On the evening of the third day of the Grand Magic Games, it was decided that Van was still in need of bedrest since Porlyusica assessed his condition at being eighty-percent recovered. She wanted her patient to be alright so that she wouldn't have to deal with him again if by chance he falls ill once more due to insufficient care.
As for Karissa, she was free to go thanks to her, surprisingly, speedy recovery.
During that same evening, it was discovered that Crocus had a pool located somewhere, a giant indoor water park built for attraction. Everyone from Fairy Tail wanted to go over there. However, due to Van's condition, Pandora chose to stay with him rather than mingle at the pool. At first, Karissa was set on staying with them since she oddly felt bad about enjoying herself while her brother remained in bed. It just didn't feel right to go while he was recovering from the same malady that she previously had. Also, she just didn't want to go in the pool.
They were still at the coliseum since it was too much of a hassle to move around a body back and forth. It was just the three of them. That is until a visiting Clavis dropped by for Van. He came to give him some pastries from some popular bakery. The younger brother was surprised to see the two sisters in the room since he thought they would be at the pool. He had overheard some Fairy Tail mages talking about it on their way there while he was out buying the pastries.
The younger twin was sitting on a stool in the room and across from her was her twin standing next to Pandora after giving her the plastic bag of goodies.
Then, Pandora suggested the twins go together at the pool to hang out on their behalf. Karissa wasn't too excited about that idea.
Van inspected the bag with curious hands while Pandora tried to convince their little sister into joining her twin at the pool. Discreetly, he eyed Clavis while he wasn't paying attention and he saw him look at her with repressed anticipation. Pausing, Van's eyes flickered to his little sister and then back to Clavis.
He stiffened when he caught Clavis eying him from the side.
But that usual happy smile bloomed on his face.
Karissa bit the inside of her bottom lip with her bottom teeth, averting her eyes slightly. Clavis was looking at her with those hopeful eyes that made it hard to refuse. He wasn't planning on heading to the pool at all since he would have preferred resting for the day after eating a fulfilling meal. But the idea of spending time with his family made him quickly think otherwise.
"I don't have any swimwear."
And I wouldn't want to go through the trouble of choosing some.
Clavis' eyes took in her anxious behaviour. His feet decided to move and make his way to his little sister to crouch in front of her. He looked at her with a gentle smile. He had done this kind of thing numerous times when Sherria felt despondent because of any performances on jobs that didn't go quite as she had hoped.
This was the first time they were seeing Clavis showcase a brotherly-type image. "You don't have to wear anything you're not comfortable in. It's only a pool. You can just wear shorts and a t-shirt."
This made her look at him.
"I thought swimwear is mandatory in most waterparks…"
Clavis smiled with his eyes closed and tipped his head. "Waterparks are meant to have fun and relax. How can you have fun if you don't feel comfortable? There's no rule forbidding light clothing."
In the end, she ended up going out of the kindness of her own heart.
The waterpark was a place he came to once. It was during his second Grand Magic Games.
He gave her some instructions on where to go to put and lock away her small bag filled with small clothing. The only thing she brought with her was her wallet in her pocket.
She was dressed in dark blue long shorts, a printed purple t-shirt and some gray slippers she bought on a whim after realizing how ridiculous she'd look walking in the waterpark in socks and slip on shoes. The naked feet was also something she didn't enjoy due to her habit of hiding as much skin as possible. She kept an orange hair tie around her wrist after she locked away her belongings.
Her twin dressed in light green shorts and a white-shirt. Like her, he wore slippers except with black soles. He also carried a towel around his neck which he easily gave to her when he noticed she didn't bring one along with her. How nice of him.
Since it was close to dinner time, Clavis suggested they at least get something to eat since they might be too occupied for whatever reason. Karissa followed her brother while playing with the towel around her neck. The gesture really stuck with her.
And now, she was eying the back of his neck as he led the way for no reason.
Clavis wasn't as fit as most men like Natsu or Gray. He wasn't a 'hunk' with a big chest and a washing board for a tummy. His physique was average, as in less than fat and less than lean. She figured that because the use gravity to make a fist carry the weight of a wrecking ball could make up for the lack of physical strength necessary to break a wall.
"What do you want to eat?"
Karissa peered over his shoulder when they neared a food counter. Around the spot were a number of tables with a few being occupied by a few guests. All she could hear was cheerful chatter and laughs. Her eyes darted back to the menu and skimmed what they had.
"Whatever's the cheapest."
"You sure? You can get something pricey. I don't mind."
"What do you mean… don't mind?"
Clavis halted. He looked over his shoulder and gave her a quirked brow, confused. "I thought I was paying?"
Huh? Since when did we agree to that?
"Oh, uh, no, it's alright." Karissa fished out her wallet. "I have money."
"Oh, I see." Clavis smiled boyishly, waving his hand dismissively, telling her to forget whatever he just said. That sheepish action made her wonder why he thought he'd be paying without communicating with her. Did he feel like it was his responsibility to look after her because he encouraged her to come out and hang out with him?
They settled on getting hot dog buns with small packets of ketchup and two water bottles. One of the many tables was now taken over by the Sinclost twins that were looking over a map of the waterpark. There were a few rides scattered around the place. The ones that interested Karissa were the rollercoasters since they always felt a little like a test of courage. Sure, it was always a little nerve wracking to get on one the first time but it was also fun once she got used to it.
There was one ride that Clavis pointed to that also caught her interest. He said it was his favourite one because it was the first one he went on when he first visited this place.. It was a ride that consisted of simply going up and then rushing down into water, giving a literal splash of coolness during the summer heat.
Clavis eyed his sister with a small smile when he saw her eat and eye the map with interest. The towel was draped over her head, hiding her ears. She looked funny like while nibbling away at her bun.
He was actually watching her carefully for any sign of discomfort. He wanted to make sure she wasn't pushing herself. Even though he heard she was doing fine, he couldn't help but worry a little.
"I'm glad you're doing well." Karissa paused mid bite to look at him, a little surprise by the change in subject. "I was really scared when I saw you on the hard ground that night."
Ah, right.
Clavis was someone who was looking forward to getting to know his family and love them. To see two of them near death must have been terrible.
"Sorry about that."
Clavis just smiled and shook his head. "No. no. I know it's not your fault. I was just saying that I was worried is all. I wasn't the only one. You and Van basically had the room filled with worried faces."
Karissa let out a small laugh through her nose. "That's what I get for having people care about me." She shrugged, appearing almost sad as if it was a curse. It made his eyes crinkle in amusement. "I heard Lyon also made sure you were with him while heading back since he was worried about you being a target."
"Yeah, he was." Clavis looked to the side and fingered the empty packet that used to be filled with ketchup. His finger was lightly rocking it back and forth. "Yuka would often tell me that I was kind of like the sun… so, I guess… people wouldn't like it if the sun went out."
She stared at him.
What's this?
Why did she detect disappointment in his tone?
He flashed her a smile. "But I think he exaggerates when he calls me that. I mean, I wouldn't like it if the sun went out either…. Everyone likes it when the day is sunny!"
"I think he was trying to say that you're important to them."
His bright smile became… silent. There wasn't anything noticeable radiating from his smile. It just seemed like a normal smile now as he kept playing with the packet. "I am, huh? I hope so."
She noted his behaviour and couldn't help but be reminded of when he looked unsure after holding his hand out to shake hers. She remembered him looking unsure whether or not a simple handshake would be appropriate. This was the same thing.
So, this is what it looked like when he was anxious.
But, about what?
Why this unsure display?
"Am I… important to you, yet?" He finally asked.
It was a normal question.
But for some reason Karissa had the strangest feeling that the question weighed heavily for him.
"Well… yeah." She grew a bit awkward after being put on the spot so quickly. "You're my brother."
Clavis' eyes took in the way she answered. Her eyes, her body language, the way her fingers stiffened.
She hesitated.
"I see… I'm glad." The usual bright smile she was used to seeing made him glow. "You're important to me, too."
Clavis knew very well just how blinding his smiles were. They always made him more amicable in the eyes of others. Just like the sun when it comes up, all darkness was eradicated from the skies and replaced with a brightness that no one was quick to forget.
Unfortunately, their little trip at the waterpark was cut short. A group of idiots decided to ruin the entire attraction by freezing it and then destroying the place mercilessly. Karissa barely had time to process what happened. All she saw was giant ice shards flying around. Clavis remained seated in his seat when he saw it coming. He didn't move until the last second. He just held out his arm to the side to brush the tip of his fingers against the ice. All debris paused in midair, a few inches away from them, before falling harmlessly. Clavis was stopping anything aimed at them by using his magic.
Needless to say, Karissa was impressed with how easily this kind of magic could make him untouchable.
Clavis, who knew about the cameras situated around the place to help catch moments from afar, brought her with him to check out the pictures to try and find a culprit for this mess.
They found two pictures.
First was one of Gray and Lyon embracing each other on some couple's slide. They didn't look like they were having fun. Seriously, Gray and Lyon looked ready to punch the other while looking like their life was going to end on that very slide.
The second was Natsu just before he landed a blow on the ice to destroy the place.
Obviously, Karissa paid and printed these photos. Because why wouldn't she? They would serve as a souvenir from Ryuzetsu Land.
Laxus was in charge of keeping Gray and Natsu rooted in place for a well-deserved scolding from his dear old grandfather. They had to sit on their knees in the streets while the old man all but yelled at them at the top of his lungs, earning them stares that only served to embarrass them. Gray murmured angrily that Lyon's ass should be getting grilled as well since he technically was part of it all.
Mavis had wandered off after crying over the loss over a nice pool, giving Makarov another reason to roast them with his scolding.
Disappointing the First Master was a great offence.
When he was dismissed by his grandfather, Laxus didn't waste any time changing out of his clothes. There wasn't anything left to do in that destroyed attraction after all. As soon as he stepped out of the place with his usual clothes on, his gaze observed the crowd that was leaving with moans of either disappointment or pain. Some people were leaving in either groups or with partners they came with.
Laxus was kind of the odd one out since Freed and Bickslow already went on ahead to check on Van and Pandora. They made this agreement that they would switch once they had their fill of fun for the night.
As his sharp eyes kept scanning the crowd, his gaze stopped on a specific pair walking in the crowd. He blinked, flummoxed. It was Karissa and Clavis. He didn't realize she showed up at Ryuzetsu Land. He figured she was going to stick with Van and Pandora for the night. But yet here she was… with her twin.
Clavis Sinclost. He was most definitely the opposite from his twin with how cheerful and bright he was. His existence just oozed happy rainbows. Pandora seemed so happy to see him during the inauguration. He must have really left an impact on her when they first met for her to look like that.
The two of them looked clean compared to everyone else who was caught in the damn ice-fire crossfire from moments ago. Laxus figured it was either the wind or gravity that helped them stay protected. Wise thinking from the twins then.
Regarding the older twin, he actually knew that he existed before. He first learned of him during the time when he and Pandora were teenagers. Apparently, he died long ago after Domilia and Zack received the news that Clavis couldn't handle the fever caused by his magic power. It gave her more reason to be determined to protect her surviving family. That was all he knew.
Then, he learned of Clavis again just recently. He was told that the poor guy was actually stolen away from his family and imprisoned for science. She didn't have to tell him more than that for him to understand the meaning of those words.
The lightning mage couldn't help but linger his gaze on the twins for a little longer.
The twins were making efforts, making the first steps, to get to know each other. First steps were always a means to take control of some part of one's future.
"First step, huh…." Laxus mumbled to himself.
Simply thinking made a voice ring around him like a distant dream. But unlike most dreams, he vividly remembered important moments. The first thing he saw was the way her eyes shine towards him.
She had been the first one to see and know how much he used to hate being in someone else's shadow. She had looked past it and took what he was for at face value: just a guy.
A guy she didn't care for screaming at even if he was the Master's grandson. And he was still just a guy grappling with what he felt for several years and seeking a way to properly address them to her. Her, the little ray of light he used to welcome with it tickled his skin, deserved more than to be left hanging any longer than this.
He began walking off in another direction. His bed would have to wait. With his jacket fluttering behind him, he made a beeline for one of the restaurants that made easy meals. It was one of the few that he knew thanks to Droy talking about it in a tavern on the first day. He pushed the door open and strode in as if he owned the place. He ignored the stares on him. He could already hear people mumbling about him because of his victory against the Raven Tail team.
"Hello, sir! How can I help you, this evening?"
"Hi." Laxus answered back, leaning one arm against the counter to look up at the menu. "Just here to order something real quick…"
…
…
…
Fatigue was getting to her a little quicker this evening. The toll her emotions had on her body from the little crisis event was most likely the cause of it. Thankfully, she was able to maintain composure and keep her brother from shooing her away from him so that she could sleep. She survived long enough for Freed and Bickslow to come over, allowing her to leave with good conscience.
Even though Raven Tail was ousted from the games, Makarov thought it was best to still keep an eye on Van's condition in case Raven Tail had some funny ideas. They were only kicked out of the games not the capital. Pandora was more than happy to stick by her little brother's side even though Porlyusica was doing most of the caring.
When she passed through the main gate leading to the coliseum, her body let a yawn escape for the first time that night. And then, her stomach growled now that she finally permitted it to complain to her. A sigh past her lips. Those pastries weren't enough to fill her up, especially since they were meant for Van.
Her hands reached up to her high ponytail to tighten it up when she noticed a figure sitting on a large stone. Immediately, her brain put her into alert and her body stiffened as she took a step back. She was ready to fight back if needed. The figure was sitting with their foot propped on one knee while lifting a plastic bag. Her eyes soon caught the striking blond hair and the scar running down their face.
"Hungry?"
Pandora relaxed and slowly made her way to Laxus, feeling a bit surprised yet touched that he appeared with some food for her.
"You got this for me?"
"I knew you'd just starve until Freed and Bickslow took over. So, yes." He got up and handed the bag to her.
Blinking at the bag, she tipped her head. "How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing. Just eat before you pass out."
"Hmph, well, thank you."
Instead of waiting to eat at a table, Pandora placed the plastic spoon in her mouth to pocket away the plastic bag while her free hand held the styrofoam container. She was too hungry to care about eating properly right now. The meal consisted of rice, dark sauce, sliced beef and some oriental cabbage. He was letting her get her things ready to walk while eating before heading back.
"I heard Natsu and Gray damaged property." Was the first thing she said as they began walking back to the main area of the capital.
"It wouldn't be the first time those idiots did." Laxus huffed through his nose. "Old man's probably still yelling at them in the streets as we speak."
Pandora scoffed and shook her head. "I'm surprised they weren't arrested by the Royal Army for their foolishness. Mhm… this is really good."
Orange eyes looked at her from above to capture the way she happily ate under the stars and gentle moonlight. Once more, a voice began to ring in the distance and a gentle flow of old memories filled him. They filled his mind with just her. The food reminded him of the late nights they would pass talking, eating, teasing, and laughing after a day of hard work. Her hums of approval to food called back to when she tried the breakfast meal at the café with him. The stars remind him of the gentle touches on his skin when she used to treat his wounds after a job at night.
Trivial details reminded Laxus of times bygone.
It also reminded him of the time he kept wasting.
Pandora and Laxus made it closer to the streetlights of the streets. During their whole relationship, nights like these where they used to just stayed by each other felt so distant. The only times they actually met each other at night after he grew distant was during the Fantasia Parade and presently. The current dynamic just reminded them that they grew up and changed somewhat. And Pandora couldn't help but note how distant those days were to now.
Little doubts cloud Laxus' mind when he wondered if the time that paused in the library could move forward again.
Would she allow it?
Laxus inhaled deeply as he redirected his eyes to the stars scattered across the dark sky. Wondering about it had no point if there was no action.
Pandora looked over at the taller mage and saw that his eyes were taking in the sight of the stars. They could see the stars stretch into the horizon too since they were still on higher ground.
"How long has it been since we've seen the stars together?"
"I'd say three years. But it feels longer than that."
Pandora scoffed. A small smile crept up her face. "Three years is a lot. Time passes fast. And yet, when I look at the stars I feel comforted by how constant it is. It makes me think that time can stop for a while. It gives me some semblance of control over time."
Like now.
Laxus closed his eyes and chuckled. "How poetic." He said before looking at her and catching the way she grinned playfully and placed a finger on her chin while holding her spoon.
"Quite the bard, wouldn't you say?"
"Nah... You could use a little more work."
Pandora chuckled quietly, appearing like she was repressing her laugh with how she looked back down at her food almost sheepishly. She rarely showed sides of herself that could represent her displaying timidity. Perhaps he was starting to forget whether or not she actually was timid sometimes? Or was his doubts playing tricks on his memory?
The time wasted and the idea of not unpausing that time in the library had him painting more doubts in his mind.
He disliked it.
...
...
...
"Hey, Pandora." He started just as they stepped into the light of one of the lamps on the streets. He ceased his steps and she mimicked him curiously without delay. She was wondering why his tone sounded a little more serious. "Could you give me some of your time?"
For a second, all they did was just stare at each other. One was waiting while the other was just trying to comprehend what was being asked. The crickets making sounds almost made the scene comical.
Laxus reached up to scratch his neck. "If we have time, that is."
Those last words finally yanked her out of dazed surprise and she quickly shook her head, appearing almost like a jerk to snap her out of it. For a second, she still didn't know what to do with herself. So, her hands held her styrofoam properly, fearing that she might just drop it all, and she chose to give him a stiff nod. She didn't trust her voice at that moment.
Instantly, he felt the rain of doubts disappear.
First steps were most definitely a means to take control of the future.
Lamia Scale – 34
Sabertooth – 34
Mermaid Heel – 32
Fairy Tail B – 30
Fairy Tail A – 27
Blue Pegasus – 18
Quatro Chihuahua – 14
…
…
…
The fourth day of the Grand Magic Games was here. As per usual the day was going to kick off with a game. This time, there wasn't going to be any scheming Raven Tail to humiliate Fairy Tail anymore. They could finally focus on earning points without worrying about the shadows in the background.
When asked to choose the representatives for the game, Lucy was eager to participate in order to make up for her failure on the first day. Seeing how fired up she was, her team didn't object to it. Lucy looked even more fired up when she heard what kind of game she was going ot be partcipating in.
The game of the fourth day was the Naval Battle.
It was going to take place inside a giant dome-like sphere that was made entirely out of water. The entire dome occupied nearly the entire space of the arena. The participants didn't have to worry about oxygen since they were charmed with spells to give them the ability to breathe in it.
Risley of Mermaid Heel, Jenny of Blue Pegasus, Sherria of Lamia Scale, Rocker of Quatro Chihuahua, Juvia of Fairy Tail B, Minerva of Sabertooth, and Lucy of Fairy Tail A.
The rules of the game were fairly simple: a player loses once they exit the sphere and the last one standing is dubbed the winner. However, if two people remained in the sphere then a five-minute battle will be allocated to determine the victor.
"Good luck, Lucy!" Natsu hollered, raising his volume a little louder. Karissa was standing in between Erza and Gray to watch the game.
She was wearing a blue and white jacket over a dark shirt with three zeroes printed on it. Light gray fitted pants with blue lines on them contrasted her shirt. Her feet were covered in black sneakers that had white tongues and white soles.
"Since she's in the water, she can use Aquarius, right?" Gray had a good feeling about this one. Erza felt the same, nodding in agreement. Karissa reached back and threw on her hood over her head for no particular reason.
Karissa's eyes moved in between Lucy, Juvia and that one woman from Sabertooth. That lady was the one replacing Yukino after the poor Celestial Mage was given the boot. She had to wonder just how this member would compliment the almighty team. Juvia seemed very confident given that water was her element. However, just looking at this Minerva who was calmly confident made her feel suspicious about her abilities.
The gong rang and the game began.
Lucy wasted no time in summoning Aquarius. Juvia didn't waste time either in countering her attack with her own. Amidst the chaos, Jenny took the opportunity to dropkick Rocker out of the sphere. Not even five minutes after she was summoned, the mermaid Celestial Spirit just decided to leave and abandon Lucy which left Gray and Erza absolutely dumbfounded. Juvia tried ejecting Lucy out of the sphere when Aquarius disappeared but Virgo and Aries were summoned to provide support.
Karissa kept her eyes on Minerva. The woman had barely moved the whole game. She kept her arms out though to keep from getting pushed out. Because of the water, she couldn't see clearly the flicker of light coming from the magic Minerva emitted to keep herself in the game.
"What is that?" Karissa murmured.
"Go forth, Wings of Love! Gray-sama Love!"
Juvia created a giant whirlpool that forcefully pushed out some of the girls out of the sphere.
"What is that?!" Karissa recoiled.
The lacrima vision zoomed in on Gray, briefly catching Karissa's expression of utter disbelief, as he slapped his hands over the stone rail and screamed out in immense embarrassment, "KNOCK IT OFF!"
"Damn, Gray…" Natsu cackled at the look on his face on the lacrima vision. He dropped his hand on the ice mage's shoulder who stood like a statue. He was too abhorred to care about Natsu's mocking cackles.
The lacrima vision refocused on the game. Sherria, Risley and Jenny were on the ground outside the sphere. Karissa now saw the light of Minerva's magic that protected her from the whirlpool since it became more visible with how she emitted more of her magic. She looked as if she was pushing it back. When the whirlpool stopped, Karissa could see how Juvia looked over with a bashful smile to see how Gray reacted. They could all see how her jaw dropped.
Karissa did the same and saw the absolute revulsion on his face. Like Natsu, Karissa patted his shoulder but in a more sympathetic way.
As Juvia was in the middle of her shock, Minerva used this opportunity to throw her out of the sphere. It was just her and Lucy now.
Attentive again, Karissa leaned her elbows on the rail and observed Minerva. That push alone was enough to eject Juvia out and she wasn't even remotely close to her.
That means she had the power all this time to easily push the competition out of the sphere.
The wind user's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "So why didn't she?"
"Why didn't she what?" Erza asked just as the five-minute battle rule began. She was looking at Karissa. The S-Class mage actually noticed that Karissa was observing the fight closely. There were things that sometimes she couldn't see that Karissa could due to her observational skills.
"Minerva has the power to easily push out the competition from the sphere. But she held back. I just don't know for what reason—" Lucy let out a scream, making Karissa cease her sentence and perk up when she noticed the burns on her body. Erza directed her attention back to the game and she was left feeling confused and slowly concerned with how Lucy was enduring the blows from Minerva's magic.
"What kind of magic is that?" Gray grimaced as Lucy got hit several times. Then his eyes widened when he noticed Lucy patting around her midsection. Her belt carrying her keys were gone. He looked over to Minvera and saw how she wriggled it around in the water to show it off to Lucy.
"How did she—" Natsu cut himself off when he saw Lucy get blasted away. She was this close to falling out of the sphere but she was able to stop at the very end, creating a small outward splash from stopping at the edge.
Lucy was doing everything she could without her keys to stay in the game. All members of Fairy Tail found it hard to watch as the young mage struggled to remain in the sphere without any way of fighting back. The lacrima vision didn't make it easier since they could hear Lucy's pained screams echoing from it. She was enduring all her attacks in hopes of winning. And even if she did not win, she could at least get a tie like Wendy.
"I think it is time to push you out." Minerva lifted her hand as she noticed the clock reaching the limit. It was amusing to watch the mage struggle and endure but playtime had to end now.
"If I fail here, I won't be able to face all the people who got us this far!" Lucy responded, still staying afloat within the sphere. She gave Minerva a look that was borderline defiant with how determined she looked. "I can't betray everyone's feelings! So, I won't give up, no matter what you do!"
Karissa's eyes slid over to Minerva to watch how she would reply. The woman had ceased her magic. Her response would most likely give people an idea of her character.
"Wh-What's going on in there? Minerva's attacks have stopped! If she doesn't do something, the five minutes will expire! After that the order will go back to normal!"
As soon as the announcer spoke, Minerva mercilessly attacked Lucy. She didn't stop there. She began to relentlessly attack the unharmed mage.
"Lower your head, Fairy Tail!" Minerva yelled at her, tone unmistakably haughty. Her manner of speaking was also proof of how prideful this person was. "Just who do you think we are?! We are the greatest guild in the world! Sabertooth!"
A particular harsh blast threw her towards the edge of the sphere at full speed. But Lucy suddenly disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the sphere. Minerva was holding her arm as she slammed her leg into her back. Again, it didn't stop there, she attacked her again and made sure to keep her within range.
She was torturing her.
"Bitch." Pandora's eyes were half-lidded with anger.
"The fight was already over…" Laxus gritted his teeth as he could not do anything but watch.
Gajeel jumped when Pandora suddenly yelled at the staff down below who just watched since he was unsure whether or not to interfere. "You're going to let this play out? The hell are you doing?!" The staff member flinched under Pandora's glare and started whispering to the other staff members.
Keeping her inside the sphere, pushing her back effortlessly, heavy attacks. Karissa's attentive eyes were watching Minerva this whole time. She could only come to two conclusions: gravity or space-like magic.
As Natsu cried out Lucy's name in horror, Gray and Erza were wondering just what the hell was the staff doing allowing this violence to happen? Didn't they understand what was happening? The hell was taking them so long to stop this?
Karissa's eyes darkened with displeasure the longer she watched the conceited woman torture her friend. Elbows still resting on the stone rail, Karissa's hands folded in front of her mouth to glance over at Sabertooth with Erza, Gray and Natsu doing the same. They could see some members, notably Orga and Sting, showing off how this was nothing but amusing to them. Orga shrugged mockingly while Sting grinned and waved at them.
Karissa was the first to turn her eyes away the second Sting tried to look at hers.
Arrogance. Sadistic. Cruel.
No sense of propriety.
Laughing at blood being spilled.
The female ice mage listened to Minerva's distant laughter coming through the lacrima vision. Unlike before, the audio wasn't as clear. They probably started muting it because they were realizing it was inappropriate for the crowd.
"The referee has called the match! The match is over, and the winner is Minerva! Yes, Sabertooth really is strong! Lucy hasn't moved in a while! Is she okay?!"
Does she look okay to you, idiot?
Minerva was dangling her body outside the sphere, having done so as soon as there was only one second left by holding her up by her throat. Minerva smiled with her eyes closed as she held out her arms victoriously.
Who did this woman think she was? How much arrogance did this woman possess? Just because her guild was number one in the country, she thought she could treat someone like nothing but an entertainment show? A guild was nothing but a group that a mage was affiliated with. Without it, she would be reduced to nothing but a woman and a mage, no?
"Greatest guild in the world, huh?" Karissa murmured.
You can't even prove that.
You have no right.
You're… nothing.
Karissa saw Erza, Natsu, and Gray jump over the stone rail to run to their fallen friend the second they saw Minerva make a move to drop her. Miraculously, Gray and Natsu were faster and actually made it to catch her, cradling her head to avoid it touching the hard ground. She could hear them calling out to her worriedly while Erza glared up at Minerva.
That woman was still floating in the sphere, looking down on them.
At that moment, something just clicked inside Karissa's head.
She scoffed and jumped over to join her teammates, sending the hood flying off her head before walking briskly while others were running to see Lucy. She could see Wendy in the distance running with some medics in tow to heal Lucy.
Finally, Minerva decided to come down the sphere while using her magic to simply slide down.
"Why do you look at me that way?" The Sabertooth woman asked Erza. "I simply followed the rules of the match."
Karissa took Natsu's place at Lucy's side when he shot up. He was ready to shout at that woman for what she did. He was shaking angrily, ready to literally burst into flames. Gray was holding Lucy closely, trying to coax a response out of her. Frowning, Karissa placed a hand on her wet cheek, silently mourning her state. Her cheek had cuts that were beginning to bleed again now that the water couldn't wash it away. The same went for her entire body. She was in terrible shape.
"Come on, say something." Gray urgently urged the blonde mage.
"Here, let me help!" Sherria exclaimed with Juvia running by her side.
"Gray, let her do it." Karissa took his arm and moved his hand away, signaling him to get out of the way of the young healer.
"Frankly, I believe you should thank me. I allowed you to attain second place… even with that worthless trash woman of yours."
Gray clicked his tongue, whipping his head to look at that woman. Karissa didn't say anything as she and Gray got up, hostility visible in their movements.
"Say that again!" Natsu growled, taking a step forward and ready to lunge at her if not for Erza putting a hand out to stop him and any one behind him. Just then the rest of Sabertooth seamlessly slid in front of their teammate to defend her just in case. The tension in the air had everyone watching with morbid curiosity. Who was going to strike first? Was there going to be another person injured? What was Fairy Tail's response going to be?
"Whoa! Both teams look like they're a hair's width from an all-out battle!"
Under her bangs, Karissa discreetly looked away from them to glance at the announcers. Based on what he just said, there wasn't any risk of disqualification then? He didn't say that there would be when it was obvious that a team was ready to pounce.
"You may be the 'strongest' or 'Fiore's best'. I neither know nor care." Erza began, cutting through the tension like a sharp knife. She put down her arm when she felt Natsu calm down. "However, I will say this one thing. You have taken the single guild you should not have angered and made it your enemy."
Unfazed by the dark angry warning look on Titania's face, Sabertooth smirked in response.
"Is that so?" Minerva put a hand on her hip. "Good to know."
Gray felt Karissa casually walk past him and slip past Erza to walk straight towards Minerva. He reached out to hold her arm to stop her from doing something reckless. He knew she wasn't one to act recklessly based on her emotions like Natsu, but she also had a limit to staying silent. Without looking back at him, she patted his hand reassuringly and slipped out of his grasp.
Sting, the first one in their line of defense, was quick to place a hand on her shoulder to make her back up when she came close enough.
"Whoa, now. No need to be so—"
Karissa completely ignored him and moved to look over his shoulder. She pointed her thumb behind her while using her other hand to do a key-twisting motion. "Lucy needs her keys back." She told Minerva as if she was oblivious to the tension. She appeared almost naïve with the way her eyebrows raised and how her eyes looked a little confused.
The Sabertooth woman stared at her for a second. The way her hostility disappeared was rather quick. With a scoff, she put down her hand from her hip and reached behind her as if to reach in her back pocket. She revealed Lucy's belt and keys in one piece.
"Take it. I have no need for these useless keys."
Minerva held out her arm, basically giving her permission to come take it and telling her guildmates to stand down. Sting relented and moved away from Karissa and his guildmates followed his example to let her through.
"Y-Yes, let's all get along now! Good!"
"Karissa." Gray called her name, worried and confused about her approaching Sabertooth. He didn't want that woman anywhere near her. Pandora and Clavis were also watching with concern as she dared to approach that woman.
The youngest Sinclost took the keys from Minerva.
Instantly, Minerva's eyes widened and her posture suddenly went stiff. Karissa peered up at her from under her bangs and she watched her struggle to remain standing. The air felt heavy. One of Minerva's knees bounced abnormally as she tried to stay up all while making raspy gasps as if she was struggling to breathe. She couldn't even speak.
She was being oppressed by Karissa's magical pressure. There wasn't anything she could do under this suffocating pressure. It was unforgiving. Orga, Rufus, and Sting could feel only a fraction of what was directed at Minerva since Karissa specifically weighed it down on her.
Apathetically, Karissa just watched her gradually lower, meeting her eyes at the same level for a brief second until she abruptly dropped to her knees with her arms held out awkwardly, frozen in place.
Karissa eyes remained fixated on her.
"Milady!"
That was the cue.
Karissa released the pressure which allowed Minerva to fall on her hands and take in shaky deep breaths. Sensing Sting approaching to probably restrain her, she turned her head to the side and emitted pressure on him as a way to tell him to back off. The White Dragon Slayer flinched and didn't take another step. The air around him felt so heavy.
"I didn't touch her. Calm down."
Lyon heard Clavis emit a sneeze-like laugh. He looked to his side and found the gravity user covering his mouth. "'scuse me."
Minerva continued to pant on her hands. "Haah... Haah... Haah..." She took in an audibly deep breath and swallowed.
Even though Erza stopped her team from retaliating against Sabertooth, she didn't stop Karissa from retrieving the keys because she really believed she wasn't going to retaliate. At first, she was about to stop her until she realized that she was technically not doing anything. Natsu found a little satisfaction in seeing that arrogant woman on her knees after the way she treated Lucy like she was nothing. Gray saw this as the closest thing to apologizing.
Minerva's nasty glare was directed at Karissa when she looked up at her. Karissa apathetically stared back at her after she stopped emitting pressure, giving Sting freedom to breathe.
"Frankly, I believe you should thank me. I allowed you to fall on your knees, a humble position… rather than letting you fall on your ass and look like a fool."
It isn't enough to have you sit.
On your knees.
"You insolent…!"
"I won't allow anyone like you to look down on me." Karissa lifted her head slightly to look down on her as if she was inferior. "Lower your head."
Minerva gritted her teeth at the impudence Karissa displayed towards her. Unfortunately, even if Minerva wanted to attack her, she was still recovering from the after effects from being ultimately oppressed by her magical pressure. Karissa turned away from Minerva and wriggled the keys in her hand. "I was only retrieving my friend's keys." She told the Sabertooth members who were watching her warily as she passed by them again. She didn't care for anything they had to say to her.
"A-Alright! Enough! That's enough to make it even! If any team retaliates, then there might be a potential disqualification!" Chapati rapidly spoke, intervening just in case someone else did something.
As Sting watched Karissa join Gray's side check on Lucy, he wiped the back of his neck with his gloved hand to remove the sweat. Her magic power… It really was no joke. Remembering gave him shivers. It was a completely different league from regular magical pressure.
The other Fairy Tail members gave Sabertooth one last hard look before turning away and focusing on the Celestial Mage.
After Lucy was taken in by the medics, Erza had to remind everyone that the games were still going to proceed as planned. She led the way back to the way they came. Natsu was very reluctant to leave his spot He was simply watching his friend being transported away on a stretcher. With a clench of his teeth, he turned away and kept moving with Gray and Karissa following behind him.
"Nice one." Gray nudged her arm when she tucked away the keys in her pocket. "But I thought you were going to do something worse."
Karissa feigned offense, pouting on him. "Come on, I have self restraint. Think I was going to slug her? Not worth my time."
Gray scoffed lightly and shook his head. And exerting magical pressure wasn't more exhausting than that? Oh, the contradictory.
…
…
…
Lucy was in the infirmary after receiving treatment for her wounds. Both teams dropped by the room to check on her since they had a few minutes until the battles of the day began. She showed remorse for losing again. But they wouldn't have any of that since they were proud of her for enduring for their sake. Eight points was still a lot.
"My keys…" Lucy's hand weakly patted around the bed to try and find them. Karissa detached the belt from the keys and made her way to the younger mage. Lucy's eyes expressed relief when she saw that they were all in one piece.
"Thank you, Karissa."
"Get some rest."
After a soothing pat on the head from Karissa, Lucy fell asleep after thanking her gratefully one more time. She nestled her keys against her face.
"Those guys get on my nerves!" Cana clicked her tongue a few seconds after Lucy fell asleep. "Good thing you at least got some type of lick in." The brunette told her best friend who was sitting on one of the free beds.
"She got on her knees for the loser guild." Pandora scoffed, crossing her arms. "That most likely hurt her pride."
"I didn't even have to touch her." Karissa flopped on her back and kicked her legs back and forth. "They hold their head high just because of a guild. Pretty conceited if you ask me."
"Yeah, I don't like 'em." Gajeel huffed, backing away from Karissa's legs before she accidently hit him somewhere sensitive.
The sound of the door opening caught everyone's attention. It was their Guild Master. He walked in with a serious look which demanded all their attention.
"You're all here. Perfect." He sighed. "I don't know if this is good news or bad news. We have received an order from the backers of the Games to combine A and B into one team. With Raven Tail disqualified, and only seven teams left, the odd number is causing problems when scheduling the Battle sections. So they've told us to combine both teams into five-wizard team…"
"Wait, what about our points?" Carla was the first to voice a concern.
Makarov sighed again. "I hear they're giving the new team the lower point total. In other words, Team A's 35 points."
How unfair. Unfortunately, they could not argue since the backers were the one deciding things regarding the games. They were just the participants.
"Still, if you think about it, we can combine into an even stronger team." Cana realized, seeing some light in the situation.
Gray placed his hands in his long white jacket's pockets. "But… even if we cut down to five mages, all we have left are the tag-battles, right?"
"No," Porlyusica interjected. "Tomorrow may be a day off, but after that is the final day's battle which includes all five members." Karissa stiffened when she heard that piece of information. She sat up and looked at the Master, wondering who he was going to choose for that battle. The new team's members had to be considered carefully.
"I'm gonna avenge what they did to Lucy!" Natsu declared, displaying his obvious want to be part of this new team. "They laughed at my friend! I don't ever forgive something like that!"
Laxus turned to his grandfather. The little old man was looking at the resting Lucy. As the parent figure, he wanted nothing more than to slap those arrogant Sabertooth punks with a giant hand.
"So, old man, who are you going to pick? I assume you've made your pick on the way here."
"I did." Makarov paused for a second, unintentionally leaving them all in suspense. "To represent our guild I have chosen Natsu, Laxus, Gray, Gajeel, and Karissa. Erza will be our reserved member for this team."
"Juvia is surprised that Erza isn't on the main team." Juvia admitted. She would have thought that the Master would prioritize Erza's skills as an S-Class mage.
"If that's what the Master has decided. Then I will trust his decision." Erza responded in regards to her being on the reserve for the team.
"I kept a similar mindset as when I first chose the members of the teams. But this time, I prioritized individual skills a little more before the team cohesion. Karissa can act as a control tower if needed and her value as a mage is almost doubled thanks to her magic power. She's basically creates a sixth phantom member. Gajeel's skills were considered S-Class during his time in Phantom Lord and he can work well in teams when it counts. I trust in him. Gray's strength and speed can be effective against most of the competition. Laxus is already a power house. And Natsu, well, I don't think anything needs to be said about him."
All of them had different roles like chess pieces.
And they all carried the value of S-Class mages.
"I don't know if I should be offended that you have nothing cool to say about me." Natsu deadpanned.
Makarov ignored him. "And each member has experience with teaming up with at least one person."
As if on cue, every member looked at the one that the Master was talking about for them.
Laxus to Karissa, Gray to Karissa, Natsu to Gajeel, and as if to seal the circle, Karissa looked at Laxus.
"Not my proudest moment." Gajeel scoffed, crossing his arms and looking away from Natsu.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?!" Natsu barked. He got up from his chair to butt heads with the other Dragon Slayer.
"Exactly what it means, dumbass."
"We do make a great team." Gray admitted with a smirk. "How could we not?"
Karissa grinned at him.
"She is good at being my little support." Laxus shrugged lightly.
Karissa covered one of her eyes, the same one she had a hard time seeing through during the fight with Hades. "Only need one of these to help make a thunderstorm."
Mirajane giggled at the exchanges. Pandora laughed and shook her head. Cana rolled her eyes at Gajeel and Natsu. Juvia tried to break up Gajeel and Natsu since they were making noise while Lucy slept.
Needless to say, they all had a good feeling about this new team.
After the intermission was over, all the guilds were standing on the field and waiting for Fairy Tail to show up now that they were combined into one team. The Grand Magic Games was going to present the teams once more to the audience.
They were currently standing in the shadows and waiting for the announcers to give them the go to come out.
"And… the newly formed Fairy Tail team should be making its appearance just about now!"
Laxus was the first to walk and the others followed in suit. The closer they made it out into the light, the more the crowd started cheering. It was proof that their spirit reached them and they were gaining back some popularity… or maybe just all of it.
When they firmly stood before the crowd, the cheers became increasingly louder.
"These raucous cheers make the booing of the first day seem like an old lie! In just four days, they've recovered all of their former popularity!"
While some of her teammates were looking at their counterparts from Sabertooth, Karissa was just simply uninterested in Minerva and chose to look towards Lamia Scale where her brother was looking at her. She waved at him.
Minerva wasn't worth her attention anymore after she forced her to kneel.
"We will now begin the battles of the day! First battle is Blue Pegasus' Ichiya and Rabbit versus Quatro Chihuahua's Bacchus and Rocker!"
Anyone on the field that wasn't named turned away to go up to their respective spots up in the stands. Karissa was the first to turn away in her team with her hands tucked away in her pockets.
"Did you see the way that Sabertooth woman was looking at you?" Gajeel was the first to speak. "You really pissed her off."
Karissa scoffed with a shrug. "I don't care. Torturing someone isn't something you do for sport."
"She deserved it after laughing at Lucy." Natsu shrugged too. She raised her fist for Natsu with a cheeky grin and he bumped it with hers with a snort.
The first battle ended with Ichiya leading his team to victory. His partner, the Rabbit, was his Exceed counterpart. Needless to say, it threw everyone for a loop since that was the last thing they expected. The Exceed, specifically.
The second battle was between Lamia Scale's Lyon and Yuka versus Mermaid Heel's Kagura and the while, Karissa was cheering for Lyon and Yuka. She really wanted Lyon to win his match… but it ended with a draw.
Karissa rocked back and forth on her feet. She was standing next to Natsu and Gray while Gajeel and Laxus stood behind them. They were watching the lacrima vision in the air that was scrambling names from Fairy Tail and Sabertooth for the final battle. It kept everyone in suspense since this was definitely going to be the highlight of the day.
Then, the names Natsu Dragneel, Gajeel Redfox, Sting Eucliffe, and Rogue Cheney were written in bold. The crowd immediately erupted in excited cheers. The entire stadium was shaking with their reverberation. Laxus, Karissa and Gray looked at their members who were looking at Sabertooth's team. They didn't stare for too long since they started turning away to walk down to the arena.
No words needed to be said to them because they already knew, just from the look on their faces, that there wasn't need to worry.
They were going to win without fail.
Karissa's eyes caught Sting's retreating back before it was engulfed by the shadows.
Alright, let's see if you're as interesting as you say, Sting.
…
…
…
The battle between Dragon Slayers was most definitely one to remember. Each team carried a purpose to fight. Sting and Rogue displayed impressive skill. It made her realize that he wasn't wrong to be proud of himself. They were even capable of using Dragon Force.
They were strong.
But Natsu and Gajeel were stronger…
Or just Natsu.
After arguing in public and literally brawling like children, Natsu childishly pushed Gajeel into a mining cart and sent him to who knows where. Poor guy didn't even have the strength to crawl out of the cart when that motion sickness hit him. After sending away Gajeel, Natsu urged Sting and Rogue to come to him, showing them he had no qualms about fighting them on his own. He was enough.
They fought hard.
They even used a Unison Raid.
But Natsu still crushed them.
Seeing the two Sabertooth Dragon Slayers' defeat, the crowd boomed with cheers. Karissa flinched with a laugh after the noise spooked her. Gray slapped his hand on the stone rail with a smirk before making a fist, gleeful over his team's victory. Laxus just scoffed with a smirk and closed his eyes.
"It's Fairy Tail! They've defeated the Twin Dragons! The winner is Fairy Tail! They've risen above the number one guild Sabertooth in just four days! Now, they are hot on Lamia Scale's heels! Fairy Tail just might steal their spot too! This brings the Fourth Day of the Grand Magic Game to a close! There will be a one-day break from the Games, and after that will be the final match!"
"You think the Master will use that day to celebrate?" Karissa asked Gray and Laxus. She looked giddy after seeing the fight and hearing the cheers. She was infected with excitement.
"I think one night won't be enough." Laxus replied. If there was one thing Fairy Tail liked to do, it was to celebrate for even the smallest occasions. This was way too big to ignore.
"With flamehead over there," Gray nudged his chin to the screen that showed Natsu laughing like a maniac in his victorious pose. "He'll probably rope everyone into celebrating twice as much."
"The final match will be a survival game with all five members of each team!"
"Ooh! Survival?" Karissa's eyes started shining with interest. That sounded like so much fun! She could just imagine sneaking around if it took place in some type of maze-like arena. The thrill would be awesome.
"Which guild will come out the victor in the end?! Everyone, you can expect fireworks!"
Lamia Scale – 50
Fairy Tail – 45
Sabertooth – 44
Mermaid Heel – 40
Blue Pegasus – 30
Quatro Chihuahua – 15
…
…
…
Even with Lamia Scale currently at the top, the message was clear to all teams. If they wanted a chance at winning, they needed to stop Fairy Tail at all costs. The fairies' spirit was indomitable and they weren't going to stop now.
They needed to be prepared to face the fairies that were baring their hidden fangs and lashing their tails at them.
Ahh, the more I write through the GMG ARC the more I get excited about the things to come. I'm basically scattering hints everywhere for the future chapters.