearing the voice and tightened her guard even more than it already was. She knew she had to be cautious in case Raven Tail tried anything again. She turned towards the voice. A figure wearing a hooded cloak was standing on a level above her. She had no way to make out their identity since the hood was blocking everything but the person's mouth, though the voice was clearly female. Still, she found it odd that the hood had cat ears. "Who are you?" she demanded.

The figure giggled playfully. "Feelin' spiffy?"

Erza blinked. At first, she was confused at the greeting. Then, she realized she had heard it before. Her eyes widened as tears threatened to gather. "You…it can't be…"

The figure leapt up and sat on the railing. They pulled down their hood, revealing light brown messy hair. It was a young girl with cat-like eyes, a cat-like nose, a cat-like tail, and a cat-like grin. Her hair had also been fashioned to look like cat ears atop her head. She waved down with her gloved hand. "It's been a long time, hasn't it Erzy?"

Erza beamed. "Millianna!" The young girl leapt down at her and she easily caught her and spun her around. She had never imagined that she would see her old friend like this.

"I missed you!" Millianna cried.

Erza let her feet touch the ground. "It's been a long time! You're in a guild now?"

Millianna took her hands. "Yep! Mermaid Heel!"

"Are Sho and Wally with you?"

Millianna laughed. "What are you talking about? Mermaid Heel is a women-only guild!"

"Oh, I see."

"Those two are still travelling around. I do hear from them every once and a while, though."

Erza pulled her into a hug. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. "I see. It really is great to see you, Millianna."

"You too, Erzy."

Erza could no longer keep her tears at bay as they flowed down her cheeks. "I'm so happy you're doing well."

Millianna started to cry as well. "Geez, don't cry, Erzy!"

"Well, what about you?"

The two stayed like that for a while, embracing after seven years of not seeing each other and crying with joy. It took some time, but eventually the two were able to calm down enough to find a seat on some steps and catch up.

Millianna leaned against Erza, her tail wiggling happily. "To tell the truth, I wanted to surprise you by revealing my identity after we won the tournament, but I just couldn't wait that long to see you, Erzy!"

Erza smiled warmly at the girl acting just like a cat, as she always had. "Honestly. By the way, that Kagura on your team is incredibly strong."

Millianna straightened up and smiled at Erza with pride. "You can say that again! When she gets serious, she can be even stronger that you, Erzy." She held up a thin finger, closed her eyes, and puffed out her chest. "Even that super strong cute guy in your guild that beat Jura wouldn't stand a chance!"

"That is impressive. I'd love to spar with her sometime."

"You never know. You may get to during the tournament." Millianna looked up at the moon. "Though if I'm being completely honest, Kagura may not go all-out during the Games."

"Really?"

Millianna's expression turned oddly serious. "You saw her sheathed sword, Archenemy, right?"

"Quite the daunting name for a sword."

"She made a vow to only unsheathe that sword to cut down one person, just like the name implies." Millianna's fists clenched and her jaw tightened, as if she were starting to get angry. "Someone she holds such hatred for that they can't co-exist in this world, the man who stole everything from Kagura." She turned her head and gave Erza an unsettling smile. "That sword is meant to kill Jellal."

Erza's eyes widened. Her chest tightened. 'To kill…Jellal?'

Millianna completely misread Erza's change in expression. "I know. You feel the same way, right Erzy?"

Erza couldn't reply. She was lost for words, stunned into silence.

Millianna looked away. Her face twisted in disgust. "I hate Jellal, too. He used us. He murdered Simon." Her voice was soft, but her tone made her words heavy in Erza's ears. "I'll never forgive him." The menacing smile reappeared on her cat-like face. "I'll never forgive him! That's why I joined Kagura's guild."

Erza said nothing, looking at her friend with sorrow as she watched her become swallowed by hatred. No, that wasn't right. She had always been consumed by her hatred for Jellal. Regardless, it pained her heart to see Millianna, the happy-go-lucky cat girl, smile like that.


The celebration that Fairy Tail had thrown inside the Bar Sun was winding down. While the atmosphere had been just as raucous as yesterday, almost everyone had fallen asleep or passed out from drinking (for most, it was the latter). Empty mugs littered the wooden tables.

However, while it was winding down, it hadn't completely died out yet. There were still conscious Fairy Tail members for one, but there were also some guests who had joined in.

"Another round!" Bacchus cackled, turning his flushed face to the ceiling and calling out his order. His body was wrapped in bandages all over from his battle with Gracie, but it wasn't dampening his spirits. "My soul is always Wild…!"

"""""Four!"""""

Answering Bacchus's call were Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Wendy, and Happy. The five of them were sitting at a table with Bacchus and the leader of the Quatro Cerberus team, Rocker.

Bacchus laughed giddily. "You guys are good sports!"

Rocker leaned back and crossed his arms. "Well, it's gettin' pretty late. We better start headin' back to the inn."

Bacchus frowned as he looked around. "But Erza hasn't shown up yet!"

"She is pretty late," Natsu agreed.

"Can't be helped. She said she had something to do," Gray shrugged.

"By the way, Mr. Bacchus, how are your injuries?" Wendy asked sweetly.

"Hey, all I need is a good night's sleep and I'll be good as new!" Bacchus shouted. "Oh, that reminds me, though. That firecracker…Gracie, right? Give her a message for me." He stood from his seat and grinned wide. "Tell her it was a wild battle. And I'll be looking forward to going up against her again during the tournament."

Natsu smiled. "Yeah, I'll tell her. I actually wanna fight you myself!"

"We'll beat you again next time, too!" Happy added.

Bacchus thrust his arm in the air as he and Rocker left. "Wild…!"

""""""Four!""""""

Once Bacchus and Rocker left, Gray sighed. "Honestly, I can't believe that guy's walking around and drinking it up like nothing happened. Gracie's still stuck in that sickbed."

"Gracie's wounds seemed more severe. Plus, she was using a lot of magic that she wasn't used to, so there's exhaustion as well," Wendy explained.

"Lucy?" Levy called out to her as she walked over to the group. She was rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Lucy smiled apologetically. "Sorry, did we wake you?"

"Never mind that," Levy said. "I wanted to ask you if you were okay. You seem down."

Lucy's smile faded, replaced with a look of concern. "It was that obvious, huh? I guess I just can't stop thinking about that Sabertooth Celestial Spirit Wizard."

"Her name was Yukino, right?" Wendy said.

"She was amazing, wasn't she?" Levy said. "I mean, she had two of the 12 Zodiac Gates, plus a thirteenth one. Even though she lost, it was impressive."

"It was, but…I can't stop thinking about the bet they made. They bet their lives, so what happens now?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"It is worrisome," Wendy agreed.

Gray sighed. "True, even though we really aren't in any position to be worrying about other people."

"That just goes to show how caring Lucy is!" Natsu beamed. "And it's not that big a deal. We've still got 3 days to catch up to the B Team and take first place!"

Lucy nodded, her smile returning. Natsu always helped her feel more at ease. "You're right. We need to focus on winning and doing our best!"

Over at another table, Nikolias was sitting with Mira, Lisanna, Elfman, Angel, Ash, and Sky. Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman had all fallen asleep after drinking plenty in celebration. Ash and Sky had also quickly passed out after trying just a tiny bit of alcohol for the first time (at Cana's insistence). Nikolias had been drinking plenty with everyone, and the table was covered with his empty mugs, but he had a high tolerance for alcohol and had only a slight buzz. Now, it was just him and Angel awake at the table.

Nikolias took a drink from his mug. He gave a satisfied sigh before placing the mug down. He looked over at Angel, who was sitting beside him. She was staring at her mug, her thumb gently rubbing against the wooden handle. She had barely drunk anything from it. And even though she was looking at her drink, Nikolias could tell she was focused on something else. "So do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

Angel blinked, snapping out of her haze. She looked over at him. "Sorry, what was that, darling?"

He leaned on his hand as he stared at her. There was definitely something bothering her; actions aside, it was written all over her face. Her beautiful amethyst eyes were reflecting a complex emotion that he couldn't quite define. "I asked if you want to talk about what's bothering you."

"Bothering me? Nothing's bothering me."

Nikolias softened his gaze. "You think I can't tell when you have something on your mind? I can tell just by looking at you. You aren't acting like you normally do. I'm worried about you."

Angel's face went red as she looked away. "Geez, darling…"

He sighed. "Look, I'm not going to force you to talk. If anyone understands wanting to keep things close to the chest, it's me. Hell, I was doing it for hundreds of years and even now, it's not easy for me to do."

Angel squeezed her hands. "I'm sorry, darling. It's just…not something I can put into words. No, that's not right. It's more like I can't find the right words."

"It's okay. Don't push yourself. But will you promise me something?"

She peeked at him out of the corners of her eyes. "What?"

"Promise me that if ever something is bothering you and you want to talk, you'll come to me."

The redness of her face spread all the way to the tips of her ears. Her heart skipped a beat. A smile crept onto her face. It meant so much to her to know that he would be there for her. "It's a promise, darling."

"Hey!" Natsu's group, Nikolias, and Angel turned to the door of the Bar Sun to see Rocker back at the entrance. "You guys have got a visitor!" He turned and spoke to someone hiding around the corner before heading out again.

Stepping around the corner were two familiar faces—Lyon and Sheria. Gray's face instantly fell.


On the outskirts of Crocus was Crocus Garden, an inn of very high standing. This elegant inn stood high above the city, looking down on the rest of the cityscape. Usually serving a wealthy clientele, Crocus Garden was currently the residence of Sabertooth for the Grand Magic Games.

Within one of the many large meeting spaces, the members of Sabertooth were all gathered, standing at attention in neat and orderly rows with hands folded behind their backs and somber looks on their faces.

Sitting on a lavish couch before all the members was a massive, muscular man. He was the master of Sabertooth, Jiemma Orland. He was quite advanced in age, evident from his long white hair tied back in a braid, thick white beard and mustache, and large and pointed white eyebrows. He seemed to have a face that would never stop scowling. His sunken eyes appeared to be completely white, though if one were foolish enough or unlucky enough to get close, they could see the miniscule red irises that looked upon everything with disgust. He wore a loose-fitting dark red kimono, though he left his right side unrobed to reveal a broad, toned chest and bulging arm. Massive prayer beads were hanging from his thick neck and a black, crown-like piece adorned his head. Stamped to his forehead, he bore a blue insignia for Sabertooth.

"It's so pitiful I can't even cry, you scum," Jiemma growled as he leaned forward. "Remember why we're the top guild in Fiore. Don't look at the insects around you. Don't talk to them. Just crush them. Our eyes are on something far greater. Making the heavens roar. Setting the land aflame. Silencing the seas. That is Sabertooth." His eyes turned to someone in the front row. "Sting."

"Yes." Sting's reply was immediate as he stepped forward. He made no eye contact to show respect for Jiemma's power.

"I'll give you only one more chance. Don't ever make such a pathetic scene again."

Sting closed his eyes and bowed his head. "Thank you. I swear I will measure up to your expectations."

Jiemma turned slightly and his empty eyes flashed with rage. "Yukino."

"Yes." Yukino replied quickly and emotionlessly and stepped forward in the same manner as Sting. Sting, in turn, returned to his spot in line.

Jiemma reached up to a potted grape tree that was beside him and grabbed a stem of grapes. "You have no excuse. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes," Yukino replied with a bow. Even though her voice was void of emotion, there was a clear sweat gathering on her brow. "I lost to someone from another guild. I brought shame to Sabertooth."

Jiemma thrust his grapes at Yukino's head. Several of them exploded, covering her in their juices. "That's not what I'm talking about!" he roared. "You wagered your life and lost. Not only that, the enemy took pity on you! On Sabertooth!"

Yukino made no move to clean herself up. She simply allowed the clumps to stick in her short white hair and the juice to trail over her eye and down her cheek. "Yes. I will submit to any punishment."

A dark expression clouded Jiemma's scowling features. "Then throw everything away."

Yukino closed her eyes and hung her head. "Yes. I will do as you say." Her voice trembled as she reached up and began to disrobe in front of Jiemma and everyone in the guild. Her cheeks flushed in humiliation as she attempted to cover herself with her hands and arms.

Jiemma didn't react in any way to her naked body but continued with his demands. "Erase your guild emblem."

Yukino flinched. Her whole body trembled, and through clenched teeth she replied with a simple, "Yes." She slowly moved her hand to the blue Sabertooth emblem below her left rib cage. With a wave of her hand, the emblem vanished in a small shower of magic particles. "I wasn't here long, but thank you for everything."

"Get out of my sight, trash." Jiemma was unmoved by Yukino's words. The glare he was giving her showed he saw her as nothing more than garbage.

Once Yukino left the room, Jiemma dismissed everyone else. Sting, Lecter, Rogue, and Frosch made their way down one of the many lavish hallways towards their bedrooms.

Sting scratched his head. "Our master sure does go to extremes, huh?"

"It couldn't be helped," Lecter said matter-of-factly. "It's stuff like this that makes us the strongest guild. The weak have no place here, y'know?"

"Frosch is sad," Frosch sobbed, his tiny feet dragging along.

Rogue stopped walking. "Is this what a 'guild' is supposed to be?"

Sting stopped and looked questioningly at his partner. Rogue's red eyes were as serious as always, but if Sting didn't know any better, he would have sworn he saw something akin to resentment in his gaze. "What's that?"

"Yukino was a comrade."

"And like Lecter said, she's gone 'cause she was weak." Sting smirked. "The strongest guild didn't need her, right?" Rogue didn't reply, so Sting kept walking. Lecter followed him eagerly.

"By the way, I heard the Lady is replacing Yukino," Lecter mentioned excitedly.

Sting's face brightened. "Hell yeah! Now that's what I call the five strongest members!"

Frosch looked up at Rogue, his eyes shining with tears. "Rogue…Frosch is weak. Is Frosch gonna disappear, too?"

Rogue gave the little Exceed a reassuring smile. "You won't disappear. I'm with you."

Rogue's words comforted Frosch as he gave a relieved smile. "Right! Frosch isn't gonna disappear!"


A FEW HOURS LATER

With the dinner party wrapping up, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla all made their way back to the Honeybone Inn for the night. Natsu was patting his stomach with a satisfied grin, having eaten more than his fill.

Wendy took in the sights. Since she was jumped by Raven Tail, she had never been in this part of the city before. A slight blush tinted her cheeks as she shyly looked up at Lucy. "So…umm…is everyone on the team staying in the same room?"

Lucy nodded. "Yup, and it sucks. Gray strips the first chance he gets and Erza tries to crawl into bed with me."

"And Natsu snores really loud!" Happy offered.

"Oh yeah, he does," Lucy agreed. She tapped her cheek with her finger as she thought back on it. "I guess I'm so used to it by now that I don't really pay attention to it."

"Speaking of those two, where are they?" Happy asked.

"Poor Gray got caught by Lyon," Carla sighed with a shrug. "Who knows when or if he'll ever get to leave."

"Erza never showed up to the party. Wonder where she went," Natsu hummed.

"She said she wanted to spend some time alone," Lucy said.

"She's probably not alone, though," Happy snickered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Natsu questioned.

"I bet she's smoochin'!" Happy said.

"That doesn't make anything clearer." Natsu was going to keep interrogating Happy, but he became distracted when he noticed a figure standing in front of their inn. "Huh? Who's that?"

Wendy squinted to try and make the figure out. "You're right. I can't tell who it is from here."

"You guys have the good eyesight. If you can't tell, then I certainly can't," Lucy said. For her, she wouldn't have noticed from their current distance if it hadn't been pointed out to her.

As the group drew closer, they were able to tell who it was standing there. She was dressed differently—just a simple tank top and skirt—but they couldn't forget her after seeing her fight earlier that day. A rolling suitcase was by her side. From the way she was standing, she was clearly waiting for someone.

"Hey, aren't you that Celestial Spirit Wizard? From Sabertooth?" Lucy called out.

Yukino turned to the group. It was hard to read her expression. She appeared to be in some kind of daze. She bowed her head. "Good evening."

Natsu took a step protectively in front of Lucy. He narrowed his eyes warily at Yukino. "What do you want?"

"I'd like to have a word with Miss Lucy." Yukino looked at Lucy. "Can I have a moment of your time?"

"The hell do you need to talk to her about?" Natsu growled.

"I will explain everything," Yukino promised as she awaited Lucy's answer.

Lucy put a calming hand on Natsu's arm. "It's okay, Natsu." She met Yukino's gaze. "Of course. Why don't you come to our room so that we can talk?"

Yukino nodded in agreement. "Very well. Thank you."

The group led Yukino to their room. Natsu never took his eyes off of Yukino, placing himself between Lucy and her. Once inside, Lucy offered Yukino a chair in front of a small coffee table. Once Yukino was seated, Lucy sat in the chair across from her. Natsu and Wendy stood on either side of her, while Happy and Carla stood on the table.

"So?" Lucy asked. "You said you wanted to speak with me. What do you want to talk about?"

Yukino nodded. "I'm here on very important business, Miss Lucy."

"What does Sabertooth want with Lucy?" Natsu asked.

"Natsu, please. Let me hear her out," Lucy said.

"No, Mr. Natsu is right," Yukino said. "I know I have a lot of nerve approaching you like this. If it weren't so critically important, I wouldn't have come." She leaned forward, placing two keys on the table. They were her two Zodiac keys, Pisces and Libra. "Here. The Key of the Fish and the Key of the Scales. I would like you to take them, Miss Lucy."

"Wait…what?" Lucy was stunned. She looked into Yukino's eyes, but she couldn't sense any lies or tricks. Was she really giving Lucy two Zodiac keys? But why? Lucy couldn't understand the reasoning that brought her here. "But there's no way I could accept them!"

"I made my decision on the first day, after watching your battle," Yukino explained. "I decided to give you these keys once the tournament was over."

"The tournament isn't even over yet," Natsu spat.

Yukino lowered her eyes. "It is for me." She looked back up at Lucy. "Miss Minerva is going to take my place. Then the team will be made up of the five strongest wizards who changed Sabertooth."

"That's surprising. We all thought you were one of those five," Carla said.

Yukino shook her head. "No, I was just a newbie. The only reason I was appointed to be on the team was because Miss Minerva was out on a job."

Wendy slightly raised her hand. "Umm, excuse me. You haven't explained why you're giving away the keys to Lucy. Those Celestial Spirits are precious to you, aren't they?"

"Yes. And that's all the more reason for me to entrust them to Miss Lucy. Miss Lucy is a far better Celestial Spirit Wizard than me. That will make the Celestial Spirits far happier."

Lucy held out her hands defensively. "Really, I'm flattered by what you just said, but I already said I can't take them."

"You've already collected ten of the 12 Zodiac Keys. With the addition of these two, you would have all twelve. Then the gate that will change the world will open."

Lucy's eyes widened at Yukino's words. "The gate…that will change the world?"

Natsu was surprised as well. "What the hell is that?"

"Do you see anything about that, Carla?" Wendy asked.

Carla sighed. "It's not like I can see visions whenever I want to."

"It's an ancient legend. I don't know what it means, either." Even Yukino didn't know much about the very gate she mentioned. Still, she continued to plead her case. "You may have already noticed this, but over the past few years there has been a large drop in Celestial Spirit Wizards. And after everything that transpired with the Zentopia incident, we may be the very last Celestial Spirit Wizards. The Celestial Spirits love you and you love them. You should possess the 12 Zodiac Keys and walk hand-in-hand with all the Spirits."

Lucy looked down at the table where the two keys sat. There was a long silence. No one spoke, let alone moved. Surely Lucy was considering Yukino's offer. The power she would possess would be incredible. No one else could claim to have power like that. And yet—

"I can't accept them."

—Lucy still refused. Even if it would give her immeasurable strength, she wouldn't take the keys. She looked back up at Yukino's shocked face and smiled. "Celestial Spirit Magic is all about bonds and trust. You can't switch owners as easily as that."

Yukino clenched her fists. "It wasn't…an easy decision." She shook her head and rose from her seat. "I thought you may say that." She gave a small smile. "Eventually, when the time is right, I'm sure you'll have all 12 Zodiac Keys." She bowed. "I hope we can meet again." Having heard Lucy's answer, she took her two keys and left.


The discussion with Yukino now concluded, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla headed into the bathroom to prepare for bed. They knew it would be another busy third day and they needed to be well-rested in case they were participating tomorrow.

Carla dried off her fur with a towel. "You blew that one, Lucy," she scolded.

Wendy finished buttoning up her pajama top. "You had the chance to own all the Zodiac keys."

Lucy rolled down her stockings and smiled. "Honestly, a long time ago I would have done anything to collect them all. But now, I just don't feel the same way."

Wendy looked at Lucy questioningly. "You don't?"

Lucy shook her head. "A member of Sabertooth or not, I can tell she cares for Celestial Spirits, too. Knowing that, I just can't bring myself to cut the bond between her and the Spirits. Rather, I don't want to."


Yukino quietly walked the empty city streets. Her suitcase clacked along the cobbled roads, but she was too distracted to notice. Between everything that happened with Sabertooth and then Lucy's words, her thoughts were a jumbled mess.

"Hey! Wait up!"

A sudden voice called out to her. She turned around to see Natsu and Happy running up to her. "Mr. Natsu, Mr. Happy."

Natsu came to a stop in front of her. He flashed a shy smile and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Umm…I'm really sorry about before. You're not actually a bad person after all!"

Yukino's eyes widened. "Wh…what?"

Happy raised a paw. "See, Natsu assumed you were a bad person just because you're with Sabertooth!"

Natsu glared down at him. "Look, I know it was shitty of me! That's why I'm here trying to apologize!"

"A…Apologize?" Yukino's voice came out barely above a whisper.

Natsu looked back at her. "Yeah, I mean, I've gotta make sure Lucy is safe, y'know? But seriously, my bad!"

Happy smacked his head. "What a weak apology! Sorry Yukino, but for Natsu that's actually really mature."

"Watch it, Happy!"

Yukino's head hung. "You ran after me…just for that?"

Natsu scratched his cheek. "Well, you looked really down in the dumps, so I thought maybe my attitude put you in a bad mood."

"You didn't. I'm sorry."

"Whoa, hang on. You shouldn't be apologizing to me. I was in the wrong."

Yukino's body trembled. She couldn't hold it back anymore. Like a dam that couldn't hold any more water, her anguish broke free. Tears streamed down her cheeks and fell to the ground. Her shoulders rocked from her sobbing.

Natsu's face fell. "Crying makes me feel even worse!"

Happy was shocked. "What's wrong?!"

Yukino covered her eyes and fell to her knees. "You didn't do anything bad. I just…can't hold it back anymore. No one has ever been nice to me like this before." Her voice was raspy from crying, but she couldn't keep her feelings bottled up anymore, not after being shown such kindness and consideration. "I always wanted to be a Sabertooth member. After so long, I finally got in last year, but now they won't let me go back."

Natsu was stunned. "What?"

"I lost just one time and they kicked me out. I was humiliated in front of everyone and made to erase my guild mark with my own power. It was so frustrating and embarrassing. My memories and pride were destroyed right then and there. And now I don't have anywhere to go!"

Natsu's teeth ground together. His fists clenched tightly. "Sorry, I don't know how it goes in other guilds."

"Natsu!" Happy scolded. He couldn't believe he would say something so heartless.

Yukino sniffed as the tears continued to fall uncontrollably. "Right. I'm sorry. Everything just came pouring out."

"Don't apologize. Let me finish. I may be from another guild, but as a fellow wizard, I understand. Being humiliated, having to erase your guild mark against your wishes, it's gotta be frustrating." Natsu's eyes flared with anger. Veins throbbed in his forehead. "A guild that makes its family members cry ain't no guild at all!"

Yukino looked up at Natsu. Through her blurry vision, she could see the rage on Natsu's face. She couldn't believe that he was getting upset on her behalf, someone he didn't even know. Her cheeks flushed. 'He's so kind.'

Natsu quickly turned on his heel and stormed off without another word. Happy flew after him, calling out to him and asking where he was going. However, Natsu wouldn't respond. When he was this angry, there was only one thing he could think about.


Erza let out a long, deep sigh. The cool night air gently played with her scarlet red hair. She leaned against a railing, looking out at the quiet cityscape bathed in the moonlight.

Having just finished catching up with Millianna, she had continued the trip back to the Bar Sun. However, no matter how much she walked, she couldn't clear her mind. Deciding it was better to try and gather her thoughts before joining the others, she paused at one of the many overlooks.

'I never thought a day like this would come. Or maybe I did and just chose to ignore it. How long will this go on? Millianna and that Kagura's hatred for Jellal…is there nothing that can be done?'

"Erza? What are you doing all the way out here?"

The sudden voice caused Erza to look over her shoulder, but she knew immediately who it was.

"Gray…" She looked back at the city. "Nothing really. Or at least, nothing important."

"That so?" Gray mused as he walked up beside her.

Erza smiled at him. "And what are you doing way out here by yourself?"

Gray's expression soured. "Until now I was in the middle of some stupid tug-of-war between Lyon and Juvia, though I have no idea what it was all about."

"You have no idea?" Erza chuckled, flashing him a knowing smile. "I wasn't there, but even I have a pretty good idea of what the reasoning was behind their actions."

Gray scratched the back of his head but said nothing.

"You have to realize by now how Juvia feels about you."

Gray blushed. "Yeah, I'm not that dense."

"Then why not give her a clear response?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that," he grumbled. 'I'm still trying to work out a lot of things, too.'

"Complicated, huh? I wonder why that might be," Erza teased. "Well, never mind me. After all, when it comes to love and hate, I've got too much baggage of my own to be giving out advice to others."

Gray blinked at the odd remark. "Did something happen?"

"No, not really." Erza straightened up. "It's late. Let's go back to the inn so that we're ready for tomorrow."

"Right."

The two began the trip back to the inn in complete silence, both preoccupied with very different thoughts.


BOOM!

Violent explosions rocked the inn where Sabertooth slept. Windows shattered in rapid succession, sending shards of glass out into the outside garden. The smoke billowed out, blanketing the starry night sky.

The noise alone was enough to rouse everyone from their sleep and send them on full alert. Every member of Sabertooth made their way towards the source of the explosions as they continued going off.

Sting and Rogue ran down their hall, Lecter and Frosch following closely behind them.

"I can't believe we have an intruder," Sting said. "All of Sabertooth is staying in this inn. Who the hell could it be?"

"I don't know, but they must have a death wish," Rogue replied. "They should know they won't be leaving here alive after pulling something like this."

As they ran, one of the doors that led to the lobby burst open like it were made of paper. One of the Sabertooth members came flying through with a cry of pain before landing at their feet. Recovering from the momentary shock, they ran through the now open door just in time to see the massive wooden lobby doors bend under some intense pressure. Seconds later the doors gave in as a massive inferno poured inside. Every member of Sabertooth that had made it there were blown away after being lashed by whips of fire.

Peering through the smoke, Sting and Rogue were able to make out a singular figure—one whose fists were engulfed in brightly burning flames.

"Where is he?" Natsu growled, stepping forward through the smokescreen and flames. Thick veins throbbed in his forehead, neck, and arms. Some Sabertooth members who had recovered ran for him, but he easily knocked them away with flaming punches and kicks. "Where is your guild master?!"

Sting and Rogue were completely shocked. Why was Natsu here? Why was he destroying the inn? And why would he demand to see their Master?

Natsu stomped forward, his irritation growing. "I said where the hell is he?!"

"You got business with me, kid?" Jiemma's loud footfalls stomped through the lobby. Everyone cleared the way to make room for him. He stared down Natsu with his usual irritated scowl.

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "You the Master here?" Jiemma didn't reply, so he continued. "I hear you kicked someone out of your guild, just because they lost once, huh? I gotta say, that gets me all fired up."

"Hoh?" Jiemma reacted, sounding slightly surprised. "Your point being?"

Natsu punched his palm, igniting more flames. "In that case, if you lose to me, you're out of this guild!"

Shock spread to everyone. No one could believe what they were hearing. Natsu was challenging Jiemma, a man who inspired fear in the hearts of all the guild members for his strength and cruelty, to a fight. They couldn't fathom anyone speaking to him in such a manner. Yet here stood someone from another guild, looking to remove Jiemma from his position in Sabertooth, all because he had kicked out Yukino for losing?

"Fairy Tail," Rufus muttered.

"Na…tsu?" Sting stuttered.

"You came here to pick a fight with Master?" Orga bellowed.

"That's suicidal," Lecter whispered.

Frosch nodded. "Fro thinks so too."

Jiemma stroked his thick beard. "You serious, kid?"

"Anyone who doesn't think of their comrades as comrades is on my list!" Natsu spat back.

Rogue's eyes widened. 'Is he talking about Yukino?'

Sting lowered his gaze. 'That's got nothing to do with you! Who would storm in here for something like that?!'

Jiemma remained oblivious to Natsu's intent. "I don't know what you're talking about, kid, but you must have your reasons."

Jiemma's words further ignited Natsu's rage, as the flames around him roared even louder. "How the hell do you not know what I'm talking about?!"

Jiemma raised a hand. "Dobengal. Deal with him."

Upon Jiemma's orders, a man dressed like a ninja suddenly appeared beside the large Master. "At once," came his quick reply.

Natsu clicked his tongue. "You avoiding me?"

"A common guild soldier like you needs 100 more years of experience. If you want a shot at me, you'll have to prove yourself. Show me what you can do."

Natsu refused to accept those terms. He burst forward, ignoring Dobengal and rushing Jiemma. "I'm here to fight you, dammit!"

Dobengal shot forward to intercept. "You're not getting near the Master." He lashed out with his arm and as it extended, a fast beam of colorful light shot at Natsu. Natsu easily evaded the beam. However, Dobengal read his movements and went to strike at him with kicks and punches so fast they were practically invisible. Natsu dodged and swatted at the man, but Dobengal easily moved out of the way, performing a series of back handsprings to gain distance.

Natsu stopped and turned, his attention now fully on Dobengal. "You're in my way."

"I, Dobengal, may not be taking part in the Grand Magic Games, but when it comes to skill, I'm just as strong as any of the participants." He vanished and suddenly reappeared behind Natsu. "I'll show you the power of Sabertooth and the foolishness of your actions!" From his pocket, he drew out and threw several colorful balls. Upon contact with the floor, they erupted in a thick smoke.

Natsu narrowed his eyes. "A smokescreen, huh?"

With Natsu's vision inhibited, Dobengal tried to take advantage and threw out thin blades of light. Natsu was able to sense them and leap back to avoid them all, but Dobengal had predicted this movement, suddenly appearing behind Natsu and charging forward. His palm was drawn back like a snake prepared to snap its jaws on its prey. "You don't know who you're messing with! You should withdraw immediately!" His hand became encased in colorful light, looking like a sharp blade. He lunged at Natsu with incredible speed.

And yet, the blade never reached its target. As Dobengal lunged, Natsu ducked under the strike. With rage in his eyes and a fist engulfed in flames, he swung at Dobengal. "I SAID YOU'RE IN MY WAY!" His fist connected with Dobengal's head. The ninja hit the ground hard, bouncing several times before colliding with a solid door. "My beef isn't with you or anyone else!" Natsu returned his attention to Jiemma. "And you know that."

Murmurs of disbelief washed through the onlookers. They couldn't believe someone as strong as Dobengal had been so easily defeated.

Sting stepped forward. "Master, let me take care of this."

"You'll do nothing," Jiemma ordered with a wave of his hand. He looked at Natsu. "Kid, there aren't any like you in my guild. It's amusing."

Natsu charged forward with flame-engulfed fists. With a fierce cry, he lashed out with a powerful punch. Jiemma simply moved one of his massive arms and took the attack head-on. He didn't budge and it didn't appear that he took any damage.

"Is that all you've got?" Jiemma roared. With no noticeable movements, a pulse of energy shot out, pushing Natsu back.

But Natsu recovered quickly. Fighting against the force of the energy wave, he ducked low and swung upwards with a fiery uppercut. The attack seemed to surprise Jiemma and caught him square in the chin. Natsu used this surprise to his advantage and threw a barrage of fiery punches that landed cleanly on Jiemma's head. "FIRE DRAGON BARRAGE!"

Jiemma's entire body rocked violently under the onslaught of blows, leaving him no time or focus to counter or block. Somehow the man was helpless before Natsu's attack.

Reaching back for more, Natsu's flaming fist began to crackle with electricity. "LIGHTNING FLAME DRAGON FIRING HAMMER!" Natsu threw his punch with such force that the ceiling of the inn blew apart. A massive smokescreen hid everything in the lobby.

Natsu stared into the smoke. However, it wasn't long before it was blown away and he was met with a surprise. Not only was Jiemma still standing, but there was now someone else standing between them.

It was a beautiful woman. Her long black hair blew about from the force of Natsu's attack. Her gorgeous figure was clung to by a tight light blue and navy-blue dress that was open on the sides by her legs. Her gloved hands were stretched towards Natsu and Jiemma with a strange magic power emanating from her palms. Her pretty face wore thick eyeshadow and lipstick, and her lips were turned upwards in a confident smirk. However, it wasn't her beauty that caught Natsu by surprise; it was the fact that he didn't sense her at all until just now.

Jiemma's eyes widened in surprise and irritation. "Minerva!"

Minerva lowered her hands, the magic disappearing. "Why don't we end this evening's entertainment here?" she asked with a velvety yet commanding voice.

"Huh?" Natsu asked, disinterested in anything she was saying. In his mind, things hadn't been settled yet.

"Minerva, I didn't ask you to step in," Jiemma barked.

Minerva closed her eyes and shrugged. "Of course, if this had continued, you would have won, Father."

"Father, huh?" Natsu asked.

Minerva continued, the smirk never leaving her face as she spoke. "However, the world cares about appearances. Even though this one came here and attacked you, if the master of Sabertooth annihilated a participant in the Grand Magic Games, it would cause difficulties for all of us."

Natsu was tired of hearing it. "Listen here! If anyone is getting annihilated here, it's him!"

"My father has somewhat warmed to this battle but cannot back down in front of his subordinates. So what do you say? Will you allow us to save face?"

Natsu grit his teeth. But before he could answer…

Minerva held up her hands. The strange magic power appeared between her hands and then suddenly, held tightly in her arms, was a bound Happy. Tears streamed down the small Exceed's face. "If you do, I'll return this kitten to you unharmed."

Natsu's eyes widened. "HAPPY!"

"I'm sorry, Natsu!" Happy wailed.

Minerva playfully pet Happy's head, her mocking smile growing wider. "You've incapacitated several of our people with this stunt, but we're willing to overlook this incident. In exchange, I'm asking you to behave in a mature manner.

Natsu clenched his fists tightly. He closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Minerva knew that he was surrendering. The ropes that bound Happy were suddenly undone and she released her grip on him.

Happy immediately ran for Natsu, tears still streaking down his face. He threw himself into Natsu's arms. "Natsu! I'm sorry, they caught me at the entrance!"

Natsu patted Happy's back. "It's okay. It's my fault for leaving you behind. C'mon, let's go." He turned around and made for the broken door.

Jiemma watched him leave. "That kid's got grit."

"We'll settle this at the Grand Magic Games," Minerva replied. A wickedly evil visage plagued her pretty face. "To our heart's content."

Natsu heard her comment and stopped. "We ain't losing to the likes of you. In fact, you won't even be able to keep up with us." He looked back over his shoulder with a serious look. "If you call yourself a guild, take care of your comrades. That's all I wanted to say." And with that, Natsu disappeared into the destroyed hall.

Natsu's words resonated with Rogue. 'Comrades…no such bond exists in this guild.'

Sting's body trembled. He couldn't believe that Natsu fought so well against Jiemma. 'You're that strong, Natsu?'

"Hey! I'm competing tomorrow!" Orga shouted. He found himself irritated by Natsu. "He won't get away with this carnage!"

"So you're going to unleash the full power of Black Lightning?" Rufus smiled.

Minerva looked around. "Certainly, this was rather one-sided destruction, but without something like this, we would have lost our spark. Anyway, we need someone to replace Yukino. I think I'll join in on the fun."


"YOU DID WHAT?!"

Natsu flinched at Lucy's shrill cry. He had just returned to their room at the Honeybone Inn and changed. Everyone was curious where he had been, and naturally Natsu explained everything. He sighed in disappointment. "Yeah, I really wanted to mix it up with them some more. Too bad it ended right as I was getting fired up!"

Happy, who sat beside Natsu on his bed, was still sobbing. "It's all my fault for getting caught…"

"What are you talking about? We're lucky it ended the way it did," Carla said.

"Carla's right," Wendy agreed, giving the best stern voice she could. "If one of their team members had been injured, we might have been disqualified!"

"Oh yeah, that Minerva chick said something similar," Natsu recalled.

"How the fuck are you this stupid?!" Gray snapped, jabbing at Natsu's chest. "For once, can you use your head?!"

"What'd you say?!" Natsu growled.

"Natsu, shut up!" Lucy shouted angrily. "I can't believe how reckless you were! Go on, Gray. Chew him out!"

Gray grabbed Natsu's shirt and pulled him closer. "If you were gonna take the fight to them, you should've invited me! It's not fair that you got to have all the fun!"

Lucy almost face-planted. "You're missing the point!"

Erza sighed. "Look, Gray. You may be frustrated from losing a match, but there is nothing honorable or admirable about getting payback in a fight outside the arena."

"That's not what it's about," Gray huffed. "I just wanted to deliver a message to that bastard Rufus." He punched his palm. "A simple 'I won't lose next time'!"

Natsu clenched his fists. "I can't let those jerks off the hook. A comrade is someone who's got your back and you've got theirs. The way they treated Yukino…"

Carla nodded. "Being strict is one thing, but it's low to humiliate a girl and then kick her out."

Lucy took a calming breath. "Your heart was in the right place, Natsu. Still, think about the consequences before you act."

"I wonder where she is now," Wendy pondered. "I'm worried about her."

"She did say she had nowhere to go," Happy remembered.

"Dammit, I'm still pissed off!" Natsu yelled, his fists igniting in flames. "I think it's time for round two! Don't wait up!"

"Alright! I'm coming too!" Gray agreed.

Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu to hold him still. "Did you already forget what we just talked about?! You can't do that!"

Wendy tried to intervene as well. "Can't we just settle this at the tournament?"

"We also have to keep in mind that you've gone and riled up Sabertooth, so from tomorrow on, they'll probably go even harder on us in the matches," Carla noted.

Erza closed her eyes, drowning out the bickering of her teammates. 'No matter what guild they're in, all wizards have their own feelings.' Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when a pillow slammed into her face. Confused, she removed the pillow and brought her consciousness back to what was in front of her. Natsu and Gray were standing with pillows in hand. Lucy and Wendy stood opposite them in front of the door, trying to keep them from leaving with pillows of their own.

"Let us go!" Natsu demanded with an impish, playful grin.

"Move out of the way!" Gray shouted with the same smile and threw his pillow.

"I said stop it!" Lucy cried, dodging the pillow and throwing her own back.

Gray dodged the pillow, but it ended up smacking Erza in the face again. This time, everyone noticed that Erza had been hit. Immediately their faces fell.

A threatening aura surrounded Erza as she trembled with anger. "WOULD YOU ALL CUT IT OUT?!"

""""Yes, ma'am!""""


Arcadios sat in the dark at his desk, a small candle providing light and casting shadows across his wild, smiling face. The surface of the desk and the bulletin board above it were littered with documents with complex designs, detailed notes, and lengthy observations.

"One girl has ten keys, while another has the remaining two. I'll be able to get all twelve! Eclipse will work perfectly! Zeref, Zeref, Zeref, Zeref, Zeref! Hahahahahahaah!"

The crazed rantings and laughter echoed down the empty halls of the castle.

Current Standings:

Raven Tail-42 pts

Fairy Tail (B Team)-32 pts

Sabertooth-28 pts

Mermaid Heel-21 pts

Blue Pegasus-20 pts

Lamia Scale-14 pts

Quatro Cerberus-13 pts

Fairy Tail (A Team)-12 pts