A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to a new chapter!

This is the start of the Battle of Fairy Tail Arc!

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, I only own my OC.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: BATTLE OF FAIRY TAIL

Meanwhile, Mira and Master Makarov are making preparations for the Fantasia Parade, and after learning that Laxus is in town, Master Makarov recalls the time when Laxus was young and remembers his love and respect for Fairy Tail.

The Day of the Fantasia Parade...

Natsu struggles to walk, stating that he will eat all the food at the festival. Lucy, Gray, and Juvia meet with Warren Rocko, a Fairy Tail member with telepathic abilities. He speaks of the Miss Fairy Tail contest, and Lucy remembers that she is late for it.

At the guild...

"Everyone, I'm so glad you could make it! The battle of beauty between our female Fairies... Let's start with the Miss Fairy Tail Contest! I am Max, the sand wizard, and I will be your host!" The audience cheers on, waiting for the beautiful girls to come out.

Aira, Gray, Natsu, Cain, Happy, and Elfman are all sitting at one table. "You don't care about this stuff, right?" Gray asks Natsu who is peacefully eating his bread.

"He's a man!" Elfman commented.

"Entry #1: The exotic beauty with a bottomless pit for a stomach, Cana Alberona!" Max introduces her as the audience cheers on. "Now it's time to appeal to the audience with your magic!" Cana takes out her cards as it circles around her. "The cards are hiding Cana's body..." She changes into a swimsuit. "A swimsuit!"

"I'll take that beer-money, thanks." Cana smiled.

"A swimsuit?! No fair!" Lucy peaks at the show, hiding behind the curtain.

"I see... That's a good idea!" Erza peaks as well.

"You're participating too, Erza?!" Lucy asked.

"When I hear there's a contest, I can't help but get motivated." Erza replied.

"My rent is slipping away from me..." Lucy whined.

"Entry #2: She might be a newcomer, but her abilities are S-Class! Rain or shine, this woman will steal your heart! Juvia Lockser!"

"May these feelings reach to you, Gray-sama!" Juvia changes into a swimsuit as well.

"Oh look, Gray. Your girlfriend is putting on quite a show." Aira commented.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Gray exclaimed.

"She put on a performance that matches her swimsuit!"

"Gray-sama, did you see?!" Juvia's eyes sparkle.

"Another one going for sex appeal?!" Lucy complains as Erza nods in agreement.

"Entry #3: Everyone's favorite poster girl of the guild... Her beauty is known throughout the land! Mirajane!" Most of the audience were waiting for her. "Now, appeal the audience!"

"My specialty is transformation magic, so I'll transform!" Mira transforms her head into Happy. "Head-only, Happy! Aye!" This turns the audience off. "Head-only, Gajeel-kun!" Gajeel freaks out when he sees Mira appear the same as him. Happy dies of laughter.

"You're the only one happy about this, you know." Gray commented.

"Nee-chan..." Elfman has his mouth wide open.

Lucy snickers under her breath. "The crowd's favorite just shot herself in the foot!" Erza nods again.

"Entry #4: She needs no explanation... Titania!"

"There's my cue!" Erza makes a grand entrance, doing a couple of flips and landing in the middle of the stage.

"Erza Scarlet!" The audience gets more excited.

"She's really popular!" Lucy watches the crowd go wild.

"I will show you all a very special requip." Erza changes into a gothic look.

"G-Goth Loli?!" Lucy exclaimed, shocked to see this type of appeal.

"That decided it." Erza smiles at the crowd.

"That's really different of her." Macao commented.

"Entry #5: The little fairy with cures an intelligence... Levy McGarden!"

"Levy!" Jet and Droy cheer from the crowd.

"Solid Script!" Levy uses her magic to summon the words "Snow, Metal, Butterfly, Flower".

"Levy!" Jet and Droy fall in love with her even more.

"Entry #6: The sexy sniper Bisca Mulan!" Bisca is wearing a purple swimsuit, she has four gold coins between her fingers. She throws them in the air so she can shoot at them.

"Requip! The Gunner!" Bisca requips her gun into a sniper, shooting exactly in the middle of the four coins in a row. "Yeehaw!" She catches the coins, exciting the crowd even more.

"How cute!" Alzack's eyes turn into hearts.

"Everyone's really amazing..." Lucy is amazed at the girls' talents.

"Entry #7: Our guild's super rookie! This upcoming star will sparkle with the guidance of Celestial Spirits! Lucy Heart-"

"Don't say my last name!" Lucy interrupts him. "If they found out who my dad is, they'll never award me the 500,000!" She smiles and waves at the crowd.

"Now, appeal to the audience!"

"Um, I'm going to do a cheer dance routine with my Spirits!" Lucy takes out her pink pom poms.

"Entry #8!" A woman interrupts Lucy's performance.

"Hey! I'm not done appealing yet!" Lucy starts to cheer.

"If you want a Fairy, then you want me." A woman said. "If you want beauty, then you want me. Yes, I am all you want! The winner is obviously me, Evergreen! Okay! The idiotic contest is now over!" Everybody else didn't expect her to come. Master Makarov is mostly worried.

"Hey, don't get in my way! My rent is counting on this, you know!" Lucy complains to Evergreen.

"Lucy, don't look into her eyes!" Aira warned.

"What's with this kid?" Evergreen removes her glasses and looks directly into Lucy's eyes. The Magic effects Lucy and turns her into stone.

"This is bad... Everyone, quickly escape!" Max warned. Immediately, everyone starts running away from the guild.

"What are you doing, Evergreen?! Do you plan on ruining the festival?!" Master Makarov asked, furious with her.

Evergreen chuckles to herself. "You need entertainment for a festival, yes?" The curtain behind her rises and shows all of the girls who participated in the contest, turned into stone.

"Nee-chan!" Elfman cries out for his sister.

"Even Erza!" Happy pointed out.

"You fool! Return them to normal at once!" Master Makarov demanded. A lightning bolt strikes down on stage.

"Hey, Fairy Tail weaklings!" Laxus appears from the lightning bolt. "This festival's just getting started!" Not only that, Freed and Bickslow are in the guild right now.

"The Raijin Tribe..." Macao muttered.

"Laxus' personal bodyguards!" Wakaba stated.

"Let's play, old man." Laxus grins at Master Makarov.

"Enough of this foolishness! Return them to normal at once!" Master Makarov demanded.

"I wonder how many will be left to be in Fantasia?" Laxus strikes a lightning bolt next to Lucy, nearly hitting her. They get worried and scared when they see the lightning bolt. Laxus wraps an arm around the stoned Lucy. "These women are my hostages. If you break the rules, I'll shatter them, one by one. I told you, remember? This is entertainment!"

"This isn't funny, Laxus!" The Master argues with him.

"I'm being serious." Laxus said.

Freed jumps down on the stage. "Let's just see who's the strongest in Fairy Tail."

"Time for fun!" Bickslow shouted. His five dolls repeat after him. "Fun, fun!"

"The rules are simple! The last one standing is the winner!" Laxus explained. "Battle of Fairy Tail!"

Natsu slams his fist on the table. "I like it! Simple! I'm getting fired up!"

"I like that eager spirit of yours." Laxus said.

"It's a festival, Gramps! Let's do this!" Natsu walks towards Laxus.

"Don't you remember when you got beat by Laxus before?!" Warren reminded him.

"I was just a kid!" Natsu replied.

"It was last year!" Warren pointed out.

"I was a kid last year." Natsu jumps at Laxus.

"But I hate that you have no sense of flair. So cool down." Laxus easily electrifies Natsu.

"See what I said?!" Warren covers his face with his hand, sighing at Natsu.

"What a Man..." Elfman commented.

Natsu falls back down on the ground. "Aww, and he had just recovered..." Happy watches Natsu sizzle.

"If you want these girls returned to normal you must defeat us!" Evergreen said.

"There are 4 of us, and around 100 of you, right?!" Bickslow cackles. "100 on 4!"

"You have 3 hours! After that, they turn to dust, I'm afraid!" Evergreen stated.

"The battlefield is Magnolia. When you find us, the battle begins." Laxus explained.

"Laxus... Stop this foolishness!" Master Makarov turns into a titan.

"Now, now! I said to cool down! It's the entertainment for the festival, see? Let's have fun!" A bright light shines throughout the guild. "Battle of Fairy Tail... begin!" Laxus and the rest of the Raijin tribe disappear.

"So we have to play tag in Magnolia?!" Macao asked.

"Damn it! We have to save my sister and the others!" Elfman and the rest run out of the guild to search for the Raijin Tribe.

"Bisca, I'll save you. Just you wait." Alzack leaves the guild after everybody.

"That fool..." Master Makarov starts to run. "I'll... I'll stop you!" The Master runs into an invisible wall at the entrance.

"Master!" Gray hears the Master crash into the invisible wall.

"An invisible wall?!" Master Makarov tries to get through.

"Don't be silly! There's nothing there!" Gray picks up the Master and helps him get through. "What's going on?!" He looks up and sees weird writing. "What's this?! There are characters floating in the air..."

"Freed's runes?" Master Makarov recognizes them. "A type of barrier. Anyone who steps in its boundary is bound by the rules. If you don't obey them, you can't get out. Establishment Magic!"

"What's written?"

"Those older than 80 or stone statues may not pass." Master Makarov reads them out loud.

"A magic where the guy who sets the rules wins?" Gray asked.

"It takes a long time to write the runes. It is not suited for a sudden battle, but when it comes to setting traps, there's nothing better." Master Makarov explained.

"Can't you break it down, Master?" Gray asked.

"The rune's rules are absolute!" Master Makarov replied.

"Man, they planned for everything." Gray sighed. "So I guess we'll have to handle it ourselves. I don't care if he's your grandson or whatever, I ain't holdin' back! I'll get Laxus." He runs away from the guild.

"Is there anyone who could beat Laxus? Erza might be able to... But in her condition..." Master Makarov thinks to himself. He notices someone hiding behind a pillar. "Who's there?! Reedus?"

"I-I'm scared of Laxus..." Reedus replied.

"Fine, fine... Instead, I'd like you to pay a visit to Porlyusica in the East Forest. She might have some potion that'll cure petrification." Master Makarov ordered.

Natsu jolts up from where he was, confused about everything. "Huh?! Where's Laxus?! And wait, everyone's gone!"

Master Makarov notices Natsu alive and kicking. "If Natsu really got serious, then perhaps..."

"Gramps, where did everyone go?!" Natsu asked.

"Should I count on his latent ability?" The Master thinks for a second. "Natsu! The festival started! Laxus is somewhere in Magnolia! Get out there and beat 'im!"

"All right! Just you wait, Laxus!" Natsu runs to the entrance, but runs into an invisible wall just like the Master did earlier. They're all surprised to see that happen to him. "Why?"

Jet and Droy meet up with Alzack somewhere in Magnolia while looking for Laxus. None of them had found them yet. Alzack kicks a nearby crate and expresses his anger over Bisca being turned to stone. Jet and Droy tell him to calm down but he claims that he cannot. Suddenly, symbols appear on the floor and surround them. They realize that it's Freed's work and that there are probably runes like this all over town. The rules of the runes read that only the strongest mage can come out, meaning they have to fight one another. Jet and Droy view this as a cheap trick by Freed. Alzack looks down, mutters an apology and claims that he will save Bisca.

"What's going on here?! Natsu! Are you 80 years old?! Are you a stone statue?!" Master Makarov asked. Happy flies in and out of the wall.

"As if!" Natsu struggled.

"Current Status Report. Jet vs. Droy vs. Alzack?" Master Makarov reads the rune. "W-What's this?!"

"Why are they fighting each other?!" Natsu asked.

Jet uses Falcon Heavenwald and speedly advance toward Alzack and land a powerful kick on him. Alzack dodges this by jumping up. Droy attacks him with Knuckle Plant while Alzack's in mid-air but he quickly evades the thick vines coming at him from Droy's magic. When the vines have gone, Alzack activates his Guns Magic: Tornado Shot and shoots both Jet and Droy, defeating them.

"Winner: Alzack. Jet and Droy: Out of action." Master Makarov read out loud.

Laxus is shown asking himself how long Master Makarov will be able to stand seeing his "children" fight one another.

"The hell with this, Laxus!" Natsu roared.

The townspeople start to notice that the Fairy Tail members are fighting against each other.

As they speak, Vijeeter breaks out of a wall, and is apparently fighting Nab. Vijeeter doesn't want to fight, but is faced with the fact that they are forced to. Elsewhere, battles between Max and Warren, Macao and Wakaba, and Laki and four other girls.

"Max vs. Warren. Winner: Warren. Vijeeter vs. Nab. Winner: Nab. Laki took out four, Macao vs. Wakaba's battle is in progress." Happy reads the results.

"Enough! Stop this, you foolish children!" Master Makarov expresses his anger.

"Rune traps have been set up throughout the city. And the ones who are trapped inside are forced to fight. That's the Battle of Fairy Tail that Laxus talked about!" Happy explained.

"But why?! I don't get it!" Natsu grits his teeth in anger. "I wanna join, too!" He slams himself against the invisible wall.

"That's what he's upset about?!" Master Makarov and Happy shouted.

"What's with this invisible wall?!" Natsu pants as he pulls himself away from the wall.

Master Makarov slaps his head. "And what do you plan to do by joining in?!"

"It's a tournament to see who's the strongest!" Natsu replied.

"How is this a tournament?!" Master Makarov added. "This is all just Laxus' plan to get us to wipe each other out! Unless we can defeat the Raijin Tribe within the time limit, Erza and the other girls will turn into dust. Everyone is doing whatever they can to prevent that. I'll need something more than our usual way of thinking to take control of the situation! At this rate anyone who was turned to stone will crumble into dust. There won't be any way to restore them."

"Laxus acts bad, but he ain't gonna go that far." Natsu stated. "Yeah, he gets on my nerves, but he's a fellow guild member. It's a bluff obviously." Master Makarov thinks for a second. Natsu slams himself at the wall again. "This is just a fighting festival! But then why can't I get out?!"

"I can go through normally!" Happy flies in and out of the invisible wall.

"People over 80 years old can't pass through... Does that mean I'm over 80?!" Natsu panics to himself.

"I don't think you are, but..." Happy commented.

"You call Laxus your fellow guild member? You don't believe that he'll go that far?" The Master thinks about Natsu's words about Laxus.

"There's 2 hours and 18 minutes left. And there are... 42 people left!" Happy reads the time and amount.

"42 people?! More than half are gone after infighting!" Master Makarov exclaimed.

With only two hours and eighteen minutes left, forty two people are left. Macao and Wakaba begin to battle and Macao, using his Purple Rain, attacks Wakaba. Unfortunately, for Macao, that was one of Wakaba's Smoke Fake that he attacked. Wakaba, standing behind Macao, says that he is getting rusty, and has been too soft on people.

Reedus is running towards Porlyusica's House, but he is stopped by an invisible wall. He notices that Freed's runes are set up around the entire city. Freed teleports and appears in front of Reedus and tells him that he will not allow anyone to break his rules. Freed states that Laxus made it clear that the battle field was the entire city and tells Reedus that if he is a mage, then she should fight. Reedus gets ready to fight.

In the city, Gray faces off against Bickslow while Elfman battles Evergreen.

"Evergreen vs. Elfman. Winner: Evergreen. Elfman: Out of commission." Master Makarov reads the results.

"I can't believe Elfman got beat!" Happy commented.

"Gray's fighting Bickslow! I wanna join in!" Natsu shouted.

"Reedus is fighting Freed, too! The Raijin Tribe has started to make their move!" Happy stated.

Reedus is defeated by Freed, while Elfman is defeated by Evergreen.

"Reedus was beaten!" Happy exclaimed.

"I figured Freed could do it! Look at him go!" Natsu cheers for Freed.

"Is this really the time to be impressed?! Now we can't get any help from Porlyusica!" Happy yelled.

"We don't need any!" Natsu crosses his arms. "The whole turning to dust thing is a bluff."

"You think I'm bluffing, Natsu?" Laxus appears as a Thought Projection.

"It's a thought projection!" Happy pointed out.

"So why are you still here, Natsu?" Laxus asked.

"I can't get out!" Natsu yelled.

"Your members... Well I guess you can call them your children. I bet you can't stand watching your children destroy each other, can you?!" Laxus taunted. "Natsu and Erza can't join in... There's no one left who could defeat my Raijin Tribe, is there? Gonna give in?!"

"Gray's still in there! He's very strong, too! He ain't gonna lose to no Raijin Tribe!" Happy stated.

"Gray?!" Laxus chuckled. "I wouldn't put much faith in that brat."

"Don't underestimate Gray, Laxus!" Master Makarov agrees with Happy.

However, Gray is defeated by Bickslow.

"Gray is out of commission. 28 people left." Laxus reads the results. He laughs out loud. "See, didn't I tell you?!"

"Liar! I'm sure that he used some dirty trick!" Happy argued.

"So who will beat the Raijin Tribe now?" Laxus asked.

"Aira will!" Happy yelled.

"But where is he? He's not seen anywhere?" Laxus asked. "I guess he still has a cold heart."

"We also have two other Dragon Slayers, Gajeel and Satsuki!" Happy stated.

"Too bad. Doesn't seem like they're participatin'." Laxus assumed. "They don't actually give a damn about the guild anyway."

"Well, I'm still here!" Natsu yelled.

"If you can't get out, it won't do you any good." Laxus said.

"Fine, enough! I surrender." Master Makarov finally gives in. Natsu's shocked for a second. "Now, stop this Laxus."

"Can't do that." Laxus replied. "The high and might Master of Fairy Tail can't go surrendering at a time like this! But if you insist, then how about you give up your position as Master to me?!"

"That's playing dirty, Laxus! You scared of me, huh?!" Natsu said.

"You fiend... Was that your goal all along?!" Master Makarov shakes in anger.

"It's only one and a half hours until the statues crumble." Laxus stated. "If you want to retire, use the guild's loudspeakers and announce it so the whole town can hear. Say, "I'm giving up my position as Master of Fairy Tail to Laxus!" Think about it well. Which is more important, your position or your friends?"

"Hold it, damn it!" Natsu charges at Laxus, but he goes through him, crashing into a pillar. "If you won't fight me, how are you the strongest?! How can you be the master?!"

"I don't care about being master." Master Makarov said.

"You're okay with it?!" Natsu asked, yelling at the Master.

"But I cannot entrust Fairy Tail to Laxus! He doesn't understand the eight of the position! He lacks conviction and heart!" Master Makarov said.

"But at this rate Lucy and the others will turn into dust... Someone has to defeat Laxus and his gang, or..." Happy sees someone sit up from the corner of his eye.

Aira jolts up from the ground, sitting up while holding the right side of his face. "Man, people should watch where they're running..." He groaned.

"Aira, that's where you were?!" Natsu asked.

"We're saved!" Happy waves his arms in the air, crying tears of joy.

"What happened?!" Master Makarov asked.

"I was gonna go run after Laxus, but people ran over me. I think one of them stepped on my head." Aira replied, getting back up on his feet and helping his brother up.

"Are you gonna go after him?!" Happy asked.

"Yeah. Just leave him to me." Aira walks to the entrance, but he crashes into the invisible wall. They all scream in shock when they see that happen. Aira punches the invisible wall.

"Are you also 80?!" Natsu asked.

"No, obviously!" Aira yelled.

Evergreen releases some dust that head towards some unnamed Fairy Tail Mages, and then attacks with Fairy Bomb: Gremlin, defeating them. With the unnamed Mages defeated on the floor, Evergreen decends to the roof of a building and calls them weak.

Nab, while running away from Bickslow's dolls, turns his head and tells Bickslow to stop his attack against him and Laki because they are allies. Bickslow, hanging upside down from a wire, tells him that he is not on the side of weaklings and beats them with just one attack from his dolls.

"Nab and Laki, too?!" Natsu looks at the results.

"Bickslow is strong..." Aira commented.

"Laxus' gang is winning so far... This means..." Happy hears someone munching behind the bar. Gajeel and Satsuki appear from the bar, surprising them.

"Gajeel?!" Natsu didn't expect him to be in the guild.

"Satsuki?!" Aira said at the same time.

"Don't eat the dish ware!" Happy commented.

"Will you participate?!" Master Makarov asked.

Gajeel jumps over the bar with Satsuki following him. "We've got a bone to pick with him. We'll take him." Suddenly, they walks into the invisible wall just like everybody else. This surprises and confuses everybody.

"What the hell?!" Natsu screamed.

"You too?!" Aira exclaimed.

Alzack, standing next to a wall badly wounded, tells Freed that because of his runes he has been forced to hurt his friends. He also mentions that since the beginning, he has been telling himself that he has been doing this to turn Bisca back to normal. Alzack attacks Freed with his Guns Magic, but Freed cuts his attack in half easily with his sword. Alzack, astonished, remarks that his Tornado Shot was sliced apart and suddenly falls to the ground running out of oxygen. He questions Freed whether he has some other type of Magic besides his runes and then falls to the ground. Freed begins to walk away, saying that he only used his runes to their greatest effect and that once his rules are in effect, no one can defeat the creator.

A/N: There you go!

Hope you enjoyed!

~Kyle