Hot and Cold

Day Two

~*****~

The next competition was announced as Chariots. The point of the game was to reach the final goal without falling off. Unfortunately for Natsu, Gajeel, and I, the Chariots were always in motion. And really unfortunate for me, since I decided to take one for the team. "Look, I gotta be the one to do this one! Natsu gets super dizzy when he's on a moving cart, but at least I got some movement in my legs." I explain. Natsu just grumbles with an adorable pout on his face. "I can do this, and I'll definitely keep out of last place."

I had a slow start, but I held my breath tightly to keep up with Gajeel, and who I learned his name was Sting at the beginning of the competition.

"Aw, no, this is your stupid weakness," Gajeel complained as he tried grasping onto my overcoat to pull himself forward. "So why do I wanna throw up?"

"Cause-- you kept-- makin' fun-- of me--" I choke out again, tears brimming at my eyes from the overwhelming urge to vomit. "Good thing I didn't eat this morning!" The race was won by Cerberus, but that meant the rest of us would have to duke it out the only way dragons could on vehicles. Sheer will.

I hear Sting mention something about having no energy and for some reason, that really irked me. "One-point ain't nothin' to scoff at, kid!" Gajeel roared as I pressed my palm against his face to shove him off my coat. "Don't you forget that!"

"Don't just give up back there!" I snap. "You'd be makin' all us Dragon Slayers look like fools if you give up!" 

"I don't get it! Can you explain somethin' to me?" Sting snapped. "Why'd you even bother entering the tournament? Seriously. I mean, you're nothin' like the Fairy Tail I knew growin' up. You're obsessed with how tough you are and what the rest of the world thinks of you. What happened to the Fairy Tail of my childhood. The guild that did whatever the hell it wanted whenever it wanted? They never cared what anybody else said or thought of them!"

I slam my claws into the chariot as I shove myself upwards. "We're not here for that--" I growl. "We're here for our friends! The ones who waited for us for all the years we were gone! Who fought through the pain and heartache! They were humiliated, but they still stayed strong! And they kept our guild together! We're doing this for all of them! And we're gonna make damn sure that everybody knows; The Fairy Tail guild never gives up! No matter what! So I'm not gonna quit like you!"

My tail sprouts from my body and shoves me forward, helping me scramble across the chariots. I slam into the wood, slam my forehead against it once before I use the remainder of my strength to blast over the finish line.

"SHE DID IT! FAIRY TAIL A'S ARIA NABS SIXTH PLACE AND SCORES TWO POINTS!" The commentator shouts.

I slam my fist against the ground, panting around the excess saliva in my mouth from being so nauseated. "Got-- Got some points, s-so suck on that, world--" I stammer.

"Gajeel from Fairy Tail B claimed seventh place and scores one point!" The commentator shouts as I give a grunt of pain when Gajeel collapses over me.

"You're-- too heavy--" I groan.

"Deal with it, you're cold and it's coolin' me off," Gajeel retorted irritably.

"And that means Raven Tail jumped ahead to first place!" The commentator shouted. "Which leaves Sabertooth tied for second with Lamia Scale!"

We were taken to the medical room to rest, and boy did I need it. My stomach felt like it was hanging out of my body with how much I threw up.