Hello, everyone. Here's the next chapter of the Grand Magic Games Arc. I know most of you are confused but this is something I really wanted to do and that I've brainstormed for a while. I'm happy doing this and to me that's all that matters.
Here's a list of the Guardians current roster.
Yuya Ryuga – (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Remake)
Natsu Dragneel – (Fairy Tail)
Lucy Heartfilia – (Fairy Tail)
Happy – (Fairy Tail)
Naruto Uzumaki – (Naruto Shippuden)
Usagi Tsukino – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Ami Mizuno – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Makoto Kino – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Minako Aino – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Mamoru Chiba – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Luna – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Artemis – (Sailor Moon Crystal)
Kazuto Kirigaya (Kirito) – (Sword Art Online)
Asuna Yuuki (Asuna) – (Sword Art Online)
Yui Kirigaya-Yuuki – (Sword Art Online
Suguha Kirigaya (Leafa) - (Sword Art Online)
Shino Asada (Sinon) – (Sword Art Online)
Kunimitsu Tezuka – (Prince of Tennis)
Tetsuya Kuroko – (Kuroko's Basketball)
Taiga Kagami – (Kuroko's Basketball)
Nigou – (Kuroko's Basketball)
Inuyasha – (Inuyasha)
Kagome – (Inuyasha)
Mario Mario – (The Super Mario Bros Movie)
Luigi Mario - (The Super Mario Bros Movie)
Sonic the Hedgehog - (Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Series)
Miles Tails Prower - (Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Series)
Knuckles the Echidna - (Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Series)
Satoshi Katsumoto – (Pokémon XY)
Serena Yvonne – (Pokémon XY)
Issei Hyoudou – (High School DXD)
Irina Shidou – (High School DXD)
Saito Hiraga – (The Familiar of Zero)
Tiffania Westwood – (The Familiar of Zero)
Avatar Aang – (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Katara – (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Sokka – (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Toph – (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Zuko – (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Chapter 02: Misdirection vs Memory-Make Magic
Crocus – Main Town
In the city of Crocus, Jellal, Ultear and Meredy are on the rooftop looking towards the stadium. "The games are underway." Jellal heard the audience cheering. "Hopefully this time we can figure out the magic that has been going on during the games."
"Are you sure you didn't want to sneak in as Mystogan. They wouldn't have noticed." Ultear then made a teasing face. "Plus, you can get close to Erza."
Jellal blushed a little before clearing his throat. "Focus, Ultear. We cannot divert our attention for even a minute."
"Though I'm surprised that those Guardians guys showed up and their numbers really increased from Tenrou Island." Meredy said. "I actually want to see what they're made of. Can we go?"
"Sure, why not." Ultear said.
"Ultear…" Jellal wanted to argue.
"Come on, Jellal. You're also curious about them. Let's just take a look and besides, maybe we'll notice the magic if we're at the arena." Ultear said.
"Very well. But we stick to the rooftops." Jellal gave in. He couldn't deny he wanted to see the potential the Guardians have.
Crocus – Domus Flau
"It's time for the Grand Magic Games and I couldn't be more excited!" Mavis spoke to the readers. "Allow me to go over the rules just one more time, so no one gets confused! During the Preliminary Rounds, each guild had to choose five members to compete in the Sky Labyrinth to qualify for the games. And now, those five members cannot compete in the first event, unless the guild decides to use a Yellow Card. Since most of the guilds used their strongest members in the preliminaries, 7 out of the 8 qualifying teams have used their Yellow Card."
"The first event is very important since it can set up a pace throughout the entire competition. Fairy Tail's original choice was to have Wendy compete but she was attacked and unable to compete. We're hoping she gets fully recovered soon."
"Eight teams made it past the qualifying round, Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, Raven Tail, Quattro Cerberus and the Guardians. The tournament will take a span of five days. The first three days are divided into two parts: a contest and then a battle. The teams can choose any member of their guild to compete in the contest, but that member cannot compete on the following day's contest."
"For the battles, the organizers will choose the participants! Wins and Draws will give you points, but a loss will earn you and your team a big ol' goose egg. Day 4 and 5, however are unknown. But I believe that no matter what, Fairy Tail will come out on top! Let's cheer for Fairy Tail!" Mavis shouted and the Fairy Tail guild cheered.
"Now, will each team's participant in the Hidden game, kindly step forward?" Mabo asked.
"See you later." Gray smirked as he stepped forward.
"Go win my darling!" Juvia supported.
"Show them why you're our new S-Class Wizard!" Erza added.
"Whoa, Gray's S-Class…" Lucy was amazed.
"Rank doesn't mean anything on the field of battle, young moon princess." Knuckles said. "I believe in our shadow like he supported us when we fought those dishonorable Jabberwock fellows that took the Generation of Miracles talents."
Kuroko took off his jacket and removed his warm up pants to show black shorts and team polo shirt. "I'm off." Kuroko said as he walked off.
"You got this, buddy." Kagami smiled.
"Geez, don't leave your clothes lying around." Sinon picked up Kuroko's jacket and warm up pants.
"There are two questions on everyone's minds. First and foremost, just what kind of game will Hidden be?" Chapati commented. "And who would you say is the favorite in this mysterious competition?"
"It's safe to say that Rufus of Sabertooth is probably the odds-on favorite. But Gray from Fairy Tail is a dark horse in the running." Yajima showed his support for Fairy Tail.
"Let's ask today's special guest. Miss Jenny Realight from Blue Pegasus!" Chapati turned his attention to Jenny.
"My fave? I'll be rooting for Eve, of course. He's got this in the bag!" Jenny showed her support for her guild.
Gray kept his eye on Kuroko as he did some stretches. "You worried about him, Gray?" Lyon asked.
"Nah, he doesn't show anything special. I don't understand why they would send a nobody like him out to begin with." Gray didn't feel any pressure from Kuroko.
"Your confidence is as high as ever." Lyon said. "That being said, underestimating him would be a mistake. Especially if Hidden involves stealth, because none of us saw him even the arena." Lyon eyed Kuroko.
"Before we begin…" Mato spoke. "I just want to say it's an honor to have the Phantom Sixth Man compete in the first event. It truly is an honor to meet you Tetsuya Kuroko." Mato shook Kuroko's hand.
"I'm honored to take part in these games." Kuroko smiled. "And I'll do my best not to betray his majesty's expectations of the Guardians."
"I'm actually looking forward to see how this guy does his magic." Beth said.
"If Phantom Sixth Man means anything, he's got to be fast." Eve said.
"No matter what kind of magic he has, I'll take him down." Yeager punched his palm with his fist.
"No matter what tricks, as the reigning champions, Sabertooth will not lose." Rufus fixed his hat.
Nalpudding simply smirked. "Let's get this show on the road, pumpkin."
"Agreed! Open the Field!" Mato raised his hands and a town was constructed in the arena.
"Whoa, this magic is incredible." Tiffania was amazed by the magic. "I've never seen anything like it."
"It reminds me of those construction games I would play when I was in elementary school." Kirito recalled.
As the town was being created, the eight participants were spread out. "Where did everyone go?" Gray looked around.
"I see…this is Hidden." Lyon realized.
"High stakes Hide and Seek." Eve observed.
"Should I be hiding? Or should I be seekin' instead?" Beth questioned.
"I used to play this game when I was a little kid. Is there somebody looking for us?" Yeager looked around.
Nalpudding and Rufus just simply smirked, thinking the games was already in the bag for them. Kuroko took a deep breath.
"Those of you in the stands can catch all the exciting action in crystal-clear lacrima-vision." Screens appeared around the arena. "I bet the eight contestants in the arena wish they had that luxury. But that would make it too easy."
"Speaking of easy, here are the rules of the game. All the players are hiding and seeking at the same time!" Chapati explained.
"They're doing both?" Natsu questioned.
"The main objective in Hidden is to locate the other players. Once you've done that, you'll have to land an attack on them! The player that successfully connects their attack, whether or not it does any damage, will then be awarded one point." Chapati explained.
"Great, now what's going on?" Gray noticed something happening around him. Suddenly, there were multiple copies of each of the competitors in the city. "Aw man, there's hundreds of 'em!"
"What's with all the clones?" Lucy looked.
"Did you use the Shadow Clone and Transformation Jutsu again, Naruto?" Leafa asked.
"Nope, this wasn't me, this time. Honest." Naruto said.
"Geez, so many Grays is making me sick." Natsu fought the urge to hurl.
"They really look identical." Happy watched.
"So many Grays. I wish I were in there." Juvia fantasized being there and hugging all the Grays.
"I know they're pretty. But those copies aren't just for show, folks. Attack one of your fake competitors by mistake, and it'll cost you one point! It's time to disappear like a black cat in a dark alleyway. Fade into your surroundings and hide in plain sight." A gong was hit. "Let's play Hidden!" Everyone cheered as the games officially started.
"This game isn't really much about hiding than it is seeking. It's gonna be tough figuring out who the real enemies are in here, though." Yeager looked around. Suddenly, a basketball knocked him in the back and he was teleported away.
"Yeager was struck by an attack from a flying basketball. He will be put in a 10 second time out area and then force to start again from another part of the arena. The same thing will happen if you attack a fake. One point will be taken off, time-out and then it's starting all over again from somewhere else!" Chapati announced.
"Somebody already scored?!" Gray's eyes widened.
"That was fast." Lyon's eyes widened.
"I couldn't see who launched the attack." Chapati said.
"Take a look at the scoreboard." Yajima pointed to the scoreboard. "Kuroko of Team Guardians got the first point."
"Alright!" Makoto cheered.
"That's the way, buddy!" Kagami cheered.
"Kuroko may be in the lead, but the game will last for 30 minutes. The one with most points will take first place!" Chapati announced.
"He's already started." Gray then saw Kuroko run in front of him. "But I'll take that lead for Fairy Tail!" Gray used his ice and struck Kuroko. "How's that?" However, Gray felt himself get teleported and he lost a point. "What? I lost a point?"
"Looks like Gray attacked a fake instead of the real Kuroko." Chapati said.
"No way." Juvia was shocked that Gray made things worse for himself.
Ten seconds passed and Gray was back on the field. "Got to focus."
"Too late, Gray! Needle Arm!" Gray was struck in the back by Raven Tail's Nalpudding.
"Nalpudding strikes Gray in the back and he gets a point, putting him tied with Kuroko." Chapati said.
"He lost another point again?!" Erza couldn't believe it.
"There! Carrot Missiles!" Beth fired carrots but her target eluded her. "Aw man, I missed. She was then struck by a cactus.
"Alright, first point for me!" Yeager smirked. He was then attacked by ice.
"Thank you for the point." Lyon smiled. He quickly ducked as a basketball almost made contact with him. Lyon quickly turned around and there was nobody there. "The Phantom Sixth Man, I see why you have that title."
"That boy is using his lack of presence to his advantage." Mavis observed.
"His lack of presence?" Makarov questioned.
"Nobody notices him because he doesn't really put himself out there at all. That's why they don't notice all those basketballs flying towards them. He's actually appearing in front of them at first, but quickly sends a ball flying in their direction, getting their attention on the ball instead of himself. It's a simple magic trick but he's using it far beyond the imagination. That boy's magic is Misdirection." Mavis explained.
Lyon quickly avoided another ball. "There you are!" Lyon saw Kuroko. "Ice-Make—" Lyon was caught off guard as the basketball curved and struck him on the side.
"Cyclone Pass." Kuroko said.
"Whoa, did you see the spin of that ball?" Chapati was amazed.
"He anticipated a dodge and applied spin in order to strike his target on the spot. Excellent execution." Yajima praised.
"Damn, he's making everyone look like idiots." Gray cursed as Kuroko had more points than everyone.
Suddenly, it started to snow all over the city. "Our city is turning into a winter wonderland!" Chapati commented.
"That's gotta be Eve." Jenny smiled.
"It's a shame there are some wizards here that aren't affected by the cold. But most of them are." Eve was the one who summoned the snow.
"I see. When people are cold, they start to shiver. And you can see steam from their breath." Ichiya watched.
"But it doesn't work that way for the copies." Ren smirked.
"Pretty smart strategy" Hibiki said.
"I can see you! Right there!" Eve struck Beth, Yeager and Nalpudding earning himself three points.
"Eve accumulates a flurry of points!" Chapati announced. But then ice birds struck him, created by Lyon. "And Ice Wizard Lyon answers with a storm of his creation!"
"Unfortunately for you, I've spent my life training in the cold!" Lyon declared.
"Yeah, I figured." Eve winced.
Nalpudding attacked Gray once more. "Again? What's the deal? Why is this freak so obsessed with me?"
"Ignite Pass Kai!" Nalpudding was hit hard by Kuroko's Ignite Pass Kai.
"There you are!" Gray saw Kuroko. "You're not getting away from me, Phantom Boy!"
Kuroko narrowed his eyes as Gray prepared to use his magic. "Ice Make Cold Excalibur!" Gray created a sword of ice.
"I find this game dreadfully boring." A voice echoed over everyone.
"There he is, Sabertooth's Rufus!" Chapati shouted and everyone looked up to see Rufus on the tallest roof.
"I've committed this song to memory. The rhythm of their heartbeats, their footsteps, the tone of their magic." Rufus said.
"I'm getting a bad feeling about this." Minako said.
"So do I. Kuroko shouldn't let his guard down with him." Tezuka nodded.
"It's all there. Inside my mind." Rufus put his fingers to his temples and a magic circle formed. "Memory Make." The sky turned into the night.
"What is this magic? I've never heard of it." Erza looked.
With the sky now dark, Kuroko, Gray, Lyon and the other participants bodies were glowing. "This…" Kuroko realized.
"Night of Shooting Stars!" Rays were released from Rufus and targeted all of the other participants. Kuroko, Gray, Lyon, Beth, Yeager, Eve and Nalpudding all got struck.
"And the hits rain down from above, turning the scoreboard upside down! This is what you'd expect from a guy like Rufus!" Chapati shouted as the audience cheered. Rufus smirked in response.
Suddenly, an error sound was made and Rufus suddenly found himself teleported. "What?" Rufus was confused.
"Wh-What just happened?" Chapati was confused. "Rufus got teleported to the time out zone."
"Look at the score." Yajima pointed to the score. "If Rufus got all of his targets, his score would have been seven. However, he only has five points."
"That means he hit six actual targets but one was a fake." Jenny said.
"I struck a fake, but how?" Rufus was confused. He was then teleported by to the town in a different spot.
"The only contestant who didn't lose a point was." Yajima looked closely.
"I am the shadow." Kuroko suddenly appeared beside Rufus.
"You?!" Rufus's eyes widened and Kuroko slammed the basketball in his face, breaking his nose.
"Amazing! Kuroko not only blocked Rufus' magic, but he made an instant strike as soon as he was put back in the game!" Chapati shouted.
"Alright! He did it!" Yui cheered.
"Arf!" Nigou barked in support.
"All of the starting points are fixed." Kuroko said as he ran throughout the town, getting everyone's attention. "There are eight starting points, the same number as participants in the games. Though they appear at random, if I know the locations."
Eve, Gray, Lyon, Nalpudding, Beth and Yeager reappeared. "I'll strike them as soon as they appear!" Kuroko created more basketballs and struck them.
"Kuroko's really improved his observation skills." Makoto smiled. "And it was wise for Zatanna to teach him how to summon basketballs using magic."
"Ever since our rematch against Jabberwock, Kuroko has wanted to evolve his Misdirection to the point that he won't have to worry about using Misdirection Overflow or lose his lack of presence. That's why he trained with magic users to evolve his Misdirection and control his lack of presence whenever he wanted." Kagami said. "All so that he could be the darker shadow to my brighter light."
"You have a great partner, Taiga. You two will definitely take the NBA Championship together." Makoto smiled.
"Yeah." Kagami smiled. He looked forward to playing with Kuroko when they were both NBA players.
"No way, how is Rufus losing to some nobody?" Lector couldn't believe it.
"But I see him right there." Frosch said. "He has to be somebody."
"That boy's lack of presence is throwing Rufus off his momentum." Rogue watched. "By purposefully not showing off to his competition, he remains hidden in the shadows and diverts his opponent's attention to the basketball he fires."
"So, all Rufus has to do is just focus on the brat and strike him without looking at the ball." Orga said.
"That would work if the opponent had average speed. But Kuroko is fast, just as fast as me when I use shadows to travel." Rogue said. "He must have gone through intense training to get that speed."
"It's rare of you take interest in someone who's not Gajeel." Sting said.
"The Guardians have piqued my interest. They didn't get first place in the preliminaries with just luck. We cannot underestimate them." Rogue said.
"I think so too." Frosch agreed.
"Damn. I got overconfident because he didn't stand out to me." Gray cursed inwardly. "And that Sabertooth Guy uses Maker Magic I've never seen before."
"If this one is good, it makes me wonder how the other members of the Guardians are like." Lyon thought.
The bell rang and the field and screens disappeared. "Time is up, the game of Hidden is over!" Chapati announced. "Let's take a look at the ol' scoreboard!
Grand Magic Games Rankings
1st Guardians – 10 points
2nd Sabertooth – 8 points
3rd Lamia Scale – 6 points
4th Raven Tail – 4 points
5th Blue Pegasus – 3 points
6th Mermaid Heel – 2 points
7th Quatro Cerberus – 1 point
8th Fairy Tail – 0 points
"That was absolutely pitiful, Lyon! You should be ashamed!" Ooba Babasaama, the Guild Master of Lamia Scale scolded.
"Please master, calm down!" A Lamia Scale member begged.
"Eve could've done a whole lot worse I guess." Ren said.
"But we're still low in ranking." Hibiki pointed out.
"Sixth place, we need to step up our game." Arana Webb of Mermaid Heel stated.
"We gotta give Beth some credit for trying!" Fellow member, Risley Law, chuckled.
"Using basic Misdirection and lack of presence, the winner of Hidden is Team Guardians' Tetsuya Kuroko. Now I begin to see why he has earned the nickname of the Phantom Sixth Man." Chapati announced.
"Congratulations, Guardians. I look forward to seeing more of what you've got." Yajima congratulated.
"Fairy Tail gave it their all. But unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get them out of last place." Chapati said as Gray headed for the exit.
"Better luck next time." Yajima added.
"Well, what do you expect from the weakest guild in Fiore?"
"They're such losers!"
"Get used to being in dead last, ya has-beens!"
Gray growled in frustration as the audience insulted him and Fairy Tail. He let Nalpudding attack and trick him and Rufus humiliated him. But what was really frustrating was that Kuroko had sometimes saved Gray from Nalpudding when he could've struck them both out.
"Gray, my love." Juvia went to Gray worried.
"Don't worry, Gray. We have more chances to come." Erza tried to assure him.
"Great job, Kuroko. You did great." Fairy Tail looked to see Natsu, Lucy and Happy congratulating Kuroko.
"Yeah, your misdirection has gotten so much better than when you faced Jabberwock in basketball." Happy said.
"Thank you very much." Kuroko bowed.
Natsu smiled before he looked at Fairy Tail's side, especially at Gray, who looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel.
Gray growled and went to the exit. "Raven Tail…that pompous wizard…and Kuroko…" Gray hit the wall hard as a vein popped in his head. "I will be getting payback for this so they should watch out."
"Coming up next is the battle part of the contest! One member of each team will participate in a match. But this isn't a tournament setup!" Chapati announced.
"It's the game's organizers who decide who's going to be duking it out in the battles, right?" Jenny asked.
"I'm sure they'll set up some spectacular displays of magical skills." Yajima was looking forward to the battles.
"The organizers are currently deciding the matchups. While we wait, feel free to get some refreshments." Chapati announced.
"I'm gonna get some grub." Kagami said.
"Kagami, you might get picked to fight." Kuroko said. "You shouldn't eat before a battle."
"It's just gonna get a snack." Kagami said.
"Does that mean 10 cheeseburgers?" Makoto teased, making Kagami blush. She then turned to Kuroko. "You should eat as well Kuroko. You used a lot of magic. And don't just get a milkshake, get some protein and carbs as well."
"Okay, Makoto." Kuroko nodded.
"Here, put everything on the card." Yuya gave Kagami the Justice League credit card.
"We're gonna have to do so much community service to pay off this bill, aren't we?" Lucy moaned since most of the members' stomachs were bottomless pits.
"Hey, we got to celebrate our first victory." Natsu smiled.
"Aye!" Happy agreed.
Juvia tried to sneak away from them. "Going to check on Gray?" Erza caught Juvia.
"Um…well…" Juvia fantasized about comforting Gray and that would make him miraculously fall in love with her.
"I'll go with you too. I'm worried about him." Erza said.
"Oh, come on, can't you just let me have some alone time with my darling?!" Juvia inwardly cursed that Erza once again blocked her intentions.
Domus Flau – Food Court
Gray sat by himself on a bench, still angry that he lost so bad in the Hidden Game. "Damn them. Raven Tail and Sabertooth are scum, but they are powerful in their own way. But I can't believe I lost to a guy with no presence at all."
"Okay, let's see what we got here." Gray saw Kagami, Makoto and Kuroko at the Burger Stand.
"Oh, wow, that Monster Burger looks really good." Makoto drooled a little.
"Oh, good eye. That's our top item that we sell here." The chef said. "Tell you what, since you two are a cute couple, I can make it a double for you with the 20% off."
"Oh, um…" Makoto blushed at the comment.
"We're not really…" Kagami blushed a little as well.
"I think you two are good for each other. You both like to cook, athletic and you struggle with your academics." Kuroko said.
"You didn't need to say that last part!" Kagami and Makoto shouted at Kuroko. This made the chef laugh.
"Here you go, one couple Double Monster Burger and a shake with two straws." The chef gave Kagami and Makoto a couple's meal.
"Ow wow, that smells so good." Kagami smelled the burger.
"And what about you, champion of Hidden?" The chef asked Kuroko.
"Can I get something to share with him?" Kuroko pointed to his bag and Nigou popped out and barked.
"Gah, Nigou?" Kagami jumped a bit.
"It's okay, Kagami. Nigou's a good boy." Makoto comforted him.
"I like you Guardians. I'm rooting for you all the way." The chef smiled.
"Tch." Gray clicked his tongue and looked down.
"Gray, are you alright?" Juvia arrived with Erza.
"I'm fine." Gray growled as he glanced at the Guardians.
Erza followed his glare and he saw Kuroko holding Nigou up to Kagami who hid behind Makoto, who chuckled awkwardly. "There's no need to be upset with them, Gray. They won fair and square." Erza said.
"Erza, I was humiliated out there. I just got promoted and I got my ass handed to me by Raven Tail and Sabertooth. But what was really humiliating was that guy had to save me." Gray growled. "He had the chance to take me out as well, but he just took off and left me there, like I wasn't worth it."
"I understand your frustration, Gray. But Kuroko was focused on all of the contestants, not just you. Plus, Master Mavis analyzed his Misdirection. It can only work so long as he doesn't make himself known. He was just playing the game as best as he could." Erza said.
"Darling, the day isn't over yet. We still have the Battle Round. I know we can win this no matter who they pair us off against. We're Fairy Tail, after all." Juvia encouraged Gray.
"Sorry for the wait folks, but we have the lineups for the battles! Here are the matchups!" Chapati announced. "The first match of Day 1 will be between Team Fairy Tail's Cana Alberona and Team Guardians' Lucy Heartfilia!"
"What?!" Gray gasped.
"Cana vs Lucy?!" Juvia was shocked.
"Did the organizers do this on purpose?" Erza was a little shaken.
Domus Flau – Colosseum
"How could they do that?" Mirajane was shocked by the matchup.
"This is so messed up." Lisanna was angry.
"It is what it is. There's nothing we can do about it." Makarov was upset by the matchup, but he had to accept it.
"Weren't those two partners during the S-Class Trials?" Laxus asked.
"Yes. They defeated Bickslow and me. They're powerful as a team, but now they have to face each other." Freed said.
"But Cana was chosen for the S-Class trials, so this should be an easy win for her." Max said.
"Not quite. Remember, Cana was sealed for 7 years, while Lucy wasn't." Macao pointed out. "Lucy had to be getting stronger during her time with the Guardians."
Levy looked really conflicted. "What's wrong, Levy?" Jet asked.
"Are you getting sick?" Droy asked.
"I'm conflicted." Levy said, getting everyone's attention. "I know I should cheer for our guild and I want us to be the best guild in the world. But Lu is my best friend."
"I understand your conflicted feelings, my child. But in the end, you must do what your heart tells you to do. It's always right." Makarov said.
"First Master Mavis." Cana approached Mavis. "Can you do something for me?"
"I understand." Mavis nodded, knowing what Cana would ask for.
On the other side, the Guardians saw the matchup. "Geez, that's cruel." Natsu said.
"Will you be okay, Lucy?" Happy asked.
"Whether it's a member of Fairy Tail or any other guild, the opponent doesn't matter." Lucy removed her jacket and warmups. She then tied her shirt into a bun to reveal her midriff. "We came here to make an alliance with the kingdom, and do to that we have to win."
Lucy slapped her cheeks and got determined. "Oh yeah. I'm fired up now." Lucy headed down towards the battlefield.
"She stole your catchphrase." Happy said. "That's copyright infringement! We should sue her!"
"Let her have it." Natsu shrugged it off. "It was kind of cute when she said that." His face had a little pink flush.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to begin the first battle round of Day 1. From Team Fairy Tail, Cana Alberona." Cana entered the battlefield.
"You got this, Cana!" Lisanna shouted.
"We're rooting for you!" Mirajane encouraged.
"Fight like a man!" Elfman roared.
All of Fairy Tail cheered for Cana. Gray, Juvia and Erza made it back and they looked down on the battlefield. "And from Team Guardians, Lucy Heartfilia." Lucy entered the battlefield.
"Lucy…" Erza muttered.
"This is going to be one interesting match." Yajima said. "According to recent reports, these two were partners during Fairy Tail's S-Class Promotion Trials."
"And now they're facing each other in battle. Those organizers really like to stir up drama." Jenny commented.
Both Cana and Lucy stopped and stared at each other. "Lucy." Cana said.
"Cana, it's good that you're okay." Lucy smiled.
"Likewise." Cana smiled back. "And thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?" Lucy asked.
"You gave me the courage to tell Gildarts the truth even though I didn't become S-Class." Cana answered. "Speaking of fathers, I heard about yours. I'm sorry."
"Thank you for condolences." Lucy bowed. "And I know from your personality that Gildarts can be a pain, but don't pass up chances to spend time with him."
"I won't." Cana said. "And while I'm grateful to you, I won't let you win this battle." Cana got serious and pulled out her cards. "Fairy Tail will be the best guild in the world."
"I don't plan on losing either." Lucy reached for her whip. "Not against you or anyone else."
"Both groups seem to be ready! Let me explain the rules of the Battle Round!" Mato announced. "The battle will last for 30 minutes, however, there will be one minute interval every 10 minutes of each round. If neither contestant is defeated at the end of 30 minutes, the battle will be a Draw!"
"So, they'll have at least two chances to recover and re-strategize if they need to." Yuya said.
"This is going to be one hell of a battle." Natsu watched closely.
"Let the first match! Begin!" Mato announced and both Lucy and Cana rushed towards each other.
Preview: Lucy and Cana face each other in the first Battle Round of Day 1. Though they were partners on Tenrou Island, they now must cast aside their feelings in order to fight for their respective teams. Can Lucy overcome her partner who is a potential S-Class Wizard and a child of Gildarts? Or will Cana pull away with the win with the power she received from Mavis.
Next Time: Celestial Magic vs Fairy Magic