Fairy Tail: Falling Towards the Chaos

Chapter 29

Lucy's slow transition back to the guild was indeed gradual and even now, sitting with Levy and the exceeds, she felt a sense of slight unease, but she managed to cover up her anxiety with a smile. Natsu was wolfing down food at the bar after a spar with Max, effectively decimating the sand mage with little effort.

Her eyes slid over to Master, who nursed a pint, a visible grumble on his face.

"He should've known Gildarts would never settle down," Levy piped up with a sigh, shaking her head with a slight smile as she read another lengthy encyclopedia on some form of lost magic. Lucy, on the other hand, had been jotting down notes in her notebook; storing ideas for her novel away for later.

"I know, he truly is a free spirit," Lucy agreed with a smile before the two girls burst out into giggles at Master's visible misery.

"Still, becoming number one in Fiore will be hard, I don't know how Gildarts expects us to achieve that," Max supplied, overhearing the girls' laughter, "a lot of things have changed."

A discussion of current guilds and placements ensued as everyone in the hall became quickly engrossed with the topic of becoming the number one guild in Fiore again. Lucy pondered to herself silently, listening to each person's input. She flinched as Romeo jumped onto a table, a wild grin on his face. He thrust his hand outward to reveal a thumbs up.

"There's one way for us to become number one quickly!" He jeered and everyone, who hadn't been on Tenrou Island for seven years, were quick to voice their concerns, "we have to do it!"

An argument broke out between Macao and Romeo. The father and son duo exchanging scathing words back and forth as each defended their arguments. She felt a headache begin to form as more and more people got involved.

"Okay, seriously, what are you guys even talking about?" Gray asked, bewildered.

"While you guys were gone, the kingdom created an annual contest to determine the number one guild in Fiore," Romeo explained, glaring at his father, "all the guilds in Fiore come together and compete for the number one spot, which is why we have to do it! We have to participate in this year's Grand Magic Games!"

Instantaneously, murmurs broke out. Some looking undecided, while others looked downright excited with the turn of events.

"C'mon guys! Okay, Natsu, what do you say?" Romeo spun around, capturing the fire Dragon Slayer's attention from the bar. Master, too, looked amused as he waited on Natsu's response as well.

Natsu looked at Romeo lazily, mid-chew, his eyes sliding over to Lucy's for a split second. She shrugged, raising her hands in surrender.

"Alright," he drawled, and Romeo erupted in a fit of cheers.

"Grand Magic Games, here we come!"

-----

"Do you really think we'll be able to catch up to the other guilds in three months? Because that's what we're doing, playing catch up," Lucy questioned, laying on a beach chair, body wrapped in a pink bikini, tanning in the summer sun. Next to her, Natsu grunted, wrapping his scarf around his head while sitting crisscross in the sand underneath the large beach tent Erza had set up.

"I don't know, I guess we'll find out," he said nonchalantly.

The training had begun and some members of the guild decided to head to the beach with them, but they all readily agreed on using the first day for pleasure and fun before they began their training officially.

Lucy yawned, stretching, hand resting on her head to keep her little sun hat in place.

"Hey Natsu," she started, "do you really think we'll win?"

Natsu paused, silent for a moment.

"Do you want us to win?" He countered.

As Lucy turned her head to look at him, she was surprised to find he was already staring at her. A flush rushed to her face, and she tried to convince herself it was because of the heat. The intensity captured in his gaze was something unnerving but exciting.

Unbeknownst to her, Natsu was ready to move heaven and earth for her if she wanted him too. So, if she wanted to win those games, he would see it be done.

When she nodded her head meekly, averting her eyes with red cheeks. He smirked.

-----

With the first day concluded, when Capricorn woke Lucy up bright and early before the sun had even risen further on the horizon; she couldn't fit it in herself to complain. She pulled away from Natsu's warm embrace, watching him grumble before fixing Happy to rest in his arms instead. She smiled at the display, moving to gather the blankets around them once again, shaking her head because of course, they would sneak into her bed together. The weirdos.

Lucy found herself on a mountain; a cliff's edge, meditating and trying to push out as much magical energy as she could. It was extremely draining and taxing on her body even after she had, for the most part, recovered from her illness. She couldn't even imagine being at the games and having a seizure — definitely did not want that to happen. Capricorn stood in front of her, a safe distance away, carefully monitoring her progress.

Training was tough. Capricorn worked her to the bone; leaving no room for breaks or excuses. The only time she got a break was during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and while she slept during the night yet, she kept pushing. She understood the goal for the guild; they all wanted to restore it back to its former glory, and Lucy wanted to make that happen. The guild was her family, and she refused to tarnish the Fairy Tail name any longer.

However, when dinner time came around and Erza had yet to show, training had been pulled to a halt. What she didn't expect to find was Erza, frozen, face-to-face with the demons of her past.

"Ah, Fairy Tail," a voice cut through the silence, "thank you for coming." The cloaked figure spoke.

Following Erza by scent with the help of Natsu, everyone assumed battle stances. Natsu growled in warning, placing an arm out in front of Lucy, who gripped her keys with narrowed eyes. The figures shrugged off her cloaks, revealing Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy; old friends and foes of Fairy Tail.

Lucy gasped.

"I'll cut to the chase," Ultear interrupted the reunion, a crystalized sphere forming in her open palm, "we have similar interests this time around -- besides, you wanted to get stronger, no?"

"Well, I can help you, if you can stand a little pain," the time mage smirked.

To be continued...