GMG Day 1: Domination

"I got this one," Gray said, rolling his neck.

"Better win this, Elsa," Natsu told him.

"To bad you're not on the other team. Otherwise, we could settle this once and for all," Gray said, getting in his best friends face for the umpteenth time.

"Anytime, anywhere," Natsu responded.

"Will you two settle down for once!" Erza barked, eliciting a meek "aye" from the two.

-o-

"I will participate in the first event. Watch closely, my love!" Juvia said dramatically to Strider, turning a crimson shade of red.

"I will, Juvia. Best of luck out there," Strider said with a smile. Almost instantly, she and the other contestants were teleported to the city of Crocus, with Domus Flau visible in the distance.

"Amazing. Are they really going to be doing this in the city? Or is that a mirror dimension?" Strider asked, intrigued.

"Mmm, I don't think it's another dimension. From what I learned about these Games from the others, everyone that lives here comes to watch. The city is completely empty for the duration of the Games," Mira said.

"It's a hell of an operation," he mused, setting his eyes at last on a large titantron that showed each of the contestants.

-o-

"Alright, pumpkins, here's the first event of the games. Hidden! Chapati, take it away!" Mato exclaimed.

"Welcome, competitors, to Hidden! You eight are unaware of where everyone else is in the city. The goal here is to earn as many points as possible. You will earn one point when you land an attack, physical or magical, on another participant. But beware! The city is littered with clones that are almost exactly identical to you. If you attack one of the clones, you will lose a point. Good luck!" Chapati said, and with that, they were off.

-o-

As Mato ended, multiple Gray's and Lyon's began to appear around Juvia's position.

"Hmph," Juvia said, turning her nose up and walking away.

-o-

"I'm impressed. If she was still into Gray, she probably would've hugged those clones to death," Mira giggled.

"I believe that Lyon is into Juvia as well," Strider said.

"To bad for him. She only has eyes for one person," Mira teased.

"Can't blame her," Strider shrugged, eliciting an eye roll from Mira.

-o-

'If only it was Strider, my love,' Juvia thought. A swarm of close Striders would've sent her into ecstasy, she thought. 'But I must win for him! He's watching!'

-o-

Gray had quickly sprung into attack as he saw a clone of Nullpudding, the purple testicle-chinned troll of Raven Tail. To Gray's immense surprise, it was a clone.

'I swear I saw it move!' Gray thought, regretting his moment of hesitation soon. The real Nullpudding was close by; silently and quickly, he quickly sprang to attack. Both Fairy Tail teams were soon at -1, while Raven Tail was the first to score a point. Gray's body rematerialized in a different part of the city while a smug Nullpudding quickly went after, following his scent through the city. Gray had barely gotten his bearings again when Nullpudding struck and receded again.

"What the hell is with this guy?" Gray cursed under his breath., nursing his pride as he went through the city. He hadn't gotten far along when he was attacked by Beth from Mermaid Tail. Gray was bewildered as carrots flew at him.

'SERIOUSLY?! VEGETABLE MAGIC?! GODDAMN, WHAT THE HELL!?' he thought. Chancing a look, he saw Beth get knocked out by Jager of Quatro Cerberus, who was paid in kind by Lyon. Lyon had just turned his sights to Gray, a smirk on his face when a shadow had overtaken both of them. Lyon blushed as he saw Heaven in the form of Juvia, paying exactly zero attention to the heel that was aimed directly at him. Julia deftly landed a kick, a blubbering Lyon at her feet.

"Juvia!" Gray finally exclaimed.

"Hello, former darling. Forgive me, but today we are sworn enemies!" Juvia said.

"Huh?" Gray said bewildered.

"As our team gathered, Master mentioned that the team that loses must obey the other for a whole week. And as my beloved Strider is watching, my resolve is higher than ever!" Juvia said.

-o-

"MASTER?!" Erza roared in shock. Makarov replied with a booming laugh that was heard throughout the stadium.

"That's right! Whoever loses doesn't just lose the games, but their dignity!" he exclaimed in manic delight.

-o-

"Master Makarov can certainly induce… a touch of evil into his voice. I've never seen someone shift between the two so easily," Strider said.

"That's putting it mildly," Laxus sighed.

"That's why we have to win. I can't wait to order Erza around," Mira giggled.

"Oh? What would you have her do?" Strider wondered. Mira smirked as she brought his head down and began whispering into her ear. Gajeel and Laxus grimaced as they picked up on what the beauty had in mind, while Strider struggled to hold in his laughter.

-o-

Unfortunately for Juvia and Gray, their momentary lapse was enough for another opening. Nullpudding came up and attacked both of them, scoring two more points for Raven Tail while sending Juvia back to -1 and Gray to -2.

As the two rematerialized, they saw something white begin to fall from the sky:

"Snow," they heard Jenny say over the loudspeaker.

The cold started to effect several of the participating members, excluding Juvia, Lyon, and Gray - who were unfettered by the cold and were on the prowl soon enough. Eve quickly used his Snow Magic to his advantage, landing quick hits on Beth, Jager, and Nullpudding - all of whom were shivering intensely.

-o-

"Hmm," Strider said, narrowing his eyes.

"What is it?" Mira asked.

"I wonder where the other guy is? There's supposed to be one more. He hasn't made a move," Strider said.

-o-

The well dressed Rufus stood atop a cathedral, smiling as the brim of his hat covered his eyes. Having not acted thus far, he simply observed the movement below. Finally, he tilted his hat forward a bit more.

"Night of Shooting Stars!" he exclaimed. Without warning, brilliant flashes of light shot from him and radiated throughout the city below. The attacked landed a hit on everyone, save for Nullpudding who only narrowly evaded him. Sabertooth immediately jumped ahead of the rest of the pack.

-o-

"Impressive," Strider said.

"That was insane," Mira said, surprised by the attack.

"Hmph. About time pretty boy made his move," Gajeel said shortly.

-o-

"ALRIGHT!" Lector exclaimed, resting on Stings shoulder. The other members of Sabertooth looked on, pleased with the result.

-o-

Nullpudding made his way towards Rufus; attacking, he quickly found out it was a clone. Without warning, Nullpudding was struck from the side by the real Rufus.

"Pathetic," Rufus said as he gracefully made his way through the city, making short work.

-o-

As the match continued, Gray grew more and more impatient. He was trailing everyone else significantly, with Nullpudding focusing solely on him. As the match timer counted down, it was evident to him that he wouldn't be scoring a point. His heart felt ready to burst as the feeling of letting down his guild after so many years weighed heavily on him.

'DAMN IT!' he roared internally as another attack from Nullpudding set him down another point.

Finally, the match came to in end; Sabertooth was first, followed by Raven Tail and Lamia Scale in second and third. Fairy Tail Teams A and B were seventh and eighth.

'I let them down,' Juvia thought, struggling to hold back tears. Her mind went to Master Makarov and the guild before narrowing on Strider. She quickly clapped her hands over her eyes as the dams burst free.

'I let them down. I let them down. I can't believe it! SEVENTH! I COULDN'T DO A THING!' she thought angrily.

-o-

The crowd jeered Fairy Tail as Gray and Juvia quickly made their way to their respective dugouts.

"Gray-," Lucy began, but Gray simply shook his head as he brushed passed her. He paused as he was shoulder to shoulder with Natsu, unable to look his best friend in the eye. Imperceptibly, Natsu nodded. Gulping, Gray returned the nod and took his leave. As the crowd continued to jeer, Elfman and Gray had to forcibly restrain Natsu from acting.

"I'm going to kick their asses if they don't shut up," he growled.

-o-

"Juvia-," Mira began but the Water Mage just brushed past her, tears hitting the ground.

"Give her a few hours," Strider said gently. Mira simply nodded, turning back to listen to the next announcement.

-o-

"Well ladies and gentlemen, that was a doozy! The first event of the day is over, so you know what that means! BATTLES! That's right - the events that EVERYONE has been waiting for are now here! Now, we have four singles matches to look forward to. The rules are simple - each match will be 30 minutes long and the winner will be determined by knockout, submission, or "I QUIT!" Winning teams get ten points and in the event of a draw, both teams will get five. For our first match of the day, we have Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail versus… Flare Corona of Raven Tail!" Chapati roared to a thunderous applause.

-o-

Lucy was quick to get on the offense.

"Open, Gate of the Golden Bull - TAURUS!" she exclaimed, summoning the perverted axe wielding spirit. His brute strength was no match for Flare's stunning agility. The long haired mage easily dodged every swipe of the axe, forcing Lucy to rethink her strategy.

"Open, Gate of the Scorpion - SCORPIO!" Lucy yelled, summoning the Sand Spirit. His attacks were no use against Flare, who used her Hair Magic to deflect everything.

Despite not landing a successful blow yet, the crowd was enamored by Lucy being able to summon two spirits at once. The two spirits soon began to work in conjunction; their onslaught soon proved effective as Taurus finally landed a blow, buffeting Flare back considerably.

Mid air, Flare went on the offensive. Her hair began to extend in length and flew towards Lucy. Thinking quickly, Lucy summoned Cancer, the Giant Crab. The stylist spirit quickly cut Flares hair away.

"Oh, you bitch," Flare snarled, insulted. "TAKE THIS!"

Flares hair began to burrow through the ground, putting Lucy on edge. The hair soon erupted at Lucy's feet, sending her flying. Pressing her advantage, the hair wrapped around her legs and crunched her back into the ground.

"Ugh. So that's how you want to play it, huh?" Lucy said, slowly getting up. Reaching for her skirt, she pulled off the whip that she kept latched to it. A long strand of water quickly erupted from the handle and wrapped around Flares wrist. She answered in kind by wrapping her hair around Lucy; and with a quick flick, both women erupted the other into the air. As gravity worked its magic, Lucy got up again, confident in her stance.

"Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy exclaimed, summoning the perverted axe welding spirit. Flare easily dodged the attacks. Lucy then summoned Scorpio. Flare, using her hair, managed to deflect the attack.

-o-

"Lucy's doing well," Strider noted, slightly surprised.

"You didn't think she would?" Mira asked.

"I suppose I should've had more faith. She's always been the most pacifistic on the team," Strider said, smiling.

-o-

"GO LUCY!" Lucy heard Natsu exclaim.

"Neither lady is giving an inch! What a match!" Chapati yelled to the crowd, who roared their excitement.

"Now you're going to get it blondie!" Flare snarled as she sent her hair underground once again. Lucy prepared for the attack, but to her surprise it never came. She looked on confusedly at Flare, who nodded her head towards where her guildmates were. As Lucy looked, her heart fell; Flare's hair had emerged and it was right behind Aska, who didn't seem to notice. The moments drop in attention was all Flare needed to launch an all out offensive. The hair began to rocket Lucy back and forth, brutalizing the blonde.

-o-

"What's going on?" Mira asked, grimacing at each hit that Lucy took. Strider's eyes narrowed as his eyes began to travel around the stadium. As his eyes washed over where the rest of Fairy Tail was, he saw the hair behind Aska. Strider felt a fury rise, but quickly suppressed it. He quietly ducked out while the rest of his team were on edge for their guild mate.

-o-

"What's going on?!" Natsu exclaimed angrily.

"I'm not sure. Something doesn't feel right, though," Erza said, frowning.

-o-

Flare had Lucy's limbs tied up, squeezing her tightly. The brutality wasn't enough; she wanted to humiliate the blonde.

"Maybe I should strip you?" she said, licking her lips. "No, wait! I've got a better idea!"

Her hair began to contort into the shape of the Raven Tail guild mark, intent on branding Lucy. As Lucy struggled to get free, she heard a sudden voice in her mind.

'It's safe now,' she heard Strider say. Her eyes went wide open as she looked towards her guild mates again. She saw Striders silhouette behind Aska, Flare's hair in his hands.

'Thanks,' she thought back to him, feeling her heart lift again. 'Looks like I can always count on you to surprise,' she thought, smiling. Lucy quickly went on the offensive again while Strider quietly motioned Master Makarov to him.

-o-

"Open, Gate of the Twins - GEMINI!" Lucy exclaimed. The twin spirits attacked Flare before returning to Lucy. "It's time! Let's do it!"

The Twins adopted Lucy's form as they began to prepare the most devastating attack in her arsenal.

-o-

"No way. This is the same attack Lucy used against Angel when we fought the Seis," Hibiki said.

"Is it strong?" Ren wondered.

"If she pulls it off, this match is done," Hibiki said.

-o-

As Lucy began the process to cast the attack, the crowd looked on in excitement. The match seemed just about over, when suddenly the attack stopped. Lucy looked on in shock as her attack failed. Looking to the side, Flare saw one of her team members with his arms outstretched; he had negated the attack, which had already sapped some of Lucy's strength. Flare quickly took the offensive again, focused on ending the match quickly as she feared what was going to happen to her. As Lucy crumpled on the ground, the crowd jeered again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, ten points to Raven Tail!" Chapati yelled as Flare made her exit. Lucy, however, remained - crying profusely as her mind drifted to her teammates.

'I lost. I lost,' she thought to herself. 'I'm… I'm not as strong as the others! Why did Master Makarov even choose me?! I'm not like Natsu or Erza or Gray or Wendy or even Elfman! I can't - fi - fight!' she thought, angrily hitting the ground.

"You did extremely well, Lucy," she suddenly heard a voice behind her. Turning around, she saw Strider standing just a few feet away, his hand extended as he smiled.

"I… failed them," Lucy cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"It wasn't your fault. I know that," Strider said gently.

"BUT I LOST!" she yelled.

"But you gave it your all. I know you would've won otherwise - everyone in the guild knows," Strider said.

"We…we're in last place. Because of me," she continued.

"So where do we go from here?" he asked.

"What?" Lucy asked, surprised by the question.

"If we're in last place, where do we go? There's only one place, right?" he said.

"I…," Lucy shuddered.

"Come on. This isn't like you, Lucy. You're brave. I know that and you know that. It's time to stand tall again - for yourself and the others," Strider said. Lucy looked at him through red eyes before she finally cracked a watery smiled and nodded. Taking his hand, he helped her up.

"Up. Nowhere to go but up," she said, answering his question.

"Goddamn right," Strider said, giving her a quick hug before heading towards the dugout. Lucy headed back towards hers as well, smiling slightly as she went past her team to clean up.

-o-

As Strider got back to the dugout, his anger was palpable.

"What was that about?" Laxus asked.

"Raven Tail," was all Strider said. The others nodded, feeling their anger begin to grow as well.

-o-

"Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for our next contenders! We have the handsome Ren from Blue Pegasus, and the beautiful Arana from Mermaid Heel!" Chapati yelled. The cheers and boos were palpable from both sides as the two began their fight.

"You're not bad," Ren complimented Arana as he sent a slash of air towards her.

"Not to shabby yourself. But isn't it wrong for a man to strike a woman?" Arana smirked.

"I respect women, which is why I intend on going all out!" Ren replied.

"GO REN! Sherry's rooting for you too!" Jenny announced over the loudspeaker, generating boos from the crowd.

"HUH?!" Ren shouted back, leaving himself susceptible to an attack. As he was downed by Arana's attack, another voice joined the din.

"LET'S GO REN! YOU CAN BEAT HER!" Sherry yelled out.

"Why're you cheering for another guild?! I'll spin you!" Ooba Babasaama, Master of Lamia Scale, said.

"You are spinning me!" Sherry comically whined as Ooba started twirling her around.

"It's alright, Master. Sherry and Ren are already engaged, after all" another Lamia Scale member piped in.

"We're not engaged! We're just resigned to being together," Ren said, hearing the comment.

-o-

"'Resigned to being together?'" Strider said curiously.

"Ren is a to cool to admit he's in love," Mira giggled.

"Ah. He's a lucky guy. Sherry certainly is beautiful," Strider said.

"Oh?" Mira wondered.

-o-

'Crap. Can't let myself look weak in front of her,' Ren thought, his emotion beginning to seep into his Magic. He began a vicious onslaught against Arana, not letting her get another strike in. Strike after strike buffeted her back. It wasn't long until the match concluded at last.

"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for REN!" Chapati yelled over the crowd, eliciting a particularly rowdy cheer from Sherry.

"Congratulations," Arana sighed as she sat back up, smiling wistfully. Ren bowed low to her in thanks before help her up.

-o-

"For our third match of the day, ladies and gentlemen, we have Olga from Sabertooth vs. Warcry from Quatro Cerberus!" Chapati exclaimed. As Olga came out, there was a heavy applause.

"LETS GO SABERTOOTH!" someone yelled out.

"Do a song, Olga," Frosche said adorably from the Sabretooth dugout. Lector simply looked on with a smile, knowing what was coming. For as soon as the match began, it was immediately over. Warcry prepared to attack but was hit by a sphere of black lightning, knocking him out.

The audience went silent for a moment before erupting into a cheer. Olga quickly took the microphone from Matso and began to sing, while others were mesmerized by the attack.

-o-

"That guy is strong! HOLY COW!" Natsu exclaimed.

"No kidding. Pretty manly," Elfman grumbled.

-o-

"Something on your mind?" Mira asked Laxus, who was smiling ear to ear.

"I think you know. That's Lightning God Slaying Magic," Laxus said.

"Say again?" Strider said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's like Dragon Slayer Magic, but black in effect. Pretty strong as well. Not many can use it, or if they can, they can't control it. This guy definitely knows how to control it," Laxus said.

"He's killed a God?" Strider asked.

"Ha. I doubt it. Same with Dragon Slayers, it's name only for the most part," Laxus said.

-o-

"With the short end to that third match, we've approached our final match of the day - and I tell you, ladies and gents, it's gonna be one hell of a fight! From Lamia Scale, we have the Wizard Saint, JURA!" Chapati yelled.

That was all he needed to say. The crowd erupted into their loudest cheer yet as the well built Saint walked out. He was a significant fan favorite.

"Jura's the only reason I even came here!" several people exclaimed, excited to see their hero in battle.

"Man, I feel bad for whoever he's up against," another grumbled.

Smiling, Jura wondered who he would be facing from Fairy Tail.

"GO JURA!" Shelia, Sherry's younger cousin, cheered.

"And from Fairy Tail Team B, we have the newest addition to their guild - STRIDER!" Chapati roared.

-o-

"Ah. My time to shine, it seems," Strider said.

"This should be fun," Gajeel smirked, having a feeling of how it would go over.

As Strider prepared to leave, Mira quickly stopped him.

"Good luck," she said, smiling and leaning up to give a kiss on the cheek. Strider returned her smile and gave her a tight hug before walking out, his cloak billowing like a cape as a gust of wind went through the stadium.

-o-

"Oooh, this should be interesting," Melody exclaimed as she watched the games from afar with Ultear and Jellal.

"I've been wanting to see how he handles himself in battle," Ultear said, scanning his face.

"I almost feel bad for Jura," Jellal sighed.

-o-

"YEAH! GO STRIDER!" Droy yelled from the dugout.

"KICK JURA'S ASS!" Macao joined in.

"This should be interesting. Strider is powerful, but Jura's no slouch," Levy said.

"How do you think this will play over?" Mavis asked Makarov. The old master grinned in response.

"You'll see soon enough, First Master. I've no doubt our boy will win!" Makarov said proudly.

-o-

"Finally! Thought I'd never get to see him fight again!" Natsu exclaimed excitedly.

"Seven years of training must've done him some good," Erza mused, paying strict attention.

-o-

"How's this guy going to beat Jura? I've never even heard of him," someone said.

"Maybe this will be like Olga's match?" someone else offered.

"I dunno… who is this guy?" another person asked.

"Seems as though the crowd doesn't know what to think about this new arrival. I must say, I don't like his chances against Jura. He is a Wizard Saint, after all," Chapati said.

"I wouldn't count him out just yet," Yajima started, to surprised looks from Jenny and Chapati. "Jura and I had the fortune of meeting this young man recently. He might be one of the most exceptional wizards I've come across. I think we're in for quite a treat here."

"Definitely not a bad looker either. Good luck, Strider," Jenny said seductively, remembering her kiss with him. The tone of voice elicited boos from the male crowd and a cheer from the females. Mira was scowling from her place in the dugout as her teammates tried to restrain their laughter.

-o-

"This guys going to get creamed," Sting said, smiling.

"I must admit, it does seem as though the odds are stacked against him. Odd, however; I don't recall learning about him, and I know everyone on the other teams," Rufus said, also smiling.

-o-

"It's good to see you again so soon, Strider," Jura said, having his wish fulfilled.

"Likewise, Jura. Before we begin, though - how're the people?" Strider asked, his mind heavy on the refugees.

"Doing better, although there's still much work to be done. I've no doubt you'll see some around Crocus during the festivities tonight. Your donation helped tremendously, though; the refugees agreed to spend most of the money on the children. They will be well fed for a good while," Jura said reassuringly.

"Good. I'm… glad," Strider nodded.

"I admit, I've been looking forward to this since our meeting upon your return. I intend to give this fight my all," Jura said.

"I would expect no less," Strider answered.

"Begin!" Chapati yelled.

-o-

"Who do you think is gonna win, Lyon?" Sherry asked.

"Hmm… I'm not sure, if I'm honest," Lyon frowned.

"It's gonna be Jura! Duh!" Shelia said. Lyon and Sherry traded a glance before focusing on the match again.

-o-

As Chapati said the word, Jura felt his body blown back with a sudden and sheer force, crashing through the perimeter wall. The crowd looked on in shock. They were expecting a one hit knockout, but by the Wizard Saint.

From his own guild mates to the other guilds, everyone looked on in shock and surprise.

-o-

"I was afraid of this," Lyon sighed. He recalled how he had seen Strider during the fight against the deities so many years ago. As fearsome as he was then, Lyon felt that he was more so now.

"Interesting," Ooba mused, rubbing her chin as she observed the Fairy.

-o-

"Woah," Lecter said, stunned by the attack.

"Rufus?" Rogue asked sharply.

"I can't seem to trace his Magic. Odd…," Rufus said, eyes narrowed.

-o-

Natsu cackled madly, overjoyed by the show of power.

'I GOTTA KICK HIS ASS SOON! MOVE OVER ERZA AND LAXUS!' the Dragon Slayer thought excitedly.

-o-

"Impressive," Mavis said, seemingly unsurprised by the attack. She felt the immense power that radiated from Jura, but it was nearly overcome by the power that radiated off the Fairy. She saw a slight smile on Striders lips, as though he was enjoying the reactions.

"HOT DAMN!" Wakaba said excitedly, his sentiment shared by Fairy Tail.

"I thought Jura would be a good match for him," Lisanna said, mostly to Bisca.

"He slew a dragon. I'm not sure if anyone in the Games would be a good match for him, except maybe Master Makarov," Bisca said.

-o-

Jura was undoubtedly one of the strongest forces in the games. He had risen the ranks of the saints over the past seven years, climbing above even Makarov. They never expected him to be knocked down, let alone out. It seemed as thought this would prove to be an interesting match after all, many thought.

Slowly but surely, Jura got up. He threw off his cloak, and although was battered and bruised by the attack, he smiled at his foe.

"I should've expected that," he sighed. Strider shrugged, waiting for a more physical response.

"Iron Rock Wall!" Jura yelled, motioning his hands up. Pillars of rock began to erupt out of the sky, surprising Strider a bit.

'I forgot that I've never seen him use his Magic in person. That's quite amazing' Strider thought as he attempted to evade them. Eventually, one managed to strike him, buffeting him high into the sky. The crowd cheered as the attack connected, but stopped silent as Strider began to levitate.

"HE CAN FLY, TOO?! IS HE A WIND WIZARD?!" some exclaimed.

"I don't think so. That's pretty awesome, though," another said excitedly.

"Impressive indeed," Jura said, smiling. Through one of the pillars, a rock fist erupted. Strider held his hand out, stopping the attack in its tracks. He clenched his fist, forcing the rock fist to clench as well. A second later, it shattered into thousands of pieces.

-o-

"Looks like he's gotten stronger," Gajeel said, a slight smirk on his face. Like Natsu, he aimed ever higher.

"No kidding," Mira said.

-o-

"A wonderful addition, Sixth Master," Mavis said lightly.

"I think so too, First Master," Makarov said proudly.

'Ha! Suckers! No beating us now!' the old man thought manically.

As Mavis looked on, she tracked Striders every movement. Jura was relentless in his assault with fists and walls, and kept Strider dancing in the air. Learning more about him from Makarov, she saw the intense drive and willpower that cascaded off of him, almost like a waterfall.

'Interesting…' she thought.

-o-

Jura brought both of his hands palm side up with a tremendous force. Massive pillars erupted again from the ground and flew at Strider, who looked on in interest. Instead of colliding with him, however, they began to encircle him in a sphere. As he tried to force through, he found himself buffeted back in.

'Those rocks are going extremely fast. Can't risk the telekinetic barrier. If just one of them breaks through, it'd be a killer,' Strider thought.

As the sphere finally closed, Strider huddled him and braced for impact. He felt Jura bring the sphere down with a tremendous force, rocketing him in the ground.

-o-

The crowd cheered at the sudden turn of events. Jura smiled on, not convinced the battle was over.

-o-

"GO JURA!" Shelia exclaimed.

"Maybe we shouldn't have been so worried after all," Toby howled.

"Master? What do you think?" Sherry wondered.

"Keep watching," Ooba told them all.

-o-

An instant later, the sphere burst into pebbles. Strider stood in the middle, a sharp pain in his ankles. The force of the impact buckled him slightly, bringing back that injury. He quickly recomposed himself, and took a step forward.

'That's going to hurt for a while,' he thought, gritting his teeth as the pain amplified. His legs shook for a moment, preparing to buckle yet again, but he quickly recomposed himself a second time. 'Not yet. I can rest later.'

-o-

"How'd he break it?" someone in the crowd asked.

"No idea. What's his Magic? Do we know?" another asked aloud, although received no answer.

-o-

"He appears to be in pain," Mavis frowned, seeing a bead of sweat form on his face.

"It must be the injury around his ankles," Makarov said seriously.

"From the dragon blood?" Mavis asked.

"Yes. He mentioned that it still hurts. The impact from Jura's attack likely didn't help. Strider should end this quickly if he wants to avoid more pain," Makarov said.

"I agree. Perhaps you could ask Porlyusica to take a look?" Mavis suggested, giggling a bit.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY, FIRST MASTER?!" Makarov exclaimed, turning red.

"Oh, nothing," Mavis said innocently.

-o-

'It appears his injury has begun to act up. But… no. No, I'd rather not take advantage of it. I must beat him of my own accord,' Jura thought. If he was going to beat Strider, it would have to be with Magic only.

"ROCK MOUNTAIN!" he roared. Again the crowd erupted as the Earth behind Jura began to mold and rise into a bipedal being. Standing a solid ten meters, and made of pure ground, it truly looked like a mountain made of rock, lifting and lowering its legs as it found a comfortable position.

'Time to put on a show,' Strider thought as he began to levitate higher and higher. As he went, he heard people talk about what he was doing. Their questions were soon answered as he began to approach one of the four stone sentinels that stood around the northern, eastern, western, and southern entrances to the stadium. Each wielded a different weapon - one a sword, the other a staff, the third a shield, and the fourth a bow. Approaching the staff wielding sentinel, Strider gently landed atop its head. Putting his hand on the head, his eyes and mouth suddenly begun to burn a fiery blue. The same began to happen to the sentinel.

"Rise," he commanded in an authoritative tone. The crowd gasped as the stone sentinel suddenly began to move, causing a small rumble. Its stoney eyes blinked as it took a giant step from the plinth on which it stood, into the stadium. The people under it were to mesmerized to scream or shout; they simply looked on wide eyed.

-o-

"Wild," someone from Quatro Cerberus said meekly.

-o-

"My word. That is quite impressive," Yajima said, his interest piqued.

-o-

"That's so awesome!" Romeo exclaimed, eyes just as wide as everyone else.

"No kidding, kiddo. That's insane," Macao agreed.

-o-

The sentinel brought its staff up and struck the ground, causing a small earthquake. A figure of a human from ages past, it wore beautiful stoney robes and had a kingly look about him. The stoney eyes looked down on Jura's Rock Mountain, while Jura smiled up at it. Strider levitated down to its shoulder and sat down, smiling as well. Those directly in front of the sentinel could only see the looming shadow, blocking out the sun as they rested in the shade.

"Attack," Strider ordered it.

The sentinel wasted no time. It raised its mighty staff and with a grinding grunt, brought it crashing down on the rock mountain, causing a deep crack. Jura quickly got out of the way and began to send up pillars of rock that pierced the sentinels legs. None were able to go deep enough, but were able to stop it from moving, for fear of tipping over. Strider quickly countered the pillars, trying to get them out of them way as quickly as Jura set them up.

'It's impressive he can set so many up at once,' Strider thought, unable to keep up. He had to do it properly so as to not send them flying into the audience; throughout the process, Jura continued smiling.

Finally, Strider went on the attack again. He lunged at Jura, breaking through the pillars he set up to hinder him with ease with his sword. As he emerged on the other side, Jura braced himself. Strider grabbed Jura by his face and drove him deep into the ground while the stone sentinel brought another blow from the staff down on the rock mountain. Shaking its leg free of rock pillars, it stopped on the rock mountain until it was nothing by dust.

"Stop," Strider ordered it. The sentinel was still again, unmoving as it had ever been.

Using his telekinesis, Strider hurled Jura's body towards the sentinel. The sentinel caught Jura in a mighty hand. The crowd craned their necks upward as the sentinel raised the arm high and brought it rushing back down, releasing Jura at the final moment, hurtling the man into the Earth below. The ground began to crater until finally, the dust cleared. Jura had been bested, yet he wasn't disappointed in the least, despite not being able to move. He wanted to see the man's power for himself and now he had.

Strider turned to the sentinel and nodded.

"Thank you. You may return to your post," he told the sentinel, who obeyed. As it got settled again on its plinth, it acted as though nothing had happened.

-o-

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DON'T BELIEVE IT! THE WIZARD SAINT, JURA, HAS BEEN BEAT! THE MAN TO BEAT HAS BEEN BEAT!" Chapati roared in excitement, while Yajima smiled and Jenny cheered.

"YAY! GO STRIDER!" she exclaimed to the crowd, who were silent for a moment before erupting into their loudest cheer yet.

-o-

Fairy Tail was just as stunned, but quickly began cheering for their teammate.

"HOLY HELL THAT WAS AWESOME!" Macao roared in excitement.

"YOU DID AMAZING!" Lisanna cheered at him.

"Did you see how that thing… how… you know!" Wakaba exclaimed.

"Oh yeah. Whose the man now?" Bixlow grinned.

"Quite impressive. Makes me want to test his skill personally," Freed said.

"Hmph. I think I might have a chance," Evergreen said haughtily.

"Your powers are cheating," Levy grumbled.

-o-

Strider helped Jura up, relieved to see the man was relatively free of serious injuries.

'Not a single broken bone. What the hell is he made of?' Strider wondered, bewildered.

"My grandmother made sure that I drank all my milk," Jura joked, seeing the slightly perplexed look.

"Ha. That explains it," Strider laughed. "Good fight, though."

"Indeed. You performed marvelously. You might even give God Serena a run for his money," Jura said.

"Who?" Strider wondered.

"Another Wizard Saint. Quite powerful," he said.

"Ah. Well, I'd rather avoid it if possible. Best to let my ego fester," Strider joked.

"Something tells me you were holding back - at least a little bit. Regardless, I've never felt so thrilled in my life," Jura said as they walked out of the crater.

"I'm happy to oblige," Strider said, walking Jura back to his dugout.

-o-

"Jura… lost?" Shelia asked, as shocked as anyone else.

"I suppose I shouldn't be to surprised," Lyon mumbled.

"I certainly am. I knew he was hot, but I didn't know he was this strong," Sherry said.

"I'm gonna have to spin Jura once he gets better," Ooba grumbled.

-o-

"Wow!" I don't think Erzy could take him on! She couldn't even take Jura!" Millianna meowed, watching Strider walk back to his dugout.

"Kagura?" Arana asked.

"Mmm?" Kagura mumbled. "He seems quite powerful. If he beat Jura without taking much damage, it certainly makes the rest of the games harder."

"And what do you think of him?" Risley asked with a smirk.

"What are you implying?" Kagura sighed.

"Oh, I think you know," Risley teased her. Kagura just shook her head.

-o-

"Wild," Bacchus grinned, observing from the Quatro Cerberus dugout.

-o-

"Man. His parfum has gotten even more delightful," Ichiya said dramatically.

"Guys pretty powerful," Ren agreed.

"No kidding. Looks like I might have to use Archive after all," HIbiki said.

"Wonder what Jenny's thinking?" Eve chuckled, eliciting hushed laughs from the other Trimens.

-o-

"I don't think I want to fight him," Nullpudding said.

"No, nor do I," Blacksnake agreed. Flare simply watched him, her head tilting slightly.

-o-

"I don't believe it," Sting said irritably and shocked.

"Dude's pretty tough," Lector said, shivering slightly.

"Rufus?" Olga wondered.

"Nothing. I don't know why, but I couldn't pick up on his Magic," Rufus said, frowning.

"We should let Lady Minerva know," Rogue said.

"Why?" Sting wondered.

"She'll want to know. The outlook of the games have changed if he's going to be competing," Rogue said. Sting paused for a moment before nodding.

-o-

"NO WAY THAT WAS SO AWESOME HOLY CRAP I GOTTA BEAT HIM SOMEDAY!" Natsu exclaimed, fire escaping his mouth.

"Erza? What do you think?" Elfman wondered.

"I'm impressed. Extremely impressed," she said, smiling wide.

-o-

"Strider! Strider! Strider!" the crowd roared, cheering him on. Strider smiled and waved in response as he returned to his teams dugout.

"Good fight," Laxus said with a smirk.

"Jura's exceptional," Strider said.

"If he is, you could've let him show it," Gajeel said. Strider shrugged before taking a seat next to Mira.

"Congratulations," she whispered, leaning a bit closer.

"Thank you. Enjoy the fight?" he wondered.

"Oh yeah. I knew you'd win," she said.

"Thank you for the confidence," he whispered, eliciting a smile.

-o-

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's just the first day of the games, and we're already off to an amazing start. Thank you for joining us and we'll see you all back at Domus Flau tomorrow for round two of the Grand Magic Games!" Chapati said before turning to Mr. Yajima.

"You were right, Mr. Yajima," he said, sighing as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. Yajima just smiled in response.

-o-

"Strider my boy, wonderful job!" Makarov roared as the guild had stepped back inside their hotel, celebrating Strider's win.

"Seriously! That was amazing!" Warren agreed excitedly.

"No kidding. The way that statue came to life? Holy fuck!" Max agreed, just as excited.

"Thank you, master, everyone," Strider said, bowing his head a bit.

"What do you think, First Master?" Makarov asked Mavis.

"Very exceptional. You're quite a force to be reckoned with," Mavis said, smiling up at Strider. This was the closest they had been yet; he veritably towered over the First Master, who grumbled a bit as she compared her height to his.

"Thank you, Master Mavis. A pleasure to meet you at least," he said.

"Likewise," Mavis said, grumbling as she and Makarov went to speak a bit more.

"No fair. Everyones taller than me," Strider heard her complain.

-o-

"Going to bed already?" Strider asked as he saw Mira begin to head upstairs.

"Yup. I want to be well rested for tomorrow," she said, blushing a bit.

"You're a bit red. Everything alright?" he wondered.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Congratulations again, by the way. But… are you ok?" she wondered.

"Hmm? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he replied.

"Jura's attack seemed to put a lot of pressure on your ankles. Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Ah. Yeah, it hurt a bit, but nothing I can't handle," Strider said with a wry smile.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I am," he nodded.

"Come with me for a minute," she ordered him, taking him to her room. She sat him down on her bed, lifting his legs up on it as well. As she rolled back the hem of the pants, she sighed as she saw the telltale signs of the draconic acid. She gently ensconced an ankle in her hands and began to compress it. Strider recoiled a bit but soon eased out, sighing exaltedly as he let her gently massage it.

"You can certainly work magic," he said.

"It was really stupid of you to go after Acnologia by yourself, you know," she said.

"Maybe. But I couldn't stand the alternative," he said.

"We could've helped you," she said.

"I couldn't risk it. I know how to deal with dragons," Strider said.

"I know that now. I keep learning more about you," Mira sighed.

"Enjoying the mystery?" Strider asked with a light laugh.

"A bit. I could do with less, though," she said, moving to the other ankle. "Does it hurt a lot?"

"Na. It's more aching now than anything," he answered.

"You have to be more careful. You might be stronger than Jura, but this proves you're not invincible," Mira said sadly.

"I'll… try my best," Strider said with a sigh. Mira smiled, satisfied for now.

-o-

"Juvia? Are you alright?" Strider asked softly, knocking on her door. He heard a short sniffle before the door finally opened, revealing a wryly smiling Juvia.

"Hello, Strider. Yes, I'm fine," she said.

"Are you sure?" he pressed.

"I am. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to do much for the team, but otherwise I am… ok," she admitted.

"Don't worry about it, alright? Nothing's going to stop us winning this," Strider assured her. Juvia nodded, leaning her head forward and resting it on him. She gasped gently as she felt him embrace her, holding her tight. As she was wont to do when he did such a thing, she began to puddle a bit.

"You go ahead downstairs. I got this," Strider heard Lisanna say, who came to check up on her friend.

"I'm starting to think this is the wrong move," Strider lamented.

"Of course not! It's adorable is what it is! It's just Juvia being Juvia," Lisanna chirped, giggling as she escorted her friend back inside.

-o-

"How are Gray and Lucy doing?" Erza wondered.

"Alright," Lucy sighed as she and Gray came down.

"MAN, STRIDER IS WIIIIIILD!" they suddenly heard Bacchus's voice ring through.

"Bacchus," she sighed.

"Who?" Gray asked.

"An S-Class Mage. An extremely talented one at that," Erza said sharply.

"How's it goin', Erza?!" Bacchus asked with a drunk grin. Sporting his usual purple armor, his hair was in a bun and a drink was in his hand as he sauntered up to the red head.

"Well. Yourself?" she asked, slightly terse. While she wouldn't deny his skill, she felt his drunkenness left a lot to be desired.

"WILD!" was all he said, walking away.

"Looks like he knows how to have fun," Erza heard Strider say.

"How're you feeling?" she wondered.

"Pretty good. We've got some points on the board," he said, giving Lucy a hug that she happily returned.

"Just you wait! I'm gonna put some on for us tomorrow!" Natsu declared.

"I look forward to seeing it, Natsu," Strider said.

"Strider. Might we have a word?" Makarov suddenly interjected with Mavis.

"Certainly," Strider nodded, heading upstairs to Makarovs room with him and Master Mavis.

-o-

"What did you wish to talk about, Master Mavis?" Strider wondered.

"I would like to learn a little more about you," Mavis said.

"I assume Master Makarov has already told you a bit," he said.

"As much as he knows. I was impressed to learn that you traveled here all the way from the Northern Continent. I can't think of anyone that's made the journey," Mavis said with a light smile.

"It's a hell of a journey," Strider said.

"And that you slew Acnologia. He was quite known, even in my own time," she said.

"A tough bastard, but at least we won't have to worry about him again," Strider said.

"I'm curious - how many battles did you participate in?" she wondered.

"To many to count at this point, I'm afraid. I focused mainly on capturing strongholds that we occupied or razed," Strider said.

"So you conquered a part of the land?" she wondered.

"I did. All of which I gave over to previous owners," Strider said.

"You didn't want to keep any for yourself?" she wondered.

"Not at that point, no. I just wanted to move on," Strider sighed.

"At that point?" she pressed, eliciting a smile from him.

"You're very wise, Master Mavis," he praised.

"I get that a lot," she said happily.

"At that point, yes. After I returned seven years ago, there was a meeting to divvy up the land for restoration. I took over some responsibility at that point. I've spent most of the last seven years doing that. There's still a lot more work to be done, though," he said.

"I see. You will be returning, then?" she wondered.

"Not for a while, Master Mavis. And when I do, I'll still come back here," Strider promised.

"I'm happy to hear that. Master Makarov chose well in having you join our guild," she said.

"Master Makarov is extremely wise as well," Strider praised, eliciting a grin and thumbs up from the old master.

"The forces you commanded - what of them?" she wondered.

"Most of them survived the fighting. Some returned to their families, but a lot of them joined me when I went back. They're helping with the restoration," he said.

"Aren't you worried about the politics and how they might change?" she wondered. Strider paused to consider her question.

"We don't have many politicians. Most of them died in the war. Only the statesmen survived. It'll be a good, long while before we're ready for a politician," Strider said.

"If only that were always the case," Mavis grumbled. "What are the lands like?"

"Ravaged," Strider sighed.

"You took the difficult regions?" Mavis wondered.

"I did. The regions no one else would want. You know what they say, Master Mavis - high risk, high reward," Strider shrugged.

"True, but manageable risk is a much better idea," she countered.

"I'm an idealist," Strider said, eliciting a wide smile from her.

"We need more of those," she said.

"Countries are built on optimism," Strider mused.

-o-

Unbeknownst to the three, Mira, Erza, Lucy, Bisca and Cana were all listening from the other room, their ears pressed against the wall. Erza had alerted them to the fact that Strider had gone up with the Masters and curiosity got the better of them.

"He sounds a bit sad, don't you know think?" Lucy said.

"Wouldn't you be? He's done a lot of fighting," Mira said.

"So have we, though," Bisca mentioned.

"Yeah, but not like him. There has to be something about killing someone that changes you," Mira said.

"No kidding. Still… it's good that he's back. He won't have to do as much here," Cana said.

"Except these games," Lucy grumbled.

"Yeah, but that's not the same," Cana countered.

"Hush!" Erza silenced them, intent on listening still.

-o-

"I'm curious, Master Mavis - how are you here?" Strider wondered.

"My form is incorporeal. I'm simply a spirit, although only visible to those that wear our guild mark," Master Mavis said.

"Incredible. You must be an exceptionally skilled Wizard. I've only seen a few cases like this, but they weren't near as well defined," Strider said.

"What do you mean?" she wondered.

"They… were more wraithlike," Strider said.

"Ah. I'm sorry," Mavis blanched.

"Nothing to be sorry for, Master. I'm happy to see that isn't the case here," Strider said. Suddenly, another thought came to him.

"Master Makarov, those three months we spent training - did you learn anything about the refugee crisis?" Strider wondered. Makarov sighed and shook his head.

"Not much, my boy. All we know is that there was an attack against Alvarez and the Empire. A lot of people dead, their army ruined. The Emperors Elite Squad are the highest ranking mages still there, and they're spending most of their time working out the nuances of the exodus," Makarov said seriously. Strider nodded along, his mind drifting to the refugees again.

-o-

"Heading out?" Strider wondered as Erza, Kinana, and several others were about to leave.

"Yes. Would you like to join?" Erza wondered.

"Lead the way," Strider nodded.

-o-

"How're you feeling, Jura?" Yajima asked as he and Makarov visited their friend in the midst of tending his wounds, external and otherwise.

"Mr. Yajima, Master Makarov. Better now, I think. My ego and I took quite a beating," Jura said with a happy look.

"I apologize if Strider went to hard," Makarov said, his grin saying otherwise.

"Not at all. Quite the opposite actually; it seemed as though he restrained himself. After his showing seven years ago, though, I'm not that surprised," Jura said.

"He truly is an exceptional wizard. It might be a good idea to…" Yajima said, before trailing off. The other two picked up on the meaning.

"Mmm. Perhaps. But we can decide that another day," Makarov said, closing his eyes.

"Agreed," Jura said.

-o-

Most of the guilds were around and about Crocus at night, talking about the events that had transpired - particularly the final fight of the day. Striders victory over Jura spread like wildfire throughout Crocus. Most of the guilds were out around the city, discussing the same thing. As Strider walked down the street with his friends, his newly found fans began to accost him for pictures, autographs, and other acts. He smiled as he walked through, pausing here and there to gratify them; it wasn't long until they came upon some familiar faces.

"How's Jura doing?" Erza asked Sherry.

"Don't worry about him. Besides his pride, he'll be fine," she said with a giggle.

"That was quite the match you put on," Lyon said to Strider.

"Jura's no pushover. You can feel his Magic; much stronger than seven years ago," Strider said.

"As are you," Lyon noted.

"I suppose we've both been working out," Strider mused.

"No need to be modest. Even the old hag thinks you're great," Lyon sighed.

As Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail conversed, Blue Pegasus came up to them. Jenny quickly latched on to Strider with a seductive smile, putting Erza on edge.

"Hey," she said.

"Hello, Jenny," Strider replied in a Forrest-Gumpish way, eliciting a giggle.

"Where's Mira?" Jenny wondered, looking for her friend.

"Sleeping, I believe. She might have a match tomorrow," Strider said.

"Got it. Can't wait to see her in action," Jenny giggled. "Anyway, you free?"

"I dunno, I-," Strider began before she cut him off.

"Oh, don't be like that! I said I'd show you around Crocus, didn't I? Well, here's our chance. We'll see you guys later!" Jenny said as she quickly whisked Strider away, leaving a grumbling Erza behind.

"Mira won't be happy. Neither will Erza, I guess," Kinana giggled as she saw the redhead sigh.

-o-

"It appears that gossip is a constant, regardless of country," Strider noted as they went through the bustling crowds, Jenny pointing things out here and there.

"Handsome guy, beautiful girl. People talk," she said as she led him to a walled off garden. Unlike him, she was used to it, being one of the most beautiful women in fiore. "Just ignore them."

"Difficult when they pay so much attention to us," Strider sighed, sitting on a bench with her.

"Oh? Are we an 'us' now?" she asked with a smirk.

"Ha. You know what I mean," he said.

"So how are you liking Crocus so far?" she wondered.

"Beautiful, in a word," he said, piercing her gaze with his. Jenny blushed at the intensity of the look, but matched it.

"Happy to hear it," she said in a whisper. "Oh! There's something I forgot to give you."

"Oh? What's that?" he wondered. Out of no where, Jenny punched him hard on the shoulder. Strider recoiled a bit but soon laughed and nodded.

"That's for leaving me with Mira and Erza, asshole!" she grumbled.

"You're still alive, so there's that," he mentioned.

"You're lucky I'm not doing worse," she grumbled.

"What did they say?" he asked.

"You haven't talked to them about it?" she wondered.

"Nope," he said. Jenny sighed, remembering.

-o-

"Jenny…," Mira said dangerously.

"What?! We didn't do anything! Promise!" Jenny squealed in fright. She didn't feel comfortable enough to take on Mira, let alone Mira and Erza.

"Don't try to get out of this," Erza said, just as dangerous.

'Crap! I'm so dead! Damn it! What happened to ladies first?!' Jenny thought to herself, bemoaning Strider.

"I'm not - I swear!" she exclaimed.

"What happened?" Mira demanded.

"We… just talked for a bit. He showed me that he can fly," she said.

"And is that it?" Mira asked.

"Why wouldn't it be?!" Jenny exclaimed.

-o-

"I barely made it out alive," she sighed.

"Only matters that you did," he laughed.

"How come you haven't told them?" she wondered.

"No particular reason, really. It just hasn't come up. The Guilds been focused exclusively on the Games," Strider said.

"It must've been difficult for you, being separated from them for so long," she said.

"You've no idea," Strider sighed. "It was a difficult seven years."

"Feel like much has changed?" she wondered.

"Been asked that a few times now. In all honesty, I'm not sure. I don't feel distant from them or anything, but I'd be a fool to say things are the same as they were," Strider said. "All I can do now is try to move forward with how things are now."

"Weren't you only with them for a few months?" Jenny wondered.

"A little more than that, but it's about right. But, if I wasn't sleeping, I was with my team or Mira or someone. You spend so much intimate time with people, it doesn't take long to get into the sway of things - especially here," Strider said. Jenny nodded along, not sure of what to say next.

"So, why take me around the city now?" Strider asked.

"I promised you, didn't I? No time like the present, as they say. Besides, I wanted to get some alone time with you," she sighed.

"Oh? I think I like where this is going," Strider laughed.

"Ugh, not like that pervert!" she groaned.

"My loss," he sighed.

"You're the worst," she sighed before giggling. "But seriously, there is something I wanted to talk about with you in private."

"Oh? What's that?" he wondered.

"You and Mira," she said.

"Is that really what you want to talk about?" he asked.

"It is. I'm not kidding when I say that she's a good friend. We have a bit of a rivalry going on, but it's all in good nature. That's why I wanted to see if there was something going on between… well, you know," she sighed. "Between you and her."

"I see," Strider said.

"So…?" she trailed on.

"I think that's something I'll have to talk to Mira about before I talk with anyone else," Strider said.

"But right now - are you two a thing?" she asked.

"No, we're not," he said.

"Do you wish you were?" Jenny asked.

"I'm afraid that's for me to know and others to find out," Strider said coyly, eliciting a disgruntled sigh.

"Should've known you would've been evasive," Jenny grumbled.

"I don't get that very often," Strider laughed.

"Ok… then what about you and Erza?" Jenny asked.

"Erza and I?" Strider asked.

"Yeah. You saw how she and Mira looked at me that night!" Jenny sighed.

"I do. I remember the night quite vividly," Strider said.

"How vividly?" Jenny asked, moving a bit closer.

"Quite vividly. I believe we were about this close," he said, noting that the two were just inches apart.

"Mhm. I remember that as well. Only we were flying," Jenny said.

"Care to fly again?" he asked.

"Can we?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course. Just be sure to hold on tight," Strider said. Jenny threw her arms around him and they immediately shot up, much faster than they did the last time. It took her a moment to catch her breath and calm down. She looked on in awe as the bright lights of Crocus twinkled through the night. It was an ocean of lights, surrounded by the darkness of the mountains and lakes around the city.

"Wow," she whispered, swiveling her head around to get better views.

"You're not kidding. This is beautiful. We don't have cities like this where I'm from," he said.

"Do you miss your home?" she asked.

"More than you might know. It's a love-hate affair, I suppose," he sighed.

"That bad?" Jenny asked.

"Maybe not that bad. But… I do wish things were different there. All I can do is move on, though. No point in lamenting endlessly," Strider said, mindlessly caressing her back. Jenny shivered in pleasure at the touch, tightening her hold around him. Looking up, she quickly stole a kiss before giving him a kind smile.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"A reward for bringing me up here," she said.

"Does the reward increase the higher we go?" he wondered, gently levitating them up.

"Ha. Doesn't work like that, I'm afraid. You're going to have to do a lot more than flash your magic," she said in a mock haughty tone.

"I'm sure I can think of something," he said. "For now, though, let's head back down. You might have a match tomorrow."

"Oh, I definitely have a match tomorrow," she said slyly.

"Oh? With whom? I thought the matches were decided on the fly?" he asked, surprised.

"Most of them are. This is a special match, though. No spoilers, unfortunately," Jenny said.

"Against who?" he wondered.

"Ugh, that'd be a spoiler," Jenny said, rolling her eyes. "I think you'll enjoy it, though."

"What'd you think of my match?" Strider wondered as they finally touched down.

"Pretty hot," she giggled. "I figured you were tough, but you handled Jura pretty easily. Not sure how'd you do up against God Serena, but it's a good start."

"Seven years of training helps one grow," Strider said. "But I suppose I should say good night. I wouldn't want to keep you any longer."

"Guess not," Jenny sighed before smiling again. She leaned up and pulled him in for a long and passionate kiss, her hands running through his hair. She felt his arms wrap around her waist as he leaned into it as well. She felt their tongues clash, a sensation that sent a gentle shiver up and down her spine. It took all they had to break apart, taking a moment to savor the others taste.

"Good night kiss," she said quietly before smiling and taking her leave.

-o-

Strider sighed and sat back down the bench, lips still tingling from the kiss. His hand gently caressed the black mark on his left shoulder. The pain was as unbearable as it had always been. As he touched it, he felt Anglachel start to quiver, as though excited.

"Calm yourself," he whispered irately. "You won't be spilling blood here."

The sword quivered a bit more forcefully as he said that. Strider quickly grabbed it until it stopped its rattle. As it stilled, he clenched his teeth; the pain in the black mark shot through him again. He shifted his shirt off his left shoulder and blanched; the mark had grown ever so slightly - not distinctly enough that anyone but he would've noticed.

'Still spreading,' he sighed. 'Damned wraith. At this point… goddamn it all,' Strider thought angrily. The wind began to whip around him, matching his emotions. Finally, as the pain began to lessen, so did the elements.

'I suppose it could've been worse if not for her,' he thought.

"Anairë," he whispered, closing his eyes. Turning his head up, he couldn't help but smile; a particular star that he always had his eyes on was shining especially bright.