Chapter 21: Day 2 of the Grand Magic Games Part 2
"Come on Yukino! You can do it" shouted Jay in a supportive tone as he continued to watch the match. Sting and Rouge's words were still ringing in Jay's ears, gnawing away at him. Jay believed in Yukino; he knew that she could win. While Jay believed in Yukino, he could not deny that Sting and Rouge had some truth in what they said.
Watching as the match continued, Jay began to notice what Sting and Rouge were talking about. While Yukino was on the offensive and had been the entire match, it was clear Kagura wasn't fazed in the slightest. Yukino was throwing some of her best combos at Kagura and it seemed to take no effort from Kagura to avoid every attack. Jay knew that Yukino had to win, he didn't want to think about what would happen if she lost.
"Kick her ass Yukino! I believe in you" shouted Jay, his voice carrying into the arena as Yukino continued to fight. Turning his attention to the two exceeds, Jay started to speak.
"Come on you two. Help me cheer Yukino on" stated Jay, thinking that Lector and Frosch were the teams biggest cheerleaders when it came to Sting and Rouge. Nodding his head in agreement, Lector started to speak.
"Yah alright" responded Lector before he turned his attention towards the match before he continued to speak.
"Come on Yukino! We know you can win" shouted Lector in a supportive tone.
"Yah I think so too" responded Frosch with a smile, lending his support to his fellow guildmate.
"You can do this Yukino" shouted Jay, whishing he could jump in and help Yukino. After Jay said these words, he watched as Yukino trapped Kagura in a gravity spell thanks to Libra. Smiling from ear to ear, Jay continued to speak.
"Yes! Yukino's got her now" stated Jay in a happy tone, watching as Kagura was trapped in the air while Pisces prepared to attack. With the gravity trap Kagura had no hope of avoiding Pisces's attack. Just as Jay thought Pisces was about to make the final blow, Kagura shocked everyone by countering Libra's gravity magic with her own. In a flash Kagura made a counterattack, sending both Pisces and Libra back to the spirit world.
"See what did I tell you? This match is as good as over" stated Sting in a dismissive tone. Turning his attention towards Sting, Jay glared at him as he started to speak.
"Shut the hell up, you don't know what you are" Jay started to say before the announcer shouted over the speaker system.
"Amazing! With that the match is over! The winner is Kagura, netting Mermaid Heel ten points" shouted the announcer over the speaker system. Turning back toward the arena, Jay continued to speak.
"Wait what?! That can't be right" stated Jay, his next words dying in his throat as he looked into the arena and saw Yukino collapsed on the ground, tears falling down her face. While Jay was rendered speechless, he heard Sting start to speak.
"Yukino should just quit the guild now, we don't have room for a loser like her" stated Sting, anger surging through Jay at these words. Turning to face Sting, Jay grit his teeth in anger as he started to speak.
"Shut up. Say one more word and I'll break your legs" responded Jay, clenching his fist in anger as he faced down Sting. Giving Jay an amused smile, Sting started to speak.
"Why are you getting angry? Your girlfriend is a loser and" responded Sting before he was cut off when Jay's fist collied with his jaw. Stumbling backwards, Sting could taste blood in his mouth as Jay started to speak.
"I told you to shut your mouth" responded Jay in an angry tone as he raised his fist again, ready to hit Sting again. Sting spat out his blood before he started to speak.
"You're the one who should shut their mouth. You know the guild's policy, we have no room for losers like her" responded Sting, clenching his fist as he readied himself to remind Jay of the guild's policy.
"She has a name, her name is Yukino" responded Jay in an angry tone, wanting to beat Sting into the ground.
"Why would I bother remembering the name of worthless trash like her" asked Sting in a mocking tone. Getting nervous that his friends were fighting, and it only seemed like it was going to escalate, Lector stepped between Sting and Jay as he started to speak.
"Hey come on guys, you two don't need to fight" stated Lector in a nervous tone. Not breaking his glare towards Sting, Jay started to speak.
"Take that back. Take it back right now or Lector will have to carry you out of here in a body bag" stated Jay in an angry tone, his magical power radiating from his body showing Sting that he was dead serious. Smiling mockingly at Jay, Sting started to speak.
"Nothing would please me more to see you try but I think you have bigger things to worry about" responded Sting in an amused tone before he continued to speak.
"Or did you forget about the bet your worthless girlfriend made before the match began" asked Sting in a mocking tone. Sting's words made Jay's anger fade away, it being replaced by worry as he remembered the bet that was made. Turning his attention towards the arena, Jay watched as Kagura walked over to a still collapsed Yukino.
"Do you remember the bet that we made" asked Kagura in a serious tone. Still crying over her loss and the embarrassment she brought to her guild, Yukino started to speak.
"Yes I do, my life is yours" responded Yukino, her voice shaky as she continued to cry. Nodding her head, Kagura was about to speak before Jay jumped into the arena. Landing in the arena, Jay stood between Kagura and Yukino. Glaring at Kagura, Jay started to speak.
"You try it and I promise you it will be the last thing you ever do" responded Jay glaring at Kagura and ready to defend the woman he loved. Standing between Kagura and Yukino, Jay watched Kagura closely as she started to speak.
"You mean to interfere? Are you not a man that honors bets" asked Kagura in an emotionless tone. Taking a step forward, Jay radiated his magical power as he started to speak.
"Honoring bets isn't nearly as important as protecting the woman I love. If you try and follow through with that bet, I will end you" responded Jay in a serious tone, meaning every word as he stared Kagura down. While Jay and Kagura stared each other down, the announcer started to speak through the speaker system.
"It seems things are getting a bit tense in the arena. All involved parties should keep in mind that any unauthorized fighting will result in immediate disqualification" shouted the announcer, hoping that Jay and Kagura will back down. Still glaring at Kagura, Jay started to speak.
"I couldn't care less about disqualification. Make a single move towards Yukino and I will make you regret it" stated Jay, almost daring Kagura to try something. Kagura took a moment to stare at Jay, studying him for something before she started to speak.
"Your life was mine and I give it back to you" stated Kagura in a dismissive tone before she turned around and started to walk away from Yukino and Jay. Watching from the stands, Lucy and the rest of her team breathed a sigh of relief as Kagura walked away. Jay took a moment to watch Kagura walk away, making sure that the danger to Yukino had truly passed before he turned his attention towards Yukino. Rushing over to Yukino who was still laying down on the ground while she cried, Jay started to speak to her.
"Yukino are you alright" asked Jay in a concerned tone, his heart breaking as he watched Yukino cry. Sitting up, Yukino couldn't even look Jay in the eyes as she started to speak.
"J-Jay I'm so s-sorry. I l-let you down, I let d-down the guild" responded Yukino between choked sobs. Reaching forward Jay placed his hands on Yukino's shoulders as a show of affection and support as he started to speak.
"You didn't let me down Yukino, you" Jay started to say before he was cut off by Yukino who shook her head and started to speak.
"N-no I failed Jay, I brought shame to the guild" responded Yukino, tears falling from her face as she continued to speak.
"I d-don't deserve to be in the g-guild" stated Yukino, her voice shaking as she barely was able to speak through her sobs. Holding onto Yukino tightly, Jay started to speak.
"Don't say that Yukino that's not true" stated Jay, wishing he knew what to say to make Yukino feel better. Shaking her head, Yukino shook Jay's hands away from her shoulders as she started to speak.
"Y-you know the policy Jay" responded Yukino, referring to the Sabertooth way. Shaking his head in disagreement, Jay started to speak.
"Yukino the policy doesn't" Jay started to say before Yukino cut him off. Looking Jay in the eyes while her own eyes were filled with tears, Yukino started to speak.
"Y-you said it yourself Jay" responded Yukino in a tearful expression, her body shaking as she continued to speak through sobs.
"There is n-no place in Sabertooth for weaklings or losers" stated Yukino unable to stop crying as she looked at Jay. Jay was stunned at Yukino, having his own words thrown back at him rendered him speechless for a moment. Staring dumbly at Yukino, Jay started to speak.
"Yukino when I said that I didn't mean you" responded Jay hoping that Yukino would believe his words. Shaking all over from her sobs, Yukino could barely look Jay in the eyes as she started to speak.
"J-Jay I'm sorry. I'm n-not worthy being in the guild. I'm n-not worthy of being with you" responded Yukino, her face stained with tears. After Yukino said these words she turned around and ran out of the arena. Jay was still left speechless, Yukino throwing his words back at him making him mute. Jay was unable to move from his spot, Yukino's words ringing in his ears while the rest of the crowd began to file out of the arena. Jay didn't know how long he was kneeling in the middle of the arena with a stunned look on his face before he heard Lucy's voice start to speak.
"Jay is everything okay" asked Lucy in a concerned tone. Hearing Lucy's voice brough Jay back to reality. Turning around to face Lucy, Jay started to speak.
"I don't know Lucy, I" responded Jay before he trailed off, still trying to process Yukino's words. Concerned that Jay was being mute, Lucy started to speak.
"Jay" asked Lucy in a concerned tone, hating to see her little brother this conflicted and torn up. Jay was silent for another moment, only making Lucy's concern for him increase as she continued to speak.
"Jay please speak to me" stated Lucy, wanting to know what was wrong so she can help. Looking at Lucy with a listless stare, Jay started to speak.
"Sorry Lucy, I need to be alone for now" responded Jay as he started to walk away from Lucy. Still concerned for her little brother, Lucy called out to Jay.
"Jay are you sure" asked Lucy in a concerned tone, wishing that Jay would let her know what he was thinking. Stopping with his back turned to Lucy, Jay started to speak.
"Yah Lucy. I just need to be alone with my thoughts for a while" responded Jay in a far away tone, as if he was a million miles away from where he was standing. Still concerned for her little brother, Lucy started to speak.
"Okay Jay but if you need to talk please don't hesitate to find me" responded Lucy, knowing that Jay could easily track her down using his strong sense of smell as a dragon slayer. Turning his head to look at Lucy, Jay gave her a weak smile as he started to speak.
"Thanks Lucy" responded Jay with a weak smile before he turned back around and walked out of the arena. Walking out of the arena Jay didn't have a destination in mind, he just wondered through the streets while his mind was a mess.
Walking through the crowded streets of the capital, Jay was so lost in these thoughts that he didn't pay attention to some of his fans that requested an autograph. Jay's mind was a mess, Yukino's words playing over and over again in his head. Closing his eyes, Jay could clearly make out Yukino's tearful expression as she told him those words that broke his heart. Hearing Yukino saying she wasn't worthy of him and the guild broke Jay's heart and rendered him speechless.
At the time when Yukino said these words, Jay would have usually immediately disagreed with her but her earlier statement was still ringing in his ears. Jay had told Yukino that it was alright she lost and she told him that wasn't true. Yukino reminded Jay of the guild policy, the policy that up until now Jay had endorsed and agreed with. Jay had said multiple times that there was no room in the guild for losers and weaklings, that only the strong were allowed in the guild. Jay loved Yukino and wanted to comfort her, but how could he do that without sounding like a hypocrite?
Only the strong were given the right to be in the Sabertooth guild. Might makes right, these were the words that Jay believed in and preached. How can Jay believe in the Sabertooth way of doing things while also forgiving Yukino for losing? Yukino had tried her best but according to the guild's policy that wasn't good enough, only victory mattered. Seeing that he had wondered into a public park, Jay sat down on a nearby bench as he continued to think about things.
"Is it possible the guild's way of doing things is wrong" asked Jay to himself as he continued to ponder Yukino's words.
Jay wanted to find Yukino and tell her that her loss didn't matter to him, that he was still desperately in love with her but that would conflict with the guild's ideals. Sabertooth was number one and Jay always believed that was because of the guilds policy of only allowing the strong to join. In the past Jay had gladly kicked out members of the guild that underperformed, believing that it would make Sabertooth stronger. If Sabertooth was the strongest then it's polices couldn't be wrong, at least that is what Jay used to think.
Thinking about it Jay knew that if he was asked to him would not be able to expel Yukino from the guild. It might make him a hypocrite, but he couldn't do that to the woman he loved. Sabertooth wouldn't be the same without Yukino, it wouldn't be home. Coming to this realization didn't make Jay feel any better since it directly conflicted with the guild's policies, the policies that he had viewed as the reason why Sabertooth was the best.
What even made a good guild? Jay used to think the answer was obvious, strength. A guild was good only if it could continue to win and be the best and that could only be done by expelling the weak from the guild. Was strength really all that mattered to a guild? Jay thought about this, and his mind wondered towards his observations of Fairy Tail.
Fairy Tail was the weakest guild in the entire kingdom, by his own beliefs that should make the guild terrible but that wasn't what Jay observed. Despite coming in dead last during the first day of the Grand Magic Games the Fairy Tail guild was still happy just to be with each other. If Sabertooth came in dead last the guild wouldn't be enjoying each other's company, the guild master would be on a warpath. From his observations on Fairy Tail, Jay knew that Lucy's guild cared about more than just strength and winning. Was it possible that Fairy Tail was better than Sabertooth even though they allowed and settled with failure?
Closing his eyes once again, Jay could clearly picture Yukino's tearful expression. Yukino had tried her best, Jay was sure of that. Despite trying her best, Yukino felt the need to cry and apologize to Jay like she had done something terribly wrong. Jay loved Yukino and never wanted to see her that sad, just seeing Yukino crying like she had after her loss broke Jay's heart. Thinking about it, Jay couldn't care less if he was considered a hypocrite. If a policy he had previously believed in caused the woman he loved to cry then it was a policy he could no longer believed in. Letting out a long breath, Jay knew that strength and winning no longer mattered to him. It didn't matter if Sabertooth was number one, all that mattered to him was Yukino and her happiness.
Standing up from the park bench, Jay decided that he was going to track Yukino down and tell her that her loss didn't matter to him. Yukino's loss hadn't changed how he feels about her, Jay loved her and could not imagine Sabertooth without her. It didn't matter how mad the guild master would be with Yukino, Jay would convince him to let Yukino remain in the guild. Sabertooth might be the strongest but with these new realizations, Jay knew that some things were seriously wrong with his guild, and he would change them.
"Okay first things first, I got to track Yukino down" stated Jay to himself needing to find Yukino and reassure her. No matter what Jay was going to make sure he never had to see Yukino like that again, he would make sure she never had a reason to be that sad again. Sniffing the air, Jay relied on his strong sense of smell thanks to being a dragon slayer as he continued to speak.
"Strange I can't pick up her scent" stated Jay to himself as he sniffed the air. Jay was looking for the familiar scent of vanilla, that's how Yukino smelled to him. Thinking about it for a moment, Jay continued to speak.
"Yukino must be ashamed to see me, she must be hiding her scent" stated Jay thinking that Yukino must have used perfume to hide her natural scent from him. Not giving up on finding Yukino, Jay started to walk mindlessly about while he sniffed the air. Yukino might have hidden her scent from him but it wouldn't last forever, she couldn't trick his nose for too long. As Jay walked around while sniffing the air he stopped when he picked up on a familiar scent.
"Did Lucy follow me" asked Jay to himself as he looked around. Sniffing the air Jay picked up on the scent of jasmine, which was Lucy's natural scent to him. Looking around the area Jay figured that Lucy must still be worried about him and followed him. While Jay looked around the area he knew that Lucy was near, but he couldn't find her. Taking another sniff Jay noticed that something was off about Lucy's scent. As Jay wondered what was off about Lucy's scent he found the source of it and was confused.
"Why would Lucy be wearing a cloak like that? Does Lucy think I would be mad she followed me" asked Jay to himself wondering why Lucy was wearing a cloak that hid her face. Walking over to Lucy, Jay figured he should let her know he wasn't upset with her.
"Hey Lucy what are" Jay started to say before Lucy suddenly ran away. Jay was shocked at this reaction; it wasn't like Lucy to run away from him. Looking at Lucy as she ran away, Jay called out to her.
"Lucy hold on I'm not mad at you for following me" shouted Jay hoping that his word would stop Lucy from running away from him. As Jay said these words he wondered what was off about Lucy's scent. The scent was undoubtedly Lucy's, but it was slightly different, different enough for Jay to realize that whoever this person was running away from him it wasn't his Lucy. Running after the imposter, Jay shouted at her.
"Hey stop! I have some questions for you" shouted Jay as he ran after the imposter. Jay didn't know what was going on, but he was sure whoever he was chasing wasn't Lucy, she wouldn't run away from him like this. Whoever he was chasing had something to hide and Jay was determined to get some answers. Why did this imposter smell just like Lucy? Continuing to run after the cloaked imposter Jay continued to shout.
"I said stop! You need to give me some answers" yelled Jay as he continued to run after the imposter. Running after the imposter it was obvious that Jay was faster, he was quickly gaining on her. Putting in more effort, Jay increased his speed as he ran after the cloaked imposter that smelled almost the same as Lucy. With his increased speed it didn't take long for Jay to be right on the imposter. Seeing that they were about to be caught, the imposter turned down an alley way in an attempt to get away from Jay. Turning down the alley way turned out to be a mistake, it was a dead end with nowhere to escape.
"Theres no where to run. You're going to answer my questions" stated Jay as he walked into the alley way, the cloaked figure desperately looking for an escape route. Walking towards the cloaked figure, Jay could sense their panic as he continued to speak.
"Are you scared or something? Why do you smell like Lucy, that shouldn't be possible" asked Jay as trapped the cloaked figure against a wall as he reached forward. Reaching forward Jay continued to speak.
"I know you aren't Lucy, so who are you" asked Jay as he grabbed onto the cloaked imposters hood and removed it, any further questions died in this throat as he looked at the face of the imposter. Filled with complete confusion, Jay continued to speak.
"Lucy" asked Jay in complete confusion, Lucy's face staring back at him. Sniffing the air, Jay confirmed that it was Lucy's scent, but it was still slightly off. Taking a closer look at Lucy's face, Jay could see the clear panic written across her face, but he could also see sorrow in her eyes. Lucy's face also looked slightly different, like she was somewhat older. For some reason Lucy looked haggard as if she had lost weight and wasn't eating properly.
"I don't understand" stated Jay in a confused tone as he stared at Lucy. Lucy had tears in her eyes as she started to speak.
"You're still the same Jay, you look just the same as I remember you" responded Lucy in a tearful expression, her body shaking as she cried. Jay was still confused as he started to speak.
"What happened to you Lucy? You look and smell different and what do you mean I look the same as you remember? You're acting like we haven't seen each other in a long time" asked Jay in a confused tone. Lucy's tears were worrying Jay, something was seriously wrong. When Lucy came back after seven years she didn't cry this much when they reunited, her tears now were something else. The way Lucy was crying, it was almost as if Jay had come back from the dead or something. While Jay tried to understand what was happening, Lucy started to speak.
"I'm sorry Jay" responded Lucy, tears still running down her face as she trembled. Confused at Lucy's response, Jay started to speak.
"What? Why are you sorry? Tell me what's" responded Jay before he was cut off when he felt a sudden surge of drowsiness fill him. Looking down Jay saw that Lucy was holding an open perfume bottle while she was using her other hand to cover her nose. Looking at the perfume bottle as he felt his eyes become heavy, Jay continued to speak.
"A sleep perfume, why" asked Jay before he could no longer keep his eyes open. Jay's strong sense of smell worked against him, the sleep perfume sapping away all of his strength as he collapsed. The last thing Jay heard before he was completely overcome with sleep was Lucy's voice.
"I'm so sorry Jay. I promise I'm going to save you this time" stated Lucy in a shaky voice as she caught a collapsed Jay in his arms. Jay only had a single moment to wonder what Lucy was talking about before the world faded away.
"Jay are you okay" asked Lucy in a worried tone as she lightly shook Jay awake. Jay groaned as he opened his eyes. Giving Lucy a confused look, Jay started to speak.
"Lucy" asked Jay in a confused tone, confused as he tried to shake the drowsiness that still clouded his mind. While his mind started to break through the thick cloud of drowsiness, Jay noticed that the time of day was later. The sun had set; the sky dark while Jay looked around his surroundings. Kneeling in front of him with a worried look on her face was Lucy, she looked healthy again and a quick sniff confirmed that her scent was correct. Standing beside Lucy was Natsu and Happy, both concerned for Jay's wellbeing.
"We found you collapsed in the alley" responded Happy in a concerned tone.
"You did" asked Jay in a confused tone, he could hardly remember why he suddenly collapsed. The past few hours were a blank spot for Jay, his mind a mess as he tried to make sense of what is happening.
"Yah we were walking by when Natsu picked up on your scent and found you collapsed in the alley" responded Lucy in a concerned tone before she continued to speak.
"Are you okay Jay" asked Lucy, worried that she found her brother asleep in the middle of an alley way. Looking at Lucy, Jay was confused why he had a vague image of her crying with an unhealthy sunken face. Thinking he must have had a nightmare, Jay started to speak.
"Yah I'm fine. I must have been more tired than I thought I was" responded Jay as he stood up. Standing up with Jay, Lucy still had a concerned look on her face as she started to speak.
"Are you sure you're okay" asked Lucy in a concerned tone. Nodding his head, Jay started to speak.
"Yah I'm fine. I was just" responded Jay before he suddenly remembered his concerns about Yukino. With a panicked look on his face, Jay continued to speak.
"Shit I feel asleep when I was looking for Yukino. I need to find her" responded Jay in a worried tone, hoping that he could catch Yukino before she went back to the guild.
"Why do you need to find Yukino? I'm sure everything is okay" responded Lucy in a concerned tone. Shaking his head, Jay started to speak.
"No everything isn't alright. You two don't understand, losing is the worst thing you can do in the Sabertooth guild. I have to find Yukino and make things right" responded Jay in a panicked tone. Knowing that time was not on his side, Jay turned his attention towards Natsu as he continued to speak.
"Natsu you have to help me find Yukino, do you know her scent" asked Jay. Shaking his head, Natsu started to speak.
"If you need my help I will but I don't know Yukino's scent" responded Natsu.
"Yukino smells like vanilla. I think she used perfume or something to mask it, but her natural scent is vanilla. Look for any traces of vanilla and you will find Yukino" responded Jay in a rushed tone, hoping that he can catch Yukino and make things right. Nodding his head in understanding, Natsu started to speak.
"Vanilla, got it" responded Natsu, determined to help Jay. As Jay and Natsu sniffed the air, Lucy started to speak.
"Is losing really that bad in your guild" asked Lucy in a worried tone. Nodding his head as he continued to sniff the air, Jay started to speak.
"Yah it is, you have no idea but I'm going to fix this. I just need to find Yukino" responded Jay in a determined tone. As Jay and Natsu continued to sniff the air, Jay stopped when he noticed a familiar scent near him.
"Are you looking for me Jay" asked Yukino, making Jay turn around to face her. Turning around to face Yukino, Jay felt a twinge of heartbreak at Yukino's sad expression. Rushing over to Yukino, Jay started to speak.
"Yukino! I've been looking everywhere for you" responded Jay as he rushed over to Yukino. Holding onto Yukino's shoulder's, Jay looked her in the eyes as he continued to speak.
"Yukino I don't care that you lost" stated Jay in a sincere tone as he held onto Yukino. Seeing the tears in Yukino' eyes, Jay continued to speak.
"I'll talk with the guild master. I'll make this better Yukino, I promise" stated Jay determined to do anything to make the guild master allow Yukino to remain in the guild. Tears were falling from Yukino's face, she could barely look at Jay as she started to speak.
"It's already t-to late J-Jay" responded Yukino between choked sobs. Holding tighter onto Yukino as she cried, Jay started to speak.
"No, it's not Yukino. I promise I'll make things right. You're not going anywhere" responded Jay in a determined tone as he held onto a shaking Yukino.
"J-Jay you don't understand, it's too late" responded Yukino in a tearful expression as she stepped away from Jay. Unable to voice her next words but still needing to make Jay understand what happened, Yukino lifted her shirt enough to expose her left waist. Lucy, Natsu and Happy were confused about what Yukino was doing but Jay instantly understood as he started to speak.
"Yukino your guild mark, it's gone" stated Jay in disbelief. Jay was unable to say anything more, he couldn't believe one of his worst fears had just happened. Seeing that Jay and Yukino couldn't speak for the moment, Lucy took a step towards them as she started to speak.
"We should get out of the cold and talk somewhere else" stated Lucy with a friendly smile, hoping that she could do something to help. After saying these words Lucy gently lead Jay and Yukino along the streets with Natsu and Happy following them. Soon they were all sitting in a rented inn room, Lucy gave Yukino a supportive look as she started to speak.
"Please start from the beginning Yukino, we want to help" stated Lucy in a supporting tone. Nodding his head in agreement, Jay started to speak.
"Please Yukino, I need to help" stated Jay in a concerned tone, determined to do anything for Yukino. With tears in her eyes, Yukino placed her two golden spirit keys on the table they were all sitting at before she started to speak.
"Lucy I want you to take these keys. I k-know you will g-give Libra and Pisces a g-good home" responded Yukino between choked sobs. Lucy took a moment to look at the golden spirit keys placed on the table before she turned her attention towards Yukino and started to speak.
"I can't do that Yukino. It's obvious your spirits mean a lot to you; I can't take them away" responded Lucy with a friendly but concerned smile.
"Yukino what is wrong? What happened? You would never give up your keys, please tell me what's wrong" stated Jay in a worried tone, knowing things were bad if Yukino was willingly trying to surrender her spirit keys. Shaking all over as she struggled to control her tears, Yukino explained what happened at the guild meeting after her loss. Hearing Yukino's explanation, Jay was left dumbfounded. Jay felt the world fade away, unable to properly process Yukino's explanation. While a dull ringing sounded in Jay's ears, he suddenly was brought back to reality when he heard Lucy start to speak.
"Natsu! Where are you going" shouted Lucy as Jay heard a door slam shut. Standing up, Jay started to speak.
"Lucy please stay with Yukino" responded Jay before he started to walk out of the rented room. Thinking that Jay was going after Natsu to stop him from doing something rash, Lucy nodded her head as she started to speak.
"Yah of course, no problem" responded Lucy, hoping that Jay could stop Natsu before he did anything that would cause trouble. Walking out of the inn, it didn't take long for Jay to catch up with Natsu and Happy.
"Hey Natsu wait up" shouted Jay as he walked over to Natsu. Turning around to face Jay, Natsu started to speak.
"I'm going to teach your guild a lesson, don't stop me" responded Natsu, his voice filled with rage. Giving Natsu a cold look, Jay started to speak.
"So you intend to attack the Sabertooth guild" asked Jay in a cold tone. Nodding his head, Natsu started to speak.
"Yes, your guild needs to be taught a lesson. No guild should treat a member like that, Sabertooth needs to pay. Don't try and stop me" responded Natsu in an angry and determined tone. Jay didn't hesitate to respond.
"Stop you? I just want to make sure you don't take all the fun for yourself" responded Jay in a cold tone before he continued to speak.
"Sabertooth is my guild so if anyone is going to teach them a lesson, it's going to be me" stated Jay in a cold and angry tone. Nodding his head, Natsu continued to walk towards the inn Sabertooth was staying at with Jay walking beside him. As they continued to walk towards the inn, Jay continued to speak.
"Just make sure you leave the guild master to me, he's mine" stated Jay, visibly shaking with anger as he remembered Yukino's story. Thinking about what the guild master forced Yukino to do, Jay for the first time in his life was seriously considering murder. Nodding his head, Natsu started to speak.
"You got it, he's all yours" responded Natsu in an angry tone. After Natsu said these words Jay and Natsu walked silently towards the Sabertooth guild. It didn't take long until Jay and Natsu were standing in front of the inn Sabertooth was staying at. Glaring at the inn, Jay started to speak.
"It's already late, everyone should be asleep by now" stated Jay as he clenched his fist. Slamming a fist into his open palm, Natsu started to speak.
"Then let's give them a wakeup call. I'm all fired up now" responded Natsu with an angry smile. Smiling at Natsu's words, Jay started to speak.
"You took the words right out of my mouth" responded Jay with a smile as he channeled his magical power.
"Did we really have to do that to Yukino, Sting" asked Lector as he and Sting prepared to rest for the night. Laying down on his bed, Sting started to speak.
"Of course we did, Yukino lost. You know the guild policy; we don't have time or room for losers" responded Sting with an emotionless face. Still feeling guilty about what happened, Lector started to speak.
"I get that but did we have to be that mean to her? Yukino was our friend and we made her cry" responded Lector in a guilty tone. Sting was silent for a moment as he considered his friend's words. While Sting agreed with the guild policy, a part of him felt that what was done to Yukino was going a step too far. Just as Sting was about to respond to Lector, a loud crash echoed through the building as it shook. Jumping to his feet, Sting started to speak.
"What the hell was that" asked Sting as another loud crash echoed throughout the building. Standing up, Lector started to speak.
"It sounds like someone is attack us" responded Lector just before the building shook again, a vase on a bedside table falling and crashing to the ground.
"Who the hell would be dumb enough to attack Sabertooth" asked Sting as he rushed out of his room. Rushing out of his room with Lector following behind him, Sting talked to a guild member running by.
"Hey who the hell is attacking us" shouted Sting. The guild member stopped running for a moment to answer Sting.
"It's the Fire Dragon Slayer from Fairy Tail, he's in the main lobby tearing things up" responded the guild member before he continued to run towards the main lobby.
"Natsu is attacking us? Why would he do that? Does Natsu have a death wish" asked Sting in a shocked tone. Just before Sting was about to run towards the main lobby, he saw Jay walked into the hallway. Stopping in front of Jay, Sting started to speak.
"Jay what are you doing here? Natsu is apparently attacking the guild, let's go and" stated Sting before he was cut off when Jay shouted his attack.
"Water Dragon Slayer Deep Sea Fist" yelled Jay as he rushed towards an oblivious Sting and crashed his fist into his jaw. Sting was caught completely off guard; he was sent flying backwards and crashed into a wall. The wall Sting crashed into crumbled from the force of the impact. With a worried look on his face, Lector started to speak.
"Sting! Are you okay" asked Lector in a worried tone since Sting was currently buried underneath the crumbled wall. Turning his attention towards Jay, Lector continued to speak.
"Why would you attack Sting like that Jay?! Are you crazy" shouted Lector in an angry tone as he stood between Jay and Sting who was still buried underneath the crumbled wall. With a determined look despite shaking all over from nervousness, Lector continued to speak.
"I'm not going to let you hurt Sting" stated Lector in a determined tone despite how Jay was glaring angrily at him. Jay was silent for a moment as he considered if Lector should be included in his rampage. Glaring at Lector, Jay started to speak.
"Lector what is your opinion of what happened to Yukino? Did you agree with what happened" asked Jay in a cold tone. Taken aback by Jay's question, Lector took a moment before he started to speak.
"Well, I thought it was going too far. Yukino might have lost but she didn't deserve to be humiliated in front of the entire guild" responded Lector in a nervous tone, not liking how Jay was glaring at him. Still glaring at Lector, Jay started to speak.
"Do you think Yukino should remain in the guild" asked Jay in a cold tone.
"Y-you know the policy Jay. Yukino lost so" Lector started to say, confused why Jay was asking him such an obvious question. Lector was cut short when Jay started to speak.
"I know about the guild policy Lector. I wasn't asking about that. I asked if you think Yukino should remain in the guild" responded Jay. Lector was silent for a moment as he considered his own feelings on what happened to Yukino. After a short moment of silence, Lector started to speak.
"I know it's against the policy but I was sad to see Yukino go, she was nice" responded Lector in a guilty tone. Jay cracked a small smile at these words as he started to speak.
"I knew you were one of the good ones Lector" responded Jay with a smile before he turned around and started to walk away. As Jay continued to walk away, he continued to speak.
"Stay out of my way Lector and make sure Frosch keeps out of the way too" responded Jay wanting to make sure the two kind talking cats weren't hurt during his rampage. Soon Jay was in the main lobby, Natsu busy battling against serval members of Sabertooth.
"I hope you left some of the fun for me" stated Jay with a smile as he walked over to Natsu. Smiling back at Jay, Natsu started to speak.
"Of course I did, the building is still standing isn't it" asked Natsu in an amused tone. Smiling in amusement at Natsu's words, Jay started to speak.
"I suppose it is. Maybe we should change that" responded Jay in with an amused smile before he started a rampage against his own guild while Natsu followed suit. Rushing towards another guild member, Jay heard panicked words as he readied another attack.
"Jay what the hell are you doing?! We're on the same side" asked the Sabertooth guild member not understanding why one of their best fighters was rebelling against the guild. Crashing his fist into the guild member, Jay shouted his response.
"I'M TEACHING YOU JERKS A LESSON" yelled Jay as he sent another guild member crashing into the ground. For serval minutes Jay and Natsu continued their rampage, tearing apart the inn and any foolish guild members that got in their way. After serval minutes, Jay heard the voice of the person he was looking for.
"JUST WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING" yelled Jiemma in an angry tone. Stopping their rampage, Jay and Natsu glared at Jiemma who stood in front of them with the majority of the Sabertooth guild.
"WE'RE HERE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON! HOW CAN YOU TREAT ONE OF YOUR GUILD MEMBERS LIKE THAT" yelled Natsu in an angry tone. Not breaking his angry look, Jiemma started to speak.
"Are you referring to that useless trash that I threw away" asked Jiemma in an angry tone. Jay literally shook with anger at these words as he started to speak.
"TRASH?! THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK OF HER?! HER NAME IS YUKINO" yelled Jay as he seriously considered murder as he glared at his guild master. Just as angry as Jay, Natsu started to shout.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! A GUILD IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY" yelled Natsu in an angry tone. While Jay continued to glare angrily at Jiemma, he considered Natsu's words. Natsu's idea of a guild was vastly different from his own experience and because of recent events Jay wondered if he was the one with the wrong viewpoint. Radiating anger and magical power, Jiemma started to speak.
"HOW DARE YOU PRESUME TO TELL ME HOW TO RUN MY GUILD! THIS IS MY GUILD AND I WILL RUN IT AS I SEE FIT" yelled Jiemma in an angry tone before he focused his attention on Jay.
"DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU JAY! YOU WILL REGRET THIS ABSURD REBELLION" yelled Jiemma as he prepared to severely punish Jay. Stepping forward, Jay started to speak.
"You're going to be the one to have regrets! I'm through taking your crap" shouted Jay as he confidently stood against Jiemma. Just as Jay was about to make the first move, he heard Natsu start to speak.
"Jay" shouted Natsu, making Jay turn his attention towards him as he shouted his next words.
"KICK HIS ASS" yelled Natsu as he inhaled deeply before he shouted his attack.
"FIRE DRAGON ROAR" yelled Natsu, letting lose a powerful breath attack while aiming it towards Jay. Jay got what Natsu was doing and smiled as he stayed still, Natsu's intense flames colliding into him. Sting watched this exchange with a confused expression as he started to speak.
"I thought those two were on the same side, why would Natsu suddenly attack Jay like that" asked Sting in a confused tone.
"Is it really that much of a shock. Natsu is from an enemy guild, he just took his chance to take out one of our strongest members" responded Rouge, still considering Jay one of them despite his rebellion. After Rouge said these words, he along with the rest of the guild watched with surprised expressions as Jay inhaled deeply and sucked in the flames surrounding him.
"Thanks for the grub Natsu. Now I've got a fire in my belly" responded Jay with a confident smile as he felt a massive surge of strength, feeling a new magical power awaken within him.
"Hold on, did Jay just eat fire" asked Orga in a confused tone since he understood that Dragon Slayers could only consume their element. Smiling at the shocked expressions of his guild, Jay focused his attention on Jiemma as he started to speak.
"Today marks the birth of the Fire Water Dragon Slayer" stated Jay as he activated the new power within him. Water and Fire magical power radiated from Jay's body as for the first time he activated Fire Water Dragon Slayer mode. With the combination of Water and Fire coursing through his body, scalding steam leaked out of Jay's pores as he continued to speak.
"I'm going to enjoy this" stated Jay in a confident tone. After Jay said these words he rushed forward. Thanks to his new power, Jay's speed was off the charts as he rushed towards Jiemma.
"What the" stated Sting in a shocked tone as Jay rushed past him. Sting was getting ready to stop Jay but his speed caused him to move in almost a flash towards the guild master. Rushing towards the guild master, Jay was astounded with his new power. While Jay received much more power and strength from being in dragon force, having Fire Water Dragon Slayer mode active gave Jay unbelievable speed. In a flash Jay was in front of Jiemma, he had rushed towards Jiemma so quickly that the guild master didn't have a chance to raise his guard.
"THIS IS FOR YUKINO" yelled Jay as he channeled his magical power and prepared his attack.
"FIRE WATER DRAGON STEAM POWERED ASSAULT" yelled Jay as he used his enhance speed to punch Jiemma with fist charged with fire and water magic. Jay's fist were a flash of movement, countless punches hitting Jiemma. After serval moments of landing countless hits on the defenseless guild master, Jay's final punch collided into Jiemma's jaw and sent him flying backwards. As Jiemma collided into the ground, Jay charged his next attack as he started to speak.
"I'm not done yet" stated Jay as he charged up his magical power. While even more scalding steam poured out of his body, Jay continued to speak.
"FIRE WATER DRAGON ROAR" shouted Jay as he started to inhale, preparing to finish Jiemma for what he did to Yukino. Just as Jay was about to fire his attack, he heard a familiar voice start to speak.
"I would reconsider that attack if I were you Jay" stated Minerva in an amused tone as she appeared between Jay and Jiemma. Stopping his attack for the moment, Jay glared at Minerva as he started to speak.
"Get out of my way Minerva" responded Jay in an angry tone as he continued to leak out scalding steam. Smiling at Jay, Minerva started to speak.
"If you continue with your attack then I will be forced to hurt my new friend" responded Minerva in an amused tone as she used her magic to summon a captured Happy into her arms. With tears in his eyes while he was tied up, Happy started to speak.
"Natsu" cried Happy. Glaring at Minerva, Natsu started to speak.
"Happy! You better let Happy go right now" yelled Natsu in an angry tone. Smiling at Natsu, Minerva started to speak.
"Promise to stop your attack and walk away and I will release your friend" responded Minerva in an amused tone before she turned her attention towards Jay and continued to speak.
"You will have to stay here Jay; we have things to discuss" stated Minerva with an amused smile.
"Fine, give me Happy and I will leave" responded Natsu, not needing to think about his options when his friend was in danger. While Minerva still had her attention focused on Jay, she started to speak.
"What about you Jay? Are you going to stop your attack and have a civil discussion" asked Minerva with a mocking smile. While Jay wanted nothing more than to make Jiemma pay for what he did, he didn't want to do so if it meant hurting Happy who had done nothing wrong. Dropping out of his Fire Water Dragon mode, Jay started to speak.
"Fine, I'll stop and talk. Just let Happy go" responded Jay in a cold tone. After Jay said these words, Minerva let Happy go who rushed towards Natsu.
"Natsu I was so scared" stated Happy in a tearful expression as he rushed towards Natsu. Picking up Happy, Natsu started to speak.
"Your fine now Happy, let's get out of here" responded Natsu before he turned his attention towards Jay and continued to speak.
"Are you going to be okay Jay" asked Natsu.
"Yah I'll be fine Natsu. I'll see you around" responded Jay in a steady tone, barely holding in the anger that was just below the surface. Nodding his head, Natsu said his goodbye and walked out of the inn. Now that Jay was alone, Minerva walked up to him as she started to speak.
"I know you must still want to go on a rampage but before you do you should hear the deal I am about to offer you" stated Minerva in an amused tone. Glaring angrily at Minerva, Jay started to speak.
"I won't attack for now, I'm a man of my word" responded Jay in a cold tone. Still giving Jay an amused smile, Minerva started to speak.
"Yes you are but you will still want to hear my offer" responded Minerva with a smile.
"Yah? What offer would that be" asked Jay in a steady tone, burying his anger. Giving Jay an amused smile, Minerva started to speak.
"An offer to let your girlfriend back into the guild" responded Minerva in a mocking tone. While Jay was angry, Minerva's words piqued his interest as he started to speak.
"Are you serious" asked Jay in a curious tone. Nodding her head, Minerva started to speak.
"Yes I am. As the daughter of the guild master you can trust that I have the authority to make this deal. If you continue to fight for Sabertooth and the guild wins the games, Yukino will be allowed to rejoin the guild" responded Minerva with a smile. Seeing that she had Jay's interest, Minerva continued to speak.
"Do we have a deal Jay" asked Minerva in an amused tone. While Jay was seriously considering quitting the guild a few moments ago, Minerva's deal made him reconsider. Being a member of Sabertooth meant a great deal to Yukino, and Jay would do anything to make Yukino happy. If Jay had to continue fighting for Sabertooth and crush Fairy Tail into dust then he would if it meant that Yukino could rejoin Sabertooth. Taking a deep breath to steady his bubbling anger, Jay glared at Minerva as he started to speak.
"Do I have your word" asked Jay thinking that while Minerva might be a heartless bitch, she hadn't shown him a reason to distrust her if she gave him her word.
"You do" responded Minerva with a smile.
"Fine, if I have your word then I will continue to fight for Sabertooth and win the games" responded Jay in a determined tone, thinking he would do anything to make things right for Yukino.
End of Chapter 21