"Today's the day!" Wendy jumped out of bed, grinning widely. Today was August 31st, also known as Wendy Marvell's thirteen birthday. Wendy looked around the room, but she didn't see any sign of Cynthia or Carla. "I wonder where they are…" Wendy pondered this thought over for a few seconds before deciding to freshen up, wanting to look special for this day. Wendy walked into the bathroom, spending a good 45 minutes in there. When she came out, she was quite pleased with her appearance. Wendy's long dark blue hair had curls to it, still flowing down to her waist. She decided to wear a long sleeve white shirt with a pink floral pattern across, blue pants with no particular pattern, and blue boots. "I have a feeling this day is going to be great!" Wendy grinned, looking around the building of Fairy Hills for everyone, but she was unable to find anyone. No Evergreen, Levy, Erza, Juvia, Levy, Laki, no one. "Why is it so empty…?" Wendy placed a finger on her chin before it hit her. "Ah-ha!" Wendy rushed out of Fairy Hills, and made her way towards Fairy Tail. When Wendy reached the front doors to Fairy Tail, she placed her hands on the handle and opened the door slowly, only for Cynthia to rush out of the doors. Cynthia was in her standard outfit, a sleeveless green shirt, black pants and shoes.
"Wendy!" Cynthia grinned, hugging her friend tightly.
"C-Cynthia!" Wendy smiled from the surprise hug, hugging Cynthia back just as tightly.
"Happy birthday!" Cynthia's grin grew wider as she pulled away from the hug, facing Wendy.
"Thank you!" Wendy grinned, and then attempted to look past Cynthia into the guild, but Cynthia was blocking her vision. "Where is everyone?"
"Oh, well, it's early, so they're all still sleeping!" Cynthia nodded.
"…It's 11:45," Wendy replied.
"…That's early in my book! C'mon, I have to show you something anyway!" Cynthia grabbed Wendy by the arm and dragged her away.
Lucy poked her head through the door after hearing Wendy and Cynthia leave. She then closed the door, turning around to her fellow guild mates. "Alright, Wendy's occupied! Let's finish decorating this place!"
"AYE!" The guild responded as they started to place streamers and banners all over the guild.
"Hopefully Cynthia can distract Wendy long enough for her curiosity not to peek," Carla said, spreading her wings as she hung up part of the large banner on the ceiling.
"We'll be fine as long as he have everything ready with the next half hour," Erza nodded. "That's how long Cynthia said she would be able to distract Wendy."
Natsu and Gray were blowing up balloons, both getting slightly exhausted. "Oh man…this is kinda tough…" Natsu groaned, panting heavily as he stopped to catch his breath.
"Pssh, this is nothing…!" Gray said a bit competitively, smirking over at Natsu. "I have one more balloon blown up than you."
"Oh yeah?!" Natsu quickly regained his breath, and then started to blow another balloon up, attempting to beat Gray at making the most balloons.
"Those two can turn anything into a competition…" Mirajane gave a small laugh as she and Lisanna started working on the birthday cake.
"Buncha idiots…" Gajeel commented, actually helping the gild setting up along with Evergreen, Levy, Elfman, and Bickslow.
"Aw, don't be like that," Levy said with a cute smile.
"Come on, we don't have time to be fooling around!" Erza stated. "We have to be quick about this so we have enough time to surprise her later!"
.
.
Cynthia dragged Wendy into the heart of Magnolia town, right in front of the big tree. Both girls were panting since they were running, but Wendy put more effort in catching up to Cynthia than Cynthia did in running. "W-Why are we here?" Wendy asked through a few short breaths.
"Because, I wanted to give you something," Cynthia nodded slowly. "I remember…when we first met…you were so eager to show me around and all…I feel kinda bad for being so reluctant about it before…"
"You don't have to feel bad, Cynthia," Wendy said with a reassuring smile. "I didn't understand it at first, but I still just wanted you to feel comfortable. Now that I understand what you went through, you don't have to feel bad."
Cynthia shook her head slowly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Heh…yeah…I did feel comfortable around you. I was a little scared at first because you were a stranger, but I could tell you were a really sweet girl, so I trusted myself to trust you, and I can say that was one of the best decisions I've been able to make in my life since I escaped…"
Wendy blushed slightly from Cytnhia's words, her smile growing. "Cynthia…"
"Oh!" Cynthia reached into her back pocket, pulling out a small rectangular shaped box. "I made this for you, for your birthday."
Wendy took the box, opening it up slowly, her eyes widening when she saw what it was. Inside the box was a small pendant with the words "Friends Forever" on it. "Y-You made this…?"
"Mhm…" Cynthia nodded. "Do you like it…?"
Wendy closed the box, and then threw her arms around Cynthia, hugging her tightly. "I love it…! Thank you!"
Cynthia returned the tight hug, embracing Wendy in her arms. "You're welcome…" Cynthia closed her eyes, enjoying the hug for as long as it lasted. After a few minutes, Cynthia opened her eyes, looking up at the nearest clock. "Oh boy!" Cynthia pulled away from the hug. "We have to get going!"
"Where to!?" Wendy asked, looking around.
"Follow me!" Cynthia grabbed Wendy's arm once again, and proceeded to drag her back to Fairy Tail, stopping once they got to the front doors. "I hope they're ready…" Cynthia mumbled to herself; she then turned to Wendy. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" Wendy asked, tilting her head slowly.
"You'll see!" Cynthia opened the door, pushing Wendy inside the guild.
"Uh…it's dark in here…" Wendy cautiously took a step forward into the darkness of the guild. A few seconds later, the lights popped on, and everyone jumped out.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WENDY!" Everyone shouted in unison.
"M-Minna!" Wendy couldn't help the large grin appear over her face as everyone said happy birthday. "You did all this for me!?" Wendy looked around the large guild hall, especially at the multitude of balloons and banners.
"That's right!" Lucy grinned.
"We wanted you to have the best birthday ever!" Natsu replied, putting his arm around Lucy in a friendly manner. "Lucy and Erza did most of the planning, the rest of us just kinda helped!"
"Still, thank you!" Wendy grinned, going off afterwards to enjoy the celebration.
"I've never seen her smile that big before," Cynthia said. "I like it!"
"She's officially a teenager now," Freed said with a slight smile on his face. "Funny how everyone here grows up and changes so fast, huh?"
"I know what you mean," Laxus nodded slowly at Freed's words.
"Doesn't matter how old you brats get," Makarov nodded, sipping from his mug of beer, "You're all still my children."
"We're never gonna get older than you, old man," Laxus smirked slightly.
"What's a party without beer, right?" Cana grinned, her cheeks pink from the amount of alcohol she's consumed, not even paying attention to what the party was even about.
"And there goes Cana…" Gray sighed, now shirtless with Juvia fawning over him from the sidelines.
"The cake is ready!" Mirajane walked forward with a large cake with thirteen candles, all for Wendy. She set the cake on the nearest table, giggling slightly as Wendy went up to the cake, eying the candles.
"Those flames look good…" Cynthia said subconsciously.
"Blow the candles out and make a wish!" Lisanna said, clapping her hands together excitedly.
"Hai," Wendy nodded, and then took a deep breath, making sure not to accidentally use her Sky Dragon's Roar as she blew out all thirteen candles; the guild members present clapping after.
"What did you wish for?" Erza asked, eying the strawberries on the outer edges of the cake.
"If I tell you, it won't come true!" Wendy nodded.
"Allow me," Freed said, pulling out his sword. In a few simple slices, he cut the cake into slices equal for everyone to have a fair share, but he let Wendy have the largest piece, since it was her birthday.
"Arigato, Freed-san!" Wendy grinned, and then proceeded to take a bite out of the cake. "Mmm, this is good!"
"This cake is greaaaat!" The sugar from the cake already got into Cynthia's system, and she started bouncing off the walls…literally.
"H-Hey, calm down…!" Elfman shouted, getting dizzy as he attempted to follow Cynthia with his eyes, but failed horribly. "This isn't manly!"
The guild laughed for a few minutes before the doors to the guild slowly opened, causing everyone to turn. At the door, several mages stood; Aloysius, Maggie, the Deadly Blade, Byron, a female with a hood over her head, concealing her face, a male with short black hair, a scarf just under his mouth, black leather gloves, a black coat, black pants and boots, and a female with long black hair, a single bang over her forehead, blue eyes, and wore a kimono walked into the guild. "Is this the place?" Aloysius asked, looking around.
"I've seen that girl walk in her quite a few times now," Maggie replied. "Kiora, is she in here?" Maggie turned her attention to the black haired female, whose eye turned a radiant blue for a second before she nodded.
"Yes, she's in here," Kiora nodded slowly.
"Can we help you?" Makarov asked the six mages who so rudely walked into his guild.
"Yes you can," Aloysius replied, grinning devilishly. "We're here for Cynthia."
Cynthia froze, the sugar rush her body was experiencing ending instantly from Aloysius' tone. "W-What…?"
Wendy stood in front of Cynthia protectively, spreading her arms out. "You're not taking Cynthia."
"Oh, that's cute…" Byron grinned, shaking his head. "You thought we were asking."
"I'm giving you one warning," Makarov said, his eyes glowing yellow. "Leave my guild, and my children alone, otherwise it won't end for you."
"Oh, that even cuter!" Byron grinned.
"Get outta here you bastards!" Natsu charged forward with a flaming fist, aiming it at Aloysius. "Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!" Natsu threw his fist forward, but Byron stepped in the way, a shield looking similar to Dan Straight's Ricochet in his hands. Natsu hit the shield, scowling slightly that Byron blocked the attack. What happened next caught Natsu off guard, the shield shot out the very same force he used to attack back at him, blowing him into the wall.
"Natsu!" Happy shouted, flying over to Natsu.
"You've just made a very big mistake…" Erza scowled at the six mages standing at the door way, and then jumped into the air. "Kanso!" Erza changed into her Heaven's Wheel armor, manifesting a multitude of swords in front of her. Erza pointed her hands forward, sending the swords forward.
"Oh, I got this!" The female with the hood over her face said with a cheery, yet taunting voice. She held her hand out, a telekinetic force stopping the swords just before they made contact with the group of six.
"Telekinesis?" Erza said with widened eyes.
"Don't tell me you forgot who I was already!" The female took her hood off, and it was an all too familiar blonde; Veronica. "I joined Silent Sanctum, and I must say it's been a lot better than those other crappy dark guilds!" Veronica flicked her wrist forward, turning the swords around and sent them towards the guild members.
"GET DOWN!" Makarov shouted as the swords impaled through the walls, all the guild members ducking low as the swords flew over them.
"Iron Dragon's Hard Fist!" Gajeel jumped forward towards the male with short black hair, throwing his arm coated in iron scales forward.
"Riot Horn…" The male said quietly. A light brown magic circle appeared and a sharp stalagmite appeared from the ground, slamming into Gajeel as it forced him back and through several tables.
"Gajeel!" Levy shouted, taking her eyes off the mages. A bad idea as Aloysius snapped his fingers, causing large magic circles to appear around most of everyone in the guild, stopping them in their tracks. "W-What is this!?"
"Rupture…" Aloysius grinned sadistically as he snapped his fingers, causing the magical power in every mage in Fairy Tail to explode, causing loud shrieks of pain.
"Oh, I love the screams of pain in the morning!" Byron grinned.
"You blokes are stealing all the fun!" Maggie groaned before walking forward in front of Aloysius. "Let the female have some fun, eh, loves?"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu jumped up immediately, unleashing a funnel of fire that consumed Maggie's entire body. "HA! I got you!" As Natsu's attack subsided, Maggie was simply playing with her white hair, Natsu's attack having no effect. "W-What!?"
"Oh, were you attacking me, love?" Maggie asked, a sly smirk appearing over her lips. "I think you do it like this…" Maggie started to inhale, gathering a large volume of ash in her mouth.
"ENOUGH!" Makarov used his Titan magic to turn his arm into a giant fist, and then hurled it at Maggie, but Bryon jumped in once again with his shield out, reflecting the force of Makarov's punch back at the Wizard Saint, sending the Fairy Tail master through the nearby wall.
"Master!" Cynthia shouted.
"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray placed his palm into his fist, and then threw his arms forward as multiple ice lances shot from the magic circle that formed.
"Shadow Make: Lance," Kiora mimicked Gray's action, only she managed to fire off more than enough lances to overpower Gray's, hit Gray, and a few stray members of the guild, knocking them all back.
"This is annoying!" Natsu growled, wiping the corner of his mouth.
"These guys are giving me a headache…" Laxus scowled, throwing off his jacket as sparks started to dance over his body, showing he was ready to get serious. "I'll handle this…" Laxus' body morphed into a lightning bolt, then he started to move forward, but his progress was halted, Veronica used her telekinesis to stop Laxus from moving. "W-What!?" Laxus was clearly caught off guard by this, but he didn't have any time to respond as Veronica hurled him into the wall.
"Laxus-san…!" Wendy looked over at Laxus, and all the injured guild members.
"Gajeel! Wendy!" Natsu shouted, entering his lightning flame mode.
"Heh, I see where this is going, Salamander," Gajeel grinned, his iron scales covering his body as he entered his Iron Shadow mode.
"Me too!" Wendy nodded as she entered her Omega Flame Sky mode.
"Roar…" Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy took deep breathes as their elements started to form in a vortex around their mouths.
"Of the Lightning Flame Dragon!"
"Of the Iron Shadow Dragon!"
"Of the Omega Flame Sky Dragon!" The three dual dragons unleashed their roars, the three double roars immediately forming into a powerful unison raid that raced towards the six mages.
"You just don't learn, do you!?" Byron smirked, standing in front of the five mages, pointing his shield out; the shield absorbed the triple roar, much to the Dragon Slayer's surprise, and then spat it back out, completely obliterating most of the Fairy Tail building, and more than half of Magnolia town, also creating a massive smoke cloud. When the smoke cleared, nearly all the Fairy Tail members were heavily damaged, but they stood up.
"You're not…taking Cynthia…" Natsu said, wiping the side of his mouth slowly.
"Mira-nee, are you okay?" Lisanna asked, struggling to get up.
"I-I'm fine…" Mira was holding her arm, but she didn't want Lisanna to worry.
Cynthia coughed; oddly the least injured out of the Fairy Tail members. "Guys…"
"Lighting Dragon's Roar!" Laxus unleashed a beam of electricity from his mouth towards the group of six.
"Whoa, you guys are idiots!" Byron yet again reflected the attack, but this only caused Laxus to smirk. "Rajinshu!"
"Dark Ecriture: Reflect!" Freed swung his sword, creating purple characters that caused the Lighting Dragon's roar to reflect back at the group of six.
"Babies!" Bickslow jumped into the air, his dolls forming into a circular motion, sending off a giant green laser.
"Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!" Evergreen also jumped into the air, swinging her fan, sending multiple bullets towards the group of six.
"Wow…" Byron sighed at the Fairies stupidity.
"Allow me…" Veronica walked forward towards the incoming attacks with a sly grin. "Wall!" Veronica spread her hands apart, creating a telekinetic wall that deflected the attacks off to the side.
"What's with these guys!?" Lucy shouted, unable to do much because her lower body was buried underneath some rubble.
"Are we done playing around?" The male with the short black hair asked, pulling his scarf up to his mouth.
"Yes, we're done playing around; we have to get Cynthia back to Aiden," Kiora replied.
Cynthia's eyes widened as she took a step back. "A-Aiden….!? But that's…!"
"He's the one who hired us," Byron said with a smirk.
"I've been watching you for quite some time," Maggie smirked slyly at Cynthia. "In fact, I'm the reason you and your little bluenette friend escaped from that handsome council chap a few weeks ago."
"T-That ash was you…!?" Cynthia gasped, and then looked down at Wendy, who was struggling to get up.
"That's right," Maggie walked forward, but this only caused Cynthia to step back. "Isn't time time to give me a little thank you? If it weren't for me, who knows where you'd end up by now, eh, love?"
"You're not taking her away…" Wendy said as she stood up, almost falling back over. "I won't let you…"
"You don't have a choice in the matter," Veronica giggled before using her telekinesis to pick Cynthia up, and pull her over to the group of six.
"No you don't!" Romeo attempted to attack Aloysius with purple fire, but Aloysius easily smacked the young fire wizard away.
"Romeo...!" Macao rushed over to his son, glaring at the wizards.
"Oh now that's just cruel," Bryon snickered.
"Tobias," Aloysius said as he turned around to exit, referring to the male with the short black hair. "Finish them off; we have no use for them."
"W-Wendy, help!" Cynthia screamed, unable to do anything about her current captivity as five of the mages walked off.
"How droll…" Tobias rolled his eyes.
"HOW DARE YOU ATTACK MY CHILDEN?!" Makarov's body started to glow as he began his titan transformation, utterly enraged.
"Ground Dasher," A brown magic circle appeared under the Wizard Saint, sending large stalagmites shooting up towards him, causing the Wizard saint to fall to the ground, his legs heavily injured.
"Gramps!" Natsu growled, his flames heating up what was left of the building. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT YOU ASSHOLE!" Natsu threw a flaming fist at Tobias, but Tobias easily dodged, then grabbed Natsu's hand, smirking.
"Am I?" Tobias, in a fluid motion, bent Natsu's hand, snapping his wrist. Natsu's eyes widened as the sudden pain jolted through his entire body, causing him to let out a scream of pain.
"NATSU!" Lucy shouted, attempting to dig her way out of the rubble.
"I'm done with you people…" Tobias threw Natsu to the side, and then walked outside. "O' particles that wander the heavens, led me your power and glorify this land…" An orange magic circle appeared right above Fairy Tail. "Meteor Storm." Tobias walked off as the magic circle unleashed multiple, destructive meteors, the ground shaking and cracking as the meteors struck the Fairy Tail building, engulfing Fairy Tail in a grand explosion.