Chapter 78

A Bad First Day

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

Ultear, Jellal and Meredy looked up at the coliseum from far into the city. "Looks like the Games have finally gotten started." Ultear said with a smirk.

"I just hope that they don't get too deep into whatever is causing the magic disturbance." Jellal added.

"You don't have to pretend." The Time mage said. "We both know you're disappointed that you could go and impress Erza."

Domus Flau

The participants for Hidden all stepped forward as the other team member returned to their stand. "I'm sorry to say this, but I don't have any interest in losing here." Juvia told her crush.

"I would't expect anything less." He replied.

"Sorry, but I'm going at full force as well. For Juvia." Lyon interrupted, scaring Juvia.

"Who here is ready for Hidden!?" The same pumpkin mascot from the begin asked.

"Excuse me one moment." Nalpudding spoke up. "We still don't know what kind of game this Hidden is, or any of the contests. But having two guild mates competing in each round means Fairy Tail has a huge advantage."

His words angered Gray and Juvia before the mascot spoke. "That's just how it goes. The fact that two teams from the same guild made it to the finals is nothing short of amazing."

"I'm fine with this." Rufus declared. "If Salamander and The Green Woman end up facing each other, they will give it their all. We know this. So it should be no different for the rest of the guild." The others agreed as Nalpudding growled in annoyance before Rufus continued. "And this comrade may also be a weakness. There are a myriad of ways to turn this against you. You should remember that."

"Field Open!" Mato shouted before magic filled the arena. Building popped up and turned the sand into a sprawling city, shocking everyone.

When it was done, Gray found himself alone in the city as did everyone else. "Everyone in the stadium will be able to keep track of the action in crystal clear Lacrima Vision." Chapati's voice declared. "The eight inside don't know the whereabouts of each other, but they can hear us, just fine.

"The rules are simple: All of you will be it and looking for each other inside the city. You're free to use whatever magic you like, you just need to land one hit. If contact is made, a point is added to the attacker and taken from the victim." More magic rose up and clones of the eight fighters rose up. "These are copies of you, if you attack a copy by mistake, you will lose a point. Let the game begin!"

Juvia went gaga over the thousands of Gray clones around her before she tapped one by accident. A buzzer went off and she was teleported away. "Looks like we have our first failed attack. Juvia will have to wait ten seconds before we respawn her into a new area in the city. The same thing will happen of you are attacked. The game lasts thirty minutes, so hop to it."

"This is insane." Gray mumbled as he ran through the magically created town. "The real challenge isn't hiding, it's figuring out a way to find."

"If only you had grasped the rules a bit earlier." The Ice Mage turned around to see the Raven Tail member behind him. "The name is Nalpudding."

Gray smirked before throwing his hands together. "Thanks for finding me. Ice-Make: Hammer!" The frozen weapon crashed down... directly behind the short man. "If you're gonna try that trick, make sure I can't see that your lips aren't moving. Thanks for the point."

"Gray from Fairy Tail has scored the first point." Nalpudding teleported away before Gray walked away. 'That wasn't a bad idea he had... Guess this game isn't just about finding them, it's about how to get close as possible."

"You bastard!" A spiked fist hit Gray in the back, sending him back to zero points as Nalpudding gained it.

"You went for me again?" Gray asked. "What's wrong with him?"

As the game went on, the rest of his team watched in disbelief of his actions. "Gray! What are you doing!?" Natsu shouted in anger.

"Man up and get that little troll!" Elfman shouted.

Lucy turned and stared at the enemy team in anger, making the red head there do the same. "What are you looking at, blondie?" She teased before the armored member chastised her.

In Hidden

Gray walked through the false street, constantly keeping an eye out for Nalpudding. The ground in front of him cracked open before a dozen giant carrots shot at him. "Huh, I missed him." Beth complained as she looked out of the hole.

A giant cactus suddenly shot up, sending Beth flying. "Finally!" Gray turned and saw Yeager ready to cast another spell. "I was getting tired of waiting."

A blast of ice suddenly hit him to the side as Lyon came into view. "As was I." He chuckled before walking forward. "Finally found you, Gray."

"You can't get away from me, my love!" Both Ice mages turned and found themselves staring up as Juvia jumped off a building... flashing her underwear. Gray managed to move to the side, but Lyon was meet with a drop kick to the face.

"What... a sight..." He mumbled before being teleported away.

"For the record, I didn't need any help." Gray told her.

"I know." She replied as she turned to Gray. "I'm going to defeat you. After all, I promised the master."

"You promised the old man?" Gray asked in confusion, making Juvia nod.

Fairy Tail Guild Hall

5 Days Ago

"Are you serious?" Gajeel asked after Makarov told them his two team plan. "Why the hell would I ever do that!?"

"I don't care about who goes, but I don't like the idea of a 'b' Team." Laxus added.

"I'll be honest, I'd rather be the reserve for the main team." Laki chimed in.

"Then how about this? The team who loses has to do whatever the winning team wants for one day." Makarov suggested.

"Anything we want?" Laxus, Gajeel and Mirajane repeated as they smiled at the idea.

"Wha-whatever we want?" Juvia asked before her mind went wild and her face turned red.

"Pretty sure he doesn't mean that." Laki said as steam came off the Water mage.

Present

"Are you serious!?" Gray asked in shock before turning to a nearby camera. "Old man, this is the first time I've heard of this! This had better apply for our team too!"

"So I won't lose!" Juvia declared, dropping into a fighting stance. "I'm getting my wish."

"Bring it on." Gray did the same thing.

"Caught you, ya fairies!" Nalpudding shouted before swinging his arms, hitting both.

"What is this guy's problem?" Gray asked before vanishing.

Snow started falling from the sky before a flurry of snow suddenly hit him. Eve smirked as three points went his way before a frozen eagle hit him. Lyon blasted back as others started firing magic off.

Gray jumped back another punch from Nalpudding before launching ice at him. The announcer mentioned how Rufus had yet to make a move, much to everyones surprise and worry.

"This challenge is far too simple." A voice echoed throughout the city, catching everyones attention. "I perfectly remember the nuisances of your movements... your footsteps... your magics signature. I remember it all..." Rufus placed his fingers on his temple. "Memory Make: Night of Shooting Stars!"

The sky darkened as the other contestants started glowing. Rufus glowed as well before seven beams of light hit them, making them cry out in pain as magic hit them. Nalpudding managed to jump to the side and tried to punch the wizard, only for Rufus to turn to mist. "A fake?"

"That was merely a memory." Rufus declared as he suddenly reappeared and blasted the troll, getting another point for him. "I have no need for decoys."

The sky returned to normal as the crowd cheered his name. "This challenge isn't interesting at all, organizers. So I have no need to hide whatsoever. Even if I were to be found, I wouldn't be able to be hit. What's left there is just a memory."

Gray jumped at the blonde only for Nalpudding to kick him down, taking his last point. The timer went off and the game ended before the scoreboard came up.

1st Sabertooth - 10p

2nd Raven Tail - 8p

3rd Lamia Scale - 6p

4th Blue Pegasus - 4p

5th Mermaid Heel - 3p

6th Quatro Cerberus - 2p

7th Fairy Tail B - 1p

8th Fairy Tail A - 0p

"Just as we all expected, first place goes to Sabertooth! An amazing performance!" Chapati declared, making the crowd cheer. "Too bad for both of Fairy Tail's teams, they come in from behind."

The crowd started jeering the two members as Gray merely walked away from the arena. He entered the arena and punched the wall in anger, cracking the stone. "Raven Tail... That punk from Sabertooth... I'll make them pay."

"Now it's time for the battle portion of today's events." Chapati declared. "One member from each team will be paired up like so, and the fighting teams will change every day. Today's first match of the battles will be- Lucy Heartfilia from Fairy Tail against Flare Corona from Raven Tail."

The crowd cheered as the two women entered the arena. "It seems these two guild masters have a father and son relationship." Chapati reported. "It must be a very acrimonious one if they have ended up forming different guilds."

Mato stepped forward as the lacrima cameras covered the field. "From this point forward, the entire arena becomes a battlefield." He explained as the two women eyed each other. "There's a thirty minute time limit. If within that time, the opponent is rendered unconscious, that's a win. And with that, let the first match begin!"

A gong echoed from being struck and Lucy quickly went to her keys. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull - Taurus!" The cow appeared and swung his massive axe, forcing Flare to dodge. "Scorpio!" The blonde pulled out another and the second spirit appeared.

"Wicked! Time for a little Sand Buster!" The spirit's tail apparatus shot a storm of sand at the red head. The girl's hair came undone before it caught fire, blocking the attack.

"Her hair caught fire?" Natsu asked in shock.

"Taurus, Scorpio! Together!" The cows axe started absorbing the sand before the spirit started jumped.

"Sandstorm Axe Aldebaran!" He slammed the axe down and a massive sandstorm erupted. The wind picked up and tornados of sand launched Flare into the sky.

"Hair Shower - Wolf Fang!" The red hair started swirling before it took the form of a massive wolf. It bit down on Taurus' axe before throwing the cow into Scorpio, sending both to the ground.

"You two take a rest!" Lucy declared before closing their gates. The wolf glared at her before charging, its massive fangs opened to eat her as she pulled out a third key. "Open, Gate of the Giant Crab - Cancer!" The stylist appeared and charged, literally cutting the wolf off.

"My hair!" Flare shouted in anger before her locks suddenly tunneled under the ground. They wrapped around both Lucy and Cancer's feet before the whipped the pair around. "Eat this!" She slammed the two together and Cancer faded back to his world. "You spirits have nothing on my Crimson Hair."

"In that case..." Lucy unhooked her whip and swung the River of Stars, wrapping around the red heads wrist. Both girls pulled and they spun around, neither willing to let go. Momentum finally separated the two as the crowd cheered.

Lucy winced in pain as she looked to find her boots had been burnt off, some scars on her skin. "Aw, come on now." She complained as she tossed them to the side.

'My scorching hair... did this little damage...' Flare panicked in her head before she screamed and snapped forward and her hair went underground once more.

'The ground... She's going after my feet again...' Lucy thought as she looked around. 'Where's it going to come up from this time?'

"Pst..." Flare whispered, catching the blonde's attention. The read head pointed to the side and Lucy followed her finger to the stands. Even though it was faint, she could see the strand of red hair wiggling next to Asuka.

Before she could say anything, the hair wrapped around her head and slammed her to the ground. "Don't make a sound, that's an order." Flare demanded. "I don't know what might to her of you disobey... No matter how much of a dumb blonde you are, take your punishment with a smile."

The crowd cheered at the action as a lone man stood on the highest stand, covered in armor. "Sir, are you observing the fight today?" A guard asked as he walked up from behind.

"It's starting to ripen..." The man mumbled. "We might just complete it this year... Just sit back and wait a bit longer, Lord Zeref."

"Don't make a sound, don't move a muscle, don't use any magic." Flare ordered as Lucy glared at the red head in anger. "If you disobey me, who knows what'll happen to the little baby Fairy." A whip of hair came up from behind and struck her face. Flare laughed at the misery.

The scorching hair struck her body as the whole crowd stared in shock. The blonde cried in pain as she was dragged along the stone wall before throwing her along the ground, making the crowd groan in disgust. The blonde looked up to see Asuka cheering her on, unaware of the threat wiggling next to her.

The blonde clenched her fists as the flaming hair struck her even harder. The whips stopped before she pushed herself up. "I... surren-" Red hair wrapped around her mouth before it slammed her down, bruising her head even more.

"Did I give you permission to speak, blondie!?" Flare shouted before her hair grabbed the blonde's arms and legs, spreading them open. "As if I would let you surrender, the fun is just getting started, after all. You aren't allowed to speak, but I'll allow you to scream.

"Let's see... what should I do to you first? Strip you naked in front of a huge audience... That'd be interesting..." Lucy quivered in fear as the crowd whispered in a disturbed worry. "But I just thought of something better..." A strand of hair rose up before it turned into a glowing brand of the Raven Tail guild.

"I'll put the Raven Tail brand on you... a little present that last the rest of your life." The blonde started squirming in the hair only for the strains to tighten. "Where do you want me to place it? Oh, I know! Right on top of your Fairy Tail emblem!"

"Please! Anything but that!" Lucy shouted only for a strained to wrap around her neck and tighten.

"I told you not to speak, didn't I!?" Flare shouted in anger as the brand inched closer to the back of Lucy's hand.

"Something's wrong about this whole thing..." Juvia mumbled.

Laxus looked around and noticed his team was short a member. "Hold on, where did Laki go?"

"How should I know?" Gajeel retorted. "What am I, her keeper? DO SOMETHING, BLONDIE!"

Laki raced through the stands only to bump into Natsu. "You heard it too, right?" She asked.

Natsu nodded before the couple reached guild group. Laki shot a small spiked log at the hair before Natsu grabbed it and burned it. "Go Lucy!"

The blonde glanced over to the couple and smiled before she pulled on the hair. The grip tore on the wrist but she still managed to grab a key from her pouch. "Gemini!" The twin spirits flew out and struck the red head in the face, making her drop Lucy. "It's time for the big one!"

"We haven't practice enough!" Gemi replied.

"We don't know if we can do it!" Mimi added.

"Then turn into me!" She instantly regretted the order as the twins turned into a towel clad version of Lucy. "Why are you wearing that!""

"We can't help it." The clone replied. "This is what you were dressed like when we last copy you." The crowd instantly started cheering at the copy as Flare pushed herself up, intense anger in her eyes.

The two 'twins' gripped each other's hands as they both started glowing. "Survey the heavens, Open them wide... All the stars in heaven... Overflowing with light, make thyself known to me... O Tetrabiblos, for I hold dominion over the stars. Complete thy aspect..."

Flare started panicking when the field turned into outer space, planets littering the sky. "What is this!?"

The two raised their arms to the sky as they began glowing intensely. "Release thy malevolent gate... 88 Stars of all the heavens... Shine on! Urano Metria!"

The orbs started flying at Flare as she cried out, only for the spell to suddenly die much to everyone's confusion. Gemini had vanished as Lucy wobbled back and forth. "It... it was erased..."

Flare quickly glanced over to her stand and the imp flashing a peace sign at her. 'Obra! You saved me.'

Lucy fell over to the ground and after a clearing of his throat, Chapati spoke up. "Uh... Lucy is down! The match is over! The victor is Raven Tail's Flare Corona!" The red head started laughing at the blonde as the crowd started mumbling about the bizarre the ending was.

"That spell..." Maivs mumbled. "It's clear that outside assistance happened."

"Those guys are playing dirty!" Romeo shouted as Makarov glared at his son.

"It's my win!" Flare shouted. "Shows you right! Take a good look, blondie! How does it feel to get burned, loser!?"

Lucy merely covered her face and began crying as someone in the crowd stood up. The kid crumpled up some paper and tossed it in the ring, hitting Flare. Others followed his example and began booing Flare as well, feeling something was off at the end of the match.

Footsteps caught Lucy's attention and she looked through her hands. "Don't cry, Lucy." Natsu said, offering her a hand. "Let's save those tears for when we win!"

Lucy pushed herself up and took the hand as tears fell from her face. "Yeah... I'm all fired up..."

I'm sorry Lucy but if you send your spirits away after one attack, you deserve to lose. That is just the stupidest think you could do. I also find it stupid that the entire crowd just bought into that ending. So I made the games more like a wrestling match when a shocking ending would make the crowd riot and throw trash into the ring in disgust. I've seen that happen twice, and neither of them were in WWE.

The games itself are fun as all hell, but I also needed to make the story work. So I'm not going put in every line from the fans or the non participants. Hope that's okay with everyone. Can't really think of much else to say so I'll see ya next time.

Beta read by General Feng Xiang