𝙉𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙁𝙏 // 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙭 𝙤𝙘

ＳＩＸＴＥＥＮ．

Fuyumi made it up to her guildmates just in time for the fight to begin.

"Where have you been?" Erza asked.
"You smell funny," Natsu observed, leaning in close.
"Natsu, that's such a weird thing to say!" Lucy squawked.

"Be quiet," Fuyumi pushed him away, eyes fixed on the two women in the arena.

One, Yukino of Sabertooth, was a slender young woman with brown eyes and silver-blue hair. Her expensive-looking cloak flowed around her ankles, despite the lack of a breeze - perhaps from the thick tension on the battlefield.

The other woman, Kagura of Mermaid Heel, was a young, slim woman with long, straight black hair and shocking hazel eyes. There was a katana in its sheathe strapped to her hip.

The two stared daggers at one another, as if they were battling with their eyes alone.

"Sabertooth..." Gray murmured.
"Watch carefully. This is the guild we must surpass," Erza said.

"As you all know, Kagura's strength makes her not only the most powerful wizard in Mermaid Heel, but she always ranks near the top of Sorcerer Weekly's 'Best Women Wizards' List! Facing her, in her debut match, is Yukino! But just the fact that she's representing the strongest guild, Sabertooth, means we can expect overwhelming power!"

The loud sound of the gong rang out, and that declared the beginning of the match. Neither of the women moved, until Yukino gave a small bow.
"Fight well," she said.
"And you," Kagura replied with a respectful nod.

"Excuse me... before we start, others have placed bets on their matches. Shall we do the same?" the Sabertooth girl said politely.
"I beg your pardon, but that doesn't interest me," even though they were meant to be having a fighting match, the two seemed as if they were having a civilised, slightly tense albeit, conversation.

"Could it be that you fear losing?" there was a cold stare in Yukino's eyes.
"I have no such emotions. However, when I agree to an arrangement, it is my policy to see it enacted without fail," Kagura spoke, "therefore, I never gamble for light entertainment purposes."

"Then shall we make it heavier? By placing..." Yukino's words sent a strike of anticipation through the heart of the audience, "our lives on the line?"

"Is she nuts?" Lucy breathed.
"We've yet to see her power," Fuyumi said, "she hasn't competed with Sabertooth before. She's new."
"And you'd know?" Lucy quirked a brow at her and she huffed.

"If you are indeed prepared to see it through, then politeness demands I acknowledge it," Kagura opened her stance, "very well. Come!"

"Open! Gate of the Twin Ichthyoid Palace!" Yukino swung her arm outwards, a glow emanating from the golden key in her hand.
"A Celestial Wizard?!" Lucy gasped, clutching onto the stone wall.

"Pisces!"

At Yukino's commanding, a writhing bundle of two massive, snakelike fish burst forth from the flash of celestial light, careening towards Kagura. Fuyumi could hear Rue and Happy shouting for the fish.

"Open! Gate of the Scale Palace, Libra!"

Lucy made an awed noise as Yukino summoned a second Spirit to aid her.

"Libra, change the gravity of the target," the silver-haired woman commanded. The Spirit, Libra, swung her scale between her fingers and the stadium watched as Kagura was pushed down.

Yukino gave a shout for the other, Pisces, and the twin fish came crashing down onto where Kagura was pinned. Somehow, she escaped from beneath Libra's gravity, flipping aside from the incoming attack.