Day One: Losers Don't Cry
Wendy jolted awake at the sound of someone slamming a door open and yelling out her name. Thinking she was in danger, she gasped and shot into a sitting position only to plop back down onto her bed at the sudden dizziness that overcame her. All she could do was lie still and groan because her head was spinning and it felt like her body had gone through one of Erza's infamous Hell Training exercises. It certainly didn't help that people were talking so loud, making her sensitive ears ring. She recognized everyone's scents immediately and had to blink several times to get her vision to focus on them. Natsu and the rest of Team Fairy Tail were standing over her bed with Elfman, Lisanna, Happy, Macao, and Wakaba crowding around as well.
She was shocked but also confused to see everyone huddled so close, looking down at her with great relief in an unfamiliar room.
The Sky Dragon Slayer was even more surprised when Porlyusica stepped into view on the other side of the bed, scowling in annoyance at the group across from her. The Medicinal Advisor wanted to say something – Wendy could tell by the twitching in the corner of the old woman's lips – but Natsu was already asking the girl if she was alright out of concern and questioning to know what happened.
What happened? For some reason the question stumped her. She blinked and furrowed her brow before quickly shifting her attention between each person. She noticed her teammates wearing clothes of the same colour and design to represent their guild. And alongside them was Elfman; he, too, proudly wore the same shade of royal purple with the white mark of Fairy Tail embroidered above his heart.
Wendy's eyes widened and her heart sank the instant she realized what was going on. She had missed the midnight curfew and the start of the Games.
No… How could this have happened?
Someone quietly moaned and stirred beside her. When Wendy saw Carla, she suddenly started to remember some of the events that might have led to her current state. She and Carla weren't the only ones bedridden, she could smell Bacon and Romeo nearby. Sharply, she turned her head to find the two boys lying in separate beds behind Porlyusica. Piece by piece, her memory began to slowly unravel to bring her the answer she and the others sought.
She found the strength to sit up, being careful to avoid another dizzy spell. She took a deep breath to steady her bearings. Her body was hurting, but the pain was nothing compared to the pain in her heart for failing her team. "I… We were… at the castle…" she began to recall, meeting Natsu's worried gaze. Her voice was weak at first, but gained strength the more she spoke; "There was a small black… creature… with eyes that shone yellow and a pointy tail. Bacon chased after it the first time it appeared but he lost sight of it. But then it appeared before us again just as we were leaving… I'm not sure what happened after… I can only remember getting very tired and then…"
"You collapsed due to a great loss in magic energy," Porlyusica explained, crossing her arms beneath her crimson cloak. Her expression was stern to others but to a lesser degree to Wendy, the girl was quick to notice. There was a hint of compassion in those hard, crimson eyes as they examined the Sky Dragon Slayer. Wendy couldn't help but be reminded of Grandeeney and her love, yet again, in the old woman's presence.
"Was it because of that black creature?" Erza asked.
"Was there a person with it? Wearing white?" Happy was next to say, looking up from his spot right by Carla's side, "This person could be the culprit!"
Wendy shook her head. "I don't know… and I don't remember seeing anyone else…"
"Maybe Romeo knows. He's the one that burned them," Natsu suggested. He was visibly anxious; eager to hunt down the people responsible for bringing harm to his friends. He wasn't the only one wishing to seek vengeance, Wendy could see the burning desire in each of her teammate's eyes as well as the rest of her guild standing in the room.
"Huh? I don't remember doing that…" Wendy heard Romeo moan.
All heads turned towards the novice fire mage who had just woken up. Romeo was up on his elbows, looking just as worn as Wendy was feeling. His spiky black hair was disheveled and his eyes were barely open. Macao rushed to his side, crying out in joyous relief, and gently helped his son sit up.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Macao asked quietly, rubbing the boy's back.
Romeo rubbed his weary face with a hand before frowning in Wendy's direction. "Wendy and Carla falling over… and nothing else…"
"You didn't use your magic?"
Romeo thought hard. "No… I don't think I did…"
"Did you see anyone?"
"No, just this weird black rat thing. It jumped in front of us… and it was laughing…" The boy groaned and winced at the pain in his head as he tried to recall every detail. His father quickly ordered him to lie back down, but Romeo refused. He stared at the other boy lying in the middle who had yet to regain consciousness. "I didn't see what happened to Bacon. Is he alright?"
"He is recovering. All he needs is more rest and that goes the same for you two," answered Porlyusica as she glanced between Romeo and Wendy, speaking in a manner that warranted no chance of arguing. She pointed at the door and intensified her scowl. "The Opening Ceremony starts in five minutes. There is no point in you lot to be here any longer. Get out. They need to rest."
Natsu flinched back and started to protest, "But, old hag–"
There was a dangerous glint in the old woman's eyes the instant Natsu muttered 'hag'. Her scowl somehow turned fiercer than before and her stare became petrifying, stopping Natsu (and anyone else) from saying more. "You heard me, boy. Get out! Now!" she snapped.
Everyone but Macao bolted for the door. Before they could leave, Wendy called out to her team, stopping them in their tracks.
Her hands tightly clenched the blanket covering her lap and tears stung her eyes when she started to apologize, "I'm sorry, everyone… I couldn't be there with you guys… After all that training… I'm sorry to disappoint you all…" She wanted to hop out of bed and join them – to be part of Team Fairy Tail like she was supposed to be from the beginning – but she knew she couldn't compete as she was now. Knowing that they couldn't rely on her brought only shame.
Natsu stepped up and lightly shook his head. "Wendy, it's not your fault. Don't worry. Focus on getting better," he said, furling his hands by his side.
She could only nod and turned to the largest man in the group. "Elfman, please… take my place and make Fairy Tail proud."
Elfman grunted and pounded a fist heavily against his chest. "You got it! Once you're well enough, it'll be you who will make us all proud again, Wendy. Until then, you can rely on a man to take your place!"
Gray, Lucy, and Erza gave the girl meaningful nods and confident smirks.
Wendy smiled at the support of her friends.
"Natsu," Romeo began, giving Team Fairy Tail a hopeful smile, "I knew you guys would make it past the preliminary. Please win the Games for all of us."
Grinning, the Fire Dragon Slayer punched a flaming fist into the palm of his other hand. "We will. Just watch! We'll dominate this thing!"
"We better hurry. It's almost time!" Gray informed, glancing up at the clock.
Team Fairy Tail bid Wendy and Romeo to get well as soon as possible with the others following suit. Macao needed to be pulled away by Wakaba. Just before the pair left the door, the father pleaded; "Please take good care of them!"
Porlyusica grunted in response and slammed the door shut. While she proceeded to pour something from a flask into cups at a small table set against the wall, Wendy looked down at her feline friend.
Lightly, the girl stroked Carla's forehead, unable to hold back the tears that resumed to fall. She couldn't believe how careless she was. She was a mage of Fairy Tail and a Dragon Slayer to boot; how could she have dropped her guard in a city full of hidden dangers? Because of that folly, she had endangered her friends and disappointed her guild.
Crestfallen, the girl briefly met Romeo's sympathetic stare across the room. She gave him an apologetic look before lowering her gaze on Bacon. The cloak that had once concealed his identity was removed, allowing his messy blond hair to show. The young boy appeared to be only sleeping, but Wendy knew he was suffering just as much as her. Just seeing him alive was a great relief to the Dragon Slayer.
She mustered the energy to climb out of her bed, managing to take two wobbly steps before falling against Bacon's, propping her arms on top of the edge of the boy's bed to stay upright. The white tiled floor was hard on her bare knees, but she didn't care.
"Wendy!" Romeo cried out in concern.
"What are you doing? Get back to your bed," Porlyusica demanded, moving to the girl's side with a yellow cup in each hand.
Wendy ignored her orders because when she had disturbed the bed, it woke Bacon up. His blue eyes fluttered open and she was the first thing he saw. His smile was weak but it was an assuring sign that he was alright.
Surprisingly, he spoke first before Wendy could ask how he was feeling; "Wendy… You're okay…" He sounded exhausted and breathless, as if he had just run a lap around the outer walls of Crocus.
"Yes, I'm fine," she quietly replied, giving him a warm smile, "I'm glad you're okay too." She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hmm? He's awake already?" Porlyusica murmured, raising her brow in mild astonishment. She had handed Romeo one of the cups and commanded him to drink all of it before rounding to Wendy's side. Her crimson eyes studied the boy closely as she held out the other cup for Wendy to take.
The girl grabbed the offered medicine but waited to drink it. She could smell it and it certainly didn't smell all that pleasant.
With noticeable effort, Bacon freed his left arm from beneath the blanket so he could grasp the Dragon Slayer's hand that was resting on his shoulder. The gold bracelet that concealed his power glinted. "I was afraid… the man hurt you…" he continued, bringing shock to all who listened.
Wendy's grip on his shoulder tightened. "A man? Who did you see? What did he look like?" she inquired, being careful not to raise her voice.
He knitted his brow in thought and had to close his eyes to concentrate on remembering. "I don't know… He had a mask… a red one. Yellow hair… Red hat."
The description was rather vague. Because of the festivities and the Games, there were many people in Crocus wearing masks of all sorts and colours and wearing various styles of hats. It seemed impossible to recognize who the culprit was. Wendy looked between Porlyusica and Romeo, hoping they had a clue, but the both of them were also pondering over who this man could be.
"Did you see a guild crest on him?" Romeo asked, quickly leaving his bed to kneel on the other side of Bacon's, much to the Medicinal Advisor's annoyance.
The youngest turned to the new voice, elated to see Romeo was okay as well. Bacon shook his head at the question.
"Did he wear white?" Wendy was next to ask, remembering Happy's question.
Again, the boy had to pause to dig into his memories. He met the Dragon Slayer's gaze, his blue eyes full of worry. "Yes… white sleeves. I tried to protect everyone… but I didn't have my sword… So I burned him…"
Once more, every listener was shocked.
"Burned him?" Romeo repeated, not sure if he heard right. He leaned forward on folded arms, looking quite perplexed. "How did you do that?"
Bacon managed to grin as if proud. He freed his right arm and raised it unsteadily above him, his palm facing towards the ceiling. "Din's Fire…" he whispered.
Wendy's eyes widened when she felt his magic surge forth, surpassing the limit his gold bracelet could hide, and enveloped his raised hand; the sensation similar to when he performed his magical sword attack. The air tingled as if charged with electricity, making it feel as if Wendy's hair was standing on end. In a flash, a small orb of bright orange fire burst from his palm before the flames quickly spread and swallowed his whole hand, dancing harmlessly on his fingers.
There were sharp gasps of surprise and awe from each conscious member in the room.
Wendy gawked at the boy's new magic, having not expected him to wield the power of fire. She could feel the intense heat on her skin and it was just as hot as Natsu's powerful flames. The fire burned bright and soundlessly with the core of the orb giving off a light that was as pure as the sun.
Bacon's spell didn't last very long. His fire burned out and the orb extinguished into a small puff of black smoke before his arm dropped like a rock onto the covers due to exhaustion. He was breathing heavier from the exertion, however his smile remained.
"Incredible!" Romeo praised, giving the boy a pat on the shoulder. "You remembered a new spell! And it's fire too! Awesome! Wait till I tell Dad about this! Everyone will be excited to know!"
Wendy was more grateful than happy. She put her cup on the bedside table and pushed off the floor to lean close enough hug the boy with one arm followed by a light kiss on the forehead. "You were so brave," she said, giving him an admirable smile, "You tried to protect us… Thank you, Bacon. Thank you. I'm so glad you didn't get seriously hurt."
It could have been worse if the man had a cruel heart. Bacon could have been beaten or killed in retaliation, but thank the stars, neither didn't happen.
"So what happened afterwards?" Romeo asked, eager to know more.
Bacon's smile faded and was replaced with a hurt expression. "The man was screaming… and then I… I… can't remember…"
Wendy frowned, understanding that he had fallen unconscious at that point. Was it because of the man using some sort of power that instantly drained his magic energy? Or was it the black creature that had done the deed? Twice they had encountered the dark beast, and twice, Bacon had tried to protect them from it.
She gently brushed a hand through his soft blond hair to comfort him. "It's okay. Don't worry about it," she said.
"That's enough discussion for now," Porlyusica cut in firmly. She stood up and pulled out a few vials containing different coloured liquids from a pouch hidden under her cloak. At the far table, she began to mix them together in another cup. "Let him rest. And both of you, get back to bed."
"Y-Yes, ma'am," Romeo conceded, flinching from the advisor's sharp tone. He shot Bacon an assuring grin and lightly nudged the boy's arm before returning to his bed.
"Get some more sleep, okay?" said Wendy to Bacon. Seeing him nod, she retreated to her own spot with the yellow ceramic cup back in her hands. She made a face at the sight and smell of the purplish mixture inside. She was reluctant to drink it, but had no choice knowing it would speed up her recovery.
As she took the bitter medicine one small mouthful at a time, she overheard Bacon murmur to Romeo; "I had a dream…"
"Oh? What did you dream about?" Romeo replied, sounding rather interested as he sat cross-legged on his bed, facing Bacon and Wendy.
Bacon managed to roll onto his side to face the other. "A yellow dog," he answered. "It had three tails."
The older boy chuckled in amusement. "Neat. What did it do? Did you play with it?"
Bacon slightly shook his head. "Told me to follow him… in a cloudy forest. He had a friend… but I couldn't see his friend… It said to me, 'Atarl adune… tarei kun ei… Herial Yaarez.'"
Wendy noticed Porlyusica stiffen from those strange words while Romeo raised a confused eyebrow. The old woman turned away from the table, her mixture now complete in the brown cup in her hand. The contents were visibly steaming with a pale yellow mist. Her stern face was still the same, but her eyes were intrigued as she made her way to Bacon's side.
"What does that mean?" Romeo questioned, but the other boy didn't have an answer.
"No more talking. It's time for you all to rest," the advisor demanded. "How else will you return to the Games? The events go on for six more days. Wendy, you will still be able to participate if you recover within that time."
The Dragon Slayer was elated to hear that. She nodded and finished her nasty-tasting medicine without hesitation before lying back down to join her slumbering partner. The potion worked quickly in soothing the pain in her body and made her drowsy. She watched as Porlyusica rolled Bacon onto his back, lifted his head and carefully gave him her steaming concoction, which was not well-received by the patient. The boy sputtered and coughed at the foul taste and refused to drink any more until Wendy spoke softly to him, assuring him that Porlyusica and her medicine would make him feel better. It took less than a minute for him to drink it all. Right after Porlyusica gently lain the boy's head back down, he was out like a light.
"Grandeeney," the girl began, accidentally blurting out her mother's name. "I mean… Porlyusica…" she quickly corrected herself when the old woman shot her a disapproving scowl, "Do you know anything about those strange words Bacon had said? From his dream?" She and Romeo stared at the old woman expectantly.
The advisor shook her head as she remained seated on Bacon's bed. Her crimson eyes narrowed inquisitively on the child as if trying to see through the mystery surrounding him. "The meaning? No. However… If I am correct, the words he spoke were of the Lost Language that was once spoken hundreds of centuries ago… It was known as Dracotongue, the old language of ancient dragons…"
The Grand Magic Games. It was an amazing, magical event that was beyond Lucy Heartfilia's expectations.
It wasn't the enormous size of Domus Flau that took her breath away; it was the number of people gathered in the stadium. Tens of thousands of spectators were seated in the stadiums around the battle ground, screaming and yelling and cheering and whistling in celebration of the triumphant victor of the first main event called Hidden; Sabertooth's Rufus Lore won the most points, bringing him to first place. The audience's voices were like thunder, deafening Lucy's ears and reverberating within her chest.
The fans had gone wild for the flamboyant man in red that Lucy couldn't hear herself think. The noise didn't bother her as much as the jeers and taunts that were thrown in Fairy Tail's faces because of the incredible loss of both of their teams. Natsu got so angry that he roared back at the jerks, fangs bared and ready to explode into a raging inferno. Erza had to hold him back to keep him under control, lest he would jump into the crowd and start bashing heads for belittling Fairy Tail. Natsu wasn't alone however, the mocking laughter aimed at their loss infuriated each member in Team A. Elfman stood stiffly, every muscle tense and his face drawn into an angry scowl. Erza was just as tense in her posture, but she knew not to let the audience get the better of her.
Lucy could only watch in silence as Gray walked away, head downcast and his shoulders sagging. He was mortified by his loss. No words of encouragement seemed to reach his ears. Lucy heavily frowned in morose, understanding that such a defeat was hard to take. Especially when they had come here to prove in front of the people here that Fairy Tail was still the strongest guild in Fiore.
The first contest was a total loss for Fairy Tail. Both members ended up in the last two positions having gained the least amount of points in the event in which participants from each of the eight guilds had to mingle with hundreds of clones of themselves to seek out the real individual on opposing teams.
It had been a brutal defeat for Gray especially with Raven Tail's Nullpudding skillfully landing blow after blow on the ice-user. The purple-skinned freak with the hideous pointy chin had purposely targeted Gray during the whole round.
Lucy seethed at Raven Tail as a whole. The guild founded by the estranged son of Master Makarov and the father of Laxus strayed far from the family's beliefs. Once a Dark Guild, Raven Tail was now considered an official guild by the Magic Council. She couldn't believe it… it was completely outrageous! Not only that; they were the despicable fiends who attacked Wendy, Carla, Romeo and Bacon last night. The small black creature Wendy had mentioned accompanied them and they even made it clear that they were the ones responsible for committing the deed.
"Those little brats were our way of saying hello," the armoured man in the golden mask had said soon after their guild made their appearance, obviously sneering beneath his disguise.
Those spoken words had sealed Raven Tail's fate. Team Fairy Tail A had vowed to bring the bastards their justice and avenge Wendy and the others. There was no escaping the wrath of the Fairies once provoked.
However, Natsu had a suspicion that it wasn't just Raven Tail who was involved in the attack. His nose was telling him something else. "One of them reeks of the blood Happy found at the scene," he had snarled venomously moments after the five members of Sabertooth had strolled in with much fanfare. Lucy knew that Natsu wasn't simply accusing Fiore's currently favourite guild because of a grudge he held against the pair of Dragon Slayers on their team. She trusted his judgment when it came down to his enhanced sense of smell.
Which of the five members of Sabertooth was involved, Natsu couldn't tell. There were too many people around and too many different scents interfering to pinpoint where the smell was coming from.
So it came to a great disappointment when neither Gray nor Juvia prevailed in the first event of the Games. Both Sabertooth and Raven Tail were at the top, adding insult to injury to Fairy Tail's pride. Was it possible the two guilds were plotting against Fairy Tail? It was a questionable assumption. After all, Rufus had unleashed a magical attack that struck all participants and Nullpudding had tried to retaliate. They seemed more like enemies than allies.
But could that have only been a ruse?
Lucy wasn't sure. There was no definite proof that the two guilds were working together.
We only lost the first event. We can still win this! The girl thought positively. One loss wasn't the end of the world. There were still many more events to go to earn enough points to reach first place. And the next upcoming event was the battle portion where one member from one team would fight against one member of another in a tournament.
The matchups were chosen by the organizers based on the votes of fans, so when Lucy's name was called first by the announcer Chapati, she was dumbstruck. "W-Wha? M-Me?" she stammered, gaping at the roaring crowd.
She was even more shocked when her opponent was Flare Corona of Raven Tail.
Lucy's eyes found the young woman standing across the arena with her notorious, odd-looking group. Flare was the only female of her team, wearing a revealing scarlet dress that showed off her cleavage and exposing her dark red guild mark on the top of her right breast. Long gloves that matched the colour of her dress covered her arms nearly up to her shoulders.
Lucy couldn't hold back a shudder when she saw the sadistic smile twisting on the redhead's face as they locked stares from a distance. She was unnerved by the unstable look Flare was giving her; sensing ill-intentions coming her way.
"Lucy! Show them the results of our training!" Natsu bellowed as his form of encouragement.
"It'll be a tie if you win this," said Erza, shooting Lucy an assuring smirk.
Elfman pumped his meaty fists in the air and roared, "Bring them down, Lucy!"
The Celestial Spirit mage smiled over her shoulder at her teammates, her confidence renewed. She clenched her right hand before her to display the pink mark of her guild for all competitors to see. Especially her opponent, Flare Corona. "Don't worry, guys," she said, standing more boldly than before, "I got this. I'll bring us back up."
As all members not participating in the first round began to leave for their designated waiting areas, Lucy from Fairy Tail A and Flare from Raven Tail headed towards the centre of the battlefield.
Lucy strode in a calm, determined pace while her opponent moved in a strange, creepy way as if a doll on strings; Flare swayed her wide hips with each step she took, swinging her head side to side like a metronome, her smile still twisted and her red eyes wide and staring. Her gaze was very disturbing, looking as if she could strangle the life out of someone without a thought.
Lucy steeled against the redhead's stare. There was no reason to be intimidated by her opponent and enemy.
Raven Tail. I will defeat you for the sake of Wendy, Carla, Romeo, and Bacon. And Gray as well.
The two opponents stopped several meters apart in the centre. The stadium was alive with tens of thousands of spectators cheering and roaring in excitement. High above the arena was a halo of giant, transparent rectangular screen projections showing Flare and Lucy at the same camera angle thanks to the power of Lacrimavision. These projections allowed the audience to watch all of the action that would've otherwise been too difficult to see for the people seated in the top back rows.
"Blondie, Blondie," Flare addressed her opponent, speaking the name giddily like a childish insult. Her head was tilted far to the right side with her wide eyes probing through the long bangs of her fiery-red hair to stare unnervingly at Lucy. She had skin that was so pale it looked almost white under the bright light of the shining sun above.
Even though Flare gave off an eerie, hostile vibe, the spirit mage couldn't deny the beauty of the other's thick red hair. Caught in the sunlight, Flare's long and braided locks shimmered like fire as the two braids draped down her front with the ends tied together behind her back, right above her waist.
Was she teasing Lucy because Lucy's blonde hair wasn't as nice? Or was it because it was her nature to mock others to match the morals of her loathsome guild?
Whatever the reason, Lucy didn't care to be insulted. She was angry for other reasons.
While the announcer was going over the rules, Lucy glared vehemently at the redhead and snarled, "What Raven Tail has done is unforgivable. You'll be the first to pay."
Flare swung her head to the other side, her full lips parting to reveal her pearly teeth in a sneer. "Unforgivable?" she huffed, "What we did was part of our strategy to win, Blondie. Take out the small and weak first before preying on the rest. Tee hee!"
Lucy bared her teeth in anger. "They were just children!"
Flare's sneer widened, turning into a maliciously gleeful grin. "Don't know what you're talking about, Blondie," she said calmly, feigning ignorance. She started to slowly sway side to side, swinging her head with the motion. She taunted in a quiet sing-song voice, "Blondie, Blondie, Blondie… Are you mad? Whatcha gonna do?"
Annoyed and downright pissed, Lucy was determined to run this damn redhead into the dirt ground and make her regret joining the awful ranks of Raven Tail.
"… with that, the first match of the Grand Magic Games… BEGINS!"
The crowd exploded with deafening cheers that seemed to rumble all throughout Fiore. The loudest group was Fairy Tail as all members seated in the front stadium shouted out words of encouragement or commands for winning. Hanging down the wall of the arena in front of them was the guild's large, red banner with the words "Fairy Tail Victory" in gold letters overtop their white sigil.
Lucy sprang into action, her hand flying into the belted pouch by her right hip that held all her keys. Her fingers deftly picked out the key she desired. She had no need of looking which Gold Key was which, she could discern one spirit key from another by feeling their magical signatures and each one had a distinct one.
She twisted the Gold Key in her hand in midair as if opening an invisible door and cried, "Open the Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"
A large magic circle that shone gold appeared where the key was turned. In a puff of thick, white smoke, the Celestial Spirit Taurus materialized out of his Celestial Gate while letting out a mighty roar of "Moooooo!" For once, the bull didn't waste any time to comment on Lucy's breasts having sensed his master's strong will to win for her friends. The cow-patterned minotaur wielding an enormous double-bladed, black axe immediately charged at Flare. He was upon the redhead in less than two strides and swung his great weapon with much vigour, creating a gale that picked up dust in the axe's wake.
Flare was more agile than she looked; she leapt above and away from Taurus's deadly blade with ease like she had done it a million times before. Lucy caught the little, bemused smile flashing on her opponent's face as the bull's axe missed its target and left a veil of brown dust.
Not wanting to give Flare the chance to counter, Lucy grabbed another Gold Key and opened its Gate. Joining Taurus was a man wearing a crimson coat and having short hair that was red on one half of his head and white on the other. He wore a thick leather belt in which a mechanical tail was attached to the back that curved above his two-toned head like a scorpion's.
"Scorpio!" Lucy called, pleased to have two of her spirits fighting alongside her at the same time. All her training had surmounted to this incredible feat that would have normally taken a huge toll on her magic reserve. The scorpion didn't need to be told what to do; he already knew what his master was thinking.
The spirit instantly dropped onto his gloved hands and pointed the large barrel at the end of his tail straight at Flare who had just landed on her feet. "Sand Buster!" he shouted just as a powerful whirlwind of golden brown sand was launched out of his tail cannon.
The twister expanded as it spiraled towards the redhead, wide enough to tear up the ground and prevent her from evading.
Seconds before the twisting sand reached Flare, Lucy saw the woman's hair suddenly unravel itself. Flame-red tresses wriggled like snakes and lengthened under Flare's magic. The redhead whipped her head forward to fling her thick hair in front where it flared out in all directions, forming a makeshift shield that amazingly blocked Scorpio's sand.
Lucy had to give her opponent some credit to be able to simultaneously avoid getting hit by her spirits' attacks. Lucy wasn't done yet; she wondered if Flare would be able to dodge what she had planned next. She held out her right hand, clutching both of her golden keys between her fingers and commanded her spirits; "Taurus! Scorpio's sand!"
"Moo-kay!" the bull roared, highly enthused. He brought his great axe over his shoulder, imbued with the power to draw all of Scorpio's sand around the blade like a powerful vacuum. Large streaks of gritty gold swirled around the end of the axe, bringing a look of shock on the redhead's face.
Got you now! Lucy thought triumphantly.
Scorpio pumped an arm at his fellow partner, keeping his two middle fingers folded and his index and pinky extended to mimic the pincers of a real scorpion. "Let's go, Taurus! Oi!" he shouted.
With a single bound, the minotaur closed the distance between him and Flare and swung his sand-shrouded blade down on her.
"Sandstorm Axe Aldebaran!" both Celestial Spirits cried out in unison.
Flare avoided the brunt of the attack, but that didn't matter; when Taurus's axe noisily slammed into the ground where she stood a split-second ago, the gathered sand exploded from the blade, forming several tall twisters of gold and brown that were impossible to dodge.
The redhead was blown upwards by one of the whirlwinds. She screamed more in surprise than in pain as she spun in the air. She flew out of the range of the twisters, her body upside down, and her expression noticeably angry. Her hair whipped forward, growing longer than before and twisting together to form the front half of an actual wild beast with eyes, ears, teeth and claws!
"Hair Shower: Wolf Fang!"
The magical beast made of hair snarled viciously like a living creature as it headed straight at Lucy, its eyes shining a wicked red.
Lucy acted quickly. She returned her two keys, thus sending her spirits back to the Celestial Spirit World, and grabbed another. There was only one person she knew who was an expert in dealing with hair this troublesome. "Open the gate of the Giant Crab! Cancer!"
Shooting out of a puff of white smoke was the man wearing a pair of green-tinted shades and wielding two pairs of long, sharp scissors. Snip snip snip snip went his weapons of choice as he swiftly made short work out of Flare's wolf by completely severing its backend from the woman's head. The beast let out a pained whine before the magic controlling it dispersed, transforming it back into lifeless locks of fiery-red hair. Clumps of Flare's precious hair fluttered to the ground, much to the woman's horror.
"No! My hair!" the mage of Raven Tail shrieked, falling to her knees. Her horror turned into pure hatred in blink of an eye. "You bitch!" she hissed, plunging the ends of her still intact hair into the dirt ground like stakes.
Lucy took a wary step back, anticipating the direction of her opponent's attack. Behind? From the sides?
Neither. It was right below her.
The ends of Flare's hair pierced from the ground and wrapped tightly around Lucy's ankles within a heartbeat. Strong like rope, the surprised spirit mage was yanked off her feet and thrown upwards.
"My hair can move however I wish," Flare pointed out with pride. "Take this!"
Lucy was flung hard into the ground where she lost hold of Cancer's key, resulting in him being forced back to the Celestial realm. She grunted in pain in her chest from the impact and coughed at the dirt that flew into her mouth. She could feel Flare's hair still bound taut around her ankles. Her hand flew to the handle of her magical whip attached to left side of her hip.
"Oh yeah? My Fleuve d'étoiles can move however I want!" she retaliated as she snapped her whip at Flare. Fleuve d'étoiles, once drawn,was a beautiful weapon that looked like a thin river of flowing water but moved and felt like a whip. The weapon shimmered and sparkled under the sun, making it appear as if little stars were shining within the stream.
The end of the magical whip ensnared the redhead's left wrist, drawing out a surprised "What?!"
Lucy yanked back hard at the same time Flare swung her head to fling Lucy aside. Due to their combined forces and connections, they ended up throwing each other into the air where they spun in a rapid circle before crashing painfully back onto the ground.
The insane maneuver set the whole stadium in a wild frenzy; the people's voices rang much louder than ever that Lucy was afraid of going deaf. She could barely hear the announcer over the excitement.
The spirit mage shook away the pain and dizziness before clambering back to her feet, not yet down for the count. She stumbled forward on what she had first believed was uneven ground, but when she felt her heel touch dirt, she got a better look at her boots and found them torn to shreds. Appalled, she quickly surmised it was from the friction caused by Flare's rope-like hair when they twirled in the air. Lucy ripped off the remains of her once favourite pair of boots, knowing they would slow down her movements if she continued to wear them. The ground was warm under her bare feet thanks to heat of the blazing yellow orb in the sky.
Lucy's attention snapped back to her opponent when Flare yelled out in rage. The woman was back on her feet as well, her wide eyes flashing with madness. Flare bent over and buried the ends of her red hair into the ground once more.
Lucy was ready this time. With her muscles tensed and ready to leap out of the way, she frantically scanned the ground around her in anticipation. However, when seconds passed and nothing emerged to ensnare her ankles, she shot a quick glance at her opponent and saw the wicked smile distorting the woman's face and the devious glint in her wide, quivering eyes.
Discreetly, Flare pointed a finger off to the side.
Lucy, assuming it was some sort of ploy to distract her, only took a hasty, wary look in the same direction. She spotted Fairy Tail's banner in the distance where her guild was busy cheering her on. Then she saw it; the small fiery-red wisp of hair that wriggled like a worm beside little Asuka who was leaning against the stone barrier, too enthralled with the fight to notice the danger. In fact, none of the others noticed the thin tendril for their eyes were locked on the heated duel between the mages.
"No! Asuka!" Lucy shouted in horror only to have her mouth gagged shut by Flare's thick hair that was filthy with dirt. She was suddenly thrown to the ground where she landed roughly on her back.
Wincing at the pain running through her body, Lucy rolled onto her knees and froze the instant she saw Flare staring down at her; her red eyes full of malicious intentions. The madness in the woman's stare was gone and was replaced with something dark and cruel.
"Don't make a sound," Flare murmured, sounding disturbingly calm, "Don't move. Don't use magic. That's an order. Because I don't know what will happen if you disobey… no matter how much of a dimwitted blonde you are. I might do something unforgivable as you've so kindly put it."
Lucy gritted her teeth and growled as her only form of defiance against her opponent's threat. There was no lick of honor in the guild of Raven Tail – only heartless beings who fought dirty to win.
Coward! Lucy wanted to scream out loud but couldn't in fear of Asuka's safety. She gripped the handle of Fleuve d'étoiles so tightly that the leather binding was starting to painfully dig into her skin. She glared daggers at the woman who didn't deserve to be here in the Games. If only the people of Fiore could see Raven Tail's true colours, they wouldn't have allowed such scum on the premises and they wouldn't even consider them a legal guild!
Feeling helpless, Lucy shot her guild a pleading look, hoping they could read her thoughts. She desperately wished for Cancer to give the woman a much-needed haircut but alas, the Giant Crab's key was dropped somewhere on the ground and Lucy had no time to search for it.
"Blondie."
Lucy was suddenly struck in the side of the face by what felt like a fist, but it was only Flare's magic hair. She flew into the ground once more, her face throbbing with a nasty pain and her whip gone from her hand.
Flare's attack didn't stop there: relentlessly, she lashed at the fallen mage with several extensions of her hair, whipping the girl in multiple areas of her body all the while laughing with sickening joy.
All Lucy could do was yelp and cower under the stinging blows that seemed to go on forever. The red hair she had once considered beautiful was now a vile tangle of dirty knots in her eyes. Her breath was knocked right out of her when Flare got tired of bruising just her skin and decided to go for a heavy swipe at Lucy's stomach which was equivalent to a kick.
Lucy coughed and gasped for air as she writhed on the ground, curled up in a defensive position, her heart sinking with dread. She clenched her hands, sinking her fingers into the dirt to restrain the urge to fight back. There was nothing she could do to win when little Asuka's life was at stake. She had to surrender.
The volume of the audience had dropped since the turnaround. Many were probably wondering the same thing as the announcer; "What is going on here? The fierce battle from a moment ago is now turning into a one-sided match…"
I'm sorry, everyone… Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes. She was heartbroken; she couldn't fulfill the vow of avenging her guild and teammates.
Rising only to her knees, her clothes were ragged and torn. She hung her head in defeat before her opponent. "I surrend–" Lucy was suddenly cut off by Flare gagging her once again.
"Who said you can speak, Blondie?!" the woman demanded, violently yanking the Celestial Spirit mage onto her feet.
The next thing Lucy knew, she found her wrists and ankles bound by Flare's hair, restricting her movements. She was lifted off the ground by the amazing strength of the woman's ugly red tresses, making her feel like a helpless prisoner. She tried to struggle, making her wrists and ankles bleed, but it was futile; the rope-like hair was as strong as iron.
"I'm not letting you surrender," Flare continued, smiling evilly, "Not until I have a little fun with you first. Understand? Not a single peep."
The hair that covered Lucy's mouth loosened and curled around her neck instead, almost choking her.
"You can scream all you want however," the woman offered, sounding as if she was being really generous, "Everyone would love to hear your cries of agony. So what do you want me to do first?" Flare's eyes somehow widened further as an idea came to her. "I know! I'll strip you naked in front of all these people. Won't that be interesting?"
Lucy trembled at the humiliating thought. She wanted to shake her head but the bind around her neck constricted her movements. Even if she did, she knew Flare would inflict some form of punishment for showing defiance.
"Oh! I thought of something better," said Flare, extending another tendril of her hair towards Lucy. The end morphed into the crest of Raven Tail and it literally burned hot like fire, not because of the glare of the sun.
Lucy could see shimmering waves of heat emanating from the glowing sigil as Flare held it in front of the trapped mage's face.
"I'll place Raven Tail's brand on your body – I'll sear it so deep into your flesh that it will last forever."
No!
Terror flooded Lucy like water from a dam. She whimpered and grimaced in fear when Flare teasingly moved the brand closer. She broke into a nervous sweat when she felt the intense heat kissing her cheek.
Her mind was racing a mile a minute; questions on why everyone was standing around and doing nothing to stop this torture plagued her.
Flare leaned forward and brought a gloved finger to her chin, pretending to think. "Hmm. Now where shall I put it? It wouldn't look bad on your pretty blonde face." Her red eyes flickered to Lucy's clenched right hand. "Ah. You want it over your Fairy Tail crest? The one you're so proud to have?"
The burning brand pulled away from Lucy's cheek and hovered at the back of her right hand, ready to mar her skin and desecrate her crest. She badly shook at the thought of having to bear such an ugly scar for the rest of her life; especially one that would prohibit her to boldly show the mark of her guild. "No! Don't do it! Please!"
Flare started to strangle her in order to keep her silent.
"You're not supposed to speak!" the woman snapped.
It wasn't long until Lucy was deemed worthy to breathe again. The girl drew in a sharp, quivering breath, desperately praying for an end to this insanity.
Her prayers were heard when Natsu's voice suddenly rang over the entire crowd; "Lucy!"
All heads turned towards the Fire Dragon Slayer who was now up on the stadium with Fairy Tail, standing beside Asuka. Gripped in his hand was Flare's squirming strand of hair that had threatened the little girl. His fist alighted with flame, incinerating the hair into smoldering ash in an instant.
"Now's your chance, Lucy!" he roared, "Get her back!"
"What?! You burnt my hair!" Flare screeched in horror.
Aghast, her hold on Lucy loosened, allowing the spirit mage to reach down into her pouch of keys.
Thank you, Natsu! No words could describe how thankful she was for his rescue.
The Gold Key in her hand had already opened the Gate before Flare got a chance to realize what was happening.
"Gemi! Mini!" Lucy called.
The twins appeared out of a cloud of thick, white smoke and went straight into action without an uttered command. Gemi, shrouded in white energy, flew around his master to sever the binds that held her while Mini launched a headbutt right into Flare's shocked face.
The redhead was thrown flat on her back with her remaining tangled mess of hair falling with her.
As Lucy ripped off the severed strands still tied around her limbs, she turned to the reunited twins dancing beside her. "We're going to do 'that'!" she told them.
"We didn't practice enough," the smiling Mini replied, spinning in a circle.
"We don't know if we can do it," the frowning Gemi added, mirroring his twin's movements.
"Doesn't matter! Transform into me!" Lucy commanded at once.
"Understood!" The twins brought their stubby hands together and began to glow a blinding white. In a flash of light and smoke, the pair reappeared as Lucy… wearing nothing but a white bath towel…
"Why are you dressed like that?!" the Celestial Spirit mage demanded of her near-naked doppelganger, feeling extremely embarrassed.
The twins sheepishly rubbed the back of their blonde head and said in Lucy's pouty voice, "It's not our fault. You were dressed like this when we copied you."
Oh… right… It was right before Lucy went for a bath yesterday night. She had summoned the twins to discuss their new technique she was thinking of using at the Games.
Even though that was the case… why didn't the twins just transform into the Lucy standing right before them? Did they purposely want to put on a show?!
There were tiger growls, dog-like barks of affection, love-stricken hoots, and loud wolf-whistles of approval coming from the male species of the audience as they admired bath-towel Lucy in a lustful manner.
The only one not so happy was Flare as she seethed on the ground at the pair of blondes, rubbing her newly bruised cheek.
Ignoring the attention, both Lucys stood an arm's length apart from each other. Lucy pressed her right palm against Gemini's left. Eyes closed, the identical pair raised their magic power together, their energies manifesting and becoming one and the same. The spirit mage could feel their combined magic grow with each passing heartbeat, enveloping their forms in a warm, heavenly light. A gentle breeze lifted their hair and caressed their skin, steadying their minds and bodies for the magnificent spell that will soon smite their foe.
"Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens…" the pair began to chant together, their voices loud for all to hear, "All the stars, far and wide… Show me thy appearance… With such shine…"
The identical girls raised their arms to shoulder-height as the magic of the stars gathered within them, flowing into their bodies like a river. They could no longer hear the stadium, the announcer, or the commenters; only the resonating beats of their hearts and the cowardly whimpers coming from their terrified target.
Lucy didn't need to see Flare's reaction to feel justified; the Celestial Spirit mage knew she had won.
I'll show you, Flare. The true might of Fairy Tail!
"Oh Tetrabiblos… I am the ruler of the stars… Aspect become complete… Open thy malevolent gate…" The pair raised their arms above them, their fingers entwined as their power intensified, nearing their peaks. Heads raised to the heavens, the spell was nearly complete. They shifted to stand back to back with both hands linked, now brimming with power that seemed almost endless and divine.
"Oh eighty-eight stars of the heavens... Shine!" Both Lucys opened their eyes. It was not the arena and the stadium that they saw, but the infinite cosmos surrounding them and their poor enemy. Lucy could see the vast expanse of the universe; the endless realm of stars full of fascination, mystery, and wonder. Tens of colourful orbs that looked like planets orbited the pair as if they were the godly sun, each one glowing with their own colour of light.
The time has come.
This blow strikes with the pride of Fairy Tail!
"Urano Metria!"
Radiant energy surged from Lucy and Gemini as they unleashed their spell. The universe trembled under the might of their voices. The planets shot forward, leaving their beloved galaxy, all shining gold and heading straight for Flare.
Suddenly, the world they created and the zooming planets completely vanished in a blink of an eye…
Lucy lost sight of her stars and brilliant orbs, seeing the torn arena and the packed stadium once more. "What…?" she managed to utter in confusion, feeling her limbs suddenly grow weak. Her spell and magic energy… they were gone in an instant… as if someone had simply pushed a switch to turn her magic off.
Gemini… they had returned to the Celestial Spirit World now that Lucy could no longer sustain them.
With no strength to stand, the spirit mage started to fall forward and caught a glimpse of Flare looking in the direction of Raven Tail as if they were her saviors.
This sudden loss of magic energy… it was just like with Wendy, Carla, and the boys.
Dirty cheaters… Was the last thing Lucy thought before she crashed face-first onto the ground, her body feeling numb. There was a horrible pang in her chest when she heard the announcer say, "The match is over! The victor is Raven Tail's Flare Corona!"
Cheers to the winner followed which was immediately ensued by mockery and laughter aimed at her and her beloved guild. But it wasn't the jeers that tore Lucy's heart apart.
It was the sudden realization that she had failed her guild – in spite of all her efforts – that made her uncontrollably weep.
"Shameful! What a pathetic loser!" Flare insulted as she started to saunter away, head held high, laughing along with most of the audience. "It's my win! Serves you right, Blondie!"
The cackling laughter seemed to go on forever as Lucy lay on the ground in despair, sobbing like a fool. She didn't hear Natsu approach until she heard his voice, calm and reassuring.
"Don't cry, Lucy."
She could barely find her own voice when she sputtered between her pitiful sobs, "But… it's so painful…"
He kneeled beside her and carefully helped her sit up, wearing a grin upon his face. She hugged him as tight as she could and cried into his shoulder, unable to hold back her river of tears. He embraced her, being mindful not to squeeze too hard because of her injuries, and said in her ear, "Save those tears for when we win." He was confident in his tone, as if he was certain victory will go to Fairy Tail in the end no matter what happens.
"You were amazing!" he continued, drawing back so he could show her his admiration and wider grin, "You showed us that we can fight in this world with our current level of power. We don't care if you got zero points today. There's always next time. It'll be a huge surprise to everyone when we start turning things around. You'll see."
Lucy swallowed her sobs, sniffed her nose, and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her confidence slowly returning.
There was no reason to cry. There were still four more days to make the world see Fairy Tail's true strength.
Lucy put on a weak smile and nodded. "Thank you… Natsu."
The Dragon Slayer pulled her up and grabbed her dropped whip and key. Lucy stumbled at first, but with his help, she could walk again. Together they left the arena, their hearts set on winning tomorrow.
The results of the first day of the Grand Magic Games for both Fairy Tail teams ended in complete losses. But even if they lost miserably, their spirits were not broken, especially when they were together under one roof, drinking and partying to their hearts' content like the Games didn't even happen. There was no such thing as giving up in this guild; when a Fairy falls, that Fairy will rise again much stronger with the support of his or her friends.
It felt like an earthquake was hitting the city of Crocus as Erza Scarlet stood on the flat roof of the small pub, Bar Sun, that currently housed her rowdy guild. Their loud voices and their crazy (drunken) antics constantly made the small building rattle and shake.
The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains beyond the city walls as evening was well upon them, making the sky the colour of gold.
"You guys are amazingly strong-willed," Jellal commented behind her, sounding quite impressed.
Titania turned around to see him still disguised as Mystogan as he approached her. Pleased that he finally got her message to join her, she smirked and handed him one of the mugs of cold beer in which he was hesitant to take. Thrusting the glass into his chest prompted him to grab it.
Although, Erza couldn't see his tattooed face clearly, she could still see the emotions in his eyes, and right now he was looking a little flustered.
They sat down in the centre of the roof to minimize the chances of anyone spotting them. She held up her own mug and he did the same, clinking them together to toast their undeniable defeat on their first day of the Games – as Master had put it.
Erza chugged down all her beer in one go while Jellal carefully lifted his dark green bandanna to take one small gulp. It was obvious he didn't like the taste of the honey-coloured beverage.
"Losing means nothing to us," Erza began, setting her empty mug beside her and wiping her mouth with the back of her plated hand, "Didn't you know that already? We're a tenacious bunch."
It was safe to talk privately up here with the noise below capable of masking their conversation to any passersby who may accidentally eavesdrop on them.
Jellal snorted in amusement. "Been too long to remember," he replied, giving her a sideways look.
"It's a lesson you should learn after your performance today," she said. She smiled humorously when he sheepishly looked away.
"That was… Well, I… I got carried away…" Jellal stammered, absentmindedly running his gloved index finger around the lip of his mug. "I wanted to win for Fairy Tail since your master gave me the chance to get closer to the Games. And after what happened with your teammates, I was more determined to bring your rank back up."
Erza leaned back, resting the palms of her armoured hands behind her and stretching out her legs in front. She shot him a stern look from the side. "That's a nice gesture, but you shouldn't risk exposing your identity to the public."
"Yeah… I know. Ultear made sure of that," he grumbled with a little huff.
Erza raised her brow, now understanding why Jellal – who was in the midst of unleashing a powerful non-Mystogan spell that had transformed the skies into a brewing nightmare of a storm – suddenly collapsed during his battle with Lamia Scale's Jura Neekis.
She couldn't help but laugh.
"You tried a little too hard," she teased. She was thankful for him, however, to consider the feelings of her guild. He had the same heart as everyone in Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermilion had said so herself, according to Master Makarov. "Tomorrow will be different now that we have a general idea what to expect from these Games. And from Raven Tail." The last bit was spoken with scorn.
He faced her, his eyes narrowing. "Raven Tail had laid low over the past seven years. They were never on our radar. It's suspicious that they've suddenly shown up and are now regarded as an official guild this year."
"Master isn't taking that fact too well. He knows Ivan is scheming something." Erza's gaze darkened as she looked at the distant mountain that held Domus Flau. The four giant statues of powerful mages known in legends were vaguely recognizable from where they sat. "They've targeted us since we have arrived, aiming to hinder us. They will soon regret all of their actions towards us," she said, her tone carrying a dangerous edge.
It was possible that it wasn't only Raven Tail using sordid methods to get the upper hand against Fairy Tail. Natsu had claimed that Sabertooth could be involved as well, going by the evidence left at the scene where Wendy, Carla, Romeo, and Bacon were found. Erza didn't doubt him; she trusted his instincts as much as she trusted her own.
Two guilds against one; Erza wasn't daunted by that possible truth. Fairy Tail had two teams participating after all, although that didn't necessarily imply that both teams would work together. Rivalries between members will never die and Natsu made that very clear the instant his team had learned of the existence of Team B consisting of none other than Mirajane, Laxus, Juvia, Gajeel, and 'Mystogan', during the Opening Ceremony. (What aggravated Natsu the most was that Team B came in second in the Preliminary Event whereas Team A was last.)
Nevertheless, anyone foolish enough to cross the Fairies will regret it in due time.
"How are they? Wendy and those boys?" Jellal asked after taking a cautious sip of his beer. Unable to tolerate any more of the taste, he set the mug aside.
"Lisanna says they're getting better but require some more rest," Erza answered, brushing her scarlet hair behind her ear. "Speaking of which, did you and your companions find the temple where Bacon was found?"
Jellal sighed and looked up at the evening sky. "Can't say we found the temple," he began, keeping his voice low. He noticeably furrowed his brow in thought. "But we did discover something odd about the forest in one particular area. The same thing happened to us as it did with Natsu and your master – we ended up going in circles when we tried to pass through. Magic guards the temple and the surrounding woods and Ultear believes it is time magic – one she cannot dispel, counter, or alter."
"Time magic, you say?" Erza was intrigued and only showed it through a slightly raised eyebrow.
"We tested the phenomenon many times using markers to pinpoint our location. When we walked straight forward, we would always loop back to where we started. It's a reversal shift of space after a random amount of time and the change is so instantaneous and subtle that we could never detect it until we found ourselves back at the beginning."
Jellal crossed his legs, rested his elbows on his knees and propped his chin over interlaced fingers. He stared at the orange brick wall of the clock tower right across the street, musing on what he had just shared.
"Whoever cast this spell is protecting the temple and whatever secrets it may contain," he continued after a short moment. "They've been doing so for quite a long time."
"What do you mean?"
Jellal met her inquiring gaze intently. "The magic is old. Ancient. Just like the forest. Ultear has never come across any records of this sort of time spell before and you've mentioned that none of the nearby villagers has ever heard about or stumbled upon the temple either. The forest was likely enchanted long before Saffarion was even a settlement considering there is no written history of the temple's existence.
"Tell me again, how exactly did Natsu and his team find the boy?"
Erza paused, needing a moment to recall the details of the story Mirajane had told her the day she returned to Fairy Tail after her mission in Desierto. It felt like ages ago. "There was a cat, if I remember correctly. Snugglybuttocks… was its name. Natsu's team was chasing it around the forest," she answered, although she had a nagging feeling she got the name wrong.
Jellal noticeably raised his brow. "Snuggly… buttocks?" he repeated slowly, perturbed, "That's… a rather disturbing name…"
Titania shrugged. "I'm probably wrong but I'm sure it's something similar to that."
Jellal said nothing in response to that. He returned to the subject at hand. "The cat led them straight to the temple?"
Erza shook her head. "No… They spent hours searching the forest to retrieve that cat for their mission," she explained. She brought a hand to her chin in a pondering gesture. "I think it was coincidental that the cat led them down the right path through the forest. No, the cat does not possess magic," she added, seeing the question in his eyes. "It was an ordinary cat."
"What exactly did it look like?"
"Lucy or Natsu will have the answer to that. Why does it matter?"
Jellal glanced over to the mountains beyond the wall that seemed to burn like fire under the setting sun's fiery light. "A cat ran by us while we were in the woods. Orange and white. Pink lacy collar. I thought nothing of it at the time. It hid and watched us from afar… like it was observing us."
Erza could remember what Lucy had told her, "Loke became good friends with the cat. It's too bad it hated Natsu though."
There was nothing strange about the feline if Loke could not sense anything out of the ordinary. The cat was only a cat, she wanted to say, but didn't want to intrude on Jellal's thoughts.
Erza studied his expression which was mostly hidden from view, but she could tell by the distant look in his eyes that he was contemplating deeply about the incident, trying to make connections with their currently known facts. A minute passed and no answer or theory had yet to come to his mind.
The mystery around Bacon was still as thick as the day Erza had first met him. She wanted to help the boy recover his memories; most if not all of Fairy Tail did. But the important answers to his identity were hidden away behind a frustrating barrier consisting of ancient time magic.
"Erza," Jellal turned back to her, "have you guys tried taking the boy back to the temple?"
Erza blinked at the suggestion and quickly understood what he was getting at. "No, the thought never occurred to us. We were more focused on helping him remember as well as teaching him. Are you implying that the path will open up if he was around?"
"It's possible. I'm assuming Bacon was protected in the temple so it may make sense that whoever protected him will allow him passage to return."
It was an incredibly interesting conjecture, one in which Erza wanted to test out right away. But that would have to wait; Fairy Tail's top priority at the moment was to win the Grand Magic Games.
Erza would have to relay this idea with everyone once everything was over.
She sighed and stood up, her armour softly clinking together. She dusted off her skirt and offered Jellal her hand which he was nervous to take for some curious reason. Right after yanking him back to his feet, she smirked and said, "The party has barely started. Come inside and join us."
Jellal abruptly stepped away, nearly tripping over the replicas of Mystogan's old staves that he had set aside before sitting down, and held up his hands in protest. "No, I shouldn't. I… don't belong. I also need to further investigate–"
Titania didn't have the patience to hear his excuses. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him along no matter what he tried to say or do. The heels of his boots screeched in protest across the stone of the pub's roof behind her as he fought to break free from her grip. "Don't say such nonsense, Mystogan. You are a Fairy and no Fairies are ever left out of the fun." The kind smile she gave him turned wicked just as she stopped at the edge of the building. "We're friends today, but we'll be rivals again tomorrow. So let's enjoy this night together."
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the written version of the Flare vs. Lucy battle with a few minor changes.
Thanks for reading. And don't forget to review, it feels like I'm doing something wrong when the number of reviews have significantly dropped in the previous chapters compared to before. Is the story getting dull and boring? Chapters too long (as one lovely reader had mentioned on my other story)? I'm desperate to know what you guys are thinking...