Chapter 200

For Friends

The next day, our guild was walking back to Domus Flau. After getting a good night's rest, I was looking forward to day two of the games would bring and also ready for my match against Fuzen.

However, as we made our way, I couldn't help but glance around at my surroundings. I wanted to ensure Lapis, Asuka, and Sieri would be protected in case a particular dark guild would play dirty again.

Then, Mira tapped on my shoulder with her staff. "Hey, Willy. Are you all right?" she asked. "You look tense."

"I'm fine. I'm just keeping an eye out," I replied.

"Still feeling worried about Raven Tail, huh?" Mira surmised. "Well, I understand that, but there isn't a reason to, Willy."

"We may have let our guard down yesterday, but we won't make that mistake again," said Alzack. "We've discussed it with Makaroav and decided we're going to split into teams while watching Raven Tail."

"I'm going to be watching Ivan while Lisanna and the Thunder Legion will watch the rest of Raven Tail," added Bisca. "And Tu Chi will stay with us."

"Thank you, and I apologize if I sound paranoid," I said gratefully. "I want everyone to be safe from harm, and I can't help but worry."

Sieri then gave me an affectionate tousle of my hair. "We know, Willy, but the only thing you need to worry about is your match today. So, let's go and watch our teams kick some butt."

I answered with a smile. "You're right."

Our party eventually split up and soon came to our seats at the balcony box, and the people filling the stands cheered loudly and wildly as Chapati addressed everyone.

"Hello, everybody! It's Day Two of the Grand Magic Games, and the stands are exploding with excitement!" he spoke with energy. "Joining me with commentary once again is Mr. Yajima and our new special guest today from Sorceror Weekly, Jason!"

"So cool!" Jason yelled out. "It's awesome to be here!"

"Likewise, I'm sure," Yajima also spoke.

"With introductions out of the way, I'd say it's time to get today's events started!" Chapati went on. "Are you ready? Because it's time for the second contest!"

As everyone cheered, I was looking forward to seeing what this contest would bring and hoping that fortune would turn in our favor.

However, things would again start badly in our favor.

It had to do with the contest, which was known as Chariots.

The competitors participating in this were Blacksnake from Raven Tail, Yuka Lamia Scale, Ichiya Blue Pegasus, Bacchus Quatro Cerebus, a chunky woman from Mermaid Heel known as Risley, Sting Sabertooth, Natsu Fairy Tail Team A, and Gajeel Fairy Tail Team B.

The rules of the game were simple. Simply put, it was a race to the finish line, which was inside the arena, and the starting point would be in the middle of Crocus. But the catch was that there was a long train of chariots snaking through the city, constantly moving slowly, and you couldn't fall off of them or else you'd lose.

This contest wouldn't be a problem for the other competitors, but unfortunately for the dragon slayers, this would be a huge problem due to their one weakness.

Moving vehicles.

No sooner than they stepped foot on the chariots, Natsu, Gajeel, and Sting were quick to fall behind, barely able to take any steps, each one blue in the face and having puffy cheeks.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" groaned Jet. "It's official; the world's against us!"

"What the heck's going on here?!" Pantherlily cried in disbelief. "What's wrong with Gajeel?!"

Happy, for some reason, was in tears. "I'll tell you what's going on. That jerk's stealing Natsu's uniqueness."

"Somehow, I doubt that's what's going on here, Happy," I said. "It seems like Gajeel's developed motion sickness like Natsu."

"And it seems to be affecting that Sting guy, too," pointed out Levy. "Talk about a case of bad luck."

"It's crazy. I always thought it only affected Natsu," said Droy. "But from the looks of things, it seems to affect all dragon slayers."

Sieri looked across at me. "Say, Willy? Does it affect you too?"

"Unfortunately, yes," I said with a sigh. "I found that out on the train ride back to Magnolia, and let me say; it's unpleasant."

The crowd appeared to be abuzz as well. Some wondered what was wrong with the three, while others laughed at how silly the dragon slayers looked.

Back in the race, Blacksnake was in first, Yuka, Ichiya, and Risley fought for second, and Bacchus toiled far behind them in third.

Yuka was the first to try and break away from the pack by releasing a powerful blast of his Wave magic to boost him forward and cancel out the others' magic.

However, Risley quickly avoided the waves by running on the side of the chariot and taking the lead.

"And there it is!" cried out Chapati. "Risley's gravity change magic helped her dodge Yuka's wave and is now making her way toward the leaders!"

But Ichiya wasn't about to be outdone. "In that case, I'll use my swiftness Parfum! Point Blank Style!"

He then took two vials from his person and stuffed them up his nose. Almost immediately, he shot ahead like a jackrabbit, quickly overtaking Risley and Yuka.

Then, on another screen, I saw Bacchus, who had stopped running on one of the chariots. Before I could even think about what he was up to, he took a squatting stance while raising his left leg and gave the chariot he was on a mighty stomp.

The chariot he stood on snapped into two, and the shockwave and power tossed the others into the air forcing the other competitors to hold on for dear life. Bacchus then seized his chance shooting straight past Yuka, Ichiya, and Risley, and soon overtook Blacksnake.

Soon, he came running into the arena and ran past the finish line.

"And we have a winner!" Chapati called out. "Bacchus makes it into first place, scoring ten points for Quatro Cerebus!"

I stood there wholly speechless, jaw agape and eyes wide as I stared at Bacchus as he celebrated his victory. "That's insane," I managed to murmur. "He turned the tide of that contest in seconds. I know Erza said he was strong, but his strength and power are on a different level."

"I had no idea Cerebus had someone like him in their guild!" Makarov spoke in a stunned tone.

Not long after, the other competitors came through the finish, too. Blacksnake came in second, Risley in third, Yuka fourth, and Ichiya in fifth. Now, it would be a three-way battle for last place between the dragon slayers.

All three were still green on the gills, trying their best not to puke as the chariots continued to move. However, Natsu and Gajeel pressed forward, using every ounce of strength to keep going despite their afflictions.

Sting then chucked despite his condition. "Give me a break. How uncool can you get?" he scoffed snidely. "Why don't you two quit acting so tough when neither of you got any strength left?"

But Natsu and Gajeel refused to give up as they practically crawled desperately forward.

"Whatever. I didn't need this win anyway, so you guys can have it," Sting went on. "Sabertooth's going to keep racking up the points anyway. One measly little point isn't going to change a thing."

Gajeel looked back, flashing his signature grin. "One "measly, little" point is nothing to sneer at, kid!" he barked bravely. "Don't you and the rest of your guild forget that!"

"I gotta keep moving!" Natsu groaned as he continued to crawl while holding down his bile. "I'm - I'm not gonna lose like this!"

Sting was taken aback, as was I, as Natsu and Gajeel struggled on.

Then, Sting spoke to them again, this time more seriously. "Hey, you two mind explaining something to me? Why did you guys even enter the games in the first place? You're nothing like the Fairy Tail I knew growing up. You're always obsessed with your toughness as a guild and what the world thinks of you. You guys were a guild that did whatever the hell it wanted whenever it wanted, so what happened to that? They never cared what anyone else said or thought of them even though they took in scumbags like a certain someone in your ranks."

Silence fell in the arena. Then, Natsu worked up the strength to speak.

"The reason we're here - is for our friends!"

Sting blinked in surprise while the people in the stands murmured in bewilderment.

"The ones - who waited for us for all the years that we were gone!" the fire dragon slayer continued, his voice weak but filled with passion. "No matter how painful or miserable things got for them - even when they were humiliated, they stayed strong and kept our guild together! So we're doing this for all of them!"

Then, even though he was sick as a dog, Natsu bellowed at the top of his lungs enough for all of Crocus to hear him.

"AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THE FAIRY TAIL GUILD NEVER GAVE UP! NOT EVEN FOR AN INSTANT! SO THERE'S NO WAY I'M GOING TO GIVE UP NOW!"

Then, our balcony erupted in a chorus of sobs, those who weren't at Tenrou Island crying their eyes out.

Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel a bit emotional, too.

"Leave it to you to get into a speech, Natsu. You truly are a kind person."

We all watched Natsu and Gajeel keep going, practically crawling on the ground until finally, they managed to make it to the arena and through the finish line, Natsu first and Gajeel after.

Immediately and unexpectedly, the crowd erupted into cheers as they applauded.

"They did it!" cheered out Chapati. "Natsu manages to nab sixth place earning his team two points, while Gajeel takes seventh, earning his team one point! As for Sting, our fan-favorite, he scores zero points for Sabertooth due to forfeiting the contest."

But the crowd didn't seem to care for Sting as they continued to clap and cheer for Natsu and Gajeel while everyone in our balcony box cried with pride for the two.

I could also hear some of the people in the crowd shouting.

"Way to go, Fairy Tail!"

"You've earned yourselves a new fan!"

"You guys got guts, spunk, and moxie!"

"Maybe they ain't so bad after all!"

Hearing those shouts made relief and happiness fill my heart as I smiled with pride for the two.

The scoreboard then showed on the lacrima-tron displaying the following updated scores.

1st Raven Tail: 26

2nd Sabertooth 20

2rd Lamia Scale 20

4th Blue Pegasus 17

5th Quatro Cerebus 12

6th Mermaid Heel 9

7th Fairy Tail B 2

7th Fairy Tail A 2

"With Chariots out of the way, Raven Tail jumps ahead in first place!" announced Chapati. "Meanwhile, Sabertooth drops to second leaving them tied with Lamia Scale! And now, it's time we make things a bit interesting! Normally we would start with the battle portion of the games, but instead, we're going to start with the semi-final matches of the Crocus Fighter's Tournament!"

"So cool!" cried out Jason.

Mugshots of Fuzen and me with a large versus sign in the middle now showed on the lacrima-tron.

"For the first match, it's Willy Falconer from Fairy Tail against Fuzen from Raven Tail!" Chapati continued. "The match will begin in just a few minutes!"

"Wait, they're starting my match already?!" I spoke in surprise. "Guess I better get down there!"

"Good luck, Willy," said Tu Chi. "May you taste nothing but victory."

"And don't worry. We're going to be cheering for you as hard as we can," said Mavis.

I gave the first master a nod and was about to leave when Sieri called out.

"Hey, Willy! Make sure you keep an eye on us on the stands! We got a surprise for you!"

I looked back, a bit puzzled. "A surprise? What is it?"

Sieri grinned. "Don't worry. You'll find out during the match. Now get going. Don't want to keep the crowd waiting."

Realizing that she was right, I dashed out of the balcony and rushed down the halls as I made my way to the entrance to the arena again.

But as I came down the tunnel leading to the arena, I noticed someone coming from the same direction, causing me to stop.

It was Sting, and he didn't look happy.

I kept walking, not wanting to start things, trying not to pay attention to him.

But as I walked past him, Sting stopped walking and spoke.

"Hey, you."

Knowing that he was addressing me, I stopped as well.

"You guys are seriously fighting for the sake of friends? That's a load of crap," Sting spat with disgust. "Even you have to agree."

"If you were in our position and experienced what we've been through, you'd understand, but you never will," I told him. "All you need to understand is that we'll win the games, and I'll win the Crocus Fighter's Tournament."

I started to walk a few steps when Sting spoke up again.

"Then, answer me this. Why are you fighting in it?"

That question made me stop.

"Is it for the same bullcrap excuse as Natsu spat out? Or is it for something else?" Sting went on in sneer. "Or maybe it's because you want a chance to boost your reputation? After all, you are the traitor of the Balam Alliance, so I'm sure you've got some kind of motive."

I clenched my fists, feeling a shot of anger, but I kept my cool. "That's something I don't have to tell you," I spoke coldly. "But I can say it's nothing like what you're thinking. Now, if you don't mind, I have a match to win."

I then walked curtly away without looking back. But as I did, I couldn't help but think about Sting's question. However, I quickly put it out of my mind as I gave my cheeks a couple of slaps.

"All right. Let's do this."

I then stepped into the sunlight walking towards the middle of the arena.

NO POV

In the stands watching the events, Ivan amongst the people observing with a confident smirk on his face, his eyes fixed solely on Willy as he stepped into the arena. He then looked towards the balcony box where the other Fairy Tail wizards resided and took notice of Tu Chi standing next to Sieri and the girls.

"So, Makarov and his brats decided to take extra precautions, eh?" he thought. "Unfortunately for them, it won't matter. There's a reason why Fuzen's representing my guild in this tournament. Out of all the wizards in my ranks, excluding me, he's one of the most powerful wizards I've ever recruited, specifically chosen to take down Willy Falconer in every way possible.

He returned his attention to the arena.

"I hope you and your precious children are watching Makarov because I'm going to enjoy Fuzen utterly destroying your precious Willy, robbing him of whatever little hope he has left as one of your children."

"So they're gonna start with Willy's match first, eh?" said Jellal. "Didn't expect that."

"I agree. I can't help but wonder why the sudden change," said Juvia.

"Let's boil it down to the officials' way to try and entertain the crowd," said Laxus. "No need to overthink it."

Mira stayed silent.

Then, Cana came over.

"What's the matter, girl?" she asked. "Don't tell me you're worried about Willy."

"Well - I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Mira replied. "Especially considering who his opponent happens to be."

"Come on, girlie. What happened to that confidence yesterday?" said a familiar voice.

Everyone else looked back as Gajeel came walking in.

"Well, look who's back," smiled Laxus. "And here I thought you'd be at the infirmary with Natsu after getting sick."

Gajeel scowled. "Oh, shut up! Like I would miss this!" he barked. He then came over to Mira. "Anyway, there ain't no way Water-boy'll lose that masked punk, so don't worry your pretty little head about him."

"If anything, I'm more concerned about Fuzen and Raven Tail," said Juvia. "After what they did to us yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to interfere in Willy's match."

Mira stared at the boy as he continued to the center of the arena, the styled bang framing his face dancing in the wind along with his hair.

"Please be careful, Willy."

WILLY'S POV

I now stood in the center of the arena, face to face with Fuzen and glaring straight at him. Despite his face being hidden behind his mask, I could sense the smugness and arrogance coming from my opponent.

"I want nothing more than to get some payback for what Raven Tail did to the others. But I also have tread lightly. I can't afford to let my emotions get the better of me this time. Otherwise, I'll end up dropping my guard. Especially since I know nothing about this guy and what magic and fighting style he uses."

I thought back to my last interaction with Fuzen in the preliminaries and his fight with Bora.

"He'll most likely try and use his words to get me down like with Bora, and I still feel uneasy from when he touched me the other day. But even so, I won't lose."

"All right, folks! It's time we get the first semi-finals match underway!" announced Chapati. "On one side is Fairy Tail's water ninja master, Willy Falconer, and on the other side is the man whose face hides behind the clown mask, Raven Tail's Fuzen!"

"Now I want a good clean match, you understand?" Yajima spoke sternly.

"This match is going to be so cool!" Jason cried with excitement. "I'm rooting for you, Willy!"

"The last time these two guilds clashed, it didn't go very well for Fairy Tail, but now Willy has a chance for redemption after claiming victory against Mattan!" continued Chapati. "But Fuzen ain't no slouch either, considering that he was able to force Bora to surrender in his match. Which one of these two wizards will win and move on to the finals?"

"Well, that's a pretty hard stare you're giving me," said Fuzen. "Why don't you lighten up a little? If you keep that look, your face will stay that way."

"The only face you should be concerned with is yours," I said in an icy tone. "Because I intend to break that mask and bash your face in."

Fuzen pretended to be frightened. "Oh, my. Such a hostile attitude." His demeanor then turned slightly malicious. "But sadly, I'm afraid you'll be the one to lose here."

"Competitors! Step forward!"

The two of us each took a step forward, and Mato gave the call as the gong let out a resounding bong.

"LET THE SEMI-FINAL MATCH BEGIN!"

The semi-final match is about to start, and Willy is raring to go!

But will he win against Fuzen, or will Raven Tail claim their next victim?

Thank you for reading, and you know what to do! Read, Review, and Fav if you liked!

Dragomaster, signing off!