Not sure when the actual, you know, Games will start, but I know you guys are looking forward to it.
Enjoy!
Nashi had to scan the young man standing in front of her a few times before she realized it was, as a matter of fact, Micheal from earlier. What was going on?
"Oh? You two have met before?" Her father asked. Nashi was too stunned to respond.
"E-Earlier." Micheal managed. "W-We, uh, talked."
"Y-Yeah." Nashi replied. Micheal's father Sting laughed.
"Well I suppose we don't have to have some sort of intro for you. Dinners about ready, so come along." Nashi's father walked past her, leaving her and Micheal alone. He cast a cautious glance at her, so she gestured after their fathers. He turned and walked after them, Nashi close behind him. After a moment of strange silence, Micheal chuckled.
"I feel like an idiot." he told her, running his hand through his hair. "You look a lot like your dad. Even have the guild mark on your hand." Nashi looked down at her hand at this, where her red guild mark was.
"Your should." She replied. "Although I guess I'm not perfect either, I didn't see it either." Micheal laughed.
"I guess." He replied. There conversation was cut off as they reached the dinner hall, where members of Sabertooth and Fairy Tail were talking to each other. Nashi wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, so she just followed Micheal and their fathers, where Nashi's mother and a women with white hair were talking and laughing. Once they got there, the women looked over smiling.
"Hey Natsu." Nashi's mother greeted. "Nashi." The women with white hair smiled.
"It's so good to see you again, Natsu-sama." She greeted. Nashi's father nodded.
"You too, Yukino." The women named Yukino then looked over to Nashi, smiling even wider.
"And this must be the daughter I've heard so much about." She said. Nashi smiled.
"I suppose I am." She replied. "Nashi."
"It's so good to finally meet you, Nashi-sama. I'm Yukino, Micheal's mother." Nashi could tell, Micheal had a very strong resemblance to his mother. The relation was undeniable. Yukino then turned to her son. "By the way Micheal, have you seen Ally?" Micheal shrugged.
"I saw her roaming around near the kitchens." He replied. "Might want to make sure she's not doing anything she's not supposed to be."
"Could you do that for me please?" Micheal groaned as his mother put on quite possibly the sweetest face Nashi had ever seen. "Come on, please?"
"...Fine." Micheal finally muttered, dragging his feet as he walked away from the group. he then stopped and turned. "Want to come, Nashi?"
"Huh? Why?" Micheal smiled.
"I'm sure Ally would love to meet you." Nashi wasn't sure what that meant, but she was sure she also didn't want to be the only person her age in the conversation, so she trailed after Micheal on his way to the kitchen. Once they made it there, Micheal stopped and looked around with a hand on his chin. "She should be around her somewhere, her scent is strongest right here."
"Who is Ally, anyway?" Nashi asked, also smelling a scent very akin to Micheal's in the area. "Is she...?"
"Caught you, Onii-chan!" Nashi jumped as a girl with shoulder length white hair tackled Micheal's legs. Micheal didn't seem all that surprised.
"Come on Ally, knock it off." He mumbled, shaking his leg. The girl did not release him.
"Nah, I don't want too." She replied. Micheal growled and grabbed the girl around the midsection, hoisting her up to eye level with him.
"Don't make me tickle you." he said in a deathly low tone. Nashi could've sworn he was threatening her life has she not heard the actual threat. The small girl's eyes widened in what appeared to be a mixture of fear and joy, so she nodded her head vigorously. Micheal put her down and sighed, turning to Nashi. "Sorry about that. This is Ally, my little sister." The girl smiled up at Nashi.
"Hiya!" She greeted. "I'm Ally!" Nashi smiled.
"I'm Nashi." She said. The girl was incredibly cute, that was undeniable. The girl looked up at her brother.
"Onii-chan, is she your girlfriend?" Nashi giggled as Micheal sputtered at the question.
"No!" he hissed. "Why do you always assume every new person you meet is my girlfriend?"
"Cause it bothers you." Micheal boiled in his irritation as Ally turned back to Nashi. "My brother has a lot of girlfriends, so don't get jealous." Nashi shook her head with a smile.
"I'll try." She said. Micheal seemed to be near the end of his rope, so he whirled his sister around and glared at her.
"Ally, Mom was looking for you. She's worried." Ally's eyes widened.
"Oh, I'll go find her! Bye Onii-chan! Bye Onii-chan's new girlfriend!"
"She's not my girlfriend!" Micheal shouted angrily as the free spirited girl ran away from them. Nashi turned to him with a smile.
"She's cute."
"She's the devil in a six year old's body."
Simon was unsure as to the reason he'd been dragged to Sabertooth's hotel for, just like everyone else. Of course by the time he was seated in between Drake and Damien to eat, it was too late to care. After all, he was pretty hungry. Everyone was eating and talking to others, although Sting's son, Micheal, was being bothered by a girl Simon assumed was his little sister. She was poking his cheek with a chicken leg, and he was doing his best to ignore her. Nashi was doing her absolute best to not laugh out loud.
"I can hear the giggling, Dragneel." Micheal hissed. "Shut it."
"S-Sorry..." Nashi managed through her giggles. "She's so cute though..."
"Says you..." Micheal muttered as his sister ceased her insistent poking. After that, both groups of six felt rather awkward. Only Nashi, Elise, Micheal, the Rogue's son Keita had been introduced, so no one else knew how to start talking.
"So," Looking up, it was Minerva's daughter Juno who had spoken up. She seemed to be directing her words at him. "You guys are going to compete in the Games?" Simon nodded.
"Yep." He replied. "Which probably means we're going to go up against you guys, right?" Juno nodded.
"Probably. You're Simon, right?" Simon nodded. "I've heard about you. Let's hope you live up to the stories."
"Entirely depends on what stories you've heard." Simon replied. Juno shrugged.
"I suppose." "I'm Juno, by the way." Simon already knew that, but nodded out of appreciation. Juno then pointed towards all of her friends. She first pointed to Micheal. "He's Micheal." Then Keita. "Keita." Then the girl with long, bright green hair. "That's Rina." and followed by the blonde girl with beautiful green eyes. "Kyoko." And then at the tan boy Simon did not know whatsoever. "And Blake."
"Blake huh?" it was Drake who had spoken. "You don't seem to have the famous bloodline of your friends."
"I could say the same to you, Dragon Slayer. At least my bloodline doesn't trace to a Dark Guild." Blake fired back. Drake smirked.
"Oohh, a little cocky are we? Always more fun to stomp your type."
"I was about to say the same."
"Drake." It was Ultear's scolding voice who silenced the Poison Dragon. Blake smirked.
"A little whipped there aren't you?" He asked.
"Blake." Juno said, making him sink into his seat.
"That was Drake." Simon said, gesturing to the boy playing with his food. "Ultear scolded him." Ultear smiled at the mention of her name, and Damien looked over at Simon.
"Sure don't introduce me, Mister Leader." Simon rolled his eyes.
"That's Damien." he said, making Damien laugh. Rina looked over at him.
"So you're the Dreyar, huh?" She asked. "I was looking forward to meeting you."
"A lot of girls say that, for some reason." Damien joked, earning a chuckle from most of the table. Rina shook her head with a smile.
"I just wanted to ask you something."
"As long as it's not signing part of your body, we're good." Simon snorted at this. "What's up?"
"If we end up crossing paths during the Games, don't hold back." Rina said. Damien made a face.
"I'm not sure you know how dangerous that request is." he said. "because I could very well kill you that way." Rina nodded.
"I know, that's why I asked."
"You want me to kill you?"
"No, I want the threat to be there." Rina shrugged. "Most people I fight don't pose that threat, so I want to see how it turns out." Damien did not reply to this, obviously because at least half of the people involved in the conversation were aware what Damien's full strength entailed. Simon wasn't sure Rina knew just how dangerous it was. She might have thought she did, but there was no way she had even an inkling of an idea.
"At least the Games might be entertaining this year." Ultear said, breaking the silence. "After all, the last few years have been rather bland from what I've heard." The blonde girl, Kyoko, nodded.
"They did, I remember it quite vividly."
"That's a surprise." Micheal joked. Kyoko sighed at this, making Micheal laugh.
"Anyway, they did suck. Hopefully we spice it up a little bit."
"We will." Rina said. "I'm not sure there's really anything to worry about there. This year will probably be one of the best in a while."
"Hopefully."
"You've been a little quiet over there, Keita." It was Elise who had spoken to the dark haired boy, who looked up at her.
"And?" He asked. Elise frowned.
"Just wondering why."
"I'm not exactly a talker." He replied. "Don't take it the wrong way."
"Because everyone already does." Micheal teased. A shadow whipped out from Keita's side to attack Micheal, but the boy slapped it away with a glowing palm. "Don't be like that, you know it's true."
"Ally, Micheal's being rude to me."
"Onii-chan!"
"You bastard...Gah!"
Natsu watched as Ally attacked her brother with a chicken leg, while the others watched and laughed.
"They seem to be getting along well." Minerva commented.
"Give it a few days." Rogue replied. "They'll be at each others throats soon enough."
"I have to agree with Rogue." Natsu said. "They'll act nice now, but just wait until there are points, not to mention pride, on the line."
"I hope they don't get to into it." Kinana said quietly. "The last thing we need is them really trying to hurt each other."
"Somehow, I feel that's an inevitable outcome." Sting said. Natsu frowned as Micheal grabbed the chicken leg from his sister and whacked her on the head with it. A normal child her age would've started crying, but Ally's eyes burned with anger as she tackled Micheal.
"Let's hope not."
"Holy hell I ate way to much today." Micheal groaned as they made there way out of the hotel and onto the street. After all, the qualifier started at midnight and it was ten.
"Pace yourself, you moron." Juno replied. Micheal made a face at her, and Juno sighed. She then started rubbing his back.
"Oh god I love you."
"Shut up fatty." Nashi smiled quizzically at the pair.
"The qualifier starts soon, so we should probably head back." She said. "After all, our parents are a bit, um..."
"Wasted, would be the word you're looking for." Drake said. Nashi nodded.
"Yeah, that. Anyway, we'll see you guys later. Maybe even in a few hours." Micheal nodded as Juno stopped rubbing his back.
"May the better guild win." He replied. Nashi turned and started walking away with the others, feeling rather excited about the qualifier.
"Nashi." Nashi stopped and looked over her shoulder at Micheal, who had called out to her. He had a big smile on his face, and he opened his mouth to speak.
"..."
Nashi and the other where back in there room, watching the clock tick down to midnight.
"What do you think the qualifier is?" Ultear asked.
"Not sure." Drake replied. "Although given the severe amount of guilds participating, it would have to be something that can eliminate hundreds at a time, right?"
"Hm," Nashi hummed as she thought. "Maybe it's the..."
Tick
The six friends looked back at the lock on the wall of their room. Both hands were over the twelve.
"It's midnight." Damien observed. Just as soon as he finished his sentence, the door to their room locked.
It only locked from the inside.
"I guess that means it's starting." Simon said, standing from his seat on the bed. Nashi nodded in agreement.
"Only question is, what now?"
It was soon answered.
The ground beneath their feet began to shake violently, and their window flew open. Rushing to it, the six looked out to find a gigantic face of a very handsome man in the sky. A hologram.
"Hello people of Crocus and every guild competing in the Grand Magic Games!" he roared. "Tonight, the over three hundred aspiring guilds will clash in the qualifier, known as the Labyrinth! This event has been resurrected due to many very familiar guilds competing this year! The basis is simple: In the ever changing maze created by buildings of the city, your competing team must be one of the first six guilds to cross the finish! If you are anything past sixth place, you are automatically eliminated!"
"Holy hell, only six places?" Simon asked. "Isn't it usually eight?"
"I'm pretty sure they upped the team member count by one in favor of less teams." Ultear answered.
"However, before the qualifier officially starts, I, Ross Kennedy, am honored to introduce the Queen of Fiore, Her Majesty Hisui E. Fiore!" Nashi's expectations of an old crotchety women were shattered when an attractive women who looked no less than thirty appeared on the hologram. The woman smiled.
"Hello everyone!" She greeted. "Another year, another festival. However, I have hopes that this year will be one of the most exciting to date!"
"Wait," Damien said. "Does she know we're...?"
"And without further ado, let the Grand Magic Games begin!" The Queen's face disappeared, and the rumbling began once more. Soon enough, a earthen path shot up from below their window, becoming them to cross it. It lead all the way up to the gigantic ball in the sky.
"There it is, that's the qualifier." Ultear said. "Are we ready?" Nashi grinned.
"Let's do this!" She shouted, jumping up on the walkway and sprinting towards the Labyrinth. Despite her friends calling her to wait up, she just sprinted up to it, excitement once again filling her veins. As she ran up to the Labyrinth, Micheal's words filled her ears.
Promise me one thing, Nashi."
"What?" Micheal held his arm out with a wild smirk.
"No matter what happens or who comes out on top, let's make this the best damn Grand Magic Games the people have seen in years."
There was really only one answer to this.
Nashi firmly grasped his hand and met his fiery gaze.
"That is a promise I am more than eager to keep."
And the Games officially begin! I hope you all enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get ten!