Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Crocus.
July 6, x791.
Just as Alfonzo sat down, Sun and Kagura were standing a few feet apart, breathing heavily with their swords pointed at each other. And from what those watching could tell, they were about to move in for their final clash.
"I'm gonna beat you this time, kagura." Sun said with a tired smile on her face.
"We'll see about that." Kagura replied in her usual impassive tone, though the barest hint of a smile could be seen on her face, as well.
In the next instant, both wizards flared the last of their magic power as they tensed up to make their final moves.
*Ting!* x 4
"[Angel Magic: Shamsiel]."
However, before they could commit to the final attack, the sound of four coins being flipped and a woman chanting a spell drew their attention.
*Boom!* x 2
Yet, before they could begin searching for the sounds' origins, two pillars of light fell from above, engulfing both Sun and Kagura and eliminating them from the event. A moment later, a giant stone cherub with a pompadour hair-style, hairy legs, a hairy chest, and two strange pigs wearing wooly lamb costumes descended from the sky between the two explosions. And sitting on the cherub's shoulder was Sorano.
"Finally, I found two people who weren't fighting in some completely bat-shit insane way." Sorano said with a wry smile. "Because there was no way I was getting in the way of people like Ur, Ultear, Laxus, and Alfonzo."
"Oh, and what about me?"
"Damn it…" Sorano groaned as she heard a familiar voice coming from behind.
*Swish!*
In the next instant, threads from all directions could be heard cutting through the air before the cherub and both pigs were securely wrapped up in cocoons. AS for Sorano, she was quick to jump away from the cherub as soon as she heard the voice.
"Come on, Lici, you don't' have to do this." Sorano said as she landed on the ground.
"I kinda do." Elicia, the owner of the voice, replied as she dropped her [Camouflage Magic] while standing next to Shamsiel. "You know, we're in a competition."
"*Sigh* This is really gonna hurt." Sorano muttered when her half-hearted attempt at peace failed.
"Probably." Elicia replied with a nod. "But since you're using such a big target, you probably got past all lifespan problems with your magic, huh? But I wonder about the pain that comes with one of your angels being defeated. [Thread Magic: Thread Slicer]."
With that, Elicia twitched her fingers, the motion causing all the threads to contract, causing the cherub and the pigs to be sliced into ribbons.
"Ahh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!" Sorano screamed in pain as she fell to her knees when her angel was destroyed.
A moment later, Sorano passed out from the pain before being teleported to the Domus Flau's infirmary.
"Well, I guess that answer's that question." Elicia said with a shrug before turning to her left with a small frown on her face. "So, are you just gonna watch me from a distance like a creep, or are you going to come out and fight, Bacchus?"
"*Sigh* I wasn't trying to be creepy, you know." Bacchus said as he approached from behind a building. "Last time I saw you, I thought you were fighting Guy. But I guess you already beat him, huh?"
"Yeah… he was strong… And fast…" Elicia replied with a slight nod. "He's faster than my base speed when I don't use [Shave]. But he just can't keep up otherwise. So, it was just a matter of getting him to wrap himself up in my Vibranium Threads after that. A little misdirection with [Camouflage Magic] didn't hurt, either."
"Yeah, I guess I could see that." Bacchus replied awkwardly. "Not that I know what Vibranium Threads are. But I figured he'd lose to you eventually. I just didn't think it would be so fast. I thought I'd be able to take out Sorano before anyone else got here."
"Well, I guess you were too late." Elicia said with a shrug. "Anyway, I'm getting tired. So, let's just fight."
"*sigh* I'd rather not fight you, but I can't run away." Bacchus said, a slightly faraway appearing in his expression after remembering when Elicia almost killed him a few years ago. "So, let's---"
*Bang!*
Before Bacchus could finish, however, he was struck in the back of the head. At the same time, the Elicia he had been talking to blinked out of existence.
"Damn [Camouflage---]." Bacchus groaned as he tried to regain his footing.
*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*
Yet, before he could put up his guard again, his head snapped back. Then, he doubled over at the waist before a second shot to the back of the head made him face plant onto the street.
*Whirl!* x 3
*Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-!* x 3
However, before Bacchus could be hit with anymore heavy blows or get up to defend himself again, three streams of magic bullets fell on him from above, riddling his body until he was teleported from the town.
"Hey! You stole my kill!" Elicia shouted after jumping away from the bullet streams.
A moment later, the sound of thrusters could be heard from above as Jenny, in her [Machina Soul: Christina Take Over] with her vulcan cannons, gatling gun, and magic power saber equipped, lowered herself in front of Elicia, who had dropped her [Camouflage Magic] once again.
"All is fair in love and war, Lici." Jenny said with a dazzling smile on her face as she flipped her hair behind her.
"Exactly."
"Huh?" Jenny exclaimed in surprise.
Before she could react even further, however, Jenny's eyes widened to a comical degree when the ground beneath her surged upwards and wrapped around her entire body.
"Damn it, Marin!" jenny shouted in the most unlady like tone anyone had ever heard from her. "Why is it always you?"
"I don't' know what you're talking about." Marin, who had been on the way to meet up with Elicia, said innocently as she appeared next to jenny in a burst of speed.
"Oh, you finally managed to use [Shave], Marin." Elicia said while clapping happily. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Marin said as she placed one of Nova's blades on Jenny's throat. "But my legs are gonna be soar for a long time after this."
"Have you been skipping leg day?" Elicia asked playfully while tilting her head.
"Of course not." Marin replied while shaking her head. "Fonzie likes my legs too much for me to ever consider that."
Nodding in understanding, Elicia turned her attention back to jenny.
"Well, she should be the last one left from the other teams." Elicia said while flicking her fingers and causing her threads to cocoon Jenny and the stone that Marin [Transformed] into a prison for her. "So, once she gives up, this game is over."
Yet, before Jenny could even make the decision to give up, the townscape began to breakdown into motes of magic power.
"It looks like she doesn't have to." Marin said as she lowered her blade. "Looks like the committee made that decision for her."
*Cheer~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!*
With that, the sounds of the outside started flooding the Hargeon recreation as it broke down. At the same time, Jenny hung her head in frustration as Lola's voice sounded out over the Domus Flau.
{"What another great finish to the Grand Magic Games~~~~~~~!"} Lola shouted at the top of his lungs. {"There were so many great battles! So many awe-inspiring displays of magic! But there could only be one winner! And for the second time, Fairy Tail is the Grand Magic Games' Champions!"}
{"This time, you're gonna have to be more specific, Lola."} Yajima said with a hint of amusement in his tone. {"Fairy Tail fielded three teams this year, after all."}
{"Ah! You're right!"} Lola replied.
{"And that is an even bigger indication of just how strong they are as a guild."} Arcadios added. {"Not only did they field three teams, but they all ended up in the top three spots."}
{"That's also true, Commander."} Lola said while nodding his head vigorously. {"In fact, why don't we take one last look at the scoreboard before we sign off. And like always, the awards will be presented by his Majesty in two days during the banquet held in honor of everyone who made it to the main event."}
{Grand Magic Games Overall Scoreboard
Rank Team Score
Fairy Tail A 106 Pts. Fairy Tail B 60 Pts. Fairy Tail C 59 Pts. Mermaid Heel 50 Pts. Quatro Cerberus 41 Pts. Lamia Scale 25 Pts. Sabertooth 23 Pts. Blue Pegasus 14 Pts.}
With that, the broadcast ended, and the crowd started making their way out of the stadium. Meanwhile, the wizards made their way towards the Domus Flau's medical wing to check on their injured guild mates.
"So, what happened while you were fighting Alfonzo under water, Laxus?" Saya asked while sitting on the edge of Laxus' sick bed.
Currently, Saya, along with Chico was visiting Laxus and Fried in Fairy Tail Team B's infirmary room. Cana, Mirajane, and Gajeel had been here a few minutes ago, as well. However, they left not long ago to go see the rest of the guild and their lovers before the room got too crowded.
"Ha! Fighting underwater?" Laxus asked in an incredulous tone. "Let's just say I'm glad he pulled me underwater for that. Because you couldn't call that a fight by any stretch of the imagination."
"Really?" Chico asked as she grabbed Laxus' hand from the other side of his bed.
"Yeah, I don't' know when he got so strong, but he was fighting me evenly without unsealing his [Soul Armament]. But when he did, I couldn't compare at all."
"How is that possible?" Saya asked with an eyebrow raised in surprise.
["He must have actually done it."] Elexion said from Laxus' inner world.
"Done what?" Laxus asked in a curious tone.
Understanding that Laxus was talking to Elexion at the moment, Chico and Saya fell silent. However, it was not Laxus who shed light on the situation.
"Have you ever wondered why Alfonzo and the others always call it a partial release when we use the powers of our [Armament Spirits]?" Fried asked in a calm tone.
"Now that you mention it." Saya muttered as Laxus and Chico turned their heads in the green-haired wizard's direction. "I thought it was just because no one could handle releasing all that power at once."
"And according to Thoth, that's correct." Fried continued. "But that's not to say that we can't reach that point."
"Yeah, and Elexion thinks that Alfonzo reached it." Laxus added. "The question is, how? Elexion won't tell me. He says I'm not ready yet."
"Thoth said the same thing." Fried replied with a shrug. "But I guess we'll find out once we're strong enough."
"I guess so." Laxus grumbled, upset that he was falling even further behind Alfonzo.
Meanwhile, Cana, unlike Mirajane and Gajeel, did not go to meet up with the rest of the Fairy Tail wizards. Instead, while wrapped up in a thick blanket, she made her way through the medical wing to another room.
"*Sigh* I guess I'm really... *Sneeze* doing this." Cana muttered to herself. "I actually never thought I'd be the one to do this. But I guess I can understand why Erza was so accepting of her after their little spar. *Sneeze*"
["You know, this could be quite the gamble."] Hoyle said excitedly from Cana's inner world. ["I mean, if we win big enough, we could get two more S-Class wizards in our guild."]
'What the hell are you... *Sneeze* talking about, Hoyle?' Cana asked internally as she saw medical staff approaching from the other end of the corridor.
["Just hear me out."] Hoyle replied excitedly. ['I mean, there's always a chance that Yoruichi, after getting permission to be with Alfonzo, might leave Mermaid Heel and join Fairy Tail. And if she does that, the little annoying one who always follows her around would come with her, too."]
'*Sigh* You're being too optimistic, Hoyle.' Cana replied while shaking her head. 'How many wizards do you think would just up and leave their guild because of love? I mean, look at Ren from Blue Pegasus and Sherry of Lamia Scale. They're still doing the long-distance relationship thing, right?'
["Yeah, but do you think Ren can cook or throw the D like Alfonzo?"] Hoyle countered sharply.
That question was enough to make Cana pause. Now that Hoyle mentioned it, those were two pretty good reasons to up and leave a guild. A moment later, however, Cana shook her head.
'No, that's not a good enough reason.' Cana shot back, though she sounded a bit unsure. 'A guild is like family. You don't just up and leave them like that.'
["Yeah, but when you get married, you leave your family to live with your spouse, right?] Hoyle continued. ["So, would this be any different?"]
As the two continued to bicker in Cana's head, Cana eventually reached the infirmary room meant for Mermaid Heel. And to her surprise, there was only one person inside, Yoruichi. More than likely, it was because
.
three members, Kagura, Anko, and Rangiku were not too badly injured. Cana doubted that Laxus hurt Sui-Feng too badly either. But she had done quite the number on Yoruichi. Even so, Sui-Feng was not inthe room with her Lady, and Cana was unsure why. But she did not let it slow her down.
"Well, I guess I'll just rip the band-aid off." Cana muttered to herself as she raised her hand to knock on the door.