Fairy Tail: Black Blood [Book 2/2]

Chapter Fifteen: Paper in the Wind

     Erza

     Everyone in the past few months have been preparing for the Grand Magic Games, Natsu especially, but it had become clear not even three days ago why he was pushing himself beyond his limit's limits. He was going on about how urgent his instinct of killing Zeref had become not long ago, it was my fault for not noticing how frustrated he was getting until it was too late. When he finally left us to go fulfill his mission.

     The two teams were selected this morning. The team members in Fairy Tail would be me, Lucy, Levy, Gray, and Wendy; Natsu's Search team was going to be Gajeel (much to Levy's discomfort), Mirajane, Laxus, Guildarts, Lisanna, and Taiyo. Lucy got so pissed when Guildarts selected Taiyo for the team, it took about five people to hold her back from slapping the mage! It was eventually resolved when Guildarts said that he would be responsible for watching over Taiyo and would break every bone if he had to in order to protect him from any danger. Lucy eventually gave in after that proposal.

     The Grand Magic Games begins at twelve, just like every other time, it was currently six so all of us met with Master Mavis to strategize while at dinner. Everyone was looking at us in the diner as if we were insane, given that Master Mavis was only visible to us who carried the Fairy Tail insignia, but all it took was one of my signature glares to get everyone to mind their own business.

    "So are you sure the maze is structured like this?" Levy asked the first.

    "Hai. I got a good look at it, so if you follow this path and follow this route, we will definitely be at the top ten to enter the games, perhaps top three if you all are quick enough!"

    "Great," Gray said, picking at his burrito. "So this'll be a piece of pie."

    "What are the teams we should be worried about?" Lucy asked.

    "Of course the answer is none," I said, crossing my arms. "We know our way and all of us on this team is especially gifted. If Natsu were here he'd agree that we have this game in the bag." I bit my tongue as the atmosphere dropped heavily after I said his name.

    "Unfortunately, the competition is rather stiff this year," Mavis said. I raised my eyebrow.

    "What do you mean by that, Mavis-nee?" Wendy asked.

    "The Mermaid Heel and Lamia Scale guilds have become much stronger over the years, they have improved significantly and if I were to estimate they would be tied with Sabertooth and us this year. Bladeden and Seprent Claw are still a threat, Quarto Cerbero has gotten stronger. But of all the guilds there is one I'm unsure of."

    "Which one?" I asked.

    "Blue Pegasus."

     Our table exploded in laughter, making all eyes go our way. I sent them another glare over my own laughing doubt that they looked away. But seriously, Blue Pegasus of all the guilds to be afraid of?! I am not quite one to under mind my opponent's abilities, but even I thought that what first has said was the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

    "Blue Pegasus of all the guilds?" Gray choked, his face turning pink.

    "Please, wipe those smirks off your faces and listen!" Master snapped, we all regained our composure after her sudden outburst. "The people on their team is the same as last time; Ichiya, Ren, Hibiki, Eve, but Jenny is staying out of the fight this time due to a cold, and in her place is their newest recruit. Malala Origami."

    "So what?" Lucy asked, suddenly interested. "What is it about her?"

    "That's the thing. She hadn't even exposed one hint of her magic or personality since all the guilds arrived at their hotels. I know virtually nothing about her, but if Bob is right, that she's their newest ace, then I'll ask you all to be careful around her."

    "I think you're hyping her up a bit too much," Gray said. He stood up and wiped his hands off on the napkin one more time. "I'm going back to the hotel. Feel free to come with me." Master looked disappointed that nobody believed her, that everyone was already clearing from the table.

    "If it's you whose talking then I will heed your warning," I said. First nodded, her eyes lighting up with hope. There was one part of me who wanted to hug this adorable little girl and never let go while the other was scolding the other part for acting so immature. But could you blame me? WHY IS FIRST MASTER SO DARN KAWAII?

     I got up and walked out of the restaurant, the waiter was about to stop me when I shoved a bag of jewel in his hands and walked past him. I practically heard him squeak in joy when I gave him an appalling five hundred jewel. The streets were bustling with activity, people would stop and cheer for me, wearing Fairy Tail shirts or other merchandise. I waved back at them and smiled while making my way back to the hotel.

     While walking, I brushed past this interesting woman. fair skin, high cheek bones, long brown hair held back in a pony tail, and a long white dress and golden heels, golden eyes with a mole under one of her eyes. I don't know or recognize this woman, but I saw the back of her left hand and saw a grass green Blue Pegasus guild mark. Is this the ace first told us about?  Regardless, I didn't like that hard glare in her eyes.

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     We have been preparing for the games as soon as we got back, exercising technique and strategy (chess is my new arch enemy). So we were ready when the bell rang across Mongolia. The games were beginning now! We jumped on the wooden bridge from our rooms and ran up it like our lives depended on it. Wendy ran fastest out of all of us, I was right behind her with everyone else not too far behind me. While running I saw the Blue Pegasus team out of the corner of my eye, Eve, Ren, and Hibiki were helping Ichiya run as the Malala girl ran far in front of everyone else, she was carrying a blue purse and a large blue instrument on her back.

     The moment we entered the maze, all hell broke loose.

     Lucy and Levy were mapping out the maze while Wendy and Gray steadied and lead them while the maze was turning and twisting like a jigsaw puzzle, I kicked the teeth out of every other miserable guild I saw, knocking them off the arena and falling into the city below. Master's coordinates were true, once we had collected as many maps as possible, we clearly saw the route she instructed for us to take. We ran without hesitation and knocked everyone off their feet in our haste. We managed to escape the maze only to enter the bridge again, where Lucy did as she did last time. She summoned the direction spirit and we knew which way to go.

     We finished the entire thing under an hour and were relieved when we saw that we were one of the first guilds to make it this far. We were the fourth team to make it here, the second and third were Sabertooth and Lamia Scale, the rest of the numbers below us filling in until all ten teams were present.

     Blue Pegasus was the first team to get here.