Just A Little Love

Part 10: Exam Start

A/N: Hello Minna! Here's a new chapter...finally.

As always, I hope you enjoy! ~

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Natsu POV

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It was a strange feeling; seeing that island come into view. It all finally felt real to me. The S-Class trials were happening and a new rank was just within my grasp. I had found it so hard to believe on the way to the docks that, not only would I be taking the exam but I'd also have my brother alongside me. A rush of euphoria rushed through my veins as my excitement began to pour out. The temporary relief from my motion sickness making it all the better. Although after the trials were over I'd ask Senji to help me train myself out of it. But even if I had to still deal with that major weakness, nothing could stop the pure joy I felt in finally getting so much closer to my main goal besides finding Igneel.

I stood up, leaning against the rail, barely listening to what Makarov was saying as he explained the trials, focusing rather upon the island and the thin pillar of smoke that poured from it. I could smell Gildarts, Mira, and Erza from this far, about two miles or so from shore. I could feel my adrenaline ready to rush through my veins as the boat jerked to a stop. The sudden jolt of the action shocking several members as Makarov gave them all a smile and cried out, "EXAM START!"

"Eh?" Gray looked at the old man in disbelief. He stared at the man as if he'd grown three more heads. "You can't be serious?!"

"Aren't we still in the ocean?!" Loki added equally as shocked, motioning to the water around them. "Do you expect us to swim there?"

"Not everything is in a perfect setting." Makarov simply stated, "This is the S-Class trials and these challenges will not be normal."

As he finished speaking, I caught a spike of Freed's magic and turned to grab my brother. "Let's go!" I didn't want to be on the boat when Freed finished casting. Senji frowned for a moment, he didn't like the look of how things were going so far. But I could tell he caught the spike in magic as he did a sweep of the boat to zero in on Freed. But there was no time to spare.

"Wait wha-!" Senji exclaimed as I picked him up and jumped overboard as everyone else just stood there gaping at the old man. He quickly pulled out of his shock and shortly after I felt Senji charge up for a spell. I couldn't have been more glad than when he realized what I was doing and creating a makeshift path for us to run on. Although it was very fragile as it crumbled to dust right behind us.

I grinned as soon as we started running and I felt Freed's magic flare up to release his spell, casting a rune barrier around the ship. I barely heard Gray shout something at Freed as he tried to follow us, running face first into the boundary.

"Damnit Freed!" His curses towards the rune mage were muffled, almost as if he was in a bubble, making him sound ridiculous and I fought the urge to laugh as the others joined in, instead trying to focus on my footing.

"Relax, it's set to dissolve in five minutes!" Freed chuckled to those still trapped.

"Why don't you just lock 'em there forever?" Bixlow asked jokingly.

"Then it wouldn't be much of an exam, now would it?" Was Freed's simple reply. The pair sped towards the island, quickly catching up to us.

I was glad I had gotten me and my brother out of there before Freed finished his runes. I wasn't sure my brother knew enough rune magic to disable Freed's barrier, although I wouldn't be surprised at this point if he did. And speaking of my brother, Senji--having noticed that almost everyone else was trapped--was now laughing hard enough that the once hard cement-like path below our feet had turned into soft dirt as his concentration wavered. But pretty quickly I joined in, shouting back taunts between breaths for the poor trapped mages as we were coming up on land. Just in time to see Freed and Bixlow enter one of the paths, a barrier forming behind them.